tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52370403458891937492024-03-20T02:18:10.879-07:00Fitzpatrick FarmStep by step instructions on a variety of homesteading skills.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-84956904295827583452015-02-21T08:10:00.001-08:002015-02-21T08:10:32.197-08:00Growing sweet potato from cuttings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Growing sweet potatoes from slips is super easy. Easy if you can get the potato to sprout!<br />
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Here I sprouted a potato from last harvest. It was taken from my basement where I store them. If you buy a store bought sweet potato, there are a couple things to consider. First most are sprayed with a growth inhibitor. You will need to soak that off, and keep it warm and moist after that. Secondly you may also want to consider the variety. Organic store potatoes are recommended, however they may have an organic growth inhibitor. <br />
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I usually keep a sweet potato growing in an earth-tainer. Here's the one I kept growing by a pineapple top that I rooted and sprouted. There's also a live forever plant from our English teacher that I was assigned to take care of.<br />
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Sweet potatoes make great house plants and will grow a long vine like this one. Pineapples make good houseplants too!<br />
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That other earth-tainer looked so bad I thought I'd put up this years model. These bins are 8 bucks on sale at Menards and make a really nice looking one.<br />
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Ok so you get some sprouts to grow. Then you cut them.<br />
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Find some sort of container that you can add water to. I've got some nice ones here!<br />
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You want a piece that has a little stem with it and a leaf. Cover most of it with water.<br />
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Here are mine all ready to go.<br />
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Here are the roots growing after 3 days. Keep an eye on the water. These guys are ready for transplant.<br />
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I used my root view container for these early guys. You can see that they are doing great! You should get your transplants ready to be put in after the first frost. Sweet potatoes need a warm climate to grow. Aside from growing in the earth-tainer then putting on the deck, or in a root view to show students I plan to get more sprouts near the frost free date, put them into cow pot composting pots, then into the garden they will go past may 15th. There's no big hurry till it gets warm.<br />
<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-28654483774608865392014-12-29T12:37:00.001-08:002014-12-29T19:07:16.964-08:00Roasting your own coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Roasting your own coffee is the best! You should totally do it! It tastes way better and you end up going to Starbucks a whole lot less. Roasting can be done in a pan, on a stove top popcorn popper, in an air popper, in the oven, or in a professional roaster. I've done the first three. The air popper was so easy, I stopped there. Here's how this all works .......<br />
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Coffee beans are the seeds found in the berries of a coffee bush. To make a long story short, berries get picked, seeds get taken out, washed, fermented, and dried out as green coffee beans. This card came with my sweet Maria's coffee order. Top left #1 is the green bean and it follows the bean through all stages of roasting. You'll probably want to roast a bit more than six<br />
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Here's a few of my before and afters. Some beans are larger than others. Some have different coating depending on where they were processed. What they look and taste like depends on where you get them. <a href="http://burmancoffee.com/" target="_blank">Burman Coffee</a> trader, <a href="https://www.sweetmarias.com/store/" target="_blank">Sweet Maria's,</a> and <a href="http://www.coffeebeancorral.com/" target="_blank">Coffee Coral</a> are three great companies selling single origin beans. There's a few more out there too. <br />
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Your coffee maker also makes a difference in how your coffee tastes. It should have water come out at 205 F. That temp extracts the most flavor. This is my Bonavita. It works very well. Side by side with my older coffee mate, it did show a significant difference. This maker cost a little over $150 and was a birthday present. However you could get away with a $10 french press and making sure the water you pour in is just a bit above 205. You can also give your coffee maker a warm up round with just water, then pour it back in hot. But that can be messy. <br />
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Here's my roaster. A good ol 1980's poppery 2. I'm not going to re-invent the wheel so here's a link to a great explanation of several roasting methods. <a href="http://www.sweetmarias.com/instructions.php" target="_blank">http://www.sweetmarias.com/instructions.php </a> They even did an <a href="http://www.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php" target="_blank">air popper youtube</a>. </div>
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Here's my Roaster summary. </div>
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<li>Pan and stovetop roasting can work but you need to get the right temperatures. It's like cooking your very first steak. It can look done on the outside but be raw in the middle, you can over cook too.</li>
<li>Air pop roasting you just set a timer. Usually 6-7 min </li>
<li>Pro roasters look like air roasters with extra knobs and a $100 dollar mark up. I'm sticking with my air popper</li>
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Roasting beans can darken pans and roasters. You may have to clean them out eventually. <b>Make sure your air roaster goes in a circular pattern shown on left!</b>! You do not want the center air one on the right. It puts beans everywhere and does not work too good. Check your roaster out before buying it!! Ebay sells the poppery 2 all day long for around 30 bucks.</div>
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Roasting advice summary</div>
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<li>Don't worry about popping. Just look at the color. The literature says first and second crack and you'll hear a popping noise. Forget about all that. Look at the color of your beans</li>
<li>Coffee roasting sends a small amount of smoke in the air. I suggest using your garage (set your timer so you don't forget it)</li>
<li>A small paper hull comes off the roasted bean. These will pile around your roaster and need be swept up. Also another reason to roast outside.</li>
<li>Putting the more or less beans in the popper can change the temp a bit, so can an extension chord. I just plug mine in and and enough to make it spin slow.</li>
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Beans summary and suggestions?</div>
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<li>Get the variety 1 lb packs. All those guys listed above sell them and they'll give you a good mix.</li>
<li>Ethiopian -- These have good lower notes of chocolate like flavors. Also there are a few varieties that have floral and blueberry high note flavors. I'd look for those ones</li>
<li>Costa Rica -- This has the middle note flavor. Coffee flavor. </li>
<li>Sumatra/India -- These have Earthy woody spice flavor</li>
<li>Kona -- a mild cup, very clean, Not exactly worth the price but worth a try. Somewhere in my tasting I got a slight straw sprig taste but it was very light.</li>
<li>Gesha -- I've only bought one of these. They are expensive. It tastes very acidic and kind of sour. Probably not buying again.</li>
<li>Honduran -- There's a peculiar note to this coffee that reminded me of being in that country many years ago. Kind of like the kona straw taste, but different.</li>
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Over all I would suggest an Ethiopian, Costa Rica, and Sumatra. I also strongly suggest a variety pack. Sometimes those premium coffees are like the single malt scotch. Other times it's all talk. Start with a one pound to taste it and then get more right away if you really like it.</div>
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No grinder? How about your magic bullet? My grinder is on the left the bullet is on the right. There's not much difference in the blades. I'd bet a blender would work, but I haven't tried it.</div>
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Here's my external links</div>
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<a href="http://www.burmancoffee.com/">Burman Coffee</a> trader, <a href="https://www.sweetmarias.com/store/">Seet Maria's,</a> and <a href="http://www.coffeebeancorral.com/">Coffee Coral</a></div>
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How to links</div>
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<a href="http://www.sweetmarias.com/instructions.php">http://www.sweetmarias.com/instructions.php </a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php">air popper</a></div>
Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-24822967936750590772014-03-27T21:21:00.001-07:002014-03-30T08:56:12.236-07:00Make your own beehive.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-RNKxNJromX6xP8_ABYKYFP4-9lisBwnbF2UhOSSdGlLLqQ_QISxkVEK0mt3hzsSLInZA6Gp2MlrAsiSipTpJ0TQXJfGSwhbeDkOPxOITWA_VAJzJvzh_0wJJnOAcf7pJu155-TwZQyL/s1600/IMG_1739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-RNKxNJromX6xP8_ABYKYFP4-9lisBwnbF2UhOSSdGlLLqQ_QISxkVEK0mt3hzsSLInZA6Gp2MlrAsiSipTpJ0TQXJfGSwhbeDkOPxOITWA_VAJzJvzh_0wJJnOAcf7pJu155-TwZQyL/s1600/IMG_1739.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Home made hive boxes are super easy if you have a table saw and a template. I do a simpler joint but I've been using mine for 6 years and they still keep kickin. Normally these boxes go for $15, but you can make your's for under $4 or sometimes free. Here's how.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7IZCTnf65exdMOdRPT3GcjbXIeE3YU7hvvUyu3sfHpSdSCP2qY3CNJAXmtbcQ0i62b9t5FCNcHCNOF4h-llLG8R-8rSmhtEDD_5qkiX_DLrn47p1G2qRhj5CkkJVYODQmCioIaM0Sqnr/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7IZCTnf65exdMOdRPT3GcjbXIeE3YU7hvvUyu3sfHpSdSCP2qY3CNJAXmtbcQ0i62b9t5FCNcHCNOF4h-llLG8R-8rSmhtEDD_5qkiX_DLrn47p1G2qRhj5CkkJVYODQmCioIaM0Sqnr/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you buy a super from the bee supply you've got all you need to build a hive. Above are the two template pieces (from the bee supply store's boxes) next to all the freshly cut hive body pa<span style="background-color: white;">rts.</span></span><br />
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Keep in mind that keeping everything exact is very important to stacking your boxes as well as for the frames you put in. If boxes are made incorrectly frames will fall through or not fit and bees will build more comb in the wrong places. It's probably a good idea to buy 2 store bought boxes and put one together to check all your copies. Stack them on top of that one to make sure all the sides line up.<br />
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I know there are all sorts of sized boxes. However I've been doing all medium's and so have many other beekeepers. It's great!! All my parts are interchangeable. So all the below is mediums, but I don't see why you couldn't do the same thing for any other size.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSH_kA137XOODynCwBR4m9VuGGGhVVLgThjRymhaP_kaI0-m316iAecDMEKcoZWnmVvmWg_MyUwatHUv5Fvb4y8t4ipKH_MOeFd_h0pXJOvljdiFd81WeSc6t8qa7uWkVobJbbYXgXv0YS/s1600/set+the+size+of+your+saw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSH_kA137XOODynCwBR4m9VuGGGhVVLgThjRymhaP_kaI0-m316iAecDMEKcoZWnmVvmWg_MyUwatHUv5Fvb4y8t4ipKH_MOeFd_h0pXJOvljdiFd81WeSc6t8qa7uWkVobJbbYXgXv0YS/s1600/set+the+size+of+your+saw.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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Use the box template to set your saw width. You don't even have to use a tape measure : )</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkzR4Jj67NIMuOBGAQN4EW9lZfJf3WS5vtikOES7Xi4NANgurnzvGc7r1s7A4ydsHPSfuEAkiZ6MVzM62c-snxwf40vvo-ZTBv0jk4BqDzkZuAKpfyzDyV_M6rzgcnPs9eEL77sN2Lu7G/s1600/cut+board.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkzR4Jj67NIMuOBGAQN4EW9lZfJf3WS5vtikOES7Xi4NANgurnzvGc7r1s7A4ydsHPSfuEAkiZ6MVzM62c-snxwf40vvo-ZTBv0jk4BqDzkZuAKpfyzDyV_M6rzgcnPs9eEL77sN2Lu7G/s1600/cut+board.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cut your wood to size. Any solid wood will do. Plywood and particle board falls apart! Don't use! Not sure if the wood you found is the right size? Just put it up next to your template piece and check for goodness sake! That's what you got it for, so bring it along or at least measure it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujdDxaU5olNcYKHHeoBGgxx-AunPGYjZCagY9IOCn75cY3oBv_hMjbXeS-jUfBgoOXyTSz4ONoDxcXT4NHsfZEIxEgEv3GaUnrPETvs90i4TvLKXlGgQT8S9Hrl4zqn4RyXqmOqVO_ngz/s1600/photo+1+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujdDxaU5olNcYKHHeoBGgxx-AunPGYjZCagY9IOCn75cY3oBv_hMjbXeS-jUfBgoOXyTSz4ONoDxcXT4NHsfZEIxEgEv3GaUnrPETvs90i4TvLKXlGgQT8S9Hrl4zqn4RyXqmOqVO_ngz/s1600/photo+1+%25281%2529.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the long side you will go the full length of the wood including the joint.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAJ0O1oVuFeAoK44Z-nfTNuHJRJVggRdNl5NcpSaM4gJVd5vWidOuhsp1_gf1gF3S9nYE5xNhslvi40qZotsVGTVc6fRWXItDOUkkRkl5rPMwQlhNxp8-hToPnW6Z2w8NkCtCz8aabFmv/s1600/photo+1+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAJ0O1oVuFeAoK44Z-nfTNuHJRJVggRdNl5NcpSaM4gJVd5vWidOuhsp1_gf1gF3S9nYE5xNhslvi40qZotsVGTVc6fRWXItDOUkkRkl5rPMwQlhNxp8-hToPnW6Z2w8NkCtCz8aabFmv/s1600/photo+1+%25282%2529.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Get the one end flush with the end of your board, then draw your cutting lines here.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzjl9x3RY2WAmizC3DFnEmL6KLxSoZqayslH0BybRYKyuB1DkwaxwuA233tMVVRe1Ck6WvRQy63wDnOFody3UUOlWeqEt2QfCvwzpgDaBaNxX86HdbJCrBeYHwEsfj5Skl7-aMzLvLOta/s1600/photo+4+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzjl9x3RY2WAmizC3DFnEmL6KLxSoZqayslH0BybRYKyuB1DkwaxwuA233tMVVRe1Ck6WvRQy63wDnOFody3UUOlWeqEt2QfCvwzpgDaBaNxX86HdbJCrBeYHwEsfj5Skl7-aMzLvLOta/s1600/photo+4+%25281%2529.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the shorter sides you will not be using the box joints.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW2Z3p7VLf87lVbX30Hl7wG0jxTk7-eK7VFGbB_9uAvqbwnPbBUCbffjYc3gQpRJNJ6Fpqb0Om1-6dNAxVgWJrp67D8y6KvLUlDZQmQCbiUVRIwQ3qA_Xuw9pmzp2EGSsqDdMc4NWITtv/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW2Z3p7VLf87lVbX30Hl7wG0jxTk7-eK7VFGbB_9uAvqbwnPbBUCbffjYc3gQpRJNJ6Fpqb0Om1-6dNAxVgWJrp67D8y6KvLUlDZQmQCbiUVRIwQ3qA_Xuw9pmzp2EGSsqDdMc4NWITtv/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Get the interior cut flush with the end of the board and mark it to cut here.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvpD6kL0e6WVMUVQQBV6jXjU1QLDP_rGOjIffgx7FIMCxiT8YdPwypNUSeQOiKuGSGPRtFNi0FNuOviMJBW6rF4Kh8R4h9DesrgWRpX8AYU4EgR9Q9IjyPqmjvQsU6cM-XgBL_OwYmRB9/s1600/photo+3+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvpD6kL0e6WVMUVQQBV6jXjU1QLDP_rGOjIffgx7FIMCxiT8YdPwypNUSeQOiKuGSGPRtFNi0FNuOviMJBW6rF4Kh8R4h9DesrgWRpX8AYU4EgR9Q9IjyPqmjvQsU6cM-XgBL_OwYmRB9/s1600/photo+3+%25281%2529.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once you get a couple good pieces cut and you compare them to your templates. Go ahead and use them to draw your lines. Check your pieces every so often by lining everything up that you cut and feel with your fingers to see if it's the same as the other pieces. If you are cutting multiple pieces do one at a time or one from each end, then draw the next line. That way you get the exact sized piece without the saw taking a little off. This one above is marked to cut from each end. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The long pieces should be 19 7/8 and the short pieces are 14 3/4 inches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQaaoJsNgkz3wnDdvAFEawttg1nPIodw2AUBrFvUt1WJxk9CwIB6wIkcq_vP_SzoPSWWcyd7CrwaH12wYnTP1u1pRm_3WIxrbasN4LkHdyx0vIhmT5SzOSZWmUj9USQwYbZEioKExDJLf/s1600/IMG_1748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlQaaoJsNgkz3wnDdvAFEawttg1nPIodw2AUBrFvUt1WJxk9CwIB6wIkcq_vP_SzoPSWWcyd7CrwaH12wYnTP1u1pRm_3WIxrbasN4LkHdyx0vIhmT5SzOSZWmUj9USQwYbZEioKExDJLf/s1600/IMG_1748.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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Use the table saw to cut grooves in the short pieces. This is where your frames will rest. I typically use the store bought piece and place it in the saw. I then raise or lower the blade to just thr right place. There are two cuts. You will cut one verticly as shown in the picture (probably wan't to do that first) then one horizontally<br />
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So you put the short ends on something. Make sure you have the grooves the right way!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEink18_zRxJ_sHwizU93yuzx9YXNpgaYJJNuK8_HWe6YQu7mzQHl3GWoa1baPapBaQ2AS-aQ1Ve3Zu4DAw2aLYJMztiL1UouSoQzSgYG6et_eW4TEoAbTVIFkRRz8XEXit9f4Ty1P_x9S24/s1600/photo+4+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEink18_zRxJ_sHwizU93yuzx9YXNpgaYJJNuK8_HWe6YQu7mzQHl3GWoa1baPapBaQ2AS-aQ1Ve3Zu4DAw2aLYJMztiL1UouSoQzSgYG6et_eW4TEoAbTVIFkRRz8XEXit9f4Ty1P_x9S24/s1600/photo+4+%25282%2529.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Put on some tight bond 2 glue or other wood glue. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivF9-zfYn6mCtn4NQ52nSNtlje_sX-3ORqmf5SiMuJ94gQHmgE5ZT3sA_xZMePjAAdSaf2R1i4oRIlPKvLoImG0JiLgelAGAh8j9Si-ea9OLhyphenhyphena9xJdZ9EEOjcieSEI6694JUvfGGSzhjj/s1600/photo+1+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivF9-zfYn6mCtn4NQ52nSNtlje_sX-3ORqmf5SiMuJ94gQHmgE5ZT3sA_xZMePjAAdSaf2R1i4oRIlPKvLoImG0JiLgelAGAh8j9Si-ea9OLhyphenhyphena9xJdZ9EEOjcieSEI6694JUvfGGSzhjj/s1600/photo+1+%25284%2529.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Line up the long board like so and tack it on. If you don't have a finish nailer, just put your screws in now. (sorry for the bad piece of wood in this shot) Of all the pieces I pick to photo! It was just a little tick off the end and won't make a big difference.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69ytH0u6euoWlsbcQ9OfTcLeOnr0IpnBepr13vqVa01ARfQPiyOH3RTmZRcYGGLJCWLhMhdiv23-b3m6X2DHE5spASYnBSHy4X0I4QD_OlKI27T4t1UzYftuCj9kxu2jQvNJpVoZnxfwN/s1600/photo+2+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69ytH0u6euoWlsbcQ9OfTcLeOnr0IpnBepr13vqVa01ARfQPiyOH3RTmZRcYGGLJCWLhMhdiv23-b3m6X2DHE5spASYnBSHy4X0I4QD_OlKI27T4t1UzYftuCj9kxu2jQvNJpVoZnxfwN/s1600/photo+2+%25283%2529.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
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The long pieces have the exposed grain. Just paint that part good and it will be fine.</div>
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OK Flip it over and do the same for the other side. Do one then the next. You may have to push those pieces to line them up good.</div>
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I drill pilot holes and screw afterwards. But like I said, if you don't have the nailer, just do it while you glue it. Let me also mention that you should screw them together while the glue is wet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyIFi5zUHQIPFxxaqtU5-SbpmISfwu-p9GqWMknIWl_WAoh1CpUnPXgQWmRB-SW8q0lvshfm58eL0leCBHB7G2GVRMYiREXJ2BB0Xr4JwodALtBlLJUB8d7LLQrrF_Dda4GAA-kz7DraE/s1600/photo+1+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyIFi5zUHQIPFxxaqtU5-SbpmISfwu-p9GqWMknIWl_WAoh1CpUnPXgQWmRB-SW8q0lvshfm58eL0leCBHB7G2GVRMYiREXJ2BB0Xr4JwodALtBlLJUB8d7LLQrrF_Dda4GAA-kz7DraE/s1600/photo+1+%25283%2529.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Better check the first one. Yep, just the right fit.</div>
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In this pile I tacked 5 then went and screwed them while the glue was still wet. I would like to pint out how they stack so nicely. You want them to stack and line up. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpyqTiafqlPWih2B07x-ATZSVLFKc8CcfSVGgu2D33gzMCkRy88tMoyCDDVLGD1F_djCPy8R7HuoUVe5Scl9pUkRnpVlrkgT1oZRaVsEn-H57W9GuOY924yY6hkfzJLb1bg845uAuhaVI/s1600/IMG_1739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpyqTiafqlPWih2B07x-ATZSVLFKc8CcfSVGgu2D33gzMCkRy88tMoyCDDVLGD1F_djCPy8R7HuoUVe5Scl9pUkRnpVlrkgT1oZRaVsEn-H57W9GuOY924yY6hkfzJLb1bg845uAuhaVI/s1600/IMG_1739.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
I then paint. Don't paint the inside!!! Bees keep things clean and dry in there. And then add a piece of lumber for the handle. You may want to paint that, but I skipped it. I'll just put another one on when it goes bad (it hasn't yet)<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12.00160026550293px;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BiosRVgJMpNMnxh5LCHrYlKJ-NjsEuF2ImUQ3v0acnQxJff0cH5qAFNrjR6dFrghUeI94CzMq_HtK-dGAKK_CFP7uSet8seoZTIRO_oohPnWY144LypZmtgfZXK2zrwlO9s_V52T13gb/s1600/hive+shoot+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BiosRVgJMpNMnxh5LCHrYlKJ-NjsEuF2ImUQ3v0acnQxJff0cH5qAFNrjR6dFrghUeI94CzMq_HtK-dGAKK_CFP7uSet8seoZTIRO_oohPnWY144LypZmtgfZXK2zrwlO9s_V52T13gb/s1600/hive+shoot+017.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How about frames? I buy them. But I do not buy foundation. That's a buck a sheet!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9R-riHiC5932fnsu9v01oK4pZoq1wyqDd_yTPxisinyxi1WQW6dZ0GHIagaREUsFKRsIWUHXCXkZ8YszbRkT3T9HXD6OpG3100pPoierXEEk-zhKr1PVdgvdJT5spQCvVnCg3fqwZPZ7/s1600/box+of+sticks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9R-riHiC5932fnsu9v01oK4pZoq1wyqDd_yTPxisinyxi1WQW6dZ0GHIagaREUsFKRsIWUHXCXkZ8YszbRkT3T9HXD6OpG3100pPoierXEEk-zhKr1PVdgvdJT5spQCvVnCg3fqwZPZ7/s1600/box+of+sticks.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Buy some of those jumbo popsicle sticks from the craft store and put those in there. Bees will build from the lowest point. Although It might help to have a sheet or two of wax in there to start. I would only suggest 2 or so frames in your first box. Once the first box is drawn, just pull a frame from there and put it up in your next super.That way they have something to climb. They like to start at the top so, it helps.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNKIh0rSFMIM-xoUuhLAXNutExKueNqktTONZgj2CUQqXj-crK2vNVq6hCls2miMGv3mLNbD8UI02qWd4-7ztMqYfwpnglwb9tm1HPXYkdvMhOJuawPYODZZXzWqD1wJsFa6pS7NmpMDg/s1600/where+to+put+popsicle+sticks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNKIh0rSFMIM-xoUuhLAXNutExKueNqktTONZgj2CUQqXj-crK2vNVq6hCls2miMGv3mLNbD8UI02qWd4-7ztMqYfwpnglwb9tm1HPXYkdvMhOJuawPYODZZXzWqD1wJsFa6pS7NmpMDg/s1600/where+to+put+popsicle+sticks.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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Glue em in there. In fact don't bother nailing your frames. Wood glue is as strong as nails. Be generous!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEist4041C7KuMfsgxAqEDHHF3V0fg3ut_BT_9AFqjburm57EunyGaY0bmDqOIQCo-X6STM8cRkEFFuqWd8b_zDTQxXu2lVVnOHyNx5v1fFe_szMKEN4EEbth_e5jlOQJ6zW5CQxspvXB3T9/s1600/stacks+of+frames.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEist4041C7KuMfsgxAqEDHHF3V0fg3ut_BT_9AFqjburm57EunyGaY0bmDqOIQCo-X6STM8cRkEFFuqWd8b_zDTQxXu2lVVnOHyNx5v1fFe_szMKEN4EEbth_e5jlOQJ6zW5CQxspvXB3T9/s1600/stacks+of+frames.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Newspaper to catch the drips. I don't nail my frames. It's all glue and they work just fine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9dDsb85RrJTbBBp9hJNjL8dOqr3_Wlj8THaNFJ3DadUO_476HwCAuKn0Kc51bnKAHCA4oVW5KuWloVoAb95-TJ6M5W0l4dFUowu2Xq2gqUgfwAASeO97kXu1dn0mxl9QbLvvUQNrFyvk/s1600/hive+shoot+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9dDsb85RrJTbBBp9hJNjL8dOqr3_Wlj8THaNFJ3DadUO_476HwCAuKn0Kc51bnKAHCA4oVW5KuWloVoAb95-TJ6M5W0l4dFUowu2Xq2gqUgfwAASeO97kXu1dn0mxl9QbLvvUQNrFyvk/s1600/hive+shoot+017.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I guess I didn't show how to build your own frames from scratch. By the way I'd order grooved top bar grooved bottom bar. However, You saved over $10 on the box, and $10 per box on foundation. That's an extra $100 bucks on a five medium hive!</span><br />
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<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-77626866588820354322014-03-14T08:35:00.000-07:002019-03-07T07:23:42.321-08:00Starting seedsIts a little late, but not too late to start your cold season seeds. This includes Peppers, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Eggplant for me. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LrONGi9yhX30AEVqKF98mgRuxScnxSFAA-QS-GKAmtCozOs4jyvYq8P9FIAMB9P63y21mn8fkjCvu4JtPThxFSYJJW8JWhyinSooCwCkjja-jvuwVDcwaJ1OpgViU4krPqZ5LSyTB7LS/s1600/photo+1+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LrONGi9yhX30AEVqKF98mgRuxScnxSFAA-QS-GKAmtCozOs4jyvYq8P9FIAMB9P63y21mn8fkjCvu4JtPThxFSYJJW8JWhyinSooCwCkjja-jvuwVDcwaJ1OpgViU4krPqZ5LSyTB7LS/s1600/photo+1+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">OK! So In the above picture we have pepper seed a towel and a pen. Make sure your ink does not dissolve in water! Just write on a towel and test, it will be obvious. Make sure to label if you got lots of varieties. What I show here with peppers can be done with all the vegetables. </span></div>
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<a name='more'></a>First thing you may want to do is to find out how many days until frost free day for your area. My frost free day is May 10th or so. So I start peppers 10 weeks before that. Tomatoes 6-8 weeks before, Broccoli 6 weeks. Broccoli and cabbage can be put out on cold days so you may want to start them sooner.<br />
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Here's the towel method.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jQ5P1DHTGJIBnciEFsRtX3Dmhgwl_Wzcck0wGTMHOa3EKBlPHFWTwtoJx4_CNmr5IP6ehiYraYfH-waW0FhLCShCkKyOniNN-AxMdzZzYb0K9_DR5xG7z6e5ObWNziB67UZSfgi7p5Xk/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jQ5P1DHTGJIBnciEFsRtX3Dmhgwl_Wzcck0wGTMHOa3EKBlPHFWTwtoJx4_CNmr5IP6ehiYraYfH-waW0FhLCShCkKyOniNN-AxMdzZzYb0K9_DR5xG7z6e5ObWNziB67UZSfgi7p5Xk/s1600/photo+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Get the towel wet, then add the dry seed. Give them some space so they don't get roots all tangled up for transplant.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne6_0JziIEgvKfIduppmjw639dF_8lsmX2ml6Ect38Aq5UFQsRb6-7SWVyPvFq9hyphenhyphenhSwww7NiW2_npiRlJCpKQj70W0SlJ0dncTL8m7WXkjG6FhYuKU3BQpEb8nm-dtLZUJTIE-IpPpsw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne6_0JziIEgvKfIduppmjw639dF_8lsmX2ml6Ect38Aq5UFQsRb6-7SWVyPvFq9hyphenhyphenhSwww7NiW2_npiRlJCpKQj70W0SlJ0dncTL8m7WXkjG6FhYuKU3BQpEb8nm-dtLZUJTIE-IpPpsw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Roll it up like this</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3xjlY2BMXwIYXi-aKg0WhAteYYiGyaKNCJZhbqcNyIn6Hs2nwST1_Z-HDntRvtbM0I1WKvQWyZ_KF177mRYeUfVdhMPx0sUmdfwdh0lAIkA9xjDx82udTmT9UE3iJ_jJUs8N3kC11mE1/s1600/photo+2+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3xjlY2BMXwIYXi-aKg0WhAteYYiGyaKNCJZhbqcNyIn6Hs2nwST1_Z-HDntRvtbM0I1WKvQWyZ_KF177mRYeUfVdhMPx0sUmdfwdh0lAIkA9xjDx82udTmT9UE3iJ_jJUs8N3kC11mE1/s1600/photo+2+(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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In a container, put about this much water</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2Vpeqnd3vsDBzDTnEIA0cVMQI6lV8xGtceVyzQtHezmrTQ5c4en1YcMZSnjV0oSTPTySKvL_jryEvyJjDR61b67SyPik5lfVjDSOlBmfGEeWUVt6VY5O3VQSqv_hAhU4bE-vKhDUy_Gf/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2Vpeqnd3vsDBzDTnEIA0cVMQI6lV8xGtceVyzQtHezmrTQ5c4en1YcMZSnjV0oSTPTySKvL_jryEvyJjDR61b67SyPik5lfVjDSOlBmfGEeWUVt6VY5O3VQSqv_hAhU4bE-vKhDUy_Gf/s1600/photo+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can Add 1 drop of bleach to prevent your seed from being all moldy, but not usually necessary.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5ZgCQU25Z4nb-ZYtaiV_Xdy5bsgpyK9_WOApF9SbjYNgz7XI2NQOySXgG4JpO7nRYToyR1vjZDCVzKCUD-T4A5wSxD5OhvrTsAbjz9hVbhbvDulhsVgT9LFFyyF4PtykxIy5CFkT6by8/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5ZgCQU25Z4nb-ZYtaiV_Xdy5bsgpyK9_WOApF9SbjYNgz7XI2NQOySXgG4JpO7nRYToyR1vjZDCVzKCUD-T4A5wSxD5OhvrTsAbjz9hVbhbvDulhsVgT9LFFyyF4PtykxIy5CFkT6by8/s1600/photo+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Put your towels in with one or both ends touching the water to keep the seed moist. I rubber banded the packet's on these beakers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZA6sKk0PHc3Hb523iwLnX126zvMa3cXT1-JpZ_q3lQw0hxZtAnFmqWv1Qcg6NrilQO_3Flqaaqv9gVEoPkxylR3niNIxdrz2Z8jah5ObBZpRQ5xPXhYfInbg5A5wZRVSbRoRpFcaZKCC/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZA6sKk0PHc3Hb523iwLnX126zvMa3cXT1-JpZ_q3lQw0hxZtAnFmqWv1Qcg6NrilQO_3Flqaaqv9gVEoPkxylR3niNIxdrz2Z8jah5ObBZpRQ5xPXhYfInbg5A5wZRVSbRoRpFcaZKCC/s1600/photo+5.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cover with plastic to retain moisture and put in a warm place. These are on my heating vent.</div>
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So that's it. Ideally you want 80 F temps and all this stuff will sprout in a week. At the store you can get those covered seed trays with the peat pot's, but plastic bags work just great.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8gh5QY5GxGFB8XUHcNml5c-7ZCSpgoflaQ6ukNg_ogS4ynklIQjUQVItn_UGuViawtvIqsCxQ0-idSaq1M-cyXtvNK-9wCaDj-Evv0rCD5cSAM5qOlpwDuTQEIrBCe-_9_v5WcfEEG6k/s1600/SAM_1499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8gh5QY5GxGFB8XUHcNml5c-7ZCSpgoflaQ6ukNg_ogS4ynklIQjUQVItn_UGuViawtvIqsCxQ0-idSaq1M-cyXtvNK-9wCaDj-Evv0rCD5cSAM5qOlpwDuTQEIrBCe-_9_v5WcfEEG6k/s1600/SAM_1499.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
So here's some sprouted seed<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQTJqHamNEkLHQSS9VC2h1n1qUjF1ac8WSSGI-Wd28em_-GMukyfkenYOo9Gv7CHpfRf-I3iorr1-n71jL-iIHEcYBSpNPeU2s4nf494ROwope7vZOCBDol_6vKQvltxY96vcLL49HluM/s1600/1979511_10152370964759714_1221558468_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQTJqHamNEkLHQSS9VC2h1n1qUjF1ac8WSSGI-Wd28em_-GMukyfkenYOo9Gv7CHpfRf-I3iorr1-n71jL-iIHEcYBSpNPeU2s4nf494ROwope7vZOCBDol_6vKQvltxY96vcLL49HluM/s1600/1979511_10152370964759714_1221558468_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
You can use trays, dirt in cups, peat pellets, empty cans, whatever. It needs to drain excess water and hold some sort of soil material. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxnAMkzIAA2tE-X2feW-LmaQ7cB7RGGMj2EGLUNiUDCn_XpYiTVO8TiLrYe-AjQ614sQ_B78fWnPpjDSuMTtcy2sXwd_uoq_Zs0PXWonqrc6coTN1kWguInRJN0H8eU-ibiuxB-en4olG/s1600/1977315_10152370964744714_1130514141_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxnAMkzIAA2tE-X2feW-LmaQ7cB7RGGMj2EGLUNiUDCn_XpYiTVO8TiLrYe-AjQ614sQ_B78fWnPpjDSuMTtcy2sXwd_uoq_Zs0PXWonqrc6coTN1kWguInRJN0H8eU-ibiuxB-en4olG/s1600/1977315_10152370964744714_1130514141_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
A little seed progression in the peat pots<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw480FS9d4-2yCnJBxbSo3N1RKPE7LpZpqeUhUU0iZuVVkD0LVMOKnFDDVTDStqdaV0lVE1RKBEyJLHBVEfMiLoo7DWpeidd48CG1_3n67ZYQ3u7xzDJG-iaecKXp8N50ubRLS5Wx3d9A/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw480FS9d4-2yCnJBxbSo3N1RKPE7LpZpqeUhUU0iZuVVkD0LVMOKnFDDVTDStqdaV0lVE1RKBEyJLHBVEfMiLoo7DWpeidd48CG1_3n67ZYQ3u7xzDJG-iaecKXp8N50ubRLS5Wx3d9A/s1600/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Another method that works well is putting a bunch o seeds in a pot together to sprout. (The local greenhouse does it this way) There are seed sprouting mixes for this and it's super easy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9SGePlDKFA5SIBuz9YuONOHFrPFgYfRs5QvBrT4jjepxt8bxA2L0YcrCs-1jznKKsvVqdCCGPfGCPNJ8bCgyyhhb0HJc_l-XGHDqs1i-kOYuyvA_tjQZdVMYzMMY75La2gpQm0HswVtc/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9SGePlDKFA5SIBuz9YuONOHFrPFgYfRs5QvBrT4jjepxt8bxA2L0YcrCs-1jznKKsvVqdCCGPfGCPNJ8bCgyyhhb0HJc_l-XGHDqs1i-kOYuyvA_tjQZdVMYzMMY75La2gpQm0HswVtc/s1600/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Once sprouted you gently separate the seedlings As long as you don't break them they do great.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnUUCXbTvrjVzHRd1eyMbWumdtGrmxj_kunuqOOvwfobnPKLwV5eovaaPCfuJ6g4S6yFe7O5lYWOMtiW75T4bt1m0Hr2NH9lE456din1hz9ScRCyBhLi579m_OdJ-VvWrUaKuCDg8VIjT/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnUUCXbTvrjVzHRd1eyMbWumdtGrmxj_kunuqOOvwfobnPKLwV5eovaaPCfuJ6g4S6yFe7O5lYWOMtiW75T4bt1m0Hr2NH9lE456din1hz9ScRCyBhLi579m_OdJ-VvWrUaKuCDg8VIjT/s1600/photo+3.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
Put em in, and cover the roots<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzYdPaSi1u0PkVV3n4DaiFrprDQNYbCWcYNlJHB5E4Hnvm8lPDi0QOXFrvNU-2315I7BjJOcVrVVTVm9JYumbCdCzaM9YUUOXTZlqaqXIqa5X1aguDckt_NzNN7wZV4-V3MUK8Rs_5Ufq/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzYdPaSi1u0PkVV3n4DaiFrprDQNYbCWcYNlJHB5E4Hnvm8lPDi0QOXFrvNU-2315I7BjJOcVrVVTVm9JYumbCdCzaM9YUUOXTZlqaqXIqa5X1aguDckt_NzNN7wZV4-V3MUK8Rs_5Ufq/s1600/photo+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Away you go!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCssLAvqRRD-wNAIEBSS3Qi7f51e-WY9WGPuZPmDyJKzqTUYBeExRRT65qSXYGb8nkpz1GktHT908GpuR-kk57RGLdKn6Kv2SpugThi7jKHryVtJYYrueQblKLfxjZuGTEAQtS8wnZBvI/s1600/1475907_10152370964749714_1450360699_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCssLAvqRRD-wNAIEBSS3Qi7f51e-WY9WGPuZPmDyJKzqTUYBeExRRT65qSXYGb8nkpz1GktHT908GpuR-kk57RGLdKn6Kv2SpugThi7jKHryVtJYYrueQblKLfxjZuGTEAQtS8wnZBvI/s1600/1475907_10152370964749714_1450360699_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Get them under a grow light asap. Keep the light low and close. Use can use aluminum foil on both sides (only one side shown in this pic). This will reflect any unused light back on the plants. I usually do 12 hour timer cycles. Rusted garden link below show's light setup so just go off of that.<br />
<a href="http://therustedgarden.blogspot.com/p/how-to-start-seeds.html">http://therustedgarden.blogspot.com/p/how-to-start-seeds.html </a><br />
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**** A heat mat for veggies is also very nice and can speed up growth<br />
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https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Seedling-Starting-Germination-Propagation/dp/B07G828RQY/ref=sr_1_45?keywords=heat+mat+for+seedlings&qid=1551972006&s=gateway&sr=8-45<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx20nGwQXBIbVN-CX8KmEqA9WIF9L61tYyeXygSxl-PZFRX6YOWr_znAUWcaNUM39d8ZMQh2IiZA6tyn79MxjAJwI7eYJSeUbNli0Gq-Y0GZNX4SUf8Ut8Fc_9kFRPSRmdYDLsIb0FipEJ/s1600/SAM_1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx20nGwQXBIbVN-CX8KmEqA9WIF9L61tYyeXygSxl-PZFRX6YOWr_znAUWcaNUM39d8ZMQh2IiZA6tyn79MxjAJwI7eYJSeUbNli0Gq-Y0GZNX4SUf8Ut8Fc_9kFRPSRmdYDLsIb0FipEJ/s1600/SAM_1623.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
When those roots fill the peat pellet's, or get too big for what's in the trays. I like to transfer into peat pots or make my own newspaper pots<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz2k7tANGTD8NLf_S1d759E6WCobu63jGJ_TL_XUG18Sx0URpO61sr3WrxG19d2SaU1mSW4ghbVYWceCDYT0fqhhJvGIZwtsuC7lrXdMnXFf1Y5QSg3CGvreIhgxOio03HZf8RCWnukBl/s1600/SAM_1511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz2k7tANGTD8NLf_S1d759E6WCobu63jGJ_TL_XUG18Sx0URpO61sr3WrxG19d2SaU1mSW4ghbVYWceCDYT0fqhhJvGIZwtsuC7lrXdMnXFf1Y5QSg3CGvreIhgxOio03HZf8RCWnukBl/s1600/SAM_1511.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCT3b-V5_KEERKjEfes6EJaI1ON24vi2t-1BSRiZEKyb0OBT5eHM4-Kw7ybnNmVvWWkbVov0nowP1C2Ebe2911rybweqCk_3E7fFb7oiSEA0aV3q73ZDoan21yU6nyn3MUNGDH5lSNcdgv/s1600/SAM_1509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCT3b-V5_KEERKjEfes6EJaI1ON24vi2t-1BSRiZEKyb0OBT5eHM4-Kw7ybnNmVvWWkbVov0nowP1C2Ebe2911rybweqCk_3E7fFb7oiSEA0aV3q73ZDoan21yU6nyn3MUNGDH5lSNcdgv/s1600/SAM_1509.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
You just roll it up, push it in, and tape somewhere. The trick with newspaper and other papery things is to let it dry out a little. Picking up a wet newspaper pot for transplanting the plant makes a huge mess. If your trays are wet the day of transplant you will have this problem.<br />
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The rusted veggie guy's blog did some nice youtubes on all this stuff. <a href="http://therustedgarden.blogspot.com/p/how-to-start-seeds.html">http://therustedgarden.blogspot.com/p/how-to-start-seeds.html </a> He does a great job and I like his setup. So check it out.</div>
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-80150822820100179322014-01-06T20:00:00.000-08:002014-01-07T11:20:55.294-08:00Winter Gardening<br />
There isn't much you can do garden wise in January : (<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHvl7q0cP6BlH1tATaZiqe6d6AB6mMx9omhRIhNfOh4N2Cx1hplWljnw6ka10yTpLF63ovk4B3iWcZALiQdXKOjszWuHUk3bUuf42bH1S7V4AnEHPLLp_LeUmJxCuJS3sWXDR8GD4Cu1p/s1600/SAM_1201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHvl7q0cP6BlH1tATaZiqe6d6AB6mMx9omhRIhNfOh4N2Cx1hplWljnw6ka10yTpLF63ovk4B3iWcZALiQdXKOjszWuHUk3bUuf42bH1S7V4AnEHPLLp_LeUmJxCuJS3sWXDR8GD4Cu1p/s1600/SAM_1201.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlF1ppUDureAvMrXn_qUXsiZy_2HRhNtRPex5KxRqQgkOruKT-WPWbVlcZvhV4KdpD0i7KxPJOn6gk6_QUTVlDxW_unfHIxCg2mXUXoQhIj4ME9npNE0r_vypwR6N_XQauDkXacRdDJ0ZY/s1600/SAM_1403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlF1ppUDureAvMrXn_qUXsiZy_2HRhNtRPex5KxRqQgkOruKT-WPWbVlcZvhV4KdpD0i7KxPJOn6gk6_QUTVlDxW_unfHIxCg2mXUXoQhIj4ME9npNE0r_vypwR6N_XQauDkXacRdDJ0ZY/s1600/SAM_1403.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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If you're really feinding you can sprout your sweet potatoes and grow long shoots for later splitting. <br />
Or you can dig you favorite roots of wild greens like poke, or dock for sprouting indoors in a bucket.<br />
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Otherwise you can plan your next years approach. Here are my suggestions on strategies, and on some good sources for your food providing plants.<br />
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<b>For seed -- </b>certainly seed is available everywhere, but if you want some unique varieties you've got to look around a bit.<br />
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<a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/">http://www.seedsavers.org/</a> These guys are committed to saving heirloom plants and seed collections. It's a great place for variety in your garden<br />
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<a href="http://www.rareseeds.com/">http://www.rareseeds.com/</a> Baker creeks catalog is a work of art. Fantastic pictures and racy political commentary make this one a spicy read. It inspires me to get some great looking heirlooms. <br />
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<a href="http://www.gourmetseed.com/">http://www.gourmetseed.com/</a> Gourmet seed doesn't have all the flash of baker creek, their catalog is mostly words. They do however deliver a large quantity of seed in their packets. And that makes up for it and then some. <br />
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<b>Perennial no maintenance plants </b>-- $2 for 2 apples you say at the store!!! You could buy an apple tree and get all you want forever. The same is true of so many easy to grow maintenance free plants.<br />
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<b>Tree Strategies</b>-- For any tree, I suggest you get the biggest one you can afford. The only exception would be peach. Even if you don't like your variety, you can graft it into whatever you want (I'll post later on that in march) If you have limited space, google image <a href="https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=684&q=espalier&oq=espalier&gs_l=img.3..0l10.32.624.0.874.5.5.0.0.0.0.203.594.2j2j1.5.0....0...1ac.1.32.img..3.2.219.7LWUQx-lVWk">espalier </a> Finally check out when they produce their fruit. You can stagger some producers that go super early to late fall.<br />
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<b>Fruit tree suggestions</b><br />
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Peaches -- 4 years till you get peaches, they grow for about 18. There's yellow and white flesh. You can go from seed, but the seeds don't sprout every year so you may get them the next or the year after.<br />
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Apples -- I suggest getting heirloom varieties from the nafex list, a neighbor, or this guy <a href="http://www.greenmantlenursery.com/fruit2008/fruitordering-info2008.htm">http://www.greenmantlenursery.com/fruit2008/fruitordering-info2008.htm</a> Apple trees take 5 or so years to grow. I've got some nice varieties from local nurseries that are really big, and they produced sooner. Another strategy is to wait till fall and get the cheep big ones from your local nurserymen, They plant fine in the fall too. Then graft your variety on them later. Apples from seed don't work so good as they tend to rarely produce sweet offspring.<br />
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Pear -- similar to apples. Cheap in nurseries during fall, heirloom varieties are good too.<br />
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Cherry -- super easy to grow, you can start from seed, but it will be longer. There's sweet cherries and pie cherries.<br />
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American Persimmon -- very tasty fruit, few people know what they are. Fruits stay on tree till mid winter and are a good sweet fall treat. Seeds grow very well.<br />
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Paw Paw -- notoriously hard to grow, but very tasty banana like fruits. Can be grown from seed.<br />
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Mulberries -- These guys are very hearty. Learn to identify them and pull them from a friends yard and transplant. There's absolutely no reason to buy them.<br />
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Nuts -- English walnut, almond, chest nut, heartnut, butternut, hazelnut, korean nut pine, and if usda predictions are right pecan will soon be good for my zone too. Nut trees are going to take 12 or more years. Try not to move to some other place. Acorns, hickory, and black walnuts are way too common for me to desire planting them. <br />
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Suggestions on where to buy<br />
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<a href="http://www.oikostreecrops.com/Default.asp">Oikos tree crops</a>? I like these guys. Their variety is Great and their philosophy is good too. Sometimes they are the only ones with the tree I want. They had a great special on Korean nut pines a couple years ago.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nafex.org/links.php">http://www.nafex.org/links.php</a> Here's the link page for the North American Fruit Explorers. These guys are where to find the heirloom fruit and nuts trees of old. Their list of suppliers is a great one!<br />
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<a href="http://www.arborday.org/trees/index.cfm">Arbor Day foundation</a> arbor day sounds like some kind of charity, however I don't think it is. It's more like a Sams club for trees. They have very inexpensive trees and a fair variety, although I don't think I would put them in my will or donate. I've bought plenty from them and I have been a member because the discount was worth it.<br />
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<b>Perennial fruit and vegetables</b></div>
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Asparagus – This perennial plant will grow back year after
year in the same spot for over 20 years.
I suggest planting a variety of types although my favorite is purple
passion. I found some deals on
craigslist from some growers who ordered in bulk. You could also transplant some roots from the
ditches in spring. (They grow wild everywhere in IL)</div>
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Bed preparation and weeding will have to happen for the
first year or so, but then you just pick until june. My chickens liked to eat the young stocks so I had to put fencing over them. </div>
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I started this 80 root bed two years ago and this spring I
plan to harvest enough to start canning and freezing for winter. My road has a ton of wild, but nobody is
gonna drive by and pick out of my yard.</div>
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You can see I mulched this guy for weeds.</div>
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Strawberries – Strawberry beds continue to expand and grow
with shoots that root themselves. Eventually
they thicken up to push out all the grass and then it’s only an occasional weed
or two. You can get 100 roots as cheap $26. Think of it as 5 strawberry baskets
that you buy at the store that continuously re-fill every year. It's actually more like 8-12 or so baskets but at a grocery store you could only buy around 5 with $26.</div>
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There are sweet strawberries and there are tart strawberries
for jams. So you may want to grow two
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<a href="http://www.gurneys.com/category/strawberry-plants">http://www.gurneys.com/category/strawberry-plants</a> You get 25 plants for $13. If you buy $50 worth of plants you get $25 free. So I'd get 4 plant offers wich would end up costing $26 and consist of 100 strawberry plants. My advice is to go for the June berring sweet ones. I've found the everbearers not to be as productive. My June bearing plot is early, middle, and late season june bearing and it works very good. <br />
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Sweet ones on the left, tart on the right. I'd pick every 3 days for about 2 1/2 weeks and get a lot!<br />
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Rhubarb – I’ve seen these plants grow forever. Just get some roots and put em in, you’ll
have it forever.</div>
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Grapes -- I’ve got
grapes growing up my pergola and plan to have a shady grape arbor on my front
deck. They'll take about 4 years. You can start yours from cuttings.</div>
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This is a rooted piece of grape vine I stuck in a cup in march. It's now 9 ft tall almost to the top of my pergola. I'll do a graft/cutting post in march.</div>
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Raspberries – some of the red types produce a double
crop. You can get these to grow easy
from transplants. Just find some at a
friends or neighbors. I don’t plant the
black types because they grow everywhere all over my farm. I’ve got some huge patches.</div>
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Here's a blackberry patch. These ones produce second year vines. The black raspberries grow next to the woods. They like a transition area. </div>
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<b>What I'm currently planning on</b></div>
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Aronia -- had some aronia infused apple cider this year. It made it taste really good. My neighbor has a tree and I've put some seed in my earth tainers to sprout.</div>
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Saskatoon -- I've tried blueberries and failed, but Saskatoons are like big blueberry bushes. My neighbor also has some with young sucker shoots I can transplant.</div>
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Cornealian cherries -- Kind of like big red sour cherry trees. Also plan on transplanting a few from neighbor. </div>
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Otherwise, I've got tons of seed put in dirt containers for transplants. I'll be ordering root-stocks for grafting at school and I've already got plenty of fruit trees in the main yard. </div>
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<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-874583398880026742013-10-27T08:22:00.001-07:002013-10-27T18:26:08.814-07:00Fall gardening<br />
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Its fall time and there's plenty of things to do to get ready for next years garden. Never gardened before? Follow me and do what I do. I will post the activities I do as close to the time I do them so you can garden with me. My gardening system is based off of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNU8IJzRHZk" target="_blank">ruth stout's</a> ideas. It requires very little weeding and no watering. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Before we go on let's look at the picture above. All those pumpkins that you like have viable seed. Just pull the seed out, dry it, then put it in an envelope. The seeds are also really tasty from all varietys of squash. I make a batch of salt water to taste, put it in a pot, and boil the seeds in it for about a minute. Then I streign the seeds out add oil and maybe some more salt, and bake in oven 350 till light brown. I suggest stirring them once or so too. <br />
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Do you want a garden like this? I don't even think I weeded this one yet in this picture.<br />
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The best place to put a garden is where you're gonna see it. Also an untilled semi-weed free lawn is excellent for this method. Tilling the soild stirs up dormant weed seeds. The lawn insures none of those tall plants coming up, because they can't survive the mower all those years. <br />
So what did I do? I put 6-8 inches of straw on top of my grass lawn in the fall. It composted with the grass and left clean black dirt below. Just put enough straw down so you cant see the grass. Above I did have some chicken litter so that's the darker half. But the lighter half is just straw and that works too. You can use autumn leaves too, however oak does not decompose fast enough. I also suggest adding bone meal to a leaf mixture and perhaps some lime while your at it to adjust the ph of your soil (at least round these parts in illinois it's good for it). <br />
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Want some more fruit and nut trees? No not apples or pears! You gotta graft those. Walnut, carpathian walnut, chestnut, persimmon, peach, apricot, paw paw, heartnut, butternut, and oak. Harvest their seeds now then put them in a tube/old starbucks coffee cup with damp soil in a bucket in your garage till spring, or better yet. Build an earthtainer and put them in there.<br />
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I just filled this earthtainer on the below with seed. On the right is some of the persimmons coming up through in first week of june or so. <a href="http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com/" target="_blank">Here's where to get plans to build one.</a> They have the right moisture for seed and you just dig the trees out around your herbs. <br />
I think that tomatoes are way better in the ground, but for herbs and peppers these things rock! Not to mention all the free trees you can get : )</div>
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Save your favorite tomato seed. See previous post on here for that!<br />
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If you got herbs get the seed out and put it in an envelope.<br />
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A sifter helps get the debris out. After that just blow the chaff off the seeds and you're good. <br />
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So that's all I've got for now. But you should definitly do some of this stuff so your garden will be awsome!<br />
<img closure_lm_347070="null" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-I8IZmTGjaIj3caMehutYQ8CDMyPczCNXZ5jcEYII36V5EVAXdktAAMXMRBkyj6-OVFu4YjGBWul5T6dmA_GU_Mp8bs9cRLQj2NcByWQCwyfR51rbER1G2vVJH_JeWXa07lRrqnKhfC5H/s320/SAM_1640.JPG" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 454px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 213px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-25145962185993417112013-07-19T18:41:00.001-07:002013-12-16T09:37:31.935-08:00How to make lip balm<br />
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Making your own lip balm is pretty easy. Just heat up some oil and melt some beeswax in it and you've got it. Serously, that's all there is. However you can spice things up by puttin in some quality ingredients. Here's how I make my lip balms for Fitzpatrick Farm. I'm also providing a resource list of where to get all this stuff at the bottom. A list of my flavors and how to order my lip balm is down there too.</div>
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Here's a simple lip balm recipe, It's all by weight so get a scale</div>
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1 part wax</div>
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1 part cocoa butter</div>
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1 part soft nut butter</div>
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1 part liquid oil</div>
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First you get some pure beeswax. See previous post for that.<br />
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I like to use a mixture of oils so here are the three I use, you could just use olive oil and do fine though<br />
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Oil 2<br />
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Oil 3. I mix these oils equally and actually do a little more than 25% oil, <br />
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Make sure it's deodorized or your balm will be chocolate scented/flavored</div>
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I chose this mango butter as my soft nut butter you can also use shea, or coconut, or some of each like the oils</div>
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If you want vitamin E you puncture the capsules and squeeze it in. If you have an oil based sunblock spray you can spray that in for a spf lip balm. (I tend not to)</div>
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Then you put all that stuff in a pan and melt it. 1 part beeswax, 1 part mango butter, 1 part cocoa butter, and a bit more than one part oil. Next batch I might put a bit of coconut oil in to make it a little more slippery.<br />
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So here it is all melte together<br />
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To flavor it you can use essential oils or flavor oils.</div>
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Add them after melting everything. If your not sure how much taste the balm, it re melts if you run out of time.<br />
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You can get all sorts of lip balm cap colors and tubes too of course. If you have a tin or small container you can also do that instead. <br />
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Filling the tubes<br />
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All full<br />
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You can buy lip balm label printer paper that is waterproof and stick it on.<br />
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And thats It you're ready to go.</div>
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Here's where to get tubes <a href="http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/Lip-Tubes-+-Colored-Caps-c-201.html">http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/Lip-Tubes-+-Colored-Caps-c-201.html</a></div>
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Here's a link to labels with a word template for your computer <a href="http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/2125x2125-White-Waterproof-INKJET-Label-Ideal-for-Lip-Balm!-pr-1841.html">http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/2125x2125-White-Waterproof-INKJET-Label-Ideal-for-Lip-Balm!-pr-1841.html</a></div>
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Here's where to get free uncopywrited images (I usually take the pics for my labels fyi) <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page</a></div>
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Here's where I suggest you buy essential oils, oils, butters, etc <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/">http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/</a></div>
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If you would like to buy some of my lip balms I charge $2 a piece or 6 for $10. Postage included. You can email an order to <a href="mailto:dan@fitzpatrickfarm.com">dan@fitzpatrickfarm.com</a> My flavors are lemongrass, mint, coconut lime, or unscented. I may have a couple cedar left too. Just let me know how many and I'll email you back payment info.</div>
Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-22083409059340254632013-02-17T20:50:00.004-08:002021-03-08T11:03:03.221-08:00Maple sugarin<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBMi8aKXhcfhNBcl_CWmNtti8joXTZovHUbOycM76jkG-cn8giO2G4XnhGe7MwHluh9aBZ53DiYGsituZobpzK9FCImiSfkKV_1wYF63Gat53gDL4r2Ly5fMIEONwqpSlIjS0hz5wurhO/s1600/frozen+syrup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="960" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBMi8aKXhcfhNBcl_CWmNtti8joXTZovHUbOycM76jkG-cn8giO2G4XnhGe7MwHluh9aBZ53DiYGsituZobpzK9FCImiSfkKV_1wYF63Gat53gDL4r2Ly5fMIEONwqpSlIjS0hz5wurhO/s320/frozen+syrup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nothin beats maple sugarin in the spring! The picture above is actually step two in a 2 step process. First, you make a hole in a maple, boxelder, river Burch, black walnut, or hickory tree and collect the sap. (Maple trees produce the most sap) Then you boil it till it's syrup. You can boil it all up in any pan you want over a fire or on the stove. It really is that simple, here are a few suggestions.</div>
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This is a store-bought spile. It goes in the tree and the sap runs down the spigot.<br />
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This is an elderberry spile I made. The same job, I'll show you how I did this in a bit.<br />
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This is a redneck spile. It's a tube with electric tape. Make sure your drill bit is almost the same size and walla.</div>
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Drill a hole in a maple tree that has a trunk 10 inches wide. If the tree you have has a monster trunk you can tape more than once without much harm. The bark grows back shut over the next year.<br />
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It's about that deep. Can't remember the bit size, but it's big enough for my spile and that's all that matters.<br />
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After that, you should get a bucket to collect your sap.<br />
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This tree was at least 4 ft in diameter so I tapped 3 times. The bucket is on the ground<br />
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When you're done boil it!! You will be boiling 25+ gallons down to 1 gallon of syrup so the more pots the better or you could get one of these. Some people ask if you add sugar!? I will politely say NO!!!!!! Plants make sugar and this sugar is from the trees. You remove water. So to be perfectly clear. There is only one ingredient to make maple syrup. Tree Sap!</div>
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It's a 2x4 ft stainless pan. The main advantage is I can walk away without worrying about it burning. I boil syrup all day and sometimes fill the pans all the way, stoke the fire, and come back the next morning. For maple sugaring, you don't have to watch too much until the last 15 minutes or so. That's when your syrup could get burned and you'll ruin all your hard work! Also, you do have to watch for small fires starting near your campfire In smaller pans, it can be concentrated faster depending on the size. This big one has so much in it, it takes forever to become really syrupy and by then, I have it in a special pan on the stove. </div>
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Here's that elderberry grew by my barn. Warning! You better be sure of your plants before you do this! </div>
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Elderberry has hollow pithy stems.</div>
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So just cut a piece and poke the pith out. Taper the ends and put them in your maple. Works just fine.<br />
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If you want to be really lazy you can get a big food-grade barrel for10 bucks off some guy you find on craigslist. For just a couple big maple trees you can just rest the barrel under them. However, for most of my trees, I use the barrels as stores for the 5-gallon buckets<br />
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If you don't have a barrel that is food grade, you can use any container that is food grade. Some people use 2-liter pop bottles or 5 gal water jugs etc.<br />
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They don't have a removable lid though so you'll have to cut it off and then do this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvDM3KQFevGEwiK0kDxsUAcQcdxpiH0K1MAzx5WkmJWOgnLZhGZ0LEPNjBdo9E94gy6R2pUJQNvpzQp9nENAB8tS1Ke4nLKdeqDI1bLuOIgTRq2snEY70IGYaL3MQbhMhnYL25QOMa0su/s1600/SAM_1524.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvDM3KQFevGEwiK0kDxsUAcQcdxpiH0K1MAzx5WkmJWOgnLZhGZ0LEPNjBdo9E94gy6R2pUJQNvpzQp9nENAB8tS1Ke4nLKdeqDI1bLuOIgTRq2snEY70IGYaL3MQbhMhnYL25QOMa0su/s320/SAM_1524.JPG" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
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It fits right back on, keeps out the rain, ad you've got plenty of places to stick the tubes in. <div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmLHt3pTScCrF56yfReaSV4WvbqwDeeCy81D4OrJrgnH7sYCkySl5Rma0q5nr8SfbW1V5xbDesikq_I-yDA4v2-bdHbstlCgh-S2Y2gH3paOCO7jXE_uf_RNtyo2XjkCgkQTeAqz1EhoH/s1600/SAM_1444.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmLHt3pTScCrF56yfReaSV4WvbqwDeeCy81D4OrJrgnH7sYCkySl5Rma0q5nr8SfbW1V5xbDesikq_I-yDA4v2-bdHbstlCgh-S2Y2gH3paOCO7jXE_uf_RNtyo2XjkCgkQTeAqz1EhoH/s320/SAM_1444.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's a couple of them set up</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIeO8V-VXlylhsH3rmOeNyuU6Tv9jIhAZnAdFZsl3gEsFl9LJ5yXeaxEyz4MFYP7RQ2f5J7aU4mXIjZo4xWchyphenhyphenaVoWMTjOZbotJowux24GAuPcsZN7TSgngvD0zWVNS2fHy_1sMcXmst2/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIeO8V-VXlylhsH3rmOeNyuU6Tv9jIhAZnAdFZsl3gEsFl9LJ5yXeaxEyz4MFYP7RQ2f5J7aU4mXIjZo4xWchyphenhyphenaVoWMTjOZbotJowux24GAuPcsZN7TSgngvD0zWVNS2fHy_1sMcXmst2/" width="180" /></a></div><br />As I said before, most trees I just use a 5-gallon bucket. It's a lot more time-efficient. I then use the blue bins as reservoirs until I have a reasonable amount to boil. I just set the buckets on the ground and drill the spiles above.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLF1mAhGvDqZXLvn8bqbX5vC8WDHiNnb-c7OWYGNHBDjktLBsiKXzdqt_xCJIsgV1F3TGbJlgFV68ixp031uZeTpkd91WwEYsh3psrzPU7Rey6n10ysu_kP0owfdj_Ad4y2B7nNsdcGzu/s1600/SAM_1456.JPG" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLF1mAhGvDqZXLvn8bqbX5vC8WDHiNnb-c7OWYGNHBDjktLBsiKXzdqt_xCJIsgV1F3TGbJlgFV68ixp031uZeTpkd91WwEYsh3psrzPU7Rey6n10ysu_kP0owfdj_Ad4y2B7nNsdcGzu/s320/SAM_1456.JPG" width="320" /></a>Here's how I hook the tube up to a the spiles</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzVrWWZ4pO2uJ9rdnvooK_hZMciyWZuOBcFUgQVsW13z8jZrtOqAmnUUeDTK8bQkhUScig1c9EnnLm6vgqeUTmyTlBRMvKiIXGMlHyqgIJ_5pqotwbggc8YAFDPlQU9qcz41DUhcnLZlD/s1600/SAM_1452.JPG" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzVrWWZ4pO2uJ9rdnvooK_hZMciyWZuOBcFUgQVsW13z8jZrtOqAmnUUeDTK8bQkhUScig1c9EnnLm6vgqeUTmyTlBRMvKiIXGMlHyqgIJ_5pqotwbggc8YAFDPlQU9qcz41DUhcnLZlD/s320/SAM_1452.JPG" width="320" /></a>The wood one falls off more frequently, I'm going to have to whittle it down more and I'm sure it will be fine<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LvATzr9U5XM8Wcs9MGUiRnKj2Ps-fHAMOwxXljPMor_pDtq7sgXACKlkMp5Jq30i_xJaD4V4NG4CT5Vk8qlhQJoDNfF_gIwEyh8MjRpaqMkg4w7jXuQweOfPvtsuNphY26IDt3x7MNr_/s1600/SAM_1538.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LvATzr9U5XM8Wcs9MGUiRnKj2Ps-fHAMOwxXljPMor_pDtq7sgXACKlkMp5Jq30i_xJaD4V4NG4CT5Vk8qlhQJoDNfF_gIwEyh8MjRpaqMkg4w7jXuQweOfPvtsuNphY26IDt3x7MNr_/s320/SAM_1538.JPG" usa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
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You just shove the redneck one in the hole.</div>
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Any way you do it you just have to get the sap in your bucket and then to the pans.<br /><br />
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To boil the sap you want as big as pans as you can get!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkF6cuy2Huvw5DQH8aFYfujAFBjLFqIASO_DH4KEzVE5MI5WywDv3_9_IXmNlafQyQWXTvix_9GOI8pvkjw9EDjAEmXGtvCK0Dm3ZXlEznuLcD4LMu6RDrj6a_KfDSmY8zaUEFeYMAPJF5/s1600/SAM_1544.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mta="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkF6cuy2Huvw5DQH8aFYfujAFBjLFqIASO_DH4KEzVE5MI5WywDv3_9_IXmNlafQyQWXTvix_9GOI8pvkjw9EDjAEmXGtvCK0Dm3ZXlEznuLcD4LMu6RDrj6a_KfDSmY8zaUEFeYMAPJF5/s320/SAM_1544.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's my most recent setup. Big pans on cinder blocks. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjnQMUMj_5m1Z5XxnT81YoczLAL5aoz4GrvseYMx7ZXxC0VHDmsh6kUdmXUvDmh6xepzPCPBAAJ_6LOfZ0tL9RUOAevxXKkgehqbArgx3A_N5zeDjIMj5ZPD_hteCICX-aeTu7PSHkke1/s1600/SAM_1573.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mta="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjnQMUMj_5m1Z5XxnT81YoczLAL5aoz4GrvseYMx7ZXxC0VHDmsh6kUdmXUvDmh6xepzPCPBAAJ_6LOfZ0tL9RUOAevxXKkgehqbArgx3A_N5zeDjIMj5ZPD_hteCICX-aeTu7PSHkke1/s320/SAM_1573.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
So how do you know when it's done? First, you will start seeing plates of sugar on top like in this pic. Also, note that you have to really start watching at this point. I usually transfer to a smaller pan when I notice it's really strong and sweet.<br />
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Here's what it boils like when It's almost done. It will climb the walls of your finishing pan and it will spill everywhere and make a mess. Before I used a thermometer, I would just bring it to this point, lower the heat, and boil a minute or two more. It's also a good point to stop and filter which is optional but recommended.<br />
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The minerals in the syrup build up at the end and some call this sugar sand. You can filter through a variety of fabrics, but you need to do it hot because it's syrup and you have to make sure the fabric lets things flow through well. This old cloth worked great, don't use some weird plastic fabric. Wool is traditional. You can see the crystals building up around the side of my liquid.</div>
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To attach my cloth I just use some masking tape below the lip of a big pot.<br />
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All filtered</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQXIuMTp-yt1upNsy7IPT7V_EuMwPTKm3stTXldQmKbO7Ql0Eo5NyT7QkstQj0tcFi4W9cTR_rxcYPub7g9SF2LI6_mEpxQsBXjCXiwaCln9AlTUUPkHqvVO0zqcOXuSe5QcA3Pxd03iD/s1600/SAM_1578.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mta="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQXIuMTp-yt1upNsy7IPT7V_EuMwPTKm3stTXldQmKbO7Ql0Eo5NyT7QkstQj0tcFi4W9cTR_rxcYPub7g9SF2LI6_mEpxQsBXjCXiwaCln9AlTUUPkHqvVO0zqcOXuSe5QcA3Pxd03iD/s320/SAM_1578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
7.1 degrees Farenheight above normal boiling point is syrup. Close enough for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfthyaC1aTtmlbpTehknQ_6SjH8eybon3jifL3AYhxsFbsCIaQS2fmNBDJGeHgjjX_SFWXuunA-SDELMZC9NVJOVCahB6pyxMP8P3PfK2uU4_yPYhNExJo1eq2Z5thaMNCakODVhMLXsa/s1600/SAM_1583.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mta="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfthyaC1aTtmlbpTehknQ_6SjH8eybon3jifL3AYhxsFbsCIaQS2fmNBDJGeHgjjX_SFWXuunA-SDELMZC9NVJOVCahB6pyxMP8P3PfK2uU4_yPYhNExJo1eq2Z5thaMNCakODVhMLXsa/s320/SAM_1583.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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You should hot pack the syrup from boiling into syrup grade jugs, or jars. That way it's preserved until you open it. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: initial; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: initial; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;">If you carefully heat it to 255 and then stir it while it cools you will get maple sugar</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: initial; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqNGBMXq60iqbapDyz8ZmmO3tUDUT_UnGZbMioyHErphnQrXqu9gR7S6qZWZKJDrp6HDGrxh_4n2qS2XFEQLlhW820_Id0SmHn6xqvhldPoNFi_B9HKRTsg9ovBYyz4FPtNKf0ETsbwU8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="716" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqNGBMXq60iqbapDyz8ZmmO3tUDUT_UnGZbMioyHErphnQrXqu9gR7S6qZWZKJDrp6HDGrxh_4n2qS2XFEQLlhW820_Id0SmHn6xqvhldPoNFi_B9HKRTsg9ovBYyz4FPtNKf0ETsbwU8/w227-h304/maple+sugar.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>
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So there it is. You collect the sap and boil it. When it gets really thick it's syrup. Also, do you see that percolator coffee pot? Yep, that's maple-flavored coffee perkin in there. You need to try that!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: initial; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: initial; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-color: initial; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-style: none; border-top: medium none; border-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogWAGLKgrzcztu9SseslVgp95v-JEQb40VOnwpcGt7hRPLuKszmGKLIclyaRO5eikxo7Vq02-SYjMHEuk13DUWAv_5nbVzky9h-9C86dTJm2-B5YUfKY0WB9_oEaZhf37l_UEnYIcAgEV/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogWAGLKgrzcztu9SseslVgp95v-JEQb40VOnwpcGt7hRPLuKszmGKLIclyaRO5eikxo7Vq02-SYjMHEuk13DUWAv_5nbVzky9h-9C86dTJm2-B5YUfKY0WB9_oEaZhf37l_UEnYIcAgEV/w275-h367/vinegar+wash.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnjqamZXNA-LHKevB-G4viJgxCwp1S3XQJct1H9Y3x954dT4jcq2iz-aFVmaUUU1uLyifjrdTU3h4nESjxmlSWgHb7Xoo6FhKIqGsnpcKNY-fiBnAEK2C8RBHcgAXyPy_998rf57AI09y/s1600/SAM_1591.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="365" mta="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnjqamZXNA-LHKevB-G4viJgxCwp1S3XQJct1H9Y3x954dT4jcq2iz-aFVmaUUU1uLyifjrdTU3h4nESjxmlSWgHb7Xoo6FhKIqGsnpcKNY-fiBnAEK2C8RBHcgAXyPy_998rf57AI09y/w274-h365/SAM_1591.JPG" width="274" /></a></div><br />
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<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To clean up all that campfire and other whatnot. I recommend milk stone cleaner. You can also use Vinegar to clean out pans</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>What about frozen water in your bucket?<br />
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Here's some frozen syrup that is in the finishing pan. Do you think the ice has no sugar in it????<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCLfA3l1_aQXpj0qkO23-sEGAteV5TS5LNZeLGsGPVx5Ehak8kP5b0CRCDdgFOpo4R6G3CnyKPxjvN-7Z_P0n8SNjKIClbum03qLKO3mo1LFwdsTc4NNKDyauwb8z2ssTdkWTIzuWu6Lg/s1600/maple+bucke.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="960" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCLfA3l1_aQXpj0qkO23-sEGAteV5TS5LNZeLGsGPVx5Ehak8kP5b0CRCDdgFOpo4R6G3CnyKPxjvN-7Z_P0n8SNjKIClbum03qLKO3mo1LFwdsTc4NNKDyauwb8z2ssTdkWTIzuWu6Lg/s200/maple+bucke.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep the ice! You're throwing out good sap if you chuck it. The above picture tasted as sweet as ice cream and still froze. </span></div>
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</div></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-54766516625482880302012-11-17T19:25:00.000-08:002012-11-17T19:27:23.602-08:00Building an earth oven<br />
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What is this? An earth oven. What does that mean? It's an oven made of clay which can attain heats of over 800 degrees. It can also hold a hot temperature for a long time. You can make pizza, bread, and anything else you would cook in a regular oven. However with the really hot temp of 800 you can make traditional italian pizzas in 3-4 minutes. With the clay and it's heat retention you can make superior breads. These guys are making 4 minute pizzas and selling them for 7 bucks. <br />
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There are all sorts of instructables on how to make one of these. Here's how I did mine..<br />
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First you lay a foundation. This one is a freestanding one out of stone pulled out of our fields. You could use cinder blocks or garden pavers.<br />
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Then you find some clay. You can see the clay layer in this creek bed is by the water. It's redish brown.<br />
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Here I found a nice grey clay layer. <br />
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After I dug the clay, I spread it on a tarp to dry in the sun. Then I pulverized it with a sledge. This made a nice powder that would consistently mix with the water. I tried a couple other ways too, but this was the easiest.<br />
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So I would bang on the clay a bit, then put it on this old screen on top of the wheel barrel. All the smaller poweder went through.<br />
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Ahh a very nice clay powder.<br />
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The first layer in the oven is insulation. So to make that you mix a loose slip of clay.<br />
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A close up<br />
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Then you mix that with straw, or sawdust, or some light airy material <br />
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So this layer keeps the heat from going away from your oven. You want your oven to hold the heat, not the platform.<br />
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So you spread that all out.<br />
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Add a layer of bottles to create even more dead air space for insulation.<br />
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Cover them all up.<br />
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Get some sand. I got a truckload for 30 bucks. You could dig it. You're looking for sharp edged sand so beach sand is not as good. The sharp edges are supposed to hold it together better. This is mason sand in my truck.<br />
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So you mix some sand and clay to make a thermal layer. I ended up using a cement mixer. We already had one.<br />
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You can also mix things on a tarp. (no sand added yet and this one was too wet)<br />
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You put the clay sand down on top of your thermal layer.<br />
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Then you put some fire brick in there. Get it all tight and level.</div>
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We tamped these down a little more after this pic. They need to be all smooth so you can scoop up pizzas off them.</div>
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Then you make a big sand castle over your bricks. Mine was 16 inches tall. When it was done it looked like a nice oval dome.<br />
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Then you cover it with wet newspaper.<br />
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Mixing some 2 parts sand to 1 part clay. Get a 4 inch layer around your sand form.</div>
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Mine was a little wet so I gave it a girdle until it set.<br />
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When it's dry enough you cut out a door and pull out the sand.</div>
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The door.<br />
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The inside.<br />
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All done. Time for it to dry some more. Then you slowly fire it up to dry out the clay.</div>
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Fire it up!<br />
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Make your pizza.<br />
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Bake it up. I'm still working on a nice front door for the baking. Until then, I'm just using a board.<br />
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The best crust, and perfect baked cheese. Only takes 3-4 minutes.</div>
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Best pizza ever!<br />
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So If you would like to build one of these. I suggest the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Earth-Oven-Edition/dp/096798467X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353208774&sr=8-1&keywords=building+earth+ovens">Build your own earth oven</a>. It rocks. Another thing I may do to my oven is to add a insulation layer over the top of the oven. It would be another straw one like at the base. I would then put a layer of clay on the outside to make it look nice.<br />
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-60627672749136234522012-10-22T20:57:00.002-07:002015-02-22T19:29:18.318-08:00How to refine beeswax<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Beeswax can come in many colors. The above picture has 3 variations of wax color and one died brown with walnut hulls. Would you like to know how to refine wax and make balms, candles, and salves? ......<br />
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After I get done with my crushing and straining honey extraction, I've got a lot of wax.<br />
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So I put the wax in a pot and add some water.<br />
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You may want to choose a location where spilling wax is ok<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOb3DZfZZU9iYJ2pMKLh6mvQe69hwDYTjKvy8bjcPH76L0CmW8KUkGbL8AdDdgdDBBZR24MdZQVYIq_drqlRpRLCqevrxPlpoedbaYsbsuMS5eXHinNVs_CBN5s9Fs62Vk2XakKscKHJC2/s1600/SAM_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOb3DZfZZU9iYJ2pMKLh6mvQe69hwDYTjKvy8bjcPH76L0CmW8KUkGbL8AdDdgdDBBZR24MdZQVYIq_drqlRpRLCqevrxPlpoedbaYsbsuMS5eXHinNVs_CBN5s9Fs62Vk2XakKscKHJC2/s320/SAM_0975.JPG" height="240" oea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Almost all melted. You can stirr it up with a stick. For the brown died wax I added a bunch of black walnut hulls at this point and boiled them with the wax.<br />
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Watch out! An unattended pot can boil over. I was playing pretend store with my son Bear and forgot about it almost being done. When someone asked what this was a picture of I commented none of your beeswax : ) Also cooking beeswax attracts bees so do it and move it or do it in a shed or garage.<br />
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After your wax cools off it will be on top in a big circular shape. I suggest you dry it a bit. The sweet water can be siphoned into a carboy for brewing mead or fed back to the bees to be put back into the hive as honey. So this is a picture of a couple pieces of the circle in a coffee can.<br />
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You can use a double boiler, but I'm impatient. I just heat it up and stir it up with a stick. If it gets too hot I pick up the can and swish it around a bit.<br />
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You then pour the melted wax through a thin fabric. The above is gossimer. It's the best I've found yet. It goes through quick and filters any debris.<br />
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Then you pour it out into molds. You can use muffin pans, paper cups, or just about anything. Wax will shrink when it cools and if you get it ice cold it pops out of most molds. Most solids shrink when cooled unlike water with it's fancy 109.5 degree bonds making a tetrahedral crystal lattice. <br />
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So what do you do with the wax? A simple lip balm is just wax and oil. You can buy the tubes if you want or just put it in a tin. I heard a friend complain about having dry lips and leaving their lip balm at home. I also knew that they had beeswax and oil at their work. I told her that she could just heat a small amount of wax and oil and it worked fine.<br />
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You can use any edible oil. Some oils feel different than others. You should experiment. Start with a little wax and add some oil. <a href="http://fitzpatrickfarm.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-to-make-lip-balm.html">Here's my walk through recipe</a>, but its just as easy to experiment. Let it cool and put it on your lips. If it's too hard add more oil, too soft add more wax. There's no great reason to pay 2 or more dollars for lip balm other than being lazy. It's super easy!<br />
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There are also other adddtives you can use. On the bottom are essential oils and flavoring oils. You can get these at hobby lobby or an organic store or hyvee in Dekalb. On the left are shea butter and de-scented cocoa butter. You can soak herbs like cottonwood buds in oils to get you own wild crafted flavors. You can add Vitamin E, coconut oils, and even sunblock. There are plenty of options and fun experiments to try.<br />
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Any balm or salve is just wax, oils, and herbal essences. You can make any lotion bars you want or even lotion. To do a lotion you use a blender with water and pour your hot salve in while blending. It takes a few trials but you can get it just right. It can be made just like that pump out bottle you find at the fancy lotion store.<br />
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Here's one quick recipe<br />
.75 -.80 oz beeswax<br />
2.1 oz almond oil<br />
3 vit E capsules<br />
choice of essential oil<br />
peppermint 12 drops<br />
wintergreen or tea tree 15 drops<br />
makes about 16 .15 oz tubes<br />
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Most beekeeping supply stores carry all the essential oils, cocoa and other butters, lip balm tubes, and molds. Here's a link to 25 tubes <a href="http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Clear-Lip-Balm-Tubes-25-ea/productinfo/424/">http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Clear-Lip-Balm-Tubes-25-ea/productinfo/424/</a><br />
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Certainly you can make your candles too. I like the wooden wicked ones, however I've found that I have to mix oil into my wax to get it to climb the wood wick good. Wicks are available in bee supply catalogues, hobby lobby or you can just use cotton string. To prepare cotton string for wicks you should make a acid solution. A boric acid solution can be made by combining salt water with borax. Add one tablespoon of each to about a pint of warm water and stir to disolve. Soak your wicks over night and allow them to dry. Melt your wax and dip or use a candle mold or a jar. <br />
I also plan to experiment with using a plain salve recipe to put a non toxic finish on my wood furniture outside. Gonna have to get a hair dryer for that, it's getting cold out : )
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</script>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-18187460796059964672012-09-25T08:15:00.001-07:002012-10-11T05:53:18.130-07:00Black Walnut Processing<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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Black walnuts are delicious! If you havn't tried them all you got to do is pick a couple up, 5 nuts would take you 30 seconds to dehusk and put in a bag to dry out. There are also plenty of uses I don't have time for like adding to henna or fish poisons etc. But here's how to eat and dye with them</div>
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Collecting<br />
<ul>
<li>Almost any black walnut I see has plenty of nuts. Gather the green and yellow nuts in a container. Me and my 3 year old gathered plenty without gloves in a short amount of time.</li>
<li>If the nuts are already black I they may have absorbed bitter flavor from the husk, plus they're a bit messy for my son to just grab. But they are the perfect ones to get for dye because they fall apart easily.</li>
<li>If you know of a tree near a gravel road or driveway, you might find already hulled nuts ready to be picked up</li>
</ul>
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De hulling<br />
<ul>
<li>As above a tree above a gravel road may have nuts all hulled</li>
<li>You can hand hull, but wear gloves because they'll stain your skin black</li>
<li>Rolling them around with your feet is pretty quick and easy</li>
<li>A corn sheller has been known to de hull nuts quickly</li>
<li>Put them on your driveway and drive over them for a week. You can speed this up if you do a little tire spinning, but it can also break a few of your nuts.</li>
</ul>
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No more hulls</div>
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Dry your nuts in an onion bag. It will take 3-6 weeks depending on conditions.</div>
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Not de-hulling<br />
<ul>
<li>If you wan the hulls for dye, just leave them on, the hulls come off easier with age. They will leak dye on things as they dry so be careful.</li>
<li>You can dry your hulled nuts by putting them on the floor of some shed you don't use, in a bucket or cardboard box in the garage, the dye will last all year. I put mine in a cardboard box in the shed. Be careful that the dye doesn't leak out on to something you don't want brown.</li>
<li>A dried hulled nut is super easy to crush the hull off and use. Just press on it, no gloves needed.</li>
</ul>
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Cracking the nuts<br />
<ul>
<li>Put the pointed end of the nut down and break in half with a hammer, break the halves in to 1/4 and then gently break the quarters to 1/8ths You should be able to easily get your nuts out. I use a mini sledge.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.masternutcracker.com/">http://www.masternutcracker.com/</a></li>
<li>Click the Kenkal nut cracker <a href="http://www.nuttrees.net/">http://www.nuttrees.net/</a></li>
<li>The drill cracker <a href="http://www.lawn-gardening-tools.com/nut-shellers-and-nut-rollers/automatic-walnut-cracker--automatic-walnut-cracker.html">http://www.lawn-gardening-tools.com/nut-shellers-and-nut-rollers/automatic-walnut-cracker--automatic-walnut-cracker.html</a></li>
<li>mohabi, universal nut crackers, etc etc. You can spend a lot on the high end crackers so do your research.</li>
</ul>
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Before After</div>
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Dying with hulls</div>
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<ul>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Walnut dye is fantastic! Beautiful greens and earth tone browns. </li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you are using cotton I would suggest you pre soak with washing soda to help set the dye. </li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Experiment with different fabrics, some can really absorb a lot of beautiful color. Buy some of those off color clearance shirts that you would wear if they were a different color. The above lime green shirt turned out perfectly earthen brown. I have a baby blue one that turned dark brown except for the threads which stayed blue, sooo cool!!</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you want really clean dye, boil your pot of walnuts first till its dark. Let it cool. Filter it. Then re heat to boiling for your dying.</li>
<li>I've dyed wax with it, you can dye traps with it, wool etc</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here's a great link with complete instructions for dye. My summary is below <a href="http://www.practicalprimitive.com/skillofthemonth/blackwalnutdye.html">http://www.practicalprimitive.com/skillofthemonth/blackwalnutdye.html</a></li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Heat up a pot of boiling water</li>
<li>Add hulls, old nuts are ok too.</li>
<li>Bring to boiling again and add your shirts, water needs to be hot to set color</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When shirts look good, take them out and rinse thouroughly.</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Wash, dry, and wear</li>
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The water has to be hot to see this pretty color seep out of the hull! <br />
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The brown one is walnut dyed. I get different colors of wax from the bees sometimes though so I figured I'd show them off.</div>
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Here's my youtube of me going through the whole process <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUVrB0lzq4c">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUVrB0lzq4c</a></div>
<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-12303084096816305142012-09-16T19:25:00.002-07:002012-09-21T07:23:00.581-07:00Acorn processing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's acorn season and you should take advantage of it! To most people acorns are a decoration or a nusance. But these seeds have 500 calories a cup and they taste good too. </div>
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Where to begin. Find yourself an oak tree in the fall. They all don't shed lots of acorns each year, some are on 2 or 3 year cycles. So check the big oak you saw last year again. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ55wbzUWd1pXDCxLHb3vm3uKVFGaX8ile2BLeOHWcfAUSimmyz3dpmxjOtk9oqAyZLSFAJYIy0bWx2MWYFq6c9dIvsyH1wmGmETDD0pfSedXgo_pyW4eHQweOGUD9V3Wv1zbidVepW0rv/s1600/SAM_0874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ55wbzUWd1pXDCxLHb3vm3uKVFGaX8ile2BLeOHWcfAUSimmyz3dpmxjOtk9oqAyZLSFAJYIy0bWx2MWYFq6c9dIvsyH1wmGmETDD0pfSedXgo_pyW4eHQweOGUD9V3Wv1zbidVepW0rv/s320/SAM_0874.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's a great place. On dry gravel, where an oak is right over a roof. They all fall in one place!<br />
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This tree was dropping big acorns right after a carnival ride left. There was almost no grass and the acorns were sweet tasting, very little bitterness.<br />
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Here's a field that was right by a tree. The acorns are easy to get to and there's lots of them.<br />
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I certainly am not inventing the wheel on eating acorns. Here are a few sites you can look at that I found helpful.<br />
<ul>
<li> <a href="http://www.eattheweeds.com/nuts-for-acorns/">http://www.eattheweeds.com/nuts-for-acorns/</a> -- I love this guy. He's got lots of great utubes and write ups on all sorts of edibles</li>
<li><a href="http://rosesprodigalgarden.org/articles/processing%20acorns%20step%20by%20step.html">http://rosesprodigalgarden.org/articles/processing%20acorns%20step%20by%20step.html</a> -- An article I read on herbmentor on harvesting acorns. One I followed for my utube except for the hot water leaching</li>
<li><a href="http://www.grandpappy.info/racorns.htm">http://www.grandpappy.info/racorns.htm</a> -- one more for good measure. Has some good drying ideas</li>
</ul>
Harvesting <br />
So I usually just pick up as many as I can and put in bags. I have not tried those hamster roller harvesters, but I've read mixed reviews.<br />
The baganut harvester looks cool but it's also 375 bucks. <a href="http://baganut.com/large-acorn-picker-flip-up-basket/">http://baganut.com/large-acorn-picker-flip-up-basket/</a> I did see it advertised as a rental though. So I'd ask your local retnal places. Here you can watch one in action <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPOQCGZrDIE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPOQCGZrDIE</a><br />
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Storage<br />
You cant just hold a big ol bag of acorns in your closet. They will have some of those acorn weevil grubs in them and they will also get moldy. They're also hard to shell wet. You have a couple options<br />
<ul>
<li>Air dry -- they need to be a single layer deep so mold is less likley. You'll probably have to sweep grubs up or let chickens peck under there. </li>
<li>Oven dry -- heat them up to 250 for 20 min. I've also seen 175 for 20 min but havn't tried it. (Will do next time to compare)</li>
<li>Sun dry -- Kind of inbetween the two in terms of time and results. Acorns should be picked up every night and put somewhere too.</li>
<li>Dry by a hot fire with fire reflector or build some basket like shelves and use coals to heat and dry your acorns</li>
</ul>
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I use the oven dry method because it stops grubs and gets done quickly. I also reccomend a dehydrator to further dry them. I've stored dry nuts this way for a year and probably could have done more. Below are my oven treated nuts ready for their 2nd round on the dehydrator.<br />
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Shelling<br />
If dry they are easy to shell. Just get a thick stick or use your hands and start cracking. I have invested in a dave built nutcracker. It is adjustable to do all sorts of nut sizes and can crack most all nuts, although black walnuts are a bit too tough.<br />
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Leaching<br />
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There are two methods of leaching. Hot and cold. Your nut meats may also need to be whole or chopped up. If your nuts are really bitter it is suggested that you chop them up for the leaching treatments.<br />
<br />
Hot method -- Using boiling water boil your acorns. Once boiling, the water will be turned brown with tannins. Straign acorns out and add more boiling hot water. If you add cold it may lock in bitter flavors so keep adding hot. Continue adding batches of hot water until acorns taste mild. <br />
<ul>
<li>This method seems to me the most energy using and the most work. Your acorn starches will also be cooked, so they won't be as good at thickining</li>
<li>You will get your acorns sooner though</li>
</ul>
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Cold method<br />
<ol>
<li>Put your acorns in a bucket or bowl and change the water twice dailey. Taste them and when they arn't bitter they are done. My most recent batch was 3 days. Some are shorter, Some longer. </li>
<li>Use the top tank of your toilet as a leacher. Clean your tank first and keep mesh bag away from moving parts.</li>
<li>Set a mesh bag of acorn meats in a clean spring of flowing water</li>
</ol>
I like this method best because it's not much work and the starch is more raw for better cooking.<br />
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Flour<br />
To grind your nuts to flour you've got a couple options. <br />
<ol>
<li>Put wet acons in a blender with water. Add the paste to your pancakes, cookies, breads etc. I just got done eating a pancake with this method and it was great. Freeze your wet leached acorns for later use.</li>
<li>Dry acorns and grind in morter and pestle</li>
<li>Grind dried acorns in coffee grinder</li>
<li>Buy a flour mill</li>
</ol>
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Oh yes just one more use for that magic bullet! Turn wet acorns into a nutricious paste for baking. <br />
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Here's my flour mill. I got it on ebay for 100 bucks and it works great. The brand name is magic mill for this model.<br />
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Here are some acorn cookies I made. Acorn flour can be substituted for 1/2 the regular flour in your recipe. These were choc chip cookie recipie without the chips. <br />
Here's a utube summary of my acorn processing<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFbsFXo-RrA&list=HL1347848164&feature=mh_lolz">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFbsFXo-RrA&list=HL1347848164&feature=mh_lolz</a><br />
I meant to have a better sound track but due to copywrite laws, youtube blocked me. So play some music if you want. I suggest Daft Punk voyager.<br />
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-81865972123196233552012-08-15T14:38:00.000-07:002016-01-08T07:14:11.518-08:00Saving Tomato Seed<br />
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My tomatoes this year were great!! They taste so good and the timing was perfect from early to late. Saving seed to grow your tomatoes is easier than you think. It's also a great way to use leftovers that you have when you're done eating them. So let's begin....<br />
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Here is the culprit. A gelatinous sac surrounding our seed. It prevents the seed from sprouting in the tomato with germination inhibiting hormones. Good when in the tomato, but not for planting. To remove the sac and to kill many seed born diseases we're going to simulate what a ripe tomato would normaly do. Rot or ferment.<br />
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Put your past due tomatoes, lefovers, or the ones you want to keep in a bag. You could use a bucket or whatever. <br />
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Set them in a warmish place out of direct sun to ferment for 2-3 days. Don't go too much longer because the seeds may start to sprout. <br />
What about cross polination between varieties?<br />
According to my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seed-Growing-Techniques-Vegetable-Gardeners/dp/1882424581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345065733&sr=8-1&keywords=from+seed+to+seed">seed to seed</a> book the style (flower part) of most modern tomato flowers is so recessed that cross pollination is very unlikley. So don't worry, just put the ones you like in a bag. Keep different bags labeled and seperate unless it's obvious.<br />
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After 2-3 days you should get a nice patina of mold. No big deal, it's what nature intended.<br />
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I poured mine in a pan for the visual but I'm sure you could do the next step in the bag.<br />
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Add some water to your mushy goo.<br />
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Seeds sink to the bottom. You'll want to have a coffee filter handy. It dries them out well and they don't stick to it. Scooping them out is the slow way though.<br />
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Since the good seeds sink and most of the tomatoe gunk floats. Fill up a cup and pour off the supertenant liquid (liquid on top)<br />
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See they're all on the bottom.<br />
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Add some more water and pour again. They're all cleaned up now!<br />
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Put on coffee filters and set the filters somewhere to dry where they won't blow away.<br />
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Don't forget to label. I forgot the names from these seeds. I do have a great incidental memory though, so I'll just substitute that : ) <br />
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So to start your seed you find your packets. My wife helped me. This one happened to be in a basket we were using to hold fruit. Somehow I forgot it was there all winter. I wrapped it in a towel and labeled with non water soluble ink.<br />
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Then you get a cup, put some water in, and add a couple drops of bleach. The bleach will stop all the mold from eating your seeds and making things stink.<br />
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Put your towels in, and cover with plastic bag. Put somewere warm for germination. Don't wory capilary action will pull water up these dry towels from below. They are made from the xylem of trees after all.<br />
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All sprouted and ready for transfer.<br />
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Newspaper pots arn't that hard to make here's how.<br />
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You fold it in. If you want you can tape it too, my taped ones held fine. They do get kind of weak after a while so you may have to re-enforce with another piece.<br />
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There's all sorts of stuff you can put your seeds into. Just get it in there. Then put plenty of light over that seed! The more the better. It makes thick stems, otherwise they will get all spindly.<br />
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Here's a couple of them in various containers. I did some grapes too as seen on the left. To grow a grape from cuttings you just clip the stems off in early spring, dip in root powder, and put in a pot. If warm they usually grow roots and leaves, then you put em where you want em.
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Here's a pic of just tomatoes. My favorite method was to use those little peat circle starters, then transfer into a newspaper pot and fill the gaps with dirt. That's what these ones are. <br />
<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-28809253506220111992012-08-14T14:22:00.000-07:002012-08-15T19:06:50.220-07:00Raising Mealworms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Raising mealworms is super easy. It's a great idea if you have insect eating pets, bird feeders, or would like to start eating insects yourself. I've read that insects can convert plant matter to protein 10 times more efficient than cattle. They are very commonly eaten in other countries.<br />
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So what is a meal worm? It's the larva state of a Darkling Beetle. Most insects undergo metamorphosis. We're all familiar with the catapillar and the butterfly arn't we? Beetles, bees, and many other insects have catipillar like larva too. <br />
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The eggs are too small to see, so heres a larva.<br />
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When the larva mature they turn into this alien like pupa.<br />
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They hatch out as beetles<br />
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Then they darken up, mate, and lay eggs.<br />
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So how can you raise mealworms. All you need is space. Get a bin, some meal worms, oatmeal, and some carrots and put them together. That's it. You're done. Put new carrots in there for their water as needed. I don't do much else to mine and they work out fine. I've forgotten about them plenty of times and it was no big deal, they're basically matenence free.<br />
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You'll get to see the whole life cycle and then they'll keep reproducing. It takes about a month to see larva from the eggs so be patient. So far as I know only a couple adults have gotten out of the open bin and that could have been students.<br />
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Some people prefer wheat bran, chicken feed, or whole wheat flour because it's easier to sift out the worms.<br />
Other people like the oatmeal because it'se easier to sift out the frass. (insect poo) (it's dry and not smelly)<br />
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Some sites suggest seperating beetles, pupa, and larva, but I didn't and it's fine. Maybe I get a few less.<br />
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Here's a link to a really detailed how to<br />
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<a href="http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm">http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm</a><br />
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To get meal worms you can buy some at a pet store, order online, or ask me next time you see me.<br />
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To cook them it's suggested that you freeze them to kill them. Then fry them in some butter, salt, and pepper. Tast them to see what they are like, then substitute into any recipe. The best idea I've seen is to put them in chex mix : ) <br />
Here's a link to some good recipes. Also click aroun on this guys page, it's pretty good stuff.<br />
<a href="http://www.hollowtop.com/finl_html/mealworms.htm">http://www.hollowtop.com/finl_html/mealworms.htm</a><br />
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Here's my cooked ones. You can also roast them in an oven. See the above link. <br />
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There's really no end to their uses. Here's a spider that me and my son feed like a pet.<br />
Here's a link I found to a physics lab using meal worms. Looks like a perfect lesson!<br />
<a href="http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/measuring_speed_mealworm.html">http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/measuring_speed_mealworm.html</a><br />
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<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-32801515769935325382012-08-13T14:53:00.000-07:002014-03-30T19:24:11.405-07:00How to grow mushrooms under your porch<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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What is that growing there? It's a couple of gourmet oyster mushrooms. I remembered that I put them there when my son bear dropped a truck under the deck. Here's how to grow them.</div>
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What a waste of space under that deck. Wouldn't you rather have something growing ?</div>
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So where do you get musrhoom spawn. I'd go to fungiperfecti's site. It comes in a bag like this. You have 2 options just the spawn for $16</div>
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<a href="http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/pearl-oyster-sawdust-spawn.html">http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/pearl-oyster-sawdust-spawn.html</a></div>
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Or you can get a small instruction book with it here for $25</div>
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<a href="http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/the-hypsizygus-ulmarius-garden-patch.html">http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/the-hypsizygus-ulmarius-garden-patch.html</a></div>
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I totally reccomend Paul Stamets books so I'd just get his book and do the cheaper option. Also I'm explaining it here arn't I?!! I must also make the advisory that you should know what your mushroom looks like that you are growing. Don't just pick some thing in there and eat it if you're not sure. That could send you to the hospital or morgue. Like I said though, Read up and feel free to email me and ask.</div>
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Here is some old spawn that I mixed with coffee grounds and put in a black plastic trash bag so students at school could watch my oysters grow. We'll use that for the instruction instead of the bag spawn because it's easier to see the black coffee on the straw. </div>
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Doesn't it look awsome!? The mushroom mycellia (roots) grew totally through the coffee grounds. Starbucks gives away grounds free and all you do is mix a bag of spawn in, put it in a garbage bag, slit it on the sides, and water it. Shrooms grow out the slits.</div>
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Here are some still growin out of my bag. I don't like the bag for production though because indoors is a bit too dry. In hindsight I should have made a plastic tent and kept this guy moist.<br />
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It even grew into the cardboard. Not gonna waste that are we. I just got it wet and buried it in straw for an experiment : )</div>
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Ok so you get some straw, put it under your portch, and break up your shroom spawn into it.<br />
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Mix it up. Yep that's my wedding ring. I hate jewlery and it would get caught in all sorts of craziness as you could imagine.<br />
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Then you bury it in the straw near the bottom.<br />
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Then you water it really good. Bear's kiddie pool is above where I put my straw so I just dumped it out. Yeah those are buttons. He had a lot of fun with a box of great grandma's buttons I gave him.<br />
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Then the mycelium grows in the straw. You can see the mycelium growing in this straw it's the white stuff.<br />
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Then those mushrooms grow on up. They're fast though so watch out. There were at least five big ones but I only got two because they went to spore. A shroom can grow to full size in a week. Also you should keep your straw moist. I forgot and they still grew, but I made sure the pool was above to account for my absent mindedness.<br />
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So here's my harvest. It doesn't hurt my mushroom patch to harvest. The shroom part of a musrhoom is actually the fruit. Kind of like an apple is to a tree. The main part is actually the mycellium.<br />
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So just put in a pan with butter, salt, and pepper. And then take it from there once you know what they taste like that way.<br />
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I shoveled these corn cobs out of a barn last week. Can't wait to see how the mycellium grow in there!!<br />
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You can grow other kinds of shrooms too. The little dots you see on the outside of this stump are wood dowel pieces that were inoculated with hen in the woods. Just drill a hole and put them in for an edible stump removal!<br />
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You can see the mycellium around the dowels and under the bark.<br />
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You can do a log too. Most hardwoods work too. Here's a link to the plugs I used.<br />
<a href="http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/maitake-plug-spawn-approx-100-plugs.html">http://www.fungi.com/product-detail/product/maitake-plug-spawn-approx-100-plugs.html</a><br />
Have fun!<br />
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-83907276019510409872012-08-10T15:23:00.002-07:002014-03-30T08:34:17.141-07:00A no dig no weed garden!?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSr72ivEXN7rRNTHAhryBjSlvQjKNmCP19r6CSqAlGyg1kDZCVW9I8AVQ6MiTMeSbj5WnJt1YMxiksmmUPxROkJkj4nRBtlk2j5OPQPX_OJ5dROFV9JlHzIRhjBjlmVWJTCmAwQcNVafh/s1600/SAM_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSr72ivEXN7rRNTHAhryBjSlvQjKNmCP19r6CSqAlGyg1kDZCVW9I8AVQ6MiTMeSbj5WnJt1YMxiksmmUPxROkJkj4nRBtlk2j5OPQPX_OJ5dROFV9JlHzIRhjBjlmVWJTCmAwQcNVafh/s320/SAM_0492.JPG" height="240" kda="true" width="320" /></a> So how do you turn this into ----------------------------- This? With no weeds and less watering?</div>
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It's really not that hard. Honestly I really haven't had to weed much at all and it's really amazing how little I watered even in this drought year. The concept of the no dig no weed garden was popularized by Ruth Stout. You can see a video of her here. <br />
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So what do you do?</div>
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Pick a spot that in your lawn that you don't want to keep mowing. A spot with few or no weeds tends not to grow weeds.<br />
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Put down som mulch in the Fall. Notice I said Fall. You can do it in the spring but it's not going to be as good. What did I use for mulch? Old chicken crap and straw that I pulled out of my coop. Sometimes I have layers of grass clippings in or hay in it too. I try to get it about at least 6 inches, 8 is preferred. Just plain straw works too. I did a couple of sections that were great with just straw. <br />
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In the spring you put your plants in. To put them in you move the straw aside and dig a hole big enough to put the transplants in. For a row of beans or corn move it aside and put the seeds in the dirt. Ruth just throws them babies down. In my side by side corn, I noticed that the seeds I pushed down into the dirt a little did better so I'd suggest sinking them in a bit. Similar with beans. For smaller seeded stuff you'll have to make a space and weed it a while. Then when it's big you can mulch it back up.<br />
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Then it grows up like this! I only watered these tomatoes twice this whole summer and they're huge and full.<br />
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Here's an alternative mulch I discovered one day. I noticed nothing seemed to be growing through an old barn door on the ground. Hmm I said, maybe I can just use that as mulch. Chicken wire keeps chickens off seedlings.<br />
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No weeding and no watering! That's what I'm talkin about baby!<br />
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Here are a few observations. I've been doing this 3 years now and it's awesome!! The small seeded stuff does not like the mulch. You'll need to make a space for it or better to buy/grow broccli in transplants. Corn, beans, and other big seed plants do just fine. I suggest pushing them down into the wet soil after you pull the mulch aside, but you can just put some of the mulch back and make sure to mark the row. If you have chickens you'll need a fence!!! I lost some good beans to them. So far I've grown tomatoes, squash, corn, beans, onions, sweet potatoe, potatoe, sunflower, grapes, and I did a section for tree seedlings like persimons. Broccoli, cabbage, and my small seeds didn't make it my first year. I pulled maybe 20 weeds out of the above garden. No tilling just put some old chicken manure and straw down in the fall. I like it. <br />
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-65466097038089589002012-08-09T11:21:00.002-07:002012-08-09T11:26:05.366-07:00Thistle The artichoke you can grow in any zone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpXkyReah4u7MVJTu1c0Itq1EWCeW9YyWWSI6GRryUndOyBqRVlJwiVkz_Ox43tGroWBjFOShmAw_WT8x4BIgCQW91WN-YiE4ZlXnii2hUbYft73amN25UXNx9nZ6kLcVeHh_UnSrDJRh/s1600/Cynara_cardunculus_(Kalmthout).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpXkyReah4u7MVJTu1c0Itq1EWCeW9YyWWSI6GRryUndOyBqRVlJwiVkz_Ox43tGroWBjFOShmAw_WT8x4BIgCQW91WN-YiE4ZlXnii2hUbYft73amN25UXNx9nZ6kLcVeHh_UnSrDJRh/s320/Cynara_cardunculus_(Kalmthout).jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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What's this? A thistle you say! You are wrong. It's an Artichoke. Yep that's what an Artichoke looks like in bloom. Although I can't really grow good artichokes in zone 4, I can grow really good thistles and they taste the same! Here's how to cook them.......</div>
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Here are some of my thistles in the back yard. My wife said to weed wack them but they were getting so big. Oh and I must put a disclamer before I forget. Do not go out and eat plants unless you have a mentor of some sort and some field guides. I have had extensive training and experience eating wild plants. Ok now for some fun</div>
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I decided to experiment and find which stage of flowering had the most artichoke heart. Yep that's my plate. I eat off of plates with deer on them.</div>
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Into the steamer they go.</div>
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Out of the steamer they come.<br />
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Cross sectional analysis shows that the later stage where the purple top has just turned brown has the most heart. Arn't those shadows cool!!</div>
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So you grab the flower part, and just kind of pull it down out of your thistle. Then you can get the good stuff out pretty easy.</div>
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See here's the bottom heart part I got</div>
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Here's another view. To eat, you put the bottom suculent artichoke section in your mouth (not the upper flower section). Close your mouth and engage your teeth in a biting motion. Use your toungue to move the food towards the back of your mouth where the grinding teeth are and move jaw in chewing motion. I'll leave the rest up to you. The flower and spines you can just compost some where. </div>
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<br /></div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-71850938548968819552012-08-08T06:21:00.002-07:002014-03-30T12:43:20.005-07:00How to get honey from a hive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fitzpatrick farm wildflower honey. Its so delicious!! How do I ever seperate the bees from the honeycomb? You're about to find out.</div>
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First I smoke the hive to calm down the bees. Smoke does a couple of things. Bees communicate with pheremones so the smoke coveres all that up. Also when smoke enters a hive bees have an instinct to eat some honey, just in case they may need to abandon their hive because of a fire. So with communication of the alarm signal down and full bees, I have an easier time working them. That stick is there for an enterance. I do middle enterances for the bees to get in and out sometimes.</div>
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Put a little smoke under the cover.</div>
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Bees!</div>
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Smoke sends them down into the box.</div>
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I put this in between the box with the honey and the rest of the hive. They call it a bee escape. Bees can go one way but they cant go back. This is a chemical free way of seperating the bees. Many beekeepers use <a href="https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tok=ixIH0jJRSu3t86fEEl8i-A&cp=26&gs_id=29&xhr=t&q=brushy+mountain+bee+escape&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&biw=1280&bih=633&wrapid=tljp1344431051101034&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=zGMiUMz5J4Tm8gSC-4GwDQ#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=fume+board&oq=fume+board&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l2j0i5i24l2j0i5i10i24j0i5i24l2.6552.8190.0.8378.10.8.0.0.0.0.421.655.2-1j0j1.2.0...0.0...1c.iJh2UFw6H1I&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=66bf8d53dc41f36&biw=1280&bih=633">chemicals</a> that force bees out of their boxes. Some use leaf blowers to blow them out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6ddG0M7vtwzIG_pB9h1gWMBZ7s4r2fahxjrHkSE-RfwIH10YSljsKlifs-VANQWrCRWXmlsSbbzN_ZJVXmuxMQkaUSFV1cGJz032EjoNhoJnv7SzHg81tFSDQKEXt37i2xHC6O8_J8UJ/s1600/SAM_0303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6ddG0M7vtwzIG_pB9h1gWMBZ7s4r2fahxjrHkSE-RfwIH10YSljsKlifs-VANQWrCRWXmlsSbbzN_ZJVXmuxMQkaUSFV1cGJz032EjoNhoJnv7SzHg81tFSDQKEXt37i2xHC6O8_J8UJ/s320/SAM_0303.JPG" height="240" kda="true" width="320" /></a></div>
To get the bee escape in I need to loosen up the boxes. On th ebottom is my tool. Bees stick the boxes together with tree sap and other sticky stuff. <br />
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Bee escape is on. The other side is just a hole. At night when it gets cooler the bees will leave the box and go down to the rest of the hive. I'll get the honey super the next day.<br />
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Honey super put back on and hive is together.<br />
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The next day I take off the top and look. I think there were five bees in the box.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QoxOj533SXpnKqancG7zOA_-IzF-oB_wF7uNZVgb3PBA0kcfCWDPBA4iEBPkUPJGgUDtIm1PQt3weLz8QsCTmRU7POyfLvDiSUsJpL7mL5MyRw2qvNn9LSBgojWV-iJd4SYZQg7NyQO7/s1600/SAM_0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QoxOj533SXpnKqancG7zOA_-IzF-oB_wF7uNZVgb3PBA0kcfCWDPBA4iEBPkUPJGgUDtIm1PQt3weLz8QsCTmRU7POyfLvDiSUsJpL7mL5MyRw2qvNn9LSBgojWV-iJd4SYZQg7NyQO7/s320/SAM_0338.JPG" height="240" kda="true" width="320" /></a></div>
I put this one sideways. You can see right through with no bees.<br />
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Hmm somebody wants to come back in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgWzT3wHuprrG7latELmW26VmeE7nDwGCluklqdfMsLs2SDBfsqK_lmcVpm0Fv2rrtA1DulZjPaVOEBd_ECCTb1QdaZIRE1CVgqauDoxztR9GJHTTq6ySq_U7w1nN5BvaUERm8vWSuYYG/s1600/SAM_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgWzT3wHuprrG7latELmW26VmeE7nDwGCluklqdfMsLs2SDBfsqK_lmcVpm0Fv2rrtA1DulZjPaVOEBd_ECCTb1QdaZIRE1CVgqauDoxztR9GJHTTq6ySq_U7w1nN5BvaUERm8vWSuYYG/s320/SAM_0331.JPG" height="240" kda="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Yep difinitly want to get back to that honey super.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvvZPWgk2lmz77gLgGNHuiDtVlGWYKcOffSY41bnUL76ZNsrBLnkErEW_tMkauMlqnTJ4mm7wSLioqvV36lsTavTaqWY9jpkKMd7dmc1T2XLjvterjT5D_EsgjJ-Vuc5Wb7foydg-8Tgn/s1600/SAM_0345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvvZPWgk2lmz77gLgGNHuiDtVlGWYKcOffSY41bnUL76ZNsrBLnkErEW_tMkauMlqnTJ4mm7wSLioqvV36lsTavTaqWY9jpkKMd7dmc1T2XLjvterjT5D_EsgjJ-Vuc5Wb7foydg-8Tgn/s320/SAM_0345.JPG" height="240" kda="true" width="320" /></a></div>
The prize. Delicious all natural chemical free honey. The bees build all of it in the frame without the wax <a href="https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tok=ixIH0jJRSu3t86fEEl8i-A&cp=26&gs_id=29&xhr=t&q=brushy+mountain+bee+escape&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&biw=1280&bih=633&wrapid=tljp1344431051101034&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=zGMiUMz5J4Tm8gSC-4GwDQ#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=beekeeping+foundation&oq=beekeeping+foundation&gs_l=img.3..0i24l2.8283.11123.4.11918.21.9.0.5.5.0.343.1500.0j4j3j1.8.0...0.0...1c.Xr7FczcUc2w&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=66bf8d53dc41f36&biw=1280&bih=633">sheet</a> that most beekeepers use.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-kHqM0C298jzTfofqPV_ITNaIlg3KcrID1Hj2p6GS6GD04P0Ot8FTKUk7ZwVFlutb_5ax6gLEByo7T0bvBMogbLxc2OX7LPMOZJXeqS860Qe3OvTepFhK0SRA-azC5MEscLm1KTnwhSZ/s1600/SAM_0376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-kHqM0C298jzTfofqPV_ITNaIlg3KcrID1Hj2p6GS6GD04P0Ot8FTKUk7ZwVFlutb_5ax6gLEByo7T0bvBMogbLxc2OX7LPMOZJXeqS860Qe3OvTepFhK0SRA-azC5MEscLm1KTnwhSZ/s320/SAM_0376.JPG" height="240" kda="true" width="320" /></a></div>
I use a food grade plastic bucket, cheesecloth, and a spigot on the bottom. To get the honey I crush and strain it through.<br />
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Oh makes your skin so soft.<br />
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Hmmm somehow this comb got some holes in it.<br />
If you want to see me extract honey on youtube click the following links.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HTarznUFKDM&noredirect=1">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HTarznUFKDM&noredirect=1</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHi-st7lEdY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHi-st7lEdY</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6yMbyGjhn5zcmuPOuPM2yv4BfJln_Dhgd0gughfmr3W5Png4nssyPUkqtKri_idIwg7_KZt76DbmP_XYBJ-54qK7tzPWx3UQWMGEh14YsgcokboPpeywsb1j3vXATt1zy3Bhpr-BROKY/s1600/SAM_0378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6yMbyGjhn5zcmuPOuPM2yv4BfJln_Dhgd0gughfmr3W5Png4nssyPUkqtKri_idIwg7_KZt76DbmP_XYBJ-54qK7tzPWx3UQWMGEh14YsgcokboPpeywsb1j3vXATt1zy3Bhpr-BROKY/s320/SAM_0378.JPG" height="240" kda="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Baby Bear asked me to open the gate again so he could get another taste so I took some pictures :)<br />
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Here's the money shot! Sandwich fair. First place honey. First place comb. This year they have a category for light and dark so I could win 4 first places. </div>
Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-48651488112038713732012-08-05T08:46:00.002-07:002012-08-08T20:54:51.787-07:00Corn smut the truffle of the Aztec<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknkC3bzCUYI1DWpfbsy65KnJgGcww7_dUi4EsBu1WRUEMNidbwydAqx8_Q_ZHrjfG-xRHGJm_IfC-b0C4xHWWGzl4whDZkx9JB0Swsr-gKrMx-6nThuwGo1eiG03qHaACAlH1nAMYRd3n/s1600/SAM_0115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknkC3bzCUYI1DWpfbsy65KnJgGcww7_dUi4EsBu1WRUEMNidbwydAqx8_Q_ZHrjfG-xRHGJm_IfC-b0C4xHWWGzl4whDZkx9JB0Swsr-gKrMx-6nThuwGo1eiG03qHaACAlH1nAMYRd3n/s320/SAM_0115.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Oh no, my corn is sick!! Lucky for you its sick with Corn Smut, the gourmet delecacy of the Aztecs. Check out wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut</a> Corn smut sells for more than corn in Mexico and is found in stores, as in restaraunts, and even sold in cans it so loved and enjoyed. Oh how can you get some of this to grow on your corn you say? Whell....<br />
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Here's my target ear. It sucks! That thing is goin no where fast! Better do some improvements.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFSro9ES_ZEPhri6W7arfryeq3IWqAmJPuyD8W5swbMkAFlYCBiaLMpBivFGOheTH1uS9QcO-1ep4oxyZNrE5FkU3YXXZQHeNTA4bvcWkXgVEPkgzrkuLiNG_D62nm1fNH-QoamwjDkRn/s1600/SAM_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFSro9ES_ZEPhri6W7arfryeq3IWqAmJPuyD8W5swbMkAFlYCBiaLMpBivFGOheTH1uS9QcO-1ep4oxyZNrE5FkU3YXXZQHeNTA4bvcWkXgVEPkgzrkuLiNG_D62nm1fNH-QoamwjDkRn/s320/SAM_0117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Put some smut from some other ear in there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRphLkzVWBqDlWSv6i6Fk_lZEy7064XR4xMMUDXlbEgyJpuP_AAzPHl-Zr692VHibBc-mn-wfWjdGLJFRUy_DcvVqt57hq1S5k1ozMncL07SFHs8ADtk3huiFWjPMnKHwKO4a1-o8sI7z4/s1600/SAM_0247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRphLkzVWBqDlWSv6i6Fk_lZEy7064XR4xMMUDXlbEgyJpuP_AAzPHl-Zr692VHibBc-mn-wfWjdGLJFRUy_DcvVqt57hq1S5k1ozMncL07SFHs8ADtk3huiFWjPMnKHwKO4a1-o8sI7z4/s320/SAM_0247.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A week or so later you can reap your rewards! <br />
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Really how much corn was this ear going to make? Look how much smut it made though.<br />
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So for a quick how to cook it recipe you can do this. Put smut in a pan with some salt, pepper, and a hunk o butter. <br />
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Cook it up. I look for a brown butter crisp on mine. It changes more black when you cook it.<br />
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Mmmm smut. It tastes like corn meal mush but much softer. After you try this basic recipe you can do more fancy stuff like make the quesodilla or tacos etc. But it's good to understand the basic flavor.<br />
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Just in case you want an ingredients list<br />
Smut<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
Butter<br />
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Heat in pan till you see the browning of the butter on your smut and eat.Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-18419538615030387462012-08-04T21:09:00.001-07:002012-08-05T05:18:28.673-07:00How to make Salsa and Guacamole from your garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ok so first you get some ingredients. I've got an avacado, onion, cilantro, lime, tomatoe, and basil. For salsa you just need the onion, lime, tomatoe, cilantro and a dash of salt but you can put whatever. Certainly for heat you can put a jalipeno or habenero, but I've got a nursing wife and a two year old so this is going to be mild salsa.<br />
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Here's a great little hand chopper I used. A knife or sharp piece of obsidian, chirt, or glass would work fine too. The objective is to cut it into salsa sized pieces.<br />
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Ok it's sliced up. It aught to look about like this.<br />
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Put your chopped items in a bowl<br />
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Squeeze some lime juice with the help of a 2 year old named Bear. The lime is tasty but also slows the oxidation of the ingredients and adds acidity if you were to can the salsa.<br />
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Mix it up with your best mixer. <br />
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Mix some kosher salt in to taste and you've got salsa!!<br />
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If you would like to make some great guacamole put some of your salsa in a bowl.<br />
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Put avacado in bowl</div>
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Mix it up with a fork and ta da!! Guacamole.</div>
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Put in bag or jar and store in fridge until use.</div>
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BTW</div>
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Here's a great way to grow some of your herbs and additives. It's called an earth tainer. Here's a link to plans to build one <a href="http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com/">http://earthtainer.tomatofest.com/</a></div>
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Before </div>
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After<br />
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Here's some of that basil. I do not reccomend earth tainers for tomatoes. Tomatoes grow tastiest and best in the ground. If you use an earth tainer for them, they take a lot of water and you tend to get tomatoes that taste like the store. We'll blog how to do the no dig no weed garden later. That being said, they grow good herbs with not so much matenence. The herbs are much smaller than full sized tomatoes so they don't suck up all the water so fast.</div>
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<br />Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-37277042223555129212012-07-28T06:39:00.004-07:002012-08-05T05:19:30.735-07:00How to Make RootbeerFirst let me say that I do have an affinity for slightly dangerous things and although this does not look dangerous, it can be if you forget about it. To carbonate your rootbeer in this method you will be using live yeast and they will continue to produce carbon dioxide as long as you let them This will make your container explode if you let it sit too long. Darn that electronegetive force of chemical bonds and the way it accumulates in chemical reactions!!<br />
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Here is the ingredient list. I don't measure any more, but you can use your mouth, tongue, and olfactury bulb to taste to make sure it's good. (isn't that what they were made for anyway? I think it's good to learn to use them)<br />
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Water <br />
Sugar<br />
spices (see pic below)<br />
Yeast ( I am using active dry yeast)<br />
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So here are my spices. From left to right Iv'e got sasparilla, sasafrass, cinnimon, licorice root, star anise, and sliced ginger in the middle.<br />
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You might use other spices if you like or have them and that's ok. The spices and amounts don't matter all that much. Why? Whell do you really want this to taste like rootbeer from the store??? Think about that for a minute. <br />
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A good way to get some interesting spices/herbs is to visit a local Pow Wow. There are herbal medicinal sales people there who usually have some good stuff. Of course I don't need to point out that you're on the internet right now too.<br />
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Ok so put them spices in a mesh bag. I got this one from beer brewing, but you could also use cheese cloth or just add them in chunky style and strain them through one of those wire mesh filters.<br />
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Put the bag in some water. Nope I didn't measure this either. However, if you do measure, you need to account for the sugar. If you put 2 liters of water it will be more than two liters after you add sugar. What sugar takes up space and has mass??? Oh yes it's made of something I like to call matter.</div>
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So sweeten it up to taste. Usually pop is pretty sweet. You could try to give it a modern flavor with corn syrup if you wanted.</div>
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I wanted to add a bit of flavor after that bag so I put a bit more anise and ginger in it.</div>
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So then you fill up the 2 liter bottle with your sweet liquid. I would advise against using glass because that would make shrapnel if it blew. The 2 liter just makes a big boom and a mess provided it's not around something else.<br />
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You leave a bit of head space and pour some yeast in it. Active dry yeast works fast. Distillers yeast will start making lots of alchohol fast. Etc</div>
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I put my bottles in here for the night. About 6 hours later they felt pretty firm so I put them in the fridge.<br />
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As you can see they're carbonated. I vented them a bit just to be safe. They should be ok in a cool environment because that will slow the fermentation. Just keep an eye on them and you're all good</div>
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</div>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5237040345889193749.post-56089432640958256632012-07-27T13:46:00.002-07:002014-05-17T06:35:25.673-07:00Organic Pest controlHey everyone. For my first blog I would like to talk about some of the organic pesticides that I use in my gardens. I like to keep things bee friendly. But I want something that really works right? I am personally not a fan of hippie sunblock or bug-spray if you know what I mean. I put on the deet damn it, and I love that spray on sunblock. The following stuff to my experience has worked for me. I am definitely not going to put chemicals on stuff that I feed to Bear and Scout (my two kids).<br />
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So first of is Bt. There are several strains of this bacteria and they kick a moth's butt and are not toxic to humans. Once I had this tomato horn worm that I was growing fat because I was going to try to eat it. Bear and some of his friends put it in a cage and I was feeding it non Bt tomatoes. Well Gretchen decided that a partially sprayed couple leafs wouldn't hurt, but the next day that dude was dead. I had one of those kids back over last week and he was like where's that horn worm in the cage? <br />
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Here's a moth larva on my asparagus!</div>
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Here's the solution.</div>
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So you just mix a Bt powder in water and spray it on. Once the larva ingest some of the bacteria their jaws lock up and they die the next day. There are several strains of Bt. I have had this Bt aizwazi for 3-4 years in dry granules and it is still kicken. It's also good for wax worms in your honey comb which is what I originally bought it for. It's worked well on my tomatoes, tobacco, and now my asparagus.</div>
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Here's a link explaining the various pro's and cons <a href="http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id156/id156.pdf">http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id156/id156.pdf</a></div>
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Here's the tomato that was being eaten before I sprayed. Next to it is a Bt that kills gnats.</div>
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That tomato looked like someone took a bite out of it the day I sprayed it, but the next morning a callus had formed. The gnat Bt is called knock out gnats. It works pretty good in the house. I recommend putting it in your potted plants as some of those are the gnat homes.</div>
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Pyola is the next one</div>
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Pyrethren is a extract of the chrysanthemum flower. My neighbor who is an avid anti-chemical gardener who grows a ton of food and is a vegetarian loaned me some for my squash. I've had to apply it a couple of times but it does kill the squash bugs. It is an approved organic pesticide and is applicable up to the day of harvest. Unfortunately I should have Bt'd the squash because it has stalk borer larva and now they're in the stalks. Some squash varieties are more resistant to those stem borers. I did Bt those sunflowers behind there so I can get more seed though. The Pyrethrins are in an oil and you just mix water with and spray. It's a contact killer.</div>
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Finally there's Kaolin clay. It's a insect deterrent. If you spray your apples and pears with it the insects don't like to bore in. It seems that you may need to apply it every 7-10 days. I've seen this done to an orchard and it has good results. You start when apples are as big as your thumbnail. Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194182715538251641noreply@blogger.com3