tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78205001382172440702024-10-10T18:12:00.089-04:00Tips for homesteaders, gardeners and those who are trying to live a more self-sustaining lifestyle.Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-39933573074434833462013-12-07T08:11:00.000-05:002013-12-07T08:11:08.786-05:00

Hey all. Yeah...it's been a while. This blog has been in hiding for quite a while (and it was put there rather abruptly). Sorry about that, but the relationship AND the homestead were broken up kind of abruptly too. However now, years later, I am feeling the call of the homestead again and am starting to look for a new place to do it in and a whole new way of thinking about things. For a while

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-15720324476869939842011-01-08T06:42:00.004-05:002013-12-07T12:47:54.693-05:00

Really. How hard can it be to find a cat? They are everywhere; people all over are advertising free cats - they are giving them away! "Please take my wonderful cat, I have to move and can't take her with me," the ads cry. "My baby is allergic to cats." or "My mother-in-law won't let me keep the cat and I have to live with her for a while because I'm unemployed." Whatever the reason, there

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-44185043736425979702010-11-19T23:06:00.003-05:002011-02-03T14:22:42.566-05:00

We have chickens. I know you know that, I've talked about them enough. But these chickens are free range chickens, which means they can roam anywhere within our fence line that they so choose. You might even classify them as "backyard chickens" since we live in a suburban area (on a piece of property that time has forgotten in an old agricultural zone, but I digress.) Several months ago, I

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-14520193137790873212010-10-31T21:23:00.001-04:002010-11-20T11:18:35.741-05:00

 We knew this day would come. We prepared for it. We geared everything towards it. But it doesn't necessarily mean it's easy. A fact of life in many homesteaders lives is that the animals they have raised, cared for, loved and fed are one day going to end up on the dinner table. It's pretty much why some animals are chosen, and let's face it our pigs were here for the bacon. Now, just

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-1668580019378746432010-10-25T19:30:00.001-04:002010-11-20T11:18:57.957-05:00

 As some of you may know, Old Head has a severe aversion to snakes. To say he doesn't like snakes would be putting it ridiculously, incredibly, horrendously mildly. However, as some of you may know, Aspirin Acres is located next to a swamp. Well, actually part of Aspirin Acres IS the swamp. (yeah, I know, Google calls it a "lake", but really, until we get the Tilapia out there and about

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-10582824308200875462010-09-22T15:23:00.000-04:002010-09-22T15:23:10.809-04:00

Hi all, We are currently accepting applications for ... No, wait, wrong opening. We are currently accepting all egg recipes for dishes that can be frozen and eaten at a later time. Quishes... (and here's where the fill-in-the-blanks part comes in 'cause that's about all I can think of). At this moment, there are 41 eggs sitting in the refrigerator (you GO girls!) and more are on their way so

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-18701968696146023522010-08-17T21:59:00.005-04:002010-12-25T20:22:15.274-05:00

Why does my rooster NOT have a comb and beard? First of all, from what I have been learning, there are two types of combs. A Single Comb Rhode Island Red Rooster with Single Comb Cross-bred rooster - Ameraucana or Araucana and Rhode Island Red - with single comb. And a Pea Comb Ameraucana or Araucana Rooster with Pea Comb Araucana or Ameraucana Rooster with Pea Comb And then

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-60936244367021978002010-08-17T20:47:00.001-04:002010-09-03T12:00:34.914-04:00

I just read an interesting article that I just had to share. I've heard the stories -- and experienced first-hand when visiting a friend's ranch -- the aggressive rooster. You know - the one that runs at your feet, pecking your legs, fingers or anything it can get a hold of? I always figured that if a rooster was mean, he was just gonna stay mean and there wasn't anything you could do about it

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-52594435460986610492010-08-17T19:21:00.002-04:002010-08-17T19:30:59.851-04:00

Well. The day has come. The moment has finally arrived! OK, so I cheated. The new hens (you know, the ones that were supposed to be laying already) LAID OUR FIRST EGGS! That's it girls, show the other hens how it's done.  We have THREE fresh, brown eggs. I've been reading a lot about how many farmers and chicken owners have to place decoys in the nesting boxes in order to get the

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-14242035391768086672010-08-15T16:06:00.001-04:002010-08-15T16:13:20.707-04:00

Who knew? Who knew that it would be so compelling...so intriguing...so........dare I say, addicting? I got on craigslist (not the addiction, although can be somewhat addicting) and was looking at free stuff (somewhat more addicting, but not MY addiction) and there was someone giving away a bunch of old hay. Soooooo  being who I am, I investigate and find out that it's not like it's USED hay

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-86751942469969541422010-08-14T20:56:00.000-04:002010-08-14T20:56:52.768-04:00

It started out as a quite normal day and on the surface, everything was fine but as the day progressed, my computer mouse started acting up. "Darn, I forgot to buy batteries when I went to the store." And this was no ordinary day - I was writing an article that was gonna save the town! Well, ok, not save the town, but the community!  No, not even quite the community...but darn it, I was

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-71645849266468100732010-07-25T14:11:00.005-04:002010-07-25T15:59:15.859-04:00

Cobbler Goodness Originally uploaded by Shutterbug CelMy mother was an amazing cook! She loved to have people over for dinner so she could try out the newest recipe or invent one of her own. Her creativity in the kitchen abounded and she was never afraid to try something new. That being said, it takes a lot to impress me, when it comes to recipes. This, however, is the BEST fruit cobbler recipe

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-5225043842176423822010-07-20T08:39:00.005-04:002010-07-20T18:22:27.887-04:00

Instincts in the animal kingdom seem to be fully ingrained, even for those species who have become domesticated. Take, for example, the Anatolian Shepard. Well, one particular Anatolian Shepard actually. Our newest addition to the homestead. Her name is Bella. Bella was abused when she was young and it is evident in every moment of her waking life. She is a four year old monster-sized dog who

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-70728123967635458712010-07-11T09:43:00.002-04:002010-07-11T09:47:07.624-04:00

Did you ever wake up one day and discover that things that you thought you knew, just simply weren't the way things were? That you had been living, blindly going about your days thinking one way when things right under your nose were disputing the very facts that your foundation was laid upon? Ok, so it might not be THAT drastic but..... Wilma is now named Willy Black Betty is now named

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-85202714965337744262010-06-21T21:55:00.001-04:002010-07-20T08:58:04.979-04:00

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Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-187773778331154662010-06-21T21:52:00.001-04:002010-07-20T08:58:28.163-04:00

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Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-60001869872789632922010-06-20T17:46:00.002-04:002010-07-20T08:59:03.806-04:00

Hey everybody, One of our readers, Sharon, has recommended her "homesteading bible", The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book by Carla Emery. No, she swears it's not a recipe book. And since we, around here are always open to suggestions and LOVE information I thought I'd pass along the tip. I've hunted down a couple of links for it on Amazon if anyone is interested.

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-91579877642240311412010-06-20T14:33:00.001-04:002010-06-20T14:47:03.725-04:00

You know, a couple of weeks ago after Old Head's sign went up in the yard, our neighbor yelled from her side of the fence, "Hey, it looks nice." "What does it mean?" And you know, she's not the first to ask. So I figured I'd explain. First, you should probably know that the people who live here are all just a bit on the crazy side; not enough to be harmful, (i think) but a "bit touched" just

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-61710348230471319122010-06-19T13:17:00.002-04:002010-06-20T14:47:34.354-04:00

If you haven't read the first part of this story, "How high can a pig jump? And what's up with the critters?" you might wanna go back and read it to catch up. But as we continue... As morning broke, Old Head went outside to see where the beast was and found him curled up next to the girls' pen. It seemed that he had spent the night, a he always did, as close to the girls as he could get. Old

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-59868066812943521732010-06-17T22:35:00.001-04:002010-06-17T22:42:11.928-04:00

Yeah, pigs are cute when they're small Apparently, pigs can jump pretty high when they want to get out of the pen. And as a note to future pig owners: pigs do not listen to reason and logic, do not respond to "here pig", "here piggy", "come here pig", and no, not even "Soooeeeey!". It is possible, however to coerce a pig to go in a general direction using prunes and cheese, but it is not

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-73378205088127124982010-06-11T20:34:00.004-04:002010-06-20T14:48:12.247-04:00

Raising backyard chickens is an amazing experience. The chickens are really growing: starting to get their adult feathers now. It's amazing how quickly they grow!  Black Betty's got a new set of feathers! Showing off for the man. (Jack is on the right. Oh! and that's little Dee in the middle). Gertrude and the girls. Jack Wilma and Betty are pretty much always staring

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-11260655630688257362010-06-05T14:26:00.002-04:002010-06-20T14:48:26.061-04:00

What do you do when a young boy asks if he can pet one of the pigs? I guess you show him how to catch one. Want more info? Click on the subscribe button on the right to be notified when new posts appear. Or add us to your RSS feeds.

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-17768667115156753862010-05-15T21:00:00.004-04:002010-05-17T18:53:57.556-04:00

Jack (posing for his close-up). He's so debonair! She wasn't ready for pictures yet, hadn't done her hair or anything. She seems a little annoyed at the intrusion. "Paparazzi!" Want more info? Click on the subscribe button on the right to be notified when new posts appear. Or add us to your RSS feeds.

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-90286919131023712542010-05-12T21:22:00.006-04:002010-05-16T09:14:44.446-04:00

The Our Old Head's Aspirin Acres sign! He's been talking about making this sign for months now. He found an old piece of weathered wood in the yard and has been eye-ing that thing since we moved in. Finally, I've gotten around to finding a font (at 1001 Free Fonts) and setting up the layout of the sign. It was printed onto several sheets and taped together to form a template. Then

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820500138217244070.post-72045227017204169292010-05-12T20:59:00.005-04:002010-05-16T09:15:08.265-04:00

Old Head has been busy getting things together and I've been slacking on writing updates on his escapades. When the piglets first moved in, Old Head needed something temporary to feed them in until he had a chance to make the trough. But as many people who own pigs know, you can't really just feed them in a bowl because pigs don't necessarily like to do things neatly. (probably where the

Bodecoahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814943149829298267noreply@blogger.com0