Backcountrysportsmen.com

Our First Worm Bin

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:11:00 +0000

This is something we have wanted to do for along time on the farmstead. It was one of those projects that just seemed to get pushed to the back of the list every time up until 2 weeks ago. My son is finishing up the second grade in our homeschooling so it was a perfect opportunity to wrap it into the end of a year science project.

We decided to go with the simple storage bin idea that has been around for ages now. The reasoning was #1 price, as the total cost for all 3 bins were under $20. The next being a fairly simplistic idea so he could do it himself. With a little help from me, he did almost everything which was rewarding for both of us. :)

I won't bore you with the building details as there are already countless youtube videos and websites that outline such projects already. However, I will add a few things that I wish we would have done.

1- Add some sort of screen liner to block the air holes up. The fruit fly's and gnats are causing havoc! From what research I have done it doesn't look they will be harmful, just awfully annoying!

2- Let the worms get adjusted for a week or two before adding food. The food is starting to stink before they are able to consume what's there (maybe too much added).

3- Finally, I would have tried to find a local source for worms. Doing the mail order thing is fine, no probs but if we purchased from someone local I feel we could have gained some first hand knowledge and perhaps a friend. :)

It was a fun project to do with him and can't wait to start our bee's next week. My little man is getting so big. I try to enjoy every moment we have doing this stuff together. :) Have a great week everyone!

Spring in full swing here on the farm!

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:54:00 +0000

Well another weekend has ended and my aching body is in need of something that smells mentholated. It never fails that the days seem shorter then my to-do lists. For every single item crossed off, I always find myself adding more in it's place. It's like bellying up to one of the yummy Las Vegas all you can eat places, u end up adding waaaay more food then you can handle at one sitting.

It's no different when Spring hits here on our farm. My want to get done lists and my need to-do lists are waaaay too long for me to finish. But hey! That's what makes this homestead stuff fun right? It's the fun projects that we want to do and the not so fun chore things that need to be done in order to make the homestead run efficiently.

One of my many, many things I worked on this weekend is the deep litter chicken coop floor. I wanted to share this with you since it works awesome for us! First thing you will need is the obvious,chickens and a chick run or coop. The other is a good source of carbon material such as leaves (what we use) hay, straw etc... A limited amount of garden tools will make the job easier as well. Things like a wide leaf rake, wheel barrow and a way to pick up your brown carbon stuff are the simple basics.

Once you gather all your good composting materials, you will want to spread it in your run or coop area. I like to build it up at least 6" deep. Others that do this say the deeper the better. Once your material is down you will find that your birds will go crazy as they scratch and peck through it all. After a few months of the birds doing all the dirty work for you by breaking the stuff down, you will then want to transfer it over to your compost pile. This is a great time to add the greens and wet it down good. A few months of resting it should turn into a wonderful mix of dark garden goodness. It's a good idea to turn and water it a few times a week as this will aid in a faster decomp.

If you look on the WWW you will find all types of different ideas on how to do this and what other folks do for deep bedding. None of it's wrong or right! Just try a method that you like and get those birds to go to work for you and your garden. :)

Mmmmmm it's strawberry time!

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Yes, it's the time where butterflies start to pop out, gardens are on everyone's mind and strawberry season is here in the South! So much yummy delicious flavor packed into a red berry and so many ways to eat it. I think it's one of the most versatile berries out there. Ice creams, jams, muffins, toppings, syrup, in cereal etc...

This is the time where we clean out our fridge from the left over frozen strawberry's of last years harvest. They will soon be replaced with a bountiful crop of fresh U-pick berries from a local farm near by. We have tried to grow our own in the past but it seems that our local squirrel population really hates us! Our kids love picking the berries! It seems that for every 2 that go in the bucket one ends up in their little belly's. :)

Our favorite thing to do with last years frozen harvest is to make jelly, jam or ice cream topping. I will list a few easy steps on how you can do this with a few simple tools from your kitchen.

Step 1 - Pick the berries! (or use your left over freezer harvest)

Step 2 - Wash the jars and lids

Step 3 -Wash and hull the fruit!

Step 4 - Crush the fruit

Step 5 - Measure out the sugar

Step 6 - Mix the berries with the pectin and cook to a full boil

Step 7 - Get the lids warming in hot (but not boiling) water

Step 8 - Add the remaining sugar and bring to a boil again for 1 minute

Step 9 - Skim any excessive foam

Step 10 - Testing for "jell" (thickness)

step 11 - Optional: Let stand for 5 minutes and stir completely

Step 12 - Fill the jars and put the lid and rings on

Step 13 - Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Step 14 - Remove and cool the jars - Done!

Above is just a short step by step process. For a more detailed view on how to do jelly's, jams etc... Please visit the reference site I have given below. It's a fantastic food storage and prep website.
http://www.pickyourown.org/jam.htm

The pics here are from our canning operation. :)

Ammo Buff's

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:05:00 +0000

I enjoy sitting at the reloading bench and tinkering with a few pet loads now and then. As I sit there I often wonder about all the different calibers out there and what they would look like side by side. Ha! Wonder no longer. :)

I'm Back!

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:20:00 +0000

After a long break it looks like I'm back and ready to give blogging a try once more. :)

Mouse Guns

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:15:00 +0000

New website that caters to the mousegun microgun enthusiast.
www.microguns.net

Garden update 1-11-09

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:19:00 +0000

January 11th update;
Seeds still haven't arrived so I bought hybrid white curd cauliflower and some vadalia onion bulbs to get me started. I like to succession plant so I start early.
I also stuck the fence posts in the ground so I can fence the area in next weekend to keep the rabbits, chickens and squirrels at bay.

DIY waterproof matches

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 04:32:00 +0000

Save yourself a few pennies and waterproof your own matches. If you camp, fish or hunt you must have waterproof matches stored somewhere.

Ray Dionaldo endorsed Karambit

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:46:00 +0000

This is my EDC Karambit made by cuttersknifentool.com. Ray Dionaldo had some input on the design of this knife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oRVPByYZ0Y

Happy New Year

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 05:41:00 +0000

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year from all of us @ the Backcountry Sportsmen.

December 28th Garden Update

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:38:00 +0000

December 28th.
I laid down a foundation of cardboard and newspaper a few days ago. You can usually use this method in place of the weedblock, it will serve as a great weed block and grass killer if you do it correctly. I use it as a good base for the organic layering that I do. If you use the newspaper and cardboard method make sure you wet it down alot, it helps to break it down. Also don't use the glossy section of the newspaper and make sure all the packing tape is off the boxes.

This is where it all starts. I get a real good start on the compost pile after cleaning out the coop. Nothing ever goes to waste!

Finished box of dark gold. I will wet this down every once in a while and may add some worms at some point. It will break down even more over the next 6-8 weeks before I start to plant.

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 23:47:00 +0000

Ok, I am slap wore out so I'll post a quick one.

How could a day go bad when you start out @ dark:30 and see a sunrise like this one?

Eric guiding us to one of his secret fantasy faraway fishing holes.

Me poling

You ever had one of them days where you wish someone was following you around with a video camera just so others wouldn't think you were lying when you came home with a fish story? Well today was one of them days!! Between the both of us we damn near caught close to 100 reds and trout. Very few were dinks. Almost all the fish landed were slot fish. It was AWESOME! Not a lot of pics were taken because neither one of us wanted to drop the rods long enough. Great day on the water with a good fishing bud.

Cleaning my limit. It has been nearly 8 months since I have had fish in da freezer.

Time to belly up to your local bar

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:23:00 +0000

You will usually find these oyster bars near creek and river mouths as well as spillways. The oysters you find will be covered in a slippery muddy slime and sharp as a razor. These structures hold surplus of baitfish and crustaceans; all of which are a steady diet to the redfish, trout, black drum, flounder, sharks, sheepshead and the occasional tarpon.

Oyster bars are all different sizes. Some will appear out of know where and some will flow parallel to a shoreline. One thing that will remain consistent to the bars you fish will be the tide’s effect on how the bars are formed.

Through the years of changing tides, one side will be built up with the other carved out for the tidal flow. Larger predator fish will always use the deep side of the bar to ambush a shrimp or pinfish that flows by. Subject to the tide changes are the smaller bars. These bars will endure the full circle of every tide change leaving them exposed to the air and sun. The larger bars can encrust enough mud on the crown to grow shrubs, marsh grasses and even mangroves.

When you find a bar that is topped with marsh grass, don't pass it up. This is a haven for fish. On high tide, a large patch of grass in an open area will usually indicate that an oyster bar lies beneath the depths. Such fish havens will provide a fishery year round, but the action really heats up when the thermometer drops. The reason the action heats up in the wintertime is because of the dark stained tannin water and dark bottom. The dark muddy bottoms that surround these structures will also radiate heat. When the tide rises the fish pour in as the dinner bell rings! As the tide starts to fall, the fish will seek out pockets of water left in the area to soak up the rays of our Florida sun.

Now, on to the rigging aspect for fishing such structures. I always start out with the trusty ole popping cork. The brand I choose is the Cajun thunder. It has brass and plastic beads on either side that makes a whole lot of racket when jerked with a short thrust. I was told by a rep of this cork to jerk the cork sideways and not straight up. Apparently the sideways motion resembles something that drives the fish nuts. The straight up jerk, well, not so much! Honestly I have caught fish using both methods so I will let you draw your own conclusion. Under the popping cork, I slide a healthy shrimp on, position the shrimp so it hangs just above the sharp bivalves. Fishing such structures can turn into a very annoying outing if your not careful. It will swallow up your tackle quickly, so learn the depths.

On another rod I usually set out different bait either dead or alive, and soak it on the bottom of a creek channel. The larger bottom dwellers will take to this method.

After securing the rods safely out of my way I will probe the surrounding waters with artificials. High on my list to throw in these areas are spoons, skitterwalks, top dogs, and exudes. The terminal tackle I prefer is a medium action 6' rod, teamed with a spinning reel loaded with 12-15 lb. test mono. I have heard great things about the new braids but have yet to try them.

Now that you have the basics on fishing these structures, it is time to belly up to them! Try different bars at different times. Tides, winds, rain, sun and everything else you throw into the mix will all change a certain area. The same bar you’ve fished onetime on a certain condition may produce differently the next time you return to it. As a general rule, I wait 30-40 minutes before I move to try a different bar if one doesn't produce a strike. I have fished with a few members on the PaddleZone who have experienced this type of fishing with me. I’m sure that they can attest to the fish that this method produces.

I hope you will give oyster bars a shot this winter! If you do, make sure you keep us updated with your reports.

Mike Kyle
www.backcountrysportsmen.com

Red Friday

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 19:55:00 +0000

Looks like the tides and weather will cooperate with us tomorrow. It will be the day after Christmas and a perfect time to go red fishing. I will hopefully return with a full report of nothing but redfish goodness. Keep an eye out for some pics! Mike

Merry Christmas

mike@backcountrysportsmen.com (Backcountrysportsmen.com) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 03:27:00 +0000

Merry Christmas to all from the BCS.