This is a very simple way to create a concentrated, liquid fertilizer that will benefit your garden in many ways. Let me know how this works for you.
A word from The Digger
Monday, January 28, 2013
Compost Tea - The "It" Factor
If you are an organic gardener this is something that could benefit you greatly. Compost Tea is a tea made from completely decomposed compost that is added to water and stirred vigorously over a 3 day - 1 week period. It is extremely nutricious and builds soil structure as well as fertilizing in a safe organic way. Also, if the tea is added to live plants it will help create a bio-film on the leaves making the plant much more pest and fungi resistant. This is such a natural & safe fertilizer, you could drink it!
This is a very simple way to create a concentrated, liquid fertilizer that will benefit your garden in many ways. Let me know how this works for you.
A word from The Digger
This is a very simple way to create a concentrated, liquid fertilizer that will benefit your garden in many ways. Let me know how this works for you.
A word from The Digger
Friday, January 25, 2013
Gardening With Bricks
So, I feel the need to add my opinion on raised garden beds. They are a great benefit to your garden, but what material is best to use? I'm not a big fan of the kind with store bought, treated wood or the awful looking concrete blocks. Too many chemicals leaking into the soil and contaminating all future plants in that area. Using logs is very eco friendly and pleasing to the eye, but its not very permanent. The solution to this problem was found by my husband in a trip to Lowes. BRICKS!! They are the very best material to use in my opinion. They stay where they are forever without leaking chemicals and if you decide to widen the bed or change the layout of your garden it's easily movable. Just lay them out, add soil, and plant! Seems like a small topic, but so many people are opting for treated wood and concrete when bricks are easily find-able and long lasting (just don't drop them.) In my opinion, the best brick to use is the kind you find from somewhere lost and forgotten. The older ones are sturdier and add character. Here are some photos of our garden beds from last year.
eco-friendly idea?
Please share!
We are always
looking for new ideas.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Homestead Add-Ons
So after you've found your land and built the home, you're going to want to create a sustainable landscape. When you begin designing the gardens, leave room for the add-ons. Below are a few ideas for a sustainable way to add to the land.
Don't forget the Greenhouse:
For the Beekeeper:
The Trellis:
We previously built our own grape trellis out of logs. Here is how it turned out. The only problem we had was with the carpenter bees. This is a temporary example of greener building.
Chicken Coop:
Now most homesteaders and minimalists are going to raise an animal or two. The most sustainable and low maintenance animal to raise is a chicken. They need their food and nutrients and a warm hen house to sleep at night. We have previously built a chicken coop of our own that turned out very sturdy and desirable. Mainly because it was tall enough to walk inside and had all the necessities. A warm place to lay with an accessible door to gather eggs and plenty of space to roam inside the fenced in building. Here are some photos. It wasn't quite as inexpensive as we hoped, but it was worth every penny. The photos are before it was completely finished.
Rain Barrel:
For the sustainable gardener you're going to need some way to collect water. If you have a shed or, in our case, a chicken coop you should definitely consider adding a rain barrel. We used an old raison barrel with an attached water spicket. To collect the water, we put a gutter on the back side of the chicken coop and attached a pipe at the end which was put into the top of the barrel. We had to cut a hole into the top of the barrel lid, so to keep mosquitoes out we added a screen underneath the lid. We had no running water here, so it was a big help to take care of our gardens.
If there's anything else I should add, feel free to share. We are still coming up with new and exciting ways to maximize the homestead.
The Dancer
Don't forget the Greenhouse:
For the Beekeeper:
The Trellis:
We previously built our own grape trellis out of logs. Here is how it turned out. The only problem we had was with the carpenter bees. This is a temporary example of greener building.
Now most homesteaders and minimalists are going to raise an animal or two. The most sustainable and low maintenance animal to raise is a chicken. They need their food and nutrients and a warm hen house to sleep at night. We have previously built a chicken coop of our own that turned out very sturdy and desirable. Mainly because it was tall enough to walk inside and had all the necessities. A warm place to lay with an accessible door to gather eggs and plenty of space to roam inside the fenced in building. Here are some photos. It wasn't quite as inexpensive as we hoped, but it was worth every penny. The photos are before it was completely finished.
For the sustainable gardener you're going to need some way to collect water. If you have a shed or, in our case, a chicken coop you should definitely consider adding a rain barrel. We used an old raison barrel with an attached water spicket. To collect the water, we put a gutter on the back side of the chicken coop and attached a pipe at the end which was put into the top of the barrel. We had to cut a hole into the top of the barrel lid, so to keep mosquitoes out we added a screen underneath the lid. We had no running water here, so it was a big help to take care of our gardens.
If there's anything else I should add, feel free to share. We are still coming up with new and exciting ways to maximize the homestead.
The Dancer
Greener Homes
So our journey so far has been a lot of ups and downs. Its all been aimed for the "back to the land" lifestyle. You know, the one everyone thinks should be so simple. Organic gardening, raising chickens and goats, beekeeping; we're going for it all. However, its not so simple as one would think. The main obstacle in our way has been land. You've got to have land. Even if its not a lot, you still need enough to grow your family's food and your living along with privacy if at all possible. We've been to the moon and back chasing a way to find ours.
In all this time searching for land, we've been coming up with several ideas to build an inexpensive, sturdy, and eco-friendly home. Some were found from the web, others are creations we're still brainstorming on. Personally, we lean towards underground building. One of our greatest mistakes with moving above ground as far as heating and cooling goes along with the way the world is going, its not a bad idea to have a few feet of dirt above your head. However it all comes down to our budget and needs in the end. Here are a few we found that deserve a thumbs up.
The Earthbag Dome:
This one is my favorite!
Straw Bale and Clay Home:
The Pallet House:
Recycled Railroad Tie Structure:
To build a house with recycled railroad ties we found an idea from an episode on mythbusters. You can use them as you do with bricks by laying them flat and nailing together to form walls. This makes for a very secure structure. Haven't found a video for it yet though.
Plastic Bag Home:
Tiny House:
That's a pretty good list for now. We may add more as time goes on. I'll keep you updated when we are finally able to start the move. For now, that's all. Feel free to share ideas and comments.
The Dancer & The Digger
In all this time searching for land, we've been coming up with several ideas to build an inexpensive, sturdy, and eco-friendly home. Some were found from the web, others are creations we're still brainstorming on. Personally, we lean towards underground building. One of our greatest mistakes with moving above ground as far as heating and cooling goes along with the way the world is going, its not a bad idea to have a few feet of dirt above your head. However it all comes down to our budget and needs in the end. Here are a few we found that deserve a thumbs up.
The Earthbag Dome:
This one is my favorite!
Straw Bale and Clay Home:
The Pallet House:
Recycled Railroad Tie Structure:
To build a house with recycled railroad ties we found an idea from an episode on mythbusters. You can use them as you do with bricks by laying them flat and nailing together to form walls. This makes for a very secure structure. Haven't found a video for it yet though.
Plastic Bag Home:
Tiny House:
That's a pretty good list for now. We may add more as time goes on. I'll keep you updated when we are finally able to start the move. For now, that's all. Feel free to share ideas and comments.
The Dancer & The Digger
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Arsenic & Where Its At
Chances are your "organic" garden is full of this Crap...
Feed companies add arsenic to animal feed because it reduces the animal's calorie and nutrient intake, meaning the feed is less nutritious and has less calories (energy)...
This makes for a cheaper product, at the expense of public health! They have capitalized on this.
They are putting money before lives. The main sources of this are cow (bovine) and chicken manure - store bought - So my advice is to replace your dirt (if you have added store bought manure to it) or to never use these products - this will extend your life!
Also, mushroom compost is not any better because of how a mushroom works/ feeds. It will actually absorb heavy metals/ chemicals into itself and concentrate them into the flower (the bit of mushroom you actually see.)
In my opinion, any compost or manure you buy in a plastic bag is BAD, it will hurt you.
It is not safe. Do not use it!!
Death to store bought manure!
- A word from The Digger
Feed companies add arsenic to animal feed because it reduces the animal's calorie and nutrient intake, meaning the feed is less nutritious and has less calories (energy)...
This makes for a cheaper product, at the expense of public health! They have capitalized on this.
They are putting money before lives. The main sources of this are cow (bovine) and chicken manure - store bought - So my advice is to replace your dirt (if you have added store bought manure to it) or to never use these products - this will extend your life!
Also, mushroom compost is not any better because of how a mushroom works/ feeds. It will actually absorb heavy metals/ chemicals into itself and concentrate them into the flower (the bit of mushroom you actually see.)
In my opinion, any compost or manure you buy in a plastic bag is BAD, it will hurt you.
It is not safe. Do not use it!!
Death to store bought manure!
- A word from The Digger
One Day..
One day everyday will be like a dream.
One day we'll be full time homesteaders, kipped up in the woods.
Car trips will be special. Selling everything from fresh flowers, veggies and herbs, to home made oils and honey all at the farmers market.
Every day will begin before sunrise and end at sunset.
My music will be sung by the birds to the beat of a shovel.
One day I'll have my own shop full of hand crafted creations that are unique in every way.
This is my dream,
and one day everyone will wish they were as crazy as we are.
- The Dancer
One day we'll be full time homesteaders, kipped up in the woods.
Car trips will be special. Selling everything from fresh flowers, veggies and herbs, to home made oils and honey all at the farmers market.
Every day will begin before sunrise and end at sunset.
My music will be sung by the birds to the beat of a shovel.
One day I'll have my own shop full of hand crafted creations that are unique in every way.
This is my dream,
and one day everyone will wish they were as crazy as we are.
- The Dancer
Sunday, November 4, 2012
In Memory of Popcorn
Bootlegging and moonshining career
Sutton's career in bootlegging—and getting caught for it—extended back to the 1970s.[2] In 1999, Sutton published Me and My Likker, an autobiography and guide to moonshine production.[4] Around the same time he produced a home video by the same name and released it on VHS tape. His first broadcast appearance was in Neal Hutcheson's documentary, "Mountain Talk," in 2002.[5] Sutton next appeared in the film that would become the cornerstone of his notoriety, "This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I'll Ever Make." Filmed and released in 2002, "The Last Run" quickly became a cult-classic and over time drew the attention of television producers in Boston and New York. The source footage from this project was re-worked into the award-winning documentary "The Last One," released in 2008. [6][7][8]Sutton was featured in a 2007 documentary Hillbilly: The Real Story, on The History Channel.[1] In November 2010, Hank Williams, Jr. announced a partnership (including Sutton's widow) to distill and distribute Sutton's whiskey legally for the first time.[9]Sutton considered moonshine production a legitimate part of his heritage, being as he was Scots-Irish and descended from a long line of moonshiners.[2] In January 2009, after an ATF raid led by Jim Cavanaugh of Waco fame,[citation needed] Sutton was sentenced to eighteen months in a federal prison for illegally distilling spirits and possession of a firearm as a felon.[10] Sutton, 62 and recently diagnosed with cancer, pleaded with the U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer to let him serve his sentence under house arrest. Several petitions were made in attempts to reduce or commute Sutton's sentence, to no avail.
Death
| “ | He was a short, skinny fella, who always wore his hat—that was kind of his claim to fame, his hat that he always wore. And his bib overalls—he always wore bib overalls. Even when he came to federal court, he was wearing bib overalls. He was a friendly fellow, and of course every time you would talk to him, he would say, 'Ray, I’ve run my last run of moonshine, I'm not gonna do it anymore, I'm just getting too old to be doing this stuff.' | ” |
—Ray Snader on "Popcorn" Sutton, 2008.[11]
|
||
Nickname
In the 1960s or 70s, Sutton was given the nickname of "Popcorn" Sutton after damaging a bar's faulty popcorn vending machine with a pool cue.[1]Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey
On Nov. 9, 2010, Hank Williams, Jr. announced his partnership with J&M Concepts LLC and widow Pam Sutton to distill and distribute Sutton's whiskey legally for the first time.[9] Dubbed "Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey," it is produced on stills designed by Sutton using his secret family recipe and techniques Sutton entrusted to former Supercross professional Jamey Grosser of J&M Concepts.[13] Country music stars attending the launch event included Martina McBride, Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Zac Brown, Josh Thompson, Kentucky Headhunters, Little Big Town, Colt Ford, Montgomery Gentry, Jaron and the Long Road to Love and Lee Brice.[14] According to press reports, Popcorn Sutton's Tennessee White Whiskey will be initially distributed in Tennessee and throughout the southeast. The copper stills were handcrafted by Vendome Copper and Brass in Louisville, KY.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popcorn_Sutton
More Popcorn:
popcorn loves his cats http://youtu.be/8HcQV6_d09Y
four damn fights per pint! http://youtu.be/h1EQdUvGCGY
hill-billy dish washer http://youtu.be/UxBX1QLhP2w
Johnny Knoxville Interviews Popcorn Sutton
pussy and gas education the guy from jackass did what he could but it was not enuf.. http://youtu.be/0b5mW2QF6H4
I wish more could have be done but the system Got him him..
From six years old... http://youtu.be/5QAoSxj4yaY
P.S. Go out and buy the video! some of your money will go to the Sutton family.
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