Laffing Horse Crafts

You read that right. Graze.

This is not a new or exotic form of spinning or weaving or building houses or barns. This is living and eating off of the land.

Tonight dinner menu:

• Creamy fiddlehead soup
• Catbrier salad

We’ll let you know how it tastes

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¬†The pictures that follow are worth a thousand words, right? These describe part of the reason we moved. I never knew that there were wild violets (top). Or red buds with such vibrant blossoms (second). we planted grapes in Colorado, and couldn’t keep them alive no matter how we watered or fertilized or mulched… here, we planted oe last year by digging hole and dropping the plant in and walked away… it’s leafing and has grown so much (third)! Finally, we did the same thing in Colorado with trees – more than 200 of ‘em planted and cared for – more than 200 of ‘em dead due to drought. Here we plugged a peach in the ground and again, walked away. Here, again, the peach is flourishing without any of our help.

Sorry the pics are so bad… I have to clean my camera (which is also my Palm PDA and my music player and my video player and my video game so it goes everywhere with me).

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Jen’s home with the sheep and angora goats and soon life will return to normal! Sort of… as if anything we ever do can be considered normal…

Sorry, but that’s all I have time to post tonight.

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Charlotte asked me, in an email, if I’d discuss the tools I use.

Sure!

I use an eMac – more specifically, a second generation eMac with a GB of RAM and a 40 GB HDD and a combo drive (CD/R/RW/DVD-ROM).

That’s hooked up to a DSL modem, a Brother MFC-6800 printer/scanner/fax/copier combo,¬† a set of Harman/Kardon speakers, a QuickCam, a Lexar media reader, and a 3 button mouse.

My backup machine is an old klunker eMachines PC with a and a 17″ monitor, 20 GB HDD, external CR/R/RW, internal CD, 512 MB RAM,¬† and both Windows XP and Kubuntu Linux.

At one time, I would have listed off a bunch of software I used. I’d have used impressive names like Adobe and Macromedia. I would have said they were for creating exotic acronyms like CSS and XHTML.

No more.

Today almost all of my productivity comes from working on the web. For web design, I use WordPress and I modify styles using a text editor and graphics with either Photoshop (oops – it slipped) or Gimp. For word processing or spreadsheets, I use Google office. I don’t do much in the way of presentations, but if I did… Open Office on the PC and Neo Office on the Mac. Same for databases. I used to do a lot of design… print advertising and newspaper layout. I still have copies of QuarkXPress and InDesign laying around, but I don’t use them very often. I am tinkering, for what it’s worth, with Scribus and Inkscape and NVu – all excellent, all open source, all free!

Why WordPress and not, say, LiveJournal or Blogger or Drupal? It’s quick, easy, powerful, HIGHLY configurable and customizable, and free… and I installed it before I began playing with the others.

There’s someone out there groaning right now, saying “I didn’t mean those kind of tools… sheeeesh!”

OK, then. For homesteading, I have several shovels, a sharpshooter spade, a twist auger, a clamshell post hole digger, a chainsaw, a mattock (pick-axe), a maul, an axe, a hatchet, pitchforks, rakes, and more.

Not those kind of tools?

For my woodworking I use a table saw for ripping long boards, a compound miter saw for cutting angles, a belt/disc sander for rough shaping pieces, a drill press for large boring (and large exciting) jobs, a 1/4 sheet finishing sander and my real workhorses: 2 Dremels! I don’t usually use the drill press for pre-drilling the loom parts (and I do pre-drill every last hole for every last peg or nail) unless I’m using wooden pegs. I normally use my Dremel and drill ‘em by hand. If anyone’s counting, that’s about 500 holes per 7′ loom. Of course, there’s a selection to hand tools – hammers, saws (I’m really fond of my coping saws), drills, circular saws, saber saws and clamps.

I used to have brand loyalty inherited from my father. My experiences, thus far, have convinced me that – with a few exceptions – one brand is as sturdy as another. In fact, it seems that with all the trades and swaps and buyouts and takeovers that each tool is now made with pieces produced from the other… go figure. I have tools from Delta, Black and Decker, Task Force and more. The exception, for now, is Dremel… love my Dremel!

I was also told by my father to spend as much as I could – you got what you paid for. That’s true. However, I had a choice between a shop full of inexpensive tools and one saw… I had to choose the shop… for now at least.

In the construction of a loom, I prefer not to use screws for anything more than a redundant fastener. I use pegs and glue. The glue I use is loctite WoodWorx. In fact, I really like Loctite products and use their super glue and their silicone, too. Now if I could get them to sponsor me

Soon I hope to add a lathe and a jointer and a band saw and a scroll saw and a planer and a saw mill and a partridge in a pear tree. Sounds like dinner and another loom

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I read back over the last couple of posts and they sounded a little whiny… I’m sorry. I’m sure you all understand… it’s tough doing the amount and kind of work that I’m doing without my dear, lovely Jen. Lena’s a huge help, but I still miss Jen.

On the plus side – she’s leaving tomorrow to join me and Lena in Arkansas – at home. She should be here in about 3 days. That means not only will my posts be less whiny, but those that are following what we’re doing AND ordering from our eBay store will have better service as Jen will taking over the keyboard so I can focus on getting things built.

Since I’m not writing whiny posts anymore… no long boring step by steps through the day… what would YOU like to read? Of course, I can write step by step daily stuff if you’d like. I can write about the barns we’re planning and building or the the house plans or the critters or the looms and knitting needles or crochet hooks or how we’re dealing with ticks and wasps and chiggers (OK, so the chiggers aren’t out yet, but we’re told that they will be…) or links to cool sites I stumble across or…

When you think of something you want to read about click on the comment link above this post or drop me an email.

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Got up this morning and, as usual, did chores. To this morning’s routine, I added burning a pile of underbrush that Lena had been cutting out.

Lena arrived at about 8:360 a.m., milked and we headed back to the shop.

Once in the shop I wrapped and wrapped and wrapped and wrapped the 7′ / 5′ / 3′ loom and then walked it and it’s stand over to the post office.

You’ve got to love a town large enough to have a post office, yet small enough that you can walk to it from anywhere in town proper. ‘Course, town proper is us, the post office, the gas station/grocery store, a church, the water company and the old post office / general store (which is closed and in serious need of some restoration).

I spoke with Jen off and on throughout the entire morning… the auction was getting off to a, well, if not roaring then at least loud meowing start. Seems some inconsiderate folk ganged up and put on an even bigger auction about 15 miles away. &*()^%^*(!!! Still, she said that there were quite a few people there and a lot of questions being asked. People started showing up at 6 a.m. for a 10 a.m. auction! Go figure…

I would not recommend holding a farm auction. OK, hold one, but have a few yard sales first to pare down what you’re offering and to better control what you’ll be getting. I am so glad I wasn’t there. I would have had to clobber some people for bidding as low as they bid! There were some items I was sure would bring several hundred dollars that Jen said didn’t even break a hundred. Again, &%$*^$^&%!!! We didn’t lose money on the deal, but there are a lot of folk out there that got some incredible bargains! Ouch! Interesting how different it is on the other side of the fence, though. When I go to auctions I can never get anything as cheap as these folks got today. I suppose it’s also important to point out that the weather didn’t exactly cooperate. We’re leaving the state because it doesn’t rain enough. Yesterday and today? You got it. Rain!

But I digress… this wasn’t about the rain or the auction. This was about what Jen told me to do. She said we were to go to town to do our weekly shopping and take the day off and have fun. I did!

We went to Clinton instead of Mountain View… just to see what we thought. About halfway there we passed through Shirley where the local thrift store – Doodle’s – was having a sack sale. I bought a couple pairs of pants and shirts and a pair of shoes and a shirt for Lena for $1.50. I also grabbed a copy of “The Passive Solar Energy Book Expanded Professional Edition.”

Did our shopping and had dinner at Western Sizzling. It wasn’t what I remembered and as I sat there eating I realized that what I remembered was from Colorado, 15 years ago. Ha! No wonder things seemed different.

On our way back we detoured down and saw the Arkansas Natural Bridge. Pretty cool!

Back home, chores and a chat with Rip from across the road (the Poke is up and the Morels are coming soon)

Jen is coming home tomorrow or the next day (I told her to take tomorrow off and leave on Monday – she’s had a rough time of it. She’s also a little bit stubborn ). I miss her so!

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I’ve often complained that there just aren’t enough hours in a day. Now, the days are getting longer thanks to the time change and the seasonal change and there still aren’t enough hours in a day. Go figure. I’ve started setting an alarm to wake me up in the morning to try and find some more of those hours.

Still, I’ve been trying to get done what I can in the time I have.

Today, I woke at sun up, dug a hole for the water line. Rather, I enlarged the hole I had dug earlier to accommodate the additional pieces of equipment I had to tuck in there. Then I enlarged the hole for the power pole. When I looked at the power pole at the hardware store yesterday, I realized that my idea of a 6×6 and reality’s idea of a 6×6 were about 2 inches different. The hole IS 4 feet deep!

I strung out and connected the hoses we’ll be using as a temporary water line until I can find someone to ditch witch the distance from the tap to the hydrant – 400 feet 24 inches deep is just a bit more than I want to tackle by hand.

I spent a bit of time on the phone – the phone that was installed at the property yesterday – calling the water department to get the meter installed. I wasn’t aware of what time the opened so I called every half-hour until I got a hold of someone. Water install was set for sometime later¬† in the day.

Jen called me then and I spent about 30 minutes chatting with her. I do so wish she were here or I was there. We’re both starting to sound a bit stretched thin. It appears that together we are invincible and divided we’re merely human. Bummer.

About that time, Lena arrived and we did chores which, unfortunately, still included hauling water up from the creek.

Back at the shop, I went to work on eBay answering questions and responding to feedback. Then I started on the looms – so many looms and knitting needles and crochet hooks and for those of you waiting, I’m sorry I’m being so slow – truly! While I was doing that, Lena went in and scrubbed down the shower stall. When she finished and it had an opportunity to dry, I went in and sealed everything with some silicone sealant – just a few hours and we could shower!

About that time, I called the hardware company to find out where my power pole was. They told me it had been delivered. Lena had just been out there to check on the critters and said she didn’t see it. I was worried so I drove out to look.

There it was. Sitting neatly on the ground right next to the hole I dug for it. Sitting on the ground. On the ground… hmmm… this is a 20 foot long, pressure treated 6×6 with eight GFI outlets, a 200 AMP breaker box, a meeter box, 30 some odd feet of cable tucked into the conduit topped by the weatherhead. There’s a 10″ eye bolt stuck through the top.

It looked a little heavy, but I’m a big guy… Y’know 6′3″, 200#, strong enough. I grabbed onto it and it didn’t budge. That’s OK… I just didn’t have the right grip… I moved to the end and grabbed the eye bolt and heaved it up like a professional weightlifter. First to the waist <grunt>, then to the chest <Grunt>, then over my head <GRUNT>. Once I had it elevated on my straightened arms, I began walking it up. I’d take a step forward, move my hands, take a step forward, move my hands. By the fourth or fifth step, my arms were beginning to shake and my back was beginning to ache. It was then that I realized I had about 400 pounds suspended over my head. This was a concussion – or worse – begging for an opportunity.

I backed down very, very, very carefully.

I walked down to the water line assembly to check it out, had a smoke, had a drink of water, caught my breath, stretched out my back and arms, looked at the power pole and decided that maybe I just needed to adjust this or that before before I grabbed on again.

I shoved it over to a better position in line with the hole, walked to the end, grabbed the eye bolt and heaved.

I don’t have a power pole upright. I don’t have a concussion, or broken head, or broken anything else for that matter. I might have a hernia… ah, well.

I was called, while I was attempting this wee piece of stupidity, by the water company and by the feed company. The water company was going to be there in a few minutes to install the meter and the feed would be there around 6:30 p.m.

While I waited for the water guy, not having abused myself enough, I started to drive in the 8 foot long ground rod. I had asked around and people had told me that I’d best be driving it in at an angle as I’d be lucky to go three feet before hitting bedrock. The said much the same thing about the hole I’d dug to set the pole in, but I got it to 4 feet deep. I’m proud to say I got the ground rod to about 7 feet before it hit bedrock… should I pull it out if I can and try again?

I met the water guy. Nice guy. He installed the meter. He turned it on. My assembly leaks, but it’s a very small leak – more of a seep – and I decided I’d fix it later and just keep the cut off closed when not in use.

Back to the shop. Work on looms. Work on eBay.

Back to the farm to do chores. We did chores a little bit early as the critters all needed fresh water and we had the hose

Back to the shop to wait for the big hand to point at the 12 and the little hand to point at the 6 to go unload the feed.

Back to the farm, only to find that the feed had been delivered and stacked neatly exactly where I wanted it.

Back to the shop, a shower, looms, and this post.

Limit reached… goodnight…

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I wanted to post here every day. However, the days have started to blur together and I can’t remember without looking at the posting dates when I posted what.

Time sure is fun when you’re having flies… or something like that.

Of course, her the problem is ticks not flies – yet.

Spent most of yesterday in town on the weekly grocery run and then tried to take an alternate route home. Don’t do that. I missed a turn somewhere and ended up going through 2 counties before I made it home.

Still, it was a beautiful drive. The trees and shrubs are blooming and there is an explosion of colors along the roadways – greens, yellows, white, reds, pinks and more!

If all goes as planned, we’ll have water to the property tomorrow. That will be a blessing. I mean, I’m not afraid of work and I’m no stranger to work, but hauling up to six five-gallon buckets of water up a 200 yard long hill is no fun!

After the water, I can work on the electricity. I planned it in this order so I cold be standing in a puddle while I tested to outlets, right? Water, then electric?

I’m thinking I want to explain why these utilities are going in when I spend so much time preaching off-the-grid and self-sufficiency. I can sum up my feelings on the issue in a few words: “I’m an independent, back-to-the-Earther, not a fool.”

See, I intend to go off-grid and be self-sufficient, but in order to set these things up in a reasonable time frame, I’ll need the utilities to give me the freedom to build stuff that will eventually allow me to not need them. Make sense? Additionally, I consider the grid a backup until I have all my redundant systems in place. I want electric from the grid, from solar, from a methane powered generator, from water (?), from wind (?) and once I have everything working and I am relatively certain that there will never be an interruption I can’t handle, then I will cut the strings. Likewise water will supplied from the stream, the spring, the well and town… Fuel from methane and ethanol and biodiesel and so forth and so on.

Actually, the one utility that I haven’t found an alternative to yet is the phone/internet combo. I’ve used satellite, but you have to have a phone to set it up. I’ve used line of site, but that’s not useful out here where line of site isn’t much more than 30 yards. I use cell phones, but reception out here only works when you stand on one leg on the running board of the truck and hold your tongue just so.

And now it’s back to the grind stone – I might even have one of those for real soon…

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Someone once said that the first step in acquiring wisdom it to admit that you know nothing.

I knew everything there was to know when I was 17. My son – at 18 – knows everything. My daughter knew everything, but she’s starting to lose some of that knowledge as she starts raising her daughter and working and buying a house.

I guess we start sliding downhill at about 20 or 22. I know I did. At 22, I called my father at 2 a.m. and told him he was right, and that I love him.

Having started that slide then, I am just now reaching the bottom. I know nothing.

Time to start learning again.

The best way I have found to do this is to read everything – and I mean everything – on a topic. Then ask your neighbors which method they use. Chances are, one of them has a similar idea and has done it before and knows more about it than you.

This is even truer when you’ve moved. In a new place, chatting and asking is a great way to get to know people and to pay respects: when you accept an answer and use it, aren’t you respecting them and their way of life?

It’s true for me. I’ve spent my entire life in the high desert of the North American plains – Colorado and New Mexico. I had no clue what life in the Ozarks would mean. Still don’t.

But I’m learning… the neighbors are helping… I just have to admit I know nothing and listen.

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Or do ya wanna run your car on it?

Well, technically speaking, biomass IS trash… sort of… catchy title, though, right?

Check out this link:

Science Daily – New biofuel process promises to meet all US transportation needs

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