Homestead

Chickens, Greenhouses, Consulting

Thursday, 19 October 2023 14:46

Infographic: Heat Energy

Here is a helpful infographic that shows various ways of heating your home.

To heat the average montana home, the carbon footprint (in tons per year) is:

  • Electric Baseboard - 29.4
  • Mini Splits - 18.4
  • In Ground Heat Pump - 8.4
  • Central Natural Gas Furnace - 18.3
  • Central Propane Furnace - 23.4
  • Pellet Stove - 4.4
  • Wood Stove - 4.0
  • modern wood stove - 2.0
  • Masonry Heater - 0.8
  • Rocket Mass Heater - 0.4

Source: permies.com/heat

Friday, 25 November 2022 08:04

Uni-Mod Engines

We are a father and son team working out of our home in the Catskill Mtns. We have invented a new type of engine we call the Uni-Mod. It is capable of supplying all electrical and mechanical energy needs to all sectors of society.  Today, massive gas fired electrical power plants are being built, inefficient crankshaft engines are top choice for vehicle and machinery manufacturers, and open flame burners are being installed in buildings of all sizes.

Attached are two diagrams for helping to resolve a soggy yard, or wet basement issue.  It simply involves sloping the yard so that the surface water runs away from the house.  

  • Benefits of sustainable local food systems
  • Full-scale symbiotic farm systems
  • Economic benefits
  • Environmental benefits
  • Health benefits
  • Cultural and educational benefits

via the Chicken Chick:

Absent supermarkets in the late 19th century, the average American family raised chickens as a matter of necessity- if you wanted fresh eggs, you raised chickens, if you wanted roast chicken for dinner, you raised chickens. While it may no longer be necessary to grow one’s own food, countless families around the United States want to, but are forced to wage battles against zoning departments and municipalities for the right keep chickens.

How did we get to a place where raising backyard chickens is illegal in many jurisdictions? Being an attorney, I have a theory based in the history of zoning law, which will be important to understand if you need to fight lawmakers for the right to keep chickens in your town as I have.

Full Article

If you ever have to cut down a remaining stump of a large tree you will encounter the problem of it pinching and jamming up your saw bar between the wood with its weight. Instead of having to use wedges to keep the pressure off of your saw you can use this awesome trick.

Learn how to sharpen a chainsaw blade by hand using a file from Master Shipwright Louis Sauzedde.

Tuesday, 16 February 2021 16:41

Growing Shiitake Mushrooms on Logs

Editor's Note: I've been growing mushrooms using the following method for a few years now.  If you are interested in growing your own mushrooms I would suggest Field and Forest as a supplier for your mushroom spores.  

My absolute favorite mushroom to eat is the shiitake. They are expensive to buy in the store, but the good news is that they are easy to grow at home. These flavorful and meaty delights are one of the most common mushrooms in the world and also the one with the most health benefits. Unlike any green plant, they have all of the essential amino acids. And they are  good source of vitamins. Shiitake mushrooms are great for building your immune system and are antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. They are a powerhouse of nutrients and contain about 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein and 10% fiber. They are a good source of B and D vitamins which are tough to find in the plant world.

Tuesday, 16 February 2021 16:33

Is your chimney leaking?

These diagrams might help explain why.

I recently ordered some materials to build a new chicken coop and wanted to share the basic list of items for those who might be doing the same.  I found that the biggest difference was the cost of the sheet metal roofing: Lowes wanted $38 and Home Depot $24 per sheet.  So that was the major deciding factor in terms of where to order the bulk of the lumber from.  Lowes had a few items in stock that HomeDepot was missing so I ordered a few things from Lowes with free shipping.  The main HomeDepot / lumber order cost $79 for the special truck delivery option.  

Homemade Chicken Coop:

  • Dirt floor construction
  • Ramps, doors, flaps, egg boxes to be made from scrap material

 

Below is the breakdown of my orders.

Great e-Book!  Written in 1921, these techniques were used to determine the gender of chicken eggs before they were hatched using nothing more than a strong 'candling' light.  The benefit of knowing the gender of the eggs is you can sell the male eggs as food and only hatch the females, which can then be sold as mature, egg-laying hens.  It is wise to raise a few roosters for trading with other farmers to keep your flock's gene pool clean.  

Wednesday, 05 December 2018 10:02

Sliding / Rolling Barn Door

This is a custom barn door that I built for our combination greenhouse / shed.  

  • "Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes ... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. ... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. ... They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

    - Steve Jobs

More Inspirational Quotes

precision beats power