Renegade Jerseys, Fur Report, John's Sermon, and the Dry Spell

I haven't had much time to waste on the computer lately. Chores always take a little longer this time of year. For some reason, as soon as fall comes, the cows have no desire to come to the barn. With grass so short this year, they are free to graze most of 100+ acres of pasture. All the little 2 acre lots are opened up and they also have access to what hay grew back in some of the hay fields. When fall comes they break up into little bands of 10 or 15 cows and all head in opposite directions. Some are apple lovers. This group is always finding new ways to get into the orchard areas. If there is not a gate, no problem, they make a new one! At milking time we spend an hour or more rounding up all the renegade bands of jerseys and forcing them down for milking. I have no idea why every fall they act like this, but sure as sun rises and sets, it happens every fall.

As trapping season approaches, I'm always scouting for fur. Saw a nice grey fox the other morning. I've seen some coon sign in the creek bank down by the "big woods". They tell me coon won't be worth much this year. Big carry over from last season. I was hoping for good coon prices, they are plentiful and easy to catch. Oh well. I'm still not seeing much 'rat sign at all. Its dry here, they probably headed for the gulf coast. The coyotes are singing every morning now. I think there are at least two packs running the valley. I'm seeing a few red fox now and then, but this is really grey country. The reds don't do well when the coyotes are here.

Hunting season is also near. There is never a shortage of whitetales around here. I'm watching 2 flocks of turkeys pretty close. A neighbor trapped 2 huge bobcats that were killing stock. They we're big boys! I have not seen much in the line of bear sign this year. Two seasons ago, one stuck his paw in a 220 bucket set I had out for coon. He tore the trap up good! We have a pretty good population of black bears around the farm. We don't have an open season on them yet, but it looks likely in the future.

Little John preached his first sermon the other day. Leah and I were sitting on the couch and the little guy cleared his throat to get our attention. He's standing in the middle of the room with his bible opened up. Looks at the page and then looks at us and says, "God is good, Jesus is good. The bible says so." He then closes the bible and says, "Lets us pray. Heaven in Father, thank you for food. Thank you for rain and animals, and Jesus......Amen" Not to bad for a 3 year old!

This drought has been tough on us. We are heading into winter with all of our feed gone. My pastures dried up in the end of June and the hay didn't yield worth a hoot. Fed all we had between then and now. We just now got some rain and the grass came back a little. The cows are back eating the green stuff till the first frost, which will be this week most likely. We will be buying hay all winter now, and that will take a big chunk of the milk check. We've made it through tough years before and Lord willin' will make it through this one.

Turn Nursing Homes into Feed Stores

Someday, when Biblical Agrarianism come of age, I hope one of its accomplishments will be turning nursing homes into feed stores. A community that embraces a biblical multi-generational vision will not have a use for the "county death camps".

The fifth commandment demands that we honor our father and mother. Sadly, like the hypocrites of old, God's people are not taking this command to heart. If abortion is our nations greatest sin, the nursing home mentality comes in a close second. Sometimes I wonder home many prolife protesters and anti gay marriage protesters have parents rotting away in a nursing home. While its always easy to attack the sins of others (which we should do) it is always harder to see the one that we are engaged in. We live in a culture that has no respect for anything old or outdated, and we have seemed to lump people into this wicked philosophy.

I remember well the morning my dad came in for breakfast and told us the news. They were going to put the old farmer we knew in a nursing home. He said that old Don was pretty upset and my Dad found him crying in his house. Dad announced that he told Don he could come stay with us if he wanted. Don jumped at the chance and he came to live with us that week. We fixed up a spare room for him and he became a member of the family. That experience stuck in my mind for years. I was just a little kid and even I could see how sad it was that they wanted to lock this man away for no other reason than his age. The old boy died several years after he came to stay with us. Those years were filled with stories of old and advice from someone had done many things. After Don passed on my family would go to the local old folks prison several times a year. We'd take them cookies and pies and sit around visiting with the old timers who all had the same complaint.....no one ever came to see them. We used to take a baby goat and a lamb for them to see. Many of them grew up farming and loved to see the animals. They would spin yarns of working with draft horses and shipping milk in cans. There is a lot of knowledge locked up in those monuments to the stupidity men we call nursing homes. While taking care of the elderly can be taxing, we are commanded to do it. Much like the jews who gave more money to the temple in exchange for not taking care of the old, we are engaged in much the same mentality. At least they tried to justify it by giving more to the temple. I don't think most Christians even think of it as sin, therefore they don't even see a need to justify there actions.

Let us be different. Let us be the ones to end this crime against God and our parents. Someday while picking up feed, maybe your child will ask you what the that building used to be used for. "Gee, Dad. Whats a nursing home?" You can spend the ride home telling him about a wicked generation that would not turn their face to God.

Saturday Evening Post

Seasons

I hope everyone is doing well. We are getting ready to start canning peaches this week. Got most of the pears picked, not ready to can just yet. We are packing the cupboards full of canned goods like squirrels stuffing their hole full of nuts. Fall is one of my favorite times of year. The cooler weather and shorter days just feel good after a long hot summer. With fall comes new tasks for us out here. Getting the barns battened up for the coming snow and chill, getting ready to start trapping and whitetail season is just around the corner. The wood piles start climbing to the sky, only to be gone before spring. Cycles that never end. Tom (Northern Farmer) once said that 3 of the 4 seasons are spent getting ready to survive one. I agree. Winter is the toughest time for us. More work and the least amount of cash flow of the year. Still there are things about winter that I wouldn't want to give up. Fresh snows, without a single footprint and spruce and hemlocks with their powdery coating. Lets not forget that winter also provides me with my favorite sensation......getting warm after freezing all day. Nothing compares to getting warm next to a wood fire after working out in the cold all day. OK, maybe a cold beer after baling hay, but you understand.

Paleoconservitive politics

In an effort to keep Homesteader Life a blog dedicated to agrarian economics, homesteading and sustainable agriculture, I have set up another spot for my Political-Conspiracy thoughts. I don't know how much I'll do with it, but when the NeoCons get me all worked up--thats where I'll put my thoughts and comments on the news. The Rural Patriot

Christians and WIC

The WIC program has always rubbed me the wrong way. You know what I'm talking about, were pregnant folks get "free" milk, eggs and other stuff at taxpayers expense. American Christians long ago quit looking to the Lord and His bride to provide them with food and have in large numbers turned, in faith, to America's new god.......the State. I once had grand plans to provide milk and eggs to our poor brothers and sisters, a localized Christian alternative. I still would like provide them free to anyone in my area that NEEDED them. In my research, however, I found that most people on such programs are not needy, just selfish. When you have 2 cars, cable tv, investment accounts, cell phones, eat out weekly, rent videos, and such; I have a hard time believing you can't afford to buy a dozen eggs or a jug of milk. It truly amazes and saddens me to see so many believers latched on to the levithians teat. Part of the blame lies with the churches lack of helping the needy(thus the welfare state) and part goes to the clergy for not teaching that this violates the 8th and 10th comandments(thus the sucking noise from those who are not needy). God save our people.

Feathers, Pears, and Brooms

As you may have gathered by my lack of blogging, we have been busy as beavers. Saturday we started killing chickens which is a slow and time consuming task because we are hand plucking this year. We don't have to many to do, so we'll live. Many thanks to David Marble who came out and helped. It was Daves first times drawing blood on a living creature and he performed admirably. Dave's wife has a blog, that she never writes on. Perhaps she will grace us with a post someday, a blog that you don't write in is like an unloaded handgun....why have one. We have been canning a few more tomatoes and the pears are ready to pick. We have a nice crop of pears this year. I transplanted a elderberry bush which promptly died. I should be cutting wood or moving hay instead of sitting here, but its a good excuse for a break!

Monday was fine day. The only souls on the farm were John, Noah and myself. What joy it is to work with your family. I put a big pile of hay down the hay hole for the one cow that stayed in the barn that day. While I bedded the stalls, I had the boys drag the hay down to Christy. One little arm load at a time they hauled that hay down and shook it up in front of her. That kept them busy for a long time! They worked hard and never stopped until they done. My favorite part of the day was the three of us, a 3 year old, a 1 year old and a 30 year old all sweeping the barn floor. Noah's broom was 3 times taller than he is, but he didn't let it bother him any. This job may not earn me much gold or prestige, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. What kind of price can you put on working with your little ones.

Homeschooling, Election Injustice, News from the Hill

Homeschooling

I've been thinking about homeschooling a bit lately. While the "Classical Approach" seems to be popular among reformed folk, I'm not sure its for me and my house. I could see incorparating parts of it, and it is interesting, but I don't think we'll be doing it. If anyone has any opinion one way or the other, I wouldn't mind hearing it.

Run For Office....Lose Your House

Remember Rick Jore? The Constitution Party canditate who ran for the state house in Montana. While after winning the election, even after several recounts, they stole it from him. Now it seems they are going to take his money and his home as well.

The results of last year's House District 12 election are finally complete. Justice lost.Acting on a court order, the Lake County sheriff on Aug. 31 confiscated the $543.60 from Rick Jore's checking accounts at Community Bank in Ronan. The bank took the remaining $25 in his account as its fee for the transaction. The rest goes to the Meloy-Trieweiler law firm in Helena, the firm that represented the Democratic candidate who won the Nov. 2 election with an appeal to the state Supreme Court.The worst of Jore's punishment is yet to come. An Aug. 25 order from state District Court Judge Kim Christopher of Polson directs Sheriff Bill Barron to collect from Jore a total of $15,663.56 - plus 10 percent interest dating to June 16. Finding but a fraction of that amount in Jore's bank accounts, the sheriff now is supposed to seize $15,119.96 worth of Jore's personal property, moving on to his house or land after that if necessary. For his trouble, the sheriff will collect a final $60 as his fee for taking Jore's money and property.

You can read the rest of this story here.

News From The Hilltop

We are having a bit of a heat wave out here. It was almost 90 yesterday and its going that high again today. Apples are getting ripe. The boys and I ate some yesterday. Plan on making cider with them when they are ready. We did get the roof up on our friends house. Went up pretty good. Leah made some peach jam that I can't stop eating. One of these days she'll put the recipe up on her blog. Meeting with some local folks that are against "Free Trade" tonight. We lost the CAFTA fight but we are gearing up for the FTAA battle.

Thoughts on Raw Materials Economics

I'm not one to quote Ben Franklin very much, but this is worth pondering. I found this in the latest issue of ACRES USA. I think Mr. Walters wrote it.


Ben Franklin pointed out in his Positions to be Examined Concerning National Wealth(1769) that there are three ways a nation might become wealthy.

1. By War, which permits taking by force the wealth of other nations.

2. By Trade, which to be profitable requires cheating. For example if we give and receive an equal amount of goods and services through trade, there is no profit other than that obtained in our own production cycle.

3. By Agriculture, through which we plant the seeds and create new wealth as if by miracle.

In fact, raw materials production times price has a 3 fold effect.

1. The raw materials supply determines the number of jobs available in fabrication, processing and use-- from raw materials production to manufactured products and use.

2. The dollar value put on this new wealth--raw material production--determines the amount of money which can and must be used to produce, buy, and move through the economy raw materials production. As various costs are added, chiefly labor and capital costs, the add on factors pyramid themselves into national income.

3. The value placed on raw materials automatically becomes the initial market for the exchange of manufactured goods. It also defines the level of profit and savings for the economy.....

The anatomy of trade as a social profit maker is just plain wrong.

The Week in Review

I apologize for not posting much this week. We have been real busy. I'm trying to clean out the hen house on the hill before winter and we are making peach jam this week. Blew out a tire on the skid steer and on the International with the loader. The tire guy didn't show up with new ones for the tractor like he was supposed to today. Now I've got to wait untill Monday. We had a statewide meeting for the NY Constitution Party on Monday. I've been making trips out to Daves house this week as well. Matt and I are helping out with the roof and a few other projects. Its an hour drive one way. Saterday morning I'm going to try to get most of my work done before breakfast and go help them get the roof on. I need to start killing chickens next week and I'm behind on wood, so expect sporatic postings while I catch up. I just remembered that the garlic should be coming soon and I've got to get a spot ready to plant that too.

Coyotes have been very vocal this week. When I get up for morning milking they are howling away. The boys and I went down and scouted some new trapping territory this evening. Took some time to shoot the .22 a little before we came back. Been a while since I shot just for the sake of shooting. Little John is a real woodsman, he loves it. We need to get back to work getting traps ready. Most have new tags this year. Most repairs have been made. Looks like all the muskrats up and left the country. Hope the coons are pretty thick this year. Coon sets take very little time to make and they don't care about human sent. We have to hit 'em hard and early before the freeze. Few things in life more enjoyable then fur trapping. Hard work, but what isn't around here.

Those hens we got the boys to raise started laying yesterday. Had a double yolker already! The kids are happy. Speaking of eggs, I liked this Post from TN farmgirl. I have no idea how anyone who wants enjoy Goodness, Beauty, and Truth could ever swallow the stuff inside a store bought egg.

Chad has a dood post on building The Basic Battery. Good sound advise.

Good farming values good neighbors

Random Thoughts On Socialism

Maintaining a Laying Flock the Sustainable Way

God’s people have been promised that they shall be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath (Dt. 28:13). You cannot be ‘the head’ or ‘above’ without ‘the tail’ or what is ‘below’ being unequal.


Brewing Blog!!!

The High Cost of Cheap Food

"But while I sat and drank beer with Philip and Amsdorf, God dealt the papacy a mighty blow."

- Martin Luther

Will You Survive?

A lot of peoples minds have been playing around with the question of "what would I do" in the case of a big time disaster. Could you provide food and water for your family? What about defense from mobs or the government? Out here in the country, I have to laugh at how unprepared most urban-suburban-city folks are. I really don't know whether to laugh or cry. This lifestyle we have out here, out of necessity, makes being able to cope and adapt to change an everyday event. Its second nature for us to "get it done" no matter what. If it means milking the cows off the intake manifold on a old gas tractor or the power brakes off an old car, that's what we do, we get it done. We have pulled off some harebrained things around here in emergencies. Survival comes natural to us. Every day seems to be a battle of sorts. So when I see folks who can't get water without a faucet, or can't feed themselves because the store is closed up, I shake my head in disbelief. How could society ever get to the point where men could not provide for themselves the very things that sustain them? Here are some ideas for your family "survival kit".

Water....... See Chads post on water storage.

Food.....You want stuff thats easy to store, keep, and move. Canned goods are important. Home canned garden crops and store bought stuff. Meat? Try canning your favorite meat. No refridgeration needed. We can loan roasts and stew meat right in wide mouth canning jars. MREs take up a small space and keep a long time (taste like crap). If you don't have chickens and a cow, store powdered milk and eggs. We store it anyway, never know what might happen. We keep grain on hand to grind for flour. When we lived in Alaska we always kept 25 and 50 pound bags of flour on hand. Dry beans are a must. Whether you grow it and put it up yourself or buy it, its a good idea to have a years supply of food on hand. If you store bulk dry goods........make sure you know how to cook with them.

Misc.... First aid stuff. Extra batteries. Solar chargers. Inverter with batt. clips. Gas masks. PI pills to flood thyroid in case of radiation. Short Wave- AM-FM radio. Steel ammo cans for storage. Wool blankets....... the list goes on and on.

Firearms. A general purpose hunting rifle and or shotgun. Anti-Assault Rifle with plenty of rounds. I like the AK.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. It will get you started, if you haven't.

News and Views from a Top the Hill

Its been a little chilly in the mornings lately. The frogs and insects are all making their fall noises now, and it serves to remind this countryboy to get working on winter preperation. Lots to do, thats for sure. If I blog less often than ussual, thats what I'm doing.

This week I've been getting to know a new freind that just moved to the area and our church. David is looking for work now, so pray the Lord would provide him one soon. He and his family are great people. It didn't take long for the two us to hit off. We share almost indenticle veiws on civil government, theology, economics, birth control, modern culture, and so on. We had to laugh at how much we think alike. He said he was scared he'd scare me off with his ideas and told him I had the same fears! I thank God for sending him and his family our way.

We got a brand new refrigerator! You guessed right, we didn't buy it. My inlaws bought it for us. We are sure thankfull. Never owned a new appliance before. Last couple of years we have been having terrible luck with used fridges. Regular visiters ussualy ask we they come in if the reformed beverages in in the fridge or the cooler by the door. Its been the cooler as often as the fridge it seems. So next time you drop in for a visit, it may be the first time we have had running Hot (yes I said hot) and cold water, a toilet that flushes without the use of a 5 gallon pail, and beverages that are machanicly cooled.

Read recently that all the "new jobs" that Bush and Co are talking about are, as I had supposed, in large part not real jobs. Half or more are service jobs or taxfunded jobs that don't create a single tangible good that can be used, consumed, or exported. I could go on about the economics of this and why it stinks, but I think there is another point to made. Think of the toll this has on men and the society they live in. Our culture is suffering from "service economies". Men work 40 hours a week and at the end of the week they can't look a single tangible thing and say, "I made that". Why do you think the "hobby industry" is so profitable? Men must make something with their hands, even if its a model car or something. I realize that some must do service type work and can do so to God's glory, but I think the average Joe needs to make something to feel useful. I also think an economy built on people servicing each other is built on house of cards. Do I feel a breeze?

We should all be praying that our friend Matt Davis and his kin made it out of New Orleans all right and are in good shape. I miss his emails and comments. Matt, we're thinkin' of ya.


One good thing that came out Katrina


Bret McAtee For Senate!


Tom is Back!