Veteran Homesteader Magazine| Edition 1| March 2014| Page 1
Veteran Homesteader You may NOT copy or use any of the articles in this magazine without express permission from Veteran Homesteader. The articles written in our magazine are from contributing writers and experts alike. They are teaching and instructing other people about the principles of Homesteading, Survival and Sustainability. Other articles in our magazine are written by companies and businesses that have something of value to share and promote their work to our readers. All Rights Reserved Š Venus Rizing, Inc Contact: venusrizing@gmail.com
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Veteran Homesteader Magazine| Edition 1| March 2014| Page 2
Natures Little Wonders 5
21
11 Protect Your Homestead With Trained Dogs
17
Homesteading On The Cheap
Homesteaders Are Smart People
27
Top 10 Homesteading Tips For Getting Started
27
A Campfire Recipe
34 Raising Arizona 20
Editors Thoughts
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And Other Small Livestock
Become a writer for our magazine! Tell us about your homestead or related business and share great experiences with other people! E-Mail Us: venusrizing@gmail.com
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Nature’s Little Wonders From The Green Thumb Gardener
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Carnivorous
or insect eating plants can
provide a natural form of bug control for your garden and home. They look attractive and can add beauty and diversity to your greenhouse too. There are four families of plants that love to dine on bugs. These include the star-shaped sundew plant, the hooded cobra lily – part of the pitcher plant family, bladderwort and the Venus flytrap. Each one of them has a unique way in which they catch the bugs and turn them into food. The Sundew plant looks harmless enough, but its bright red hairs are covered in sticky ‘goo’. Some insects are drawn to the glistening leaves, while others are attracted to the scent of the plant. Once a bug lands on the plant, dozens of the sticky hairs work together and enfold their pray. Each hair contains a digestive enzyme that breaks down the bug and allows the plant to feed on it. When the plant has gotten all the nutrition it needs from the bug, the plant reopens ready for its next victim. The hooded cobra lily uses its tube like structure to capture bugs. The leaves around the lily have fine hairs on them that point downwards. Once the insect goes into the plant there is no way for it to climb out again as the hairs stop it from going back up. Mites and other small bugs are attracted to the beauty of the lily as well as the sweet smell it emits when it is digesting its prey. The plant has its own digestive enzymes that help liquefy the prey and turn it into valuable nutrients. Bladderwort is a small thread like plant that grows in ponds and slow moving streams. It will also grow on mountainsides that get lots of water and have boggy soil.
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The roots of the plant are covered with little bottle shaped bladders. Each bladder has an opening that an insect can crawl into. Once inside, the opening closes and the plant begins to feed on the insect. When the insect has been digested it will allow new prey to crawl inside. The Venus flytrap is probably the most well known of all the insect eating plants. It’s blade like mouth has stiff trigger hairs on the inside of the plant along with digestive glands on the inside. The smell of the digestive glands attracts the insects by spreading a sugary like substance on the leaves. As soon as the sensitive hairs are touched by the bug the spiny leaf snaps shut and traps the insect. The flytrap will digest its prey over a period of ten days and then will reopen once it has fully digested. It is now very popular as a house plant, but can also work well in a greenhouse. Any of these bug eating plants can be a great for your garden or home. They can be put into pots and placed in strategic areas to help keep small harmful insects at bay. The bugs actually help to pollinate the plants, making this a very useful symbiotic relationship. In colder weather when bugs are not as prolific you can feed these plants on egg white and very small amounts of ground beef. All of the insect eating plants thrive in areas of high humidity; this is why they are suited to warm humid climates, greenhouses and terrariums. If you live in a cooler climate, then you will need to bring your plants indoors in the winter months. They love light, so you will need to ensure that they get plenty of it all year round. In order to give the plants the amount of moisture they need, you can add moss to the soil and spray them with water daily.
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If you follow these few simple steps anyone can grow these carnivorous plants in almost any climate. This way people can utilize natures natural bug deterrents without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides.
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For over One Year now the ASC Magazine has been sharing stories, educating and teaching others about the amazing benefits of growing food through aquaponics and all forms of sustainability. Some of the top names in the industry have written articles and shared their business experience with the subscribers. It is a wealth of information for any homesteader who wants to know more about the best ideas for gardening and growing. Be one of the smart people who understand the great benefit of this type of information now. Growing your own food means freedom from corporate farms. Isn’t that a good enough reason to get this magazine?
http://aquaponics-how-to-guide.info/aquanewsletter/
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The Power Homesteading 6 Pack
http://veteranhomesteader.com/homesteading_guides/
Veteran Homesteader Magazine| Edition 1| March 2014| Page 10
Protect Your Homestead With Trained Dogs 7 Great Tips To Ensure The Best Results
By Michelle Daniels Long Time Dog Trainer & Team Leader
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Without
a doubt, one of the best home
security systems you can have is a dog. The best guard dogs are intelligent, willing to learn, respect pack structure and only bark if there is a real reason to do so. Dogs can be a very valuable asset to any home. They can provide protection, companionship and loyalty in return for food, a warm place to sleep and some affection. Not all dogs are suitable as guard dogs because they will need to have the right temperament and willing to follow directions.
Breed Selection: Some of the best breeds to have for property protection are seen as aggressive and dangerous. Any dog can be made aggressive and it is not breed specific. Some of the best breeds include: Japanese Akita’s, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, Siberian Huskies, Chows and Alaskan Malamutes.
These breeds have often been depicted in the media and entertainment industry as being dangerous and unpredictable. Yet, they are among the most intelligent and highly trainable dogs on the planet. You need a dog that will listen to your commands and be big enough to give a burglar a reason to give your property a wide berth. They need to be confident enough to stand their ground, but not dominant enough to challenge you or your decisions. Dogs that are too dominant don’t make good pets or good guard dogs. These kinds of dogs are best suited to specialty jobs like police or military service. They are often very intelligent and need to be worked for hours every day to keep them happy.
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There are many great dogs that end up in shelters because their owners don’t train them or spend any time with them. You can vget a great pedigree dog from a rescue organization or shelter that you will be able to train. Many dogs that come from shelters and rescue organizations are extremely grateful to have a new home and become very protective of it.
This means that the dog challenging them has ignored their body language, personal body space and guttural growls. Even then they may make a lot of snapping sounds with strong body language without making physical contact. It often sounds and looks really aggressive; however it is the only way for them to show their pack that they are strong.
Building the Right Relationship: Even
The subordinate dog often backs down when the alpha dog proves that they can still run the pack. The only time that pack leadership will change is when the Alpha dog is no longer up to the job. As humans we can’t snap at our dogs and wouldn’t want to put our face near a dog that is challenging us. We can use strong body language, the right kind of timing and deep guttural tones to make them understand they are making a mistake.
guard dogs need to know that they have a purpose and a place in your pack. In wild dog packs, every member knows their place. There is an alpha male and female who take responsibility for the whole pack. They are smart and strong and will use their body language to communicate effectively. They don’t fight among themselves as it weakens the pack. The alpha male or female will only resort to a physical reprimand if they have no choice.
Once you prove that you are the pack leader and have established the right relationship, you can never back down.
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You must be consistent. You can’t tolerate a behavior one day and get upset over it the next. If you put a rule in place, you must follow through; otherwise your dog/s will see you as weak and continue to challenge you. Any dog that is being used to protect a property must have total respect for you. If they don’t you might find that they become more of a liability than an asset.
Basic Training: All dogs need some form of basic training. If you can’t get your dog to come to you when you call it, then you have a problem. Your dog also needs to be able to sit, lie down and stay when you tell them to. If you don’t have this basic level of control then don’t expect them to be very good guards dogs. Guard dogs need to be able to listen and follow commands.
Property Boundary Lines: Dogs need to be taught to respect the boundary lines of their property. If something is outside their property they need to leave it alone. If it comes onto the property uninvited, then they have the right to chase it off the property. There is no need to teach a guard dog to attack. Dogs will naturally protect their property, family members and themselves if they are threatened. Some of the best guard dogs will watch and wait, you may get onto the property, but you won’t be leaving until they say you can. You will also need to decide if you want your dogs to run the boundary line at night. Many owners bring their dogs closer to the house at night. If anyone gets onto the property they can hear their dog barking and react faster. They will also have their dog closer to them for protection should an intruder get too close.
There are two ways to ensure that no harm comes to people you have invited onto your property. Firstly, let your guests know that there are dogs that patrol the property. Tell them not to get out of their vehicle until you have made your dog understand that they are not a threat. Secondly, train your dog to come to you when you call them. You are effectively calling your dogs off and making them understand that you are in control of the situation. Ask your dog to sit and stay while you greet your guests. Your dogs must not move until you give them permission to do so. Invite your guests to get out of the car and walk with them to the house. Your dog will understand that these people are not a threat. Training your dog in this way will help them understand the difference between invited and uninvited guests. Guard Dog versus Domestic Pets: Many farms and homesteads have a mixture of dogs. Some are working dogs that do a job and some are domestic pets. It is very important that your guards dogs understand that your domestic pets are part of the pack. If you have established yourself as the pack leader, then there shouldn’t be any problems. Your pet dogs also need to respect your guard dogs and not start any trouble. It can get ugly if your guard dogs and domestic pets have no respect for each other. Getting them to respect each other is your job as pack leader. Alert Barking versus Nuisance Barking: A dog that barks to let you know that something isn’t right is different to one that barks when a leaf drops off the tree. A dog that barks at any movement, vehicles going past the property, birds in the trees and wildlife is not a good watch dog. That is nuisance barking and you will become desensitized to it over time.
Respect Your Judgment: When you invite someone to come onto your property, your dog must accept your judgment.
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Alert barking is when there is a threat or a problem. This can be someone jumping a fence, a car coming up the driveway, a fire on the property or livestock being attacked. These are the traits that turn an ordinary dog into a great guard dog. Training your dog to be an asset to you and your property is not that hard to do. If you get the right dog and establish yourself as the pack leader from the start you will have a loyal friend and great guard dog all in one. They won’t hesitate to do their job and are the most reliable security system you could ever invest in.
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Some Of The Best Homestead Protection
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Homesteading
On The Cheap Veteran Homesteader Magazine| Edition 1| March 2014| Page 17
Our country was founded on the pioneer spirit. Homesteading was once a way of life and anyone who wanted to be part of the great expansion understood that they would need to be 100% self reliant. This was done by learning to live by utilizing the land, living simply and this had little to do with money.
Homesteading does not mean you have to sell everything and move to the most remote rural area on the planet either. In fact, homesteading on the cheap is all about LIVING SIMPLY. Less is more. Minimalism is a way of life for some people. This means embracing a way of reliance that disengages all the trappings of a pressure cooker society. You can start by finding a good location that will allow you to grow your own food, recycle and compost. 99% of locations will allow you to do this if you are creative, smart and or dedicated to finding a solution, even in the city.
Americans for the most part have lost this way. Forgetting the lessons of the past we have sacrificed our wisdom and are so hopelessly dependent on the system, that a mere power interruption for a few hours can bring us to our knees.
The very act of preparedness will ease your way into homesteading. Sure it would be nice to move out into the middle of nowhere and live off the land but being REALISTIC is what counts. This means focus on simple, cheap and effective methods. The three best are reusing, recycling and restoring.
A visit to a local thrift store can get you things you can use to begin homesteading.
During the last power outage in our home we were hardly affected. We cooked on our Coleman stove, ate from our stockpiled pantry, drank water from our water storage and lit the house with candles and lanterns. Many people are rediscovering that our ancestors actually lived vibrant, fulfilling and healthy lives even without the grid or technology. We really are in an amazing time now because we can have the best of both worlds, past and present. So let’s use one to help us get the other. Homesteading can be done on the cheap if you dedicate and plan ahead.
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Start buying cheap things like lanterns, gardening tools, older tools like meat grinders, apple peelers; anything that can be used without plugging it in. You will be amazed what 20 dollars can buy at a thrift store!
Step 3 – Create an aquaponics system Step 4 – Begin to eat my own foods Even if you can’t garden where you live and moving isn’t an option it is possible to get together with others and start a community greenhouse and or garden as a good start. All of this can be done almost anywhere within the city limits and if you really look you can find more affordable housing where you can start growing your own food. If you are already living in a rural area, then begin to take advantage of what you have. If you haven’t started a garden then look into cheap alternatives like hay-bale growing, an aquaponics system, raised beds and affordable greenhouse growing. Some people even garden in their garage or porch.
Save these things and begin to envision what your perfect homestead will look like in your mind. Use these new tools and trinkets to begin to reduce your reliance on the grid. Do more things by hand.
Remember that there is no strict homesteading formula. You need to create your own and grow each day. Self reliance is the key and even small steps can have huge impacts on saving money.
So what if you live in the middle of a city? Setting achievable goals and progressive steps can take you from city dwelling to homesteading in under a few months. You can start by finding a cheaper place to live nearby (burbs?) that allows some basic homesteading:
Step 1 – Move from the city to the outskirts where I can have a garden Step 2 – Start a garden and composting to recycle my garbage
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Editors Thoughts Mike Kelley
Technology is far outdistancing our common sense and as we poison our air, food, water and homes, it has dawned on people as they look towards our past that there is a better way. Our goal is to help you help yourself and family. To teach you how to grow your own food, live off the grid, have fresh water, to make or have on hand everything you will need to be totally independent of the system that so seeks to enslave you. Best of all this can be done affordably. Just imagine! No more mortgage payments, no rent, no utility bills, almost nonexistent grocery bills . . . and living on real healthy foods.
Homesteading is the answer. Only homesteading can give you your life back.
First of all I want to thank ALL veterans, my fellow brothers and sisters for your service to our country. Even if you are not a veteran of the military but a veteran of homesteading, or even a beginner, this magazine is for you. I think we all know there is something wrong now in America. What is lacking is a real pioneer spirit, an age of self reliance and a getting back to our roots. Veteran Homesteader magazine is that touchstone to guide us back along the path, a way to share our experiences and to help others who want to join us in restoring our own humanity.
Only homesteading can restore your self reliance. Only homesteading can bring you back to the earth and soil and help you to become really prepared for the future. Every major economist has predicted the downfall of America by financial collapse. Homesteaders will be essentially untouched by this.
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Are you ready?
Homesteaders Are Smart People
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Homesteading isn’t for everyone. A few years ago some enthusiastic and unprepared people found that out very quickly. Firstly they quit their city jobs, sold their houses and moved to the country. They didn’t do their research first and ended up back where they started with less money and fewer job prospects. If they had planned properly or followed a few simple steps they may have been able to become homesteaders. Real homesteading requires planning, a pioneer spirit and a will to live in harmony with nature.
There are a few reasons and most of it depends on the people and what they want from life. Families tend to have the highest success rates in making homesteading a way of life.
They are typically a husband and wife team with children. The adults range in age between 35 and 55 and expect their children to help them on the homestead. Solo people and social groups including communes have a high dropout rate.
Homesteading isn’t a new phenomena, it has been around for a very long time.
People who homestead aren’t some lunatic fringe dwellers either, they are very smart people. Those who have made a success of homesteading won’t fill you with fairytale ideals. They will tell you its hard work and you have to be dedicated to what you are doing. So why is it that some people make homesteading their way of life and others can’t make a go of it?
Homesteading won’t work between married couples unless both of them share the same enthusiasm. You both need to be interested in nature and love the outdoors. You understand that monotonous chores are part of everyday life and aren’t bothered by it. Homesteading involves a lot of hard physical labor which often puts most people off the idea. People who have had successful businesses or careers in the city know that it takes drive and hard work to be successful. These types of city dwellers are often much more successful in switching to homesteading than those who don’t have the drive.
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They simply shift their mindset from a business in the city to the business of a homestead in the country. Those who flee from a city because of failing businesses or careers won’t make it as homesteaders. A change in environment won’t change the financial positions or family relationships. It will add to the stress and create even more hardship.
A move to the country needs to be done for the right reasons, not just to escape the problems of city living. Country living doesn’t magically make crime, the cost of living or nosy neighbors disappear. In fact with small communities you are likely to find that nosy neighbors increase and goods cost more due to the remote location.
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The majorities of homesteads are low to middle class and realize that planning and hard work must be a way of life. They also become very wary of crowds and like to stay out of the public eye if they can.
Only people who have had experience with both city living and country living are able to make a realistic comparison between the two.
They aren’t socialites and prefer a cook out with close friends or family over a restaurant. Essentially their home is their castle and they like to keep it that way.
Those who move back to the country from the city are very aware of the advantages and disadvantages of country living.
People who have had some experience with country living are most likely to make a success of homesteading. They may have lived in a city for quite some time and had successful careers, but they have decided to move back to the country.
They may have had all the benefits of city living and a nice house. Many of them have a vegetable patch and fruit trees in their yard. They may also keep chickens and other small animals. They often get up early to tend to the animals, go to work and come home to tend gardens and animals again. They are under no illusion of what it takes to be self-sufficient. When they do move back to the country, they have the finances, knowhow and right mindset to succeed. In the last few years there have been quite a lot of shows on survival and homesteading. Whilst some of these shows can give you a glimpse of what it takes to survive, none of them can prepare you for the reality of homesteading, selfsufficiency and survival. If you can accept the fact that this lifestyle is hard work, requires determination, dedication, financial planning and a down to earth attitude you will succeed.
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http://greenhousegrowing.net/ Veteran Homesteader Magazine| Edition 1| March 2014| Page 26
Top 10 Homesteading Tips For Getting Started Now
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On the surface, getting started with homesteading may seem like a huge lifestyle change and knowing where to begin can be difficult. However, it doesn’t have to be this way and with a few small steps, you can easily begin your homesteading journey. In this article I’m going to be helping you get started with homesteading by providing you with some simple but useful tips:
Learn A Useful Craft Today’s do it yourself projects can allow you to make almost anything; like your own candy, homemade wines, beer, soap making, creating your own candles, leatherworking . . . and the list goes on. Learning a craft or even several is not only a great way to earn some extra money (eventually) but can help you to be much more self reliant. The best crafts can also provide you great gift ideas for family and friends.
Learn To “Frontier” Cook
The Mindset
By learning to cook, you become a lot less reliant on stores and restaurants for your food and in doing this, allow yourself to be much more selfsufficient. In addition to this, you get to control exactly what goes into your meals, avoid artificial preservatives and ensure that only the healthiest foods enter your body.
Before you set out to begin homesteading you need to ask yourself what your goals are. For some of us, homesteading is all about a location rather than a set of skills. For others, weekend homesteading could be the goal. What are your goals and how can you implement them? Decide what you want to accomplish and set realistic and achievable goals that involve overlapping skills, along with a good location.
Head To A Farmer’s Market Farmer’s markets are a great starting point for any budding homesteader. Not only does purchasing goods from a farmer’s market allow you to support your local community but it also allows you to meet other likeminded people, make some new friends and pick up lots of self-sufficiency tips.
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Grow Some Simple Herbs & Vegetables
Start A Backyard Chicken Coop
Making the transition from buying all your herbs and vegetables to growing them is a huge change, especially if you don’t have much experience with gardening. However, if you start off by growing some simple herbs and vegetables, you can develop your gardening skills as you go, gradually move onto growing more advanced herbs and vegetables and eventually become completely self-sufficient in this area.
Starting a backyard chicken coop is a perfect way to begin producing your own meat and eggs without a huge time commitment. Unlike other animals, chickens are relatively low maintenance and so allow you to pick up all the necessary animal raising skills without being too demanding on your time.
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Make Some Simple Natural Cleaning Products Making your own natural cleaning products is yet another simple way to become more selfsufficient without making significant lifestyle changes. Not only does it save you money but it also eliminates plenty of harmful chemicals from your home and allows you to live in a healthier and more natural environment.
Start A Local Club People are social. Alternative living has lots of interest and you could easily start a local club around something like canning, gardening, hobby farming, solar building etc. By advertising using simple flyers and places like http://meetup.com this could make you dozens even hundreds of friends over time. Ideas can be shared, more experienced club members can offer training and meet-ups can get projects accomplished. This is a great way to supercharge your homesteading interest.
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Begin To Stockpile Food & Supplies You may already be doing this. If not it is a really good idea and is one of the beginning principles of homesteading – being able to take care of yourself regardless of what is going on in the world. If someone tells you stockpiling is crazy ask them what to do if the grid goes down for even a few days and you can’t get much needed supplies? The government has been stockpiling food, water, ammunition, building bunkers and creating long term storage for things like seeds and emergency supplies. If stockpiling supplies (prepping) is ok for the government then why not get prepared as well?
Summary As you can see, small steps are all that you need to get started with homesteading. Then once you gain more confidence with these initial five steps, you can build on them and start experimenting with more advanced homesteading techniques. So take another look at the list, pick the steps you’re comfortable with and get started with homesteading today.
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Campfire Recipe DUTCH OVEN JAMBALAYA
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DUTCH OVEN JAMBALAYA 1/4 cup Crisco or bacon drippings 8 cups beef or chicken stock 3 pounds cubed pork 2 cups mushroom, sliced 2 pounds sliced Andouille 1 cup green onion, sliced 2 cups onions, chopped 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 2 cups celery, chopped 4-5 cups long grain white rice, or use your favorite 1 cup bell pepper, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup garlic, Diced Louisiana gold hot sauce to taste (about 2 tsp)
If you would like more great recipes for the campfire or homestead then you can download this recipe book for free. This book contains over 500 recipes:
http://www.troop26parkville.org/pdfs/ 500_Recipes.pdf
In a 8-quart Dutch oven (12 inch deep), heat Crisco or bacon drippings over medium-high heat on cooker (12 charcoal briquettes on bottom only). Sauté cubed pork until dark brown on all sides and some pieces are sticking to the bottom of the pot, approximately 30 minutes. This is very important as the brown color of jambalaya is derived from the color of the meat.
Add andouille and sauté an additional 10-15 minutes. Tilt the pot to one side and ladle out all oil, except for one large cooking spoon. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Add vegetables and sauté until all vegetables are well caramelized. Be careful, as vegetables will tend to scorch since the pot is so hot. Add beef stock, bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to Simmer (6-8 briquettes on bottom). Cook 15 minutes for flavors to develop. Add mushrooms, green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold hot sauce. WE suggest that you slightly over-season since the rice tends to require a little extra seasoning. Add rice, cover and simmer (6-8 briquettes on bottom, 10-12 briquettes on top). Cook rice 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with French bread. Serves 8 to 10 people.
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Raising Arizona And Other Small Livestock
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Homesteaders Best Friends Top 5 Small Animals to Keep Keeping a wide variety of animals on your homestead can help you in so many ways. For starters, animals can help you clear your land and add valuable nutrients to your soil with their droppings. The animals will also work together to help maintain the health of the property and one another.
Goats Goats can help you clear land that you want to be able to plant crops on at a later stage. They are also affectionately known as ‘desert-makers’ because of their ability to devour just about any type of vegetation. This is one reason that you need to make sure they don’t get into areas of the property where they can cause a lot of damage. Goats need to be kept in secure pens that they can’t get out of.
The organisms that cause disease in one species of animal can be kept under control by being eaten by other animals on the farm. It might sound disgusting to humans, but this is the way it has worked in nature since the beginning of time. Starting with small livestock is a great way to learn about animal husbandry and add to your food supply. They take up less room than horses, cows and oxen and are easier to care for. It’s also a great way to teach children how to look after animals and have fun at the same time. So what are the top 5 small animals that most homesteaders keep?
A flimsy wire netting fence will not keep your goats from getting out. You need a fence that is at least 4 feet high, made of chain link with a support wire that runs along the top of the fence. Running a second support wire lower down will increase the strength of the fence and make escaping very hard. You will need to provide shelter for them as they hate rain and won’t survive out in the open in very cold climates. Make sure you keep them busy by giving them things to do. They love to climb so a couple steps in the middle of the pen away from fences will help them burn off some energy. You also need to provide them with old brush, garden clippings and other garden waste that they can shred. This way they will not become bored and look for ways to get out of the pen.
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Goats thrive on a diet of good quality hay, pellets and vegetable scraps from the garden. They produce high quality milk, which is very good for you. You can either drink the milk yourself or make cheese that will keep longer.
Pigs pens need to be strong enough to stop them breaking through and roaming the property. Most pig pens are made from corrugated iron and steel posts. You need to provide them with shelter from the elements.
Pigs Pigs are one of the best ploughs you can have to turn rough grassland or scrubland into an area that you can plant crops in. They will eat the vegetation, root up the ground for you, add manure to it and loosen the soil at the same time. They will eat just about anything including vegetable scraps, barley meal, maize meal, potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips and Swedes. These are all crops that you can grow to help feed yourself and your pigs.
They don’t like draughts or being wet, so the shelter should be well insulated and free from large gaps that the wind can blow through. Pigs also need bedding that they can burrow into and keep warm. Straw or sawdust can be used for bedding.
Rabbits Rabbits will eat all kinds of greens including weeds, edible roots, grains, carrots and hay.
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They need to be kept in a cage with a hutch that helps them escape from predators and extremes in weather. They don’t like to be wet and will die if they get too hot. In the summertime your cage should be kept in the shade and they should have plenty of water to drink. That’s about as much care as they need. Lots of homesteaders keep rabbits as they are good to eat. Rabbits are high in protein and low in fat, so they make a great meal. As they breed quickly you will need to separate males and females from three months of age. If you are planning on breeding them as a food or income source you will need to have a separate cage for mating purposes. This way you know when to expect babies and won’t be overrun with more rabbits than you can handle.
Chickens What would a homestead be without chickens? Chickens need to be able to roam around, scratch in the dirt and get plenty of sunshine. Your chicken coop needs to be big enough to accommodate these needs. You need to provide one laying box for every 3 laying hens. Chickens that are kept inside all the time are prone to disease and poor weights. Chickens need vitamin D, so sunshine is imperative to their health and growth.
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They need access to dirt so they can have dustbaths to keep the mites away and maintain a healthy plumage. Chickens do well on a diet of mixed grains, grasses and green leafy vegetables. Adding some crushed egg shells to their diet every couple of weeks will provide them with extra nutrients and protein. They need plenty of fresh clean water to drink and prefer troughs over water bowls. Good healthy chickens will lay eggs every couple of days and provide you and your family with a great source of protein. It’s also a good idea to keep a rooster among your hens. They will lay eggs without a rooster around, but none of them will be fertile and you won’t get any chicks. A good rooster helps protect the hens against predators like foxes. They are also great alarm clocks and will let you know if something is amiss in the chicken coup.
Geese Geese are hardy, tough, and self-reliant and make great watch dogs. It is best to get them when they are babies so you can hand raise them. Geese that have been hand raised are often calmer and less like to nip and bite. Goslings can feed them on bread soaked in milk for the first three weeks and then switch them over to a diet of grains and greens. They can be kept in the coop along with the chickens as long as the wire is too small for rats to get in to the coup. Rats will kill baby geese whenever they get a chance. When they are older you can let them roam further or keep them with the chickens. Even though they are strong birds they need protection from foxes and other predators. Geese produce large size eggs that are rich in protein and taste great. Between your chickens and your geese, you shouldn’t ever have to go to the store and buy eggs again. As you can see small livestock are a great addition to your homestead. They can help with farm work; provide you with a source of income and untainted food. Man was always meant to live in harmony with nature and homesteading gives you that opportunity.
Veteran Homesteader Magazine| Edition 1| March 2014| Page 38
Edition 1, March, 2014 Veteran Homesteader Magazine| Edition 1| March 2014| Page 39
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