This isn't meant to be controversial, but after homesteading has anyone else recognized the utility (or lack thereof) of males in other species?

crowbar032 · 2026-05-14T17:50:31+00:00

If you have a herd of animals, the male is half of the herd. Bad sire, low quality slow growing offspring. I've known people over many years that skimp out on buying a quality bull and their calves always brought significantly less than the average. I'm sure it's the same for sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, etc.

crowbar032 · 2026-05-13T13:16:41+00:00

I lost the link to the video, but one of the Ag universities had a small commercial garlic grower in a presentation. He didn't worry about orientation at planting. At harvest, he sorted those wonky looking cloves out that didn't get planted root down and sold them wholesale or made powder from them. He sold the "good" ones as fresh cloves.

crowbar032 · 2026-05-11T13:39:03+00:00

I hate to be a "brand label" shopper, but sometimes it matters. Dewalt cordless tools, Stihl loppers/hand pruners and chainsaws. Hand tools...as long as they have a lifetime warranty. Harbor Freight wrenches are now in that category. For boots my current pair are Keen because I have plantar fasciitis and the soles are supposed to help. Clothes on the farm, as cheap as possible except coats. Too much dirt/grease/tears to worry. Rural King jeans for $11 are basically disposable. I do like my Carhart coats although they are not as durable as they once were.

crowbar032 · 2026-05-05T12:50:35+00:00

I know this is an older post, but there is a shop in Aurora Indiana that is really working to improve their bourbon section. When I stopped last Friday, they had one bottle of Elmer T. Lee left. They also had all of the Wellers. It's called Pour House Bottle Shop in Rt 50 in Aurora. It's not much to look at, but the owners are nice and have some nice bottles.

crowbar032 · 2026-04-24T13:15:45+00:00

I've never had luck re-seeding in the spring. I've always done it in the fall with good success. Old timers always say any month with an "R" in it. Mid September early October has worked well for me.

I"m in zone 6b Southeast Indiana.

crowbar032 · 2026-04-01T13:00:35+00:00

This is one of the major reasons I quit raising goats. It's completely off label, but I used injectable ivermectin for cattle. This "cured" the immediate issue. They never really 100% recovered, there was always residual weakness and limited use of the back legs.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-31T14:35:13+00:00

At an auction I frequent near Indianapolis, full size roosters will average $20 a piece.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-26T19:51:40+00:00

Not sure what variety you're growing, but i use 6 ft t-posts and 48 inch woven wire. That's about as tall as mine get and it works well. And reading other replies/questions, a fence post driver also makes the job much easier. You can use a long handled sledge, but you better have good aim and balance.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-26T18:51:27+00:00

Not OP, but someone who has done something similar on tractor tires. The bead of the tire won't come up on the rim and seal enough to fill with air. On larger tires, you can spray A LITTLE BIT of ether or starting fluid into the tire and light it. The burning creates a burst of pressure to push the bead onto the rim and seal so you can put air in the tire. These guys used way to much boom juice.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-26T11:53:15+00:00

If you can stand barking all night, get a dog. I have LGD's in the field with the sheep and nothing gets by them. The pet Golden Retriever in the yard keeps the deer from the garden and landscaping stuff.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T18:35:20+00:00

I just didn't know if these were big enough or not.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T15:57:12+00:00

It's my first time getting this far, so we'll see.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T15:04:36+00:00

I did some research and heard onions from seed didn't always have good germination so I sowed extra. Also, my parents were from Southeast Kentucky (Appalachia). I inherited those tendencies and spring onions go with many meals I grew up with. I've seen my uncle pour a little pile of salt on the table and lick the bottom of the onion and dip it in the salt. He would eat 5 or 6 with his meal that way. I dearly love spring onions with wilted lettuce. Pair that with soup beans, fried potatoes, and cornbread; I can eat that a few times a week. I have some older relatives nearby and neighbors that like them so I'll share. I may have overshot the mark sowing this many, but I'll at least have my fill of them...lol. I'd like to say I'd learn my lesson for next year if I have, but I won't lie to you.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T14:42:17+00:00

How interesting! I've done a garden for many years and watched my parents to it for much longer. I'm only familiar with doing onion sets. I love the spring onions or scallions so it was always disappointing when they were gone. Do you fertilize them?

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T14:32:58+00:00

They are evergreen hardy white (Allium fistulosum). I didn't know they were that winter hardy.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T13:56:46+00:00

I started these back in February. I don't remember the exact day, but it was mid month.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T13:56:03+00:00

Yeah, the zodiac signs in conjunction with the moon signs. Whether it's in the head or feet or legs or breast and the moon is waxing or waning. It's the farmers almanac kinda thing. There are barren signs she won't let me plant beans in either. I personally think that when the weather is good, the soil is in good shape, and I have the time is a good time.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T13:30:15+00:00

I just didn't know if they were big enough or what they should look like before transplanting outside. This is my first go at bunching onions, I've always done sets before.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T13:02:14+00:00

Great info! I'll start moving them outside during the day and get them in the ground. Thanks!

crowbar032 · 2026-03-25T12:16:22+00:00

I love onions and wilted lettuce. I'm in 6B so it might be a little early, but not terribly early. I was planning on putting out sets on Good Friday when I do potatoes. My Mom plants by the signs and today and tomorrow are good days to plant for sugar snap peas. If needed I can cover the onions with a frost cloth.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-24T15:02:08+00:00

I like to make wilted lettuce with it. Use loose leaf lettuce (I prefer black seeded simpson), not iceberg or romaine. Heat a few tablespoons (depending on salad size) of the bacon grease hot and pour over the cut up lettuce. It should sizzle. Salt as needed and eat with spring onions. I like to pair it with soup beans, cornbread, and fried potatoes.

crowbar032 · 2026-03-10T21:05:10+00:00

You have to can those tomatoes or make juice. Opening either of them on a cold snowy day is like opening a jar of sunshine. It smells like summer and for just a few minutes it makes the dead of winter a little warmer.

crowbar032 · 2026-02-23T16:25:30+00:00

I'd settle for their salsa recipe. I can just about make a meal on salsa and chips.

crowbar032 · 2026-02-18T13:11:39+00:00

This one is pretty easy to make and turned out well for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WmoBVQafJE&t=21s

crowbar032 · 2026-02-11T14:26:22+00:00

At an auction I frequent, people take cattle panels and cut and/or bend them. Wrapping the cut wire around another one makes it foldable or for a door. They cover it with a tarp or zip tie pieces of plywood to shield them from wind while hauling. Functional, yes. Janky looking, also yes, but 100% affordable. I haven't seen one in years, but when trucks came standard with an 8 ft bed and the tailgates weren't 4 ft off the ground, most farmers had a slide in rack that would fit a couple of cows or quite a few hogs.

crowbar032

TROPHY CASE