Tag: prepping

It’s been awhile since a Ruby update…

~ Crystal Sands ~ Leave a comment

We are flirting with mud season around here, and I am thankful for the melt but also not a fan of mud season. The chickens are not fans of mud season either. I put straw in the run, but it’s still messy. The girls stand at the front door of the coop and look at the driveway like they really want driveway time. I have been avoiding it, just trying to train them to lock down a little bit with bird flu in mind, but tomorrow, I think they are going to get a little driveway time. I think I am going to have to do a deep clean on the coop. I have a little dread about it. It’s going to be hard, but it’s time.

When I went to collect eggs this evening, I saw that Ruby has a poopy bum, so I had to pick her up to check things out. She does have a few mites, so I had to treat her, which led to me bleeding because she is fierce. That chicken is so wild and stubborn and histrionic. I was so kind and patient the whole time, but she made such a scene that the other chickens started to get upset. I promised them all that it was okay and that Ruby was just being Ruby, and I think that worked.

Anyway, she has now been treated. She pecked me one more time for good measure when I put her down.

In contrast, I thought I had better do a health check on Hector while I was checking on people tonight, and while she is not doing the greatest, she is certainly hanging in much better than I thought she would be. I am sure we will lose her this spring, but she’s holding up well and seems content. She was so chill while I checked her. Her crop is a little bit squishy, so I will have to treat that tomorrow. When I was done, I held her right in my face, so I could check out her eyes, trying to see what’s going on in there. Does she look like she has pain? Is she mostly okay? I am happy to report that her eyes looked good. She is such a great hen. I am so, so, so sad she didn’t win the genetics lottery.

I am thinking about ordering a few hatching eggs for heritage chickens this year. I think that should help in the genetics lottery. I also realize that a lot of our flock won the genetics lottery because of Rooster. We have so many old hens, and they are all Rooster’s babies. And, of course, Rooster will be 9 this summer.

We are all just trying to stay sane and focused on preparing for tougher times. The straw we get comes from Canada, so we bought a lot today because we assume the price will go up if the tariffs are put into place on Monday. Of course, you never know if he’s really going to enact the tariffs or just threaten forever. Either way, we have a good amount of straw, and I had a Blue Seal coupon. That coupon covered two free bales of straw–and straw is not cheap.

There is a part of me that feels like I am panicking too much, but then I read a little bit about what is going on and feel like I am not panicking nearly enough. All I know is that I wake up each morning so differently than I ever have. I wake up scared. Then, I get my brain to adjust to this new reality and tell myself, “put the anxiety into action.”

And then I get up and start getting the food and water ready for my sweet chickens. And Ruby too.

On the Importance of Chickens

~ Crystal Sands ~ 2 Comments

I know I am biased, but I think a good place to start in prepping for the future is with chickens. They are so versatile and not only provide food but also provide fertilizer for a garden. They are also a joy, and that’s going to matter.

Whether you have chickens already or are thinking about chickens, I thought I might share some advice and things I have learned about keeping chickens over the years that might be helpful. I will go into more detail about some of these topics in the coming weeks and months, but I thought a list of ideas this morning might be helpful. Then, others can add to the list, as I am sure there are things I will forget.

This is Petty and her brood from last fall. By greatest luck or some kind of blessing from the chicken gods, every single one of her six babies was a girl. In this picture, we have Annie, Clara, Jacqueline, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Lenore.
  1. I recommend starting with a good coop. If you have to use a cheaper little coop you can buy online, I think that’s a good place to start, but most people I know end up having to make modifications to those, especially if you live in a colder climate. A sturdy coop can make a big difference in the long run. We converted an old shed, and it has been great.
  2. To cut down on predators, I think it’s important to think about placement of your coop. Ours is close to our house, and I am so thankful for this. If you have farm dogs who protect chickens, then this may not be a worry, but I am a big believer in coop placement near your home if you can do it. Yes, there will be noise in the summers, but those egg songs equal good food.
  3. I think it’s more important than ever to get heritage breed chickens. I lucked into a heritage rooster, and his genes have been so good for our flock over the years. I have tried purchasing from local and reputable breeders but have not had good luck in the long-term genetics department. Our sweet Rooster is nine years old now and has had the best genes. We need a similar rooster to add to our flock. Rooster gets to stay, but he just doesn’t make babies too much anymore. We have a rooster, Dvorak, who is also a great boy and will get to live out his life, but he is only about three years old and clearly do not have the best genetics. I will not get babies from him anymore. This spring, I will be purchasing some heritage breed chickens from the most reputable breeders I can find online. I think it’s going to be about tracking down people who specialize in the breeds I want, and I am going to be looking for people who have been breeding these chickens for decades, not just a few years. I have found that people who have been in it for just a few years may be doing good work overall, but they may not know about longevity. I will share what I find out with others.
  4. Get or keep broody hens. If you know someone who has a broody line, ask them for babies or hatching eggs. Even though I curse the way our flock goes broody every summer, there are some perks to this. When we need more chickens, we can get them easily and efficiently. I think it’s a good idea to get an incubator as well, but with some good broody hens, you can have baby chicks without using electricity. Broody hens will also raise ducks for you. I have read that you never want a mama duck to raise a baby chicken because she will accidentally drown the baby chicken, but a mama chicken can raise baby ducks. Ruby and Petty, it turns out, who go broody all summer and will raise babies so well, are worth their weight in gold.
  5. Start saving scraps to feed your chickens. Keep a bowl in your refrigerator and save every little scrap. It will add up and help you cut down on feed costs. Affording feed may be an issue, so making good habits related to scraps right now seems like a good idea to me. Plus, it eliminates food waste.
  6. With the cost of feed in mind, I think it’s important to think about the size of your flock. You want to think about your needs, what you can share, and how much you can feed. Depending upon your area, you may also want to consider bird flu outbreaks. Here in Maine, we had a terrible outbreak two or three years ago, and we got lucky. However, the outbreak reminded us that we do need a smaller flock in case our flock had to be locked down in a covered run to protect them from bird flu.
  7. My final thought for this morning is that you definitely want to learn how to compost your chicken poop. Chicken poop is one of the best fertilizers for your garden because it is complex, but it does have to be composted. A few years ago, I got my husband to make this video to show people how he does it. There are other ways, of course, but this one works very well for us. It is a shame to waste good chicken poop! Just keep in mind, if you grow an organic garden, you are going to want to feed your chickens organic food.

I would love to hear your tips for keeping chickens. What advice do you have for others who are new to chickens or who just want to step up their game?

PS It felt important to add that, while I was writing this post, I was also putting a dinner on. I put potatoes, turnips, carrots, and onions underneath a roast in a large pot to cook on low all day. All of the vegetables came from our homestead. The roast came from a local farm and was expensive because it was humanely raised and grass fed. It cost about $25. That pot of meat and veggies will feed our family for two meals, so that’s $12.50 per day for our family of three to have a really nice dinner each day.

Where do we go from here?

~ Crystal Sands ~ 6 Comments

I think we have to keep doing what we have been doing–only extra.

It has taken me a bit to get to where I felt I had something to say. I have been worried about the 2024 presidential election for some time, and well, it didn’t go as I had hoped. It’s not like I think Democrats have all of the answers; in fact, they disappoint me most of the time, but I have gradually learned that my standards for what a government should and should not do are different than most Americans’ standards. I have been coming to terms with that lesson in the most profound way the last couple of weeks.

Most importantly, I think, I have been coming to terms what we can do in order to get by during tough times. If you are a person who thinks the economy is going to be great under the upcoming President’s policies, then this blog is not for you, and I will just say you have no idea how much I hope you are right. But if you are a reader who listens to the economists and who understands who works in the American agricultural system, you might be pretty worried about what the future holds economically, not to mention socially. Please read on.

I am gravely concerned.

I deeply understand that Americans were frustrated and worn from high prices for groceries and other goods, (Interestingly, we did not feel the inflation on groceries as much as others because we grow so much of our own food and live by a buy-it-once system that I will talk about later.) but two things that will absolutely make things worse is deporting our agricultural work force and tariffs. Every economist I know or have read says so. Obviously, there is no point arguing that I think this is a mistake. The deed is done. America has spoken. We have to accept that these things are likely to happen–and we have to prepare.

I think we are going to be looking at some very high prices for groceries, even more so than we are experiencing now. Things may get better for a time, but the economist I spoke to said it won’t last long, if at all.

And climate change isn’t going anywhere. Natural disasters are going to continue to destroy crops at alarming rates. If deportations happen, losing 40% of our agricultural work force is going to do a number on grocery prices. On top of this, I worry about bird flu. We have already seen outbreaks in the U.S. impact the prices of food. These outbreaks are not going to magically go away. In fact, according to scientists, bird flu outbreaks are likely to get more common because of climate change, and we are starting to see cases of it jumping to humans.

In the coming weeks and months, I plan to start sharing more–and more specifically–about what we already do to be self sufficient on our homestead–and what I am learning as well. I have much to learn, and I will share what I find out. In the immediate, it is also important to look to your community. What resources can you share? How can you work together? We are going to need each other.

I watched a video made by a woman who lives in an area of North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene. They had no running water, no electricity, no internet, no cell phone service, and no roads. She said, when the outside influences were gone, people came together. She said everyone organized, shared food and generators, and helped the elderly and children. She said MAGA people were working side by side with people on the far left. When the outside world was no longer influencing people, they came together. This is in us. I hope we can all find it.

I think it is also important to start assessing. What skills do you have? What skills do you want to develop? What resources can you share with others? What do you need to buy before tariffs are implemented?

And, of course, hopefully, I am wrong about all of this, and things are going to be okay. If that’s the case, in the coming weeks and months, the things I share with you will help us all save more money, make our households more inflation-proof, take greater advantage of the resources we have, and avoid processed foods, which are just terrible for us and our children.

I am going to make a promise to write every day for the next year. The journal is also coming back in the Spring with a focus on education more than ever. This is how I am going to keep my hope alive. Please share with me what you are doing to be prepared and remain hopeful.

photo credit: Elaine Casap, Unsplash

Free Seeds (or How to Save Seeds for Next Year)

~ Crystal Sands ~ 2 Comments

I have been so busy with harvest this season that I have had little time to write, but I wanted to share a bit about something extra special I have been harvesting this fall–seeds.

Seeds have grown so expensive over the years. Last year, we spent about $250 getting all of the seeds for our homestead. It all adds up–the lettuces, spinach, beans, carrots, melons, and so many tomatoes. I have always saved a few seeds in the past, but I have never had good rigor or organization in my process. Let’s just say I have been more than a little scattered when it comes to my seeds. Sometimes, I when spring comes around, I can’t even remember where I put some of the seeds, and I haven’t had a good track record in saving all the seeds I could during harvest season. Some years, I manage the green beans. Some years, I manage the tomatoes. This year, I have been saving them all!

I still do not have the skills to save carrot seeds, but I learned how to save spinach seeds this year. I have also saved green beans, two types of melons, three types of peppers, and five types of tomatoes. The squash is still coming, and I couldn’t save our corn because Ron got hybrid seeds this year (a delicious hybrid, I might add). I think when I get the squash seeds finished, I will have saved about 2/3 of our seeds for next year. That’s a pretty big savings! Plus, these seeds are free–just looking at me every time I cut open a pepper or a melon reminding me they are there for me. It just started to feel so wrong to throw them away. And I have saved so many seeds that I have plenty to give away as gifts. I brought some little envelopes for the seeds, and I have been in the seed business all fall. This year, I am organized!

I wanted to share some strategies for saving seeds because it is really pretty easy and can save a lot of money. And, truly, it’s just so satisfying. I hope you find these tips helpful, and I hope you’ll save some seeds this year!

Spinach

I always thought it was tricky to save spinach seeds until Ron accidentally replanted the spinach from seeds after he mowed down the spinach that had bolted. Essentially, you just let the spinach bolt and go to seed. When the seeds are developed, cut the plants and hang them upside down to dry. When they are dry enough, remove the seeds and store in a cool, dry place. I also read you can store them for the winter right on the stalk.

Melons

Melons are so easy. When you cut open a melon, they are just right there for you to save. The only trick is just getting the seeds separated from the mushy insides. I spread the seeds on a plate and remove as much of the slime as I can and then rinse. There will still be a little slime, but progress is good. Then, you just let everything dry for a couple of days on the plate. At this point, the seeds are easier to remove from any leftover pieces of melon. The seeds will still need to dry a little longer before being put away. Let them dry a few more days, and then they are ready to be put away until next year. Just store them in a cool, dry place, as you would any seeds.

Green Beans 

To save green bean seeds for next year, just leave several beans on each of your plants to grow big at the end of the season—the more plants, the better the genetic diversity. When the beans are big and lumpy and start to yellow, they are easiest to save. Just shell them and put them in a cool, dry place to dry. 

Peppers

Peppers are the easiest! When you cut open the pepper, the seeds are already clean and pretty dry. Just pluck them from the inside core of the pepper and place them on a plate to dry. In a few days, they are ready to be put up for the season. After saving pepper seeds this year, I cannot imagine ever again having to buy pepper seeds.

Dry Beans  

Dry beans are the easiest because you are going to get them into shape for saving and storing anyway. After you harvest your beans, make sure you have a cool, dry place for your beans to dry out. Also, make sure you give them enough space. Mold is the enemy here. Once the pods start to feel a little bit dry, you can shell the beans and then spread them out to continue drying. Don’t put them away until the beans are completely dried. As an alternative, instead of picking the beans and then drying, you can also just hang your plants to dry and go from there. 

Squash and Pumpkins 

When you cut open your squash and pumpkins in the fall, simply remove some of the seeds for saving. Wash them to remove strings and such and then let them dry on a towel for about a week. Once they are good and dry, they can be stored in a cool, dry place, just like other seeds. Just be aware, if you have planted multiple types of squash near each other, you may not get pure seeds. Squash seeds, if stored well, can last for several years. 

Tomatoes 

To save seeds from your favorite tomatoes, all you have to do is choose some tomatoes that are big and scoop out the seeds with the little jelly that comes with them. If you are looking for saving tomato seeds that will be good for several years, you should use the fermentation method. Add water and the squished tomatoes to a glass jar. The water helps the seeds separate from the tomato. Then, place the jar in a warm spot for a few days. You should see a layer of moldy stuff start to form on the top of the mixture. Once you see the mold at the top and seeds at the bottom, you can remove the icky mold and run your mixture through a strainer to wash your seeds. Be sure to clean your seeds well and let them dry on a towel for several days. Then, just store your seeds in a cool dry place like your other seeds.

I have also learned from an interview with The Heirloom Gardener, if you are planning to use your tomato seeds the next year, all you have to is wipe the seeds from your favorite tomatoes onto a paper bag. Let them dry for a couple of weeks. Then, you can just fold up the paper bag and store the seeds in a cool, dry place.

Corn

Corn is also easy to save. You just have make sure you have heirloom corn seeds. So many corn seeds are hybrids. There is also the issue that hybrid corn is often sweeter and tastier, but heirloom corn seeds still make delicious corn. Plus, you get the benefit of being able to seed save. Just save several ears of corn from your harvest and hang the ears in a cool, dry place to dry. Once they are dried, you can just wiggle the seeds loose and save your seeds for next year. The one issue I had when I first started saving corn seeds is that I didn’t save my seeds from enough different plants, so I wasn’t getting good genetic diversity. Still, even my beginner attempt provided us with corn seeds for three years before we decided to start fresh with new seeds. But it’s best if you can save seeds from at least ten different ears of corn. I had been using three or four.

*Some of this content was originally published in Volume II of the Farmer-ish Print Annual.

top photo credit: Yuliia Huzenko, Unsplash

Everything Everywhere All at Once–or Prepping a Tiny Farm for a Hurricane

~ Crystal Sands ~ 1 Comment

We have a hurricane or tropical storm headed toward Maine tonight. If you are in Maine, you know this. If you are not in Maine, please know this is not super common for us. We are such a treed state, when storms come when the leaves are still on the trees, power lines are going to go down. Since we live in a rural area, we have a generator, but it doesn’t run our whole house. We lose hot water and can’t bake anything. We can use the microwave, but we have to turn off everything else in the house. Still, I’m thankful for the generator. One time, we went eight days without power. I don’t know what we would have done without a generator.

I was talking to someone today who acted like everyone was overreacting about the hurricane coming to Maine. I thought to myself, she’s definitely not a farmer. I am not overly worried, I suppose, but it takes a lot of work to get even a tiny farm ready for such a storm during harvest season. We are worn out from prepping for this hurricane because our garden is in full harvest, and we can lose a lot of food to high winds.

We hope it’s not bad, but you cannot take any chances when your year of food for your family is on the line. Groceries are so expensive. Right now, tons of things are at harvest, so Ron and I have spent the last three days harvesting what would normally take us about two weeks. We have been picking or processing some big batch of something every single night since we learned the hurricane was likely going to bring trouble. Last night, I was up until 1:00 AM finishing the pizza sauce.

Garlic, onions, pears, corn, tomatoes all have had to be picked and processed. I’m still going on the pears because they were small but extra plentiful. We got about five times the amount of pears as we did last year, and I treasure them. Still, it’s a lot of work peeling those pears. I wonder if there is a more efficient way. Next year, I’ll be looking into this if we get another pear harvest. Today, I spent about four hours peeling pears. I’m pretty slow with a knife, I think. If anyone reading this has advice on processing pears, I would love to know what you do.

On top of this, Ron has had to get the generator ready, get gasoline for it, and sharpen the chains on his chainsaw because we live amongst so many trees. A big storm is not just a concern for our house and coops, but we have fencing around most of our property. Storms take out our fencing on the regular.

Tonight, we were scrambling to bring everything inside and button up tight for the winds. It feels like I am all over the place trying to remember everything. I found a shovel leaning against the coop, and I had to bring in any plants I could. I brought in all the chicken waterers. I think we are ready, at least we are as ready as we can be.

I won’t let the baby chicks out tomorrow, and I’ll see what the big chickens and ducks want to do and keep a very close eye on them. If necessary, I can lock them down too. I think we have everything that might blow away brought inside, and we harvested every bit of food we could from the garden. But the corn is just now ripe. Most of it is still on the stalk and needs just a few more days. I am going to be very sad if the beautiful corn I grew in my three sisters garden gets wiped out.

Crossing my fingers. And to those in Maine who read this, I hope your electricity stays on, your trees stay upright, and your garden survives.