Rose Lee

I’m looking for recommendations for a good, natural, non-toxic finish for an outdoor cedar dining table. I’m planning to build a rustic table made of 2x6’s with repurposed metal sawhorses for legs.

I don’t mind regular upkeep/refinishing (in fact, I prefer it - but that’s another topic). However, the lumber is going to be a substantial investment so I’d like it to last as long as possible.

I originally planned to use Danish oil - but it’s not recommended for outdoor use nor is it ‘food safe.’ But I’m also not really finding any ‘food safe’ finishes other than butcher block conditioner?

Comercial linseed oil is not food safe either, apparently it’s mixed with solvents and other things.

What would have traditionally been used for finishing outdoor furniture? Paint? Whitewash?

Should I just leave it unfinished? It is cedar after all.

Looking forward to hearing all your responses!

I just read a new book that I feel has revolutionized my life. Laundry Love by Patric Richardson. I used to build up bags of wool, silk, linen and other natural textiles because I didn’t have time to hand-wash them but No More!

In this book he details how to wash delicates in the washer (put them in a mesh bag - yes even natural wool - just roll it up tight), and encourages the use of eco friendly laundry practices - like wash everything on the express cycle, dry on the line, don’t use fabric softener/bleach, how to use a tiny brush and vinegar/simple soap to remove stains, and how to use old fashioned ‘blueing’ to get whites whiter.

My favorite tip? His preferred laundry ingredient is ‘soap flakes.’ That is, as a laundry and textile expert, he believes the best soap to get clothes clean is just a plain old lye soap like grandma used to use, grated into flakes. We’ve been led to believe that we have to use special HE detergents and all kinds of toxic products but they are completely unnecessary!

Steven Rodenberg wrote:My in ground outside seed grown Meiwa kumquat tree has fruit.

Wow! I just read this thread from the first post and you must be so proud! So awesome to see the progress over the last ten years. Maybe I missed it but did you ever move the kumquat to pots indoors, as I saw that one year you considered doing that?

So, how do we get on the list for seeds from your kumquat tree? 😏

Oh ok! I bought some American persimmon seeds on Etsy so that’s what I will do. Why do you think the grafting you did last year failed?

I don’t care if the rootstock is male! I just am not able to source seeds from persimmons I found in the store because they are seedless. I think it is because they are male?

I would like to obtain some persimmon seeds (diospyros kaki) in order to grow my own rootstock. Store bought persimmons where I live are all from male trees apparently and therefore have no seeds. Does anyone know where I could get some persimmon seeds, or is there someone out there who would be willing to sell or trade with me?

Hi,

I’m on the Olympic Peninsula, but my sister lives in Tacoma. We’d be interested in coming to your next meetup. This is my favorite time of year…so full of dreaming for next seasons projects!

I had to clear out our freezer of all the soup bones, and tried my hand at this ‘portable soup’ recipe. After lovingly attending the simmering stock for several days, I got distracted at the very end and I think I accidentally made...glue? It was really sticky, and hilarious! I crack up every time I look at my attempt at bone broth boullion!

Luckily I was actually able to add water and reconstitute some of the ‘glue’ and make some jello-like portable soup out of it. (The third pic).

I got my first set of cows a few years ago, an angus heifer and a steer. We got them from a Beef herd of 100+ on large acreage. They were a huge headache! Getting out constantly!
In contrast, I got a dairy cow later on who was raised in A pen. Even when the other 2 escaped, she ignored the fence hole they made and stayed in her paddock. An old timer I talked to just said ‘yeah, angus are breachy.’ IMO it’s a mix of breeding and environment that causes them to try and escape all the time.

That said, you’re on the right track with grain-training them! I taught those two wild angus to eat grain by pouring it over something they already ate (alfalfa or hay) until they developed a taste for it. Also, cows like routine. Just keep at it and you will get them to follow you anywhere.

The ‘More-with-Less cookbook’ is my go-to for frugal meals. It is a compilation of recipes from Mennonite missionaries around the world, written in the 70s to encourage less consumption. Most recipes have little notes on them like ‘use 1/2 the sugar and it tastes just as good!’ ‘leftover cooked potatoes can be used for this recipe’
Or on a recipe for a roast ‘put that oven heat to good use with some baked goods for the week ahead.’