K Putnam

My goumi is going crazy.  So crazy I can't figure out what to do with all the berries as I can only eat so many raw before the astringency gets to me.  I actually signed in her for the first time in awhile to see if anyone has actually figured out what to do with them!  I know I only have a couple of days before they hit that magic stage of ripeness and the birds eat them all.

My plan was to try steam juicing them and then making jelly.  Steam juicing them resulted in a watery pale liquid that smelled strongly of tomatoes.  Must be the lycopene.  I cooled the juice off and mixed it with some sugar to test the flavor.  Not great.  Steam juicing them knocked the sweetness out of them and the tomato flavor was just bizarre in what had been a fairly sweet fruit.  

Sooooooo, I would really love to find a way to get the seeds out and make jelly or fruit leather or SOMETHING with them.  Almost all the references I read suggest that they can be used in pies and jams and wines but I have yet to stumble across an actual recipe for any of this!  

I kind of doubt your high iron levels are causing hoof problems on your horses, I would sooner think it was protein levels.  

Actually, high iron levels are a serious issue for equine health.  Excess iron levels can contribute to laminitis.  Katie is 100% correct to be concerned.  The iron levels need to be balanced with copper, selenium, and zinc. I also live in an area with acidic soil, high iron levels and very low selenium and zinc levels and without supplementation, the pastures and hay inevitably leads to poor hoof health.

Katie, I'd probably spring for pulling some blood and running a mineral panel so you know what you're dealing with while you sort out the pH in your pastures.

Everyone here has lost due to thankless arguing on the internet.  What a disservice to the instructors for your course and the people who participated in your Kickstarter.  And the comments both on this thread and the YouTube thread just make everything worse for everyone.  

What's probably the most sad is whether this will affect how people view in the information from your instructors because they are now affected by this brouhaha.  What a waste.

Paul, I've unsubscribed from Patreon not because of the video but because of how it was handled here.  I am 100% sure neither party is blameless in this meltdown and I don't find interpersonal train wrecks educational nor entertaining.

A couple weeks ago, I planted mint in an area that I truly hope it becomes invasive.  Because it will give me a reason to beat back the bindweed and blackberries if I have something useful and invasive in there instead.  

If I wanted to get rid of it, I'd probably mow it, cover with cardboard, and pile with mulch. It's not that hardy of a plant.

Meanwhile: GROW.  GROW! GROWWWWWW!!!

So, my comfrey reached nearly six feet high, remarkable given that I don't think it's gotten above maybe three or three and a half feet before.  The bees had exhausted it and it it was flopping everywhere, so I chopped it down and put it around two new plum trees.  So, yeah, mulching with comfrey is, in fact, a thing.  

If you google "kinesiotaping lymphatic drainage" and pull up the photos tab, you'll see a ton of examples.  I'm sure there are some how to videos out there for each body part.   The basic concept is that you're pulling fluid towards a lymph node so the lymphatic system can remove the swelling more easily.  Great first aid for homesteaders and stubborn non-homesteaders. In addition to reducing swelling, it does provide some immediate pain relief.

The comfrey comment was directed towards the earlier accident with the femur, not the wrist!  

I think anyone serious about at-home remedies should learn the basics of kinesiotaping*, particularly lymphatic cuts to help with swelling in cases like these.  So far, I have taped a broken hand and a broken foot on other people, which tided them over until they could get to the doctor during daylight hours.  It reduced the local swelling and helped managed the pain.  I have to say, personally, I would not have messed around with a femur. In general, I would also take great care with comfrey until you know that the bones are positioned to set properly.  But for those cases where you're thinking "I don't know if this is a sprain or a break and nothing is sticking out and I can survive a day or two, kinesiotape can make all the difference.

*the materials of kinesiotape are decidedly not "permie", but I do consider this a very useful tool for any homesteader, particularly given the current state of health care in the United States.   Maybe think of it akin to using diesel to dig earthworks.

Do report back on how the ollas with the floats go.  I'm on my second year of simply sealed clay pots with a lid.  They worked great for me last year and really cut down on both plant loss and wasted water.

Cedar is naturally resistance to bacterial and fungal decay, which means it isn't going to go through the nice breakdown process in your pile.   Perhaps better chipped as a top layer and placed around the new trees as mulch?

I think there are occasions when it is important to show up as the best version of yourself.  I'll bet Joseph gives his beard a little trim.  I, heaven help me, go digging through my closet for my dreaded foe, the blow dryer.  We dig out our nicer clothes, wash our hands, trim our nails.  Showing up as the best version of yourself is a sign of respect for the other person's event, whether that be a wedding, dinner, funeral, whatever.  As my as I am loathe to get out of my yoga pants, they probably aren't my best self just because I'm comfortable.  So, when it comes to body hair, I think the answer is just whatever is the best version of yourself.

On the other hand, I did get myself thrown out of my sister's wedding party for refusing to wear a strapless gown and play the viola that I hadn't played in ten years in front of 400 people while she walked down the aisle.  Epic bridezilla fail.  

We could have an entire thread on what people do to each other surrounding weddings...but that would probably drive everyone to drink.