Nick Mick

I use the chicksafe automatic door by brinsea all year. It uses four AA batteries and does not come with a frame or door. I made my own door out of sheet steel and made the frame extra loose so no matter what nothing can jam the door. It also is covered by a tarp connecting the coop with the run. I even used one to finagle an automatic feeder. I live in SE MA

I used my chickens to clear violets that were taking over my garden, however I couldn’t plant anything in there while they were working for obvious reasons. I heard ducks and geese eat grass and don’t disturb gardens. You could also use one of those large propane torches to kill the grass. I used one to stop thistle from spreading in my driveway by scorching the fluffy seeds before they could spread.

Waxed clothing is much more resistant to wear and tear, you can wax old clothes as long as they are clean. Putting an extra patch of cloth over the high wear spots helps, so does some extra stitching. Adding gussets to stretch points is another one. Having dedicated work clothes so you don’t ruin your good ones, wear aprons, wear bib overalls. Don’t wash things unless it’s necessary and when you do don’t use harsh detergents.

Most types of brambles. The wild black berries in my yard take over and it’s like dealing with barb wire that grows everywhere I don’t want it to. I originally encouraged the growth of them but the berries don’t taste very good for some reason.

I use an old pair of ice block grabbers, the kind that pinch tighter when you pull on it, and a chain attached to the two handles. I then use whatever power at hand (vehicle, tractor, winch ect) to pull them out. Then there’s what I always call the ‘Egyptian’ method which is just rolling the log the long way on short pieces of pipe or small logs, continuously taking the ones from the back and putting them in front.

My cousins used to put Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and an obscene amount of melted butter on theirs and it was really good.

I intentionally planted them in several places around my property under different conditions, but it’s hard to tell what they like due to the deer and wood chucks always eating the stalks. But hey, both those animals are edible. I heard lacto fermenting them in a simple salt brine yields good results and it’s easiest to just keep them in the ground, Mabie loosen the soil before a hard frost so they can still be dug up easy enough or keep a black tarp over them. I’m planning on spreading them in some open areas nearby where I live to have a wild back up and to help the bees in the late summer with their flowers.

So I never soldered copper pipe before so I preemptively soldered a few pieces before installing them. I cleaned them with the wire tool inside and outsides, brushed on flux on both pieces, heated the pipe with a propane torch and soldered them together. The mistake I made was I heated the pipe for quite longer than a few seconds and took the torch away from the pipe then added the solder which did suck in until the pipe cooled. Did I mess up these connections? I’m afraid I over heated the pipe and flux. If I did over heat the pipe can I fix it or do I have to buy new pieces?