r ranson wrote:Looks like I got the links right. If you still have questions after you finish reading them, ask away.
Paul wheaton, the owner of this site says it better than I can. The rest of us are volunteers.
I followed and read each link.. still confused. It seems like the reason is “because we can”. As I stated previously, this has happened before. In fact, I sent YOU a purple moosage once asking if you had deleted my post, and asking “why?”, because right after my post was deleted in a thread, you had posted. Not pointing any fingers, or making wild accusations, but quite the coincidence. By the way.. you never replied to my PM..?
And now I see that the previous poster that I agreed with has been removed, as well. He (and I) both made posts that weren’t gushing over electric cars being “the most” permaculture option. Not trying to be contentious, but it seems that a cultural and political bias is at play here. This IS your site (not OURS), so you do have the final say on what will be viewed.. so please forgive me for having an opinion, and the American audacity to state it out loud. Lesson learned: wrongthink verboten.
Ted Abbey wrote:I used to live on 20 acres in the wilderness of Socorro County.. near a lil ghost town named Riley (Santa Rita). Waaay too much to get into right now, but I would suggest that you focus on your source of water. I collected rainwater into two 1600 gallon tanks, and built roofed areas solely for the purpose of collecting more water. I could tell you some stories, but I’m saving them for a book.. working title of “Land for Sale in New Mexico”. It will be a fictionalized autobiographical true crime tragicomedy. Funny enough, where I live now, just outside of Death Valley, was the extreme northwest corner of what used to be New Mexico in its territorial days. No wonder the chili seeds that I brought with me do so well here!
Hey Ted, Good luck with your book, yeah I'm planning on at least a few other outbuildings with roofs to supplement the main house water system, for a garden, trees etc..., I'll probably end up near one of the mountain chains in a higher elevation.
My place was at 6500 ft. elevation.. saw high temps at 105F, and lowest temp was -30F(!). The book will get written if and when it is meant to be. I’m living my next book right now, in a similar vein. Working title: “Life and Death in the Oasis Valley”. It is promising to eclipse my New Mexico experience! Best of luck to you, and please keep us updated on your journey.
I’ve never eaten Pigeon, but I would in a pinch. Many a dove has entered my cast iron pan, and they are exceptional.. I don’t see why Pigeon would be much different? (Except for city scavenger pigeons.. you ARE what you eat!)
I used to live on 20 acres in the wilderness of Socorro County.. near a lil ghost town named Riley (Santa Rita). Waaay too much to get into right now, but I would suggest that you focus on your source of water. I collected rainwater into two 1600 gallon tanks, and built roofed areas solely for the purpose of collecting more water. I could tell you some stories, but I’m saving them for a book.. working title of “Land for Sale in New Mexico”. It will be a fictionalized autobiographical true crime tragicomedy. Funny enough, where I live now, just outside of Death Valley, was the extreme northwest corner of what used to be New Mexico in its territorial days. No wonder the chili seeds that I brought with me do so well here!
I think that “prepping” is smart.. better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. That being said, my location, and lifestyle, demands a certain amount of this approach regardless of any impending doom scenario. Luckily for me, I have artesian springs gushing with high quality water.. no pump necessary, and native people lived successfully in this area since time immemorial.. so even without “preps” life will continue.
elle sagenev wrote:Another first was when I went into the greenhouse to discover we had tomato hornworms. No one I know has ever seen them before. My kids loved them.
Congratulations on that beautiful piece of earth.. but I would suggest looking into water laws and regulations. Colorado is a bit funny about catching and using rain water. Go for it, but keep a low profile, and fly under the radar, friend.. stay free!
Mixing wood chips with high Nitrogen items will help. I used to run the largest organic pastured poultry farm in the country (in New Mexico), and all of the blood, guts, and feathers from “harvest” would be mixed in with wood chips in big piles. This would break down into beautiful compost that was spread over the fields. Warning.. it smelled terrible! Haha.. I’m sure that manure would serve this same purpose, and smell more like a barnyard than a graveyard.
Ted Abbey wrote:My favorite indoor space.. water is 106 degrees F. Real nice year round, but especially on a cold winter day!
Wait, what IS that exactly?
“That” is a hot spring bath house. Originally built over a spring source to provide water for steam engine trains that serviced mines here in the late 1800’s. Later converted for use as therapeutic/recreational soaking. I use this bath twice a day, everyday.. and couldn’t do what I do without it. (Well, maybe I could.. but it wouldn’t be as pleasant!)
This particular spring puts out about 50,000 gallons PER DAY, and is one of many on this miraculous desert oasis property located just outside of Death Valley.
All local restaurants, schools, and several individuals save food waste for my farm (mainly the pigs!).. but two corporate chains, and their lackeys prefer to trash food rather than pass it along. So I dive their dumpsters every day.
I have found all sorts of interesting things in my sorting, but this 14K gold ring takes the cake as far as monetary value is concerned (beside the food, and battling waste.. which I value as priceless!)
Thread update.. STILL looking for good folks. Summer seems to be over, as we have temps forecast in the 80s and 90s starting next week. This was the coolest summer I have experienced in my nearly six years here. Didn’t even reach 100 degrees in June. A short spike around 110 in July, and already “cool” again?!?
Busy time of year nonetheless, with watering and animal care. All other projects on hold, as living things take priority. My focus here has always been the water.. protecting it, and putting it towards beneficial use, and I KNOW that there are people out there that would resonate with this and embrace the challenge.
I knew from the outset that finding the right people would be the greatest challenge, and that has proven correct. This place is not “easy”.. and neither am I. This project is one of sacrifice, and passion.. and I believe that while rare, I am not unique in my outlook and approach. If fighting for what you LOVE appeals to you, in a desert oasis with abundant water and hot springs, please feel free to reach out. As for naysayers, critics, and timewasters.. please spare me.
Cynthia Shelton wrote:This post caught my eye because just yesterday I was at a friend's house helping with logging chores. A neighbor's german shepherd broke into her chicken pen, killed seven of 12 and then got stuck in the fence. This is one of two dogs in the neighborhood who kill livestock, owned by the same person, who lets the dogs wander, and doesn't even feed them properly, and has been warned repeatedly through the town animal control. That was a run on sentence equal to the exhaustion level of the problem.
My friend shot the dog.
She has a dog herself and is completely in love with it so it broke her heart to do it, but she depends on the chickens. The sad part is the dog is less at fault than the human "owner" and yet the dog pays the price.
I think the "owner" should have to wear the seven dead chickens around his neck until they decompose. Then maybe he will be kinder to his animals and more respectful of his neighbors.
Still feeling sick over the whole unnecessary event.
Sorry to hear about your friend’s predicament, but glad to hear she had the temerity to handle the situation properly. Nobody should have to tolerate an invasive and destructive killer, and defending yourself and yours is to embrace life. Nature can be cruel, and harsh, but doesn’t care one bit about death.. it is only a means to an end for more life! Thank you for sharing your story, and best wishes to you and your friend.
p.s.: If the dogs owner feels put out.. he should be reminded that the loss of the dog is ultimately his fault.
Tie the dead chicken around the dogs neck. Leave it until it rots off. That dog will never go after a chicken again.
That's how them ol' boys done it.
I have done this.. (see earlier post) Seemed to have worked, but recently a rooster got too close, and my female Caucasian Shepherd couldn’t resist. Not the end of the world, but one less bird for my crock pot this winter..
Dang.. if I wasn’t locked into my own project, I’d be glad to come and help you. Looks like a good build, and you sound like a solid person. Best wishes in your endeavors, and I hope you can find the help that you are looking for..
