anita Bell

Did your chicken survive?

I wasn't sure where to post this, but:
If you want to encourage bats for insect control, or guano you might consider putting on a clay tile roof.
check this out:
http://news.epicinter.net/infestation-in-roof-you-wont-believe-what-these-roofers-discover-in-miami/

Xylitol is not a chemical nor is it artificial. It is made from the bark of birch trees. It is also naturally occurring in some fruits. It is also made by your own body. So if you are trying to avoid it sorry, you got it. If you have a bad reaction to Xylitol, it is normally your body just getting used to greater amounts of it. To get rid of Candida, it depends on where on your body you got it. If you have a skin infection (overgrowth) of Candida, you can try using a vinegar wash 2 to 3 times a day in the area. The vinegar creates an anti-fungal environment, allowing the natural bacteria to fight the candida and bring it back into balance. If you have a candida infection in the female areas a suppository of Boric Acid and cocoanut oil can be very helpful. (there are recipes on the internet for it). Again a vinegar based douche is also helpful. (again recipes on the internet). If you have a systemic infection changing your diet removing sugar, and carbs that break down quickly into sugar, treating the breakouts with the vinegar, eat fermented foods. If all else fails get you a prescription for diflucan.

Your venting is causing more radon to be pulled in from the ground. You need to do something to seal the walls so the Radon can't penetrate. That is what radon specialists do they seal the crawlspace or basement. I don't know what they use.

I imagine you could use those instructions to make a wool or cotton filled mattress. She noted that she heard that the mattress could be made with cotton or straw etc. but she always used corn shucks.

I don't have any pictures my Grandma has been gone over 40 years. I have never made these mattresses myself, don't have enough corn husks but I did take the time to type the instructions out and here they are:
HOW TO MAKE A CORN SHUCK MATTRESS


Tools and Materials


Corn shucks
Smooth, heavy cloth (ticking)
Strong needles
Waxed cord
Oil felt or double-thickness ticking cut in a round shape, for tufts
Hand paddle with small nails
Scissors

The first step is to dip the corn shucks in boiling water and, while they are still moist, shred them into small strips with a hand paddle that has small nails in it.
The tough top part of the shuck is then cut off with scissors. When dry, the shredded corn shucks are ready for use. It takes twelve feed sacks full of tightly packed corn shucks for a double bed mattress.


Cut six pieces of ticking (cloth) as follows:

1) two pieces the size of the bed, to make the top and bottom of the mattress. Round the corners of the top and bottom pieces. (I draw around the edge of a plate then cut out)

2) two pieces 6 inches wide and the length of the bed for the mattress sides.

3) two pieces 6 inches wide and 2 inches longer than the width of the bed, for the ends of the mattress.

With right sides together, sew the mattress ends and sides together, using a ½ inch seam. Centering the mattress ends on the short sides of the bottom mattress piece, right sides together, sew the mattress bottom to the sides and ends. Right sides together sew one long side of the mattress top to the other side of the ends and sides. You should now have an open box shape with rounded corners. Turn the box shape right side out.

To keep the mattress from being lumpy, pack the corn shucks into the cloth cover in even 1 inch layers. After each layer, pull the loose top piece over the corn shucks and beat the mattress gently to distribute the corn shucks evenly. Then pull the loose piece back and continue filling the mattress. When the mattress is filled, sew the loose piece in place. If there are still high and low spots in the mattress, beat it gently again: hitting the high spots to drive the filler into the low spots. Only a few strokes should be needed.

Making a Rolled Edge

A rolled edge will help keep the corn shucks in place and help the mattress hold its shape. With chalk mark a line 2 1/4 in from the edge seam all around the mattress top. Mark another line ½ inch from the edge seam all around the side and ends. Sew the two lines together through the mattress with stitches about ½ inch apart, working enough corn shucks into the roll with each stitch to make the roll firm. Fill the roll evenly. In rounding the corners, make the stitches closer and take shorter stitches on top of the roll than on the bottom. Turn the mattress over and make a rolled edge on the other side.

Tufting Mattress

Making tufts on the mattress will help hold the corn shucks in place. Mark a grid of alternating odd and even rows across your mattress. At the marked places, use a strong needle and waxed cord to sew an x through the middle of the round pieces of oil felt or doubled ticking through the mattress for simple tufts that will help hold the filling in place.

I have heard of people using the same procedure for making mattresses of straw or feathers or cotton. But I have only used corn shucks, so, I don’t know how well other fillers work.

I have my great grandmas directions on how to make a corn husk mattress if any one is interested. She was really proud that the end result looked like store bought, only she knew she grew the filling materials.

Radon is the number 2 cause of Lung Cancer in the United States. #1 is cigarettes, I found this out when my best friend who never smoked was diagnosed with lung cancer and died within 2 months of diagnosis, the level of radon in her basement was off the scale. Get yourself a meter and test.