Owen Rogers

for the past ten years I have only used fixed knot 6 inch mesh woven wire (as opposed to slip knot ) The goats head will spread slip knot but fixed knot won
't move. They cost about the same . It also comes in 330 ft and 500 ft rolls- larger rolls are cheaper per ft.I've never seen fixed knot at TSC stores and some of the Coops don't mention it. You have to ask for fixed knot.
Also on my water tanks for livestock I put reflectix insulation on top (be sure to get alum on both sides with bubble pack in the middle) available at home depot and lowes-- it floats and keeps water cooler in summer and helps with freezing in winter. Plus its a great pad for the bullfrogs to set on. I also drop 3 or 4 inch pieces of about 12 inch pvc in tank for the crawdads and frogs to go in to hide for raccoons and occasional turtle that gets in.
I add 3 concrete blocks inside tank and outside tank for a step. This will save a lot of baby goats from drowning.-Guess how I found out.
Now is a great time of yr to put cuttings of elderberry in the ground. Just cut a piece off with several buds on it.  Scrap the bark in a couple places and push in the ground. I usually do this after a rain when the ground is like butter.
i plant jersalem artichokes in the drip lines on my outbuildings. Then I don't have to water

If you don't have a 501C  . you should . Then you would get whole pies plus the machinery to make them with instead of pieces of pie. Plus its tax deductible for sender

thanks for info. I use the computer just enough to be dangerous. Alway concerned about clicking on anything I'm not sure of.

I have a several varieties  of bamboo different size culms. Largest is about 3 inch. I won't reuse them. After seed come up I might experiment and split one side of culm to give them room to expand. Or just split both sides. I also have a cast iron bamboo splitter  that I'll play with  too. Got it off amazon for about $20.

I grew up in the 50's in Ky. We got electricity when I was 12 and our equipment was a team of mules, a single bottom plow and assorted hand tools. We cut all our fire wood with ax or crosscut saw and used a dogwood wedge. We raised and slaughtered all our meat. I never tasted ham until I was older. We sold all the sugar cured hams to the rich city people and ate the shoulders and middlings.. The bartered eggs and chickens for salt, coffee, sugar, flour at the grocery. Our entertainment was popping popcorn on pot bellied stove with generous topping of homemade butter and salt.We parched field corn in cast iron skillet in some lard, in the winter peanuts were baked in the old cookstove. Sweet potatoes were always in the oven that we kept rubbing butter or lard on to keep them soft. Pinto beans were bought in 25 lb bags and was always on stove with some hog jaw in it. Our entertaiment also  was pet flying squirrels, gray or fox squirrels that we found out in the woods as babies and
occasionally we would catch a baby raccoon.My dad could descent baby shunks and they made good pets. It was a hard life but everyone else was in the same boat so we survived. I must have crawled 50 miles on my knees in a burley tobacco patch priming the bottom leaves(they are the most valuable) I always got the top tier in the tobacco barn because I was the smallest just under the hot tin roof on a 95 degree day. I couldn't wait to leave the farm and said I would never farm again.  Then 15 yrs later my wife and I had saved enough to purchase property and some equipment and my adventure has continued another 50 yrs.

Im going to start seeds in an old refrigerator in large bamboo culm s that I cut in 4inch pieces. I'll lay an old storm window over the top during day --remove and close the door at night. This is first time I,ve done this but results should be interesting.

does permies have a 501c non profit-- if so could you please post the link

Also would it be possible to add Tennessee under  appalachia settings.  I love to read all the post but just do not have time as I'm most interested in middle and East TN.

I have a farm just south of Nashville between Franklin and Murfreesboro. I currently have donkeys, muscovy ducks,, chickens, bamboo, orchard, cattle and bees.The Harpeth river wraps around the farm and has multiple springs and ponds. If you have a project you've been wanting to do but don't have any land to do it on. I would be willing to talk with you

The lady that lives on the farm is searching for a like minded roommate.  She was a country singer from Australia and moved to Nashville a number of yrs ago. She in heavy into crafts and jewelry which she sales at the local farmers market. She is in her 50's and has been an excellent tenant. The house is a 3 bedroom,one bath, and full basement. The rent would be $800. per month including utilities.  No pets as she has a horse,donkey and old dog.  Only rule is there can be no alcohol beverages on farm. I could explain that one  if someone in interested. I would require a credit  and background check.  The farm is large with chickens,cows,ducks,geese and donkeys.  Roommate would be under no obligation to work on the farm but they could help in garden or any other skills that they had .  I am open to projects that you might want to do.  I have  a orchard,  had sheep and goats on farm. Would be a great place for mushroom growing-theres a lot of wooded area, Plans are to grow hemp in 2020.