My Grandpa had a dog kill a chicken once so he tied the chicken to the dog’s collar and left it there for about two weeks. The dog surprisingly never touched another one. I’m not saying it was the right way to deal with the situation, but there were other dogs that just ended up at the tree line for good. Old days old ways

Pipes burst this morning... FUCK UP SCRAMBLE ENGAGED

There is likely an attachment point you can use up on the center support for your damper. You just have to make sure you do it in a way that doesn’t affect the operation of the flap. One fun thing to do is have a stew pot that is refrigerated or outside much of the time that gets broth, veggies, game meat and other ingredients added to it as it gets consumed, forever changing but always on hand as a hot meal. Sometimes you have to change pots and you just need to be wary of repeated heating and cooling and its effect on bacteria growth. Basic foodsafe principles.

That’s cool. I recently set up our fireplace so we can quickly transition to cooking on it when needed. Since these pictures were taken I set it up so that the Dutch oven can be raised and lowered from a point outside of the doors on a steel chain. When I was a kid, we used to get 3 to 4 day power outages occasionally, and our entire family would simply move our beds down into the living room and make an adventure out of it. It was great.

What I’m realizing in this cold spell is that there are always more preps to be made (they never end lol). Just make a list and work on them as time/resources allow.

I’m sure your chickens will be ok as long as they’re out of the wind and have space to huddle up together

I man, that sounds tough! ❄️ Hope you manage to keep your family and the chucks 🐓 warm 🔥

I'm very sorry to hear that man. This lifestyle is definitely tougher than normal, but hardship makes us tougher. I don't think my chicken setup works for this cold, I'm hopeful everyone will survive but it still give me massive anxiety that I have a weeks worth of subzero (F) temps to deal with. Solidarity my friend.

When/if you manage to get one running, blow a fan at the fireplace for draft effect and more heat output.

What a trip. Reminds me of what my Dad used to say. And with sausage and/or bacon, pig in a blanket.

I am SO looking forward to get my seeds started for spring. I'm going to remove a piece of furniture from my dining room and make way instead for a shelving unit there bc that's where the best lighting is. Plus, I dunno....maybe the vibe of seeds + place of eating together will lead to more growth (for all involved) 🌱

While visiting extended family, I quietly became even more committed to my own food values and life values. I felt like such a foreigner about God, food, health, entertainment, politics, etc ad nauseum. I couldn't wait to get back home to my husband and children and to inventory my seed bank and make a whole lot more herbal medicines. Onwards.

#grownostr

#growagarden

#growstronger