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20 Articles

“Give me knowledge so I may have kindness for all.”— Plains Proverb Change is inevitable, isn’t it? But inevitability doesn’t mean change is bad, just different. Still, change is certainly easier to deal with when faced with others. Spring is the epitome of change and new beginnings. As I write this letter, it’s still January, and my area recently had a severe (for us) winter storm. But my mind turns to thoughts of spring planning: which flowers I’ll plant in my fairy gardens, reimagining my greenhouses, strategizing enclosure improvements, and envisioning how I can help my neighbors — maybe I’ll finally have the time to start a neighborhood garden in our front yard so the roaming neighborhood children have an opportunity to play in the dirt or grab a snack on their…

LETTING THE LAND REST

Before I bought my first vacant lot, I walked the perimeter of the land and crisscrossed through the interior of the plot to get a feel of its atmosphere. At that point, the land was free from any domesticated care, and filled with wildlife such as deer, raccoons, opossums, groundhogs, and foxes. The first year, native animals decimated the garden. Since then, I’ve set up fencing as well as leaving a bounty for local wildlife at the end of the year for more harmonious living. Last year, I couldn’t garden the vacant lot, and it has returned to a wild native sanctuary again. I firmly believe the land needs a rest every seven years, and last year was my 14th year owning it, so that time of rest matched the time…

LETTING THE LAND REST

PLANTING BY THE SIGNS

I grew up in Trout Cove near Brasstown, North Carolina, and we always had a vegetable garden. Daddy would religiously follow the signs of the zodiac and the moon in the Farmers’ Almanac to plant all his crops, and every year, he and Uncle Joe Lee would compete to plant their cherished Irish potatoes first. I remember one planting season well. “Trease,” Daddy called to Mama. “Where’s the Farmers’ Almanac? I want to see if it’s a good time to plant my Irish taters. You know a feller should never plant them in the foot sign. They’d have knots all over them like little toes when you dig ’em up.” Daddy sat in a rocking chair beside the fireplace. Mama’s cornbread was baking in the Dutch oven, and the aroma filled our…

PLANTING BY THE SIGNS

FOR THE LOVE OF SPIDERS

Many of us have seen friends or family react to a spider with shrieking, foot-stomping panic — we may have even been that person. But what threat does a spider pose to a comparatively huge human? Is this fear reasonable, especially in a spider-filled place, such as a farm or homestead? Historically, spiders were seen in a different light, often featured as representatives of intelligence and skillfulness in many cultures. Spiders are something to celebrate, not exterminate. 5 Reasons to Appreciate (Or, at Least, Not Kill) Spiders Helpers, Tricksters, and Good Omens Spiders have overwhelmingly positive roles in the folklore of cultures worldwide, revealing that those same cultures viewed these diminutive creatures with respect and admiration. Consider the following: • The Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) began creating the original dreamcatchers to aid Asibikaashi (Spider Woman), who was…

FOR THE LOVE OF SPIDERS

PHOTOS TAKEN BY THE GRIT COMMUNITY

Share your visual perpective! post your photos at www.Facebook.com/GritMagazine, tag us on Instagram (@Grit1882), or email us at letter@Grit.com. Share your best shots, and we just might select one of your photos for a future issue of the magazine.…

PHOTOS TAKEN BY THE GRIT COMMUNITY

JUST ADD CHICKENS

Guinea fowl are a welcome addition to any farm or homestead. They’re low-maintenance, they eat their weight in pests, and they’re considered flock guardians because they’ll sound the alarm when anything that doesn’t belong comes near them. Over my years of keeping guinea fowl, I’ve learned a few things. They’ll roam. They’ll nest in the worst places. If something messes with that nest, they’ll move in an unpredictable direction to set up a new nest. They’re creatures of habit and dedicated foragers. During their laying season, each female will produce one egg every day until the season passes. At any time of year, the males can be aggressive to other flock members of different species while the females keep to themselves. Males and females can be distinguished by their wattles, body…

JUST ADD CHICKENS

Simply Satisfied

Often framed in terms of austerity and sacrifice, minimalism, as a concept, isn’t actually about minimizing anything of authentic value in our lives. Instead, it’s about embracing and cherishing the things we currently have. Sure, many who enjoy a minimalist lifestyle strive to declutter and scorn excessive materialism, but this lifestyle can be about so much more. For me, minimalism embodies a philosophy aimed at finding my life’s truest meaning by cutting through the “noise” of the material world. It affords me a sense of having more time and the ability to pay better attention, thereby helping me accumulate more of what matters to me. This way of existing stands in stark contrast to classical economics, which teaches us that more is always better. For instance, the march toward unending growth…

Simply Satisfied

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Branding is the process of naming and creating a visual identity for your business. When you have a farm, homestead, or other agricultural business, branding is an opportunity to set yourself apart from other farms in your region or industry and build a lasting legacy for your family. In ancient times, merchants marked their symbols on wares and painted them on marketplace walls. Today, creating a memorable brand is as important as ever, and having an easily recognizable brand can make a big impact on how much staying power you have in the minds of current and potential customers. The Name If you’re carrying on your family’s legacy on a centennial farm, you’ve likely already got a name for it. If you’re working with a newly established endeavor, it can feel like…

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

TO TILL OR NOT TO TILL?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve gone out as soon as the soil could be worked and turned it, first with a shovel and then with a tiller. Only recently did I take a long, hard look at what I was doing. Was there a better way? Is it right just because it has always been done this way? What about no-till, or perhaps moderately tilling? The more research I did on the subject, the more confused I got. So, which way is better: to till the land or not? Most gardening methods have pros and cons. Regarding tilling, people will argue all sides, and all have valid points. Tilling Terms and Methods Here are the different practices and the advantages and drawbacks of each. Before you start tilling or abandon…

TO TILL OR NOT TO TILL?

BISCUIT & GRAVY BOMBS

These “bombs” take the rich, hearty, overflowing biscuits and gravy we love and wrap them into a compact breakfast waiting to explode with filling and flavor. They’re easy to prepare, and they double as make-ahead meals for those with busy morning routines. Store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Yield: 16 to 18 biscuits. 1 heaping tablespoon bacon grease1 pound ground breakfast sausage½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour2½ cups whole milkSalt and pepper, to taste1 teaspoon garlic powder3 tablespoons melted butter, divided6 eggs16 to 18 uncooked canned or homemade biscuits, slightly chilled 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt bacon grease. Once melted, brown and cook breakfast sausage. Sprinkle flour over cooked ground sausage until coated. 3. Slowly pour…

BISCUIT & GRAVY BOMBS

PRESSING MATTERS

As an experienced sewist, I’ve wanted a sleeve ironing board for years but was always stopped by the price — up to $50. So, when I saw an old wooden one for $5 at an estate sale, I snatched it up, even though its cover was stained and crumbling. I wasn’t letting my pristine project fabrics touch that surface, nor was I going to drop money on a commercial cover. A good, scorch-resistant cover protects the underlying board from heat and steam. If you’ve ever ironed cloth without a cover, you know wrinkles press out much better when there’s a pad between the board and the project. Luckily, replacing an ironing board cover is fairly easy for anyone with rudimentary sewing skills. You can use the existing cover as a template…

PRESSING MATTERS

Growing Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite crops to grow. This healthful food contains high amounts of beta carotene, an antioxidant that may help reduce your risk of developing some types of cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, sweet potatoes also contain high amounts of potassium and vitamins A, B6, and C, and they’re a great source of fiber. If you’ve only eaten sweet potatoes from the store or from a can, you’re missing out! Homegrown sweet potatoes are much better — crisp, delicious, and amazingly sweet. You can use them in place of less-healthful white potatoes for frying and mashing. You can also bake them into pies, casseroles, and more. The Deets on Sweets Unlike white potatoes, which are tubers in the nightshade family, Ipomoea batatas are roots (not tubers) from the…

Growing Sweet Potatoes

BEER-CAN CHICKEN

Beer-can chicken is a classic on the American competition barbecue circuit. The idea is startlingly simple: You grill or smoke (or bake in an oven) a chicken upright over an open can of beer. What results is some of the moistest, most succulent, and most flavorful chicken you’ve ever tasted. The best chicken I ever tasted came off a barbecue pit in Memphis, Tennessee, where it had been smoked upright in a singularly undignified position: straddling an open can of beer. Since then, I’ve made this dish to the great delight of television audiences, cooking classes, family, and guests in my home. I’ve varied the recipe, using different beers or steaming liquids and a variety of seasonings. I’ve used the beer-can method for cooking a wide range of poultry, from quail…

BEER-CAN CHICKEN

How to Sell Flowers at a Farmers Market

Fresh-cut flowers are a great way to draw customers to your farmers market booth, whatever else you might be selling. Eye-catching and attractive, they can offer rewarding sales too. Maybe you’ve considered selling your homegrown blooms but don’t know where to start. Here’s some advice I’ve gleaned from 25 years of experience at market. Pick Your Moment First, start planning, and then start planting! Flower selection is all-important — not just what you’ll plant, but when. Think about how long a production season you wish to have. Many farmers markets (even year-round ones) are more heavily attended at certain times of the year. Do you want to aim for the busy periods (summer) or the entire season (spring and autumn as well)? Perhaps your efforts would be better spent supplying a local…

How to Sell Flowers at a Farmers Market

TAMING THE TEMPESTS

Extreme weather events can pose a threat to you and your home. To keep your property and loved ones safe, begin by investigating your risk in various weather situations. Risk mainly depends on where you live and the types of severe weather that can occur there. To help you, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maintains a National Risk Index map for the U.S. (check out the risks for your region at https://Hazards.FEMA.gov/nri/map). Second, consider the economics. The higher your level of protection, the higher the cost. Spring brings thunderstorm season. Thunderstorms occur in every state and throughout much of Canada, although they’re rarer in some regions. By definition, thunderstorms produce lightning, and severe thunderstorms can produce strong winds, large hail, and even tornados. Lightning strikes cause tens of thousands of house…

TAMING THE TEMPESTS

Learning the Bass-ics

Mason Creek isn’t a particularly remarkable stream as it flows through the backyards of suburbs in Salem and Roanoke, Virginia, before merging with the Roanoke River. But this little creek is where I caught my first smallmouth bass and is also the waterway that created and nurtured my lifelong love of bass, moving water, and nature itself. As a grade schooler, I constantly risked the wrath of my parents by sneaking away and biking the mile from our house to Mason Creek. My parents believed that nothing good could ever come from those rapscallions who wasted their time wetting a line. It was better, they lectured me, to spend time preparing for the workaday world by doing my schoolwork instead of risking being bitten by snakes, stung by bees, and developing…

Learning the Bass-ics

FENCING CHOICES FOR PIGS

“Pigs are out!” These are the words no farmer ever wants to hear. Escaped pigs are fast, ornery, and destructive. A couple of pigs rooting around in your garden can do catastrophic damage in no time, turning up entire rows of vegetables or trampling small trees and bushes. There’s no guarantee a loose pig will take the bribes you offer to lure them back into their enclosure. Worse still, once a pig has figured out how to escape a fencing system, it’ll keep repeating its escapes. Adequate pig fencing is critical to successful pig farming. Without proper fences, keeping pigs contained is an endless headache that’ll have you throwing up your hands in frustration. Here are a few options for keeping those troublesome porkers within their perimeters. Hog Panels and Welded Wire Since they’re…

FENCING CHOICES FOR PIGS

A UNIVERSAL TRACTOR-MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

Many of us have come to rely on our tractors, and lacking a tractor is a great inconvenience. We’d all like to avoid losing the use of this critical piece of equipment, and we can do so by following a basic tractor-maintenance checklist. Your tractor needs several consumable products to operate, and those products certainly don’t last forever. Besides fuel, a tractor uses various oils, filters, and rubber products, and it has fittings that need to be greased. All these components have a service life, and if we forget or ignore it, they’re guaranteed to break at the least convenient time. Filters and Fluids Air filter. The air filter on your tractor’s engine stops dirt and dust particles from destroying your engine from the inside out. Tractors mow and till fields, grade driveways,…

A UNIVERSAL TRACTOR-MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

GRIT RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS for Wiser Living

BASIC GARDEN TOOL Made with the everyday gardener in mind, its triangle-shaped head and open interior minimizes dirt movement. Its high-carbon, USA steel-tempered head allows for digging through rocks, the sawtooth front and back edges cut through plant material like nothing else, and the ergonomically designed and balanced NW-ash handle makes for comfortable hand placement. Please allow two weeks for shipping. Available for shipment to U.S. continental addresses only. GREEN: Short (less than 5’2”) #8483; Regular (5’3” - 5’11”) #8485; Long (6’ - 6’2”) #8487; X-Long (6’3”+) #8489 PINK: Short (less than 5’2”) #8484; Regular (5’3” - 5’11”) #8486; Long (6’ - 6’2”) #8488; X-Long (6’3”+) #8490 $89.99 + FREE Shipping! SHORT-HANDLE 5-TINE CULTIVATOR This cultivator is designed after the human hand. The 5 tines are shaped like “raking” fingers in the garden and the…

GRIT RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS for Wiser Living

About 15 years ago, I was introduced to clicker training by a co-worker at an animal shelter who was studying to become an accredited professional dog trainer. The staff learned how we could use this method to positively enrich the lives of the animals within the shelter. I was astonished to see how, within a short time, the chaotic morning breakfast for adult shelter dogs became a training opportunity that resulted in almost every one of them sitting patiently before receiving their bowl — a beneficial behavioral difference that could help attract potential adopters. While working in the cat room, I adapted the methods to teach kittens and adult cats alike how to perform requests to sit, high-five, relax in place, and spin in a way that did no harm…

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