Thanks….. Giving

I’m thankful that I made it another year
Thankful for all my family and friends that take time out of their busy schedule to visit, repair things that I can no longer repair, thankful they check on my welfare.

Thankful that I have been able to spend time with Daughter, son-n-law, 3 grandsons, granddaughter and my 9 great grand kids.

Happy Thanksgiving and hoping you have a very safe and happy holiday season.

Cabbage eating cow

Not really about cabbage eating cow.

About a year ago a retired Army man bought a 5 acre plot about 1-1/4 miles east of my place. Of course new to country life the first thing he had to have is a broke down old saddle horse. Second thing to get rich as a small rancher be bought 8 Corriente rodeo stock roping cows. Corriente is a small breed seldom exceed 800 pounds, favored in rodeo roping arenas.

April 2023: These cows were under weight and had been handled roughly. New guy soon discovered that he had enough grass pasture to feed 1 horse and maybe 1 small cow. When he had to start buying 75-100 dollar a bail hay he became a motivated seller.
Ron (son-n-law) bought one about 450 pounder with a broke horn for $350 and I bought one that weighted about 500 pounds for $400 dollars. Grin.. I got the best deal mine was pregnant and calved 33 days later.

We took Ron’s cow to be processed Nov 6th, weighed in at 608 pounds live weight, We should be getting back about 375 pounds beef around the 27th of Nov. If she’s back on schedule I’m going to smoke a large rack of ribs for Thanksgiving day.

Just a side note, my cow will be sent to the butcher shop in May 2024, see if I can get her near 800 pounds, and my Calf the following April or May 2025.

Happy Holidays

Fall Radish Crop

The Radish seed planted 3rd week of September are maturing and I’m harvesting a few most every day.
All parts of radishes are eatable, green tops are often over looked by many in north America.

Radish greens are the edible tops of the radish plant, and are commonly eaten as a vegetable in Korea and China.

A member of the Brassicaceae family of cruciferous vegetables, radish greens are nutritious and enjoyed as mature leaves, microgreens, or radish sprouts.

Per cup (128 grams) cooked, radish greens contain about:

Calories: 70.4
Carbohydrates: 8.3 grams
Protein: 4.5 grams
Fat: 3.5 grams
Fiber: 2.3 grams
Potassium: 16% daily value
Magnesium: 28% daily value
Iron: 7% daily value
Vitamin C: 77% daily value
Vitamin K: 171% daily value

Radish greens are low in calories but are a good source of protein, iron, and potassium. They are also rich in magnesium, vitamin C, and vitamin K.

Radish greens have a pleasant taste similar to mustard greens, but they can range in flavor from slightly bitter to earthy and spicy.

Mature radish greens are prepared in a similar manner to other leafy vegetables, and radish microgreens are used as garnishes or to enhance salads.

Here are some ways to eat radish greens raw or cooked:

Add to salads, soups, or stews.
Top sandwiches or toasts like avocado toast.
Prepare in a cooked or fresh dish with radish roots.
Blend into sauces like pesto or marinara.
Add to casseroles.
Steam or sauté and eat as a side dish.

Beets and Turnip harvest will start in a week or so. I’m a big fan of pickled beets spiced with clove. I think I will have enough beets for 12 – 15 pints pickled beets. I pull beets small no larger than about 1 1/4 inch in diameter and turnips no larger than about 1 3/4 or maybe 2 inches in diameter. Large beets/turnips with tops go to the chickens.

Grin I add beet greens to my turnip green at 1 part beet to 2 or even 3 parts turnip greens.

Happy Fall Gardening

How Hot is to Hot?

To set the stage. I now live in Southwest Oklahoma. In the past I lived 3 years in Paderborn and 2 years in Bad Hersfeld Germany and 2 years in Drama Greece. So I do know a little about Europe’s weather and the fact that home/business Air Conditioning is not common.

BBC News report, as if this is news worthy.
A temperature of 32.7C (91F) as recorded at Heathrow Airport, making it the sixth day in a row that the heat had exceeded 30 degrees.
It comes as figures published by NHS England show there has been a fivefold increase in the number of people seeking advice about heat exhaustion over the past week.
Meanwhile, an amber heat-health warning issued by the UK Health Security Agency is in effect for nearly every area of England until 21:00 on Sunday. The rise in temperatures has led to a 552% increase in people visiting the NHS website for heat exhaustion advice.

It amazes me to hear all the whining about the temp. and even worse some of these people actually die from heat related problems.

Yes I have an AC, it is set to turn on at 82/83 degrees F (27.8/28C).
My grand son is employed by the state department of transportation and this past week they have been laying asphalt over lay. The asphalt is 390F (198C) degrees cumming off the truck. The air temperature has been over 100F (37.7 – 43.3C) degrees this week.
Wow, guess what. No one died from the heat!

September temperatures recorded at the National Weather Service- Mesonet station 2 miles from my home are listed in the chart below.
Day Max Min Avg
1—-100–72–85.0
2—– 98–67–82.2
3—-104–68–85.7
4—-104–74–89.2
5—-106–75–89.3
6—– 96–74–83.4
7—-106–71–88.1
8—-110–73–89.9

I am truly perplexed how anyone can be dying form heat related causes when the temperatures reach into the low 90’s.

Happy Fall Gardening

Lentils for your health

Lentils gained popularity as an affordable meat substitute in the U.S. during World War II.

These small, gluten-free legumes pack a healthful punch. Lentils are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, without the fat or cholesterol of red meat. Lentils are edible seeds of the legume family. The most common types are: Brown lentils (European lentils): The least expensive type of lentil, brown lentils stay firm, making them an easy replacement for black beans in burgers and soups.

Green lentils (French lentils): These nutty-tasting lentils stay firm when cooked. They’re especially good in salads.

Red lentils: The fastest cooking, this mild and sweet lentil gets soft when cooked, so you can use them in purees and Indian dals. Lentils also come in shades of yellow and orange.

Black lentils: The tiniest type, these lentils look almost like caviar. In fact, they’re called Beluga lentils.

A little goes a long way when it comes to the health benefits of lentils. One-half cup of cooked lentils contains:
140 calories
12 grams of protein
0.5 grams of fat.
23 grams of carbohydrates.
9 grams of fiber.
5 milligrams of sodium.

Lentils are high in protein, which helps build and maintain your muscles, bones and skin. Protein can also help you manage your appetite and support weight loss because it makes you feel fuller than other nutrients. Lentils are gluten-free, making them a great option for those with celiac disease.

Plant-based Polyphenols may be anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective. Studies also show that lentils may improve cholesterol levels in people with diabetes.
The fiber in lentils, along with antioxidant properties, may help ward off cell damage and prevent cancer growth.

Lentils ‘May’ help lower blood pressure. Potassium helps counter the bad effects of salt, which can lead to high blood pressure. Half a cup of cooked split red lentils has more than 270 milligrams of potassium. Their high protein level also makes lentils a great substitute for red meat, which has the bonus of helping you keep your blood pressure under control.

Heart health, folate protects your heart and supports the formation of red blood cells. It’s especially important for your baby’s development if you’re pregnant. Lentils have plenty of folate, iron and vitamin B1, which also support heart health.

Lentils ‘May’ be helpful in lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure. One study found that eating lentils led to greater reductions in blood pressure than eating chickpeas, peas or beans.

Half a cup of cooked lentils can provide 15% of your recommended daily iron needs. If you eat a vegan or vegetarian diet, that news may feel like hitting the iron jackpot.
Combine lentils with a source of vitamin C such as tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers or Brussels sprouts to enhance the absorption of iron.

Fiber plays an important role in regulating our bowels and protecting the immune system. Foods that are high in fiber, like lentils, help us stay healthy.

Lentils are simple to prepare and cook. You don’t need to soak dry lentils overnight in water, unlike many other beans. Just rinse them to remove any dirt or debris.
Options:
Replace 1/4 to 1/2 of the water with chicken or beef broth.
1 clove garlic
chopped onion
diced carrots
diced celery
diced sweet pepper
Garnish with chopped chives or basil.

Home Chicken Flock

Just a health note for those that are new to raising chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. Chickens and turkeys do not mix well. Chickens are carriers for diseases that are not a problem in a chicken flock but can wipe out your turkey flock. Mixed flocks with ducks, geese and turkeys work out well and ducks, geese mixed with chickens are not a problem, just avoid mixing turkeys with chickens unless you can keep the the flocks well separated from one another.

It’s getting to be the time of the year that many folks that bought 25 or more day old chicks in January now need to deduce their flock size. You can pick up pullets and young laying hens at a very reasonable price now. If your looking for meat birds or a rooster for your flock start looking now. Many flocks will have far to many roosters and you can pick them up for rock bottom prices.

Any of the Leghorn breeds are excellent layers and do not go broody. They lay large white colored eggs. Put them in an old store egg carton and the kids will never know the difference, grinning.. Most other breeds lay lightly tinted to dark brown eggs. Check out ‘McMurry’s Catalog’ for a ton of useful information on many different breeds, egg colors they lay and much more.

Note: At laying age 1 hen will lay 1 egg about every 27 hours. Base you flock size on your egg needs. Two hens will produce about 1 dozen eggs a week. Chickens require little coop space, a 4X4 foot floor plan is enough room for 2 nest boxes and 4 or maybe 5 hens.

Chicken growers have a large selection to choose from. The tiny Mille Fleur to the New Jersey and Black Giants. Everything from plain Jane everyday chickens to award winning Fancy’s. They come in every color in a rainbow to solid whites or blacks. Some breeds are very quite easy to handle others always seem to be a bit stand offish and on the skittish side. With that said, they all have a few things in common. They are always fun to raise, fun to watch, wonderful table meat and produce eggs from thumb nail size to extra large. No mater what breed you select I’m sure you will enrich your life and give your family an experience they will carry through life. You will be blessed having them in your backyard.

Copper Pans – For Better Health

Except for my cast iron fry pans. I have for the past year been replacing all of my cooking utensils with copper or copper clad products. Copper cooking utensils cost little more than stainless or aluminum utensils and are a much better and safer choice.

Copper surfaces, copper alloys such as brass and bronze, are being increasingly proposed for use in healthcare and other public settings due to their ability to rapidly kill bacteria on contact. Ironically it was the advent of commercially available antibiotics in the 1930’s that led to the decline in coppers medical application and since growing bacterial resistance to antibiotics in human medicine has led to the development of a number of difficult to treat infections.

Professor Keevil from the University of Southampton Environmental research said “using fluorescent microscopy found that dry, clean copper surfaces when tested against a bacterial level usually found in hospitals demonstrated a kill time of 2 minute whereas stainless steel surfaces, which have no antimicrobial properties, prolonged bacterial survival for several weeks.

Professor Keevil’s research has shown that replacing common touch surfaces with a copper alloy is cost effective and prevents the transmission of infection while reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Copper is now registered at the US Environmental Protection Agency as the first solid antimicrobial material. The antibacterial efficacy of copper metals won’t wear away but actually increase with wear and tear and cleaning through a process called palination which results in slight discoloration. It is resistant to corrosion, effective even when scratched, and accessible, recyclable so sustainable and cost effective with widespread applications for its use in general public places such as airports, restaurants, kitchens and possibly in drinking vessels in developing countries to reduce infection transmission such as cholera.

A study, funded by the US Department of defense and presented at the annual conference of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in Boston, has again confirmed the usefulness of copper in microbial control. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center participated in this study, in which a variety of frequently touched hospital objects in intensive care units, such as bed rails, tray tables, call buttons and IV poles, were replaced with copper versions. This change resulted in a greater than 95% reduction in bacteria in ICU rooms and 41 percent reduction in the rate of nosocomial infections for ICU patients.

Walkie Talkies for family fun and in times of emergencies

Hand Held radios are low priced and can be very useful. Hunters, fishermen or your family out on an outing staying in contact is beneficial.
The plus side is if it gets dropped in a lake, river or is lost in the woods you are not out the price of a smart phone.

Programmable VHF/UHF Hand Held Radios
Baofeng – TYT
Abaree – JJCC
Ailunce – Wouxun
Generally Programmable Radios will transmit on 136-174 mhz and 400-520 mhz. Allowing you to program and store 128 memory channels.

Channelized VHF/UHF Hand Held Radio
Midland – Cobra
Retevis – Btech
Motorola – GTX
Uniden
Generally Channelized Radios transmit on FRS, MURS or GMRS Frequencies.
Channelized radios transmit on:
FRS(Family Radio Service) *No license required.
MURS (Multi Use Radio Service) *No license required.
GMRS((General Mobile Radio Service) *License Required.
Marine Radio Service *No license required.

There are many brands of VHF/UHF hand held radios available and if used and properly cared for any brand will likely serve your needs.

Antenna Considerations

Programmable Radio will have detachable antennas.

This will allow you to add/attach a better, high quality antenna and make your Hand Held radio more effecent and allow you to reliably communicate over longer distances.

Channelized radios do not have detachable antennas.

Battery Considerations

*Alkaline battery and Zinc-carbon battery is Non-rechargeable.

***Lithium batteries should not be confused with lithium-ion as they are rechargeable.

**Mercury battery is a non-rechargeable battery.

**Nickel cadmium and nickel ox​ide hydroxide are rechargeable.

How far can you talk on a Hand Held radio

Communciations range/distance is highly dependent on several factors.

Radio power output in watts of RF(Radio Frequency) energy. 5 watts is better than 1/2(0.50) or 2 watts.

Antenna length, longer is usually better.

Terran, heavily wooded areas city buildings, hills and mountains will reduce your communications range. 5 watt radios can be expected to reliability communicate from 1/2 to about 5 miles over mostly open flat terrain.

2022 Gardening Season

National Weather Service is forecasting snow today. It’s hard to be thinking of garden planting on days like today, but time is running out on getting the garden well tilled, compost and manure tilled in to the soil.

Garden soil is very dry, we have had less than 2 inches of rain in the past 3 months. This makes working the soil difficult at best.

Garden seed has arrived. I plant mostly summer, warm/hot weather vegetables in the spring and a few cooler weather vegetables like turnips, collards and beets in mid to late July for fall harvest.

I needed a few canning jars and lids for the up coming canning season. Much to my surprise jars don’t seem to be in short supply but quality Mason/Kerr and Ball jar lids are difficult to locate.
I finely after many attempts managed to buy 5 dozen regular and the same number of wide mouth Ball brand lids from Walmart.

Be aware that some brands of jar lids on the market have been reported to have up to a 50 percent failure rate.
In this event your only choices are to refrigerate and consume those jars of canned fruits/vegetables in the next few days or to replace the lid and reprocess those jars in the hope they seal on your second try.

Happy Gardening

Smartphones who needs them?

Dulcie Cowling is something of an anomaly she has ditched hers.
The 36-year-old decided at the end of last year that getting rid of her handset would improve her mental health.
Everyone is missing out on real life. I don’t think you get to your death bed and think you should have spent more time on Twitter, or reading articles online.

Alex Dunedin trashed his smartphone two years ago. “Culturally we have become addicted to these tools,” says the educational researcher and technology expert. “They are blunting cognition and impeding productivity.”

Hilda Burke, a psychotherapist and author of The Phone Addiction Workbook, says there is a strong link between heavy device usage and relationship issues, quality of sleep, our ability to switch off and relax, and concentration levels.

“Many people have a constant drip feed of requests coming their way via their device, many with a false sense of urgency.

“They feel unable to lay boundaries down, with the result that they feel compelled to check their emails and messages last thing at night and first thing in the morning.”

Ms Burke says it would be useful if more people monitored how much time they spend on their smartphone. “Starting to realize exactly how much time you’re frittering away each day on your phone can be a powerful wake-up call and catalyst for change.”

Consider most of us check our phones 55 times per day and some of us even 100 times.

Get off the phone. Take your life back.