News, nature, and community throughout the Emerald Triangle
“When asked what my ‘profession’ or talent was and I noted I did many things but had no specific skill, I was told by her host mom that I was ‘a duck! A duck, she said, can fly, but not as expertly as an eagle; it can swim, but not like a fish; it can run, but not like a horse. A duck is resourceful!”
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In the days B.S. (Before Soap), when our children were little, we likely produced 80% to 85% of our own food. We had dairy goats and hogs and rabbits, poultry and sheep, bees and had an orchard, vegetable garden and an herb garden.
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We rarely buy produce other than exotics such as pineapple, bananas and avocados. If it’s something we can grow and preserve we stick with what we’ve got. This certainly gives a rhythm to our menu over the course of the year, and makes the onset of each new fresh food a special delight.
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In the heart of Humboldt, a determined banty hen’s broody adventure takes a twist when a wannabe hatches a daring chicknapping scheme, leading to a feathery showdown and quadruplets.
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“It’s my ‘On Call’ weekend. I’ve been a volunteer for almost 30 years now as a Emergency Medical Dispatcher.”
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“The kicker is: this didn’t have to happen AND I KNEW HOW TO PREVENT IT “
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A guest column by Dottie Simmons who lives in eastern Humboldt County describes life at her rural homestead: Life is full of interruptions. And I’m convinced they are proportionate to the number of deadlines one might have at any moment. So recently we were busy preparing for a Father’s Day gathering, approximately a month late on mowing for fire danger
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“While it’s important not to poison anyone, it’s also incredibly important not to waste all the time and hard work and materials you put into preserving. Producing our food is central to this lifestyle and where a lot, maybe most, of our time goes.”
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“Half our property is claimed by forest and wildlife, and even the half we occupy is roamed and utilized by the other wild inhabitants of the mountain. It’s rather a love/hate relationship.”
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“The bottom 2 inches of the coop was a solid mass. Ordinarily the coop interior is dusty dry and can be raked and swept easily to the side that opens and I load it all into the trailer. Not so this time… I went and got the hoe and the bark spud and pulled out a can of elbow grease… My 2 hour job turned into a 5 hour unfinished nightmare with a late dinner… .”
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