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Yes, most are disposable. Which is precisely the problem. Non-renewable resource in a real emergency. Years ago I made small sterile surgical kits (pre-threaded needles of various sizes, needle threader, extra thread, scissors, tweezers) but I seem to have given away all but one. I sterilized...

Sorry, couldn't resist. Tune of "Merry Christmas to You" Leaves are steaming in a compost pile Chickens scratching at the dirt As for piggies, we are done for a while, And apples pressed begin to spurt. Everybody knows the smell of homestead Christmas time Cider, ham and fire-light Scent of...

My goal is to grow as much of my food as possible. No way I can do 1/4 acre of boxes. I simply don't have the resources. On the other hand, I now know how to grow dry beans and corn here. Watermelon does great in the woodchips, as do sweet potatoes. I'll try amaranth in the dry garden next year...

I have chickens, but I don't let them into the garden areas for a number of reasons. They have just recently realized that they can dig, but they pretty much ignore areas that don't have bare soil. The areas I am working with are thick with perennial grasses which they seem to completely ignore...

Six plum seeds have roots on them. Cold stratified in the refrigerator since June. I am hoping for plants that bloom late and have an extended bloom period to avoid late frosts. My old almond tree did that, and I'm planting its seeds. My mother's plum did the same but only over a period of a...

Potatoes last year--maybe a dozen tiny potatoes from 28 plants. Onions about the same. Garlic has a high die-off rate each year so I have tried to spread it out to see where it actually grows. Soil is a swampy, mucky mess in the spring, then turns into concrete. I have a bunch of different...

They're considered disposable, like everything else. I grab them at the dollar store periodically to add to my stash. I am having a hard time sourcing reusable suture needles.

I am trying to figure out how to fix my clay soil so I can do root crops. Potatoes and onions are two things I still buy. I am thinking maybe buy one or two of those big round hay bales and put pigs on it. Greenhouse is looking good, only spinach and cilantro at the moment. Two arugula were...

I have to look at it with both eyes from about an inch away, then slowly back out. Basically force my eyes to cross. When the center of the crossed focus matches, the image pops out. Still makes my brain hurt.

At one point someone have me a book of those images that look random but pop into 3d when you look at them right. THOSE make my brain hurt.

The funny thing is, whoever drew it had to put 5 legs on the bottom in order to make the top 4 work.

I Have seen no significant difference in spring vs fall pruning. I just prune whenever I have time after the plants are fully dormant. The advantage to spring pruning is that you can tell where the buds are. Fall pruning you may get stems dying during the winter that you had intended to use, but...

Legs on the elephant.

I got all of those except the tiny guy in the center.

Today I harvested from the greenhouse and had salad for lunch.

I use bucket traps in the barn, snap traps in the house, and baking soda everywhere. I'll have to try your box idea. It's a good one.

Yes, but my budget is very limited.

Right. Problem is that I can't put traditional mousetraps where chickens can reach them. Ditto with most poisons, with the addition that if mice eat poisoned bait it can take some time to die, resulting in them possibly getting into areas the chickens have access to and a chicken eating a...

I have containers of baking soda mixed with sugar all over the place. That cleaned out the barn in short order. The problem is with the humidity. Within a few days it absorbs moisture and hardens, and they stop eating it. I also think it's different mice. One stumbles away to die, another...

I I'm allergic to wasted planting space. Even the winter killed garden drives me nuts. Deliberately not growing in a greenhouse? I'd likely need an emergency room visit.