Joel Salatin discusses how this ain't normal!

Sprout your grain before you feed it

The 20 dollar barley fodder system by Jack

Greg Judy on Mob Grazing

Greg Judy spent a few hours talking to a farmer in South Carolina.

Apple Cider Vinegar for your rumins, and nearly every thing else...

If you fed the animals Apple Cider Vinegar, it will increase weight gain and reduce parasites, flies, and diseases.

Summary, put one pint of apple cider vinegar in every 40 gallons of water.

Here is a great writeup on it.
http://www.pharocattle.com/extrastuff/Misc/Apple_Cider_Vinegar.pdf

Wholesale or retail?

On http://Permies.com under the farm income forum, Adam Klaus said the following.

I started our farm 8 years ago, it has been a constantly evolving journey over those years. The one surprising development for me, has been my embrace of driving to higher value farmer's markets. I was really set on our wholesale and restaurant customers for the past four plus years. I liked the ease, the paychecks, the volume. But in time, it soured a bit for me. I have found the wholesale angle to be limited by the bottom line motivation of groceries and restaurants. They exist to make money, and will ultimately squeeze me to make more for themselves. They will place 'race to the bottom' with other growers to get the lowest possible price. Things start out good, but it has gotten frustrating over time. 

So this year, I took a chance, skeptically, and started participating in a high-dollar farmers' market. I drive about an hour and a half, to a resort town here in Colorado. The customers come for the good food, and pay a nice premium for everything. Yes, I take a risk in moving my volume. And really, I hardly ever sell out completely. But at the end of the day, I am making much better money. The customers arent trying to squeeze me for every penny so that they can make more profit for themselves. They pay well, and just as importantly, really appreciate what I do and the products I offer. I feel much better as a farmer delivering food directly to the end use consumer. I never imagined that it would be such a positive experience, both for me and my farm, but it has really exceeded my best hopes. The farm market also has much better legal restrictions than wholesaling, so there are many products that I can sell direct to customers, that I can not market through a grocery. My customers know and trust me directly, and do not expect me to have any official certifications, so I save big money and hassle not being organic certified, not having massive insurance premiums, etc. It is a much simpler relationship, that I much prefer. I am building direct relationships with many, many customers, rather than being dependent on a few wholesale channels. It feels much more stable and secure, rewarding and profitable. So I guess I would say, driving to Atlanta sounds like a pretty good opportunity to me! 

http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/list/160/21994

Laundry Soap Recipe

1. One four pound twelve ounce box of Borax {Found in Laundry Isle}
2. three bars of Fels-Naptha soap {Found in Laundry Isle}
3. one four pound box of arm & hammer baking soda {Laundry Isle}
4. one box of arm & hammer super washing soda {laundry Isle}
5. four pounds of Oxy Clean {one small/one large container/laundry isle}
6. Optional: Laundry softener for a bolder scent

This laundry soap is so easy to make!
{Makes 4 gallons}

1. Grate the fels-naptha bars into a bowl
2. dump fels-naptha into a large container {I used a 5 gallon pale}
3. Mix all other ingredients into the bucket.
4. Place into container of your choice {I used a 4 gallon glass jar from Walmart}

-I use about 2-3 table spoons per load { you can use less with this stuff!}

-smells great during the wash, but leaves clothes scent free & fresh.

- Great for sensitive skin & HE washers

-I used chalk paint on the jar to label the laundry soap.
I simply taped off a square and painted it on. simple.

- You can use other bar soap besides the fels-naptha {any bar}
which will also change the scent exd…

introduction to permaculture