Category: Self reliance

what to do with surplus eggs

Spring is production season and my hens are producing 6-7 eggs a day.  Although there are 10 hens, 2 are retired (Gimpie and Ameracauna) and 2 are matrons (Onyx and Lady MacBeth) so the main producers are the 6 offspring. My running group certainly enjoy the free range eggs with deep orange colored yolks, as do my neighbors who watch out for me when I am elsewhere.  But we had 5 dozen extra and this morning we tripped to CARES (Community Assistance Resources and Emergency Services) a local charitable Read more [...]

Bose Wave Radio/CD – quick repair

In July 2014 a power surge incapacitated a bunch of electronic equipment - see my tale of 2 destroyed desktops.    One of the affected items was our Bose Wave Radio - a small package with good sound, for which Bose is well known. I stored the radio in the basement until I was ready to work on it.  Caution - if you are not competent working with electricity, leave well alone.  I was prepared for the worst - having to test and replace defective components but was hoping for the best - a Read more [...]

new gable fan for coop – problems and savings

With temperature in north Georgia back in the 80's it was time to summerize the coop.  On the south and west facing sides I atttached the pre-cut tarp pieces from prior years, silver side facing the sun to reflect heat away from the building.  Then I plugged in the cord to the gable fan - and there was no response.  I examined the cord from the power socket to the thermostat and noticed that the white (neutral) line had been chewed by rats (now why didn't they chew on the positive line?).   Read more [...]

the Takeuchi bobcat saga (part 3)

Caution - this is a long tale and will only be of interest to those who have similarly suffered from malfunctioning engines! In my November 25 post I described how I replaced the starter and that the bobcat started fine but then would not switch off.  Sporadically during the subsequent months I tried diagnosing the problem but it was only with the return of spring and serious bobcat chores awaiting, that I focused on the issue.   The immediate bobcat task was turning and consolidating  my Read more [...]

cold weather returns

I won't complain about the cold, not when I know what is going down in the north east, I will just comment on conditions and how I am responding.  We had freezing rain 2 days ago and the result was more aggravated where my farm is 50 miles north of Atlanta, than Atlanta itself.  The trees off the highway look normal as you head north on the 515 from Atlanta until you pass Canton and then you notice a silvery, icy sheen on the branches.  Georgia has lots of pine trees and the pine needles are adapt Read more [...]

old house & appliance repairs

Past month I have been fixing electrical things in the Atlanta house which >35 years old.  The garage opener went dead so I replaced the whole caboodle (quaint word lodged in the past) - motor, track, chain plus the new required sensors to prevent the door closing on an infant.  Took a good few hours to figure out the components and how they fitted together and to come to the conclusion that the sensors have to be used and there is no override.  The new opener operates very smoothly and before Read more [...]

long hibernation ending

My last post was November 25.  As we moved into winter my growing activities were largely shelved. In November/December I cleared and weeded some beds and planted out, closely spaced, several 100 garlic cloves.  They are all descended from 3 varieties of garlic I purchased from California 4 years ago.  After harvesting last year I strung them together and hung them from joists in the carport.  Fewer rotted compared with previous years where I had stored them in laundry bags hung in the basement.  Read more [...]

the Takeuchi bobcat saga (part 2)

I agreed a $75 fee with the towing company and next day, probably because it was early morning and they were not yet busy (or because bobcats are fun) a big tow truck and a couple guys in a pickup came out. They winched the bobcat onto the back of the truck using ingenious pulleys located at varying places on the bed to bring it in at an angle. Getting it off was more difficult - they raised the bed up and jiggled it and the bobcat slowly slipped down, but slowly is the word. So they hooked Read more [...]

the Takeuchi bobcat saga (part 1)

This is a long discourse on engine repair- so if you aren't interested in this subject you should skip or you will find it incredibly boring. It began a few weeks ago.  My Takeuchi TL26 track bobcat has always had an iffy battery.  Even with a new alternator it often struggled to start the engine and the last few occasions I had to charge it before it would start the engine.  I bit the bullet and bought a new tractor size battery from the local Tractor Supply Store.  The next couple days were Read more [...]

repair of double electric wall oven

Growing my own food, harvesting rainwater, using a well are part of being self sufficient, and so too is maintaining and repairing the house, automobiles and appliances.  So when, a couple weeks ago,  the wall oven showed no sign of life, no beeps, no noise, no lights, nada, I began thinking why.  And with me about to leave for Australia and the Thanksgiving meal fast approaching, I felt pressured. Usually there are warning signs before a shut down,  but not in this case.  I checked the Read more [...]