BHM Newsletter
Volume 7      Number 7

July 21, 2005
 

INSIDE BHM

NEW ISSUE

We just got off deadline for the new issue, No. 95, September/October 2005. It will take until Aug. 7 or so for it to make its way through the printing process and then to readers' mailboxes. A week after that it will arrive at the newsstands.

The lead article this issue is about panning gold. It's a pretty good look at the dos and don'ts of this "for fun" and "for profit" enterprise. It also shows how to build a sluice box.

Massad Ayoob has an excellent article on the Marlin 336, and Jeff Yago shows how to take care of solar batteries so they last a long time.

Jackie Clay has begun building her log home so she writes about the details on that. The issue also contains gardening, animal, and recipe articles, as well as an article on building your own water system by David Lee.

SPECIAL OFFER EXTENDED

Between issues we mailed a special "three free gifts" offer to every subscriber of Backwoods Home Magazine. The response was huge, far bigger than I had anticipated. It seems that half the subscriber list was sitting on the fence just waiting for us to make a good enough offer for them to renew ahead of time.

For those who didn't take part in the offer, we're extending it through this issue. In a nutshell, we'll give anyone who either subscribes or renews three free gifts: a print anthology, a CD-ROM, and a back issue. Your subscription does not have to have expired for you to take advantage of the offer. If you renew early we'll just send you the three free gifts and add your renewal to your subscription.

Click Here for more information.

SELF-RELIANCE TIPS

PROTECTING LIVESTOCK FROM HEAT

When temperatures and humity begin to rise, it's a good idea to keep a close eye on your livestock. Temperatures in the high 80s and the 90s can cause problems, as can a 75 degree day coupled with high humidity. Heat stress can cause general discomfort, decline in animal performance and even death.

PROVIDE SHADE AND NIGHT-TIME COOLING

• If animals are kept outside, provide shade during hot weather. Heat from the sun is a major culprit in overstressed animals.
• Swine may sunburn during hot, sunny weather. Try to keep them out of the sun. Sun shades can cut the radiant heat load by as much as 40 percent; ask your county Extension agent for information on their construction. Pasture wallows are also effective for sunburn protection and wet skin cooling.
• Turn cows outside at night to cool them and cool the barn. Since animals cool themselves primarily through breathing, barns tend to get warm and humid quickly.

PROVIDE ADEQUATE WATER

Ample drinking water is vital to animals during hot and humid conditions. Animals cool themselves by panting (water loss from the lungs) and through water evaporation from the skin. Increased respiration during hot weather is especially important for pigs and other animals that do not sweat. Animals must replace the water loss to cool themselves.

Pig wallow

• Maintain access to water. Provide automatic drinking cups so animals can meet their requirements during hot weather.
• Keep water containers clean.
• Adjust the drinking space for the size and number of animals in the pen or group. Excessive volumes of water grow warm and stale throughout the day.
• Check the water delivery systems periodically for plugs or other problems.
• If necessary, spray water on animals to cool them.

PROVIDE GOOD VENTILATION

Proper ventilation helps maintain livestock health during hot and humid weather. Without adequate air exchanges and airflow distribution within livestock buildings, heat and moisture accumulate and animal production is affected. Contact a ventilation specialist to inspect and update your system, if necessary. Your county Extension office also may be able to help you.

Cooling off!

BE WATCHFUL

• Use the temperature humidity index as a guide to heat stress. Listen to local or regional weather reports for the temperature humidity index (THI) for your area. Some levels of concern include:

1. Above 75 THI - Heat stress on high-producing cows begins to decrease feed intake and lower milk production.
2. Above 80 THI - Severe heat stress may occur for cows on pasture. Shade and adequate ventilation are essential to minimize milk loss.
3. Above 83-85 THI - Danger of fatal heat stress occurs.
• Keep an eye on animals. If heat stress is a concern, check animal temperature. Dairy cow temperatures approaching 104 to 106 degrees F. are dangerous. At 107 degrees F., spontaneous heart failure is possible. Call a veterinarian and use methods listed above to keep animals cool.

RECIPES

COOL SALADS FOR SUMMER

Crunchy Summer Salad

3 cups cooked rice, cooled
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 cup diagonally sliced celery
1 tart red apple, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine rice, carrots, celery, apple, and almonds in large bowl. Blend mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper; toss with rice mixture. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 6 servings

South Seas Chicken Salad

9 oz. pkg. frozen cooked grilled chicken breast strips, thawed
1 mango, peeled and diced (or any other favorite summer fruit)
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 peach, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced strawberries
3/4 cup raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing
10 oz. pkg. mixed baby greens
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine all ingredients except greens, raspberries, and almonds in large bowl and toss gently to coat. Serve on salad greens, sprinkled with raspberries and almonds.

Makes 4 servings

Lemon Pepper Cole Slaw

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 head green cabbage

In a large serving bowl, mix together all ingredients except the cabbage.

Slice the cabbage into thin shreds. Add the cabbage to the dressing in the bowl and toss thoroughly to mix.

Chill before serving.

Confetti Summer Salad

1/2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices (1/4 cup)
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, cut into thin strips (3/4 cup)
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips (3/4 cup)
2 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1 15 to 16 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup reduced-calorie Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup hot salsa
Radicchio leaves or purple flowering kale (optional)

Combine zucchini, sweet peppers, onion, corn, tomatoes, salad dressing, and salsa in a large bowl. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

If desired, serve salad on radicchio leaves or garnish with purple flowering kale.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Grilled Summer Salad

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 vadalia onion, peeled and sliced thick
1 red pepper, cleaned and sliced into strips
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced lenthwise
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
seasoned salt
1 16 ounce package fresh tortellini
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup soy sauce

Gently toss the vegetables in a mixing bowl with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkling of the seasoned salt.

Start a charcoal fire and when the coals are evenly hot, grill the vegetables until just done. As the veggies cook, place them back in the mixing bowl.

Next, cook the tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, cut the cooked vegetables into bite sized pieces. When the tortellini are cooked, drain, cool under cold running water and place in the same bowl with the veggies.

Mix the mayo, oil and soy in a seperate bowl to emulisfy. Pour over the mixed veggies and tortellini and toss gently to incorporate.

Serve warm or chilled.

Provençal Summer Salad

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
10 large basil leaves
leaves from 6 sprigs each of fresh thyme and oregano
3 whole scallions
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces fresh goat cheese
6 ripe and delicious tomatoes, thickly sliced vertically
1 small red onion, diced and marinated in a little vinegar
1/2 pound young green beans, steamed tender crisp and cooled fruity extra-virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar

Toast cumin in a small skillet over medium heat about 4 minutes, or until darkened and aromatic (do not burn). Cool and grind to a coarse powder.

Mince together herbs and scallions. Blend all but a spoonful with the goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread each slice of tomato with cheese. Overlap on a platter, tucking small bundles of green beans between every two or three slices.

Sprinkle with onion and toasted cumin and a the reserved herbs. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and serve.

HUMOR

Did you know there are more churches in Las Vegas than casinos.

During Sunday services at the offertory, some worshippers contribute casino chips as opposed to cash.

Some are sharing their winnings, some are hoping to win.

Since they get chips from so many different casinos, and they are worth money, the Catholic churches are required to send all the chips into the diocese for sorting.

Once sorted into the respective casino chips, one junior priest takes the chips and makes the rounds to the casinos turning chips into cash.

And he is known as . . .

The "Chip" Monk!

A guy is sitting at a bar, just looking at his drink. He sat like that for half-an-hour, never moving, just staring at the glass. Then, a big trouble-making truck driver steps next to him, takes the drink from the guy, and gulps it down.

When the man just stares and starts crying, the truck driver says: "Hey, I was just joking. Here, I'll buy you another drink. I just can't stand to see a man crying."

"No, it's not that. This day is the worst of my life. First, I fell back to sleep after I shut my alarm off and got to my office very late. My boss was really angry and fired me. When I left the building to drive home, I discovered my new car had been stolen. Then the police told me it's probably already chopped up and there's nothing they can do. So I get a cab to return home, and when get out, I remember I left my wallet and credit cards there but the cab driver just sped away before I could say anything. So I go in the house and find my wife in bed with the gardener. That's when I came to this bar. And I had just made up my mind to end my life when you show up and drink my poison..."

A man was wheeling himself frantically down the hall of the hospital in his wheelchair, just before his operation. A nurse stopped him and asked, "What's the matter?"

He said, "I heard the nurse say, 'It's a very simple operation, don't worry, I'm sure it will be all right.'"

"She was just trying to comfort you, what's so frightening about that?"

"She wasn't talking to me. She was talking to the doctor!"

Having moved into his first apartment, our son invited my husband and I for a visit.

As we walked in, our son asked if we'd like a cold drink.

Mentally patting myself on the back for teaching him to be such a gracious host, I said, "Yes, what do you have?"

He walked over to the refrigerator, opened the door, studied the contents, and then replied, "I have pickle juice or water."

There is this atheist swimming in the ocean. All of the sudden he sees this shark in the water, so he starts swimming towards his boat.

As he looks back he sees the shark turn and head towards him. His boat is a ways off and he starts swimming like crazy. He's scared to death, and as he turns to see the jaws of the great white beast open revealing its teeth in a horrific splendor, the atheist screams, "Oh God! Save me!"

In an instant time is frozen and a bright light shines down from above. The man is motionless in the water when he hears the voice of God say, "You are an atheist. Why do you call upon me when you do not believe in me?"

Aghast with confusion and knowing he can't lie the man replies, "Well, that's true I don't believe in you, but how about the shark? Can you make the shark believe in you?"

The Lord replies, "As you wish," and the light retracted back into the heavens and the man could feel the water begin to move once again.

As the atheist looks back he can see the jaws of the shark start to close down on him, when all of sudden the shark stops and pulls back.

Shocked, the man looks at the shark as the huge beast closes its eyes and bows its head and says, "Thank you Lord for this food for which I am about to receive..."
 

OTHER STUFF

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Editor/Letters - Dave Duffy, editor@backwoodshome.com

Advertising Manager - Evelyn Leach, evelyn@backwoodshome.com
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