I saw this commercial on Facebook. If you're not offended by taxidermy, watch it. If you ARE offended by taxidermy, don't watch this, unless you want to, of course...
NOPE, it's just Chuck!
Ciao,
Panchito
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
A Whimsical Notion, Or Poop N Paddle
Okay, so the title is a tad bizarre. Today, or rather, this evening I am going to share a funny/serious little video that I stumbled upon. It touches on a very serious topic, and does it in a funny way. Our outdated, environmentally asinine method of dealing with our "leavings" needs to change, as do many aspects of our crazy society and way of life. So here's a primer on fixing our toilet water situation. No, I'm not talking about perfumes, nor colognes...
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Ha ha! That guy's crazy... in a good way!
There is a lady, of Swedish extraction, who wrote a book some years ago about her experiences and experiments in creating a living space and a greenhouse that used zero fuel for heating. A totally solar-heated life and business. This lady created what today is a common item in grocery stores across the US - mixed baby greens salad in a bag. In the book, she went into great detail laying out ways to treat sewage and graywater in a completely organic manner. The book is called Solviva, and the author is Anna Edey, and she was WAY ahead of her time. Check out her site/sites at www.solviva.com
Ciao,
Panchito
/>
Ha ha! That guy's crazy... in a good way!
There is a lady, of Swedish extraction, who wrote a book some years ago about her experiences and experiments in creating a living space and a greenhouse that used zero fuel for heating. A totally solar-heated life and business. This lady created what today is a common item in grocery stores across the US - mixed baby greens salad in a bag. In the book, she went into great detail laying out ways to treat sewage and graywater in a completely organic manner. The book is called Solviva, and the author is Anna Edey, and she was WAY ahead of her time. Check out her site/sites at www.solviva.com
Ciao,
Panchito
Monday, September 12, 2011
Anno Domini
A.D.
I wondered what that meant for years before finally taking the time to find out what it meant. Seems silly now, in the age of google searches to have waited so long. In this day and age there are so many distractions, innumerable really, keeping us from seeing the little things in life. We are too distracted to sit down and thoroughly study a subject, and too distracted to have a decent conversation with a friend, or neighbor, or even a family member.
What went wrong? What are we thinking? Technology is supposed to have given us MORE time for just that sort of thing - interpersonal relationships.
In a sense, perhaps it has? When I watch my kids with their cell phones, texting blithely away, and at a blinding speed, I think that here is a benefit from technology. But then again... is it really a benefit? I wonder...
Writing a letter by hand, with a pen or pencil, is something that largely NEVER transpires via my efforts. How's YOUR handwriting doing these days? Is it, like my own, becoming almost unreadable? I have marveled recently at the incredible lack of quality that my children's handwriting shows. It almost looks like the writing of a third-grader issuing from the tip of the pencil wielded by my 16-year-old.
Is writing becoming a thing of the past? So many other things that my generation, and those before me, took for granted have become almost rarities, almost freak-show items. Brought to mind are things like splitting wood, using a chainsaw, a bow saw, raising livestock, playing boardgames, hiking in the woods, sharpening a knife or axe, fishing, hunting, trapping, farming, sitting around a campfire, reading books, and a host of other things that were NORMAL just a couple of decades ago.
My question is, are we really better off, now that we have all this technology? Are we better off sitting in front of our "entertainment systems" than we were chasing a family dog in the yard who was trying to keep us from getting a stick from him?
Yesterday, my brother, visiting from Michigan, walked into our house from outside to see one of my kids playing "Call of Duty, Black Ops", or some such. He is a guy who tries hard to keep from being sucked into the black hole, and not giving in to technology. He said to the kid, "Since you like playing that sort of thing so much, perhaps you should plan on making that your actual career - becoming a real black ops soldier. That way you could really kill people. The thrill would be that much more!" Of course, he was being facetious, but the point is that what my kids have been doing is almost exactly the same as the way that our military managed to overcome a new soldier's natural tendency to NOT shoot at a human target - they used software to break that natural tendency down. The thinking is that since it is not a "real" person in the computer game, it's okay to kill them, and even better to kill them with a headshot. The military found that after becoming accustomed to killing computer simulation soldiers, it was much easier to make the leap to killing real soldiers. The young soldier felt like he was still IN the computer game, and killed with abandon.
Hmm. Maybe we need to get back to simpler living? Maybe our kids are not BENEFITING from spending countless hours killing things on computer screens, but would be better off walking through a meadow, swimming in a pond, hiking in the mountains, doing what comes naturally?
Ciao,
Panchito
I wondered what that meant for years before finally taking the time to find out what it meant. Seems silly now, in the age of google searches to have waited so long. In this day and age there are so many distractions, innumerable really, keeping us from seeing the little things in life. We are too distracted to sit down and thoroughly study a subject, and too distracted to have a decent conversation with a friend, or neighbor, or even a family member.
What went wrong? What are we thinking? Technology is supposed to have given us MORE time for just that sort of thing - interpersonal relationships.
In a sense, perhaps it has? When I watch my kids with their cell phones, texting blithely away, and at a blinding speed, I think that here is a benefit from technology. But then again... is it really a benefit? I wonder...
Writing a letter by hand, with a pen or pencil, is something that largely NEVER transpires via my efforts. How's YOUR handwriting doing these days? Is it, like my own, becoming almost unreadable? I have marveled recently at the incredible lack of quality that my children's handwriting shows. It almost looks like the writing of a third-grader issuing from the tip of the pencil wielded by my 16-year-old.
Is writing becoming a thing of the past? So many other things that my generation, and those before me, took for granted have become almost rarities, almost freak-show items. Brought to mind are things like splitting wood, using a chainsaw, a bow saw, raising livestock, playing boardgames, hiking in the woods, sharpening a knife or axe, fishing, hunting, trapping, farming, sitting around a campfire, reading books, and a host of other things that were NORMAL just a couple of decades ago.
My question is, are we really better off, now that we have all this technology? Are we better off sitting in front of our "entertainment systems" than we were chasing a family dog in the yard who was trying to keep us from getting a stick from him?
Yesterday, my brother, visiting from Michigan, walked into our house from outside to see one of my kids playing "Call of Duty, Black Ops", or some such. He is a guy who tries hard to keep from being sucked into the black hole, and not giving in to technology. He said to the kid, "Since you like playing that sort of thing so much, perhaps you should plan on making that your actual career - becoming a real black ops soldier. That way you could really kill people. The thrill would be that much more!" Of course, he was being facetious, but the point is that what my kids have been doing is almost exactly the same as the way that our military managed to overcome a new soldier's natural tendency to NOT shoot at a human target - they used software to break that natural tendency down. The thinking is that since it is not a "real" person in the computer game, it's okay to kill them, and even better to kill them with a headshot. The military found that after becoming accustomed to killing computer simulation soldiers, it was much easier to make the leap to killing real soldiers. The young soldier felt like he was still IN the computer game, and killed with abandon.
Hmm. Maybe we need to get back to simpler living? Maybe our kids are not BENEFITING from spending countless hours killing things on computer screens, but would be better off walking through a meadow, swimming in a pond, hiking in the mountains, doing what comes naturally?
Ciao,
Panchito
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Biomass Briquette Lever Press - Fuel/feed briquette maker
I've been contemplating my rabbitry, and finding the ROI is wanting. The cost for rabbit pellets per week is around $22, which buys me a fifty pound bag of rabbit pellets. I've got something like 12 adult rabbits, and 9 bunnies at present. I typically give them gleanings from the garden and yard, and was for a time putting them out in a duck tractor-ish contraption daily, which gave them direct access to grazing the yard. This cut down considerably on pellet consumption, but still, I really want to find a way to NOT spend any money on the little things, and STILL produce at a very good rate.
I thought about the possibility of making my own pellets, using the vegetation that is available here in my own land. So I started looking for a means of producing pellets, or something of the sort. This is what I have found so far, a briquette maker, or as I see it, a rabbit food maker, as well as some variations on this theme:
The mix of plants, and perhaps minerals, will have to be what I can come up with on my own land, or nearby. I've located a section of field on the grounds of a nearby golf course that has a good mix of some sort of clover or vetch, Queen Anne's Lace, Chicory, and a goodly number of other species. I will ask permission to come and mow that section, saving the clippings in a grass catcher, and then mix the clippings with water, put them in the press and form briquettes. These will be able to be dropped over a pole, or dowel, for ease of feeding.
The other obvious use of this biomass briquette lever press is to create briquettes to burn as a fuel source, for cooking, heating, etc. I'm going to experiment with that side of things as well. I've got to come up with a stove to burn use. The folks who invented this press, also have invented a very good cookstove, made from local materials. In a pinch, this would make all the difference, easing the toil involved with cooking over an open fire tremendously.
That's it for now. Enjoy!
Ciao,
Panchito
I thought about the possibility of making my own pellets, using the vegetation that is available here in my own land. So I started looking for a means of producing pellets, or something of the sort. This is what I have found so far, a briquette maker, or as I see it, a rabbit food maker, as well as some variations on this theme:
Found at ebookbrowse.com
The mix of plants, and perhaps minerals, will have to be what I can come up with on my own land, or nearby. I've located a section of field on the grounds of a nearby golf course that has a good mix of some sort of clover or vetch, Queen Anne's Lace, Chicory, and a goodly number of other species. I will ask permission to come and mow that section, saving the clippings in a grass catcher, and then mix the clippings with water, put them in the press and form briquettes. These will be able to be dropped over a pole, or dowel, for ease of feeding.
The other obvious use of this biomass briquette lever press is to create briquettes to burn as a fuel source, for cooking, heating, etc. I'm going to experiment with that side of things as well. I've got to come up with a stove to burn use. The folks who invented this press, also have invented a very good cookstove, made from local materials. In a pinch, this would make all the difference, easing the toil involved with cooking over an open fire tremendously.
That's it for now. Enjoy!
Ciao,
Panchito
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Shameless Plugs for McAvinchey Marketing Consultants!
It’s true. In the interest of spreading the word far and wide regarding our astoundingly good service and results, we have decided to plug our new company, website, and blog. Found at the following two locales, http://www.mcavincheymarketingconsultants.com, and http://www.cincinnatimarketingconsultants.com are your key to much greater business ROI! We can do for you what we’ve been able to do for ourselves. Really, search for Cincinnati Marketing Consultants on Google, Yahoo, or Bing and see what happens. I believe you’ll be impressed, if not astounded, just as we were. Employing a four step approach to internet marketing, in a mere couple of weeks we went from unknown to showing up in the first, second, third, fourth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth positions, and mostly on the first page of EVERY search that we conducted. If we did it for ourselves, we can do the same for you.
Check out our sites today. If you leave your contact information, we’ll enable you to download a free report!
Thanks for your support!
Ciao,
Panchito
Check out our sites today. If you leave your contact information, we’ll enable you to download a free report!
Thanks for your support!
Ciao,
Panchito
Sunday, July 3, 2011
July Celebrations Are Upon Us!
Here it is, July 3rd, 2011, a Sunday. The temps are beginning to soar again today, inching their way up toward the 90 degree mark! Hay, chihuahua! I’m upstairs sitting in front of the laptop, trying to stay cool. Oh for a good lake or river to swim in, that would be fine! The temperature is around 85 degrees f. at present and set to climb at least 3 more notches, that’s too hot for a Michigan boy.
So are you surviving this summer heat? Are you surviving the economic drought? How about the spiritual/moral drought? I’m hanging in there, personally. When I look around, whether on the news, the multitudinous blogs, or even when speaking with friends and acquaintances, the mood of the country seems to be a bad one overall.
“As in the days of Noah, they were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, right up until the day that the rains started, never suspecting that their doom was impending.” Or something like that… I, of course, am NOT hoping for the end of the world, or of our country, or of Western civilization, or for a Moslem Califate, or that China takes over the world (the yellow horde). I feel something in my Spirit. There is a feeling of impending change in the ether, in the air. Something is about to happen, I’m sure of it.
CAN we get ready, be ready? Probably not in the manner of preventing it from transpiring, but perhaps we can lessen the pain a bit, or maybe we can only prepare our hearts, via prayer, repentance, studying the Holy Bible/scriptures, and worship. That and the addition of learning all we can about HOW to survive, might take us through till the end??? Who knows, we might make it that far. But it won’t be pretty, no siree!
If you get a chance some time, check out one of my favorite places, www.ihop.org, The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO. This is a place ablaze with God’s Spirit! I have a son out there as I write. There is quite a lot happening out that way right now, worthy of investigation, and perhaps participation.
That’s it for now.
Ciao,
Panchito
So are you surviving this summer heat? Are you surviving the economic drought? How about the spiritual/moral drought? I’m hanging in there, personally. When I look around, whether on the news, the multitudinous blogs, or even when speaking with friends and acquaintances, the mood of the country seems to be a bad one overall.
“As in the days of Noah, they were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, right up until the day that the rains started, never suspecting that their doom was impending.” Or something like that… I, of course, am NOT hoping for the end of the world, or of our country, or of Western civilization, or for a Moslem Califate, or that China takes over the world (the yellow horde). I feel something in my Spirit. There is a feeling of impending change in the ether, in the air. Something is about to happen, I’m sure of it.
CAN we get ready, be ready? Probably not in the manner of preventing it from transpiring, but perhaps we can lessen the pain a bit, or maybe we can only prepare our hearts, via prayer, repentance, studying the Holy Bible/scriptures, and worship. That and the addition of learning all we can about HOW to survive, might take us through till the end??? Who knows, we might make it that far. But it won’t be pretty, no siree!
If you get a chance some time, check out one of my favorite places, www.ihop.org, The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO. This is a place ablaze with God’s Spirit! I have a son out there as I write. There is quite a lot happening out that way right now, worthy of investigation, and perhaps participation.
That’s it for now.
Ciao,
Panchito
Monday, June 6, 2011
Concrete Canvas Structures - The Perfect Survival Abode?
I got an email update/newsletter from Tactical Intelligence, a blog that I highly esteem, today. The main topic was a new sort of nearly instant Concrete Canvas Structures. I found the accompanying video to be very informative, and the idea to be really innovative. Erich has once again done a marvelous job of hunting down pertinent information, and conveying it in a palatable, and intelligent manner. Most of this week’s newsletter takes place on the main website, www.tacticalintelligence.net, which is a treasure trove of useful information and instructional videos, audio and articles. Kudos to Erich!
Or click on the following link to view the video:
http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/concrete-canvas-shelters.htm
I will be including articles and videos similar to this as time goes on, so stay tuned and keep checking back in often. And please, always leave comments, they are most welcome.
Enjoy!
Ciao,
Panchito
Or click on the following link to view the video:
http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/concrete-canvas-shelters.htm
I will be including articles and videos similar to this as time goes on, so stay tuned and keep checking back in often. And please, always leave comments, they are most welcome.
Enjoy!
Ciao,
Panchito
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The Latest
So, nothing much new to report on the preparations side of life. We really haven’t made any amazing new preparations, save the planting of numerous gardens, and watching many of our seedlings wither and die while still in the seed trays, but hey, it was fun planting them!
The bunny farm is still in heavy production. That is a good thing, I suppose. Enthusiasm for Dad’s crazy projects seems to be waining, if there ever was any enthusiasm??? It’s hard to find words to express the depths of frustration felt by yours truly over this topic. They love to eat, but… They love to eat, but… Oh, I just mentioned that, didn’t I? I suppose I was much the same when young, and living in Michigan.
It would be interesting to have a voluminous gaggle of followers to my two blogs, what with the probable comments and considerations that would surely follow from the followers. I should think it would be fun??? One day, perhaps.
Speaking of survival, my friend’s daughter got married just the other day. She, the 20-year-old, married a fellow she went to school with. The lad is in the Air Force, an aviation mechanic, and a fine young man. I was initially shocked to find that he had proposed, and even more so, that she, at her tender, young age, had accepted. I had always envisioned her marrying my older son. I believe that my shock was quite obvious to both of them and somewhat put them off. I recovered, eventually, and have accepted the situation as the obvious will of my God - so be it. The boy will just have to find another young lovely to call his own. As for my opinion of the new groom, what does it matter, though if she chose him, then he’s got to be a keeper.
So how about those Reds? I believe they are doing quite well this year, so far. Give it time.
When, oh when, does teenage angst come to an end? That is the question of the hour. We still have three, you see. Three. Autofocus is the word of the moment. Autofocus = teenagers. I look forward to the day, may God speed it on it’s way, when my offspring are outward focused. That will be a fine day, indeed.
I wish that my kids were more into the things that I’m into. To some extent, and depending on the individual, they think it’s bunk.
Have you noticed how teenagers, if they are not outright defying you, seem to be consummate masters of lip-service? They are amazing. The ability to look you right in the eye, say yes, and not for one second mean it - that’s amazing. It’s almost like a gift that they possess.
So what do all these things have to do with survival? Well, procreation of the species, and subterfuge...
That’s all I can yammer on about this evening. I can’t stay awake any longer.
Ciao,
Panchito
Monday, May 16, 2011
Waterloo… For Who?
So, it turns out that MSNBC’s Ed Schultz was completely correct when he said that the capture/killing of Osama bin Laden by an illegal US military force was a “Waterloo”, just not for the subject of his diatribe. The road to bin Laden interestingly enough ran through, of all places, Iraq! Therefore, the “Waterloo” belongs to… George W. Bush, not Barack Hussein Obama. Hmm, go figure, despite all the naysaying of the left, ostensibly known as the Democratic Party, and all their bellyaching about dragging us into two wars at the same time, and demonizing Dubbya, they have been tooting their horns heartily over this victory, stating in oh so many ways that they have completed what Bush could not. The problem with that boast is that THEY have not completed ANYTHING. They are standing on the shoulders of none other than George W. Bush, and THEY, once again, have done NOTHING, rather the self-same military machine that G. W. Bush promoted, strengthened, encouraged, and took advise from, and at one time served in, did ALL the work. All Obama did was okay the move, nothing else, him being nothing similar to a military expert in ANY way whatsoever. At least President Bush could actually say that he had earlier served his country in some fashion in the military.
Another thing, on Sunday Chris Wallace pointedly asked Obama's National Security Advisor Tom Donilon the question of how he thought that waterboarding a terrorist prisoner is despicable behavior, while shooting a man in the face is perfectly fine and indeed should be celebrated as a Democrat victory. One has to laugh at the hypocrisy involved, and wonder at the unmitigated gall that our leftist brethren have. It’s all about control, subjugation, and the socialist agenda for the “Democratic” Party. At best, they should be called Social Democrats, not Democrats. They have proven their stripes innumerable times over the past 40 years or so, dragging down most of the pillars of our society, infecting our wonderful country with perversion, sedition, immorality, drug use, and sex for sex’s sake. The so-called Democratic party, which is made up mostly of miscreants, has infected our churches, our schools, and our households, our factories, our small businesses, and most every aspect of our lives. They are a virus, and are busily working to expand the government till it is all seeing, all invading, and all powerful. In the end, they have become like those who have gone before them in the same shoes - Sodomites, Gomorites, and those who built the Tower of Babel.
It is my considered opinion that our Democratic Party is working feverishly to usher in the End of Days, as well as the Antichrist.
Amen.
Ciao,
Panchito
Another thing, on Sunday Chris Wallace pointedly asked Obama's National Security Advisor Tom Donilon the question of how he thought that waterboarding a terrorist prisoner is despicable behavior, while shooting a man in the face is perfectly fine and indeed should be celebrated as a Democrat victory. One has to laugh at the hypocrisy involved, and wonder at the unmitigated gall that our leftist brethren have. It’s all about control, subjugation, and the socialist agenda for the “Democratic” Party. At best, they should be called Social Democrats, not Democrats. They have proven their stripes innumerable times over the past 40 years or so, dragging down most of the pillars of our society, infecting our wonderful country with perversion, sedition, immorality, drug use, and sex for sex’s sake. The so-called Democratic party, which is made up mostly of miscreants, has infected our churches, our schools, and our households, our factories, our small businesses, and most every aspect of our lives. They are a virus, and are busily working to expand the government till it is all seeing, all invading, and all powerful. In the end, they have become like those who have gone before them in the same shoes - Sodomites, Gomorites, and those who built the Tower of Babel.
It is my considered opinion that our Democratic Party is working feverishly to usher in the End of Days, as well as the Antichrist.
Amen.
Ciao,
Panchito
Monday, April 11, 2011
Mikey Moore Got His Gun
I’m from the same place that our little buddy, Michael Moore, hails from. When I was a young buck, I actually knew the guy. Time has come and gone, but I still wonder about ‘ole Mike… did he EVER have his head on straight? I really don’t think so. Our family and Mike go way back, with much involvement over the years - I won’t go into that, it’s embarrassing to say the least.
Anyway, I was thinking about the guy, and just what his optimal idea for government might be. Does he not understand that having a communist state will just NOT work? Does he really think that if the communists take over here, that they won’t quickly round up his sorry **s, and expend a little AK energy creating fertilizer from his substantial frame? Can’t he see that there are NO communist countries in the world, and that there ALWAYS turns out to be those who rise to the top, take control, and kill millions of there own to stay there?
History is a harsh teacher, though thorough.
Likewise, our fearless leader, P.O., is a man on a mission - to nowhere. Who would really want to live in a theocracy of an islamic sort, or a socialist spy-state? Would P.O? I doubt it. Only those, like P.O., who are sitting on top of the pile would enjoy that setup, wine, women and song, you know the drill. The problem is that eventually the peons get miffed, and overthrow the scum sucking leadership, much as is happening in the Middle East at present. People can only take that crap for so long…
So Mikey… I haven’t seen nor spoken to the guy in 30 years or so, and still I don’t like him. From the start the guy was a snake with a velvet tongue, having used our family against one another in despicable ways. We didn’t get off to a good start, you could say.
So what if the commies took over here, would Mikey, jilted by the new leadership, take up arms to protect his empire? I suspect that he might, after seeing the newbies take what they want, even from Mikey the Great. The guy knows guns, after all, he IS from Michigan. Everyone in Michigan at least started out with guns. They may have gone gay later on, but they started out blasting.
So that is my opinion of how Michael Moore would react in the event of a takeover. He’d use what cash he has to become a closet survivalist. Then someone who knows about him would probably take advantage of his less than optimal state of physical preparedness and make hay while the sun shines.
NUFF SAID,
Ciao,
Panchito
Anyway, I was thinking about the guy, and just what his optimal idea for government might be. Does he not understand that having a communist state will just NOT work? Does he really think that if the communists take over here, that they won’t quickly round up his sorry **s, and expend a little AK energy creating fertilizer from his substantial frame? Can’t he see that there are NO communist countries in the world, and that there ALWAYS turns out to be those who rise to the top, take control, and kill millions of there own to stay there?
History is a harsh teacher, though thorough.
Likewise, our fearless leader, P.O., is a man on a mission - to nowhere. Who would really want to live in a theocracy of an islamic sort, or a socialist spy-state? Would P.O? I doubt it. Only those, like P.O., who are sitting on top of the pile would enjoy that setup, wine, women and song, you know the drill. The problem is that eventually the peons get miffed, and overthrow the scum sucking leadership, much as is happening in the Middle East at present. People can only take that crap for so long…
So Mikey… I haven’t seen nor spoken to the guy in 30 years or so, and still I don’t like him. From the start the guy was a snake with a velvet tongue, having used our family against one another in despicable ways. We didn’t get off to a good start, you could say.
So what if the commies took over here, would Mikey, jilted by the new leadership, take up arms to protect his empire? I suspect that he might, after seeing the newbies take what they want, even from Mikey the Great. The guy knows guns, after all, he IS from Michigan. Everyone in Michigan at least started out with guns. They may have gone gay later on, but they started out blasting.
So that is my opinion of how Michael Moore would react in the event of a takeover. He’d use what cash he has to become a closet survivalist. Then someone who knows about him would probably take advantage of his less than optimal state of physical preparedness and make hay while the sun shines.
NUFF SAID,
Ciao,
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Are You Ready?
By all indications, our beloved country is going to hell in a hand basket, as of this writing. There looks to be nothing more we can do to prevent the inevitable than to pray for Gods mercy. Am I right? I hope not, but it sure looks that way.
So, my dear friends, what are we to do? Well, as I mentioned earlier, pray. After that, get your house in order. Do you owe money to anyone, including to any banks, or credit cards? Pay them off as quickly as humanly possible, even if it hurts, or whether or not it cuts into your fun money, coffee money, vacation money, toy money, etc. GET OUT OF DEBT NOW!
Next, start purchasing extra canned goods and storing them in your basement, or other cool, dark, and dry location, until you can’t physically hold any more. Or build a root cellar, or two. I mean that completely literally. Fill a room until it can’t hold any more cans of anything. Then, look for other places to put food.
Next, or concurrently, purchase heirloom seeds, not hybrid seeds, of every conceivable sort of plant that can be grown in your climate zone, and start planting a goodly amount of them, enlarging your gardens as much as humanly possible. When you begin harvesting these crops, calculate what money you are saving and apply that amount to any further debts you have, to the principle, till you no longer have ANY debt. Stay out of debt.
Next, or concurrently, consider partnering up with other like-minded individuals to purchase as much arable land as humanly possible, build good, super-cheap housing on said property, complete with all the latest energy saving and producing, solar, wind, microhydro, geothermal, wood-fired energy and heating sources available to you, and then sell your house, and move there. Make sure that you use all this time between now and WTSHTF to prepare yourself via absorbing data on pertinent topics and purchasing human and animal powered contraptions that will enable you to accomplish anything you need to do. Visit lemans.com for some ideas along that line.
Consider very seriously investing in, and building, woodgas generators to run machinery on. Even the use of biodiesel will be severely limited when everyone else needs it too. Find out how to make alcohol from plant sources, mostly to run vehicles, not for booze, primarily. Mua, ha, ha. Understand that the production of beer and wine could well become a significant source of revenue, or barter, in a tough situation, when such goodies are hard to come by. Consider learning that skill as well.
Learn how to prune fruit trees, grape vines, and kiwis, as well as how to plant them. Learn how to prevent insects from damaging all your crops. Learn how to raise rabbits, chickens, turkeys, goats, cattle, sheep, fish, and others. Learn how to shoe a horse. Learn animal husbandry. Learn how to make raised beds and cause them to produce copiously. Learn how to build a greenhouse and run it. Learn how to shoot, after purchasing several firearms, and learn which firearms to purchase. Learn how to make snares and deadfalls to catch small game. Learn how to hunt big game animals effectively. Learn how to butcher animals. Learn how to work, hard. Take courses in military tactics, and visit www.survivalblog.com, as well as other prepper/survivalist sites, and communicate with the folks that run them so as to learn more useful skills and info.
Study how to effectively live in an intentional Christian community (if you’re a Christian), because it’s in such a radical setup that you will be more able to protect yourself, and your own, as well as protect others. You’ll also be much more able to accomplish things that would be impossible alone.
Make friends with an Amish family/community. They know things.
Next, don’t wait another day to begin any of these things. Found a co-op for starters, and aggressively market it. Use Facebook and Twitter, Google ads, etc. Join with others today, your life and that of your loved ones may soon depend on it. Put your back into it.
Ciao,
Panchito
So, my dear friends, what are we to do? Well, as I mentioned earlier, pray. After that, get your house in order. Do you owe money to anyone, including to any banks, or credit cards? Pay them off as quickly as humanly possible, even if it hurts, or whether or not it cuts into your fun money, coffee money, vacation money, toy money, etc. GET OUT OF DEBT NOW!
Next, start purchasing extra canned goods and storing them in your basement, or other cool, dark, and dry location, until you can’t physically hold any more. Or build a root cellar, or two. I mean that completely literally. Fill a room until it can’t hold any more cans of anything. Then, look for other places to put food.
Next, or concurrently, purchase heirloom seeds, not hybrid seeds, of every conceivable sort of plant that can be grown in your climate zone, and start planting a goodly amount of them, enlarging your gardens as much as humanly possible. When you begin harvesting these crops, calculate what money you are saving and apply that amount to any further debts you have, to the principle, till you no longer have ANY debt. Stay out of debt.
Next, or concurrently, consider partnering up with other like-minded individuals to purchase as much arable land as humanly possible, build good, super-cheap housing on said property, complete with all the latest energy saving and producing, solar, wind, microhydro, geothermal, wood-fired energy and heating sources available to you, and then sell your house, and move there. Make sure that you use all this time between now and WTSHTF to prepare yourself via absorbing data on pertinent topics and purchasing human and animal powered contraptions that will enable you to accomplish anything you need to do. Visit lemans.com for some ideas along that line.
Consider very seriously investing in, and building, woodgas generators to run machinery on. Even the use of biodiesel will be severely limited when everyone else needs it too. Find out how to make alcohol from plant sources, mostly to run vehicles, not for booze, primarily. Mua, ha, ha. Understand that the production of beer and wine could well become a significant source of revenue, or barter, in a tough situation, when such goodies are hard to come by. Consider learning that skill as well.
Learn how to prune fruit trees, grape vines, and kiwis, as well as how to plant them. Learn how to prevent insects from damaging all your crops. Learn how to raise rabbits, chickens, turkeys, goats, cattle, sheep, fish, and others. Learn how to shoe a horse. Learn animal husbandry. Learn how to make raised beds and cause them to produce copiously. Learn how to build a greenhouse and run it. Learn how to shoot, after purchasing several firearms, and learn which firearms to purchase. Learn how to make snares and deadfalls to catch small game. Learn how to hunt big game animals effectively. Learn how to butcher animals. Learn how to work, hard. Take courses in military tactics, and visit www.survivalblog.com, as well as other prepper/survivalist sites, and communicate with the folks that run them so as to learn more useful skills and info.
Study how to effectively live in an intentional Christian community (if you’re a Christian), because it’s in such a radical setup that you will be more able to protect yourself, and your own, as well as protect others. You’ll also be much more able to accomplish things that would be impossible alone.
Make friends with an Amish family/community. They know things.
Next, don’t wait another day to begin any of these things. Found a co-op for starters, and aggressively market it. Use Facebook and Twitter, Google ads, etc. Join with others today, your life and that of your loved ones may soon depend on it. Put your back into it.
Ciao,
Panchito
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Brilliantly Micro Living
Okay, so this is proving to be an industrious day for me, blogging-wise that is. I am adding another video clip that is just that, brilliant. I am going to immediately contact my friend, Ed, a residential designer, and suggest that we start a company doing the same sort of thing…
Here are a few examples:
Here are a few examples:
So why the interest in being cramped? I know several folks who are unable to afford their own home. Perhaps this could be an answer to the dilemma. Also, the market for mini/micro housing is beginning to boom. It only makes sense in a world where energy concerns are running high, to create housing that eliminates that problem. Also, the cost of a typical home now is going to be entirely prohibitive to a large portion of the population from here on out. At least that is how it is looking through these eyes.
Food for thought.
Ciao,
Panchito
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Avalanche Befalls Us
In a winter filled with storms, snow piled high and expecting more, there are other, more serious storms we are having to endure. A dark cloud has fallen over our beloved country, which promises to bring forth pain. The substance of this cloud is various in nature, but all linked by one word - sin. Sin is rising, like a rotten stench, up through the layers of heaven, and they have surely reached the nostrils of Yahweh, Jehovah, the God of Israel. Obviously, this cloud is not only hovering over my country, the USA, but has mostly engulfed the entire world in it's clinging, putrid stench. It's the smell of death, the smell of rot.
"Don't preach doom and gloom," they say. "Why can't you look on the bright side, like they sing about on Monte Python's The Life of Brian?" Well, life is NOT a movie. Despite what we seem to be thinking lately, nationally speaking, the show isn't going to end suddenly, dispelling the thoughts of dread and judgement, and the sun come out. The script is written already, and the end is known. It doesn't really matter, in terms of whether all that was foretold will come to pass or not, if we believe it. It WILL come to pass.
So, in terms of preparation, what can we do today? What steps are we to take, if we are starting from scratch, to get ourselves ready for when TSHTF? Pardon my french. This is a much used acronym bantered about by the prepper/survivalist crowd. You'll have to figure it out on your own, I'm not telling. Here's another, TEOTWAWKI, The End of the World as we Know it. That's a nice one, isn't it? I like that acronym.
As a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, I understand and believe that the best thing I can do is study the scriptures, both Old Testament, and New. That would be The Law and The Prophets, or the Talmud, to a Jew, plus the Christian Bible. I am not a Mormon, a JW, or any other cult member. I am also NOT a Moslem, another cult, and one that I believe is going to play heavily in the end-times scenario, on the wrong side. Think "chopping heads".
Knowing what is generally going to happen next is JUST what the Word of God is all about, amongst other topics. It is possible to follow along, and even predict, what is going to happen using the scriptures. For a couple of takes on the subject, look at www.ihop.org, www.khouse.org, and www.mikebickle.org. Those are two sides of the opinion coin, similar in some ways, but very different in others. Only God really knows, at present, which one is right, or whether they are both wrong. It's okay. Us humans not being God, we can't really KNOW exactly what is going to happen. My opinion is that we should be prepared for ALL possible scenarios. I'm writing regarding the ongoing debate over when Jesus will return, i.e. when WE will get yanked out of harms' way. WE DON'T KNOW, WE JUST THINK WE DO. That's my answer to the smarty-pants crowd on all the side of the debate, who think they know. You don't know. Stop pretending. Get ready for all scenarios that are possible. Don't tell folks that they ARE going to get rescued before the persecution. You don't know that.
So the first thing to do is ask yourself the question, "Am I Saved"? What? Saved? What sort of throw-back are you, Panchito? You can't seriously think that I need to be 'saved'? Yes, I do believe that. So will you believe the same, shortly or some time from now. My hope is that you would be honest, completely, painfully honest with yourself, and seek the Lord while he may be found.
Next time, we'll discuss other measure that you might take after settling this pressing question...
Ciao,
Panchito
"Don't preach doom and gloom," they say. "Why can't you look on the bright side, like they sing about on Monte Python's The Life of Brian?" Well, life is NOT a movie. Despite what we seem to be thinking lately, nationally speaking, the show isn't going to end suddenly, dispelling the thoughts of dread and judgement, and the sun come out. The script is written already, and the end is known. It doesn't really matter, in terms of whether all that was foretold will come to pass or not, if we believe it. It WILL come to pass.
So, in terms of preparation, what can we do today? What steps are we to take, if we are starting from scratch, to get ourselves ready for when TSHTF? Pardon my french. This is a much used acronym bantered about by the prepper/survivalist crowd. You'll have to figure it out on your own, I'm not telling. Here's another, TEOTWAWKI, The End of the World as we Know it. That's a nice one, isn't it? I like that acronym.
As a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, I understand and believe that the best thing I can do is study the scriptures, both Old Testament, and New. That would be The Law and The Prophets, or the Talmud, to a Jew, plus the Christian Bible. I am not a Mormon, a JW, or any other cult member. I am also NOT a Moslem, another cult, and one that I believe is going to play heavily in the end-times scenario, on the wrong side. Think "chopping heads".
Knowing what is generally going to happen next is JUST what the Word of God is all about, amongst other topics. It is possible to follow along, and even predict, what is going to happen using the scriptures. For a couple of takes on the subject, look at www.ihop.org, www.khouse.org, and www.mikebickle.org. Those are two sides of the opinion coin, similar in some ways, but very different in others. Only God really knows, at present, which one is right, or whether they are both wrong. It's okay. Us humans not being God, we can't really KNOW exactly what is going to happen. My opinion is that we should be prepared for ALL possible scenarios. I'm writing regarding the ongoing debate over when Jesus will return, i.e. when WE will get yanked out of harms' way. WE DON'T KNOW, WE JUST THINK WE DO. That's my answer to the smarty-pants crowd on all the side of the debate, who think they know. You don't know. Stop pretending. Get ready for all scenarios that are possible. Don't tell folks that they ARE going to get rescued before the persecution. You don't know that.
So the first thing to do is ask yourself the question, "Am I Saved"? What? Saved? What sort of throw-back are you, Panchito? You can't seriously think that I need to be 'saved'? Yes, I do believe that. So will you believe the same, shortly or some time from now. My hope is that you would be honest, completely, painfully honest with yourself, and seek the Lord while he may be found.
Next time, we'll discuss other measure that you might take after settling this pressing question...
Ciao,
Panchito
Monday, January 17, 2011
Happy Irish New Year, or whatever...
As I'm sure you've noticed, whoever you are, a new year has dawned upon us. A new Gregorian year that is. I was doing some research, biblical in nature, around 3 months ago, and found some interesting facts regarding our calendar. It seems that biblical dating is NOT based upon the Gregorian calendar at all, but rather on the typical Middle-eastern calendar, used, in one form or another, by the nation of Israel, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Babylon, Persia, etc. That calendar contained only 360 days, not 365, like ours. It's interesting to note that the Romans completely duped the world into using their calendar, as well as their system of laws. What's up with that? Yes, whether you live in the USA, Mexico, China, Japan, Russia, or one of the former provinces of Rome, you mostly abide by the laws of Rome! Plus their calendar at least holds heavy sway in your life, if only in your business dealings. The Chinese have their calendar, and perhaps other Asian countries, but they also use the Gregorian calendar, due to their reliance on trade with the West.
Where did Gods' calendar go? Why does seem to be defunct now? IS it defunct? The short answer is NO. It is NOT defunct in any way, except that man has mostly ceased from using it. That doesn't mean at all that God has stopped using his calendar. On the contrary, one can be certain that He doesn't give one iota about our calendar, but has continued to function on HIS calendar/schedule.
So what brought all that up, you ask? I was reading and listening to some material by Chuck Missler, from Koinonia House (www.khouse.org) and found this info interesting. Check out his website to learn some really freaky info and possible truths about the Bible, the last days, etc. The guy really has looked deeply into things. I don't know that I agree with his assessment of last days events entirely, but hey, who knows?
Ciao,
Panchito
Where did Gods' calendar go? Why does seem to be defunct now? IS it defunct? The short answer is NO. It is NOT defunct in any way, except that man has mostly ceased from using it. That doesn't mean at all that God has stopped using his calendar. On the contrary, one can be certain that He doesn't give one iota about our calendar, but has continued to function on HIS calendar/schedule.
So what brought all that up, you ask? I was reading and listening to some material by Chuck Missler, from Koinonia House (www.khouse.org) and found this info interesting. Check out his website to learn some really freaky info and possible truths about the Bible, the last days, etc. The guy really has looked deeply into things. I don't know that I agree with his assessment of last days events entirely, but hey, who knows?
Ciao,
Panchito
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Wintery Blasts of December
Winter has arrived, and I, having finished my fall work just in the nick of time! Friday and Saturday found me ladder-bound, in Ritzy Land, Ohio, cleaning falls leavings from gutters up high. My sidekick, a seventy-ish fellow of great value to me, helped round up a gaggle of customers on his street, all in need of my services. What, pray tell, are my services, you ask? The answer could almost be "Yes". You see, I am a self-employed, self-governing, autocratic, entrepreneurial, jack-of-all-trades, and I clean gutters. Okay, to be fair, I've never tried heart surgery, brain surgery, civil engineering, and a host of other potential occupations, and that would be a scary prospect. But I can drive a fair nail, buck my share of firewood, form, place and finish my fair share of concrete, skin out a deer, raise rabbits, chickens, and more. I've been known to drive a mean skid-steer, and I'm a passable writer, I hope. I have a penchant for poetry, believe it or not. This you could see by visiting my other blog, The Dark Isle Gazette, at http://darkislegazette-panchito.blogspot.com/, and digging around in there.
But enough of me talking about me, what do you think about me? No, just kidding.
A friend of mine called yesterday to say that his kid and friend had finally bagged a deer. That was welcome news. I'm not sure whether he was calling to actually tell me that, or whether that was just an excuse to call me. We've had a slight falling out, or perhaps a lapse in confidence on my part, rather. Some personality types tend to run me over, and trample me into the dust, and I just let them. I don't know why, but eventually I tend to leave those well-intentioned individuals to their own devices, usually at least for awhile. This particular individual seems to be incapable of looking beneath the surface of his friends' veneer, unable to plumb the depths of my soul, and find that there is more to this friend of his than meets the eye. I guess it's just one of those lessons that my friend has to learn the hard way. Mounted on the post of his front porch is a flag that reads, "Don't Tread On Me". That is the lesson my friend needs to learn about dealing with HIS friends. Quiet, quirky, and non-confrontational doesn't equal stupid. I love the guy like my brother, and feel that we have a shared destiny in the Lord, but I can't follow him. The lamb must lead the lion. The foolish in the eyes of man, is the wise in the eyes of the Lord.
That scenario has transpired multiple times throughout my life. I get shoved into a situation that I look unqualified for, God moves his hand, and the proud get humbled, the humble get lifted up. Sometimes that's me.
Which one are you?
I read an interesting article the other day, that made me stop and think. It speaks of the times we're in, where we're going, and what we have left. Check it out here: http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2010/December11/1186.html.
Any thoughts of this sort need to be, if not taken with a grain of salt, then scrutinized with a microscope prior to being considered as legitimate. So, having said that, I am NOT endorsing any of this as authoritative, but merely food for thought. If nothing else, it is meant to make christians stop and think, and to make pre-christians pause as well.
That's all the energy I have for this post. Sleep well, in peace. May God richly bless you.
Ciao,
Panchito
But enough of me talking about me, what do you think about me? No, just kidding.
A friend of mine called yesterday to say that his kid and friend had finally bagged a deer. That was welcome news. I'm not sure whether he was calling to actually tell me that, or whether that was just an excuse to call me. We've had a slight falling out, or perhaps a lapse in confidence on my part, rather. Some personality types tend to run me over, and trample me into the dust, and I just let them. I don't know why, but eventually I tend to leave those well-intentioned individuals to their own devices, usually at least for awhile. This particular individual seems to be incapable of looking beneath the surface of his friends' veneer, unable to plumb the depths of my soul, and find that there is more to this friend of his than meets the eye. I guess it's just one of those lessons that my friend has to learn the hard way. Mounted on the post of his front porch is a flag that reads, "Don't Tread On Me". That is the lesson my friend needs to learn about dealing with HIS friends. Quiet, quirky, and non-confrontational doesn't equal stupid. I love the guy like my brother, and feel that we have a shared destiny in the Lord, but I can't follow him. The lamb must lead the lion. The foolish in the eyes of man, is the wise in the eyes of the Lord.
That scenario has transpired multiple times throughout my life. I get shoved into a situation that I look unqualified for, God moves his hand, and the proud get humbled, the humble get lifted up. Sometimes that's me.
Which one are you?
I read an interesting article the other day, that made me stop and think. It speaks of the times we're in, where we're going, and what we have left. Check it out here: http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/2010/December11/1186.html.
Any thoughts of this sort need to be, if not taken with a grain of salt, then scrutinized with a microscope prior to being considered as legitimate. So, having said that, I am NOT endorsing any of this as authoritative, but merely food for thought. If nothing else, it is meant to make christians stop and think, and to make pre-christians pause as well.
That's all the energy I have for this post. Sleep well, in peace. May God richly bless you.
Ciao,
Panchito
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
The Slatts Paracord Belt
Here is a super cool, super handy belt that could potentially save your life some day. It's easy to make, and only requires the 550 paracord, and time. If you have hands that work, you can make this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGDIm5bcQRM&feature=player_embedded
Having one of these wrapped around your waist means always having a strong, light rope that is around 120 feet in length. That is a serious length of rope. This could come in handy when you really need it.
Ciao,
Panchito
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGDIm5bcQRM&feature=player_embedded
Having one of these wrapped around your waist means always having a strong, light rope that is around 120 feet in length. That is a serious length of rope. This could come in handy when you really need it.
Ciao,
Panchito
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Sovereignty
We are living in a world that is becoming, much to the dismay of many, united. Is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing? Is there one answer?
Looking at things from the viewpoint of so many in society today, the answer to the first question would be a resounding YES! Yes, a single government, caring for the world is desirable, under this view. Yes, eliminating multitudes of governments SHOULD bring an end to wars, famines, poverty, malnutrition, the have-nots, under this view.
But, and that's a BIG but, as opposed to a big butt, it may prove true that having one view or another won't make any difference in the end. To a rather large portion of the world's population, the endgame is set, the results are set, the script of events has already been written, perhaps not every last word, or letter, but mostly. In that case, will it be a bad thing, or a good thing? Yes.
The final results and the progressive condition of the heart/soul of some will be very good, indeed. The getting there, could, or better, will be hard. The passage or voyage will be more rough, more painful, more terrifying than ANYTHING ever experienced by humanity in all of history - if this point of view is the correct one.
I prescribe to the latter view, as anyone who knows me will attest. I am a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, who I believe IS the God of Israel, the Messiah. I believe that he was born of Mary, who at the time was a virgin, that he grew up in several different places, though mostly in Nazareth, that at the age of approximately thirty, he went public-ish, leading a rough band of fishermen, tax collectors, harlots, knuckleheads, and assorted others, and turned them into the most amazing army of kindness that has ever graced the planet Earth. Then he was executed, buried, and three days later rose from the dead. All this to provide a means of redemption and union with the Father, Jehovah, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All these things were foretold over the course of prior human history by Jewish prophets, everything.
So, I also believe that he is very shortly returning, but that we are going to go through the fire prior to his return, a purifying fire of persecution and hardship.
Recently, I've been reading and hearing of the swift loss of American sovereignty, both nationally and personally. It bothers me. As a citizen of the United States of America, I have a deep love for my country, and a great admiration for our constitution, which I believe was handed down by God to our forefathers, a miracle. I also understand that our nation has sinned and is sinning, greatly, hugely, grossly, and that there are always consequences to that sort of thing. Nationally, I believe that we are getting what we have paid for, in the blood of our unborn children who have been sacrificed on the altar of Molech, the abomination. We have been killing our kids by the millions for the sake of convenience. We have also usurped the position of God by deciding how many children we are going to have, I believe. Birth control is thought to be a woman's "right", one of our unalienable rights that the founders spoke of. I am firmly convinced that if ANY of the founders knew what we have now taken to be unalienable rights that they would do their utmost to topple the standing government.
Sovereignty, that elusive mindset. So many want it, but so many always try to take it away. I personally know someone who declared themselves to be a Sovereign Citizen and were then dragged through the mud, embroiled in legal battles that they certainly could not win, against the US government.
It seems to have now come down to the question of sovereignty in this country. Are we still a government of the people, for the people, and by the people? Or is our government now something else? We have been the envy of the world for a good while now, but the times, they are a'changin, as Bob Dillon once said. He hadn't seen nothin' at that point in his life. Things are much different now, and NOT for the better.
What are your thoughts?
Ciao,
Panchito
Looking at things from the viewpoint of so many in society today, the answer to the first question would be a resounding YES! Yes, a single government, caring for the world is desirable, under this view. Yes, eliminating multitudes of governments SHOULD bring an end to wars, famines, poverty, malnutrition, the have-nots, under this view.
But, and that's a BIG but, as opposed to a big butt, it may prove true that having one view or another won't make any difference in the end. To a rather large portion of the world's population, the endgame is set, the results are set, the script of events has already been written, perhaps not every last word, or letter, but mostly. In that case, will it be a bad thing, or a good thing? Yes.
The final results and the progressive condition of the heart/soul of some will be very good, indeed. The getting there, could, or better, will be hard. The passage or voyage will be more rough, more painful, more terrifying than ANYTHING ever experienced by humanity in all of history - if this point of view is the correct one.
I prescribe to the latter view, as anyone who knows me will attest. I am a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, who I believe IS the God of Israel, the Messiah. I believe that he was born of Mary, who at the time was a virgin, that he grew up in several different places, though mostly in Nazareth, that at the age of approximately thirty, he went public-ish, leading a rough band of fishermen, tax collectors, harlots, knuckleheads, and assorted others, and turned them into the most amazing army of kindness that has ever graced the planet Earth. Then he was executed, buried, and three days later rose from the dead. All this to provide a means of redemption and union with the Father, Jehovah, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All these things were foretold over the course of prior human history by Jewish prophets, everything.
So, I also believe that he is very shortly returning, but that we are going to go through the fire prior to his return, a purifying fire of persecution and hardship.
Recently, I've been reading and hearing of the swift loss of American sovereignty, both nationally and personally. It bothers me. As a citizen of the United States of America, I have a deep love for my country, and a great admiration for our constitution, which I believe was handed down by God to our forefathers, a miracle. I also understand that our nation has sinned and is sinning, greatly, hugely, grossly, and that there are always consequences to that sort of thing. Nationally, I believe that we are getting what we have paid for, in the blood of our unborn children who have been sacrificed on the altar of Molech, the abomination. We have been killing our kids by the millions for the sake of convenience. We have also usurped the position of God by deciding how many children we are going to have, I believe. Birth control is thought to be a woman's "right", one of our unalienable rights that the founders spoke of. I am firmly convinced that if ANY of the founders knew what we have now taken to be unalienable rights that they would do their utmost to topple the standing government.
Sovereignty, that elusive mindset. So many want it, but so many always try to take it away. I personally know someone who declared themselves to be a Sovereign Citizen and were then dragged through the mud, embroiled in legal battles that they certainly could not win, against the US government.
It seems to have now come down to the question of sovereignty in this country. Are we still a government of the people, for the people, and by the people? Or is our government now something else? We have been the envy of the world for a good while now, but the times, they are a'changin, as Bob Dillon once said. He hadn't seen nothin' at that point in his life. Things are much different now, and NOT for the better.
What are your thoughts?
Ciao,
Panchito
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Bunny Factory: Revisited...
So recently, we had a doe, rabbit that is, that gave birth, last Friday or so, and didn't do enough to keep her bunnies alive. I am not sure what the deal is. Perhaps the girl doesn't know enough about how to handle them? It is her second or third litter, and all of them have died. I am going to give her two weeks to recuperate, then breed her again. Hopefully she'll snap out of it.
Right now, we have five bunnies, via the sister of the one above. The bunnies are growing like mad, and at five weeks old, are about half the size of the mother. They should reach marketable size at eight to ten weeks.
I have yet to check them to determine which are does, and which are bucks. I will do that this week, time allowing. The does will be kept, the bucks... not so much.
I am still debating what to do with the other two bucks that are siblings of my two does. It almost seems like I should pop them, and pick up another buck or two, who are unrelated to any of my present ones??? That would ensure a good mix of genetics in the herd. We'll see.
It is estimated that a herd with 15 does and 3 bucks can produce 540 offspring in a years time. That is an amazing amount of bunnies! If you have an average weight of 5 pounds per individual that is 2000 pounds of meat! Astounding, and all in a super-small living space. So, with 100 does, you could produce 3600 bunnies in a year, more or less, assuming that each doe produces at least six bunnies per litter, four times per year. Some breeders actually breed their does a lot more often than four times per year, but the danger is that they will wear them out prematurely.
Since we're just getting started, all these things are yet to be seen. It's really pretty interesting. There is real potential profit in this gambit. I think I mentioned earlier that two friends of mine, chefs, said that non-organically raised rabbits go for $40 each, while certified organic rabbits go for $60 each! So, on the low side, at $40 each, our 2 does are worth approximately $2,880! Pretty good for a couple of rabbits, eh?
Of course, we are going to keep the female bunnies, and use them for breeding stock, till we don't have room for more. In six months, they will be ready to breed, and things will really get underway.
Ciao,
Panchit
Right now, we have five bunnies, via the sister of the one above. The bunnies are growing like mad, and at five weeks old, are about half the size of the mother. They should reach marketable size at eight to ten weeks.
I have yet to check them to determine which are does, and which are bucks. I will do that this week, time allowing. The does will be kept, the bucks... not so much.
I am still debating what to do with the other two bucks that are siblings of my two does. It almost seems like I should pop them, and pick up another buck or two, who are unrelated to any of my present ones??? That would ensure a good mix of genetics in the herd. We'll see.
It is estimated that a herd with 15 does and 3 bucks can produce 540 offspring in a years time. That is an amazing amount of bunnies! If you have an average weight of 5 pounds per individual that is 2000 pounds of meat! Astounding, and all in a super-small living space. So, with 100 does, you could produce 3600 bunnies in a year, more or less, assuming that each doe produces at least six bunnies per litter, four times per year. Some breeders actually breed their does a lot more often than four times per year, but the danger is that they will wear them out prematurely.
Since we're just getting started, all these things are yet to be seen. It's really pretty interesting. There is real potential profit in this gambit. I think I mentioned earlier that two friends of mine, chefs, said that non-organically raised rabbits go for $40 each, while certified organic rabbits go for $60 each! So, on the low side, at $40 each, our 2 does are worth approximately $2,880! Pretty good for a couple of rabbits, eh?
Of course, we are going to keep the female bunnies, and use them for breeding stock, till we don't have room for more. In six months, they will be ready to breed, and things will really get underway.
Ciao,
Panchit
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The "New" Wood-burning Cookstove
While on my recent weeklong trip to the wilds of one of the Great Lakes States, one of my brothers, to whom I'm in debt for this blog post, showed me a stove that he has been experimenting with.
The stove consists of a paint can which is perforated in three places near the bottom of the can, equidistant from each other. Into these holes are inserted a section of copper tubing, all of equal length and diameter. These should fit snuggly into the holes, but not so snuggly that they can't be made to travel in or out as needed during the operation of the stove.
To operate the stove, of course one would need a fuel source to burn. Our fuel source of choice in this instance is wood shavings, or sawdust. Before filling the can with the fuel, we will need one cardboard tube from inside a roll of paper towels. Alternatively, one could use two or more tubes from rolls of toilet paper. This tube is inserted/dropped into the can vertically, till it rests on the bottom of the can in the very center of the can. Next, start filling the can with sawdust/wood chips, layer by layer. When the can is half full (this translates as half empty for those of you who are pessimists), pack it down with your hand. Then continue filling it up till it is two-thirds full, and pack it down again. Continue like this until it is full, or even over full, then pack it down.
We are ready for the test.
To use the stove, carefully remove the tube, making sure that none of, or very little of, the sawdust/wood chips falls down the "chimney". Light some paper, or other tinder, and insert it to the bottom. By moving the tubes outward you increase the draft. Pushing them in farther restricts the draft, or "chokes" the flame, thus regulating the size of the flame and the heat output.
I hope to post a video and some photos to compliment this post in the next day or two.
Ciao,
Panchito
The stove consists of a paint can which is perforated in three places near the bottom of the can, equidistant from each other. Into these holes are inserted a section of copper tubing, all of equal length and diameter. These should fit snuggly into the holes, but not so snuggly that they can't be made to travel in or out as needed during the operation of the stove.
To operate the stove, of course one would need a fuel source to burn. Our fuel source of choice in this instance is wood shavings, or sawdust. Before filling the can with the fuel, we will need one cardboard tube from inside a roll of paper towels. Alternatively, one could use two or more tubes from rolls of toilet paper. This tube is inserted/dropped into the can vertically, till it rests on the bottom of the can in the very center of the can. Next, start filling the can with sawdust/wood chips, layer by layer. When the can is half full (this translates as half empty for those of you who are pessimists), pack it down with your hand. Then continue filling it up till it is two-thirds full, and pack it down again. Continue like this until it is full, or even over full, then pack it down.
We are ready for the test.
To use the stove, carefully remove the tube, making sure that none of, or very little of, the sawdust/wood chips falls down the "chimney". Light some paper, or other tinder, and insert it to the bottom. By moving the tubes outward you increase the draft. Pushing them in farther restricts the draft, or "chokes" the flame, thus regulating the size of the flame and the heat output.
I hope to post a video and some photos to compliment this post in the next day or two.
Ciao,
Panchito
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Suburban Farming
Earlier, we wrote about our farming enterprises for the 2010 growing season, specifically the raising of rabbits. Our rabbit herd consisted at that time of 5 rabbits, purchased in June 2010, or so, from a farm family in SW Ohio. We had originally purchased 6 rabbits, siblings, supposedly 4 females and 2 males, but it turns out that what we actually got was exactly the opposite, 4 males and 2 females, plus the potential genetic problems of mating siblings together. My solution to that problem was to eliminate 2 males, and purchase another, unrelated male. Our herd was at another location, about 5 miles away, which proved to be problematic. We were unable to observe the rabbits during the day, so we were unaware of whatever was happening at the remote location. We were completely unsuccessful in the reproduction department over the entire course of the summer. The host, who is not used to the idea of using rabbits as food, proved hostile to the idea, so the decision to move them was made. The results are that our herd has now doubled, and actually would have tripled, but for the fact that I was unaware of the projected birthdate of an earlier litter, they succumbed to hypothermia, as I hadn't yet provided the mother with a nest box. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I placed a temporary, plastic box in the cage, but "too little, too late".
So, my friend and I designed and built the following cage system:
So, my friend and I designed and built the following cage system:
The only caveat to I would make regarding our design is that the doors should be MUCH bigger. Doors of this size make it hard to work inside the cage, and hard to get ahold of the rabbits if you need to move them, or breed them. The next batch will have doors that are basically the size of one of the walls.
The breeds to get, for meat production, generally are Californian, or New Zealand rabbits, though there is a french breed, Champagne D'Argent, that is considered good as well, or mixes of any of these three. The reason for sticking with these breeds is that they produce more meat, with less food, and deliver a denser, meatier end product than any of the other multitudinous breeds of rabbit. That's not to say that someone won't come up with a better breed in the future, I'm sure that WILL happen. But for now...
It is possible to do reasonably well with rabbits while only providing them with pasturage, and not packaged, commercial feeds. As long as they have freedom to graze on a wide variety of plant life, they will do alright. I have, at present, not opted to go that route, but purchase commercial, pelletized rabbit feed. I also supplement their feed rations with a very wide variety of fresh plants. I give them apple branches, apples, carrots (both cultivated and the wild sorts, i.e. Queen Anne's Lace), tulip tree leaves, silver maple leaves, dock, mallow, strawberry leaves and vines, chickweed, dandelions, chicory, plantain, lemon balm, wild grape vines and leaves, and much more. They love a treat of freshly fallen autumn leaves, eating them the way we eat potato chips. Just make sure that the leaves you feed them are not poisonous to rabbits. So, expensive feed costs can certainly be lowered this way, and the raising of their most excellent meat made more palatable, financially speaking.
It is possible to do reasonably well with rabbits while only providing them with pasturage, and not packaged, commercial feeds. As long as they have freedom to graze on a wide variety of plant life, they will do alright. I have, at present, not opted to go that route, but purchase commercial, pelletized rabbit feed. I also supplement their feed rations with a very wide variety of fresh plants. I give them apple branches, apples, carrots (both cultivated and the wild sorts, i.e. Queen Anne's Lace), tulip tree leaves, silver maple leaves, dock, mallow, strawberry leaves and vines, chickweed, dandelions, chicory, plantain, lemon balm, wild grape vines and leaves, and much more. They love a treat of freshly fallen autumn leaves, eating them the way we eat potato chips. Just make sure that the leaves you feed them are not poisonous to rabbits. So, expensive feed costs can certainly be lowered this way, and the raising of their most excellent meat made more palatable, financially speaking.
I have some chef friends who swear that rabbit meat is normally sold, to them, for prices that astound me. I was told that a rabbit raised in the standard manner, meaning it was fed commercial, non-organically certified rabbit feed, goes for an average of $30/rabbit, and that if that animal was raised "organically", then the price jumps to $60/rabbit! So, I see a substantial rabbit farm in our future. That beats the sox off any other farm animal I am aware of, and that coupled with the fact that rabbits reproduce like, well, rabbits, pretty much makes it a go for me.
If one were to search for "organic rabbit raising procedures" on google.com, chances are you would end up finding several videos of Joel Salatin, that famous farmer from Virginia who is rocking the agricultural boat of our nation at present. Mr. Salatin shows us, in his YouTube videos, how he has created "rabbit tractors", that are mobile rabbit hutches that allow a large degree of freedom to the fuzzy little fellows, and allow the farmer to provide them with fresh green-age each day, all the while fertilizing the soil. Mr. Salatin practices the same technique with chickens as well, with great success.
At any rate, it looks like raising rabbits is going to work out well for us, whatever direction we take from here on out. Take a good look at raising rabbits, it could keep your family in food if things go really sour for us here in the USA, or elsewhere.
Ciao,
Panchito
At any rate, it looks like raising rabbits is going to work out well for us, whatever direction we take from here on out. Take a good look at raising rabbits, it could keep your family in food if things go really sour for us here in the USA, or elsewhere.
Ciao,
Panchito
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