Citified Parched Corn

...Maybe it helps spices stick? Purists insist that there should be no oil. I used no oil. The second is flavoring. Parched corn doesn’t really need flavoring–it’s good on its own. Salt, of course, only makes it better. But it can take as many types of seasoning as popcorn, from sweet to spicy to savory. You just throw spices into the pan to roast with the corn. I’ve also seen recipes where someone will roast the corn in a pan then toss it with a fla...

Read…

Waxed Cloth Food Wrap (Made in a solar oven for bonus self-righteousness points)

...d on. In case you missed the craze, these food wraps are simply beeswax infused cotton cloth. Their purpose is to help replace plastic wrap and baggies to some extent. They can also be molded over bowls as a light cover–not an air tight cover, but are likely as effective as laying a plate over the bowl. Waxed cloth can also be fashioned into envelopes to carry snacks. They can be used over and over, and re-waxed. They can also be washed with cold...

Read…

Measuring With a Shaft Key

...ft keys between 1/8″ and 1/2″. You can buy a whole set for mere dollars. I used a sharpie to mark the dimensions of my set of shaft keys. I use them mostly for setting the depth of my router and table saw. Using your sense of touch, aided by a shaft key, is much more accurate than using your eyeballs and a ruler. But I also found them handy for assembling a new fence over the weekend. I wanted 1/4 inch gaps between the fence slats and used a shaft...

Read…

Announcing Our New Solar Cooking Initiative

...clear lid. Solar ovens reach higher temperatures than cookers, and can be used in less ideal conditions. But we’d never invested in a solar oven because they are rather pricey, especially for an unknown quantity. Would they really work? Could we make good food in one? I certainly didn’t want to spend a couple of hundred bucks on an oversized rice cooker. Wait! I almost forgot. We do have a solar oven in our garage! And if I don’t mention it, the...

Read…

How to Rodent Proof a Chicken Coop

...picture on the right (it has a much more secure lid than the larger can I used to keep the feed in). In the morning I put the food out again for our four hens. It means that I have to get up just a few minutes earlier than I usually do but that’s not a big deal as I’m one of those tedious and boring morning persons. Some folks use rodent proof treadle feeders. These feeders open when the hens step on a small metal platform. I was sent a treadle f...

Read…