Solar Oven Triumph: Fluffy Egg Strata

July 5, 2016

...y you want to make it work. There does not have to be complete coverage. I used two stale sandwich-sized sourdough rolls for mine.• 2-3 cups grated cheese. I used half good cheddar and half good Parmesan, because that was what was in the fridge. • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme (leaves stripped, stems discarded) • 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for baking dish • 8 large eggs • 2.5- 3 cups milk (I kept...

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What is Killing the Bees?

Mr. Homegrown

August 5, 2013

Animals, Bees

29 Comments

...s resistance to a common parasite Nosema ceranae. Bees exposed to a widely used agricultural fungicide, chlorothonatil, were more likely to succumb to nosema. The most provocative result for me was that bees exposed to fluvalinate, a miticide used by beekeepers on their own bees, were also likely to get nosema. Perhaps the villain in CCD is the beekepers themselves. Don’t get me wrong, pesticides probably play a role in CCD. But we must also remem...

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

Mrs. Homegrown

June 2, 2016

Domesticus, Food, How-to, Solar Oven Summer

8 Comments

...you don’t want to use so much that the coating becomes thick and flaky. I used about 1 tablespoon of wax pellets for cloths about 11 inches square, just to give you an idea. Place the cookie sheet in an oven set between 150F/64C and 185F/85C for about 10 minutes, just until the wax melts. Safety note: Keep the oven low–don’t be tempted to use a hot oven for speed, because the wax could discolor at higher temperatures, or even burst into flame if...

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Measuring With a Shaft Key

Mr. Homegrown

November 19, 2018

Design

...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...

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How to Rodent Proof a Chicken Coop

Mr. Homegrown

February 19, 2016

Animals, Chickens, Pests

2 Comments

...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...

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