Questions from our Facebook Fans

As you know, we set up a facebook fan page for Old Fashioned Living. There have been several questions that have gone unanswered as of late, so I thought I would turn to you, our loyal blog readers for help! Here they are, you can post your answers in the comments, reply to the email you receive, or post the answers directly on our fan page.

From Beth Mitchell
Does anyone know how to increase egg production? I have about 53 layers and I am getting around 30-34 eggs a day.

From Barbara Cole
Looking for a good pickled beets recipe for canning. I know its early but I'm getting ready!

From Angela Desilets Murray
I am attempting my first real herb garden, any suggestions?? We have a farm but really don't know a whole lot about anything, we have six goats that we just love and seven old bettys (chickens) that are more like pets cause we only get two to three eggs a day... time to retire them. And a rabbit. I am also putting in the biggest garden that I have ever attempted to do. I am so excited.

From Kim Bowen
Grandma did it! I have a very old family, I am the last GD of the last DD. My grandma raised cotton and had a card and spinning wheel. What did your grandma do to inspire your love for old fashioned things?

Thanks everyone!

Country Living Tips from 1946

The leaves lay like hands upon the ground.
When the wind rustles them, they applaud
softly. ~Laura E. Stevens

Today I'm sharing tips from The Watkins Almanac Home Book, published in 1946. These are from a section entitled Farm Hints and Rules, but anyone in a rural setting could use these. Plus, they are a fun read!

To Clean a Post Hole Digger: Before using the digger, especially in heavy clay or gumbo soil (a fine-grained silty soil that becomes a very sticky mud when wet.), dip the blades in a bucket of waste oil at regular intervals.(Old car or tractor oil would work).

To Find the Value of Articles Sold by the Ton: Multiply the number of pounds by the price per ton, point off three places, and divide by two.

Pitchfork Holder: A couple of old shelf brackets form an excellent holder for the pitchfork. They could be nailed or bolted to the wall just far enough to allow the fork handle to slide in readily with the tines up. A rack of this kind will hold two or three forks. Proper care of this sort will often prevent injuries.

Moving Balky Cows: A simple and effective means of causing a cow to get up quickly when she lies down and refuses to be led or loaded into a truck is that of placing the palms of the hands over her nostrils with fingers under the jaw, tightly enough to stop breathing. It gets immediate action and is a humane way of getting results. (Ed. note: Of course they mean GENTLY, as to not hurt the cow. Being a former farm girl, I know farmers treat their animals with great care.)

Learn about autumn on the farm in this article I wrote for OFL:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/farm1.html