Innehållsförteckning för September - October 2018 från Grit

The cicadas have been thrumming in the trees lately, and that sound always makes me think of fall. And thinking about fall gets me geared up for off-season gardening. While other gardeners are putting their plots to bed, I’m happily growing crops that will feed my household for most of the winter. When nearly everyone else is buying greens at the grocery store in the depths of winter, we’re proudly harvesting our own. Are you an off-season gardener too? If not, I encourage you to try it. It’ll jump-start your love for gardening at exactly the time of year you’re feeling worn down by watering, weeding, and mosquitoes. Fall and winter gardening rarely involves any of those. I used to believe only professionals could garden in the off-season, but learned…

I began subscribing to GRIT this past year because of my father, Robert Lee Franklin. He passed away this past November at the age of 89. One of the ways he earned money when he was a young boy was by selling GRIT newspapers in Rankin County, Mississippi. I inherited three ceramic bowls that he earned during his time selling the paper. He was very proud of those bowls and the achievements they represented, so I’ve held onto them. Here’s a picture of my dad around the age of 13 or 14, which would have been about 1941. He’s delivering GRIT by horseback. He has his newspaper bag hanging around his neck, and is ready to make his deliveries for the day. BOBBY FRANKLIN LOUISIANA Making Do I just received…

We raise chickens just like you. Our chicken feed recipes start at our 12 backyard coops at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, Missouri. We’re an American farmer-owned cooperative. Purina is part of Land O’Lakes, Inc. Many of the farmers who grow our grains help lead our team. That’s how it’s been since 1921. We make feed locally. With more than 60 feed mills throughout the United States, we likely have a feed mill in your area. This means your feed may be made closer than you think. We support local businesses. Purina supports more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent retailers and other stores throughout the United States. Our local retailers are community resources that host workshops. To learn more about how our co-op feeds your coop, visit…

Game birds have always held a high place at the table, whether it’s a hunter’s prize of roast grouse or the annual Thanksgiving turkey. Pheasants, quail, rabbits, doves, grouse, and more are singular species with grand culinary traditions that offer cooks an unmatched range of flavors. Many cooks, however, fear the fowl. Lean and athletic, game birds, rabbits, and hares can dry out in a hurry. But you can learn to cook small game like a pro: perfectly crisp skin over tender breast meat, melt-in-your-mouth braises, barbecue, stews, and sausages. Here are three recipes from my latest book, Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail, which covers a range of small game animals, including rabbits, hares, and squirrels. Pheasant Noodle Soup Pheasant soup is satisfying to body and soul, a tonic for your down…

FOUNTAIN PENS I’m new to the hobby of fountain pens and am looking for fountain pens of any age and in any condition for tinkering and learning. I’m also interested in any fountain pen memorabilia or literature. If you have any fountain pens or memorabilia you’re willing to part with, please send them my way. Many thanks! James Payne 544 Lewis Road Zebulon, NC 27597 WAR BONNET PATTERN I’m looking for a plastic canvas pattern for an Indian chief war bonnet. I’ve been asked to make one for some friends who have one, but it’s getting worn. Their war bonnet is glued together, but I haven’t been able to figure out the pieces needed to do it. Catherine Deeds 14450 Oakhurst Lane Orange, VA 22960 PEN PALS I’m a 30-year-old…

RENDERING LARD One of the reasons we switched from raising Tamworths to American Guinea hogs is that the latter are a lard breed. Although they’re about half the size of Tamworths at harvest, we end up with three or four times as much lard. A 100-pound American Guinea typically provides about 20 to 25 pounds of fat. Rendering lard is incredibly simple; you’re just melting fat. These instructions are for dry rendering, which means no water is added during the rendering process. Fat renders fastest if you cut it into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster they melt. I chop mine into pieces about an inch across. Five pounds of lard fits well into my 4-quart cast-iron Dutch oven, but you can use any oven-proof dish. Place the…

Of all the forestry techniques available to woodland owners, few methods are as underutilized as coppicing. Coppicing is a reproduction method wherein a tree is cut back periodically to stimulate new growth through dormant buds on the living stump, or “stool.” In turn, these buds develop into sprouts, also called “shoots,” capable of growing firewood in approximately half the time it would take to grow the same amount of wood from seed. Growth Variables As a forester, I’m often asked how long it will take a tree to grow to a specific size. If I know something about the site, I can make an educated guess. However, more often than not, too many factors are at play to make any sort of reasonable estimate because both environmental and genetic factors…

Crouched behind a tree as walnuts whizzed through the air, their fleshy green husks exploding on impact, my 11-year-old self quickly gathered up a dozen or so. With the sound of friends’ laughter drawing closer, I knew it was now or never. I stepped out from behind the tree, walnuts at the ready, and hurled the artillery in quick succession. I fired off three quick blasts, each of them landing true, then followed up with an immediate second round, and a third, until I had but one walnut left and raised at the ready. The “enemy” surrendered, and I won the day. We all walked home from the park that evening, laughing and slugging shoulders. Though we were bruised and beaten, we wouldn’t have had it any other way. These…

A Garden to Fall For With a little planning, you can create a fall garden that rivals the bright new leaves and flowers of spring. To choose plants for a fall garden, visit a nursery and ask questions: Does the plant have colorful berries for winter interest? Will it attract birds? How will it look in other seasons? When thinking about fall foliage, trees such as northern red oak and sugar maple, with their mixed palettes of blazing color, come to mind. If you don’t have room for these large trees that can grow to more than 60 feet tall, there are many smaller ones that are just as vibrant. ‘Autumn Brilliance’ serviceberry grows only 20 feet tall and has flaming-red fall foliage. It also features white flowers in early…

Cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), also known as Southern peas or field peas, are a versatile crop — so versatile, they could be considered the vegetable version of a Swiss army knife. They can produce nutritious greens, snap beans, shell beans, and even dry beans, which can be ground into flour for a gluten-free grain substitute. Beyond the table, cowpeas are useful as ground cover, weed suppression, green manure, and forage for livestock. The vines can even be mown and baled as hay, the matured bean pods adding extra nutrition. They flourish in poor, dry soils, and, being legumes, leave the soil richer than they find it. Some varieties vine, while others bush, but all do well in full sun and high temperatures, making them perfect for Southern, Midwestern, and West Coast…

Not just for cleaning saddles, saddle soap is specifically meant for cleaning and preserving all sorts of leather. Without occasional maintenance, leather will crack and warp as it dries out — whereas well-kept horse tack, knife sheaths, boots, leather armor, and more, will remain strong and supple. And while it’s referred to as “soap,” saddle soap is technically both a soap and a cream: It contains a cleaning agent to remove dirt and grime, plus emollient oils that work to preserve and condition the leather and even add some waterproofing. The ingredients you’ll need for making saddle soap include: ■ SOAP, DISSOLVED IN WATER: cleans and helps keep the melted wax dispersed within the cream. (Goat’s milk soap or soap made with animal fat works best.) ■ BEESWAX: seals the…