Fellow creekers,
I originally wanted to post about grain bins (please see below) but I have more than one problem so I chose the OT forum.
I have always wanted to grow our own food so we purchased a "gents farm"; turns out it is not as easy. First our young orchard has been bountiful, but so far we have not harvested a single fruit! All are eaten by 'coons and 'possums, and despite my attempts at repellents, trapping, they keep coming! The possums prefer ripe fruits but before the fruits can get there, coons decimate them. All I see is pits under my nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots etc. I have trapped about 12 critters this year but they keep coming and the fruits are long gone. Not to mention the deer and the rabbits!
I called my good horticulture buddy from Iowa, and upon hearing my predicament Dave commented "It seems whenever you have anything of value, every $#@^X wants a share of it!" That pretty much describes it folks!
Anyhow, thanks goodness my first grain harvest went well and I even celebrated the start of the harvest by playing the horn and the drum I made:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?201918-Drum
Now for Gus and others who wondered how the drum sounds, I offer the following snippet:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x12...vest_lifestyle
This is the first time I am growing grains (oats and sorghum due to gluten intolerance) and I had a blast hand harvesting the oats. These are the so called hulless oats and they are great because they do not require machinery for hulling. After modifying a leaf shredder and threshing the oats, and using a Clipper 2B fanning mill, I am ready for some serious breakfast. However I am having a hard time figuring out how to dry the oats after washing them. After all this humid Midwest summer is no good for drying grain. Any suggestions? Kiln may be? Also anyone with ideas for a grain storage bin? I have about 4-5 bushels of oats and am expecting more sorghum.
Also please do not forget to give some feedback on the coons and critters! Any good repellents out there? I use liquid fence for deer and rabbits but have not found any good ones for coons and possums.
Thanks,
Sal.
coon.jpgoats.jpgpossum.jpg