Top 10 Marguerite Henry Books
What horse-loving child hasn’t devoured one of Marguerite Henry’s books? Henry wrote with enthusiasm and feeling, making her stories timeless masterpieces that are sure to touch the heart. While she has written many books that we could heartily recommend for readers of all ages, we have whittled down the list to ten of our absolute favorites. Looking for some summer reading? Try these. 10. … Continue reading Top 10 Marguerite Henry Books
Food Preservation
Preserving the food we grow at home or buy in bulk from a local farmer can seem daunting to the beginner. We know that food safety is important, but how do we achieve it? This food preservation site from K-State has the answers. Many resources have been combined into one convenient location. Learn more about: Canning. Curing and smoking. Dehydrating. Food business. Freezing. Jams and … Continue reading Food Preservation
English Shepherd
Like many herding dogs of the British Isles, the English Shepherd traces back to the herding mastiffs of Julius Caesar’s Roman army. As these dogs were abandoned by the departing soldiers, they crossed over time with various local dogs and perhaps with the herding spitzes of invading Vikings. In different parts of the United Kingdom, the dogs took on different forms to suit varying climates … Continue reading English Shepherd
Pros and Cons of Hot Composting
Most gardening books focus primarily (sometimes exclusively) on hot composting methods. They describe elaborate procedures for turning out the perfect batch of compost, including balancing nitrogen content and monitoring temperatures. There is another way to compost—cold composting. The most obvious difference between the two methods is the temperature of the pile. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, making each one suitable for different circumstances. … Continue reading Pros and Cons of Hot Composting
Veggie Wash
Homegrown vegetables are good for you, but they are frequently dirty. Veggie Wash is an all-natural cleaning spray that seems to do a good job getting the produce clean and ready to eat. For things like tomatoes, apples, and peaches, just spray the fruit and rub it clean under running water. For berries and lettuce, fill the sink with cold water, add the produce, and … Continue reading Veggie Wash
Collie
The Collie shares the same heritage as the rest of the sheepdogs of the British Isles. It traces back to the herding mastiffs of the invading Roman armies under Julius Caesar, perhaps with a touch of Viking spitz added later on. For centuries, the Collie, or Scotch Collie, more or less resembled the modern Border Collie. These all-purpose farm dogs came in different varieties suited … Continue reading Collie
Kansas Bird Checklists
If you plan on doing any birdwatching in Kansas this Memorial Day weekend, equip yourself with a checklist first. The Kansas Ornithological Society offers free PDF downloads of the following checklists: Kansas birds. Kansas birds with scientific names and taxonomy. Birds by county. County bird checklists combined into one document. Also, be sure to see the species county dot maps for a visual presentation of … Continue reading Kansas Bird Checklists
Bouvier des Flandres
Dog experts disagree on the history of the Bouvier des Flandres. All we know for certain is that, from time immemorial, sturdy cattle dogs lived and worked in the Flanders region of Belgium and on the northern plains of France. What types of dogs went into the gene pool is mostly unknown. Some monks at Ter Duinen were early breeders, and we do know that … Continue reading Bouvier des Flandres
Scrivener
If you enjoy research and writing, you are probably always on the lookout for a better way to keep track of information. Scrivener is an outstanding program that can help. As for telling you what Scrivener can do, it’s hard for us to know where to start, since it can do so much. First off, Scrivener is an excellent way to organize research materials. You … Continue reading Scrivener
Border Collie
Most of the herding dogs of the British Isles trace back to a common ancestor—the big, black-and-tan mastiffs brought by Julius Caesar around 55 BC to guard and drive livestock to feed the Roman army. Of course, British and Scottish sheepdogs do not look much like mastiffs. This is owing to the influence of small herding spitzes brought by the Vikings after the collapse of … Continue reading Border Collie
