keeping bees!

“'It’s like having 35,000 pets,' she said. 'I’m hyperactive, so anything that shuts down my brain is a good thing. When I’m working at a hive, I’m quiet and meditative.'”

"the chemical that is usually associated with embalming fluid or dissected frogs"

Another good reason to buy used:

"Formaldehyde is commonly found in a broad range of consumer products and can show up in practically every room of the house. The sheets and pillow cases on the bed. The drapes hanging in the living room. The upholstery on the couch. In the bathroom, it can be found in personal care products like shampoos, lotions and eye shadow. It may even be in the baseball cap hanging by the back door."

"this pyro-gastronomical experiment"

I think we need an outdoor oven and a goat.

how can this not be our daughters?

“It’s not cool to not have a cellphone anymore or to not wear exactly the right thing,” Ms. Munroe said. “The poor girls who have Strawberry Shortcake shirts on, forget it."

"they burble and chatter, whistle and purr"

This farm in Peru uses 1000 guinea pigs to power their farm and create an income stream (fertilizer) on the side. 

And here is an example of a dairy farm in the US, though I don't think we're planning to have this many cows.

BCS Two-Wheeled Tractor

"Equally comfortable in the forest - shredding branches and hauling out firewood - as it is in open areas tilling soil, removing snow and bailing hay."

"carrots, spinach, beets, kale, watermelon, squash, zucchini, peppers, lots of tomatoes"

Those enterprising Michiganders!

"the highlight of a pig roast is its unveiling"

Make a hole in the ground, dug by hand or a tractor. Line with rocks. Light a fire. Roll in a pig. Give it time.


1. Dig a pit.
2. Build a fire in the pit to heat rocks and accumulate coals.
3. Lower the pig into the coals.
4. Bury the pig beneath an insulating layer of dirt.
5. Wait a day.
6. Dig up the pig.
7. Eat the pig.

Ingredients: Whole roasting pig, garlic, red onions, pineapple, butternut squash, brown sugar, rosemary, banana leaves, burlap, chicken wire, hot hot coals.