Casaubon's Book
Archives for May, 2010
Department of Redundancy…Redundancy Department.
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 27, 2010 Before I take off for the weekend, I thought I’d leave you with another re-run on the very basic process of adapting to rapidly changing conditions. Today I’m starting another Adapting-In-Place Class, beginning with the basics of evaluating whether you have a future where you are, what your other choices are, and then triaging your…
They are Pirates…and They Sing!
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 27, 2010 My children are pirates right now. There’s a fallen tree in the woods that makes a superb pirate ship, and my children have boarded and captured it. And they are singing pirate songs. Loudly. It is a very good thing that we live so far from other human habitation – if we lived in the…
Dairy Excess: Make Fromage Blanc
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 25, 2010 For those of us with dairy critters, now is the time of milk overflow, but even if you aren’t ever going to get a cute little goat, you might have milk around. And boy is this yummy. We’ll get more complicated eventually, but this is pretty simple, and if you’ve never made any kind of…
On (and In) Crawdad Creek
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 25, 2010 When we bought the property, the creek was frozen over, and from the property survey, we weren’t entirely certain that it would belong to us. We never realized that the pretty little body of water that passed along the north side of the house would become the center of four worlds. For the first few…
Adapting-In-Place Class Starts Thursday
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 24, 2010 Just a reminder that Aaron Newton (my co-author on A Nation of Farmers) and I will be running our Adapting in Place Class online for six weeks, starting Thursday. The class is asynchronous – you don’t have to be online at any particular time, just participate when you like. The goal of the class is…
Goat Girl, or, The Milking Life
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 24, 2010 (Our new buckling, Cadfael, bred by our friends Jamey and Carol at Weathertop Farm (who are a great place to start if you are looking for little goats.) We arrived at their place recently about three minutes after he was born! Note: This is a repeat from last year, since we’ve got visitors and family…
The New Essentials?
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 21, 2010 This list popped up on my screen this morning, and I thought it was an interesting window into a worldview. The article lists ten things that despite the economy, we aren’t cutting back on: Portable computers. The iPad might be the latest must-have gizmo, but the power of computers transcends trendiness. Brianna Karp, for instance,…
But What About the Giant Mutant Crabs?
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 20, 2010 Russian TV offers a potential solution to close up the oil leak in the Gulf – nuclear explosions. And no, Stephen Colbert isn’t going to pop out here – this is serious. Well, sorta. As the reporter points out, the flora and fauna of the Gulf may not thank you. On the other hand, how…
Wouldn’t You Choose the Most Toxic, Least Effective Dispersant?
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 20, 2010 Thanks to fellow science blogger Ed Brayton for the link to this New York Times article, which suggests that because of ties to the company, BP chose to flood the Gulf with a dispersant that is both more toxic than many of the other options and also less effective. So far, BP has told federal…
Defeat Zombies with Your Victory Garden
Posted by Sharon Astyk on May 20, 2010 Damn, I wish I’d written this! John Michael Greer takes up the Victory Garden, and puts it in its proper place – economically, politically, socially – and for zombie slaying. What’s not to love? And I think he has it pretty much exactly right here – that while growing your own is never the solution…