Newsletter #304 2025 Apr 14 Monday
Lots of spring cleaning, F250 repairs, updated chick pics, and a Tart Cherry Pure Maple Syrup update; "5s" in the garage/workshop complete, now to sustain!
Primal Woods
The “scarlet elf cup;” from the outside it looks like half an eggshell, but the bright red color inside the cup is beautiful.
Pure Maple Syrup
So. One of these labels will go below the regular Pure Maple Syrup label on the 16 oz. bottles of Tart Cherry Pure Maple Syrup. I know they are very similar, and I have my favorite, but what’s yours, left, right or center?
More cleanup of buckets this week, and I am now over 2/3rds of the way done.
It was when I was out in the woods collecting sap buckets that I saw the scarlet elf cup above, and a couple of other notable spring ephemerals.
Aside from the scarlet elf cup, the umbrella-looking plant is a mayapple; when mature there will be one small (cherry-sized) “apple” under the umbrella. The single leaf at right is a trout lily; when the flower blooms I’ll give you another picture of it.
Sawmill Services
I have jobs in the pipeline, but none this past week, which turned out to be a good thing as there was a great deal of other work to be done. I suppose I can address part of it here; repairs to the “new” 42 year old F250.
First up was the glow plugs, at least half of which were inoperative, which gave rise to having to have the block heater plugged in, and one failure-to-start after a milling job. Unacceptable.
Pictured is the new glow plug controller, and the black netting over red wires is the new glow plugs harness. Thanks to a lot of help from Kenton we got most of the work done on Sunday; I was able to complete the work this morning. Except for testing, hopefully that will happen tomorrow.
I also had to jury-rig a temporary vent for the crankcase; I’m expecting a new CDR (crankcase depression regulator) valve May 1/2.
I know, it looks like shade tree mechanic stuff, and indeed it is; but I had all of the parts and tools on-hand, so it does have that going for it. And finally the starter solenoid…
This is the before picture, above. I was tightening the last fastener when the housing cracked on the new solenoid…ugghhh! We used to call that housing material “bakelite,” I am not sure if that is still used in this application. The good of bakelite is that it does not conduct electricity; the bad is that it is brittle, as I re-learned today.
So close and yet so far. This starter solenoid is not the hold-up to testing the glow plugs.
And, I am preparing the F150 for sale soonest; did some spring cleaning on that front yesterday. It cleaned up quite nicely thanks to the seat covers, and I have half a mind to hold on to it! But I do not need a second truck. It has been a very dependable machine; I am sorry to see it go.
Homestead Rebel
Layers
Spring cleaning came to the Chicken Coop, too.
Five tractor bucket-loads came out and went on the compost pile, two bales of fresh bedding went in.
Meanwhile the layers found some dry earth in the raised garden beds, and treated themselves to a spring dust bath. Just like God designed it.
The new layer chicks are growing fast. It is a bit hard to tell, but in the most recent picture at left you can see one bird stretching her wings; the are coming along nicely, fully feathered out, which means they can do a better job of regulating their body temperature.
Get Those Pig and Chicken Orders In!
Thank you to Justin, Tammy, Mark, Mandy and Scott for their pig/chicken orders! I would like to see three more pig orders, so if you are on the fence please decide soon.
Oxen
Maybe a couple of days of hay left for the oxen. I have some material at Menard’s waiting for pickup, which is part of the larger “water” project; it will help get water to the farthest reaches of the pasture, without have to lug it there in 5 gallon buckets. It will be a major improvement.
Farmhouse
There are still some open dates!
Two weekends are open in May, and one in June; Geri has been working diligently to book us up for the summer and beyond.
If you want to see reviews, click on this link.
We hope to see you soon!
News and Notes
There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to human nature.
Something a little more lighthearted.
Maybe I should give AI more credit.
It is true. If you want to do your own research, look at “all cause mortality” differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated. It is not even hidden.
My take on the Epstein situation…
Books & Such
I am still in The COINTELPRO Papers: Documents from the FBI’s Secret Wars Against Dissent in the United States.
Don’t go! We cannot do it without you! Help us to keep the wheels on this effort, by visiting the website, and buying some of our Pure Maple Syrup!
OR! If you find value in our work, please do consider supporting Homestead Rebel for $5/month subscription.
OR! I can understand not wanting to sign up for a subscription…I get it, but if you would still like to support our efforts…
All the best, and may God bless you and yours,
John & Geri
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Center for the Tart Cherry - can't wait to try it!