Tabla de contenidos para November/December 2024 en Grit

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living.”—Tecumseh ■ As I write this letter, it’s a warm, mid-September day, nearly 90 degrees. It’s hard to think about winter, which seems so far away. Although I’ve never particularly “warmed up” to winter’s chill, I do love the togetherness, the food, and the decorations. Autumn, on the other hand, is perfect to me. The earth trades in hues of greens for a blanket of oranges and yellows and reds, a lingering smell of harvest wafts through the air, and family gatherings overflow with tempting dishes made with food from the garden. It’s also the perfect time to enjoy outdoor activities during the…

Whether you’re a longtime country resident with just-transplanted city folk moving in next door, or you’re preparing to be the new neighbor yourself, neighborhood relationships in the countryside are particularly important. You might think that because neighbors are separated by many acres or even miles in the country, you don’t have to worry about them. Out of sight, out of mind. But interactions with your neighbors can be more common in rural areas. And there’s a good reason for that—out here, a good neighbor can be a lifeline. A good neighbor can help you in a crisis, especially if emergency services are far away, and neighbors with complementary farming skills can work together. One of the greatest benefits of good relationships in a rural town is that you may find…

As we prepare for the holidays, I always take a day to make gifts from the kitchen to share with friends, teachers, and co-workers. One of my favorites is a homemade bread recipe from my grandmother. In the past few years, I’ve also discovered the fun of making “recipes-in-a-jar.” These are creative gifts with endless possibilities. Pumpkin Bread in a Coffee Can My grandma Bettie was very involved in her church, and she liked to bring gifts for people in the congregation around the holidays. She’d save coffee cans for months ahead of time so she’d have a big supply ready for baking at Christmas. She lived in suburbia, but she embodied the spirit of simple homesteading, putting everything to good use and finding new purposes for items that others…

“If you’re cold, they’re cold” is a common adage. Unfortunately, it’s led to many preventable fires. Winter brings a chill, and with it, heat lamps, heaters, and plenty of other hazards for the barn. No one wants to walk into their barn and find frozen livestock, so here are some tips on keeping your critters comfortable and as safe as possible—though there’s no such thing as zero risk when it comes to heating a space. Understanding Your Outlets Often, barn fires are caused by electricity. And, understandably, an electrical fire is one of the scarier things that can happen, given the many unknowns electricity represents for many of us. So, first things first: Let’s unpack some basic terms. Amps are the measurement of the flow of electricity through a circuit.…

Growin’ Up Gritty is a new GRIT department written by youth in ag, about youth in ag. The county fair is home to bustling crowds, the bright lights of midway rides, and every food imaginable. Look just a little bit further, and you’ll see the yearly event’s true treasures: hundreds of hardworking kids who’ve dedicated months’ worth of early mornings, late nights, their own money, and endless hours of blood, sweat, and tears into raising and training livestock. Youth ages 9 to 19 can participate in the fair, and they represent many organizations, including 4-H, Future Farmers of America (FFA), Boy and Girl Scouts, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Grange, and Camp Fire. Long before the fair itself begins, kids select their project animal. They’ll visit breeders or evaluate their own…

Share your visual perspective! Post your photos at www.Facebook.com/GritMagazine, tag us on Instagram (@Grit1882), or email us at Letters@Grit.com. Share your best shots, and we just might select one of your photos for a future issue of the magazine.…

If you’re looking to build a brick pier (a vertical column), all it takes is a little knowledge and familiarity with a few construction basics—such as what level, plumb (vertically level), and flush (mortar in line with the bricks) look like — and a few essential tools. Various piers, which can serve as a mailbox or driveway lining, can be an inviting landmark for visitors and raise your property value. Whether you’re building a pier, a wall, or replacing old masonry, getting it right from the get-go will help prevent any unnecessary hassle later. Be sure to have your supplies—bricks, mortar, levels, squares, trowel, wheelbarrow, shovel, masonry line, water, etc. — ready before you begin your project. You can ensure your project is level, flush, plumb, and square in several…

This recipe is near to my heart. The recipes I share often have stories behind them, are inspired by people dear to me, or offer a tasteful memory from moments in time. This one is a combination of my granny’s recipe for chocolate cake, always topped with a coconut and pecan frosting, and advice from a friend who taught me what I know about baking cakes from scratch. I’ve removed the coconut from my recipe, as one of my littles is allergic, but included a note at the end for those who love it. This from-scratch German chocolate cake will melt in your mouth. GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE Pecan Frosting 1 cup evaporated milk1 cup sugar3 fresh egg yolks1 stick butter1 teaspoon vanilla2 cups chopped pecans Chocolate Cake 1 cup Dutch-process…

Every once in a while, you’ll get a perfectly clear day—“not a cloud in the sky,” as they say. While this makes for an ideal picnic setting, clouds have interesting stories to tell. They’re an integral part of the weather on Earth. In many ways, they are the weather. Observant cloud watchers can even use them for forecasting. HOW IT ALL WORKS Clouds play a critical role in Earth’s water budget. Water evaporates primarily from the oceans and becomes water vapor in the atmosphere. To keep the cycle going, we need to get this water back down to Earth’s surface. When air is cooled sufficiently, water vapor will condense into water droplets or ice crystals, depending on the temperature. This is cloud formation. These droplets and ice crystals are so…

Thanksgiving morning, 1973: the time I cooked my first turkey, and the time I learned just how skilled, loving, and patient my mother could be in the face of my frenzied cooking attempts. That morning, I stuck my arm into the still-half-frozen bird and pulled out a waxed-paper bag of something. Time to call Mom. It was 5:30 a.m. “What am I supposed to do with this bag of slime?” I asked. Somehow, Mom knew who it was. Her voice was pleasant, if a bit groggy. “Those are your giblets. Boil them in some water for your gravy,” she said. The recipe for the gravy I was making said “add water and stir” on the envelope. No giblets mentioned. So, I hung up and tossed the giblets in the trash.…

Where I live, frost or snow can cover the ground for up to six months of the year. Fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs aren’t readily available, unless you want to pay dearly for produce trucked in from who knows where. What are we to do to break free from the confines of canned and frozen vegetables? The way I see it, I have two options: Head to the grocery store and purchase overpriced, questionable produce, or use the resources I do have (even if favorable outdoor conditions isn’t one of them) to grow whatever I can at home. For the past several years, I’ve chosen the latter and taken steps to turn my home into a greenhouse. Growing vegetables inside is nothing new, of course. Many people keep fresh herbs…

Looking for a way to feed your animals quality feed or jump-start a small baling enterprise? If you’ve got 2 to 30 acres of land, investing in small-scale equipment and starting your own hay production is possible! By growing and processing your own hay, you can control the timing, quality, and pricing. Considerations Larry Seymour, a recently retired product specialist at BCS America (www.BCSAmerica.com), recalls getting started with hay production shortly after moving to the country. “We felt, as newcomers, we’d pretty much have to make our own.” Knowing your weather is one of the first steps when considering hay production. “To make good hay, you need a weather forecast with three rain-free days,” Seymour says. You shouldn’t cut hay when it’s wet, and it certainly won’t grow easily in…

Only $24.95 for one gift subscription (1 year, 6 issues) Best Deal $20 ea. for two or more gift subscriptions (1 year, 6 issues) When you give the gift of Grit magazine this holiday season, you’re extending a passport to the time-honored traditions that you know and love. Each issue compiles articles celebrating the rural lifestyle with money-saving tips, DIY know-how, outdoor projects, crowd-pleasing recipes, practical preparedness strategies, and more! Plus, with each gift subscription, your friends and loved ones automatically gain access to a trove of membership benefits … • 1 year (6 issues) of GRIT magazine• Special offers on select books, tools, kits, and hands-on resources in the GRIT Store, available in each issue.• A sneak peek of each new issue, PLUS recommended content from our online archive…

Preparing your homestead for inclement weather may not always be on your mind, but it’s a critical task that shouldn’t be left to the last minute. When the storm clouds roll in, that’s not the time to try to pick up things you might need to keep your farm operable. When making decisions during a critical incident, always prioritize life, limb, and property, in that order. Always cover your bases with the essentials of life for you, your family, and your livestock, and verify that it’s safe to work before starting any cleanup activities. With that in mind, let’s look at some essential equipment to have on the homestead and how to keep it ready to go. Generators Generators can be a lifesaver in the boondocks, literally. Neither you nor…