Comments for LivingSmall

Comment on Baguettes! by Wendy Rawlings

Wendy Rawlings — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:56:34 +0000

The baguettes look beautiful! And thanks for the cookbook suggestion! Will do!

Comment on El Cheapo Kitchen Reno … by Jim Freeman

Jim Freeman — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:52:14 +0000

I LOVE the arched entry to the kitchen. It’s a small house and that opens it up so nicely. Now that you have a really deductive (if not totally up to date) kitchen, think long and hard about keeping the arch. Arches are one of the lost remembrances of lovely little old homes.

Way cool (and thanks, Chuck, for the baseboard, corner round and patience. Now–as to those chickens–

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by Cat

Cat — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:15:38 +0000

Can’t you make your own feed?

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:19:16 +0000

As long as none of your chickens are named Colin, I think you’re all right.

BTW I referenced one of your other posts on my blog — thought you might like to know.

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by Katie

Katie — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:31:56 +0000

They aren’t just egg-machines. They also eat ticks and bugs. So they’re helping make your yard safer for you and the dogs. That’s certainly worth a little $$. And you’re investing some time and money to get much higher quality for the same amount of money. Plus giving food to people through the food panty. Get a couple more chickens and you’ll have plenty for free gifts.

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by cmf

cmf — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:21:25 +0000

Sigh. Actually, Himself has also referred to a “lifestyle” garden. The whole package — which I think, as much as I hate to admit it, can be a valid critique. Mine is lovely, but I also didn’t pay a lot for it — I recyled and had friends build things — but the fancy suburb where I grew up? Well, about a year ago, my mother called, and one of her younger friends was about to hire a contractor, for 10k (!!!!) to put in a raised bed veggie garden. *That* would be a “lifestyle” garden.
Mine, I feel quite confident, is not at that level.
And even though Himself and I go back and forth on this (in a good-natured way) — I do think it’s a valid examination. Is one doing it because one wants to? because one will learn something or gain satisfaction and skills and just plain enjoyment? or because of some Portlandia-type social pressure? Because what signifies being hip right now is backyard chickens and raised beds and turning up one’s lawn?

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:44:46 +0000

Oh also I was going to say that you don’t keep chickens just for their eggs. Right? You’re also keeping them to learn how to keep them — care, feed, slaughter.

Like how most people have vegetable gardens: partially for the veggies but also for the garden, the beauty of it and the joy of it.

Nobody ever referred to a “lifestyle garden,” which is interesting I think.

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:25:16 +0000

Sounds to me like a business opportunity — either to produce a nationally-distributed feed for less; or to identify local sources of “real” feed, Craig’s List-style. I mean, can you feed chickens healthfully on someone’s garbage? Mash from a brewery, maybe?

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by cmf

cmf — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:32:15 +0000

The chickens are definitely more cost effective than the two, aging bird dogs with their various gimpiness problems (Remidyl is *way* more expensive that chicken feed). And at least the chickens are pets who produce … but sigh, they’re pets.

And that makes sense about the commercial feed ingredients. It’s why I fell in love with the Big Sky feed — as the lady at my feed store said “*You* could probably eat it if you had to …” which indeed, it does look like a lot of muesli recipes …

Comment on “Lifestyle” Chickens? by JeCaThRe

JeCaThRe — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:58:22 +0000

The big feed producers don’t put ingredients on the bag because it changes everytime based on what’s cheapest. They buy what’s cheap and then blend it it the right proportions to get to that guaranteed analysis.

And you may have lifestyle chickens, but they’re still more cost effective than a housepet, and I bet those eggs of yours are gorgeous.