by Gilbert Taylor
I have to admit, I probably don’t eat as much meat as the average American. I like it, of course. The trouble lies in the fact that, for me, large quantities of meat just aren’t healthy.
At the same time, what meat my family does eat is an important part of our diet. Unfortunately, with the flooding in the Midwest that wiped out a lot of the corn crop that was used for animal feed, the price of meat should start climbing around Thanksgiving.
As a member of EAU, I know the importance of self-sufficiency; and I’m on notice that Peak Oil is on the way. So, naturally, my solution is simple: raise my own meat.[imghttp://www.europeanamericansunited.org/images/chicken1.jpg[/imgOf course, that meant that a coop would be advisable. As I live so far north that the permafrost is barely penetrable until May, a well-insulated coop is in order so that my breeding stock stays in good shape over the winter.
[imghttp://www.europeanamericansunited.org/images/coop2.jpg[/img
In the picture you can see that the pentagon-shaped floor of the coop is well-insulated.
I opted in this case for a rather unusual design, because I’ve always been fascinated with geometry. Here you can see the basic structure. Don’t try this unless you are good at cutting three-dimensional angles with a circular saw!
[imghttp://www.europeanamericansunited.org/images/coop1.jpg[/img
Meanwhile, the main garden can’t be neglected! I use raised-bed techniques, and here is a bed of closely-spaced onions that were started from seed back in late January.
[imghttp://www.europeanamericansunited.org/images/garden1.jpg[/img
I’ll keep you posted as the project progresses. Meanwhile, happy gardening!