I fail to comprehend somethings. These things make up much of the world, and am told, many are just a result of human nature. This still does not add up with me.
I don’t understand why anyone would want to cause harm to another individual, or do something against the law or morals of ‘typical’ human beings, even indirectly harming, as one could foresee the consequence (anyone else understand foresee-ability? It holds in court, and should have merit in real life).
I have a strong set of morals. Stronger and stricter than most. Many things shock me, even though I know they shouldn’t. At twenty-six, not much in this world should shock me. I should be out of my wide-eyed, bushy-tailed bubble. But I’m not. Every single time something happens against my moral code, it shocks, appauls, and deeply saddens me. Why did someone make this choice? We’re only human, but that excuse only runs so deep, especially when the result impacts someone, another being.
This post is a result of my moral code conflicting with the very recent drunk driving accident involving Angels pitcher, Nick Adenhart. It isn’t the fact that he was someone famous; it is the fact that three people died and one is seriously injured because someone decided to drink much past their capacity. It is stories like this in the news that bring to light how many innocent people die in drunk driving crashes each year. I don’t understand why someone would drink, then drive. Obviously not one to think about others.
Why drive drunk? Why steal? Why rape? Lie? Kidnap? Abuse? Drink? Get high? Neglect? Cheat? Etc. So, what is it that makes people do these things? Before my education, I knew these things were wrong. So, what makes me so different from everyone else who commits these horrid crimes? What is it that can be done?
I don’t believe so much in ‘justice’. There is no justice that can be done for taking another person’s life. And who is to say when justice has been served? Is that person reformed? Is this reason why they do these things ingrained in their moral being?
Apparently I missed Metropolitan Sewer District’s rain barrel sale! They published one article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch about it. On the phone today, I asked a MSD representative if the rain barrel program would run again, and she said she isn’t sure as nothing had come down from home office yet. She said, however, if they do they will advertise it better this time around on bills and in the various newspapers.
Man! I am not even a MSD customer and I have to pay $5.32 per month for my property’s impervious land’s water runoff and I don’t even get a chance to buy a rain barrel to stop such ‘runoff’. MSD and I have argued about such ‘runoff’ before because there isn’t a rain sewer within 2 miles of my home. The representative on that day told me it also covers the streets I drive on, as those have runoff. What about apartment dwellers that use streets then?! Their arguements are weak. They just want to tax someone.
If MSD doesn’t get around to offering more rain barrels, consider making your own. You could even do something fun with your downspout if you use a rain barrel.
When I purchased my chicks in 2007, I knew next to nothing about chicken raising in real life. All of my knowledge was derived from books, MyPetChicken.com, and BackyardChickens.com. Of course, all of these are ‘pro-chicken’ resources, but they also told me about diseases, care, costs and housing requirements. I learned a lot in my first year and now I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but experience and knowledge are key in making valid arguments.
Some good tips for keeping your chickens, the neighbors, and city officials, at bay:
Building Design
Design something that is multipurpose. Consider if chicken raising isn’t for you, can the building make a good shed or potting house? Build something that is asthetically pleasing. Choose paint colors that match the house, or follow the trends in English gardens recently and paint all the outbuildings one color (i.e. coop and shed match). I built my coop out of some recycled materials, but I decided to choose wisely. The exterior of the building shouldn’t be ramshackle.
Decide on a good size. How many chickens do you want to keep? What will provide them with good ventilation? As chicken droppings break down, they form ammonia. Litter that stays moist can also harbor illness (coccidia for one) and cause respiratory aggravation. Recommended space, design and other tips can be found here from Virginia Tech.
Work in easy numbers – like 8′ ceiling, or 4′ if you’re doing a small chicken hut – this way you can maximize use of purchased 2x4s and not have a lot of falloff. See here for some good designs – some are more suburban friendly than others. Le Poulet Chalet was even featured on HGTV for its design. Here is even a chicken ark plan from our beloved Marley & Me author, John Grogan.
Pen Design
Pens should be secure, durable and attractive. Chicken wire with staples to wooden beams can easily be rammed by a stray dog or other chicken chasing wild animal. I chose a 10x10x6 chainlink dog kennel kit and bought an additional 12′ panel for a little under $200 at the farm supply. My coop is 12′ long, so I put two 10′ panels on each side with a 12′ panel on the end being sure to attach the panels to the coop with bolts! I also had to use something to accommodate the slope of the land, so I chose attractive landscape blocks to level the ground for each panel to step down.
Landscaping around the pen will help cut noise and block them from neighbors’ sight, if that is an issue. It also could help cut the wind and provide shade for the chickens during the various seasons. Pampas grasses are great natural shields. They grow 8 – 10′ high, are perennial, but they must be divided annually to avoid taking over your lawn.
Many of you may choose to free range your flock, which is great, but consider several pros to having a pen:
Less flock loss
They won’t get in the street
Some birds roost in trees if let out
They don’t eat your garden, or your neighbors’
You will have less chicken ‘do’ on your yard, deck, driveway, etc.
The Bockers
Choosing the right birds is key. You want birds that are friendly, bare confinement well and aren’t flighty. I haven’t had many birds go broody (want to hatch eggs), even if they were listed to be broody. Try MyPetChicken.com’s breed selector tool. Want both standard breeds and bantams? Stick with either one or the other, I have found. The bantams get picked on by bigger birds, lay smaller eggs and are easier for hawks and other aerial predators to carry away.
Do not get guineas, peafowl or roosters for your flock. Those are all very noisy birds. Roosters don’t just crow in the morning, they crow at 2 a.m., 12 p.m., 7:14 p.m. and so forth. Chris and I have often woken up to Joe’s crowing at 3 a.m. Roosters can also be aggressive. My rooster of 2007 spurred me and cut me through my jeans. If that had been my daughter, it would have been her face. I got rid of him promptly that evening.
Against Arguments
They smell – sure, anything can though if you don’t pick up properly after it. I change the litter every few months.
They’re noisy – much less than a dog or some playing children.
They carry diseases – not many that are zootonic. And no, the avian flu isn’t in any backyard flocks I know of.
They’re undesirable – to whom? I loathe yappy dogs, but it isn’t my property nor my choice regarding the neighbor’s pooch.
Decrease property value – my nice little coop actually raised my property value. Keeping it nice is the key though.
Why is this such an issue? Is it right for someone else to tell someone what they can do with their property? If someone doesn’t like my chickens, what keeps me from saying I don’t like their shed or deck? Or their obnoxious barking dog? Their fence that needs painting? If chickens are kept clean in neat housing, they are not a problem to anyone. I cannot even hear my hens bocking (the “I laid an egg” community celebration) with my windows closed. I can barely hear them if I have my windows open and theirs closed. Besides, my neighbors love my chickens. They enjoy watching them put around the yard, and theirs too (although I discourage them from such). One neighbor even tosses out scraps for them.
Chris said I should blog more about what I’m doing, so here I am. Blogging about what I am doing.
Raking in the Green
Something that is very dear to me is gardening. It is something my mom did and I grew up enjoying. But it is not just about the hobby. I enjoy creating something meaningful for my family – something that is better than the grocery store, not just in quality, but in flavor as well.
Last summer, our garden began. We had unseasonably cold weather last spring, but I started plants indoors to circumvent late crops. I also bought some fruit trees: an apple, a peach, a nectarine, a plum and a cherry. I later bought some goji seeds. And then my mom bought some dwarf banana seeds and gave me some gooseberry bushes. And I then bought 5 grapes, 4 blueberries, 2 blackberries and some much needed fencing. My intention with all these permanent additions to the landscape is to create a useful landscape.
Now, this year, I have my plants started – and after only starting them on the 8th of March, they are nearly all sprouted and some are ready to transplant already – and my plant order placed. I started cucumbers, kale, lettuce, spinach, celery, melons (Amish muskmelon, Moon & Stars, Sugar Baby and Yellow Doll watermelons), squash (acorn, butternut, and sunshine, zucchini), ground cherry, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, peppers (bell, banana and jalepeno), and tomatoes (cherry, pear, beefsteak, roma). I still have my 6 raspberry plants, 75 strawberry plants, 2 pawpaw trees and 4 liberty apple trees on order. To some of you, I know you are thinking, “That’s all so expensive!” It’s not really. I only used 2 – 4 seeds out of most packets and the fruit plants, bushes and trees will be staples in our landscape for years to come! I can refridgerate or freeze the seeds I have to make them last a little bit longer. The final thought – it is much cheaper to produce your own organic foods than it is to purchase the foods from the market. You can’t purchase this quality this cheaply at any store. Besides, this meal does not travel 1500 miles from farm to table. This one only travels 100 feet from the furthest point.
Another thing to note above. I provided links to the seeds I bought, if they were available online. Buying heirloom varieties is one way to ensure you can get the quality and reuse seed from the fruits you grow – dry the seeds on a paper towel and you may never put a seed order in again! Go to the Seed Savers Exchange for more heirloom seeds. Also, look for plants that perform well in your area. Consider what the plant wants – soil pH, sun, soil consistency, nutrients, sensitivity to wind, frost, water requirements, etc.
Even do what I am trying this year and plant in groups. This works because your garden plants can be tiered (corn in the middle with a tomato at the base and a pepper in the front and some pansies at the bottom), pairing certain plants can ward off diseases or help with pollination, and your garden looks more interesting. Something to consider as well is cycling the plants to different locations in the garden to make sure soil nutrients are not depleted and diseases do not build up in the soil. Only plant the same type of plant in the same location every three years – no less!
The Bockers
Two years ago on Memorial Day, I bought my first chicks. Six young pullets were then housed in the brooder cage my mom, dad and I built over the weekend with recycled materials and 1/4″ hardware cloth. There they stayed until the coop deluxe was completed the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Sure, we lost a few – more like a lot. The winter of 2007 we lost eleven to various predators. We only had 3 hens left come springtime. The summer of 2008, we replenished our hens with chicks and finally started getting eggs in October.
Now we have 5 hens, including 2 Buff Orpingtons, a White Plymoth Rock, a Rhode Island Red, and 1 grouchy Wheaton Ameraucana. We also have 5 pullets just about to lay, including 2 Black Stars (Sex Links), 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks and 1 Rhode Island Red. And, with the chicks bringing up the rear, I have some Welsummers incubating in the basement that should hatch a week from tomorrow! I will only keep a few of the Welsummers though, as I do not want to have more than 15 chickens, otherwise, I will have to expand my run.
The recommended minimum square feet per bird is 2 in the coop and 8 of outdoor space. My 7’x10′ coop and 12’x20′ run, could accomodate 30 chickens, but they’re much happier with larger accomodations! I am even thinking about buying another kennel panel kit to expand the run from 240 square feet to 640 square feet. With so many predators and stray dogs around, I just cannot stomach letting my flock free range any longer.
Doggone Dogs
Speaking of strays, several friends, Chris and I are forming a rescue group. We will focus on kill shelters in St. Louis and in surrounding counties. Any donations are greatly appreciated. Our wishlist includes pet food, crates, old blankets and towels, collars, leashes and volunteers! Chris is doing the website, but it is not ready to yet be unveiled. It’s still in the Frankenstein stages, mostly because I need to add content, but, nevertheless I will post when it is ALIVE!
It is day 22 at the Koerner house for the Welsummer hatch. Only 2 chicks have popped out. One I am gradually helping throughout the night. My hatch rate is 80% with eggs from my friend Kelly (if you would like hatching eggs, let me know – I’ll send you to Kelly!). This is horrible! My hatch rate for these guys is only 18%. Fertility was only 24%, so hatch of fertile eggs was 75%. Mind you, if we’re going that route, my hatches from Kelly have been in the 90% counting out the infertile eggs.
I was so excited for these chicks, not as excited hatching barnyard mixes as one never knows what is inside, but still excited nonetheless. I bought these from a breeder and anticipated great results. This happened last time as well when I bought from a breeder. Perhaps it is just that things shouldn’t be pure. Genetic differences in the gene pool are wonderful, biologically speaking. I think from now on I will stick with the barnyard mixes from Kelly or the standard chickens from the feed store.
Wouldn’t you like to see a perfect world full of happiness, soft green grass on your feet and no worries? Unfortunately, that isn’t so for us humans, but wouldn’t you like to give that to others? Particularly man’s best friend? By participating in Bark in the Park to benefit the Dr. Doolittle Fund, you can!
Bark in the Park is an annual event held by the Humane Society of Missouri in Forest Park at Cricket Field. The donations from the event go directly to helping homeless pets get necessary vet care through the Dr. Doolittle Fund. These pets, once healthy enough, go into loving adoptive families to live a pampered life. This is only possible with the help of donors!
Bark in the Park is great! Whether you have a pooch or not, it is still fun to enjoy a benefit walk through Forest Park or puruse the country fair. This year’s event will be on May 16 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The walk is at 11 a.m. and is one mile.
I would like everyone who comes across this to walk with my Bark in the Park team. Join up with the Mommas and the Puppas! And pass along http://member.hsmo.org/goto/MommasandPuppas to your friends! If you can’t make it to the event, please donate online on our site! Our goal as a team is $2500!
I am usually a chipper person. I always say, “Nothing is going to come of it by stewing over it.” Essentially, move on and get over it. Being sad about it doesn’t win anything new. Today, however, I just wanted to roll over, flip off the alarm and go back to sleep. It didn’t get much better.
Don’t buy GM.
The truck has gone through 3 batteries in its 6 years of life. This morning, when I am supposed to go somewhere, it doesn’t start. I go up to the store where I bought the battery to ask for a refund. They tell me the battery is still good and they’ll charge it. They call me later and tell me it is bad and I have to buy a new one. Fantastic. I could have bought the new one hours earlier and been on my way. They tell me to come get my refund for the bad battery later. I told them 7:30.
Take the trash out and cover the sofa.
For some reason, dog decides she can get on the sofa today. OH! And get in the trash! OHHH! And howl all day! She probably got in the cat box too.
The dog ate my homework excuse does not work in grad school.
I completely left my assignment at home. Thank you, Kim, for reading it to me over the phone.
Is bright blue the new invisible?
On Vandeventer, a black Volkswagen just decides to come on over. And keep coming after I honk. Then slowed way down. After finally getting to the highway, my husband had sent out a search party as it took so long.
Pay at the pump. Just trust me.
“I’m at pump 10.”
“You know, sometimes I walk home and get home and say, ‘Where’s my car?!’, and I forget I drove it to work and I gots to walk back and git it.”
“That’s a problem.”
“Na, I live close.”
“That’s good then.”
“Is that the turbo one?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Can I drive it?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Awww. Why not?”
“Well, it’s very babied.”
“You know, the harder you romp on thems cars, the better theys run.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Your time is money.
Don’t stand around for 45 minutes waiting for someone to give you a refund on a battery. Don’t also stand there and watch a punk flirt with two girls about their hub caps. Just leave. The manager isn’t coming. And when he does, he can’t calculate credits and debits right. Just go to the auto store where the staff are sitting outside in their cars with altezza lights, their hoods popped to reveal their stock engine bay with flashy hose covers, and the aroma of Amourall pouring out of the windows. Remember, Jackie is now spelled Jacy or Jaky whey they look up your account. Not like Jackie O. or anything.
Again, do I have cloaking on?
A SUV cuts over into my lane without a turn signal. I honk. At a flashing red, they stop. And stay stopped. I honk. At an intersection turning right, they yield. I am the only car within 1,000 feet of these people. I am not proud of this, but after 15 seconds, I beeped that horn like I was dribbling a basketball. I go right behind them. They proceed to cut over 2 lanes into my lane. I zip off in my that there turboed car.
Giving back to the community is very important to my family. We’re always thinking of ways to help people when their needs have not been addressed. We’re the smiling faces on campus giving people directions, even if we’re already running late. We live modestly, but understand our role in the community, and give in any way we can. Giving is meager, and now it is, for the most part, non-existent. Now that the economy is not so great, non-profit organizations are suffering.
Every year since Kari was born, I have ran or slept in for the cure. Chris and I donate time and resources to help various animal rescues in the St. Louis area. We also donate to the Humane Society of Missouri through programs, vet services and other donations. One of my favorite charity events each year is Bark in the Park. Tons of dogs. Loads of dog goodies. A fun T-shirt. And getting to see fellow rescuers! So…it’s official! This year’s Bark in the Park team has been formed! We’re the Mommas and the Puppas! Please support us – your donation will be greatly appreciated!!!
Note here I am not using the word medication. Behavioral drugs are depended on by many Americans. These Americans just want to live a life where they are in control of their feelings. I get it. What some don’t understand is that the drugs aren’t the only answer in every case and can cause more harm than good. They can eliminate one’s ability to work certain jobs, Make young children hallucinate and have long term affects. Yet, people continue to pop pills without a bat of an eyelash.
With increased spending on behavioral drugs, surpassing that of antibiotics, American needs to investigate and figure out why such drugs are increasingly used. The seeming correlation with the introducation of certain chemical compounds with the rise in behavioral drug use is shocking. One might argue the pills were not available back then; however, the rise in numbers of psychiatric patients has also risen. Perhaps people should investigate before they simply throw drugs at the ‘issue’.
I am proud to be drug free. I recently cut high fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate (MSG), carrageenan, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) from our family diet. All of these substances can cause behavioral issues, some cause cancer and others are indigestible. MSG in particular has been linked to severe behavioral modifications. Just by eating on item with MSG, I get a headache and makes me feel dizzy. It does, however, affect people differently. It could range from mild aggetation to extreme depression and rage.
With some of these behavioral drugs, I cannot help but wonder if drugs are used to treat the drugs found in our food.
Thank you, Sean for the fantastic Inauguration 2009 images.
Something interesting:
I was born on Election Day.
I held a mock election in 1992 at my grade school during recess. I spoke out at town hall meetings from the instant I turned ‘passable’ for eighteen. I rallied for change throughout high school. I now dream of rallying together people for change in laws concerning the health of people, treatment of all living things and immigration law.
My daughter’s birthday is January 20.
Going into law and ‘changing the world’ is on my to do list. Kari already seems to be pretty darn outspoken like me. Perhaps she’ll be destined for change as well.
