A while back I got tired of trying to figure out what an appropriate tip would be under a given circumstance, so I decided to simplify my life and leave a generous tip no matter how bad (or good) the service was. I don’t like judging people, anyway, so it seems awfully burdensome to have … The post Tipping as a Spiritual Exercise appeared first on Robert Plamondon's Rural Life ..read more

Are your chickens suffering from mite infestations? Roost mites (also called red mites, nest mites, chicken mites, or even dermanyssus gallinae) are a problem that can happen to any flock, especially a free-range flock, since the mites are spread by wild birds. If left unchecked, they can cause a lot of suffering. Because the mites … The post Watch Out for Roost Mites appeared first on Robert Plamondon's Rural Life ..read more

Sometime in the late Forties, my Dad realized that was worrying about the Mideast Crisis. But why? The odds that Harry Truman was going to call to ask his advice were zero. Nor does the US have a system of national referendum that would allow him to vote “Yes” or “No” on the Mideast Crisis. … The post Dad’s Advice About Politics and the News appeared first on Robert Plamondon's Rural Life ..read more

If you look on the Internet or ask your neighbors, you’re likely to hear a lot of nonsense about rodent control, stuff in the Pied Piper class of implausibility. What really works? Successful Rodent Control: A Personal Example What works best for me, on my farm? Rat poison (or rodenticides, if you’re feeling fancy). Do I … The post How to Get Rid of Rats and Mice appeared first on Robert Plamondon's Rural Life ..read more

Kindling a fire used to be done with newspaper. After all, everyone has tons of old newspapers lying around, right? Not anymore! I don’t, anyway. We stopped taking a daily paper a while ago. You know what we have tons of? Amazon Prime boxes! I once read an extension service report from … somewhere … … The post Using Amazon Boxes Instead of Newspaper to Start a Fire in Your Fireplace or Wood Stove appeared first on Robert Plamondon's Rural Life ..read more

Well, folks, I can’t say I’ve heard anything very heartening about the coronavirus. “Mild” cases often involve pneumonia. (That’s mild? Really?) Recovered patients, even from “mild” cases, sometimes show lung damage that’s likely permanent. It’s too early to know about COVID-19 yet, but many of the other coronaviruses don’t give lifetime immunity. More like a ..read more

Joke 1 A man fell off the Empire State Building. As he passed the thirtieth floor, he shouted, “So far, so good!” Joke 2 The kids were pretending they were a band. They marched around the kitchen beating pots and pans with ladles and wooden spoons. After a while, one kid said, “I wish Mom ..read more

I’m going to tell you how the coronavirus is going to disrupt your grocery-shopping and food-eating experience. “So, Robert,” you ask, “exactly how is this going to disrupt those things?”Actually, I don’t know. Neither does anybody. Sorta my point, really. And this advice holds true for any disaster, not just the current one. Sure, Plant ..read more

Should you brood some baby chicks during the COVID-19 outbreak? Of course you should! But … how? Answer: Pretty much the same as always, but you might need to be a little more flexible, especially if you usually use feed-store chicks and your local store doesn’t have any (for whatever reason). Here are some tips ..read more

Lots of people can’t interpret a graph to save their lives, which is a shame, because that’s what it’s coming down to. But I can teach you how in just a few minutes. I’ll throw in figuring out which alleged experts to trust as a free bonus. They’d Rather Lose a Kidney Than Say, “I ..read more