Mefford Endeavors Farm Projects 2020

2020 – Its about time for an UPDATE      

Hello and welcome! A new decade is a great time to forge ahead to make difference. It feels almost like a new beginning. As we reflected on this past year, it was obvious that 2019 was one of those odd years where time flew by and the feeling that nothing got done hangs overhead. 2019 was indeed busy, and as I am learning through other endeavors, it is counter productive to look backwards. 2019 was a year of growth, and expansion. Personally, and for our property. A time of searching for what we want to become, and how we can get there.  

On this date, we have committed to bringing our followers along for our ride, and to help you see what it means to be up to something most days. I am not sure a week goes by that we are not doing or making, or trying something new.

Our goals for 2020 –

·                   Finish the Greenhouse and have our first spring flower sale.
·         Advertise our Vegetable sales with 25 varieties of Tomatoes
·         Host a tomato tasting event
·         Remove the old Blueberry trellis, and reclaim the garden
·         Replace rotten Garden beds
·         Plant a huge squash Gourd patch for sale, and showing in the local fair
·         Begin planting Christmas Trees on the property
·         Establish a Worm farming component
·         Raise Turkeys
·         Build Chicken Pucker
·         Put siding on the barn
·         Shoot You Tube Videos as often as we can
·         And any other project that sparks our interest or that a reader suggests.

Since I work full time, this list looks daunting. But mornings, evenings and weekends are available, and I am determined to make our farm a place to bring your family for a picnic, or stop and see the animals.  I love my full time job, and bookkeeping, taxes and accounting will always be my favorite (yes, I am a weird one), but the desire to be more home oriented has been weighing on my soul in 2019 and unless I make intentional plans to improve our farm, it simply will not get done. The list will be a springboard for us to organize our time and work out a time management plan to “Get er done”.

Welcome back! and stay tuned for many grand adventures to come!

Be sure to come see us on You Tube !! Subscribe so you do not miss any of our adventures!

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgxyYddDauD44bfH3G0FMWg?view_as=subscriber

Creating a milk and egg refrigerator from a discarded freezer

As winter faded into spring and spring slipped into summer we found that we have a problem. An egg problem... we have about 45 layers and that tends to be 30-36 eggs a day. those eggs need stored in a refrigerator. three dozen times 7 days is 21 dozen eggs or way to many for the dormitory size refrigerator we were using to hold those eggs for sale or eating. We needed a solution, A big solution! Not only are we blessed with eggs but the cow is due to calve in late summer and we will need to store the 3-4 gallons of milk she gives us twice a day, and the butter and then there is a garden full of produce and maybe a cold refreshing beverage or two.

What we do not need is another refrigerator/freezer. what we do need is an upright fridge! They do make upright refrigerators, but they are WAY out of our financial grasp. This is when a friend called and offered us an upright freezer! FREE! Great! Sort of... we need it to be a refrigerator. First we tried turning it up to refrigerate but not freeze. That sort of worked. It was not consistent enough for what we needed. Sometimes everything was just right and other times the contents would be frozen solid or warm to the touch, No good! I did some research online and found a solution, we would need to change our analog freezer into a digital refrigerator! so I ordered the part on Amazon and in a few days I had the part I needed!

The installation was really straight forward and I made a video of it that you can watch HERE.  The analog thermostat is really just a temperature sensitive on/off switch that was unfortunately not sensitive enough.

I unhooked the old thermostat, two wires  and then took a good look at what I was in for. There were two wires from the compressor. two wires from the thermostat and then the three wires coming from the wall. It all breaks down about like this... three wires from the wall, hot, neutral and ground. Ground goes to the metal case of the freezer. Neutral was already connected to one of the compressor wires, the other compressor wire is connected to the Hot wire from the wall thru the thermostat switch.
So this is what I bought a digital thermostat from Amazon

As you can see it has a temperature probe that comes with it and if you look on the back, that is the six wires that need hooked up. two are for that thermostat, two are for AC power in and the last two hook up to the original thermostat wires. I had to splice AC power in, to power the new controller and then just hook the two old thermostat wires to the new digital thermostat and the two wires for the new temperature sensor.

The video really shows it all much better so go ahead and watch it by clicking HERE. don't forget while you are over on youtube to give it a thumbs up and subscribe!

 

a few more pictures...



 

As you can see we are using it so it must work! it only has one real drawback...Condensation! I imagine it will be better when we get out of the heat of the summer but right now if you put anything cardboard in this refrigerator it comes out sopping wet. I have ten gallons of water in it to represent the milk that should be there, and some kale salad, and coffee creamer....

 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post and remember if you are not comfortable and knowledgeable of working with AC power THEN DON,T!  Call an electrician or a friend that has the knowledge and the tools. A mistake could cost you!

Our adventures in videography!

The Video's

I found a free book about how to make money on you tube, So I downloaded it to my kindle.

It was a really quick read, even for me... but I will save you the time. The book said to post videos. Lots of videos, about whatever it is that you do. You can have multiple channels, pretty much any content that would suit a general audience. There is how to videos, book review videos, people doing funny or stupid things. Whatever you find on television, you can probably find it on you tube.

So... make videos... ok... but its hard to figure out what I want to make a video of... I told the kids, whatever I am doing remind me to make a video! Let other people figure out if its cool or not. The very first video I made was of me reviewing the contents of my mothers clothespin basket. To see that first video click here. Not real exciting, but it got the ball rolling, so next I did a series of seven videos about building a "CANJO". A Canjo is a simple one or two string instrument that uses a can as a sound resonator You can see video 1 in the series here. That set of videos was sooooo much better than the first one, I changed camera persons, We worked with my lighting a little and got a bit better at using the video editing software that came with our computer. 

 

 All these next pictures are "oopsies" from the Canjo series. it seems the camera person forgot to change the camera to video or there was stuff in the way or whatever.  This is a really low budget operation there is no fancy equipment. We tried to use my old Olympus camera, but that was really grainy. then our old Kodak digital, the zoom was broke and it made a terrible noise. All these video's were shot using my iPhone 4. if you are into iphones you know they are at iPhone 6 now, so my 2+ year old iPhone 4 that I paid $.99 (yes ninety-nine cents) for when iPhone 5 came out is the best video camera we have in the house!

 In this candid shot you can see our "monopod" that steadies the camera for filming. Yes it is a can of aerosol glass cleaner - use what you got! We have no microphone so I just spoke as loud and clear as I could.
  We took this video in our "dining" room. which at this point still had craft fair stuff and Christmas gifts in the background. (you can see Gramma's wind chimes to the right of my head, Which I hit more than once in the videos, and there is a walking stick, even the horseshoe coat rack was made by my son as a gift!) We filmed from either side of the table and tried to edit out as many goofs as was possible.
 

I think after it is all done that we could have edited more out, but I really wanted the viewer to see the whole process. I hate it when you are trying to learn something and there is a big piece of important information that was left out....

I am unable to really play any music whatsoever, so I do not really play, I more kind of plunk along to a melody. Two strings are my max, and I don't play them both at the same time!

The canjo is a very interesting instrument, it is a play by number thing. you count down from the tuner to which fret you need to press and then pluck that string. For example, twinkle, twinkle is played  0 0 4 4 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 The "0" is open you don't hold any fret down.  If this sort of homemade music interests you, I suggest watching video 7 first. You can find it by clicking here.

              So now we are in the movies, the small screen, really really small screen. What will we do next? I think some hydroponics stuff, Kratky system I think. Maybe some woodworking? maybe I should do a series on making homemade clothespins. Suggestions are always welcome.

Until next time,

May God bless you all!

 

Designing an outdoor run for the ladies

The Chicken Run!

or

 

The truncated elongated icosahedron poultry exercise facility! 

or

 

The Chicken Run!

I sometimes like to build scale models of my upcoming projects. This is especially true if it is a complex first time project like we are going to build here.

I have always been intrigued by geodesic domes.  They have a simple complexity that I am captivated by. I would like to build a dome like structure and why not use it to put the chickens in? I got the process started with a paper dome model that I found online. I printed out 4 of them and cut them to pieces to make an elongated dome.

 This is the dome after cutting it out and taping it together. But it needed to be longish not roundish. So I went looking and found a website that sold plans for an elongated dome...I'm not a fan of buying plans,... and they had a picture,... so I read the picture and googled "hexagon graph paper" and "soccer ball pattern".  The hexagon graph paper showed me that the center section is just whole and half hexagons. The soccer ball pattern showed me that I only need pentagons to make the ends close in!

This paper model helped me visualize what I had thought to be the solution to my problem of an elongated dome. Now it was time to get serious about this scale model!

That's right, break out the drinking straws and the fishing line! Small scale production is about to Begin!

 

I started with my hexagon center section idea to validate the concept.

 Then, armed with my paper model, I went right to building a 1/12th scale model of the structure! I chose 1/12th scale because the math is easy...1 inch = 1 foot. The struts are going to be 18 inches long which is 1.5 feet or in scale... 1.5 inches! I cut a LOT of 1.5 inch lengths of straws...158 to be exact!

 I am only going to use the perimeter of the hexagons and pentagons which makes this dome more of an elongated truncated icosahedron...ish thing.  

 This is the beginning of my second try at this model, 4 hexagons

 Now there is more to see, notice the pentagon in the center of the straws? I used a single run of fishing line that runs thru the whole structure! I kept adding lengths with surgeons knots so I could keep tension on the whole thing with one string.

 The End is starting to look like something! There are 3 pentagons on each end of the structure. The pentagons essentially pull the hexagons tighter together on one side making the structure round out a bit. Note to self, pentagons do Not touch each other! (if they do you have to tear it apart AGAIN!)

 One end nearly complete!

 Now I am working down one side, the half hexagons on the bottom edge are 3 - 1.5 inch pieces and 1 - 3 inch piece, yes exactly double, there are ten of the double length pieces in the entire structure.

 I was amazed that the model supported itself at the half built stage!

 how's that for a rookie modeler? Another great thing about using 1/12th scale is that I can take measurements off of the model to check things like overall height, length and width! I only had to build it twice to get it right!

If it is self supporting with straws and fishing line, how much better will it be full size with steel struts and bolted at every joint! We are very excited to get this project started and I will be bringing you updates thru the whole process!

Speaking of the whole process, have you been to our web store lately? www.meffordendeavors.com is where we fund our projects from, so please head on over there and take a look around...The chickens and I Thank You!

Triple Barrel feeder for the chicken Taj Mahal!

The "Not Your Typical" Triple barrel Chicken feeder!

 

This is where we start our build today, PVC and a 2x6! I enjoy working in pvc except when the people at lowes ask me what I am working on and I tell them I am building a chicken feeder and then there is that awkward silence and puzzled look.... They will get over the shock -eventually!

The pvc I am using for this project is actually drainage pipe. I am using drain pipe for two reasons. 1. It is a lot cheaper especially when you start buying fittings and elbows and stuff! 2. My Sister had some lying around and asked me to get rid of it, So I did! The drain pipe is a lot thinner walled than the regular schedule 40 stuff at lowes but for what we are using it for it will be more than okay.

The new coop was built with the studs 16" on center which means the space between the studs should be 14 1/2" and that is where I will start. I grabbed a piece of scrap 2x6 in the workshop and found my 4" hole saw and got busy putting three 4" holes in the 2x6. The holes were not quite big enough so I worked them over on the spindle sander to get the pipe to fit the holes.

The pipes were all leftovers so I figured out a pipe length that I could get three equal length pieces out of what I had on hand. I made mine as long as I could for the space and with the pipe I had. Next was the trip to lowes, I always try to take a sample pipe with me to get plumping supplies, it generally helps to make sure you come home with the right stuff. I got three 4" STREET elbows and three 4" 45 degree couplers.

Getting "street" fittings makes it so you can add the 45 degree right after the 90 degree fitting. Basically using a "street" elbow makes it so that the two fittings attach to each other without using a piece of pipe.

So that is all my parts except for a box of #8x 1/2" self tapping pan head screws.

LETS BUILD!

 

I started from the top, putting three screws thru the pipe into the 2x6.

Repeat for all 3 pipes. The tops of the pipe is level with the top of the 2x6.

Next I put the three 90 degree elbows onto the pipes, I angled the outside fittings out a little to give the ladies some wing room at the feeder.

The 45 degree fittings slip right onto the street fittings and then...

I screwed it all together with three screws in the 90 degree fitting into the pipe and only one screw down from the top on the 45 degree fitting. I decided to use screws instead of glue because then I can take it apart for cleaning or repairs or whatever.

My feeder now looks like it might be something! The little girl is Camilla, one of my distinguished helpers!

Next I went out to my workshop and I made a top/ lid box thing...but I forgot my camera so it looks like this....

The box just sets on the top of the 2x6, it will get screwed into the studs in the coop so it stays put. Speaking of the coop, It's time to install the feeder! 

 

It fits snuggly between the studs and easily holds a 50lb bag of feed. The lid should keep out unwanted critters and stuff. Just one note on filling the feeder...put a scoop or two in the bottom first! If you just dump in from the top the feed quickly exits the bottom! But if there is feed in the bottom already then it fills the tubes. In the last picture there is about 30lbs of feed in the feeder and the tubes are not quite half full! The Ladies of the coop are a well fed group!

If you have any questions or comments please leave them below!

 

May GOD Bless you all!

Thomas

Check out our New improved Website!

Newly Released "Not Your Typical" Stuff

New " Not your Typical" Products for the Fall of 2014

This has been a great Fall here on the farm! I was able to spend some time in the shop working on some exciting new projects!

First is our "Not Your Typical" Salad tongs! An all wood design that uses the flexibility of the wood to spring them open! they have been very well received and get rave reviews from our product test family!

 

   Next is what we like to call "Not Your Typical" bagel tongs these were conceived after our store bought pair of toaster tongs broke in half while removing toast from the toaster! So we took the idea to the drawing board and came up with our "Not Your Typical" Bagel tongs these are all wood and are much wider than the made in china ones that we had been using. Made of Sugar Maple, finished with beeswax and mineral oil these should last Generations! Our product test family of 5 told us that they were fantastic! included in the picture is a pair of "Name Brand" tongs, made in china.... they didn't make it a week around here! The bagel tongs we make are still going strong and they are American made!

While we were working on kitchen utensils we thought it might be a good idea to redo a dining room staple and put our "Not your Typical"  twist on a trivet! We already have way more trivets than we can use. What we don't have is great ways to store our trivets because they are so big! What we need is a trivet that is big enough for Mema's lasagna and yet small enough to fit in a kitchen drawer. So we Happily introduce the "Not your Typical expanding trivet". Small enough for a pot of soup, Big enough for lasagna, and compact enough to fit in a kitchen drawer!

Made in Sugar Maple, Mahogany and Walnut

Soup size and Lasagna size

Extends to over 3 feet!



Shrinks down to just over 2 inches to fit in a drawer!

 We have some bamboo utensils that we use regularly in our kitchen and we have been trying to come up with something made at the home workshop that would be as good or better than the made in china bamboo utensils that we are using right now. We are pleased to bring you Made in Morris, Ct steam bent hardwood kitchen spatulas! We have made these from various hardwoods such as ash, maple, red oak and walnut. they are as useful as they are naturally beautiful. We sent samples to our product test family (chosen for their BRUTAL honesty) with the question what would you use it for? they said everything! stir fry veggies, cook eggs, stirring the slow cooker, it is a kitchen multitasker!

Wow that's a bunch of kitchen stuff! We do have something new that you can use in every room of the house. it is inspired by a book loving Mom that has some tendonitis or carpal tunnel problems. She said reading softcover books made her hands hurt because of the way she held the book. So we made her something to help with that! we call it a "Book Bird" they are a clever little thing, you can put your thumb in the hole and hold your book open single handed, read outside in a light breeze without your pages fluttering by, read that suspense thriller with one hand on the book and the other tightly clutching your blankie or just give it as a gift to your favorite book lover!

 

Yup we have been busy around here! We still have more to come, but that will be in another post!

 

Remember GOD is Love!

 

MEFFORD ENDEAVORS STORE