Todd's Blog

Best FJM Vacuum Bags for the Miele S4212

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:11:13 GMT

Living with two dogs, two cats and hardwood floors I find that our floors need constant attention to keep them free of hair and other debris. So last year I began looking for a vacuum cleaner that would work well in our house, and hopefully last 15-20 years. After much research and deliberation I finally purchased the Miele S4212 Neptune from a local retailer. Thus far, I am very pleased with the vacuum cleaner. However my long term impression of the Miele brand will be determined by the lifespan of the vacuum cleaner, and the number of issues I have with it.

One important aspect of vacuum ownership is the cost and availability of replacement bags. The Neptune comes with several of the Miele-brand FJM bags . These bags are made of a dense, multilayer woven cloth that prevents dust and debris from escaping, while allowing air to pass through the fabric. They use a red plastic adapter to connect to the vacuum, and inside the adapter is a plastic flap to keep the bag sealed during removal and disposal. The OEM bags are well designed and of high quality, the only problem is that they are $4 to $5 per bag. I typically replace a vacuum bag every 2 months, thus using the Miele brand bags I'll spend $30/year on replacement bags. This is more than I'd like to pay for something I'll end up throwing away.

In an effort to save some money, I tried some off-brand replacement bags. The first was the EnviroCare FJM bags . These bags were of acceptable quality, but had significant drawbacks when compared to the Miele bags. The bags themselves were made of a thin fabric, and instead of a plastic adapter they used thin cardboard for the adapter. While I didn't experience any issues during use, these bags did not lock into place like the Miele bags. Used over a long term basis, I feel that these bags would be prone to leaking and would prematurely degrade the coarse filter of the vacuum.

More recently I have tried the 3M Filtrete brand of FJM bags. These are much closer to the quality of the Miele brand bags. They are made of a multilayer woven material that seems comparable to the Miele brand, and they feature a black plastic adapter that locks into place properly.

Despite a small number of 1-star reviews on Amazon, I have not experienced similar issues regarding leaking bags. At $1.80/bag my yearly cost of vacuum bags is now only $10.80. Unless I experience issues with the Filtrete bags, I plan to keep buying them.

Treating Sinus Infections Naturally

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:17:12 GMT

I've always enjoyed the changing of the seasons, especially when the long, hot days of summer finally draw to a close. Unfortunately during this changing weather I find myself more susceptible to allergies, sinus infections and other respiratory ailments. For the last three years I've been recording information about every illness I contract, and 7 of the 10 illnesses have been either allergies or respiratory infections. Knowing when you get sick, how long your illnesses last, and the symptoms experienced are important metrics for improving your overall wellness. The goals of my documentation are to reduce the number of illnesses I contract by documenting risk factors and improve my recovery times by determining effective treatments. This approach can help me document the total number of days spent sick each year, and with success I should be able to reduce that number.

Date	Duration	Symptoms
2009-09-27	6-7 days	Drainage, runny nose
2010-12-07	10 days	Drainage, runny nose, sneezing
2011-04-08	9 days	Pain in sinus, itchy throat, drainage
2011-06-04	7 days	Itchy throat, drainage, unproductive painful coughing
2011-09-25	4 days	Drainage, runny nose, sneezing

My sinus infections since the beginning of 2009.

In the sidebar I have included a table showing how I record information about these illnesses. Omitted from this table is the column recording my attempts to identify the reason for contracting the illness. As seen in the chart, these infections typically last 7 to 10 days, while the most recent incident is a notable exception and the focus of this post.

While the symptoms were typical of a sinus infection, the difference was the techniques I used to treat the infection, and the speed at which I recovered. While I cannot definitively conclude that it was my revised treatment that sped recovery, the techniques I employed are low-cost, low-risk and were successful in treating my symptoms. More data is needed to definitively prove that these techniques can speed recovery in a majority of people.

My first new treatment was the Neti Pot, a simple device used to irrigate your sinus cavities. These specially designed containers are filled with a mixture of salt and warm filtered water and used to rinse water through your sinuses. To ensure safety from microorganisms, the water should be filtered or boiled and cooled. To use the Neti pot, make a good seal between the spout and your nostril, lean your head forward and to the side. Once you begin pouring, you will feel water filling the upper sinus cavity first, and then slowly draining into the lower sinus cavity and finally out the other nostril. After the initial pouring, switch sides and begin pouring the other direction. Care should be taken to keep your head leaning forward, otherwise water will run down the back of your throat, potentially making you cough. If you are very congested, water may not flow freely between your sinus cavities. Have patience, and give the saline solution 30-45 seconds per rinse to break up the mucus and expand the sinus cavities. I generally will rinse from both directions two or three times. Between rinses, blow your nose with great vigor to help free the mucus from its bondage. By the third rinse I have always been able to pour the saline freely in both directions without blockage. Warmer solutions will work better to break up congestion, but make sure the water temperature is comfortable.

I've owned a Neti pot for only 6 months thus far, and I'm absolutely thrilled with it. As someone who loves good food and beverages few things are more annoying for me than being unable to taste my food. In my most recent sinus infection, the Neti pot was able to clear my sinuses for several hours, plenty of time to enjoy a meal. Used right before bed the Neti pot was able to improve my sleep by allowing me to breathe through my nose. Personally, I purchased the NeilMed Neti Pot from CVS for $15. While it was a bit overpriced for a small plastic container, the prepared salt/baking soda packets are quite convenient. Of the treatments mentioned in this post, I give the Neti pot the most credit for my improved recovery time. Overall, I think a Neti pot is an essential component of the home remedy toolbox.

Similar to the Neti pot is the technique of steam inhalation. If you frequently suffer from respiratory conditions, you might consider buying an electric steam inhaler. For myself, I find that a tea kettle works well enough. My technique is to put some water in the tea kettle and put the burner on medium heat. Allow the water to approach boiling and then cut the heat back a bit. The goal is to have the kettle steaming but not whistling. Once the right burner temperature has been achieved, use the palm of your hand to find a safe and comfortable distance. Once a safe distance has been determined, begin by inhaling the steam with your mouth and exhaling through your nose. Take large breaths, to the extent that you are comfortable filling your lungs with steam. The steam loosens phlegm, making it easier to expel and more likely to be drained into your digestive tract. I usually spend 5 to 10 minutes inhaling steam, and find that it works well in conjunction with the Neti pot. While the Neti pot rinses the sinus and nasal cavities, the steam inhalation works to help clear the lower respiratory tract.

My third component to battling sinus infections involves consuming food that naturally clears the sinuses and contains antibacterial properties. Some of my favorites include garlic, horseradish, mustard, curry, peppers, ginger and citrus fruits. Now I wouldn't recommend trying to combine all of these into a single dish, but used judiciously I believe that these items can relieve symptoms, and based on my anecdotal experience, may contribute to a decreased recovery time. Some of my favorite dishes involving these ingredients include garlic bread, all manner of curries, sushi with wasabi, fresh squeezed orange juice, and hot ginger tea. Ongoing experiments are still being conducted on this front!

Ultimately, you will have to determine what combination of treatments works best for you and your family. I encourage readers to treat each illness like a science experiment and document the results. While I find that this combination has worked well for me, every individual is different. For this type of article, the typical caveats apply. I am not a doctor, this article should not be construed to be medical advice, and please refer to the documentation included with any Neti pot or steam inhalers. It is my hope that this article helps the ease the suffering of people with sinus infections.

Fixing a Stuck Parking Brake

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:34:04 GMT

In the second installment of minor automotive repair, I will describe how I fixed the stuck parking brake on my Toyota Tacoma. For your reference, my truck is the most basic 1998 Tacoma (4 cylinders, RWD), although this information should apply to many years and configurations of the Tacoma.

My problem began when I was unable to disengage my parking brake. The brake release lever on the Tacoma can be a bit tricky, you first have to press the release button, twist the lever clockwise, and then push it forwards toward the dash. With a stuck parking brake, the forward motion was a bit resistant, and the parking light indicator in the gauge cluster would remain lit. After some brief Internet research, I figured that this was something I could tackle myself. I have to give credit to this guide from ehow for giving me the basics, but I'm hoping that my guide and the included pictures will be of use.

The only additions I would add to the ehow guide is that I did not have to jack up the rear of my truck, and that you can diagnose which cable is stuck by watching both of them when engaging and releasing the parking brake. I was able to free the brake cable by spraying penetrating oil into the rubber boots covering the parking brake entry and pulling the stuck cable until it broke free. Because the cable is easily accessed on the underside of the truck, this is a fairly simple fix.

Parking brake tension adjuster

Parking brake cable enters the drum

Fixing the Camry Trunk Drain Hose

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:33:24 GMT

So a few months ago I noticed that the trunk of my 2000 Camry was taking on water for some reason. Initially I thought it must have been some strange fluke, so I used a towel to dry the trunk and went on with my life. When it rained a few days later and I found more water in my trunk, I knew I had a problem.

So I opened the trunk, and it didn't take long to find the source of the problem. On the right side of the trunk where most of the water was pooled, I found a strange plastic hose dangling suspiciously. I followed the hose up to a drain that removes water from between the trunk lid and body. Surely this hose was not meant to be draining into the trunk!

If the fix isn't already obvious, I had to direct the dangling hose into the black drain hole. This drain lets the water safely exit behind the rear right tire. So if your Camry's trunk is taking on water, check the drain hose!

Inspecting Watts Filter Units

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:54:11 GMT

I installed a Watts RO Pure reverse osmosis system in March 2009. We use the filtered water for drinking, brewing beer, making coffee, and much of our cooking. Watts recommends changing the sediment and pre-carbon filters every 6 months, the post-carbon filter every 12 months, and the reverse osmosis filter every 3 years (or as needed). So while changing the filters last October, I cut apart the filter housing to see what is responsible for filtering our water. The pre-carbon filter broke when I hit the housing unit against a concrete floor repeatedly, but I suppose that's to be expected. I'd also be curious to know if the material used in the sediment filters are white to begin with. I plan to take apart the reverse osmosis membrane, but that's scheduled for March 2012, so you'll have to wait. Here are the pictures I took, you can click on them for a larger version.

Check Your Tires!

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:04:40 GMT

This post is a public service announcement. If you intend on driving your vehicle, please check your tires frequently. Below are some pictures of a tire near the end of its life. Don't drive on tires like these, it's not worth the risk!

If you don't know the condition of your tires, check them now!

My 2009 GABF Glass Broke!

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:13:38 GMT

My recommendation: keep this glass for fond memories, not for frequent use. It broke while I was drying it with a towel.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

I would love to get a replacement glass, if anyone in Internet-land can help me.

Building a Homebrew Immersion Chiller

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:33:46 GMT

So I'll admit, I'm not the first to write about making your own immersion chiller. But considering that I managed to build one for cheaper than even I thought possible, I figured it was probably blog-worthy. This recent bargain is the result of a $20 price tag on 50 feet of copper tubing. With recent copper prices, I managed to get the coil for less than scrap value, so I was a happy homebrewer.

Once home, it didn't take me long to form the coil into the proper shape using one of my corny kegs. This process has been described many times elsewhere, but I will say that the process is much easier with two sets of hands.

For the upward sections of the chiller, I was careful to bend the pipe slowly and at wide angles to prevent kinks. The intake side of the chiller required a compression fitting and a brass adapter. For the exhaust side of the chiller, I cut a piece of garden hose and used a hose clamp to secure.

The chiller has been used for two brews so far, and it has worked quite well on each occasion. In the future I may wire the coils together to keep the chiller more rigid. My hope is that this will make the chiller easier to remove from the kettle -- it is quite heavy when filled with water! Despite a few drawbacks, I'm pleased with the rate at which it cools my 10 gallon batches. It outperforms my previous chilling setup. For anyone interested in replicating my chiller, the parts list is below. Cheers!

50' x (5/8" OD) Copper Immersion Chiller - Parts List

Item	Price
50' Copper Coil (5/8" OD)	$20.00
Brass Connector	$4.49
Brass 5/8 to 1/2 Adapter	$4.99
Hose Clamp	$1.29
6% Tax	$1.85
Total	$32.62

Double-edged Razors Make Shaving Enjoyable Again

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:07:30 GMT

Like so many American teenagers, I received a free Gillete razor in the mail on my 18th birthday. "How generous of them! Someone remembered my birthday!" Never one to refuse a gift, I happily used the Mach 3 razor for my minimal shaving needs. At that age, my facial hairs were thin and I shaved infrequently, so I had no problem using a single razor cartridge for months at a time. Shaving seemed cheap and easy.

As I grew older, my facial hair grew thick and coarse, and my razors became dull in much less time. I began to pay more attention to the price and my usage of razors, especially when budgeting money in college. My desire to replace blades more frequently was tempered by the rising cost of replacement cartridges. At a cost of over $2 each, tossing a cartridge was done only when necessary (once skin irritation was likely). Thrift demanded a few painful shaves.

Fortunately for my skin, I began reading about straight edge shaving in early 2008. In my initial excitement, I bought an antique JA Henckels razor off ebay for $5 from a estate sale. I quickly figured out that properly restoring the blade would require much more skill than I currently possessed. Still, I got myself several different grits of sandpaper, and I cleaned the blade to my satisfaction. I bought myself a Colonel Conk hone and attempted to sharpen the blade. While I got it noticeably more sharp, it was still not sharp enough to pass the most basic shaving blade tests. Luckily, the step-dad of a friend sharpens medical instruments for a living. He buffed the steel and sharpened the blade to a fine point. Still, it seemed to lack the fine hone needed to reliably shave facial hair. Instead of simply buying a newer straight edge, I instead gave up on the hobby, and kept using my Mach 3. Perhaps old school shaving was not for me.

And this might have been the end of the story. But I continued to be irked by the overpriced replacement blades. I knew plastic and thin strips of steel shouldn't cost $2 each. So while making out my 2008 Christmas list, I searched Amazon for "razor blades". One of the first results was a 100-pack of Sharp double edge razors for less than $20. Once again, I was intrigued. Perhaps these doubled-edged shavers were the answer. So the 100 pack of blades and a Merkur Classic Safety Razor was added to the Xmas list. In hindsight, I must say that this was an excellent decision.

I've been using my double-edged Merkur for three months now, and I couldn't be happier. My shaves are closer than before, free from irritation, and much more affordable! Using this razor is the difference between using a tool and a toy. Due to their sharpness, these razors force you to slow down and pay greater attention to your shaving. This is a good thing. A proper shave should never result in bumps or razor burn. If you're going to shave, show your skin some respect. Go sharp or stay bearded!

Configuring cygwin, rvxt, bash and emacs

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:35:52 GMT

Since my websites are all on Linux servers, I spend a good deal of time using the terminal and SSH. When I'm forced to use Windows for web development, I use Cygwin to replicate the Linux terminal. While Cygwin has served me well, recently I've grown frustrated with the default shell, because it's run inside Window's cmd.exe. Simple things like keyboard shortcuts for pasting from the clipboard don't work. Output becomes garbled when I resize the terminal window. CMD.exe will only save the 999 most recent lines.

Not content to deal with these annoyances, I spent some time today configuring Cygwin. The first step I took was to install the rvxt terminal listed under the "Shells" category in the cygwin install. I then had to update the C:\cygwin\cygwin.bat file. My file currently looks like this:

@echo off
C:
chdir C:\cygwin\bin
set EDITOR=emacs
set VISUAL=emacs
set CYGWIN=codepage:oem tty binmode title
rxvt -e /usr/bin/bash --login -i

I think the rvxt shell needs a little bit of style. So in my home directory, I created a .Xdefaults file with the following values:

Rxvt*geometry: 100x15
Rxvt*background: #000000
Rxvt*foreground: #cccccc
Rxvt*scrollBar: True
Rxvt*scrollBar_right: True
Rxvt*font: Lucida Console-14
Rxvt*SaveLines: 2000
Rxvt*loginShell: True

To get the HOME and END keys to work in bash, I added these lines to my .inputrc in the home folder.

# Home Key
"\e[7~":beginning-of-line

# End Key
"\e[8~":end-of-line

# Delete Key
"\e[3~":delete-char

# Insert Key
"\e[2$":paste-from-clipboard

Finally, I needed to remap the keycodes for emacs. I added these lines to my .emacs file. Remember that the .emacs files will need to be updated on each server you want to use.

(global-set-key [(meta O) (d)] 'backward-word)
(global-set-key [(meta O) (c)] 'forward-word)
(define-key function-key-map "\e[7~" [home])
(define-key function-key-map "\e[8~" [end])

That's it for now. I plan to keep this page updated with any additional fixes needed to make cygwin and rvxt suit my needs.

Sensational Journalism Fueling Ignorance

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:18:27 GMT

Earlier today I read an article by Dean Pritchard of the The Winnipeg Sun. The article, entitled, "Superjuice super risk: Brew fuelling violence" is an excellent case study in sensational journalism. *Updated July 10th, 2009* Since the Winnipeg Sun has seen fit to take this article down, here are the cached copies, (#1 and #2)

The author uses the reader's assumed ignorance to create a boogieman based on false assumptions. The author paints a very lurid scene of gangs, illegal moonshine, rapid crime increases, and the stupefying outcomes of ingesting fermented sugar water, otherwise known as superjuice. I think the author of this article included some very inaccurate quotations without providing a critical evaluation of the quotes.

In the article, Pritchard describes how native Americans living in so-called dry communities in Manitoba have been brewing an alcoholic beverage that they call superjuice. The beverage is well suited to these remote areas. It's a very simple concoction to make, all you need is sugar, water and yeast. As these people have discovered, adding more sugar leads to more alcohol being created during fermentation. Still, fermentation can only produce so much alcohol before the yeast is overwhelmed by the alcohol concentration. Using special strains of yeast, you can achieve 20% ABV in slightly over a week. For comparison, this is four times stronger than the average beer, and half the strength of 80-proof vodka. But since the First Nation (native American) communities mentioned in the article prohibit the sale of alcohol, if they want to drink their only options are smuggling and homebrewing!

Now I'd like to dissect the false claims repeated by the author of the article. It is irrelevant whether the author actually believes what he wrote, or whether he was simply repeating the lies told to him by the local police. As a journalist, it is his responsibility to check the accuracy of the statements he includes in his work, otherwise an unknowing public will assume that the false claims are true.

The primary false claim is that this superjuice is somehow stronger than other alcohol. Fermentation creates ethyl alcohol, otherwise known as ethanol. Except for concentration, the ethanol contained in a 5% beer is no different than that of a 20% sugar wine. At 20% ABV, the juice is only slightly stronger than wine, and half the strength of whiskey. By no means am I denying the problems created by the superjuice either. Drunk people create problems, that's pretty much what they do. But let me tell everyone from experience, fermented sugar water is pretty nasty tasting. It's a drink of last resort for those with little means. The creation of superjuice is a reaction to prohibition. Few people would brew up superjuice if whiskey were cheap and readily available. To prove this point, there is nothing stopping a smart American teenager from buying sugar and yeast and making his own alcohol in a 5 gallon bucket. But yet we never hear about this, because alcohol is readily available, even to those who are underage. Prohibition creates the demand for these foul concoctions.

"A lot of the times you can hear them screaming in the police holding cells (because) the stuff is still fermenting in their stomach," he said. "It keeps them drunk too because it is still in their system and still cooking. A lot of the time we have to detain these kids a little bit longer because they can stay drunk for so long."

The second false claim is that the superjuice continues to ferment even after drinking it. The quote from the article is particularly horrifying or hilarious depending on your perspective. While there is a remote possibility that some fermentation could occur (very briefly) in the stomach, the highly acidic environment of the stomach would make quick work of the common brewing yeasts. What is more likely is that the dissolved Co2 contained in a recently fermented beverage gave the individual much gastric distress. The amount of gas released combined with the drunken state of the individual probably contributed to this misconception. While it may seem like a minor point to mention, the inclusion of this quote contributes to the idea that this beverage is somehow a new and uniquely scary creation.

The third misconception created by this article is that the superjuice is somehow a unique cause of violence. The last few paragraphs try to connect superjuice with a string of violent crime that has recently occurred. Again, the only difference between superjuice and whiskey is that of price and availability. Superjuice is not the cause of violence, and it's only slightly more accurate to blame alcohol in general. Aggressive people become violent when drunk, as anyone who's been to a large party can attest. The real source of violence is people who cannot control their anger and aggression. As Charlton Heston might say, "superjuice doesn't kill people, people kill people."

The fourth, and perhaps greatest misconception is that prohibition is either effective or enforceable. Alcohol prohibition in United States was a disaster. Prohibition provided a new industry for organized crime, made criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens, wasted the time of our law enforcement, gave homebrewing a bad name, and poisoned many people due to poorly distilled spirits. Prohibition also lead to the demise of over 3000 small, local breweries. Over 70 years later, there are just slightly over 1700 breweries and brewpubs in America. Despite this shameful history, many communities across the world continue to experiment with prohibition of various sorts. As Einstein has said, "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

My final point is a financial one. The article states that superjuice sells for $80 for two liters. To put it in perspective, two liters of superjuice would cost me less than $2 in ingredients. I truly feel sorry for those who are forced to pay black market prices for their alcohol. The primary accomplishment of prohibition is making sure criminals are well paid. So when people start fighting and stealing from one another to pay for their superjuice, the real blame lies at the feet of the prohibitionists.

Home Slicing: Bacon Adventures in the land of Pork

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:31:32 GMT

Our recent economic uncertainty and the tightening credit market is forcing a nationwide liquidation of both paper and physical assets. For people with a little cash to burn, this can translate into some serious bargains. For example, a few weeks ago I went yard sale shopping when I came across a family that had recently closed their Crestwood coffee shop, yet another victim of the Starbucks empire. For me, buying the equipment of a failed business is a mixed bag. On one hand, I'm helping them recoup their losses. On the other hand, I feel as though I'm taking advantage of their misfortunes while buying their equipment at 10-20% of retail price.

Setting aside any lingering guilt, I reckoned that a yard sale is no place for sentimentality, so I picked up a few kitchen gadgets. I first spotted what's marketed as a 3-Cup French press for $1. It the perfect size for a single cup, it makes about ten ounces of coffee, which I suppose might be considered three cups in some parts of Europe, but here in America that's a "small" cup. Continuing on to the checkout table, I saw the Krups 372-75 food slicer for $10. Some might call it another useless kitchen gadget, but I knew it was coming home.

Some initial squeaking in the blade assembly was silenced with a dab of olive oil. The first test for the slicer was a block of Kerrygold Dubliner cheese. While it achieved thin slices, the consistency of the slice thickness leaves something to be desired. The woman who sold me the slicer told me the safety was hard on her hands, and it's easy to see why. The slicer has a safety sliding switch that must be moved forward *while* pressing a button to control the blade. Maintaining this position with two fingers can lead to hand cramping during extended slicing sessions. But considering that I don't plan to open a deli anytime soon, I'm pretty sure I can tolerate it.

I have to admit though, slicing cheese for the sake of slicing cheese is not much fun. I didn't buy the slicer to plate wine tasting hors d'oeuvres. No, this was surely destined to be a meat slicer. And nothing is meatier than the mighty bacon: sheared from the belly of the beast, half fat, half muscle. The meek in stomach need not apply.

Now many topics on the Internet arouse an interest that one might consider unmerited. At the same time, one could also argue that the Internet provides the only suitable outlet for bacon news and the burgeoning bacon community. While I'm hardly the bacon evangelist, I'm a big fan of Penn's Salt-Cured Country Bacon. Now it would be hard to call bacon a health food, but this bacon is a bit better for you than most of the competition. The industrial bacon found at the supermarket is generally cured with Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Erythorbate, and/or Sodium Nitrite. Recent studies have linked sodium nitrite with inflammation of the respiratory system and pulmonary disease. Penn's Bacon avoids these additives by using only salt in the curing process. This does make the bacon a bit salty, so exercise some moderation!

Mastering the slicer will take some practice, especially in regards to slice thickness. The amount of pressure applied to the feeding side of the slicer plays a big role in this. Applying light pressure produces a thin slice, while more pressure will increase the slice thickness. The trick is to find a reasonable thickness setting and apply consistent pressure. Another minor complaint I have with the slicer is that the output side is easily 'jammed' when the food doesn't fall cleanly onto the tray. This is where a helper can speed up the process. Armed with a fork, your assistant can keep the output side clear. This also helps keep the buttons on your slicer sanitary, as you'll be less tempted to have wandering fingers. Once everything is sliced, you're ready to fry. My suggestion would be to use a cast iron skillet on medium heat, and cook until firm. Most people seem to like their bacon crispy, but I prefer a little bit of chewiness.

Depending on how much bacon you're frying, you might have quite a bit of grease left over. Don't throw it away! There are many uses for bacon grease. My personal favorite is taking a few potatoes, slicing them paper thin with a knife or a slicer, frying them for 30 seconds on each side, drain, cool, and then sprinkle a little salt on them... Home-sliced bacon and bacon-flavored potato chips? I think the slicer just paid for itself.

Making A Keggle

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:08:18 GMT

I've transferred and updated this walkthrough from my blog on foodfriend.org. A keggle is a great investment if you're starting to get serious about homebrewing. Stainless steel is a versatile and durable metal, and there are many abandoned kegs that need good homes. The following walkthrough will take you from old keg to new keggle in 8 easy steps. I'm trying to make this as simple as possible!

1. Acquiring the Keg

Before I begin this walkthrough, I should warn everyone that just because you've paid a deposit on a keg does not mean you own it. Kegs are the property of the brewery, and cost $140-$180 new. Most keg deposits are $15-$20, so kegs that aren't returned to the brewery end up costing them money. Breweries call this loss "keg float". If you can, do the right thing and return the keg. But if you can't return the keg for a deposit, then by all means break out the plasma torch.

There are several ways of acquiring kegs. You could buy a new shiny keg from Sabco, but this can be pricey. If you call around to local metal scrapyards, you may be able to find a keg from one of them, although many states have started to outlaw scrapyards from buying old kegs. The best way to find kegs is through word of mouth. Let your friends know that you're looking for kegs, you may be surprised how quickly you find one.

2. De-pressurizing the Keg

Kegs are pressurized in order to push beer out of the tap. Your keg most likely still has beer and pressure in it, and both of these will need to be removed.

The easiest way is to get a flathead screwdriver and depress the ball in the center of the tap. If you do this with the keg upright, it will create a fun (and messy) beer fountain. With the keg on its side you can relieve the pressure without making a big mess.

3. Removing the adhesive

I like to remove the adhesive from old labels before I begin cutting, simply because I hate sticky adhesive and like to have a clean keg. I find that WD40 and a paint scraper do a good job removing the adhesive. Depending on how much is on the keg, this can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Leaving the WD40 on overnight will ensure that the oil does a good job breaking down the adhesive. You could postpone this step until later, but make sure you remove the adhesive before using the keggle for the first time.

4. Cutting the top

Before you break out your cutting tools, draw a good line to follow while you're cutting. Take a string and tie it to the center post, and tie the other end to a permanent marker. Slowly trace the outline of the hole, which ideally will be around 13.5 to 14 inches in diameter. If you mess up your line, take some rubbing alcohol and erase it.

PROTECT YOUR EYES, EARS, FACE, HANDS, AND LUNGS WHILE CUTTING STEEL!

The three most common ways to remove the lid are a Dremel (or similar rotary tool), an angle grinder, or a plasma cutter. A dremel is the most time consuming, but since many people already have a dremel, this may be the most feasible for your situation. An angle grinder is basically a large dremel, which means that while it's faster at making the cut, it's also louder and harder to control. A plasma torch is the fastest solution, but also the least likely to be found in the average household.

For my first conversion, I used a dremel. While the cut took over an hour, it was a very nice, round cut with no jagged edges or spikiness. I have since used a plasma torch, with equally good results.

After you've made the cut, file the edge with a steel file to remove any sharp or jagged edges. Test the edge with your fingers to make sure you've done a good job.

5. Drilling the drain hole

If you bought the weldless fitting, your hole will need to be 7/8" in diameter. Your two options are to get a "bi-metal 7/8" hole saw drill bit attachment" or a "multi-stage titanium drill bit". I have used both and prefer the multi-stage bit. Either way, you want to place the center of the hole two inches above the beginning of the bottom of the third section. Place the hole between two of the vent holes in the bottom, this way any rising heat from the flame will be diverted away from your fitting. When drilling the hole, use high pressure and low RPMs. Your drill and drill bit will get very hot, keep the keg oiled and give the drill a break every 20-30 seconds. Be patient, cutting this hole may take a few minutes depending on your drill.

6. Installing the fittings

Install the fittings based on the instructions provided. Do not overtighten the weldless fittings or you can harm the rubber gaskets.

7. Trial Run

Make sure you test the drain fittings with water before any actual brewing. Also make sure to thoroughly rinse the inside to remove any metal dust from the cutting. Leave the water in the keg for 15 minutes with the drain closed to see if any water leaks. Tighten it a bit more if needed.

8. Sanding for a shiny finish

There's something to be said about taking an old keg covered in dings, scuffs, and adhesive and turning it into a shiny vessel capable of producing some of the best beer in the world. While a shiny keg will not make your beer taste any better, it adds a nice touch.

Simplifying Amazon S3

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:20:25 GMT

I've been trying to reduce my hosting costs lately, and I finally decided to test out Amazon S3. Their bandwidth and storage prices are very affordable, and unlike many hosts you only pay for what you use. What had previously kept me from using S3 was my inexperience with the REST and SOAP interfaces. Taking another look at S3, I found Geoff from Neurofuzzy has written an excellent PHP wrapper using S3's REST interface. I had two minor problems with the script, which I've fixed and incorporated into a slightly modified version. For reference purposes, these changes were turning DATE_RFC822 into DATE_RFC822_S3, and setting the $_debug flag to false.

Using Geoff's wrapper, I built a little PHP interface to manage buckets and files. It's still in an early state, but someone might benefit from it. If you want to incorporate S3 functionality into an existing web app, I'd use Geoff's wrapper. My s3ui is designed to be a standalone interface for adding/deleting buckets and objects.

UPDATE: The easiest way to begin immediately working with your S3 account is the Firefox S3Fox plugin, and you will want to use this plugin to upload large files, because Geoff's PHP wrapper does not stream the content to the S3 server.

Geoff's (modified) S3 Library
Todd's S3ui

In both of the linked files above, the first step is adding your key and secret key to the s3 library file. For more info on my s3ui, see the README file.

For those wanting to use Geoff's wrapper in their own scripts, I've included some small code snippets to show how easy it is. First you have to include the s3.php library:

include 's3.php';

Then you create a new s3 connection object:

$conn = new s3();

Buckets are like folders for your pictures. If you haven't created a bucket, you need to do so. The name has to be unique, so generic names are no good:

echo $conn->putBucket("myUniqueBucketName");

To make sure it was created correctly, we can list all of the buckets we own using the getBuckets() function. It will list the name and creation date of each bucket we own.

echo $conn->getBuckets();

If your bucket was created correctly, now we can add our files to the new bucket. Substitute $url for your own file (local or remote) and change "objectName" to whatever name you want to use to access the file. If you want your file to be readable by everyone, set the acl to public-read, otherwise you'll want to set it to private.

$objectData = file_get_contents($url);
$acl = "public-read";
echo $conn->putObject("objectName", $objectData, $bucketName, $acl);

If we used the "public-read" visibility and our object was added correctly, we can browse to see our object at:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/mybucket/myobject

We can also list all of the items within a specified bucket. If you examine the XML, you'll find that each object has a key. This is what we use to access our files.

echo $conn->getObjects($bucketName);

To use the files, you call getObject(). This will return whatever type of data you have stored, whether it is binary or plain text. The header you use will be dependent on the type of data you are serving up.

$objectName = "myObjectName";
$data = $conn->getObject($objectName, $bucketName);
$type = $conn->getResponseContentType();
header("Content-type: ".$type);
header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=\"".$objectName."\"");
echo $data;

If you want to delete an object, you just have to specify the objectName and bucketName

$conn->deleteObject("objectName", $bucketName);

Reflections on the first Honey Harvest

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:04:49 GMT

As the days grow shorter and colder, food becomes more scarce and our instincts should inspire all of us to take stock of our food supplies. Past generations did not have the convenience of 24-hour grocery stores continuously stocked with food from the entire globe. In these bygone eras, people knew to plan ahead to store enough food to last the entire winter. While some would find it unnecessary in this modern era, I find that preparation forces us to introspect and reevaluate our needs.

While I may rely upon the food in my root cellar, the bees must rely upon the excess honey they store during the year. As their protector, one of my primary tasks is ensuring they have enough food for the winter. For this reason, I have to be very careful about how much honey I take from them or they will not survive the winter. Overwintering is very hard on the bees, and is one of the most common causes for lost hives. Imagine 12,000 bees huddled in a giant ball eating honey for the sole purpose of keeping warm, protected from the icy winds by only a 1/2" thick pine box, and you begin to understand their predicament.

I received the bees in June from Richard Hosey, and to be honest, since then they have stored a disappointingly small amount of honey. Still, I wanted to try some of the honey before I started feeding them sugar syrup. So yesterday, October 2nd, I pulled three mostly-full frames of honey, and used the crush and strain method of honey extraction, which beekeeper Linda does an excellent job describing in her blog.

Since it was my first time, I made a few mistakes during the process. I didn't anticipate the ability of the bees to find and smell their honey from distances. After I cut the comb from the frames, I began crushing the comb to release the honey. I placed this crushed comb inside of a 400 micron filter to separate the honey from the wax. I placed the filter on top of a metal bowl, and covered this with a black cloth to allow the sun to heat the filtering setup. Within 2 hours, most of the honey had dripped through the filter, and I was rewarded with about a half gallon of honey. This setup also attracted the interest of more than a few bees, who had no problem smelling their honey through the black cloth placed atop the filter.

Aesthetically, the honey is a very nice light golden color, despite a large amount of trapped air bubbles. In the future I think I will extract the honey at another location away from the beeyard, and wait several days to allow dissolved air to reach the surface before bottling.

While I may take a few more frames this season, my current focus is preparing for the winter. When the icy winds begin blowing across the hills of Kentucky, me and my bees will be prepared.

Cleaning up after Ike

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:47:23 GMT

On Sunday September 14th, the tail end of Ike caused some crazy wind storms here in Kentucky. Local weather forecasters claimed it was the worst wind storm in 30 years, with gusts recorded up to 75mph. The winds took a toll on the bigger, older trees and brought down many big branches and power lines, leaving over 500,000 people without electricity. Recently developed areas were somewhat spared, as younger trees tend to bend and sway more gracefully in the strong wind. Established areas like the Louisville Highlands were frequently described as a "war zone", and while I could quip about the lack of unexploded cluster bomblets, the loss of power was no joking matter.

There were unusual rumors about gas shortages that day, and fearful people were lining up to pay outrageous prices nearing $5 a gallon. Some stations stopped selling gas, and I heard rumors "that Tennessee was out of gasoline". What utter nonsense. While I was laughing at the time, this too was no joking matter.

That Sunday, Governor Beshear declared a state of emergency which allowed Beshear to put a price ceiling on gasoline, and allowed the KY National Guard to be used (at his discretion) as a domestic police force. Their observed tasks included removing downed branches, assisting utility workers, and directing traffic at the 2008 Ryder Cup in Valhalla.

Schools were shut down for the entire week, and the neighborhood streets were filled with confused and disoriented children, who for a brief moment were forced to entertain themselves. I can only hope that some of these children rediscovered the wonder of creating their own thoughts, and exploring their imaginations.

We were lucky that my house in Centerfield never lost power, but my parents, and the parents of my roommates were both without power, so we quickly sprang into action saving frozen goods before they spoiled. Our house has never seen so much food.

So I've been pretty busy the past 10 days, blogging and coding were put on the back burner temporarily. My roommates and I helped our elderly neighbors clear their yards of debris, and created a massive pile of branches with the assistance of a Husqvarna chainsaw. In the tradition of the Mabon festivities, the fires have been burning all across the hills of Kentucky as we bring in the last of 2008 harvest.

Weeks like this make me realize that nature will accomplish what man neglects to do. Few people are willing to spend the time and money needed to prune and maintain trees. Between the cicadas and the windstorm, nature pruned many trees this year.

It is a shame that so many houses were without power, as much of it could have been prevented. But I hope that a week without power allowed many people to re-evaluate what is truly important in life. When the TVs, computers, and telephones stop working is when communities are strengthened and families can reconnect. That is when we all start talking again.

How to Buy the Best Eggs

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:55 GMT

As one of the most common staple foods, eggs are a kitchen essential for serious chefs. Because they play such an important role in baking, emulsification, and food chemistry, great eggs can elevate your home-cooked creations to the next level. In this post, I'll examine what makes a great egg, and where you can find them.

From my experience, the most important variables which determine egg quality are diet and living conditions. While the chicken's breed can determine egg size, color, and quality, most egg producers do not disclose the specifics of their operation. Instead, most have chosen to hide behind marketing terms like "free range", "vegetarian", or even "organic". These terms evoke certain expectations from consumers, and while some have legal defintions, they are no guarantee of quality.

While the term "free range" inspires images of barnyard hens hunting and pecking, the reality of the situation is usually more grim. While "free range" has a legal definition when applied to meat chickens, there are no requirements for using the term in regards to egg production. A definition proposed in 2006 is still being considered by the USDA and would define the term as, "livestock that have had continuous and unconfined access to pasture throughout their life cycle". Not surprisingly, the EU has a better definition which requires vegetation in the outdoor runs, and defines a relatively low stocking rate. While "free range" may be an indicator of quality, it is most frequently a marketing tactic used by larger producers to appeal to health-conscious shoppers.

"Vegetarian" eggs are produced by chickens that do not eat meat. This is perhaps the least honest of the egg marketing terms, because chickens are not naturally vegetarians. When allowed to roam freely, chickens will eat worms, grubs and insects along with fresh growing grass. "Vegetarian eggs" can be seen as a reaction to the Mad Cow epidemic, caused by transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), an illness caused by eating infected brain tissue. Yum yum... In the UK where the Mad Cow disease became epidemic, the cow feed contained diseased brain tissue from slaughtered cows. Chickens were also being fed reconstituted chicken parts. Theoretically speaking, a vegetarian egg is produced by a chicken which has not been forced into cannibalism, which instead eats the standard factory chicken diet of corn and soy. In reality, chickens within factory farms often go insane and begin pecking at carcasses in desperation, which is why many CAFOs remove the tip of the beak. So unfortunately, so-called vegetarian eggs are still produced with a generous helping of cruelty.

While I am a big proponent of organic agriculture, the term 'organic' has become yet another abused advertising keyword. Organic eggs found in large retail outlets are rarely of good quality. Most often these organic eggs are from chickens still raised in large metal sheds amongst thousands of other chickens. Frequently, the only difference between these eggs and conventional eggs is the organic chicken feed, mostly organic corn and soy. Again, raising eggs in big metal sheds does not respect the behavioral inclinations of the chicken, and because of this, it produces inferior eggs.

Not surprisingly, the best eggs come from chickens that are allowed to behave most like chickens. Chickens that roam and graze will eat a wide variety of insects, grubs, and plants. This balanced diet produces eggs which are rich in flavor and superior in both texture and nutritional value. High quality eggs will have a dark golden, almost reddish hue, as seen on the right in the comparison below:

The preceding picture was taken to compare Kroger's factory eggs with Chelsea's Gourmet Pasture Eggs. The factory eggs on the left have a pale yellow yolk, while the pastured eggs are a dark golden color. This golden color comes from the beta-carotene provided by freshly growing grass. Of course chickens living in a big metal shed never get to see grass, much less eat it. The pastured eggs are nutritionally superior in several regards, including having a lower amount of saturated fats, a larger amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, and contain a wider profile of amino acids (proteins). A close up on the yolks shows these differences with greater clarity:

The nutritional benefits of good eggs are described in further detail in Joel Salatin's excellent book, Pastured Poultry Profits. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in raisings chickens for eggs or meat.

Well, now that we know what a good egg looks like, perhaps you're wondering where you can kind these magic eggs. The most likely answer is your local farmer's market. If you live near a major city, there are potentially several farmer's markets in your area. Websites like LocalHarvest.org can help you in this search.

I would also explore local health food stores as they tend to favor high-quality local producers. These stores offer greater convenience than the farmer's market, which generally are open only on Saturday mornings. Even large chains like Whole Foods will stock some local eggs, but again, it's hard to determine how the chickens were raised by looking at an egg carton. This is why getting to know your farmer and asking them questions is an invaluable benefit of the farmer's markets.

In closing, I'd like to say that I truly believe eggs are one of the most perfect foods on our planet. All I ask is that you show some respect to the chicken by supporting farmers who do the same.

Caging the Cantaloupes

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:26:42 GMT

I love melons, they are among my favorite fruits, and one that I've always wanted to grow. While my parents have a sizable garden, we've never grown melons of any sort. My Dad always has a convenient excuse for why he doesn't grow certain things, and in this case, he was quick to blame the raccoons. He said their sense of smells allows them to wait until the melons are just ripe and then they attack without mercy. I can see how this would be a big disappointment.

My thinking is that the competitors are just another challenge that has to be overcome. And there are few things that give me greater satisfaction than overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges. Surely foiling a raccoon couldn't be too hard. After doing a bit of Internet research, I find that the raccoon problem is real and that there is no shortage of creative solutions.

To set the stage for our current battle, I was eating a store-bought cantaloupe in June and decided that I'd like to see how many of the cantaloupe seeds would germinate. I was surprised to find that they had a viability rate of over 70%. Again, my Dad discouraged my efforts, telling me that it was too late to plant them. I knew that for optimal results, he was correct, I was at least 30 days too late in planting the seedlings, but with such a huge number of seedlings, I decided to plant some around the house and see what happened.

Fast forward 60 days and we find this on our back walkway:

This vine has grown quite large, and already has three melons at various stages of growth. At least one should reach maturity, and my plan is to make sure that the raccoons and rodents don't beat me to the harvest. My goal is to create a cage that can sit on top of the melons that can be weighed down, and I also plan to sprinkle cayenne pepper around the fruits. Still, I shouldn't underestimate my enemy, raccoons are very crafty, very adaptive, and very determined. Their front feet have opposable thumbs which allow them to be quite good at grabbing, moving, and opening containers. Any cage will have to be heavy enough to prevent them from removing it. My hope is that the cayenne pepper will be enough to repel their interest, so I view the cage as my last line of defense.

Updated September 24th:

While it might seem to be overkill, the cantaloupe cage was successful. The cantaloupe was eaten by my family, and while it was satisfying, it lacked sweetness due to its late ripening. Next year I will be better prepared for timely planting and raccoon defense.

Food Storage: Tools, Techniques, and Traditions

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:08:17 GMT

Few things are more rewarding than preserving your own food. Despite being a neglected art, for an intrepid few food preservation can save time and money. In this post I explore the most common methods of food preservation, and the tools you'll need achieve them. While I'd hardly consider myself an expert in these matters, many of these techniques are thousands of years old and very simple to accomplish.

Before we begin, I'd like examine the primary enemies that we face when we attempt to store food. First and foremost are bacteria and fungii. These invisible microbes are everywhere, and they are hungry. They can be found in the soil, in the air, and in your refrigerator. Despite their wide presence, there are several ways to keep them from spoiling our produce. To start, we can use airtight containers to restrict air flow. Next, we attempt to make the stored food inhospitable to the microbes. We have a number of methods at our disposal: drying, pressure cooking, fermentation, or increasing acidity.

The next big enemy we face is oxidation. On the atomic level, oxidation is the loss of an electron. From our perspective it is what turns a cut apple brown, and it is what makes an open bottle of wine taste stale after several days. The primary way to reduce oxidation is to keep food tightly sealed so that no oxygen can make contact with the food. Since most plastics allow some oxygen to pass through, using glass containers is an important step towards preventing oxidation.

Once we've conquered the microbes and the oxidation, our final opponent is the rest of the food chain. This includes insects like cockroaches, and also mammalian thieves, like a rat, or a hungry roommate. Keeping your pantry clean is usually enough to prevent insects, but hungry roommates can present greater problems.

Now that we know our opponents, let's see the techniques we can use to thwart them:

	Drying Drying food is just as easy as it sounds, and can be used with fruits, vegetables, and meats. Some leafy vegetables can contain above 90% moisture, and the majority must be removed before the item can be stored at length. For leafy herbs and spices, this can be as simple as setting them outside on a sunny day. With dense items like meats, a food dehydrator can be used to speed up dehydration.
	Fermentation No discussion of food preservation would be complete without mentioning fermentation. Beer and wine are produced by yeasts in the genus Saccharomyces, which convert sugar into alcohol. Cheese and other fermented dairy products are created when bacterial cultures convert milk sugars into lactic acid. In both cases the fermentation byproducts increase the shelf life of the product. Fermentation has been invaluable to humanity. Before modern water purification, beer was the best way to provide a beverage which would not cause illness. Cheese is also a very valuable supplemental food source for climates with harsh winters. Many styles of beer and cheese can age for several years when stored properly. Wine and strong beers can last for decades!
	Curing Curing is a traditional process of preserving food using a combination of salt, sugar, or smoke. Salt inhibits bacterial growth, and removes moisture through osmosis. Beef, pork, and fish are all commonly cured meats. Among my favorites is Serrano Ham which is first rolled in sea salt, and then air-cured at 50-60F for over a year. This method is slightly different from Prosciutto which is first rolled in a layer of fat, and then cured at cool temperatures. American cured ham is generally soaked in a salt/sugar brine before being cured at cooler temperatures (below 50F), per USDA regulations.
	Canning Canning your own food might seem like a chore, but having a wide variety of stored food available in your pantry is well worth the extra effort. A few weekends of work in the spring and summer are all it takes to have a yearlong supply of canned goods. Plus, buying food that's in season is best for your body and your pocketbook. Best of all, you can start a new family tradition. Every year my family makes fruit preserves, tomato sauces, pickle relishes, and canned beans. Once you do this for a few years, you'll start to build a nice collection of glass jars. Make a few trips to your farmer's market in August and you'll find plenty of items to keep those jars filled.
	Pressure Cooking This is a technique that can be used to improve the shelf stability of your canned goods. Pressure cookers have rubber seals which allow pressure to build up inside of a closer container. As this pressure builds, microbes are killed by the intense pressure. Due to the steam that is built up by this process, pressure cookers can be very dangerous and should be used only after you have read the instructions that came with it. Before using it, make sure the relief value is clear. After using it, let the pressure drop back down to 0psi before attempting to open the container.

New Insecticides Investigated As CCD Suspect

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:55:45 GMT

It has been over a year since I first started hearing about Colony Collapse Disorder. While there are many unanswered questions, I think the beekeeping community is starting to get a better understanding of why CCD is occurring. In his latest blog post, Kim Flottum (editor of Bee Culture magazine) describes several situations where CCD has been observed.

One of the more promising theories is that recently developed nicotine-based insecticides are compromising the immune system of the bees, making them susceptible to pathogens. The more I think about it, the more I imagine how extremely difficult it must be to engineer an insecticide to kill only harmful pests, while leaving beneficial insects unharmed. Honestly, I'm not sure that I even believe it's possible. Can we really make compounds which are toxic to one insect and completely harmless to another? While Bayer and Monsanto may say yes, I tend to think otherwise. You can read more about it here.

Here’s the pattern ... bees come out of Florida after being on citrus (treated with a pesticide called Bravado), go to gallberry for more honey, and within a few weeks, once they finish blueberries in Maine and don’t have fresh food, they break down. The queen quits laying or dies, brood goes to that snotty condition and about half the colonies die. However, if they get fed fresh food ... protein ... they don’t. It’s when they start to eat their stored food in the colony that came from the treated citrus trees ... that they die.

Wildflowers of Late Summer

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:00:28 GMT

There are many things that the seasoned beekeeper must learn. One of the most important things to know is when local trees and flowers bloom. Knowing when a nectar flow starts can help a beekeeper add additional honey supers if necessary. With this in mind, I have been paying extra attention to the wild flowers and trees growing in our area.
As the month of July winds down, we tend to have longer dry periods, but we are still treated with a number of wild and ornamental flowers. Here's the running list of species in my area, starting with the flowers I see the most frequently:

White Clover (Trifolium repens) While under-appreciated by most people, clover is a prolific flower which can produce nectar for most of the summer months. While its mostly found mixed with other grasses in your yard, some farmers will plant clover specifically as a feed crop. It is one of the favorite foods of cows, and one of the most valuable flowers for beekeepers. Honey marketed as wild flower honey generally contains a large percentage of clover. Clover also produces a very light honey, which makes it very desirable for food production. While there is no shortage of clover in our area, I only wish people would mow their yards less frequently, so my bees would have a longer time to harvest. Bees tend to forage for clover in the afternoon, once the dew has dried up.
Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) If you drive anywhere in Kentucky you'll see an abundance of this wildflower growing in untended fields. According to what I've read, bees will not work Queen Anne's Lace due to its noxious odor. Some beekeepers say that it ruins honey by making it smell like body odor. Yuck! If that wasn't bad enough, when I was growing up, we called it the "chigger flower", because we thought that chiggers were attracted to the flowers. I'm not sure where that idea originated, but we can provide better forage for the bees.
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta) One of many flowers in the Aster family, this flower is also found frequently in roadside ditches and untended fields. There is a large cluster of this right in front of the hives, and I've never seen a bee on them. Still, articles I've read seem to indicate that they will provide some nectar and pollen.
Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Another common sight in roadside ditches, this bright blue flower has a faint smell and is a minor source of nectar. It is drought-resistant, which is an added benefit for flowers blooming in July and August. The root is used as a coffee additive (or substitute) and is also used in some stouts, including the very interesting Dogfish Head Chicory Stout. This started blooming near our house in the middle of August, and the bees certainly enjoy working these flowers.
Boneset (Ageratina altissima) Found mostly in moist alkaline soils, seems to prefer partial shade. This has just started blooming, so I expect to see more flowers appearing throughout August. My honeybees seem to prefer these flowers when they are still green, just as they begin to open up. Once they turn white the bees leave them alone. I found an abundance of this in the fields behind our house, and the pollinators keep the bushes buzzing with activity.
Goldenrod (Astereae Solidago) I couldn't forget to mention the state flower of Kentucky. Early varieties start blooming in mid to late August, but my bees haven't taken a liking them. The rest of the goldenrod starts blooming in early to mid September, where they are prolific in the surrounding fields.

Beginning with Bees

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:38:57 GMT

While exploring the local food community, I happened to come across Foxhollow Farms in Crestwood, KY. Although Foxhollow primarily raises grassfed beef, they also host a number of events at their wonderful community center. I was excited to read that they would be hosting a two day seminar with renowned beekeeper Gunther Hauk.

There's been a fair amount of media coverage regarding beekeeping lately, mainly concerning Colony Collapse Disorder. Mainstream media reports discussing CCD will identify a few potential causes, but they admit that the primary cause is still unknown. Gunther has over 30 years of beekeeping experience, his Illinois hives have been largely unscathed by CCD, and he has never lost a hive to the varroa mite. Among small beekeepers this is an amazing track record, and it reassures my belief that Gunther truly understands the honeybee. His methods combine traditional beekeeping and concepts from biodynamic agriculture. The May 2007 edition of Acres USA included an article from Gunther entitled, Colony Collapse Disorder: Do We Harvest What We Sow?. His article provides a wide perspective on the problems facing the honeybee.

The workshop was a great event, despite my lack of bees (and beekeeping experience). Gunther is an amazing person who I feel very lucky to have heard speak. I took some notes during the workshop, and while I can't claim to speak for Gunther, I think I can summarize his argument for why CCD is occurring. Everything commercial beekeepers are doing to their bees is for the sole benefit of the beekeeper. There are many abuses rendered onto the bees:

Transporting them across the country on the back of semi-trucks
Queen-breeding using artificial insemination (weak Queens)
Situating them in the middle of vast expanses of mono-culture
Pesticide/Fungicide/Herbicide residues from crops
Sugar feeding (i.e, robbing all their honey and feeding them corn syrup)
Prefabricated foundations, some of which are plastic
Preventing swarms

While it may seem like a laundry list of things to blame, Gunther firmly believes that there isn't just one source to the CCD problem, and thus there will be no silver bullet. The solution will be small beekeepers raising bees in a way that minimizes the stress upon the bee and uses selective breeding to improve resistance to common bee ailments.

With all this mind, I felt like I was ready to start beekeeping. At the workshop I had the good fortune of meeting Richard Hosey, owner of Hosey Honey. We came to the realization that I needed bees, and he needed a website. Fast forward a few weeks, and I'm building hoseyhoney.com, and working with my new hives. I enjoy working with the bees, but they still intimidate me somewhat. Hopefully that will go away with time. Right now the nectar flow is somewhat slow, but there is a fair amount of activity around the patches of clover. I will post an update in a few weeks once I harvest some honey, but for now you'll have to settle for a picture of the hives.

AllTheAbove.info Launched!

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:00:00 GMT

My friend Brian has been playing in a local metal band for several months now. Despite the success of some initial MySpace and Facebook marketing, We decided it would be a good idea to have a central website to promote their band. Their website allows fans to keep track of tour dates, watch videos from past shows, and download their latest demo recordings. There is plenty of music available for free, for your enjoyment! Click here to explore ATA online!

Getting Things Working

Tue, 20 May 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Just trying to get some basic functionality working here. NearlyFreeSpeech offers great hosting and domain registration prices. They make having a personal website easy and affordable.