Multiple income streams

It's officially summer, and it's officially the busiest summer I have ever had, and I mean that in it's most literal sense!
I now have 4 jobs, if you count raising broiler chickens as a job (and you should).
One full time job, a part time job at a homeless shelter, a sideline gig washing windows, and of course, the chickens.
The old days of working one job, one job per family, are gone, probably forever.  In order to make ends meet, a family needs multiple income streams, and I wanted to talk about that a bit.

FARM INCOME
We have lived on farmland for nearly 6 years, and we have yet to fully realize the income potential of our property.  There are thousands of dollars that could be made off this land, and we're only getting started.  My optimistic goal for this year is 500-700 broiler chickens, and the start of a permanent homestead flock that will produce fresh eggs, which we eat a lot of.
I've calculated a rough profit of $10 per bird, which is pretty good, but we can only raise a max of 2000 birds, and that would be a LOT.  That would also be $20k per year too, and that isn't too bad.  I really feel like I could maximize earnings on those chickens by doing a few things differently.
Right now, we are using commercial feed, which is expensive, although it is pretty complete.  It's about $0.25 per lb, and it takes about 2.5 lbs to make one lb of actual chicken.  I can buy some of the grains in bulk, really cheaply, but I've been trying hard to solve the protein problem.  Normal grains, like wheat, barley, oats are not high enough in protein, and there doesn't seem to be anything that would be high enough, except for soybeans, and you can't even buy those in my area!

What is the solution?  Bugs.  More specifically, fly larvae.  Way more specifically, Black soldier fly larvae.  I intend to build some special collectors, which I will load up with manure and organic waste of all types.  I might need to "import" some of the eggs of this particular fly, but once a population has been established, it should sustain itself well enough.  The larvae are high in protein, fat, and are clean and disease free.  Once they hatch, and eat, they will actually crawl up a ramp, and then drop down, to be gobbled up by hungry chickens.  I can easily obtain nearly unlimited amounts of manure, which can be composted by flies.  Once it is composted, it can be shoveled into the garden!

Not only does this save me money, although it does cost a lot of labour, it is also waaaaay more sustainable, and the fly larvae are the natural food of the chicken, among other things.  Combined with some chopped and possibly fermented grains, I just might create a race of superchickens, if I can get this idea going on a large scale.  It would take about 4-5 large harvesters to really create enough larvae to provide adequate protein, and they would need to be managed nearly every other day, the old compost being collected, and fresh "stuff" added.  Having this in a central location would be a huge time saver, where I could bring in truckloads of manure, or have them delivered, and fill the collectors when they need it.

In the real world, my 120 chickens are delightedly scarfing down beak-fulls of weeds, such as thistle (yes, for real), dock, and dandelion.  For some reason, when my septic field was installed, the drainfield started growing monster patches of thistle, which I have avoided for obvious reasons.  Now, I finally have a use for it, which should also keep it under control (chicken feet can tear through weeds like butter.)  They also seem to be eating less feed, and I am seeing all of them foraging voraciously.  I did also lose just one to a heart attack, but there have been no more casualties.

WINDOW CLEANING

I said I was going to talk about multiple income streams, and I bloody intend to!  One of my four jobs is window cleaning, which I got into by complete accident last year.  I was hunting for a part time job, and an old friend of mine asked if I wanted to make $20/hr cleaning windows.  I was quite interested, and he quit after 5 days...but I ended up learning to clean windows, and gaining a small starter collection of tools, which I have greatly expanded.  I charge between $100, up to about $140 for a cleaning job, and my costs are gas, and...not much else.  I bought a very nice expandable ladder, which goes from 6 feet to 24, and fits on a car mounted roof rack.  I put an additional smaller (and lighter) ladder on there, as well as a couple of poles.  I have dozens of cloths, and several squeegees.  I can clean one house in as little as an hour, although I average 2.5 to 3 hours.  It is strenuous work, and I am always tired at the end of a day.
The important thing is, I have far more work than I can handle, and my only advertisements are free ones on Kijiji.  I have no business cards yet, and I don't feel like I need them yet either.
Of all my income streams, other than my full time job, this one is the most profitable.  It is also very seasonal, although I have done cleanings in the winter using washer fluid, and it works just fine.  One of my best days earned me about $400, although it was a very long day...

Someday, I can envision this being one part of multiple income streams that will replace my full-time job, maybe, and give me that sweet, sweet, self-employed freedom!

Someday.

Chicken update

This 11 day old Cornish Rock Giant is nearly 4 times his "birth" weight.  As soon as they feather out, or even sooner, they will be outside foraging.

Another view of the size of the birds.

I pulled out the "brooder box" that was in here, it was just too difficult to manage the birds.  I put a simple lid with a hinge that can be propped open to any height, including fully closed, and fully open.  This allows me to spread the food out better, and keep an eye on the birds.  The heater also has a better spread, pushing the heat throughout the entire brooder.  

REPORT:

Day 12/Day 6.

The CRG (Cornish Rock Giants) are 12 days old, and the Buffs are 6.  

Fatalities: 7/1

One of the Buffs was crushed last night, to my great dismay.  Since the chicks cost $5 each, and I only have 25, each one that dies is a larger loss than the CRG.  The heater apparently turned off, and I can't figure why.  I think there must not have been enough oxygen or circulation under the box, which is why I removed it.   Of the 7 deaths of the other birds, 5 were due to piling, or when the birds are literally standing on each other.  This is typically when they are cold or scared, so my thought is to keep the heat in better with a full sized lid.  Two of the birds simply died, so they may have had some kind of trauma, or they just weren't fit enough.

Fatalities at this age aren't too costly, since I'm really only out the cost of the chicks themselves.  Still, I don't want ANY of them to die!  Regrettably, it is going to happen whether we want it or not, but we can minimize it with good practices.  

Chickens!

We've done it again! Another batch of chickens, growing up to become delicious food for your family and mine!

This picture shows the brooding setup that we have got new for this year.  I built the brooder bunker (as I call it) inside my shed, which I have sealed and fixed up nicely for this year.  You can see in the very top edge of the picture, the brooder "box" that I built (I will have some better pics next time).  There are two heat lamps, and a reflective insulation lining along the top of the brooder box.  The heat from the lamps gets trapped under the box, but the raised legs allow the chickens to come and go as they please, regulating their body temperature.  If they are cold, they can run back under, if too hot, then out.  There are 6 or so waterers both under and around the brooder, and as many small trays of food.  

These chicks are not the "hardy" breed that I raised before, but I do have a pending order for a Heritage breed called the Buff Orpington.  They should be here in about 4 days, and they will join their brothers under the brooder, because, why not?

The brooder box idea allows you to cut down on the amount of heat lamps used, I am only using two because the chicks were huddling when they first arrived, and I didn't want them to get too cold.  After a couple days, I will probably turn one of them off during the day to save energy.  

We picked up the birds at 8 am, and basically "poured" them from the box into the brooder.  After a brief few minutes of huddling, they became more active and comfortable, and seem to be doing fine.  My biggest concern was that they might be chilled, because chilled chickens will die, and quickly!

The kids love the birds, and it seems to be a big hit with the family.  More to follow!

Spring?

Tentatively, without making any sudden movements that might scare it away for another 2 weeks, I am quietly celebrating the arrival of an early Canadian springtime.  Yes, early.  Normally, the middle of April is the melting of snow, but who can really say what normal weather is these days?  (yaaaaaaay)

What's on the menu for this (spring)?

1.  Chickens:  After a several year hiatus, we're bringing chicken back, and it's going to be smaller and better than ever!  Instead of a flock of 400, which was a challenge to manage, I'm starting with about 150-200.  I've built a chick brooder, which I will post a picture of soon, when it's painted and ready to go.  I've got some very specific plans for this years flock, namely that I'm going to build a breeding flock of hens who will hopefully then supply me with eggs and babies throughout the next season.  I've picked the Buff Orpington as my Heritage breed of choice, since they grow large, they are not jerks (more on that later) and they will brood their eggs to hatch babies.  It takes the Buff-O about 18-20 weeks to reach it's full size, and it's sexual maturity, which is quite a bit longer than the "normal" broiler breeds, but here's the secret...caponizing.

Caponizing is when you take the male (rooster) around six weeks of age, max of 14 weeks, and you castrate him.  It's no secret that testosterone makes meat taste gamey and tough, so cattle producers will always castrate a male cow, unless they want him to be a bull.  He'll grow up without his oysters, and his meat will be nice and quite edible.  He will not be aggressive, nor will he be fertile.  The same goes with chickens, but the procedure is somewhat more challenging, since the boys "parts" are actually inside the bird.  You have to make a small incision and pull them out.  It is as difficult as it sounds, but the meat stays tender and flavorful, and the chicken still gets to a nice size in about 20 weeks.  Since it costs a lot to process a chicken, every pound of weight makes it worth more to sell.  No sense raising a bunch of tiny 3 lb chickens and paying $5 each to process, instead I will raise a smaller number of 7 or 8 lb birds, which are nearly turkey sized.  I have a feeling that there is a hidden market for this kind of chicken, particularly among immigrants who might have actually eaten caponized chicken before.  Instead of a turkey, why not eat a large tasty pastured chicken?

2.  Bottle calves:  Originally I wanted to buy a gaggle of weaned calves, and feed them on my free grass for six months or so, then sell them again for some sweet, sweet profit.  Unfortunately, prices for the young calves have never been higher, and I run a serious risk of making absolutely no money at all if the price of the larger cattle falls.  Since I am not interesting in running a gambling operation, I've decided to go another way.  Bottle calves are babies that, for whatever reason, have been separated from their mother at a very young age.  You can buy them for a decent price, but you take a risk; they might die on you, and they also take a lot of work to raise.  Assuming you buy some that aren't going to die, you have to feed them a milk replacer.  The most efficient way that I have discovered is called "acidified milk", and you basically mix a few days worth of milk, add some formic acid to bring it to a pH of 4.5 (so it doesn't spoil), and let the calf drink when it wants to, without adding heat to it.  This is becoming popular, and in my opinion is waaaaay easier than the well known method of bottle feeding fresh milk replacer twice a day by hand.  You do have to stir the milk somehow, because it does settle.  I plan to have four bottle calves at some point, and raise them to full size. Then, I will either breed them if they are female, or sell the meat if they are steers (castrated males).  That will take about 20 months to complete.

3.  A cottage and a barn:  I've been slowing working on my small shed, it just needs some shingles on the roof, and a better door and it will be quite useful.  I really want to build a multi-purpose barn/workshop/garage, and this will be the year to to it.  My wife wants me to build a very small old-fashioned cottage that you could sit and read in, or play music, or nap, or escape from the world for a bit.  By winter I ought to have a covered frame and waterproof roof done.  I can work on the inside over the winter, since we plan to put a small wood burning stove inside.

4.  Small but productive garden:  As though all of the above wasn't enough, I would like to build my garden area up, making some permanent pathways with gravel, and planting some peas, carrots, beans, and some pumpkins.  

5.  Part time job:  Oh, and I have a part time job working at a homeless shelter.

How to buy cars (for filthy rich peoples)

    Hi everybody!  I thought I would give you some useful tips on how to spend as much money as possible on vehicles, especially for you lottery winners out there.

1.  Buy new:  Buy the newest vehicle you can, making sure that you purchase every "upgrade" available.  Wipers that turn on when it rains?  Oh yeah!  Now you can save your self the strenuous task of flicking that switch when the first drops of water hits the window.
NEVER:  Buy a good quality used vehicle more then three years old, but less than 12.  By then, most of the "hit" in value has occurred, and you'll just end up saving money, which you will then be forced to spend on something useless, like food.  You will also pay less for insurance, and then what will happen to the children of your broker?  How will he pay for them to attend Harvard?  They might have to settle for Brown, and it's all your fault.

2.  Insure it against everything:  Giraffe attack?  It could happen!  Solar flares?  That could scorch the paint!  Always get glass coverage, and hail coverage.  Your $65,000 truck needs to be protected against all perils, and the payments will suck that dirty, dirty money from your overflowing bank account.
NEVER:  Insure only against liability.  That's for suckers.  Most places charge a pittance for liability only, and who would want that?  After all, we should be...

3.  Drive like an @$$hole:  Tickets are like showers of secret jealous adoration for your matchless driving ability.  You should feel honored to send your $$$ to the coffers of our benevolent benefactors, but make sure you don't ever change your driving habits, it makes you look weak, and you will be eaten by bears.
NEVER:  Drive defensively.  That $65k truck will basically flatten every vehicle in sight, while you nap in luxury in the driver's seat, texting your other rich friend's butlers.  Besides, more tickets, means higher insurance, and your broker can finally buy that swimming pool!

4.  Borrow to make your purchase:  Even the filthiest of the rich should be borrowing money they don't have.  You can always pay it back tomorrow, and tomorrow never comes!  You can't lose!
NEVER: Pay cash for a well researched used vehicle.  You might accidentally touch something a poor person touched, and then you will have to shave your fingerprints off.  Again.

Lastly..

5.  Do not fix your own vehicle:  Take it to the dealer!  He will always charge you the most, and keep your vehicle forever, which means you can just drive your butler's car.  Wear gloves though, you don't want to catch poverty from the steering wheel.
NEVER: Learn any basic mechanical skills, like oil changes and changing a tire.  Always pay someone to do those things, so you can establish your position amongst the ultra-weathly.  Lester McMonneyBaggs tried to do an oil change, and he got DIRT under his fingernails.  Imagine his face when he went for his weekly manicure!  That could be YOU!

*****So, this is intended to be a humorous how-to for people trying to save money on buying used cars.  My family and I have saved thousands by following the NEVER advice above.  Just today, unfortunately, my beloved farm truck died on the highway, and had to be towed back home.  The head gasket gave out, and coolant (mixed with oil) found it's way to the roadway.  After a short, but cold wait, we got towed back.  Since I need a truck for the farm, I get to buy another one!  I set myself a limit of $2000, and within a few hours I found a good used Chevy for $1700.  It's not a luxury vehicle, but I'm not a luxury kind of guy.  I don't mind a little rust, it is a farm truck after all.  Best of all?  The insurance is $380.  Per year.  The truck that just died lasted me about 6.5 years, and I paid about $4500 for it.
      I also plan to keep that old truck, and put a new head gasket on it.  It really needs more work than that, but I only want to get it back to running condition, then I will use it around the farm.  If the new truck goes kaput, then I will have a back up!
Remember "Two is one, and one is none"
If you have no back up, then when the machine/device/item breaks, you will be out of luck.
Some thoughts from a poor country hick who would like my bank account to be overflowing with money NOT spent on vehicles!

"Don't thank me"

Today is Remembrance Day, November the 11th.  If you are like me, you will undoubtedly spend some time thinking about death, war, and the millions of young men whose lives have been snuffed out by armed conflicts in the 20th Century.

Many will say "Thank a soldier, they're the reason that you have the freedom you enjoy today!" or "Let's remember those who died for your freedom."  and maybe put a picture of a poppy as their Facebook profile picture.  I have no doubt that these people are sincere, and truly grateful for their lives, just as I am grateful to live in the relative peace that I enjoy now.

Many years ago, I once wore a military uniform.  For 8 years, I was part of Canada's Reserve Forces, although I worked full time for a few years.  I frequently had people approach me and tell me that they "appreciate what I do", and I wanted to say,
"Don't thank me, I haven't done anything!"
Just because I wore a multicolored uniform with badges and a hat does not make me a hero.  No man becomes a hero because of his job.  Do you want to know what my role in the military was?  I filled out paperwork, and sat in front of a computer all day.  It was boring, and I realized early that I'm not fit for a desk job.

On the other hand, my grandfather Manny volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the 40's, becoming part of an air crew.  His aircraft would have been responsible for flying across the English channel, and finding military targets to destroy.  Many of these would have been in occupied France, and many more would have been in Germany.  Ultimately, the efforts of many millions were successful, and the Nazi regime was destroyed, although Manny was eventually shot down and captured before the final end.

World War 1 and 2 ended with 100+ million people dead, and many millions more wounded and homeless.  The monetary cost of war was astronomical, and there isn't a government still around that isn't STILL paying the debt that was incurred.  In the US, the government used the war efforts to enact an Income Tax, expand the use of paper money, and force millions of young men to join the military, and ultimately die in muddy and frozen trenches.  These are not good things, this is not what "freedom" looks like.  Yet, we call these the "good wars", and talk about how "we would be speaking German now" if not for these horrible, costly wars.

World War 1 started with a very small land dispute, and turned into a raging world conflict, and World War 2 was prompted when a failed painter took advantage of a demoralized German population to seize power and enact his twisted vision of a perfect world.  Many don't realize that Germany had been economically crushed by the Versailles Treaty, and had been paying millions of dollars in gold to France, allegedly to "repay" the damage caused by WW1.  The German population was starving, and their money was worthless.  They wanted a solution, and Hitler provided it.

Of course, once the war had begun, it needed to be stopped.  Terrible things were done by both the Allies, and the Nazis.  Entire cities filled with innocent people were killed by bombing, including two Japanese cities where 250,000 civilians were murdered by atomic weapons, when Japan was already on the brink of surrender.  We found out later that the Americans simply wanted to see what the bombs would do to a city...and today, there are enough nukes around to destroy all life on earth 10 times over.

Was this good?  No.  Nothing good ever comes of war, just death and misery.  No one really wins, but you better believe that there are losers!  Nevertheless, I recognize something about those who volunteered to fight.  They really thought they were doing something good.  They wanted to help, although I suspect many of them were simply thrilled by the excitement of "War".

I'm not going to talk about the Afghanistan war, or Korea, or Vietnam, or peacekeeping missions.  I'm only going to say this.  War is hell, and those who see it will find that a piece of that hell still lives inside them.  The wars of the 20th century were fought for Europe and Asia, but everyone ultimately suffered.  We are not more free because of war, we are simply alive, and grateful to be so.

To those who died, I will say, "I'm sorry you are dead".  To those who lived, I will say, "I am glad you survived".  We will never know what the world might have been without war, but I know this; we will soon forget about the horror, the death, disease and misery, and the world will eventually be at war again.  We should avoid this at all costs, but we won't.  I just hope that my children, and yours don't become victims like so many have before us.  If you remember anything, remember that!

The Untouchables

Article - The Untouchables

By Adam L Schneider

            In a far corner of the world, you stand on a crowded street, barely a street in fact, and more a smear of dirt buried beneath the jostling throngs of human bodies heading in every direction.  So many people!  More than a billion people live in India, and they all seem to be on this street with you.  As you scan the faces, you see that there are many different shades of skin color.  India is home to 25 separate provinces, each with it’s own language.  Your eyes are drawn to a very dark skinned man, hauling a crude wheelbarrow filled with refuse.  The crowd seems to part around him, as if he were somehow surrounded by an invisible forcefield.  Another dark skinned man is seen in a doorway, holding a piece of leather.  Your eyes meet quickly, and he looks away.  His wife is a shy silhouette behind him, not daring to even appear in public.  As you continue, you see many more people performing menial tasks, dirty chores, and even cleaning up human waste.  They all seem to have very dark skin, and no one will go near them.  It’s as if they were…untouchable. 

Many of these “untouchables”, or Dalit (as they are known in India) end up as labourers, leatherworkers, butchers, garbage collectors, and historically, they were segregated from the regular population to the point that no one would dare even brush against them by accident.

            Today, the government in India has enacted many laws to protect these people, and the caste system is fading into the past.  Dalits today hold 17% of India’s jobs, and they’ve been elected to political office on every level, repeatedly.  Great job India!  Now, pack up your bags, and we’ll fly back to North America.  It just so happens to be Sunday, and, what a coincidence, there is a big, beautiful church right next door to the airport!  You’re just in time for the morning service, and you’re even dressed for the occasion, with your buttoned up collar shirt, and pressed slacks.  Some one even polished your wingtip shoes while you were on the airplane!  Boy, that Westjet sure thinks of everything.

            As the service ends, you still feel disoriented from the plane ride, almost as though you were still back on that narrow crowded street in rural India, trying to press your way through the crushing mass of people.  You briefly remember the Dalits you saw, and you say a thankful prayer that there is no “caste” system in your hometown.  As the congregation stands to leave, most are joking and laughing, talking about plans, or telling their friends about the past week.  Not everyone gets up, though.  A few people are still sitting, not talking, or laughing, or doing anything at all.  Most of these people will wait for everyone else to leave, then slip out the door, nearly invisible.  The only reason you noticed them, is that the look on their face seems strangely familiar…like you’ve seen people like that somewhere else. 

            Every church has them.  The “untouchables”.  They might be socially awkward, shy, angry, or they might be strange looking, or even downright ugly.  Parents whisper to their children, “Don’t go near Mr Laughstooloud, he might be dangerous!”, and even the ushers seem to be uncomfortable greeting them.  Once in a while, a brave soul will make a point to say, “Hey, how’re ya doin!” in a syrupy voice, shake their hand, utter some banal phrase like, “Boy it’s cold out there today, huh?”, and then make a run for it.  That’s fine for starters, but then what?  This person didn’t come to shake random people’s hands and wax on about the weather, they came because they NEEDED SOMETHING, and the Body of Jesus Christ, the Believers, the Church, seemed to be a place to get it! 

            A few minutes ago, I got a text from a friend of mine who is the very definition of “untouchable”.  It’s his birthday today, and I’m the only one who remembered.  His texts are childish, and riddled with spelling errors, but he has a brain injury, so that’s no surprise.  I’m often awakened by a text, or rarely, a phone call at 2 or 3 in the morning, where he tells me how sick he is of life, and how he wants to “let go”.  If you saw this guy at church, you would never know he was depressed, he hides it beneath awkward humour, lame jokes, and constant laughter.  Most people roll their eyes, and just walk away, if they don’t simply avoid or ignore him. 

            I decided long ago, that this man was my friend no matter what.  No matter how many times he woke me up with late night text messages, or if I could see food on his teeth, or dead skin in his beard when he talks, I’ve decided that he’s my friend, and deserves my attention.  When I’m at church, I make a point to have a conversation with him, short, but personal.  I text him back when he sends a message (not always right away).  I remember details about his life, the girl he likes, the things he does for fun, and when he says, “I love you bro!”, I say it right back, because that’s what friends do, they share the love that Jesus showed to us!

            I once thought of my friend as “my little project”, but I’ve grown beyond that.  Now, he’s just my friend.  I know that Jesus sent him my way, and that’s fine with me!  I asked for it, after all.  I prayed to God, “Oh Lord, let me serve you!”, and I put my hands down, turned around, and there was my ministry, right in front of me.  Did you think that God was going to send you to Africa?  Thailand?  Mexico?  Or, are you willing to find that one person, the “untouchable”, and become a missionary without leaving your chair?

            Here’s what you need to do:  Stop pretending that you’re too awesome to talk to these people, sit your hiney down in the chair next to them, and introduce yourself.  When they talk, listen and ask questions.  If someone you know stops by and interrupts, tell them you’re busy!  Your new friend needs your attention, and you’re going to give it, or you've failed the first mission God gave ever gave you, you know the one that goes “Love your Neighbour”?  You don’t need to give them your phone number and a house key, but next week, when you see them again, greet them by name, and do the same thing you did before.  You can only do what you can, but do something!

            Maybe it will never happen, but if everyone in church made a point to make friends with a stranger, to get to know newcomers, or to make friends with that guy whose beard looks like it might actually contain a bee’s nest, there would be no untouchables in church, and there would be far less pride and arrogance in His Body.