Report from Durango Colorado

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To stimulate hens to lay in cold weather, give them warm water to drink and feed them meat and fat scraps (especially the waste from a meat saw, which is full of bone meal). Any large supermarket with a meat cutter department has plenty such leavings. Some charge a small amount and some give the stuff away, but in either case it's cheaper than high-protein commercial feed. This diet raises the body temperature of the hens and puts them back in production.

For those into pigs: If you live anywhere near a good supply of trash fish-carp, suckers, etc. - make a deal with local fishermen (trade them worms or something). Pigs love fresh fish and it's a good source of protein. Just don't feed it for a couple of months before butchering, because the body fat picks up the flavor. By the way, tell your angler friends that corn borers-the kind that get into the ears just before you pick them-are terrific bait almost as good as catalpa worms, if you know what they are.

Finally, a comment on "Gamble For Your Homestead Front Money" ( MOTHER NO. 27 ): If the McCuskers had held the house they remodeled until six months from the date of purchase, only half the gain would have been taxable. Of course, if their total income for the year of the transaction was low, the tax advantage may have been outweighed by the benefits of selling promptly. If the sale resulted in an income one-third higher than the couple made in any of the four previous years, however, they could have eased the tax bite by income averaging. (A free pamphlet on the subject is available through any IRS office.)

Well, no more writing time now. Gotta go.

Carl
Rt. 2, Box B57C
Durango, Colo. 81301

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