A pair of Slogger boots with a chicken pattern will be given away as a door prize at the Great Appalachian Homesteading Conference.If you go
› What: Great Appalachian Homesteading Conference.› When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. CDT Saturday, April 2.› Where: Cumberland County Fairgrounds, 1398 Livingston Road, Crossville, Tenn.› Admission: $32.64 adults, $16.82 children 4-12.› Website: greatappalachianhomesteadingconfernce.blogspot.com.
The Great Appalachian Homesteading Conference on Saturday, April 2, at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds in Crossville, Tenn., is designed for those destined to live so self-sufficiently they can triumph over man-made snafus and crises. It’s also designed for those who just want to can some fruit or try an herbal remedy instead of an over-the-counter med.
The wide range of topics includes classes on herbal medicines, an explanation of solar power and how solar cells work led by an alternative energy engineer and a how-to on baking Dutch oven and cast-iron skillet dishes. The latter is taught by the Middle Tennessee Dutch Oven Society, which will offer demos on how to bake bread, pizza and something called Hillbilly Pie in the metal cookware.
Tina Creamer is traveling from Lucas Farms in West Virginia to teach an introductory course on raising dairy goats and cows. One tip for anyone who thinks goats are easygoing because they allegedly eat anything: Think again.
“Goats are very high-maintenance,” Creamer says. “They are temperamental. A person really needs to think about whether he or she has the patience and the steady personality to deal with goats.”