Oh no I'm going for nuts

So I picked up "The Backyard Homestead" Edited by Carleen Madigan a few months ago. Now normally I'm a hunt and peck reader but recently I have been forcing myself to read books cover to cover (one of the reasons it's taking me so long to finish this book). Well I was reading the book and came across the section on grow nuts and nut trees. I was going to skip it in hopes of finishing the book sooner but stuck to my original plan, and am I glad I did.

Grow nuts is AWESOME! It's something I have always known a bit about but when it was laid out in simple terms I'm really considering not planting the apple trees I wanted to and replacing them with Walnut trees. The trees get less pest/disease, the nuts need no prep to store just keep them dry, nuts hold more calories than fruit per pound, two trees give you more nuts than anyone family can really eat in a year, the nuts are multipurpose (gas mask filter, burn in fires, decorations, and more) and if all else fails Walnut wood is one of the most valuable woods for woodworking (one of my hobbies).

So nut trees just moved up in priority in the list of starters to buy and plant this spring. (Yes even before apple trees)

Stall on the Ordance

So I was all set to present to the Township Board on Monday but than my wife went into pre-labor that was pretending to be real labor. Oh well two more weeks to get more signitures will do me good. I did get a thumps up from the MSU-Extension Reginal Directer he liked the ordance with only a few changes and wording/quots corrections. So I must be heading in the right direction now, but only time will tell.

Now I've done it...NO turning back!

So I presented the rough draft of the ordnance to one of the key board members of the township and...He loved it! He was very impressed that I had thought and addressed concerns that he didn't even think of and was more impressed that I had addressed all of his major concerns (no bee keeping being the big one). The only change that he wanted to see is that any goats keep be unisex (male, male or female, female). This was already an idea I had been tossing around so really not a huge deal.

But here is the huge deal he thinks I should present the ordnance at the next Planning Commission meeting. That's the 10th of Jan like in 8 days. So I have some work to get down. I smoothed out most of the rough edges of the rough draft. I'm not going to finish it completely because I know the Planning Commission will have there mandatory changes that they will want to see. But on the recommendation of the Board Member I need to get a petition to go along with this ordnance to give it that push it needs (got to love election year politics). So I have 8 days to get as many signatures as I can, I know I have 15 with just friends and family and I'm hoping that I can convince those friends and family to get their friends and family to sign as well. I'm shooting for 60 signatures for right now (This isn't a true petition just a list of people that are say they would support this and by proxy vote for the people that helped pass the ordnance). I really don't want to have to go door to door mostly because all that snow we have been missing out on decided to hit over the last 2 days and isn't going to stop now for about 3 months.

Well lots of work ahead. I will be keeping everyone up-to-date one the happenings so keep an eye on this blog for current new and status of the ordnance.