Raising Animals

Tools for Possibilities: issue no. 151

How to butcher

Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game

You can probably learn to butcher an animal better from watching a YouTube video than you can from reading text, but this classic book will help you evaluate what you see on YouTube. It gives you the context, reasoning, and background of the moves you see in the videos. It also gives you the instructions in clear text. I find it helps me sort out the cacophony of the different methods seen in amateur videos. Beef, pork, lamb, venison, rabbit and poultry are covered. And of course, if the Internet goes down, this clearly illustrated book is always there. — KK

• The animal must be killed quickly, with little or no pain, but more important is that death comes without fear. To allow an animal to become frightened at slaughter is not only cruel, but unwise, for it causes the release of adrenaline, which some believe can affect the quality of the meat. Also, fear may cause the animal to struggle, doing damage to its meat or injuring the person slaughtering. Select the method of killing that will upset the animal’s routine least, thus avoiding fear, and select a method that is sudden, thus avoiding pain.

Rabbit bible

Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits

For nearly 40 years this guide has introduced boy scouts, 4H-ers, homesteaders, survivalists, and pet keepers to the practicalities of raising rabbits. Now in a new 4th edition, it’s still the best manual for getting started with rabbits for food or show. — KK

• Watch carefully at feeding timeA good raiser watches stock closely at feeding time. While they are eating, run your hand over each rabbit. A rabbit that’s a bit bony should get more feed. If a rabbit hasn’t cleaned up its pellets something is wrong.To determine the cause of appetite loss, first check the water supply. Is the crock or jug empty? Is the valve plugged? Rabbits don’t eat when they are thirsty. They must have plenty of water. Most of the time a rabbit that isn’t eating isn’t drinking.

• The doe needs peace and quiet a few days before the litter is born and a few days after. Dogs and children can be particularly disturbing at this time. Upsetting the rabbitry routine can cause the doe to kill her young or abandoned them, so it it is vital that you keep things calm and quiet.You will, of course, be very curious to see the litter. If you have placed the nest box in the back of the hutch but in full view from the front, you will be able to see into it, and by the 31st day you should see a pile of fluffy fur toward the rear of it, moving slightly up and down.

Guide to goats

Natural Goat Care

On my little homestead near downtown Oakland, CA, I’ve dabbled in chickens, bees, turkeys, rabbits, and pigs (i.e. eggs, honey, meat, fur pelts, and wonderful manure for the garden). Recently the dabbling got a little more serious: two Nigerian Dwarf goats named Bilbo and Bebe (the one thing missing was milk; And I love milk. And goat cheese). Trouble was, I didn’t know anything about goats, what they eat, how they behave. Luckily, a goat herder told me about this guide published in Australia. It put my fears to rest.

With all of the other farm animals (including the pigs!), it’s mostly a matter of throwing down some food, making sure everyone has water and enough space, and we’re all good. Goats turned out to be way more complicated than any other animal on the farm. They have psychological needs. They have a rumen for digesting food. They can get sexually transmitted diseases. They have hooves that need to be trimmed. They are a long-term relationship, which — from day one — kept me up late at night worrying. With this guide, I’m far less worried. And now that Bebe is pregnant, in a few weeks we’ll have milk!

Bonus tip: I order all manner of goat-related items from Hoegger’s. — Novella Carpenter

• Homeopathic methods…Cider vinegar maintains correct pH in the body, which is probably one of the reasons it is so useful. Because of its potassium content, it is invaluable for all animals coming up to breeding.Mistletoe. This parasitic plant is a great tonic for goats, ell or ill. I pull it down from trees and feed it directly to my animals. Be warned, it turns the urine bright red for the next 24 hours–the goats have not developed bleeding kidneys.
• Kidding…The legs appear first and the kid’s nose will be level with its knees. If the head is turned back, it is a good idea to scrub up (short nails, clean hands and plastic gloves if the farmer’s hands are cut or scratched) and pull the head forward. The kid can be born with the head turned back, but it is not easy. Ease the kid out as the doe contracts and give it to her to wash and suckle or use whatever system of rearing has been planned. Each kid must have its ration of colostrum, the first thick milk that contains the antibodies for that kid.
• Psychological needs…All goats, particularly the older ones, should have names–ones that do not sound too similar. Goats soon learn to recognize their names hen called or reprimanded.

Once a week we’ll send out a page from Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities. The tools might be outdated or obsolete, and the links to them may or may not work. We present these vintage recommendations as is because the possibilities they inspire are new. Sign up here to get Tools for Possibilities a week early in your inbox.

WikiTok/Phone endoscope/Historical Tech Tree

Recomendo - issue #475

Wikipedia, TikTok style

I’m not here to shame anyone for scrolling through TikTok. I suggest you give WikiTok a try one night instead. It presents random Wikipedia articles in that familiar endless-scroll format we’re addicted to, but replaces dance trends with images of extinct megafauna, weird inventions, and artists I’d never heard of. A recent favorite: Indonesia once issued a postage stamp featuring a fragment of a fossilized Homo erectus skull — the kind of random delight that makes this site worth visiting. — MF

Phone endoscope

Sometimes a single use tool is the only tool that will work. An endoscope is a long coil of stiff, but not too stiff, wire with a tineeweenie camera and LED light at the end. You snake the wire/camera into crevices, down pipes, behind cabinets, inside engines to find out stuff. There’s usually no other way to see deep inside. Not too long ago endoscopes were extremely expensive, but I bought mine for $21. The business end is about 8mm or a 1/4” thick and the other end of the 5 meter (16ft) wire connects to my phone, which serves as the screen, camera and power source. It comes with a clip-on hook or magnet for retrieving tiny objects. I downloaded its app and this Ennovor Endoscope worked instantly. (Lots of generic versions available.) I used mine to troubleshoot a blocked dishwasher-garbage disposal line. For $21 it was worth stashing it in a drawer for another just-in-case use. — KK

Historical tech tree

This historical tech tree is now my favorite way to explore history—a searchable timeline of discoveries, inventions, and tools spanning the ages. You can search by field, year, person, or by the name of the “tech”—which, by this website’s definition, is “a piece of knowledge (an idea) that is created intentionally by humans for a practical purpose (not for its own sake) and is implemented in some kind of physical substrate.” Each tech links to a Wiki page, or branches to other techs that it either built upon or led to. You never know where you’ll end up—I just learned all about water clocks. I love this navigable visualization of human innovation, and it’s inspiring to imagine what lies ahead of us. — CD

Coffee counter mat

I make espressos at least three times a day. The machine, grinder, and knock box are on a wood kitchen counter, and it’s getting stained from drips and spills. This Amoami 12″x19″ rubber mat keeps my coffee corner clean and tidy. The absorbent material quickly soaks up any spills without letting moisture seep through to the counter. It’s low-maintenance — a quick wipe cleans it up. — MF

Cooking oil sprayer

We switched from a pouring spout for our cooking oil to this dark glass bottle dispenser, which provides more accurate portions and helps preserve the oil’s freshness. The dispenser delivers a precise 1/4 teaspoon, or you can switch to spray mode to lightly coat your pans. I like to use the sprayer when cooking tortillas, because the fine mist of oil makes them crispy. — CD

Trader Joe’s desserts

If you are lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s grocery store, my three favorite desserts from there are their Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, their Almond Ring Danish, and their French Apple Tart (seasonal). All three are addictively delicious, and I would rank them better than their equivalents anywhere in the world at any price. — KK

Sign up here to get Recomendo a week early in your inbox.

Nomad Visa Updates/Long-life Electric Toothbrush/Temperate Climate Cities

Nomadico issue #166

Digital Nomad Visa Updates for Bulgaria and Croatia

More details are emerging on the new digital nomad visa for Bulgaria, a country that is one of the best values in the world, and for Croatia, which is not a bargain but is beautiful and on the sea. You’ll find a great rundown on the Bulgaria nomad visa here at SofiaExpats.com and sign up for her great Sofia newsletter if you’ll spend any time there. Here’s an article on changes in the Croatia one, including a longer timeline of 18 months if you’ve can show high enough income or savings.

Electric Travel Toothbrush, Take 2

Back in July of 2024 I highlighted the slim Philips One by Sonicare electric travel toothbrush that I’d bought. I made a mistake and got the battery powered one instead of the rechargeable one but amazingly, the battery hasn’t been replaced since. I’ve been carrying a charged-up rechargeable AAA spare through two months in Europe, six weeks in the USA and Canada, and multiple other trips but still haven’t needed it!

Southwest Airlines Changes in January

If you were a fan of the previously unique Southwest Airlines, you’d better fly them before January 27. Free bag checks are already gone and in January they’ll become just like the other hated airlines, with complicated tiers of paid seat assignments and a dramatically slower cabin load time thanks to eight boarding groups. You get a break if you have their Chase credit card though, with a checked bag included and standard seat assignments for you and your travel companions so you can sit together. ($99 annual fee, but 100K points sign-up bonus after spending $4K.)

Temperate Climate Cities

This list of cities that are around 75F degrees/24C has some nice places to target if you prefer “eternal spring” climates that never get super hot or super cold, like the one I live in. You could create a whole list like this just with the central Mexico highlands and it is missing a few popular spots (like Boquete and El Valle de Anton in Panama). Plus Viña del Mar in Chile rarely tops 70F. But it highlights a few temperate places I hadn’t thought of before. Eat outside all year in Addis Ababa, Windhoek, Da Lat, or Arequipa.

A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

What’s in my NOW? — Whit King

issue #220

Whit King is a philanthropic advisor, yoga instructor, and insatiable bibliophile based in Austin, helping small nonprofits grow with clarity and purpose. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

PHYSICAL

• Kindle Scribe – Instant access meets intentional reading—because sometimes I need the book now, not next week. I highlight, annotate, and move through ideas at the pace they arrive.
• Blackwing Pencils – For when my hands need to move slower than my thoughts. Tactile, grounding, quietly nostalgic. Blackwings have been my go-to for writing anything that matters. I choose pencil over pen because you can erase and begin again—a quiet reminder that most things in life aren’t permanent.
• LEUCHTTURM1917 Hardcover Notebook (Blank, B5) – Where the noise clears. A place for first drafts, bold starts, the patterns I notice over time—and anything else I want to give shape to. I’ve used these notebooks for years—always blank, always B5, always in color. I’ve collected them in every shade, and when I line them up, they form a vivid rainbow—a visual archive of my thinking across seasons. Each one holds its own chapter. I build an index in the back of every notebook and log it into a master index organized by keyword—so if a thought needs to be retrieved, I know where to look. I know digital would be faster—and I use iNotes and Google Docs, too—but my best thinking still happens on paper. Seeing how I’ve spent my days in physical pages just feels right.

DIGITAL

• AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Canva Magic) – I use AI the way I use my notebooks: to clarify, refine, and sort through layered thinking. It helps me develop my own thinking while expanding the frame with perspectives I hadn’t yet considered. From there, I can test assumptions, spot gaps, and check for coherence. Part research assistant, part sparring partner, part mirror—it complements my thinking by showing me what’s missing, not just what’s already there.
• Goodreads – There are more books on my TBR than I have shelf space, free weekends, or lifetimes. But I’ve made peace with that. Reading is the one habit I never have to schedule. Goodreads is where I track what I’ve read, what I’m reading, and what’s still lingering in the digital pile—organized by theme, year, and a tagging system that occasionally only makes sense to me.

INVISIBLE

“If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not ‘washing the dishes to wash the dishes.’ What’s more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can’t wash the dishes, the chances are we won’t be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future—and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.” —Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness

This quote strikes me because it reveals a simple truth: presence isn’t about the task—it’s about showing up fully. Some of my most memorable moments occurred when I was completely present—and they’re proof of what Thich Nhat Hanh means by being truly alive. When I’m mentally racing toward the next thing, I miss both experiences. I’m not fully engaged with what’s happening now—I’m distracted, going through the motions. And when that next moment arrives, I’ll still be somewhere else mentally, already chasing what comes after.

The power lies in the doing itself. One action. One breath. One moment. Not the endless chain of what’s next.

It’s the difference between living and surviving. When I stay present with what’s in front of me—really stay—something miraculous happens. The ordinary becomes alive. The mundane transforms.

Presence is a practice.

Sign up here to get What’s in my NOW? a week early in your inbox.

Papertoy Monsters / The Animator’s Survival Kit

Issue No. 79

PAPERTOY MONSTERS – BUILD 50 3D TOYS WITH JUST PAPER AND GLUE

Papertoy Monsters: 50 Cool Papertoys You Can Make Yourself!
by Brian Castleforte (author) and Robert James (illustrator)
Workman Publishing Company
2010, 124 pages, 8.6 x 11 x 0.9 inches (softcover)

Buy on Amazon

As a child, I often viewed school as an evil creature that could be temporarily subdued only by sickness, weekends, government holidays, and art/craft Fridays. Among my favorite Friday activities were the various papertoys that I got to color, cut out, and assemble. Some were mechanical, some were static, some would have a specific purpose, and some would just be neat little creatures to play with. But, they all had the same feature that I found so intriguing: they were three-dimensional toys born from a single sheet of two-dimensional paper. Three decades later, I can finally relive those fond childhood memories as well as share them with my nephews.

Papertoy Monsters is a collection of 50 monster designs by 24 papertoy artists from around the globe including the author, Brian Castleforte. Building one of these monsters is pretty straightforward, and the only required tool is some glue. The author recommends some other tools, but glue is really all that is required. Inspiring mad scientists have it so easy nowadays.

Every monster is printed on both sides, so the finished toy has colorful graphics inside and out. Pieces are perforated for easy punch-out, and pre-scored for easy folding. Even the slots are pre-cut for easy assembly (no dangerous X-Acto knives to contend with). Construction difficulties range from easy to advanced, and are recommended for everyone nine years or older … but, my six-year-old nephew gets a kick out of them, too.

With 24 artists, there is a wide variety of monster styles and designs ranging from strange and cute to creepy and bizarre. In fact, just choosing which monster to build is a tough choice. As if that wasn’t enough, there are ten additional blank templates that allow you to design, color, and build your own monsters. Decisions, decisions! Papertoy Monsters is a young mad scientist’s dream. It’s a portable laboratory with enough body parts to create an entire army of fiendish and friendly monsters whenever the mood strikes; no grave robbing required. – Robert Nava

THE ANIMATOR’S SURVIVAL KIT: A MANUAL OF METHODS, PRINCIPLES AND FORMULAS

The Animator’s Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Forumlas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion, and Internet Animators
by Richard Williams
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
2012, 392 pages, 9.4 x 10.9 x 1 inches

Buy on Amazon

In middle school, I was absolutely certain that I wanted to be a Disney animator … until life threw me a curve ball right after high school. Now, I’m a papercraft artist. But, I still love animation, and I keep learning what I can.

Richard Williams, the director of animation for Who Framed Roger Rabbit, has spent his entire career learning from the best classic animators from the Golden Age of animation. He has taken all that he has learned and boiled it down to the simplest and fastest way of doing things. This allows animation to become second nature, freeing the animator to focus on the performance and actions of the characters.

The Animator’s Survival Kit focuses mainly on traditional hand-drawn animation, but the methods and principles work no matter what tools are used. They work because they are the core principles of all animation. Whether it’s CG, stop motion, or computer games, all can benefit greatly from this well of knowledge. The book is very friendly, filled with energetic hand-drawn illustrations and handwritten text; the pages look like excerpts from an artist’s sketchbook. Williams provides examples for everything from timing and spacing to dialogue, acting, and directing. In most cases, there are creative step-by-step drawings to illustrate Williams’ points. There are also wonderful quotes and anecdotes from his decades of collaborations and friendships with animators.

Whether you’re an aspiring animator or just interested in the genre, The Animator’s Survival Kit provides a fun and highly informative insight into traditional animation. And, the knowledge can be applied to many of today’s animation styles, and is practically future-proof. Although my edition of this book is out of print – and therefore a bit pricey – the edition linked above is an affordable, updated edition that has been expanded to include more on “animal action, invention and realism, with sophisticated animation examples.” – Robert Nava

Books That Belong On Paper first appeared on the web as Wink Books and was edited by Carla Sinclair. Sign up here to get the issues a week early in your inbox.

Calligraphy

Tools for Possibilities: issue no. 150

Refillable Manga medium

Copic Markers

Copic markers are Japanese-made markers that have been used for years by Manga and other artists in Japan. Though generally relegated to that purpose, they’re a very functional medium, an alcohol-based, refillable marker that can also be used with an airbrush. They are initially expensive to buy, but because they are refillable and so versatile, over time they prove to be less expensive than Prismacolor markers. Because they are alcohol based, they are also blendable; similar to watercolor in application, but much more convenient.

Copic markers are somewhat limited in application, and not something generally as versatile as acrylic- or oil-based media. The advantage in my case is mostly portability. For anything larger than an 8 1/2X11″ page, they wouldn’t be practical. Think of them as more for cartooning than fine art. I do a lot of caricaturing and figure drawing, for which they work well. — Stephen Young

For indelible writing on dark glossy surfaces

Metallic Sharpie

The Metallic Sharpie is a vast improvement over other metallic pens out there — no shaking the pen before use, and the ink doesn’t puddle up. It dries permanent and shows up great on dark surfaces as well as light ones. It became favorite art tool in my arsenal when I was able to write a friends phone number on a freshly opened, ice-cold beer bottle. Seconds after jotting the number, it was indelible. I try to take it everywhere — it’s good for men’s room graffiti, VHS tapes, I even labeled various keys on my key ring. You can get metallic sharpies at Staples or Office Max. — Chris Sperandio

There’s almost no other way to easily write on slippery surfaces. The metallic sharpie uses silver ink, which has remarkable contrast against both light and dark surfaces. For writing on black plastic or enamel (there is more of it around than you think) nothing else will do. — KK

I have managed to accumulate dozens of small transformers over the years. Those black plastic “wall wart” things. They get unplugged from the device and usually they are totally generic in their labeling. Whatever they powered has gone away, but the transformer remains.

I grabbed one and wrote the product the new transformer belonged to in silver ink on black plastic. I’d tried grease pencils and tags and such stuff before, but they just never worked out. This seems to be the fix. I am so excited about this discovery, I just had to share it. — Norm A.

Fine point performance

Sharpie Twin-Tip

Sharpie markers are well-known for being indelible, particularly on plastic, glass and metal surfaces. Folks in labs, movie sets, and hospitals who need to mark things permanently use Sharpies. If the ink goes on, it won’t come off. What’s special here is that the other tip of these pens is an ultra-fine point Sharpie, fine enough to write like a ball-point pen – but permanently — when you need to. The “industrial” version of Sharpie ink will even resist chemicals and scrubbing. Since more writing surfaces seem to be plastic-like, I find we use Sharpies all the time now. — KK

Learning to hand letter

Calligraphy • The Calligrapher’s Bible

Calligraphy: A Course in Hand Lettering is the best book for teaching yourself calligraphy, which you can do on your own. It’s how I learned. The book is spiral-bound to lay flat and includes transparent guide sheets for practice. You write over its pages. The course is structured simply and will teach you the basic Italian cursive hands. I prefer it over other guides because it focuses on getting the basics right, without intimidating you with a lot of fancy work. By the end of this course you’ll be able to do a passable wedding invitation, envelope, or framable quotation.

If you want to move onto additional scripts, the Calligrapher’s Bible (also spiral bound) will show you how to hand write over a hundred of them. The directions for each hand are clear and concise. This will last you many years. — KK

Once a week we’ll send out a page from Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities. The tools might be outdated or obsolete, and the links to them may or may not work. We present these vintage recommendations as is because the possibilities they inspire are new. Sign up here to get Tools for Possibilities a week early in your inbox.

What’s in my NOW? — Whit King