Apple and Wine Processing Equipment

Cottage Craft Works at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com has assembled some of the best apple cider and wine presses on the market.  If you are a do-it-yourselfer they even offer hardware kits so you can make your own presses.  Along with the presses they have other processing equipment from the Orchard Broom that allows you to pickup windfall apples without bending over, the picking bags, to the press bags Cottage Craft Works has your apple and wine processing needs covered.

If you have a small amount of backyard apples and grapes that you want to make a few gallons of cider or wine, consider a Table Model Fruit & Wine Press $175 with free shipping!

"Authentic Old Fashioned" Fruit press for pressing soft fruit. (Tub size is 9" x 11" high and overall press size is 11" x 20") Cider can be made only if you grind your apples in some way. Sturdily constructed. Fun for the whole family.

If you have several trees and need something larger with a grinder, consider starting with The Pioneer Junior Budget Cider Press at only $495

Now EVERYONE Can Own A Cider Press!  The Pioneer Junior is a smaller, less expensive cider presses for the homeowner with only a few trees.  It works as well as the larger version. Presses a half bushel of whole apples at a time. No need to peel or cut up the apples - the grinder does it all. 

The next level for the homeowner is The "Homesteader" at $695 it is a single-tub cider or wine press with the same basic frame and press screw assembly as our double-tub model. It has been specifically designed as an all-purpose fruit press which is capable of grinding and efficiently squeezing apples, grapes and other fruits and vegetables.

The "Apple Eater" grinding attachment (included)  is conveniently mounted on the back of the press - allowing the "pulped" fruit to fall directly into the tub for squeezing (however, this attachment can be mounted independent of the press, allowing both press and grinding operations to take place at the same time!)

 *** The Best Buy****The Complete Apple CiderPress. $720  This unit has an attached apple grinder and Heavy duty 1" diam. pressing screw with Acme thread to exert a powerhouse of pressure with a minimum effort.

The apple grinder features a hardwood drum studded with eight rows of stainless steel teeth mounted on a steel crankshaft inside the hopper.( The Grinder can also be easily removed from press and mounted on a sawhorse or other support, allowing one person to grind fruit, another to press juices.) Heavy cast-iron flywheel with hardwood handle rotates drum mounted on steel shaft -- all perfectly balanced for smooth, easy grinding.

Large steel-banded pressing tub will hold up to one bushel of pulp inside the fitted, fine-mesh pressing bag. It will keep the skins, stems and pulp inside the bag letting only the juice flow through.   The entire press frame and tub are made from SOLID MAPLE for super strength.  The uprights are also made of sturdy maple and the extra wide-stance legs provide total stability under grinding and pressing action.

The optional Wooden Hopper holds 35 pounds of apples and makes grinding easier and faster.

 For the large scale to commercial processor- Double-Tub Cider Mill & Wine Press $840

The American Harvester Cider Mill and Wine Press is a combination of the best features found in different mills and presses manufactured around the turn of the 20th century. By the early 1900s, the double-tub model cider mill was by far the most popular. The rugged 4-leg construction utilizing good hard wood and large amounts of cast iron make this unit appealing to farmers and orchard growers.

The American Harvester mill has an advantage in design that allows both the grinding and squeezing to take place at the same time. Also, the grinding unit on the American Harvester reduces apples to a "pulp like" consistency which allows a more efficient "press".

In short, the American Harvester will produce the most cider from the least amount of apples in the shortest amount of time... better than any hand operated unit on the market!

Our experience shows that two people working at a comfortable pace can easily grind and squeeze 50 gallons of cider in an afternoon.  The "Apple Eater" grinder on the American Harvester grinds whole apple with ease. You do not have to slice or push them down!

 For $259 you can motorize either the American Harvester or the Homesteader Grinder Motor Kit

Motor kit to fit the American Harvester or Homesteader Grinders Operate your press with ease with this new complete motor kit ready to install.

Purchase the motor kit to add to an existing grinder or purchase the complete motor and grinder assembly for your American Harvester or Homesteader Apple Cider Press.

 If you already have a press and want to add or replace the apple grinder with a new apple grinder consider The "Apple Eater Grinder" it is a top seller! $229 Includes a 5 1/2" diameter terpolymer of ABS cylinder with 8 serrated stainless steel knives. This specially designed grinding box is all cast iron. Operation is made smooth, fast and easy by the use of a 18 lb. cast iron flywheel attached to the grinding shaft. The result is a totally maintenance-free grinding device that quickly reduces a box of apples to an easily pressed "pulp".

If you have the wood you may want to consider building your own press.  Starting at $429 you can purchase a Homesteader Apple Cider Press"Hardware Kit"  Now build your own version of our Homesteader Cider Press.

Each kit includes complete grinder assembly, flywheel, cross arm, 1- 1/2" Acme screw with 4-prong wheel and pressure foot, hoops, all necessary hardware and complete set of wood plans.

The American Harvester double tub hardware kit only runs $50 more.

As we age or have back issues, bending over becomes a challenge. Now introducing the OrchardBroom  Apple and Walnut picker. $69.95 A very easy to use product to quickly pickup apples, fruits and nuts off the ground in and around trees without having to bend over. The Orchard Broom is the only purpose designed device to collect windfall apples, fruits and nuts.

Easily holding 10-20 apples and emptying in under a second without ever having to bend over.  The Orchard Broom rolls along and catches the fruit and nuts in between the flexible wire cage without damaging the fruit skin.  When the basket is full, just simply place over the bucket mounted wire rack frame and the cage separates allowing the fruit and nuts to drop into a bucket. (Bucket is not included)

The Orchard Broom will easily cope with cider apples and other small varieties. Guide The Orchard Broom where the apples are and see how it picks them up efficiently and bruise-free! No more struggling over apples,

A very handy tool indeed! Since The Orchard Broom is lightweight and practical, you can use it anywhere, even for hard-to-reach corners or on uneven terrain.  Orchard Broom is durable, it can withstand years of proper use. The Orchard Broom can be used for other fruits in similar size from lemons to oranges!

For picking fruits and nuts off the tree either on the ground or on a ladder consider the Fruit Apple and Nut Picking Bucket $24.95

Our apple and nut picking canvas bucket has an adjustable strap for right or left handed picking or for front or side. Great for any type of fruit or nuts the bag has a wide shoulder strap made for comfort.

If you have dwarf apple and fruit trees or are not comfortable on a ladder consider The Apple and FruitPicker $32.95 The Apple and Fruit Picker has 8' hardwood Handel allowing you to pick from the ground or reach higher limbs on a short ladder. 

If you want to keep your orchard pest free consider the Wheeled Orchard and Garden Sprayer $398 with free shipping!  This is a perfect sprayer for the garden or orchard. It is a hand pushed 10 gal 12 volt battery operated wheeled sprayer for those hard to reach areas with a tractor pulled sprayer.  Battery operated the wand will develop enough pressure to reach to the top of dwarf fruit trees and provide more coverage than a hand pump garden sprayer.

For the wine lovers Cottage Craft Works offers several press options. For the small backyard vineyard consider Yakima Small Wine Press.  $169 with free Shipping!  

Easily Produce Your Own Juice or Wine! Anyone who has access to fresh grapes and soft fruit can quickly and easily produce their own juice - or wine - with this convenient press. The Yakima provides optimum design in terms of materials, size and price. The hardwood tub measures 11" high and 9" in diameter. All cast iron frame with a 3/4" Acme press screw.

If you have a larger vineyard or share wine making with friends consider the The HomesteaderWine Press  $469.  This is a single-tub press with the same basic frame and press screw assembly as our Homesteader Cider Press, just without the grinder. It has been specifically designed as an all-propose fruit press which is capable of efficiently squeezing grapes and other soft fruits and vegetables.

If you are a large vineyard consider our Large Wine Press $495 Heavy duty 1" diam. pressing screw with Acme thread exerts a powerhouse of pressure with a minimum effort. Four threads per inch permit fast travel.

Pressing Bags are essential to pressing apples or wine, Cottage Craft Works carries pressing bags for both the table top and the large cider and wine presses.  Prices start at $13.

 Maintaining and lubricating your press becomes challenging when looking for “Food Grade” applications.  Cottage Craft Works carries food grade thread lubricants and wood sealers.

If you are a newbie or want to increase your knowledge on making cider and wine, Cottage Craft Works carries several  instructional and recipe books on how to make apple cider. The complete Cider How to Book $19.95 now in its 3rd addition, all you need to make and enjoy sweet and hard cider   Be sure to check out our apple chopper and cider presses.  You can also fine several books on wine making and building grape arbors.

The Christian Back-to-Basic Movement

In today’s economy it is difficult to find a sector of the population that has not been negatively affected financially.  People of all ages and faiths are trying to find a balance in life and looking for ways to trim the household budgets and live a more frugal self-sufficient lifestyle. The freeze in Social Security cost of living increases and indications of an increase in the age requirements before Social Security Benefits can even begin; only seem to be adding to the stress and uncertainty to those in or reaching retirement ages.  More concerning is the fact that this no longer makes front-page news, and many seniors are even unaware of these types of discussions.  It often feels as if the country is slipping into a feeling of apathy – and depression, loneliness.

The younger generations are finding it more difficult to find jobs, start a family, and live the American dream.  In many ways, the lessons learned of coping and surviving such historical times as the Great Depression are only held in the minds of those seniors now reaching into their 80s and beyond.  Lessons can be brought forward today and shared with the younger generations on how to live credit free, make things at home, bond as a community, and work together to stretch the dollar. 

At Cottage Craft Works we believe our mission should be more than just a mail order supply house, we believe in supporting those looking for a balance in life and want to help support those seeking a more self-sufficient lifestyle.  You will find throughout our site and our blog free information on ideas, on how to make things, recipes, and even kits and hardware to make your own products.  We also offer over 200 books dedicated to every aspect of self-reliant and self-sufficient living. Several Christian based books for school age children are perfect for home-schooling. 

Religion and worship are very personal matters; therefore we do not openly promote any particular faith on our site or try to draw people into any particular way thinking about religious beliefs. You will note an intentional Christian based welcome feeling across our site though, as many of our products are made by strong Christian followers, who still close up shop on Sundays in order to worship.  We also believe, there exists a strong correlation in spiritual needs and support for each other, and our neighbors at all times but even more during trouble times, as many are encountering very stressful domestic issues. Studies suggest people are seeking and turning to faith and worship to experience comfort and hope in a very troubled world. 

Cottage Craft Works offers products and support under our Personal Needs tab.  Under this tab you will find Faith-Hope-Family with products for Christian based needs.  You can even subscribe to the popular Keepers at Home Magazine.  Many of our Amish cookbooks have been developed from recipes from readers of the Keepers at Home Magazine.  When you are in this section be sure to check out the beautiful Bible on a scroll including the handcrafted wood support stand.

Cottage Craft Works through its subsidiary CCW Hunting and Game Calls has a strong presence in the Hunting and Sportsman arena, including guns and accessories.  While we do not endorse or promote violence we do support those who are trying to put food on the table for their families and enjoy the outdoors as part of a self-sufficient life style.  We also believe in and especially during troubled times people need away to provide personal protection for themselves and their families.

Cottage Craft Works is a small Christian family ran business, when you e-mail or call you talk directly with one of the family members who understand and are also part of the self-sufficient movement.  The products featured on the site are handpicked for quality workmanship, practicality, and an investment to save time, labor and provide future family heirlooms. 

Cottage Craft Works provides a source for the old time American made quality products that were used and cherished for generations, which are still being manufactured today. Products to help you and your family live a more wholesome self-sufficient life style in today’s very uncertain times. Looking through the Cottage Craft Works online is store is just like picking up an early 1900s Sears and Roebuck Co. Catalog and spending hours making your wish list!  Products are full of nostalgia and memories, products you grew up with but never dreamed would still be available for purchase in today’s crazy fast moving high tech and dependent vulnerable world. So take a deep breath, slow down a bit and enjoy the country life with us at Cottage Craft Works .com.

The Frugal American Family and American Made Products

If you are looking to find old fashioned American made products you are not alone.  People want to turn back time--they are tired of the cheaply made copycat items that look like the originals but never work like the originals they remember from their childhood.  American people are frustrated over the loss of jobs, after American based factories faded away to foreign soils to make these products cheaper.  

Mixed within the overall decline of quality came the theory of planned obsolescence, where if you built a quality product that would last a lifetime, you would at some point be out of business because no one would need to purchase again.  Then  came corporate greed, with less regulations companies found they could take short cuts in the manufacturing process to make even higher profits, some used recycled items containing toxic chemicals, and heavy metals, others did not invest the time into the expensive research and testing to be sure their products were safe and made to last.

There are several other movements occurring across America. Some believe in the potential collapse of the economic system and are scrambling to find back-to-basics self survival gear and non-electric products.  Others are looking for self defense because of the increasing crime and uncertain times we are living in, others are turning back to living off the earth to rid the potential of toxic chemicals and contaminants being found in the food supply chain, or are looking to go “Green” with energy savings and reducing their carbon foot print.  Others are simply unemployed over extended periods are looking how to transform their back yards into a food producing and income producing ventures.

One thing is for sure-- old fashioned American made quality products built to last, that are used to produce homegrown and homemade items are becoming the “New in Thing” for the American family. Frugal back-to-basics living is no longer being viewed as being poor but a necessity of daily living.

Cottage Craft Works located at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com  has assembled a full line of old time American made products still being made within the cottage based businesses and small shops from across the country.  The majority of the products are Amish made and used daily in the Amish back-to-basics way of life, while other products have been found in the back roads and small towns of America from trades and craftsmanship passed down from generations.  This is not “Fu Fu” stuff but real products used daily in the home, garden, farm, ranch, hunting and building construction for those seeking to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle.  Corporate greed and planned obsolescence has never crossed these people’s minds, in fact it’s quite the contrary, as they have built their business and livelihoods on providing quality products to their closest neighbors and small communities.

During the Y2K scare people overwhelmed the Amish communities for non-electric back-to-basic items, in fear that the country would be without electricity or an infrastructure.  This level of uncertainty is beginning to climax again for those same back-to-basic products.   It is not being hyped on the front pages of newspapers as a single issue like it was back then, but the demand to find these products is increasing just as much now.

Across America people in some form have assembled emergency supply kits to survive several days without electricity or infrastructure if no more than to survive from earthquake, storm, or other natural or man made disaster, others are making the move to total off- the- grid in-dependency.

Cottage Craft Works offers over 200 books on self-sufficient living topics.  From building solar/wind efficient housing, raising livestock, organic gardening, to homemade products and cooking from scratch recipes you will find a book on every topic of self-sufficient living, including making an income from self-sufficient products.

Under the Kitchen and Food Processing tab you will find hand crank cooking gadgets, high quality Stainless Steel and cast iron cookware, as well as equipment to process dairy, maple syrup, apple cider and make your own wines.  Cottage Craft Works is a dealer for the commercial grade hand crank mixer formally known as the TROYCRAFT MIXER, the GrainMaker® grain mill and carries the hand crank Master Kuts Food Processor.

Under the Home Goods Tab you will find Amish furniture, pet items, sewing machine cabinets, including a complete treadle sewing machine, vintage toys and board games, handmade baskets, Amish quilts, butane and gasoline clothes irons, laundry tubs, laundry drying racks, and portable clothes lines.  Click on the oil lamps to see the old fashioned indoor and outdoor oil lamps, or discover gas powered lighting.  Need a repair part for an older Coleman lantern; you will find them in this section.  Looking for personal needs, or spiritual items click on the Faith | Family | Hope | Tab to find items for health and wellness, spiritual and Christian based child development.  You can even subscribe to the popular Keepers at Home Magazine under this section.  Scan proof wallets are also available.

Under the Farm and Garden tab you will find items for the horse and tack including horse drawn buggies wagons, and carts as well as tools equipment and books on raising livestock, farming, and gardening, including going “All Organic.” Under this tab you will find a complete lineup of orchard and vineyard equipment, including all types of apple and wine complete presses or the hardware kits to build your own press. Find chicken coops, chicken nesting boxes, beekeeping equipment and purple martin housing under the birds and bees tab in the Farm and Garden section. 

If you need long lasting patio furniture you will find poly plastic recycled furniture under the Patio tab along with Amish Wind Chimes.  The Poly lumber is UV and rot resistant assembled with Stainless Steel screws and hardware.  The furniture is ideal for coastal areas subject to saltwater spray.  The 401 Freezeless Water Hydrant is also made of Stainless Steel ideal for coastal areas as well.  Cottage Craft Works carries a small Amish made manure spreader and will be adding other small hobby farm implements.  Small Express wagons are also located under the Farm and Garden tab.

Entering the Hunting and Outdoors Sports tab is like walking into a full line sporting goods store, except the quality and the craftsmanship of the items will rival anything on the market.  The hand carved gun stocks were featured in the March 2011 issue of Outdoor Life magazine.  The hand tooling detail on the custom leather products from the holsters, ammo belts to the gear belts are all top notch heirloom quality.  High end game and hunting calls perform as well as they look but the prices are as reasonable as the big gigantic sports and hunting stores.  This the type of gear that made legendary hunters, hunting gear that will pass from generation to generation. 

Cottage Craft Works strives to bring unique items that just can’t be found elsewhere.  They carry a  4-1 combo turkey call that has all the turkey locator calls built into one handsome handcrafted unit.  American made briar proof coats, vest, bibs, and chaps are also available in this section along with gun accessories, blinds, and outdoor sports items.  This is where you can still purchase the red metal runner and wood snow sled, croquet set, and an easy up volley ball set.  This is the section where you can find two sizes of a very handy all aluminum bicycle cargo trailer.  It is a light weight trailer that easily attaches to any bicycle without using an additional hitch.  You can carry groceries and supplies, camping gear, or use it at work to transport gear around large factories.  The cart is ideal for island living or where traditional automobile traffic is limited.  Bike mounted police and emergency workers can also use it to carry gear and emergency equipment in and around crowded events.  Best of all with its convenient handle you can roll it around the yard as a yard cart.

Under the Building Products tab you will find the Natures Head a self contained composting toilet.  It uses no running water or sewer plumbing.  It is odorless and even approved by the US Coast Guard for on board toilet facilities.  You will find complete restoration services, for duplicated spindles and house trim, as well as cupolas and copper weathervanes.  Solar and wind power kits will be added to this section in the near future.

Cottage Craft Works provides a source for the old time American made quality products that were used and cherished for generations, which are still being manufactured today. Products to help you and your family live a more wholesome self-sufficient life style in today’s very uncertain times. Looking through the Cottage Craft Works online is store is just like picking up an early 1900s Sears and Roebuck Co. Catalog and spending hours making your wish list!  Products are full of nostalgia and memories, products you grew up with but never dreamed would still be available for purchase in today’s crazy fast moving high tech and dependent vulnerable world. So take a deep breath, slow down a bit and enjoy the country life with us at Cottage Craft Works .com

CCW Hunting and Game Calls

Providing high quality hunting gear and game calls for the novice to the most discriminating professional hunter and outdoors person.

At CCW Hunting and Game Calls we have assembled some of the best hunting gear and game calls to be found anywhere on the market.  We have the gear for the most discriminating pro-hunter, to those just being introduced to hunting.  Many of the products we carry are so unique or of such high quality they are not even available in the popular outdoors sporting good stores.  If they are available, it will be mass machine produced products with much lower quality standards.  CCW products are carefully selected to be tomorrow’s heirloom family traditions, or collector items.

CCW products can be customized and personalized to specific needs and taste.  At CCW we have some of the top artist and craftsmen who can custom carve, engrave, or personalize your gear in leather, wood, metal or other materials.  Our hand carved gun stocks were featured in the March 2011 issue of Outdoor Life Magazine.  We will be soon adding custom gunsmith and complete restoration services.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-calls-engraving-c-31_21_115.html

Most of our gear and game calls, in fact (98%) of them are US American made products made by small businesses and cottage based businesses.  Many of our products are handcrafted the old fashioned way within the Amish communities, while the rest of our products are produced in small shops from across the United States.

Need a custom replacement gun stock? No problem our cottage partner is one of the best stock manufactures in the world.  We can fit you with a standard grade stock up to one with a high quality Exhibition Feathercrotch detail, in a variety of different woods or laminate.  The most popular stocks are available; others can be duplicated from your old stock.   Want it customized? We can have it hand carved with your favorite hunting scene, hand checkered or machine checkered. Custom pistol grips and stock plates are also available.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/gun-accessories-hand-carving-c-31_179_171.html

Need a custom game call?  CCW has you covered with one of the largest selections of game calls on the market.  We specialize in turkey calls with all types of box and friction calls.  CCW has two unique combo turkey and turkey locator calls all built into one unit. CCW also has regular and combo slate, friction calls with choices of glass, or aluminum striker surfaces and multi wood striker options for straight or flared striker sticks.  Waterfowl, deer, elk, small game and predator calls are also available, as well as custom leather holsters.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-outdoors-hunting-calls-c-31_21.html

Need a gun holster?  If you are hunting or concealed carry, CCW has custom leather and nylon holsters and leather ammo carriers to fit your needs. For the weekend hunter to the professional security and law enforcement, CCW can outfit you with a simple plain to fancy tooled leather holster.  Holsters can be individualized or customized to your specifications.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-outdoors-gun-accessories-c-31_179.html

Need a gun case?  CCW carries plain and fancy tooled leather pistol, rifle and shotgun cases.  Custom hardwood and glass display cases can be built to your specifications. 

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/gun-accessories-gun-cases-c-31_179_243.html

Need a Gear Belt?  CCW carries some of the most innovative belts for the Pro-Hunter.  Belts have a simple snap and go system to configure them for your different hunting needs, select options for upland bird hunting, waterfowl hunting, big and small game hunting, Skeet and Clay, or make it a belt for a Pro dog trainer.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-gear-gear-belts-bags-c-31_174_239.html

Do you fatigue in the arms from carrying your shotgun or rifle at the ready for hours?  Take a look at our leather gun caddy.  It is a leather pouch that slides on to your belt or one of the Pro-Hunting Belts to rest your stock’s weight on your hip, while it keeps your gun at the ready position for a quick flush of birds or game.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/slingsammo-the-coyote-gun-caddy-p-1087.html

Need comfortable quality outerwear?  CCW carries a full line of American made briar-proof hunting shirts, coats, bibs and chaps, made with tough 420 Denier nylon briar-proof fabric.  Game bag accessories are either built in or can be added to all the coats and bibs.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-apparel-outerwear-c-31_174_175_167.html

Need chaps, waders or boots?  CCW carries several styles of briar-proof chaps including snake protectors.  CCW has some of the best prices on the most popular hunting boots, and chaps can be custom attached to make a set of frog-legs.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-apparel-chapsboots-c-31_174_175_168.html

Need a tree stand blind?  Yes a tree blind.  CCW carries The Chameleon Blind.  Weighing only 5 lbs this blind can be easily carried into remote locations; it assembles quickly and is one of the only blinds available to keep you in the dry either in a tree stand or on the ground.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/blinds-the-chameleon-blind-p-804.html

Need a seat for your hunting blind? Checkout our three legged Leather Top Quad Sports Stool.  This stool is the most comfortable seat in the house, plus it really helps many with back problems, in fact many have replaced their home and office chairs and exclusively use this seat to complete day-to-day task or to carry to other outside sporting events.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/sports-chairs-leather-top-quad-sports-stool-p-544.html

Need Hunting Dog Gear?  CCW has one of the largest selections of hunting dog gear supplies for the occasional hunt to the Pro-Dog trainer.  Leather and nylon holsters for all the electronic transmitters, lanyards and leashes, protective vest for briar and hog hunts, and our Pro-Trainer belt with gear holders and pouches for bumpers, live birds, transmitters, whistles, and more.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-gear-hunting-dog-c-31_174_144.html

Do you want to hunt with class or make a statement?  CCW has Fine Coyote Leather Company leather hunting and training gear for the discriminating outdoors-man.  All American Made!  Coyote Leather Company designs unique, handmade leather hunting accessories with the outdoors man in mind.  Designed by an avid hunter and dog trainer for those looking for professional grade hunting and training gear, Coyote equipment delivers excellence, distinction, and workmanship for the discriminating hunter and more importantly, enhances performance in the field.  Choose from unique gear and game bags to custom leather game straps.  Enhance your collection of game and bird calls with a Coyote Leather Company custom no-tangle lanyard, accented with sterling silver profiles of your favorite hunted game or bird.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-calls-waterfowl-c-31_21_178.html

This is the type of gear highlighted in legendary antique hunting photos of professional hunters.
Coyote Leather Company leather items also make fine client and corporate gifts.  A handsome leather folio is also available popular for businessmen, and professionals.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-gear-gear-belts-bags-c-31_174_239.html

Need game plot seeds, minerals or lures?  CCW is a dealer for Rough Ridge, minerals, seeds food plots and deer lures.  Rough Ridge is one of the only manufactures that will guarantee their seeds to grow, and is one of the only ones to carry a food plot specially developed for wild turkey as well as deer.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/food-plot-rough-ridge-minerals-seeds-food-plots-lures-p-691.html

Do you want to know just how old that deer really is, or how to train the young hunter the best kill shot?  CCW carries deer aging guides that can be used in the field as well as laminated shot guides for the bind to help determine the best shot for deer hunting.

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/hunting-calls-deerelk-c-31_21_22.html

And for those looking for deer management guides CCW Deer Aging Plaque illustrates the technique developed by biologists throughout the United States for correctly aging whitetail deer.  Proper deer herd management involves detailed studies of deer herd growth in order to maintain abundant deer populations into the future.  These techniques are utilized by some of the largest wildlife ranches around the world.

CCW is a subsidiary of Cottage Craft Works LLC.  http://www.cottagecraftworks.com carries a full line of self-sufficient products to enhance a simpler back-to basics lifestyle.   Food and meat processing equipment is also available as well as how-to- books for making sausage, tanning hides and hunting.

Stop by and take a look through the CCW Hunting and Outdoors tab and see why this is becoming one of the most talked about sites on the Internet today.

Go "Green" and just hang it up!

Wall Rack Drying Tree

Folding Drying Rack

Portable Clothes Line

Laundry Drying Ring

Aluminum Laundry Basket Cart

Did you know that the average clothes dryer is one of the most expensive home appliances to operate, consuming about 6% of a typical homes electrical usage?  On average it cost between 32 to 41 cents per load of laundry in an electric dryer and 15 to 30 cents in a gas dryer depending on the size of the load and the types of fabrics (source http://www.fypower.org)

Clothes dryers do not seem to vary from the different models in regard to energy usage and are not required to display energy guideline labels.  If the dryer is not properly vented or maintained expect those numbers to increase sharply, especially if you are drying heavy loads of jeans or other thick materials.  If you are running a dryer through a couple of cycles to dry heavy loads, inspect the dryer vent for trapped lint or kinks in the tubing, just cleaning the front filter is not adequate.  Trapped lint is also a serious highly combustible fire hazard and needs to be routinely vacuumed out of the vent.  Depending on the length of your vent tubing this may be needed once a year or as frequently as quarterly or even once a month if your venting system goes up and out a roof vent.  A short venting system going directly out through a wall is the best option.

We try to air dry as much laundry as we can to save on our utility cost.  When the weather is nasty and we are not able to hang clothes outside, we can see the difference in the utility bills. The home owner or even apartment dwellers have many options to dry clothes and save energy cost.  (See our related post on building a substantial clothes line), if you are able and want to install post permanently.  For us there is nothing that beats the fresh smell of sheets that have hung outside to dry.

There are some companies reproducing the umbrella single pole clothes lines and selling them on line, we have not seen one up close but they seem to be well constructed and take up very little space.  They can be cemented into the ground or the best option would be to cement a sleeve that the post can slide in and out of.

The lightweight folding umbrella lines sold in hardware stores and home centers are not really worthy of wasting your money on.  They are cheaply made and just don’t hold up.  If you are a single person with a limited amount of clothes, they may work fine.  Clothes lines and poles with a load of wet clothes just take a lot of wind abuse.  The thin metals being used in these lines is just not substantial enough to hold up.

Some people just string a line from the house to a nearby tree and dry clothes that way.  While a tree makes a good solid post, it also is an attractive cool place for birds to roost, which means, well sometimes having to rewash some items.

If you are fortunate to have two facing walls out of the way, then some eye hooks and lines maybe the ticket. Just make sure you are into solid wood such as the wall stud or post, your husband might not be to happy to find your clothes line on the ground with a strip of siding pulled off the house with it.   Where ever you decide to hang it up at, consider the wind patterns that you will need to quickly dry your clothes.

Portable folding racks are another good option; we actually use both the in ground pole mounted lines and a portable folding wooden rack.  We also have a clothes pin rack that has become one of our most popular drying places.  It is an aluminum Amish made round ring rack with 32 mounted plastic clothes pins.  It was designed to dry socks and other small items, but we routinely use ours for other items such as towels, pillow cases, and so forth.  It is very handy hanging from the soffit just out the back door, and it takes up very little space.

If you are renting, don’t want to, or can’t install permanent clothes lines consider a new completely portable and moveable self supporting clothes line that provides 72’ of drying lines in only a 12’ x 94” wide space.  The portable drying unit can become even more portable with an optional wheel kit and lifting handle to easily roll the unit around the yard.  Hang the clothes in the garage and roll out to dry, no more frozen fingers, caught by a surprise rain burst, roll it back in the garage until the storm passes. It easily assembles and disassembles in minutes to take to the hunting cabin, campground, or the summer home.   It comes shipped in a 6” x 10” x 96” box weighing 65lbs.

There are also nicely finished folding wall racks for indoors that pull out for drying clothes, these really work well in the laundry room next to the washing machine for delicate clothes that can’t be dried in the dryer regardless.  Other clothes line devices are available in retractable wall mounted spools. These work well in a garage or basement area that can be pulled out during inclement weather.

If you have back issues or just don’t like to haul a load of wet clothes outside and bring them back in consider an aluminum laundry cart.  It is designed to hold a plastic laundry basket; it is narrow enough to fit through doorways making it very useful indoors to transport clothes from the hamper to the washing machine as well as outside.  We’ve had ours for nearly 20 years and it looks just like it did the day we brought it home.  Best of all you just don’t have to keep bending over to scoop up clothes either indoors at the washing machine or out at the clothes lines.

We carry these on our site at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com  To our knowledge no one else has the portable clothes line described above available on the Internet.  We just stumbled on to this new item during our spring 2011 new product tour. 

The Chameleon Hunting Blind

The Chameleon Hunting Blind

If you are looking for a simple easy to carry and easy to setup tree stand blind or ground hunting blind consider the Chameleon Blind. It weighs only 5 lbs packs in a 6 x 6 x 29 box for easy transport even to fly into your favorite hunting locations, or to back pack deep into the woods. It comes with a carrying case with a shoulder strap. The Chameleon Blind is versatile, use it to conceal your tree stand, or use it on the ground. Both a gun and bow models are available and you have a choice of green or brown camouflage for your hunting region. Best of all the price point at $120 is very affordable; the bow model is only $10 more.

Up until now tree stand hunters have been very limited with options for a fully functional weather protected tree stand blind. Most large hunting stores have plenty of ground blinds at this price point but just ask for a tree stand blind and they go blank, then they will drag you over to a roll of camouflage material and suggest this is what you can use to drape around your blind.
The Chameleon Hunting Blind was developed by Cooper Hunting Industries, Inc. a Tennessee based hunting gear company.

The Chameleon Hunting Blind was developed for one simple reason, to change the way people hunt and the way they think about hunting! Fellow hunters and outdoorsmen understand that pursuing trophy whitetail deer is more than just a hobby, it is a passion. During the pursuit of that passion, hunters are taught that deer do not have predators from above so they do not look up. This is simply wrong! What they have learned over the years is that a deer looking up has become as natural as a Golden retriever fetching a duck for the first time. Cooper Hunting Industries is about taking your passion to the next level by perfecting the art of concealment.

Anyone who has ever hunted for wise, astute deer from a ladder or climbing stand has assuredly been busted. To prevent being busted, most hunters don their camouflage clothing. The problem is deer sees movement. Just getting a bow drawn back on a trophy kill is a challenge while having five sets of eyes looking at you! Well thanks to Cooper Hunting Industries that problem has been solved once and for all! CHI has developed new and innovative products for hunting which allow hunters to remain 100% concealed, protected from the rain and maintain scent control.

The Chameleon Hunting Blind can also be used on the ground making it double over for turkey season, and if you are adventurous use it in the tree for turkey season as well, turkey hunting from a tree stand. Turkey hunting from a tree stand? Well just consider how many turkeys show up under your stand during deer season, just maybe not having an adequate tree stand blind up until now may be one reason this idea has not become more popular amongst turkey hunters. If you are the avid turkey hunter who still wants to look them in the eye then consider The Chameleon Hunting Blind for ground use, especially if you are a bow hunter. The special designed bow blind provides slats at 360 degrees around the blind to easily slip open and draw your bow without detection.

The Chameleon blind can add on to your existing tree stand to provide you with the ultimate hunting experiences by making your practically invisible to wildlife. Take The Chameleon Blind Challenge and you will see what everyone is talking about! Never sit in the rain again waiting for that trophy whitetail to cross your path. He won’t know what hit him and you will be perfectly dry inside your Chameleon Blind!

The blind comes in two models to support both gun and bow hunters. Order the Chameleon Blind today and we promise you it will not disappoint!

The Chameleon blind is an innovative way to get that shooting house effect without all the expense and hassle. It has been engineered to be lightweight and collapsible, thus making it transportable to virtually anywhere you can imagine.

At CCW we decided this would be an ideal blind for our hunters based on its simplicity, ease of transport into the woods, the fact that it can be used in a tree stand or on the ground, and the price point.

Key Features

Installs in just 3 minutes
100% concealment
14" camouflaged windows provides 360 degree field of view
Water proof
Weighs 5 lbs
Easy carry bag included
Instructional DVD
Weight at base provide stability on windy days
Draw string at base for extra wind stability
Adjustable roof strap for window leveling
Works with all stands
Black liner to prevent shadowing

You can now purchase The Chameleon Hunting Blind at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com

Stedi Stock® Photographer, Video and Optical Stabilizer.

The Stedi-Stock Camera Shoulder Brace, Shoulder Mount will help eliminate poor quality pictures due to camera shake.

This is Just a mere fraction of the cost for other professional grade camera stabilization systems!

The Stedi Stock® is a new device that provides incredible balance and stability allowing you to capture those once in a lifetime pictures, make professional videos without the bounce, or to view wildlife, birds and other items of interest thorough your favorite optical device.

At first glance one may assume the Stedi Stock® is some type of hunting device used to steady a gun for hunting, while it does have an available gun rest and it is used widely by outdoors sportsman, the Stedi Stock® is actually designed for all people who use cameras, video cameras, and other optical viewing devices, professionally and individually.

Thanks to modern technology, the digital cameras, rangefinders, spotting scopes and video cameras currently on the market today are lighter and in some cases, much smaller than in years past. However, it is even more difficult to hold these devices steady, which causes your pictures, videos to be blurry or shaky and your observations through a Scope to be almost impossible without the aid of a bulky cumbersome tripod or an attached mono-pod. People flinch, wiggle and shake while attempting to take pictures, or videos and even viewing things through a scope. The Stedi Stock® will assist in overcoming those human tendencies and provide you with pictures and videos of a professional nature. This simple multitasking device also provides stable images when viewing wildlife or nature through a Spotting Scope on the go. 

The new technology is also rapidly changing with even faster auto focusing capabilities, and higher resolutions capabilities to catch the fast pace moving speeds of outdoor sports and wildlife.  The problem with most camera stabilization systems which have been on the market for some time is that they are more fixed mounts, meaning the operator has to take the time to unscrew and move the camera from a shoulder mount to tri-pod or other device in order to resume shooting.  These outdated systems severely limit the ability to capture the action from the beginning to the end, and they still cost several hundred and up to and over a $1000.  Just imagine filming a flock of geese coming in for a landing, then being able to take perfectly stable shots as they swim in the water and quickly pan upward when the take back off without ever having to unscrew the video camera to move from a shoulder mount to a tri-pod and back to a shoulder mount.   It is no wonder why so many professional video crews on The Sportsman Channel now use the Stedi Stock® exclusively to capture those quick moving wildlife shots.

The Stedi Stock® is just not for sportsman, it is designed to attach to any camera, video camera, or other device using the standard ¼-20 threaded insert.    The versatility of the Stedi Stock® and the various options make it quickly interchangeable to catch the action.  Whether you ‘re  an avid outdoorsman,  a bird watcher, professional photographer, or just dad wanting to catch the action at your sons little league game, the Stedi Stock® will give you the professional edge for all your photos at a price anyone can afford.

The Stedi Stock® gives you "STABILITY WITH MOBILITY".

Stedi Stock® Black is the original Stedi Stock® Camera, Range Finder, Spotting Scope or Video Camera Shoulder Brace. Shoulder Stabilizer that is ultra-light weight (6 ounces), durable (constructed of Hi-Strength Nylon) complete with shoulder Strap. Gives the user STABILITY with MOBILITY and keeps your optical device right there for instant use. Take the blur out of your photos, Get a bounce back at longer ranges with fewer clicks on your Range Finder, Carry your Spotting Scope with you in the field without a bulky cumbersome Tripod, and take the BOUNCE out of your Videos.  You can run over the Stedi Stock® with your pickup truck and not damage it, it is just that durable and it is American Made!

COMPONENTS & SPECIFICATIONS

Included with the shoulder brace for $29.95

1) Stedi Stock® Stabilizer Brace, this is the stock shape one piece main part used to attach the camera or optical part to.  It is comfortable light weight and rest against the shoulder just like a gun stock does.

2) Attachment Handle has ¼-20 male screw top for standard cameras and optical devices.  The handle is cone shaped with an open end to slide over the Quick Release cone below.  The handle can be used with or without the Stedi Stock®

3) Shoulder Strap

4) Nylon nut to assemble unit for storage.

SPECIFICATIONS

·         Weight: 6 ounces

·         Length: 14 inches

·         Height: 4-1/4 Inches

·         Width: 1 Inch

Adjustable: Allows eye relief adjustment at three locations, depending upon the individual and the optical device attached.  The Stedi Stock® has three mounting holes allowing the camera or optical device to be up close for a child or out further for an adult, or when using a video camera with a side mounted screen.

Construction: Super Tough Nylon, don’t be fooled by the simplistic design.  This is not one of those “seen of TV” products made of cheap plastic.  The Stedi Stock® is one tough product; you can run over it with your pickup truck pick it back up and go do more action.

Details of the various component options available in the Stedi Stock® combo packs

The QUICK RELEASE

The quick release is a cone shape device with a female threaded bottom. The Quick Release will attach to any Mono-Pod, regular camera tripod, or window clamp mount that has a standard 1/4 x 20 camera thread.

 The female cone handle on the Stedi Stock® quickly slides over the Quick Release male cone allowing the user to quickly drop the Stedi Stock® on to the cone and instantly have a stable, yet easy side to side turning radius to pan and catch a moving object moving horizontally. If that object then takes off the user can simply pick the Stedi Stock®  off the Quick Release and continue filming or snapping the shutter.   This allows the user to have rigid stability and still be able to pan smoothly without having to loosen any adjustment screws, or take the eye of the optical device in order to look down for a release mechanism.  It also allows the user to immediately revert to shoulder use at a moment’s notice to catch the action.

RIFLE REST

The Rifle rest simply slips over the quick release and works great with a Mono-Pod which not only doubles as a support for your optical device, a shooting Stick, but will serve as a walking stick in rough terrain.  Attach a lanyard to your Mono-pod and always have it handy when you are afield.  It will also function great for those super large Telephoto lenses on the 35mm SLR's.

The Rifle rest is a perfect adapted item for the disabled or senior hunter who is unable to steady a gun for a perfect shot, but also is good for the long range shot using a high powered scoped riffle on a mono-pod.

Also use it in conjunction with the Super Clamp on a bench or in a deer blind to provide a non-marring rest.

Super Clamp

A large clamp that will attach to a fence post, deck railing, pipe fence, car door, tailgate, tree limb or anything that the jaws will accept up to 4-1/2" for a light-weight, stable platform without the weight and bulk of a tripod.   The clamp is made from aluminum, with rubberized and plastic covers to protect finishes.  The device has a threaded hole on the top and on the side to position your device in either position.  It comes with a double ball swivel with the ¼-20 camera mount thread on top.  This allows you to swivel and clamp your device at virtually any angle from the top or side even if the clamp is not level.  The term “window mount” comes from a clamp designed to mount on a car window door glass top or door frame, so that the driver or passenger can sit and view from a range finder or scope or take pictures from a car or truck seat.

Mono-pod

A one piece collapsible pole that quickly opens up to 67-1/2”, or it can be locked at any height in between for sitting standing or uneven terrain.   The Mono-pod has a rotatable ball foot base with a metal point to keep it from slipping on different surfaces.   On the top it has the standard ¼-20 thread insert for cameras and other optical devices, as well as the Stedi Stock® Quick Release cone.  The Mono-pod comes with a comfortable foam grip handle and wrist lanyard, making it an ideal walking stick.  It is made of sturdy light weight aluminum, yet weighing only 13 Oz it is light enough to hook onto a neck lanyard for ready access. When the Mono-pod is collapsed it measures only 21” making it easy to fit into a back pack.  The Mono-pod design has become popular as a replacement to the traditional tripod because it is less bulky to carry, requires no set up and leveling, and can be used for other purposes along the way, such as a walking stick.  Sorry we only sell the Mono-pod as part of the Stedi Stock® combo packs.

Stedi Stock® Stabilizer Brace $29.95

Includes the Stedi Stock® shoulder brace with attachment handle (has ¼-20 male screw top for standard cameras and optical devices), and shoulder strap

Quick Release Combo  $39.95

Includes the Stedi Stock® shoulder brace with attachment handle (has ¼-20 male screw top for standard cameras and optical devices), shoulder strap, the Quick Release cone and the Riffle Rest

MONO-POD Combo Package  $79.95

Includes the Stedi Stock® shoulder mount with the Monopod, Quick Release Attachment and the Quick Rifle Rest

SUPERCOMBO Package  $99.95

Includes the Stedi-Stock shoulder mount (available in black or camo) with the Quick Release Attachment, the SuperClamp, mono-pod and the Quick Rifle Rest

The mono-pod is imported, all other components including the Stedi-Stock are proudly made in America!

All prices are based on black a Camo® Swirl option is also available.

Purchase the Stedi Stock® at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com

FrostGuard Garden Plant Frost Protector

FrostGuard Garden Plant Frost Protector

This exciting new breakthrough for gardeners allows earlier garden plantings and late fall frost protection of mature producing plants. Just imagine having a month jump start on the planting season and another month at the end of your normal garden season. Take the stress out of worrying about when the last frost will occur before setting out your tender vegetable plants, or when to cover for a potential early fall frost.

Gardeners who have used FrostGuard note more robust and quicker growing plants next to ones they didn’t use FrostGuard on.

S.W. of Fredericksburg, Ohio writes “ I was so impressed with your FrostGaurds. I planted three head of lettuce under FrostGuards and three without. The ones with FrostGuards were twice as tall and ready two weeks earlier with no waste”.

As the cost of plants and more unpredictable weather patterns increase, gardening is becoming a risky annual adventure. Milk jugs, styrofoam covers, and blankets have been used for years for frost protection. If the wind and rain doesn’t create havoc, just leave the cover on a bit too long during the morning and end up baking your plants. Blankets become wet with a heavy dew or frost, and then drying them out before it rains is always a challenge. Styrofoam covers used on rose plants break easily, and are very expensive to replace every time one becomes damaged.

FrostGuard is made from high quality polyethylene. FrostGuard is designed to easily stack for storage without creating an air lock for easy separation. The bases are designed to be staked down to protect in windy conditions. FrostGuard provides years of frost protection at a relative low initial cost.

The FrostGuard white translucent cover allows sunlight, yet not enough to burn your plants. Adjustable vents on top enable temperature and humidity control. The screened ventilation system keeps pests such as slugs, worms, birds, and aphids from infesting the plants, so FrostGaurd provides protection all around, making organic gardening easier. The tops remove easily for watering, yet watering needs are less when the moister is trapped and controlled humidity.

FrostGaurd measures 15” tall and 13” wide at the base.

FrostGaurd is an Amish made product and although it has been used in the Amish communities only two companies now offer it on line. Cottage Craft Works is one of those companies and you can purchase FrostGaurd at http://www.cottagecraftworks.com

Books on all topics of self-sufficient living

If you are worried about the economy and world financial affairs, or just seeking to find a more frugal way to live, Cottage Craft Works now offers one of the most comprehensive selections of self-sufficient books, in fact over 200 quality books written by renowned experts. Select from a wide variety of authors and books on each subject of self-sufficiency. Learn how to prepare the soil, plant the corps, manage the weeds and pest all organically. Extended your growing season with poly tunnels, learn how to raise livestock, care for them, monitor them and treat diseases naturally.

All types of how-to-books are available on sustainable agriculture, livestock, veterinary, specialty crops, food & drink, self-sufficient business incomes, marketing self-sufficient products, homesteading skills, nature & environment, alternative medicines, organic gardening, food preserving, making soaps, beekeeping, making maple syrup, growing grapes & fruits, making wine, sustainable ranching, growing herbs, alternative energy and even more are now available throughout this unique back-to-basics online country store.

Learn how to build solar and energy efficient and off grid homes. Learn how to make your own cheese, butcher livestock & wild game, grow your own grains, grow and process your own food, the list of available books and topics just goes on. You would have to search for days and maybe even weeks to find the amount of informative self-sufficient topic books, now available at Cottage Craft Works.

Cottage Craft Works is a full line back-to-basics general store providing high quality products to those seeking a simpler self-sufficient lifestyle. Most of the products are American made in small factories, and cottage based business from the American Heartland. Many of the products are Amish handcrafted from the Amish communities in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Old fashioned products that are still being made today, to become tomorrow’s family heirlooms.

To learn more or to view the wide range of back-to basic self sufficient products and books, visit http://www.cottagecarftworks.com