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"As legend has it, in old rural farmhouses, the cold nights were made warmer with a CORN SACK.  During the day, a large pan of shelled corn warmed under the kitchen wood burning stove.  Before bed, Mom would distribute the corn into sacks, one for each family member.  That hot corn sack warmed the bed, feet or back for quite awhile.  Every morning, before breakfast, the corn was returned to the pan under the stove to warm for the next night's use. "

I got sidetracked this am. from what I was looking at & found these bags.

I have one but not from this company listed below. We love it! They can be put in the microwave or the freezer. They're great in the winter to hold onto when your hands are freezing, or wrap it around your cold feet, or sleep with it under your neck. The uses are as good as your imagination.

I looked at many sites & they come in many sizes & shapes with a print or pic on them to suit every taste! So if you might want one look around first to get the exact one you want. With shipping the complete average cost is only about $10! I'm getting a couple more before next winter. Everyone loves them, even pets & we've been known to squabble over the one bag we have. Children love to take them to bed. I highly recommend them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lighthouse-Island-Corn-Sack-Bag_W0QQitemZ200037108317QQcategoryZ40100QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Just thought I'd share.

At my old workplace we had a what we (okay I) named the sock monkey. Unfortunatly I couldnt bring it to Oz with me and I'll have to make another one. It was a big gray gym sock (the kind they make monkies out of) filled with dry rice and sewn closed at the end. Four minutes in the microwave and you've got perfect heating pad. They didnt explode like the heat gel packs you buy at the pharmacy, and because this one had been made with basmanti rice it smelled pretty good too .
Never heard of corn being used, but it makes sense, I think a lot of materials can be used to make them, try a google search .

^_^

I never heard of RICE being used.

Hmm...... I might look it up. That's just what I need........ more bags to choose from!

Ohhh! Hadn't thought of corn or of using them as cool packs!

I use either wheat or pearl barley in mine, and generally add some dried lavendar or other smelly spices, otherwise they start smelling pretty manky after a while.

I'm terrified of hot water bottles after having one burst on me, so these are my favourite things for keeping warm I am sleeping on one at the moment to try to get my back muscles to relax, its great

the OH's Mum has one made from the stones of cherries, and its even better than the grain ones Takes a lot of cherries though, I saved most of ours last season and only got a cup full!

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I've only heard of rice being used despite living in the state where most corn is grown. It seems there are tons of things you can use though. Most any grain would work. Rice pads get mentioned on every forum several times a winter so they seem to be the most common. They are even quite popular for keeping pets warm or used as heat therapy for injuries on larger animals since they are also very safe for any animal if eaten. I see them mentioned on every forum from guinea pigs to horses.

Imagine how many cherries you'd have to eat and how many pies you'd have to bake to get enough for a horse sized one!

Calla I think you better keep to the easier ones for apollo.

After a number of uses the rice one never smelled, although I did wish it had been made with a removable sleeve. I'm guessing wheat or pearl barley don't hurt when slept on but what about the corn? Wouldn't it be a bit ...pokey .

It was pretty hot last night but I coulda used one, really must make that the next sewing project.

^_^

Er,
Isn't that what Adams' used for?

At least thats what Susan says.. Gad that woman
has some cold feet!!!

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Wow.........it sounds like you can use about any grain or seed in those bags!


"otherwise they start smelling pretty manky after a while."
Calla-Is the word "manky" you use an Aussie word? Or did you just misspell "ranky?"
The word rank is used here for something bad smelling.

So you make those bags for yourself Calla?

Babel-The corn isn't pokey to lay on, but it is rather hard under the head. I was thinking rice would be softer to lay on, but maybe it wouldn't hold the heat in as long as corn, since corn is thicker. Like a thicker grain would hold more heat? But maybe the composition of the grain would have more to do with holding in heat? Hmmm we need someone with a scientific mind on here to tell us which grain or seed hold heat the longest. Rice must be common for a reason. It might not be as hard to lay on as corn. So far rice gets my vote when I go to buy a new one.

If you make your own you could always mix somethings together. Even throw in some herbs for scent if you want. Stuffing socks and sewing the end together is a common easy way to do it instead of buying something. Very large versions have been done out of small pillow cases. Wonder how well that fits in the microwave. I've never tried making any of those heating pads but the rice sock is quite popular on a guinea pig board. I think there's even someone who makes and sells a dozen or so every winter especially for "skinny pigs"(hairless guinea pigs).

Sham- They put those socks in guinea pig cages? Are these cages inside or outside?
And I know guinea pigs like to chew......... don't they chew the socks open?

I use either wheat or pearl barley in mine, and generally add some dried lavendar or other smelly spices, otherwise they start smelling pretty manky after a while.

I'm terrified of hot water bottles after having one burst on me, so these are my favourite things for keeping warm I am sleeping on one at the moment to try to get my back muscles to relax, its great

Very good for peeps with fibromyalgea or with other pain management issues. Which is why I keep one under my desk at work. Also handy because my office is arctic.

I have one at home too. Position it on the matress and lie on top of it to ease just the bit of your back that is being a demon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Indoor cages only. Guinea pigs don't handle high or low temps well and I've nearly lost some of mine for keeping them outside too long. Guinea pigs also don't chew that much. Mostly only bored or hungry guinea pigs chew and when your talking about a site that lists the minimum cage size for 1 guinea pig as 7.5sq ft and insists they have hay to chew at all times you don't have bored guinea pigs. Mine won't touch wood even purposely placed in the cage for chewing. Some do like to pull fabric apart which is why edible rice is used. People build them fleece cuddle cups and give them rice socks whenever temps in the house drop below 65F or setup fans with buckets of ice when temps get over 80F. I've also seen skinny pigs with little fleece sweaters. Basically they get treated just like little dogs although they don't housebreak as well.

What people won't do for their pets!

Manky is similar, but I think combines mouldy/whiffy. Generally used for the slightly icky things, generally foodstuffs or things with insect/mould/weather damage.

I do make my own, I am too much of a cheapskate to buy them Just sew a baggie, fill, and stitch her up

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett