So it's been forever.
I offer no excuses and make no apologies.
Life has been busy lately. Busy but good. And I think after a year of turmoil, we're starting to settle into a routine. Routine isn't something I ever thought I'd miss and/or look forward to, but after a chaotic year, there's great comfort in routine. So things are good now and I thought I'd share some good with you.
The Good Stuff: The early garden is planted and has survived the weird Ohio spring. Greens and onions are ready to be harvested and served with a pot of beans and a pan of cornbread.
The "Very" Good Stuff: My mom is finished with radiation, has a beautiful head-full of hair and only has one step left in her treatment, which ends in October.
The "Divinely" Good Stuff: God has been so good and answered so many prayers lately! After a traumatic (or maybe dramatic) period of growth, I feel like I'm walking closer with Him everyday. When you finally, really "get" God's grace and the freedom that only comes through Jesus, what an experience!
The "Finally" Good Stuff: Only 15 more school days til I have my kids to myself for 3 months :)
The "About Time" Good Stuff: We're making huge strides in remodeling our basement (after 8 years of putting it off) and we're adding a ventless fireplace and gas cookstove for something akin to off-grid, emergency cooking and heating.
The "I Can't Believe It!" Good Stuff: I'm about to be an aunt again. Twice. A great aunt to boot.
The "B.A." Good Stuff: The Mr. bought a new handgun for me that's made concealment much simpler.
The "Learning" Stuff: I made my first batch of soap last month and while I'm far from proficient at it, I'm learning more each time.
The "Nerdy" Good Stuff: The Mr. was inducted into the Honor Society at Wittenberg and is the class president. You think he was hard to live with before.............................; )
The "Least of These" Good Stuff: I finally found a ministry to plug into at church: mission support. It's fantastic and I literally get to help people all over the world, from orphans to AIDS patients to widows to underground missionaries to single moms and the working poor in my own community. God is so good!
I *think* postings should come at a more regular clip now. The aforementioned routine definitely makes posting a less daunting task, yes? Anyway friends, I've wasted too much of the day blogging. Got thistles to pull and groceries to store. Take care!
P.S. If you *really* want to follow me, you can friend me on FB @Andrea.Lynch.31
Showing posts with label self-sufficiency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-sufficiency. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Thoughts On Heirloom Skills
This post could so easily turn into a rant.
That's not my intention, but it could. Just saying...........
The past few days, the subject of heirloom skills has been a hot topic in my house. You know, heirloom skills, plain old basic life skills that used to be passed down from one generation to the next, much like Great-Granny's English tea pot. These skills were learned by little girls at the elbows of their mothers and grandmothers and when the little girl was grown, she could apply that skill in her own life and pass it down to her daughters. (I say daughters, mothers, grandmothers, but you could just as easily replace those terms with sons, fathers, grandfathers.) I remember doing that; learning plain old basic life skills by working next to my mom and grandmother and my favorite aunt Vickie.
I remember springtimes spent in the garden, watering transplants with buckets of water brought up from the creek. Summers were spent juicing, snapping, shucking, milling, canning and freezing in the cinder block summer kitchen. The wild black raspberries ripened in mid- to late-summer and oh how thrilling it was when Papaw climbed over the farm fence and disappeared for an hour picking berries! It seems like he'd always come back with gallons and gallons of fresh black raspberries that we'd turn into jellies, cobblers and freeze for winter. At least the ones that made it to the kitchen. A fair number of them never made it beyond the walk back from the orchard.
In fall, there were gorgeous fruit harvests of apples and peaches followed by peeling, saucing, buttering and canning. I remember one year having brown hands from all the peaches I helped Mom peel and turn into peach butter. I was about 13 and I was so embarrassed of my brown hands and stained fingernails! I wasn't so embarrassed when it came time to top mom's homemade biscuits with peach butter! That was some good eating right there.
Wintertime was the greatest because all our efforts came inside. Thanksgiving was a huge affair, with a full spread of food, all homemade and much of it homegrown. There was no instant this and just add water that. It was full-fat, full-calorie, full-flavor and made in bulk to accommodate all the aunts, uncles, cousins and grandchildren. I remember homemade gifts and Christmas cakes baked from scratch. And homemade toffee candies made with black walnuts that we gathered from the tree next door in Mr. Adam's yard. I remember homemade peach and apple pies every year for Mamaw's birthdays, made from homegrown peaches and locally grown apples. I remember Mom crocheting baby blankets and Mamaw making quilts when her old ones wore through. And when spring came around again, Easter was a huge celebration, with homemade cakes and candies. Our lives revolved around the seasons and our time was spent close to home. And with few exceptions, I cannot imagine a more idyllic childhood.
Somewhere over the past couple generations, that's all changed.
Life is spent at a hurried pace, going from one activity to another. From school to sports to community functions to take-out restaurant then back home again to hurriedly get a few scant hours of sleep in order to start all over again. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with those activities, but home and the family unit have been neglected in the process. Hours spent together in the kitchen learning to cook whole foods have been swapped for fast food in order to free up time for watching TV. Hard work and sweat in the garden have been traded in exchange for manicures and shopping sprees. We don't produce anything; we simply consume. We rack up debt to free up our time and then poison ourselves with convenience foods because we're simply too tired to cook. What the frig??????
Now what we have is a generation of Americans who aren't capable of survival. I don't mean survival as in Bear Grylls and roughing in the wilderness with only a package of matches and a tarp. I mean cooking foods in their most basic form and mending a pair of jeans to last through the winter. I'm talking about nourishing our family's tummies and spirits with simple hearty fare that we grew through our own labors. Scrapping together a thick, fluffy, warm blanket to snuggle under on a cold winter day. The skills of 3-4 generations ago are long-forgotten and have been replaced by mind-numbing, budget-killing, body-sickening hobbies and habits.
We're now enslaved by convenience. Do you realize that? What was once pleasant and convenient has now become a necessity and big businesses are laughing all the way to the bank. Processed, packaged foods have become a staple because we've forgotten basic cooking skills. Manufactured clothing has become a necessity because we've forgotten the ability to sew. We're reliant on goods shipped from overseas because we've outsourced our skills for convenience and leisure. We don't know how to sew, quilt, cook, work leather, make soap, tap trees, heal ourselves with herbs, raise livestock, brew ales, make yogurt, construct simple furniture. We absolutely refuse to make do or do without...that would be beneath our dignity. After all, we're Americans and we're entitled to a certain quality of life. And so we're now slaves to big business and mass consumerism; oh and the debt that goes along with it. In so many ways we're like children; reliant upon someone else to take care of our most basic needs.
We make fun of folks on welfare and look down our noses at entitlements, but honestly, are we any different? We are nearly 100% dependent on other people to feed us, cloth us, heal us and give us a warm place to sleep. The question is, where does this all end? At what point do we learn again to take care of ourselves? At what point do we free ourselves from bondage and use the skills of our forefathers in order to provide for ourselves?
If you don't know these skills, honestly, I'm not picking on you. Our generation is the product of a crazy environment and an ever-maddening culture, but that's no excuse not to move beyond what we know and develop skills that will enrich our lives and that of our family. There are so many resources available now to people who only look for them. County extension offices offer courses in gardening and canning. Local hardware stores teach classes on basic plumbing and carpentry. Family-run greenhouses and garden centers can teach you the basics of planting a garden or using herbs. Craft and fabric stores often teach elementary sewing. And if none of that pans out, there are surrogate grannies to be found everywhere who would love to trade their skills for an afternoon with a captive audience! There is a wealth of information to be had online, you just have to take the time to find it. And old books, they're the greatest at teaching basic skills. Watch garage sales and auctions for old home economics books, pre-WWII 'receipt' books, Girl/Boy Scout manuals. They can be bought for practically nothing but are full of essential information.
Our culture is so big on the acquisition of stuff, especially if it promises to make life easier, but now it's time to turn away from that and work on the acquisition of knowledge and relationships. It's time to build a home and a family, to develop our minds and expand our culture beyond what pop-media tells us is trendy. Can you think of a better time to start than right now?
That's not my intention, but it could. Just saying...........
The past few days, the subject of heirloom skills has been a hot topic in my house. You know, heirloom skills, plain old basic life skills that used to be passed down from one generation to the next, much like Great-Granny's English tea pot. These skills were learned by little girls at the elbows of their mothers and grandmothers and when the little girl was grown, she could apply that skill in her own life and pass it down to her daughters. (I say daughters, mothers, grandmothers, but you could just as easily replace those terms with sons, fathers, grandfathers.) I remember doing that; learning plain old basic life skills by working next to my mom and grandmother and my favorite aunt Vickie.
I remember springtimes spent in the garden, watering transplants with buckets of water brought up from the creek. Summers were spent juicing, snapping, shucking, milling, canning and freezing in the cinder block summer kitchen. The wild black raspberries ripened in mid- to late-summer and oh how thrilling it was when Papaw climbed over the farm fence and disappeared for an hour picking berries! It seems like he'd always come back with gallons and gallons of fresh black raspberries that we'd turn into jellies, cobblers and freeze for winter. At least the ones that made it to the kitchen. A fair number of them never made it beyond the walk back from the orchard.
In fall, there were gorgeous fruit harvests of apples and peaches followed by peeling, saucing, buttering and canning. I remember one year having brown hands from all the peaches I helped Mom peel and turn into peach butter. I was about 13 and I was so embarrassed of my brown hands and stained fingernails! I wasn't so embarrassed when it came time to top mom's homemade biscuits with peach butter! That was some good eating right there.
Wintertime was the greatest because all our efforts came inside. Thanksgiving was a huge affair, with a full spread of food, all homemade and much of it homegrown. There was no instant this and just add water that. It was full-fat, full-calorie, full-flavor and made in bulk to accommodate all the aunts, uncles, cousins and grandchildren. I remember homemade gifts and Christmas cakes baked from scratch. And homemade toffee candies made with black walnuts that we gathered from the tree next door in Mr. Adam's yard. I remember homemade peach and apple pies every year for Mamaw's birthdays, made from homegrown peaches and locally grown apples. I remember Mom crocheting baby blankets and Mamaw making quilts when her old ones wore through. And when spring came around again, Easter was a huge celebration, with homemade cakes and candies. Our lives revolved around the seasons and our time was spent close to home. And with few exceptions, I cannot imagine a more idyllic childhood.
Somewhere over the past couple generations, that's all changed.
Life is spent at a hurried pace, going from one activity to another. From school to sports to community functions to take-out restaurant then back home again to hurriedly get a few scant hours of sleep in order to start all over again. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with those activities, but home and the family unit have been neglected in the process. Hours spent together in the kitchen learning to cook whole foods have been swapped for fast food in order to free up time for watching TV. Hard work and sweat in the garden have been traded in exchange for manicures and shopping sprees. We don't produce anything; we simply consume. We rack up debt to free up our time and then poison ourselves with convenience foods because we're simply too tired to cook. What the frig??????
Now what we have is a generation of Americans who aren't capable of survival. I don't mean survival as in Bear Grylls and roughing in the wilderness with only a package of matches and a tarp. I mean cooking foods in their most basic form and mending a pair of jeans to last through the winter. I'm talking about nourishing our family's tummies and spirits with simple hearty fare that we grew through our own labors. Scrapping together a thick, fluffy, warm blanket to snuggle under on a cold winter day. The skills of 3-4 generations ago are long-forgotten and have been replaced by mind-numbing, budget-killing, body-sickening hobbies and habits.
We're now enslaved by convenience. Do you realize that? What was once pleasant and convenient has now become a necessity and big businesses are laughing all the way to the bank. Processed, packaged foods have become a staple because we've forgotten basic cooking skills. Manufactured clothing has become a necessity because we've forgotten the ability to sew. We're reliant on goods shipped from overseas because we've outsourced our skills for convenience and leisure. We don't know how to sew, quilt, cook, work leather, make soap, tap trees, heal ourselves with herbs, raise livestock, brew ales, make yogurt, construct simple furniture. We absolutely refuse to make do or do without...that would be beneath our dignity. After all, we're Americans and we're entitled to a certain quality of life. And so we're now slaves to big business and mass consumerism; oh and the debt that goes along with it. In so many ways we're like children; reliant upon someone else to take care of our most basic needs.
We make fun of folks on welfare and look down our noses at entitlements, but honestly, are we any different? We are nearly 100% dependent on other people to feed us, cloth us, heal us and give us a warm place to sleep. The question is, where does this all end? At what point do we learn again to take care of ourselves? At what point do we free ourselves from bondage and use the skills of our forefathers in order to provide for ourselves?
If you don't know these skills, honestly, I'm not picking on you. Our generation is the product of a crazy environment and an ever-maddening culture, but that's no excuse not to move beyond what we know and develop skills that will enrich our lives and that of our family. There are so many resources available now to people who only look for them. County extension offices offer courses in gardening and canning. Local hardware stores teach classes on basic plumbing and carpentry. Family-run greenhouses and garden centers can teach you the basics of planting a garden or using herbs. Craft and fabric stores often teach elementary sewing. And if none of that pans out, there are surrogate grannies to be found everywhere who would love to trade their skills for an afternoon with a captive audience! There is a wealth of information to be had online, you just have to take the time to find it. And old books, they're the greatest at teaching basic skills. Watch garage sales and auctions for old home economics books, pre-WWII 'receipt' books, Girl/Boy Scout manuals. They can be bought for practically nothing but are full of essential information.
Our culture is so big on the acquisition of stuff, especially if it promises to make life easier, but now it's time to turn away from that and work on the acquisition of knowledge and relationships. It's time to build a home and a family, to develop our minds and expand our culture beyond what pop-media tells us is trendy. Can you think of a better time to start than right now?
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Children's Gardens
Yes, another garden post. Can you tell I have seeds and springtime and gardens and warm air on the brain? Daydreaming about summertime is the only respite for the soul when it's cold, gray, snowy, icy and otherwise dreary outside. I keep telling myself that all this snow is a good thing; that it's refilling reservoirs and water tables after last year's drought, but enough is enough already! Is one 40 degree day too much to ask???
So, I dream about gardens and lovely green, growing things.
The kids are dreaming of summer and finalizing their garden plans too. 3 years ago, we plowed up a small space around the clotheslines poles for each child to have their own personal garden. It's only 5 foot in diameter with the aforementioned clothesline post in the center, but they've so enjoyed having their own little spaces! I love that they choose their favorite foods to plant and tend...and I love how they take people out to see what they've grown. At 3 and 5, they were already developing pride in what they could do. That is simply awe-inspiring to me.
Each year when the seed catalogs come in, the kids pour over them trying to decide what to grow each year. They've tried some unusual items: white cherry tomatoes, ground cherries, huckleberries, pink eggplants. Most of those things were gross, but some of it was a smashing success, for instance sunflowers, sugar snap peas, yellow pear tomatoes. One thing is for sure, my kids aren't afraid of experimenting.
So what's on their agendas for this year? Isaac is planning on sunflowers or walking stick kale, yellow pear tomatoes and sugar snap peas. Mara is set on sunflowers, broccoli, carrots and spinach. All their favorite foods :) My kids are learning to grow what they eat and eat what they grow. A mama can't ask for more than that.
How have you encouraged your children to get involved in the gardening process?
So, I dream about gardens and lovely green, growing things.
The kids are dreaming of summer and finalizing their garden plans too. 3 years ago, we plowed up a small space around the clotheslines poles for each child to have their own personal garden. It's only 5 foot in diameter with the aforementioned clothesline post in the center, but they've so enjoyed having their own little spaces! I love that they choose their favorite foods to plant and tend...and I love how they take people out to see what they've grown. At 3 and 5, they were already developing pride in what they could do. That is simply awe-inspiring to me.
Each year when the seed catalogs come in, the kids pour over them trying to decide what to grow each year. They've tried some unusual items: white cherry tomatoes, ground cherries, huckleberries, pink eggplants. Most of those things were gross, but some of it was a smashing success, for instance sunflowers, sugar snap peas, yellow pear tomatoes. One thing is for sure, my kids aren't afraid of experimenting.
So what's on their agendas for this year? Isaac is planning on sunflowers or walking stick kale, yellow pear tomatoes and sugar snap peas. Mara is set on sunflowers, broccoli, carrots and spinach. All their favorite foods :) My kids are learning to grow what they eat and eat what they grow. A mama can't ask for more than that.
How have you encouraged your children to get involved in the gardening process?
Monday, November 15, 2010
It's Not What You Have-It's What You Know!
I blog a lot about stocking up on food and necessaries (now!) while prices are low, but admittedly, stocking up isn't the only plan of action one might take when preparing for the unknown. When winter rolls around and there's free time on hand, my thoughts automatically turn to developing skills. For the most part, we homesteaders/preppers have an unbroken 3 months of free time that we can devote to brushing up on old skills and learning new ones. From January 2 until sometime in late March or early April, there are no holidays to plan. Nothing needs winterized or de-winterized. No grass to cut. No flowerbeds to weed. Just solitude. And there's no better time to learn something new than when you can apply your undivided attention.
Each year, I try to learn something new. This year, I've devoted a lot of time to learning knitting, baking sourdough bread and correct methods of pruning trees and berries. I took my concealed carry training and practiced target shooting. I've also spent a lot of time reading and re-reading the Bible in an effort to extract new bits of wisdom.
My plans for this winter include researching medicinal herbs and root cellaring, attempting to make homemade sausage blends and finding a good recipe for sprouted wheat bread. I'd also like to learn the trick to growing leeks so I don't have to pay $3/bunch for them at the grocery store. And of course, more knitting. Knit one. Perl one. Knit two. Perl two. It gets a bit tedious, but I WILL learn to knit successfully.
What do you want to learn this winter?
Friday, July 2, 2010
Vacation At Home
Yesterday was the last work day for the Mister for about 3 weeks, and invariably when we mention we have 3 weeks off, the first thing people ask is where we're going to go on our vacation. Umm...nowhere. That's astounding to many, but what is more astounding is the suggestion that staying at home for vacation is a big let-down and maybe things will work out better and we can go somewhere next year. Let me clarify a few things, m'kay.
I do have a desire to travel. Perhaps abroad to the motherland one day, but not now. I'd like to take the kids to the Outer Banks to see where I spent a large part of my childhood and where their uncle Chris was born and all the pirates hung out. And I'd like to go to Gettysburg one day, when the kids are older and don't have to take potty breaks every 12.5 minutes. Of course with Miss Mara, that could be a decade or more away!
Here's the thing though; for me, being home with everyone under one roof is a vacation. I like it here.
-We have peace and quiet.
-Lush grass.
- Extraordinary views.
-Good neighbors.
-We eat local (backyard) food prepared with extra love.
- There's a lake down the road for fishing.
-Uncle Joe's pond is just a few miles away for a change of scenery.
-We have a spot for a campfire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs.
-There's a nice flat spot under the tree for a picnic.
-There's a wide open area for playing Charlie Brown football.
-There's a clean, warm pool and enough privacy that the kids can change out of their swimsuits in the backyard if necessary.
-On cool evenings, there's bike rides in the cemetery, especially now that it's freshly paved.
-Depending on the season, there's fresh fruit to be had straight from the patch/tree.
-There's also tons of great entertainment to be had in the tri-county area like museums, discovery centers, parks, concerts.
Tell me where you could go that would offer all those amenities?
And furthermore, why would I leave when I have it all here? I'll pass on the cruise and take my vacation close to home, thank you very much.
It's going to be a busy 3 weeks for us, as we'll be building a deck to replace the patio we jackhammered last weekend. Fun plans include a campfire, staying up late to chase fireflies, Cousin Olivia's birthday party and fireworks at the fairgrounds. Isaac wants to go to the AF museum again and I'd like to squeeze in a trip to the childrens's museum in Dayton...but we'll save those for a rainy day.
Have a great 4th of July....and don't forget to tell the kids the reason behind the fireworks!
I do have a desire to travel. Perhaps abroad to the motherland one day, but not now. I'd like to take the kids to the Outer Banks to see where I spent a large part of my childhood and where their uncle Chris was born and all the pirates hung out. And I'd like to go to Gettysburg one day, when the kids are older and don't have to take potty breaks every 12.5 minutes. Of course with Miss Mara, that could be a decade or more away!
Here's the thing though; for me, being home with everyone under one roof is a vacation. I like it here.
-We have peace and quiet.
-Lush grass.
- Extraordinary views.
-Good neighbors.
-We eat local (backyard) food prepared with extra love.
- There's a lake down the road for fishing.
-Uncle Joe's pond is just a few miles away for a change of scenery.
-We have a spot for a campfire to roast marshmallows and hot dogs.
-There's a nice flat spot under the tree for a picnic.
-There's a wide open area for playing Charlie Brown football.
-There's a clean, warm pool and enough privacy that the kids can change out of their swimsuits in the backyard if necessary.
-On cool evenings, there's bike rides in the cemetery, especially now that it's freshly paved.
-Depending on the season, there's fresh fruit to be had straight from the patch/tree.
-There's also tons of great entertainment to be had in the tri-county area like museums, discovery centers, parks, concerts.
Tell me where you could go that would offer all those amenities?
And furthermore, why would I leave when I have it all here? I'll pass on the cruise and take my vacation close to home, thank you very much.
It's going to be a busy 3 weeks for us, as we'll be building a deck to replace the patio we jackhammered last weekend. Fun plans include a campfire, staying up late to chase fireflies, Cousin Olivia's birthday party and fireworks at the fairgrounds. Isaac wants to go to the AF museum again and I'd like to squeeze in a trip to the childrens's museum in Dayton...but we'll save those for a rainy day.
Have a great 4th of July....and don't forget to tell the kids the reason behind the fireworks!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
How Does Your Garden Grow?
I'm the shopper in our household, there's no getting around it. In the (nearly) 15 years that Jeff and I have been married, the job of stocking cupboards and planning meals has fallen on my shoulders 99.95% of the time. Often, the Mister will stop on the way home from work to pick up a gallon of milk. Occasionally, I'll send him up to the village to the Mom-n-Pop grocery store with a list of 4 or 5 items in order to make due til the next all-out grocery excursion. I know the better brands. I know the better prices. I know the sales cycles (to some extent.) Plus I can't trust that Jeff won't come home with 4 shopping bags full of Munch-n-Crunch, Cheezy Doodles, Chocolate-Covered Sugar Bombs and HFCS-Smacks. He's a good man and a great husband, but in terms of grocery shopping, he's a cave man.
After the last grocery trip, I told Jeff prices were going up. Sugar is up .50 a bag. Broccoli is double the price at about $3 a bunch. You can count on $4-5 for a dozen brown eggs. And don't get me started on meat prices...on that subject, let me just say Thank God for Bambi! I try not dwell on it because I know that most prices are cyclical, but it would appear that these prices may be here to stay. According to the PPI Report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, March saw the largest one month jump in food prices in 26 years! In it's sixth consecutive monthly increase, food prices rose 2.4%. Some of the 'startling' increases they report include:
Fresh vegetables up 56.1%
Fresh fruits up 28.8%
Eggs up 33.6%
Pork up 19.1%
Beef up 10.7%
Dairy products up 9.7%
So what does it all mean? It the trend continues, it means that $100 bag of groceries that you're buying this year will cost you $124 this time next year. Wrap your mind around that. If you spend $100 a week on groceries, you'll be spending nearly $1250 more this year on groceries! Twelve hundred and fifty dollars. It's frightening, isn't it? And what makes it even more frightening is the fact we can't avoid it. We can't opt out of eating. So what do you do? GARDEN my friend! Take up your trowel and get some dirt under your fingernails. Spend $25 dollars on seeds and reap the benefits ten-fold! Spend a little more for canning supplies and eat all winter on that $25 investment by preserving your harvest!
Things are getting scary, folks. As my friend Sue said, "this country is going to the dogs," which I think is unfair because even dogs have standards! We've outsourced all our basic needs to the lowest bidder, forgotten the skills necessary to accomplish/acquire those basic needs and now we're complaining because we're snared hook, line and sinker. We're completely at the mercy of corporate America and unless we take action to free ourselves, the hook is only going to dig in deeper. Reclaim your freedom by standing on your own two feet and relinquishing convenience for knowledge, individuality and ingenuity!
Think you can't do it? Think you're incapable of feeding yourself? My dear old great-aunt Margie did it right up til the end. She lived on the 17th story (give or take) of a retirement high rise in downtown Ashland, Kentucky and raised a garden on the balcony of her apartment. She simply split bags of top soil and planted tomatoes, peppers, eggplants right in the bags. She was about 80 at that point.
After the last grocery trip, I told Jeff prices were going up. Sugar is up .50 a bag. Broccoli is double the price at about $3 a bunch. You can count on $4-5 for a dozen brown eggs. And don't get me started on meat prices...on that subject, let me just say Thank God for Bambi! I try not dwell on it because I know that most prices are cyclical, but it would appear that these prices may be here to stay. According to the PPI Report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, March saw the largest one month jump in food prices in 26 years! In it's sixth consecutive monthly increase, food prices rose 2.4%. Some of the 'startling' increases they report include:
Fresh vegetables up 56.1%
Fresh fruits up 28.8%
Eggs up 33.6%
Pork up 19.1%
Beef up 10.7%
Dairy products up 9.7%
So what does it all mean? It the trend continues, it means that $100 bag of groceries that you're buying this year will cost you $124 this time next year. Wrap your mind around that. If you spend $100 a week on groceries, you'll be spending nearly $1250 more this year on groceries! Twelve hundred and fifty dollars. It's frightening, isn't it? And what makes it even more frightening is the fact we can't avoid it. We can't opt out of eating. So what do you do? GARDEN my friend! Take up your trowel and get some dirt under your fingernails. Spend $25 dollars on seeds and reap the benefits ten-fold! Spend a little more for canning supplies and eat all winter on that $25 investment by preserving your harvest!
Things are getting scary, folks. As my friend Sue said, "this country is going to the dogs," which I think is unfair because even dogs have standards! We've outsourced all our basic needs to the lowest bidder, forgotten the skills necessary to accomplish/acquire those basic needs and now we're complaining because we're snared hook, line and sinker. We're completely at the mercy of corporate America and unless we take action to free ourselves, the hook is only going to dig in deeper. Reclaim your freedom by standing on your own two feet and relinquishing convenience for knowledge, individuality and ingenuity!
Think you can't do it? Think you're incapable of feeding yourself? My dear old great-aunt Margie did it right up til the end. She lived on the 17th story (give or take) of a retirement high rise in downtown Ashland, Kentucky and raised a garden on the balcony of her apartment. She simply split bags of top soil and planted tomatoes, peppers, eggplants right in the bags. She was about 80 at that point.Still don't think you're able? Too complicated or difficult for you? Both of my children had small gardens last year that they tended themselves. Sure, they had a bit of help from mom, but the kids planted their seeds, pulled weeds and harvested the bounty of their own accord. They were 3 and 4 at the time. You're smarter than a 3 year old, right? I'm afraid that we're coming to a point that we won't have a choice in gardening. You'll either raise your own food or you'll go without. As for me and mine, we'll eat. And we'll eat well.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Weekly Top Ten Revisited
Last year, about this same time of the year, I did a list of the top ten skills I wanted to learn during 2009 and I'm pretty pleased to see that I accomplished quite a few of the goals on my list. Some of them are ongoing; cheese-making for instance. Mozzarella cheese is 'brain-dead easy', as a friend of mine would say. Cheddar and hard cheeses are a little more involved. We started our garden plants from seed and hatched chicks this summer, check and check. And the kids loved our homemade pop. Maybe too much.
I never learned sourdough bread making, but I've practiced long and hard at yeast breads, so I think it's a draw. I haven't picked up a pair of knitting needles since last winter, but there's still hope. Ditto for needlework. So now it's nearly time to bid 2009 adieu (and good riddance) and give thought to 2010. Here are a few of the things on my list for next year.
1. Knitting. I'm going to learn to knit, darnit.
2. Candlemaking. It's not rocket science, I just haven't taken the time to do it.
3. Grain-milling. I want to learn how to mill grains and prepare something edible with them.
4. Lacto-fermenting. Beyond sauerkraut, I mean.
5. Find a knock-off recipe for Jack Daniels Vanilla Spice Egg Nog.
6. Root cellaring. I've got an area of crawl space that is wicked cold in the winter. Not freezing, but cold. Why not use that space?
So these are a few of the things that I'm aiming to learn over the next 12 months. I'm sure some of them will be dropped from the list and others added, but like any list, it's a work in progress. Now it's your turn. Spill the beans. What's on your list for 2010?
I never learned sourdough bread making, but I've practiced long and hard at yeast breads, so I think it's a draw. I haven't picked up a pair of knitting needles since last winter, but there's still hope. Ditto for needlework. So now it's nearly time to bid 2009 adieu (and good riddance) and give thought to 2010. Here are a few of the things on my list for next year.
1. Knitting. I'm going to learn to knit, darnit.
2. Candlemaking. It's not rocket science, I just haven't taken the time to do it.
3. Grain-milling. I want to learn how to mill grains and prepare something edible with them.
4. Lacto-fermenting. Beyond sauerkraut, I mean.
5. Find a knock-off recipe for Jack Daniels Vanilla Spice Egg Nog.
6. Root cellaring. I've got an area of crawl space that is wicked cold in the winter. Not freezing, but cold. Why not use that space?
So these are a few of the things that I'm aiming to learn over the next 12 months. I'm sure some of them will be dropped from the list and others added, but like any list, it's a work in progress. Now it's your turn. Spill the beans. What's on your list for 2010?
Friday, July 17, 2009
What I Learned On My Summer Staycation
Remember having to write those cheesy short essays in school about what you did on vacation? Here's mine.
"On my summer staycation, I learned how to drive a trailer. I can back up an 8 foot trailer and put it pretty much anywhere I want to. I still need more practice, but for a beginner, I'm doing well.
I also learned how to use a nail gun, and especially not to put your face over top of the nail gun because there's a startling puff of compressed air that comes out of the top when you shoot it. I learned how to work with foam insulation and helped to insulate a new chicken coop.
I learned how to form and pour concrete, and how to finish it so it looks pretty. I also learned that cement truck drivers never have change so make sure you have *exactly* the right amount of money on hand.
I learned how to do some creative cake-baking and made a monkey-faced chocolate birthday cake for my mom's birthday. I used odd shaped pans and pieced together a very friendly looking monkey with big ears and a round snout. And that's all I learned on my summer staycation. The end."
We have one more project to tackle (disassembling a deck) and another 10 days of time off. We're hoping to take up the deck in the next few days and then relax and have fun the rest of our time off. Fun plans include a trip to the USAF Museum in Fairborn, Ohio, a trip to Boonshoft Kids Museum in Dayton and a fishing trip to 'Uncle Joe's' lake. Postings will probably be scant in the next 10 days, but I'll be sure to post more chick pics.
Best wishes from the Run.
"On my summer staycation, I learned how to drive a trailer. I can back up an 8 foot trailer and put it pretty much anywhere I want to. I still need more practice, but for a beginner, I'm doing well.
I also learned how to use a nail gun, and especially not to put your face over top of the nail gun because there's a startling puff of compressed air that comes out of the top when you shoot it. I learned how to work with foam insulation and helped to insulate a new chicken coop.
I learned how to form and pour concrete, and how to finish it so it looks pretty. I also learned that cement truck drivers never have change so make sure you have *exactly* the right amount of money on hand.
I learned how to do some creative cake-baking and made a monkey-faced chocolate birthday cake for my mom's birthday. I used odd shaped pans and pieced together a very friendly looking monkey with big ears and a round snout. And that's all I learned on my summer staycation. The end."
We have one more project to tackle (disassembling a deck) and another 10 days of time off. We're hoping to take up the deck in the next few days and then relax and have fun the rest of our time off. Fun plans include a trip to the USAF Museum in Fairborn, Ohio, a trip to Boonshoft Kids Museum in Dayton and a fishing trip to 'Uncle Joe's' lake. Postings will probably be scant in the next 10 days, but I'll be sure to post more chick pics.
Best wishes from the Run.
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Things We've Handed Down
This morning, whilst in the garden, tilling and planting, I had 2 people on my mind...Isaac and Bernie Madoff. I know. Weird combination. It's usually Isaac and George Clooney...(and before you say anything, Jeff is completely aware of my obsession.) But on this particular morning, as I watched Isaac carefully planting his corn seeds, I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking and learning. I explained to him the seeds should be "this far apart", using his hand as a template. He'd bend down, use his hand with outstretched fingers as a guide and gently plant the corn seeds. Right now, he's learning to feed himself, his children and hopefully his children's children. The knowledge he's gaining right now will hopefully be handed down like an heirloom...something cherished passed from generation to generation. Lovingly appreciated with fond memories attached.
So where does Bernie Madoff come into the picture? While watching Isaac and pondering our current fiscal state of emergency, I had to wonder what those responsible for it where taught. Was Little Bernie ever lead into a garden and taught to sow seed? Did his daddy show him how to plant onion sets, pointy side up, so they grow tall and green? Did his mommy say "Okay Little Bernie, you eat those oats all gone so that you can grow up big and strong"? Did she tell him to go to school and listen to everything his teacher said? Did she teach him to treat smaller children kindly, to not waste food, to tell the truth? Or was his home one of raw, selfish ambition? Was he taught to get in there, claw his way to the top and not take "NO" for an answer? Was he hugged, nurtured, supported? Somewhere something went very wrong, to say the least.
In my mind's eye, I can see Isaac being involved in either agriculture or construction. And either one would make me proud. I don't care if he grows up to be a lawyer, a doctor, a politician. In fact, I'd be more proud of him if he didn't. But no matter what happens, I hope he remembers the lessons we've taught him in his 4 short years. That being nice is important. That big kids should help kids that are smaller. That you should always hold hands when you go out into the world. And that nothing tastes better on a hot August night than sweet corn and a freshly sliced tomato, gently planted and tenderly nurtured by little hands. These are the legacies and heirlooms that are most important to me. Now the question is, what are you handing down to your children?
So where does Bernie Madoff come into the picture? While watching Isaac and pondering our current fiscal state of emergency, I had to wonder what those responsible for it where taught. Was Little Bernie ever lead into a garden and taught to sow seed? Did his daddy show him how to plant onion sets, pointy side up, so they grow tall and green? Did his mommy say "Okay Little Bernie, you eat those oats all gone so that you can grow up big and strong"? Did she tell him to go to school and listen to everything his teacher said? Did she teach him to treat smaller children kindly, to not waste food, to tell the truth? Or was his home one of raw, selfish ambition? Was he taught to get in there, claw his way to the top and not take "NO" for an answer? Was he hugged, nurtured, supported? Somewhere something went very wrong, to say the least.
In my mind's eye, I can see Isaac being involved in either agriculture or construction. And either one would make me proud. I don't care if he grows up to be a lawyer, a doctor, a politician. In fact, I'd be more proud of him if he didn't. But no matter what happens, I hope he remembers the lessons we've taught him in his 4 short years. That being nice is important. That big kids should help kids that are smaller. That you should always hold hands when you go out into the world. And that nothing tastes better on a hot August night than sweet corn and a freshly sliced tomato, gently planted and tenderly nurtured by little hands. These are the legacies and heirlooms that are most important to me. Now the question is, what are you handing down to your children?
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Letter Of Intent
It's been more than a year since our little family began it's journey toward greater self-sufficiency, but that's such a vague phrase...'greater self-sufficiency'...that I thought I'd restate what it is we're trying to accomplish. And by we, I mean me.
My first and primary goal is to increase the production of homegrown veggies and fruit so that eventually, we may be able to cut out store bought produce altogether. Yes, it's a lofty goal, and as bananas aren't native to Ohio, it's going to take a lot of getting used to. My plan is to grow enough produce that I can trade for what I don't produce...such as apples, walnuts, etc.
My second goal is to learn to make as many cleaning and toiletry products as possible, thereby decreasing what we spend each year on soaps, cleaners, etc AND ridding our house of nasty chemicals. I'm thrilled with no-poo, so shampoo is pretty much a thing of the past. And I have an excellent resource for homemade soaps, but eventually, I'd like to learn soapmaking to make my own herbal soaps.
My third goal is to relearn some of the lost skills; candlemaking, knitting, seed-saving, herbalism, etc. Things that aren't *necessary*, but make life pleasant.
My fourth goal is to create a permanent food supply, through canning, freezing, drying, buying dry goods in bulk, etc. I'd like to get to the point that I have a 6-month supply of food rations in the storage area of the basement...at all times.
Lastly, eventually, I'd like to create a home-based job to contribute to our household budget; through selling soap, seedlings, eggs and extra produce. That one will be years down the road as my hands are full of youngsters right now, but eventually, that's my plan.
You may be rolling your eyes at this point, but having children, watching the economic situation unfold and being fearful for the future has lead me to believe that this is a necessary path for my family. I figure if all things work out and next year the economy is just fine...well that's great! If not, my family won't be going hungry. My deal with Jeff for the past year has been..."you keep the roof over our heads, I'll fill our bellies." And that holds true whether we're turning a corner of not. I feel like we've thrived over the past year and that in many ways, I've found my niche in life. Call me a recessionista, but I'm having a great life regardless of what is going on up there on Wall Street.
My first and primary goal is to increase the production of homegrown veggies and fruit so that eventually, we may be able to cut out store bought produce altogether. Yes, it's a lofty goal, and as bananas aren't native to Ohio, it's going to take a lot of getting used to. My plan is to grow enough produce that I can trade for what I don't produce...such as apples, walnuts, etc.
My second goal is to learn to make as many cleaning and toiletry products as possible, thereby decreasing what we spend each year on soaps, cleaners, etc AND ridding our house of nasty chemicals. I'm thrilled with no-poo, so shampoo is pretty much a thing of the past. And I have an excellent resource for homemade soaps, but eventually, I'd like to learn soapmaking to make my own herbal soaps.
My third goal is to relearn some of the lost skills; candlemaking, knitting, seed-saving, herbalism, etc. Things that aren't *necessary*, but make life pleasant.
My fourth goal is to create a permanent food supply, through canning, freezing, drying, buying dry goods in bulk, etc. I'd like to get to the point that I have a 6-month supply of food rations in the storage area of the basement...at all times.
Lastly, eventually, I'd like to create a home-based job to contribute to our household budget; through selling soap, seedlings, eggs and extra produce. That one will be years down the road as my hands are full of youngsters right now, but eventually, that's my plan.
You may be rolling your eyes at this point, but having children, watching the economic situation unfold and being fearful for the future has lead me to believe that this is a necessary path for my family. I figure if all things work out and next year the economy is just fine...well that's great! If not, my family won't be going hungry. My deal with Jeff for the past year has been..."you keep the roof over our heads, I'll fill our bellies." And that holds true whether we're turning a corner of not. I feel like we've thrived over the past year and that in many ways, I've found my niche in life. Call me a recessionista, but I'm having a great life regardless of what is going on up there on Wall Street.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Shameful
This is so shameful, I'm just speechless.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123932034907406927.html
I've been trying to tell myself that I'm just paranoid; that I'm reading too much into the Monsanto/USDA thing. But this is another nail in the coffin. I firmly believe the government is trying to control food production to the point that we won't even bother to grow/cook our own. We'll just be good little automatons and buy our precooked, pre-chopped, pre-cleaned processed food stuffs. Sigh.
And as a closing thought....it's not paranoia if people really ARE out to get you.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123932034907406927.html
I've been trying to tell myself that I'm just paranoid; that I'm reading too much into the Monsanto/USDA thing. But this is another nail in the coffin. I firmly believe the government is trying to control food production to the point that we won't even bother to grow/cook our own. We'll just be good little automatons and buy our precooked, pre-chopped, pre-cleaned processed food stuffs. Sigh.
And as a closing thought....it's not paranoia if people really ARE out to get you.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Have A Pity Party, Why Dontcha
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/first-ladys-organic-garden-concerns-chemical-companies-2009-04-09.html
Why don't you just have a pity party, MACA. And I particularly resent the following statement:
“We live in a very different world than that of our grandparents. Americans are juggling jobs with the needs of children and aging parents,” the letter states. “The time needed to tend a garden is not there for the majority of our citizens, certainly not a garden of sufficient productivity to supply much of a family’s year-round food needs.”
First, to suggest that we're any busier now than in generations past is a slap in the face to all our hardworking ancestors. If we're strapped for time, it's because we're watching TV and playing on the computer. Second, done correctly, a garden need not take up all our precious spare time. It's called mulch, compost, drip irrigation. Look into it. Third, to assume that we're incapable of producing "much of a family's year-round food needs" is just a show of ignorance on your part. It sounds like the truth is finally getting out and someone is sitting in the corner eating worms.
Why don't you just have a pity party, MACA. And I particularly resent the following statement:
“We live in a very different world than that of our grandparents. Americans are juggling jobs with the needs of children and aging parents,” the letter states. “The time needed to tend a garden is not there for the majority of our citizens, certainly not a garden of sufficient productivity to supply much of a family’s year-round food needs.”
First, to suggest that we're any busier now than in generations past is a slap in the face to all our hardworking ancestors. If we're strapped for time, it's because we're watching TV and playing on the computer. Second, done correctly, a garden need not take up all our precious spare time. It's called mulch, compost, drip irrigation. Look into it. Third, to assume that we're incapable of producing "much of a family's year-round food needs" is just a show of ignorance on your part. It sounds like the truth is finally getting out and someone is sitting in the corner eating worms.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
State of the 'Stead
I've noticed a number of other sites are doing an update on life on their homesteads, so I thought I'd join the trend and let you know what's going on here on our little bit of Earth.
Here on the Knobs, we're finally starting to see some signs of springs. Wait...are you wondering why it's called the "Knobs"? Our area consists of hundreds of small, conical shaped hills with low valleys in-between, probably a result of the last ice age. When I go up to our back yard, to the highest point, I can see the tree range on the next Knob 1/2 mile away, but little else...the fields roll down into a valley that all but disappears from sight. The Knobs are generally associated with an area of Kentucky, but there is such a large native-Kentucky population here in Ohio, I think the name just immigrated with the immigrants. So there you go; your useless piece of information for today.
Anyway, yes, things are starting to green up here in Pleasant Township. The kids and I spent 98% of the day outside today, hanging out laundry, watering seedlings and picking rhubarb...yay! We had our first rhubarb of the year; a very small bunch, but enough to satisfy our cravings for a rhubarb tart. And it was so delicious! I've waited 2 years for a taste of the sour stuff...last year, our local grocery store wanted 3$/lb and I just couldn't bring myself to pay that price. So I planted rhubarb instead. And it was a good decision because this year, they're asking 4$/lb. Crazy! My red raspberry transplants, a gift from a freecycler, are starting to leaf out. It looks like about 6 or 7 of the 10 survived....not bad odds for a bunch of bare root canes. The blueberry bushes are full of buds, the fruit trees are starting to leaf out and already some of the perennial herbs are starting to grow. What a great time of year!
The chickens are really hard at work; we had 77 eggs in Feb. and 89 in March, and we're already up to a dozen this month. Although I'd like another chicken or two, we're getting just enough eggs for ourselves and to share with friends and family. The only problem we're experiencing with the chickens right now are a pair of fugitives. Mr. Roo and Miss Buff routinely fly the coop. They don't get into any meanness, they just wander around together, scratching and pecking. And a little coercion is all it takes to get them back into their pens, usually in the form of pasta. Show them some pasta and they'll come running. Now that spring is here, we moved our portable coop to the back of the yard, with a smallish enclosure, to keep the chickens out of the garden and the kids out of the coop. I don't think they like to be cooped up, but it's a necessary thing until fall/winter comes around. Then they'll have free range of the yard to eat and poop anywhere they want to.
The house is starting to come together as well. We replaced our laminate hardwood in the living room with a lovely thick carpet, about the color of peanut shells. It's so nice to have a comfy soft place to roll around and wrestle with the kids. The bathroom, hallelujah, is nearly finished. Jeff made huge progress today...the floor is down, the toilet and sink are installed and the mirror is hung. We had a little snare on the light fixture, but that's an easy enough fix. With any luck, we'll be able to finish it up in the next day or two. With 2 potty trained youngsters, it's wonderful to have a second bathroom up and running again. And the new house rule regarding toilet paper; no more full rolls in the kids' bathroom. Ever. Think of it as a preemptive strike.
We're still eating on last year's harvest...we just finished up our last bag of frozen mixed veggies today, and we have just a couple bags left of strawberries, corn and snap peas. By the time harvest 2009 rolls around, last year's goodies should be gone leaving more space for this year's goodness. I was afraid I had really overdone the canned beans, but surprisingly, we're down to less than a dozen jars. Ditto for pears, frozen apples, etc. Our only disappointment this year was the canned carrots. No one seems to like canned carrots. And I'll admit, they're not nearly as tasty as fresh or frozen. Well, if that's my only error in judgement for the year, I'll call it a good year. For 2009, our goal is to cellar as much fresh produce as possible. I have about 1500 carrot seeds to sow, so hopefully we'll have a successful crop that we can cold-store during the dark days of winter. Same with leeks, celeriac, onions and potatoes.
Both children are growing like weeds. Isaac will be 5 in August and will be starting Kindergarten (weep, sob). He's so smart, it's scary sometimes. I'm amazed at how computer/electronics-savvy he is. The things he can pick up after one try, it's incredible. If you discover that someone has sneaked onto your computer and changed all your logos, icons, screen savers, wallpaper, etc., it was probably Isaac. He's good at the stuff. Mara just turned 3 and is keeping up with Isaac in every way. In the past 3 months, she's turned into a real talker. She doesn't just ask for chocolate milk now, she discusses how it looks when the chocolate starts to swirl together with the milk so it looks like a whirlpool. And she's become a 'girly-girl'. She's suddenly ALL ABOUT pink, shoes, dress up and hair 'pretties'. The mimicry is what tickles me; you don't realize how you sound until you hear it coming out of a 3 year old's mouth. I hate to brag, but my kids are amazing. We managed to get through the entire fall/winter/holiday season and all without a single cold. I tell you, my kids have immune systems of steel! If there's 2 things I've done right in raising my kids, it was nursing them and letting them eat "just enough dirt", as my mother in law would say.
Again, on a personal note, I'm feeling much much better. Much more like my 'old self'. The weird withdrawal symptoms are nearly gone with the exception of the occasional electrical 'zap'. And what's more, a large number of people have sent me private emails telling me of their own experiences with Effexor and SSRI's...apparently this is a larger problem than I ever realized. Why is it that doctors aren't telling their patients about these side effects? The only answer I can come up with is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. One very helpful phrase that I learned from this whole experience...."full disclosure". I'll know every side effect, withdrawal symptom, long term effect, etc. before I ever take another drug. My doctor is going to hate me, but he's going to be much better acquainted with that big blue drug book he keeps on his desk.
Well, tomorrow is back to the work-week, so I need to start packing lunch and folding laundry. For the past 2 days to have been such long days, it sure made for a short weekend. Hope you enjoyed the update about life here at the Run.
Here on the Knobs, we're finally starting to see some signs of springs. Wait...are you wondering why it's called the "Knobs"? Our area consists of hundreds of small, conical shaped hills with low valleys in-between, probably a result of the last ice age. When I go up to our back yard, to the highest point, I can see the tree range on the next Knob 1/2 mile away, but little else...the fields roll down into a valley that all but disappears from sight. The Knobs are generally associated with an area of Kentucky, but there is such a large native-Kentucky population here in Ohio, I think the name just immigrated with the immigrants. So there you go; your useless piece of information for today.
Anyway, yes, things are starting to green up here in Pleasant Township. The kids and I spent 98% of the day outside today, hanging out laundry, watering seedlings and picking rhubarb...yay! We had our first rhubarb of the year; a very small bunch, but enough to satisfy our cravings for a rhubarb tart. And it was so delicious! I've waited 2 years for a taste of the sour stuff...last year, our local grocery store wanted 3$/lb and I just couldn't bring myself to pay that price. So I planted rhubarb instead. And it was a good decision because this year, they're asking 4$/lb. Crazy! My red raspberry transplants, a gift from a freecycler, are starting to leaf out. It looks like about 6 or 7 of the 10 survived....not bad odds for a bunch of bare root canes. The blueberry bushes are full of buds, the fruit trees are starting to leaf out and already some of the perennial herbs are starting to grow. What a great time of year!
The chickens are really hard at work; we had 77 eggs in Feb. and 89 in March, and we're already up to a dozen this month. Although I'd like another chicken or two, we're getting just enough eggs for ourselves and to share with friends and family. The only problem we're experiencing with the chickens right now are a pair of fugitives. Mr. Roo and Miss Buff routinely fly the coop. They don't get into any meanness, they just wander around together, scratching and pecking. And a little coercion is all it takes to get them back into their pens, usually in the form of pasta. Show them some pasta and they'll come running. Now that spring is here, we moved our portable coop to the back of the yard, with a smallish enclosure, to keep the chickens out of the garden and the kids out of the coop. I don't think they like to be cooped up, but it's a necessary thing until fall/winter comes around. Then they'll have free range of the yard to eat and poop anywhere they want to.
The house is starting to come together as well. We replaced our laminate hardwood in the living room with a lovely thick carpet, about the color of peanut shells. It's so nice to have a comfy soft place to roll around and wrestle with the kids. The bathroom, hallelujah, is nearly finished. Jeff made huge progress today...the floor is down, the toilet and sink are installed and the mirror is hung. We had a little snare on the light fixture, but that's an easy enough fix. With any luck, we'll be able to finish it up in the next day or two. With 2 potty trained youngsters, it's wonderful to have a second bathroom up and running again. And the new house rule regarding toilet paper; no more full rolls in the kids' bathroom. Ever. Think of it as a preemptive strike.
We're still eating on last year's harvest...we just finished up our last bag of frozen mixed veggies today, and we have just a couple bags left of strawberries, corn and snap peas. By the time harvest 2009 rolls around, last year's goodies should be gone leaving more space for this year's goodness. I was afraid I had really overdone the canned beans, but surprisingly, we're down to less than a dozen jars. Ditto for pears, frozen apples, etc. Our only disappointment this year was the canned carrots. No one seems to like canned carrots. And I'll admit, they're not nearly as tasty as fresh or frozen. Well, if that's my only error in judgement for the year, I'll call it a good year. For 2009, our goal is to cellar as much fresh produce as possible. I have about 1500 carrot seeds to sow, so hopefully we'll have a successful crop that we can cold-store during the dark days of winter. Same with leeks, celeriac, onions and potatoes.
Both children are growing like weeds. Isaac will be 5 in August and will be starting Kindergarten (weep, sob). He's so smart, it's scary sometimes. I'm amazed at how computer/electronics-savvy he is. The things he can pick up after one try, it's incredible. If you discover that someone has sneaked onto your computer and changed all your logos, icons, screen savers, wallpaper, etc., it was probably Isaac. He's good at the stuff. Mara just turned 3 and is keeping up with Isaac in every way. In the past 3 months, she's turned into a real talker. She doesn't just ask for chocolate milk now, she discusses how it looks when the chocolate starts to swirl together with the milk so it looks like a whirlpool. And she's become a 'girly-girl'. She's suddenly ALL ABOUT pink, shoes, dress up and hair 'pretties'. The mimicry is what tickles me; you don't realize how you sound until you hear it coming out of a 3 year old's mouth. I hate to brag, but my kids are amazing. We managed to get through the entire fall/winter/holiday season and all without a single cold. I tell you, my kids have immune systems of steel! If there's 2 things I've done right in raising my kids, it was nursing them and letting them eat "just enough dirt", as my mother in law would say.
Again, on a personal note, I'm feeling much much better. Much more like my 'old self'. The weird withdrawal symptoms are nearly gone with the exception of the occasional electrical 'zap'. And what's more, a large number of people have sent me private emails telling me of their own experiences with Effexor and SSRI's...apparently this is a larger problem than I ever realized. Why is it that doctors aren't telling their patients about these side effects? The only answer I can come up with is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. One very helpful phrase that I learned from this whole experience...."full disclosure". I'll know every side effect, withdrawal symptom, long term effect, etc. before I ever take another drug. My doctor is going to hate me, but he's going to be much better acquainted with that big blue drug book he keeps on his desk.
Well, tomorrow is back to the work-week, so I need to start packing lunch and folding laundry. For the past 2 days to have been such long days, it sure made for a short weekend. Hope you enjoyed the update about life here at the Run.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Michelle, Ma Belle
I love Michelle Obama. She seems like a practical, down to earth, sensible woman. And this just drives the point home....
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/03/first-family-to.html
For the first time since *WWII*, there's going to be a vegetable garden at the White House!
Go Michelle Go!!!!!
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/03/first-family-to.html
For the first time since *WWII*, there's going to be a vegetable garden at the White House!
In my humble opinion, American needs a symbol to get behind...something to remind us that things will get better, that we've walked this path before and came out stronger in the end. Sort of like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in the original Ghostbusters movie. Maybe a Victory Garden at the White House is that symbol. What better way to show Americans that despite the 'Great Recession', lost jobs, inflation/deflation, there is a simple, dependable way to feed yourselves!
Go Michelle Go!!!!!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Gardening on the Cheap
I've had a really enjoyable time this year trying to figure out ways to improve my garden and food supply without spending a lot of money to do it. And, in my humble opinion, I've come up with some pretty clever ways to do it. Jeff just scratches his head and snickers, but I just don't think he realizes the money I'm saving him and how much work it will save us both.
To start seeds this year, we've been saving toilet paper rolls and dryer lint. All you do is cut the toilet paper rolls in half, snip the bottom into four flaps and then fold them in cardboard box style. Into the cup, place a smidgen of dryer lint, just enough to blanket the bottom. Then fill with a bit of seed starter or potting soil and you're done. What you have is a biodegradable seed pot, with a lint liner that holds onto moisture. You just plant them straight into the garden or into a larger pot, opening the bottom of the pot to allow the roots to grow.
For irrigation, we're trying in-ground waterers. Due to the roll of our land, we have a terrible time with both run-off and puddling. To solve that problem, we've been saving milk jugs, soda bottles, anything that can hold water. This spring when we plow up the garden and furrow for planting, then we're going to punch holes in the bottoms and sides of the jugs and 'plant' them up to their spouts between the larger plants like tomatoes and peppers. When it's necessary to water, we'll simply fill up the jugs and allow the water to leech out of the holes, directly to the roots of the plants. In theory it should work. And hopefully that will resolve a lot of our erosion/flooding problems. In theory LOL.
I know some of these ideas sound hokey, but it seems more sensible than rushing out and buying hundreds of dollars of peat pots, soaker hoses and expensive watering gadgets. And isn't the part of homesteading using what's available to made do? I'd call it Yankee ingenuity. Except in my family, we're definitely not Yankees.
To start seeds this year, we've been saving toilet paper rolls and dryer lint. All you do is cut the toilet paper rolls in half, snip the bottom into four flaps and then fold them in cardboard box style. Into the cup, place a smidgen of dryer lint, just enough to blanket the bottom. Then fill with a bit of seed starter or potting soil and you're done. What you have is a biodegradable seed pot, with a lint liner that holds onto moisture. You just plant them straight into the garden or into a larger pot, opening the bottom of the pot to allow the roots to grow.
For irrigation, we're trying in-ground waterers. Due to the roll of our land, we have a terrible time with both run-off and puddling. To solve that problem, we've been saving milk jugs, soda bottles, anything that can hold water. This spring when we plow up the garden and furrow for planting, then we're going to punch holes in the bottoms and sides of the jugs and 'plant' them up to their spouts between the larger plants like tomatoes and peppers. When it's necessary to water, we'll simply fill up the jugs and allow the water to leech out of the holes, directly to the roots of the plants. In theory it should work. And hopefully that will resolve a lot of our erosion/flooding problems. In theory LOL.
I know some of these ideas sound hokey, but it seems more sensible than rushing out and buying hundreds of dollars of peat pots, soaker hoses and expensive watering gadgets. And isn't the part of homesteading using what's available to made do? I'd call it Yankee ingenuity. Except in my family, we're definitely not Yankees.
Friday, January 2, 2009
New Beginnings
This article at the Urban Homestead made me think quite a bit about the past year and what the new year may hold for us here at Chicky Bit Run.
http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/01/02/new-beginnings-4/
We've come a long way in the past year from where we started. A year ago we gave very little thought to what we eat or where it came from, who grew it. Never crossed our minds. It didn't matter that we were almost entirely dependent on Walmart and Kroger for our food supply; isn't everyone? One single event was a springboard for me, pushing me to look a little closer at what we were eating and how we were living....the Feb. 2008 beef recalls. That single event is what prompted me to look into factory farms, unstable food supplies, peak oil, homesteading and the works.
Nearly a year later, we've accomplished a great deal toward self-sufficiency. Our garden has tripled, we've added fruit trees and vines and a lovely flock of chicky-bits. But more than that, it's also changed our mindset. Everyday is an opportunity to be free from the shackles of corporate America. Everything that I re-purpose instead of throwing away and buying new is a dollar saved and a learning experience earned. I feel like we've stopped chasing the dream and are beginning to live it. A quiet, humble, satisfying life; one of hard work, long hours in the garden and over the canner and pride in a job well done. Not to mention the immense security one feels in seeing rows upon rows of homegrown, home-canned food.
Now onto 2009. Here are some of our goals, in black and white, so we can't forget them.
1. Add more permanent plantings
2. Expand the coop and flock of chickens
3. Keep looking for raw milk
4. Finish our 'Bug-Out Bag'
5. Keep purging the house of clutter and unnecessaries
6. Perfect our mozzarella cheese-making skills (and other cheeses too!)
7. Find the 'perfect' recipe for a loaf of whole grain bread
8. Can more instead of freezing so much
9. Finish up my 6 month food supply stores
10. Lose 20 lbs.
11. Learn/relearn practical skills like knitting, herbalism, candle making, lotion/soap making
12. Clean out the bed at the north side of the house.
I'm sure I've left out many of our goals, but that's a good start for now. I can always add on later. So there it is in black and white. My 'To Do' list for the following year. How's yours shaping up???
http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2009/01/02/new-beginnings-4/
We've come a long way in the past year from where we started. A year ago we gave very little thought to what we eat or where it came from, who grew it. Never crossed our minds. It didn't matter that we were almost entirely dependent on Walmart and Kroger for our food supply; isn't everyone? One single event was a springboard for me, pushing me to look a little closer at what we were eating and how we were living....the Feb. 2008 beef recalls. That single event is what prompted me to look into factory farms, unstable food supplies, peak oil, homesteading and the works.
Nearly a year later, we've accomplished a great deal toward self-sufficiency. Our garden has tripled, we've added fruit trees and vines and a lovely flock of chicky-bits. But more than that, it's also changed our mindset. Everyday is an opportunity to be free from the shackles of corporate America. Everything that I re-purpose instead of throwing away and buying new is a dollar saved and a learning experience earned. I feel like we've stopped chasing the dream and are beginning to live it. A quiet, humble, satisfying life; one of hard work, long hours in the garden and over the canner and pride in a job well done. Not to mention the immense security one feels in seeing rows upon rows of homegrown, home-canned food.
Now onto 2009. Here are some of our goals, in black and white, so we can't forget them.
1. Add more permanent plantings
2. Expand the coop and flock of chickens
3. Keep looking for raw milk
4. Finish our 'Bug-Out Bag'
5. Keep purging the house of clutter and unnecessaries
6. Perfect our mozzarella cheese-making skills (and other cheeses too!)
7. Find the 'perfect' recipe for a loaf of whole grain bread
8. Can more instead of freezing so much
9. Finish up my 6 month food supply stores
10. Lose 20 lbs.
11. Learn/relearn practical skills like knitting, herbalism, candle making, lotion/soap making
12. Clean out the bed at the north side of the house.
I'm sure I've left out many of our goals, but that's a good start for now. I can always add on later. So there it is in black and white. My 'To Do' list for the following year. How's yours shaping up???
Monday, December 1, 2008
Dollars and Sense
Since the cold weather is really here and I hate to drag the kids out, we're eating a lot more out of our pantry. Good stuff too! In fact, Mara is eating pears and applesauce so fast, I'm afraid we'll run out before summer gets here. Oh well. At least she's eating.
As there's nothing else to do til spring gets here, I've been giving thought to buying seeds and planning a bigger, better garden with some raised beds and an expanded orchard. There are times that I think Jeff isn't entirely on board when it comes to homesteading; that he could live with it or without. For instance, he spent most of the day cracking walnuts Sunday and I got the impression he wasn't thrilled with the prospect. He cracked then I shelled and it was literally a day long process. With a 5 gallon bucket yet to go, we have over 2 quarts of black walnuts in the freezer, ready to be made into delicious cakes, cookies and snacks.
When I showed him a sales ad today and he saw that the *sale* price for walnuts is about 6$ a pint and that we essentially gleaned 25.00 dollars of free nuts, he may have started to see things differently. Same thing with all the other produce I've socked away. At this point the only things we *have* to buy are dairy products and dry goods like flour, beans, rice, etc. In a pinch, we could buckle down and eat very healthfully out of what I've preserved over the course of the summer. For me that's security and freedom. As for Jeff, I think his approach is a little different. He doesn't get excited over a full larder....but a dwindling food bill, now that's something he can really get behind!
Monday, November 10, 2008
National Security
How much more secure would we all feel, as a nation and as individuals, if we knew we wouldn't be hungry this winter? If we knew that if things got bad and there was no grocery money, all we would need to do is open up a can of homegrown fruit or vegetables?
What if we knew that our food supply was truly safe? No weird preservatives, food colorings, accidental contamination and recalls. How much more content and secure would we feel?
What if we all took a page out of that old fairy tale ' The Grasshopper and the Ant', and we all worked toward a common goal; supporting ourselves and not relying on foreign companies to contribute to our welfare?
How much healthier and happier would we all be if we nourished our bodies, minds, spirits, homes with food that we labored over, lovingly preserved and put up for the cold dark days of winter?
In our lust for money, success and material goods, how far have we fallen from the natural order of things? Have we completely forgotten the old ways? That for every thing there is a season... a season to sow and reap the harvest.
What if we knew that our food supply was truly safe? No weird preservatives, food colorings, accidental contamination and recalls. How much more content and secure would we feel?
What if we all took a page out of that old fairy tale ' The Grasshopper and the Ant', and we all worked toward a common goal; supporting ourselves and not relying on foreign companies to contribute to our welfare?
How much healthier and happier would we all be if we nourished our bodies, minds, spirits, homes with food that we labored over, lovingly preserved and put up for the cold dark days of winter?
Maybe we would all get along a little better and see our world a little more clearly if we understood that we *need* Mother Earth...that she's here for us, and without her, we have no hope in this world.
In our lust for money, success and material goods, how far have we fallen from the natural order of things? Have we completely forgotten the old ways? That for every thing there is a season... a season to sow and reap the harvest.
Here's my attempt to remember and to honor all those who came before me, walked the rough road and found themselves stronger in the end. And this is my way of offering a bit of security to my children; security in a topsy-turvy world. All my love and best wishes to you all.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
A Gleaner's Work...
is never done and, praise God, I'm thrilled about it! We were blessed with the opportunity to glean the leftovers at a wonderful local orchard and I tell you, I felt like a kid in a candy store! We left with four 5 gallon buckets of a variety of apples....Macs, Empires, Yellow Delicious, and several varieties that I don't know the names for. They'll be sauced, dried or frozen and the 'firsts' will be left for eating later on.
THEN, after that haul, we drove down the road to my step dad's rental, hoping for a few pears. We left with more than 10 gallons, plus a huge bag of walnuts. And having run out of bags today, I'm going back for more tomorrow! My kids will be eating canned pears from now til Doom's Day if I have any say in the matter. Thankfully, they love pears, so that's a joy for them and not a punishment.
I think initially Jeff was a little embarrassed that we were scavenging around for free food, but he got over really quickly. You just can't pass up good produce and nuts are so expensive. With our economy in the toilet and the job scene looking iffy, there's no way I'm passing up basic hearty food like apples, pears and nuts. Those are staples in this house, and in a pinch could provide both vitamins and variety to a boring diet. I keep telling Jeff that in many ways, we need to go into Depression mode. I don't mean panicking and hoarding weapons....but why not stock up on a little extra of the things we use on a daily basis? And if free food is there for the taking, put your pride to the side and grab a bag. Get pickin' mister!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Alarmist?
I'm not sure if I consider myself an alarmist, but the more I watch and read, the more frightening things are in the world right now. I'm not going to lie to you, I understand very little about what's going on down on Wall Street right now, but I know it's bad. Very very bad. I know Jeff is worried; he's afraid to get our 401k report. I think that's why a large part of me just wants to hole up in our house and not leave. Just stay home and hibernate under a blanket and watch old movies until next spring. Then we can come out of our burrow and just pretend like the winter time never happened. By then, the tulips will be up, the grass will be green again and hopefully, we'll have a coop of laying hens!
Oddly enough though, in some ways I'm more at peace than I have been for ages. I've been praying; a lot. And already God is answering my prayers. And I'm comforted in the fact that we have a good bit of food saved up. Quite a bit of firewood. Lots of wool hats, gloves and slippers. Ways to stay warm, fed, dry and entertained. I think that's one of the weird after-effects of taking a homesteading approach to life. You learn that the only thing you can control is how you react. You can't change policies, the weather, the government, your neighbor. But you can decide to plant an extra row of beans and can an extra batch of applesauce. You can felt those old wool sweaters for cozy mittens instead of just throwing it away because it's out of date. You make connections with your faith, your neighbors, your past. You learn to get past the drivel and figure out what the necessities in life really are...warmth, food, shelter, family, love. That's pretty much it. And when you figure that out, it's so much easier to let the 'noise' of the world sort of roll off your back.
Oddly enough though, in some ways I'm more at peace than I have been for ages. I've been praying; a lot. And already God is answering my prayers. And I'm comforted in the fact that we have a good bit of food saved up. Quite a bit of firewood. Lots of wool hats, gloves and slippers. Ways to stay warm, fed, dry and entertained. I think that's one of the weird after-effects of taking a homesteading approach to life. You learn that the only thing you can control is how you react. You can't change policies, the weather, the government, your neighbor. But you can decide to plant an extra row of beans and can an extra batch of applesauce. You can felt those old wool sweaters for cozy mittens instead of just throwing it away because it's out of date. You make connections with your faith, your neighbors, your past. You learn to get past the drivel and figure out what the necessities in life really are...warmth, food, shelter, family, love. That's pretty much it. And when you figure that out, it's so much easier to let the 'noise' of the world sort of roll off your back.
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