I contemplated skipping IDC update this week, but I had a really productive week both in the harvesting and the preserving! So here is the update, but I am hurrying through it (I am tired tonight).
Planted: Anise hysop, tickseed, jacobs ladder, mint, thyme (I've had these and they were perishing in their containers).
Harvested: Eggs (last for awhile); tomatoes; lots and lots of summer squash (three types); cucumbers; green beans; currants; mulberries; wild raspberries; elder flower; bee's balm; stevia leaves (off houseplants); kohlrabi; carrots (baby ones I was thinning out); onions; greens and grass for animals; blueberries (U-Pick)
Preserved: 16 pints of pickled beets; 16 quarts of green beans and 12 qts of yellow wax beans (or mixed); 6 pints of blueberries canned and two gallons of sour cherries in freezer (to be dealt with later); eggs frozen; zucchini oatmeal mini muffins frozen (recipe under Eat the Food)
Prepped/Stored/managed: Worked on camper; stored juice, tuna, peanut butter & canola oil
Skills: Hmmm, need to get back on fiddle lessons
Reduce waste: Nothing significant to report (the usual recycling, ziplock reusing, combining driving trips, cloth bags).
Community: Used near-by U-Pick for blueberries.
Eat the Food: Here is a recipe from an Amish publication.
Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins
Dry:
2-1/2 c. flour (I use all whole wheat, but feel free to experiment)
1-1/2 c. sugar (again, feel free to experiment)
1 T. baking powder
1/2 c. oatmeal
1 tsp.salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts or not!)
Wet:
4 eggs
1 med. zucchini, shredded (sorry not more specific-I use about two big handfuls)
3/4 c. oil (I like safflower or olive)
Combine the dry, set aside. Beat eggs, add zucchini and oil. Stir wet mixture into dry. Bake at 400 F. until golden brown (or approx. 25 minutes). Makes 3.5 dozen mini muffins. I freeze two dozen and thaw through out year.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Retrospective Half Way
This year has not been easy. Lots of weirdness and heartbreak and unexpected battles. Some years just seem to bring more challenges, hardships than others. This one has been particularly bad...
I went to the party at our friends house today (their daughter is turning 7). The man is also my insurance agent. We have been working on putting together a cheaper insurance package for me that would combine my autos, primary house and rentals all in one attached policy. This is suppose to save me money. However, today I find out that the insurance company that we had intended to go with says we have a "farm" and will have to insure it as a farm because we have livestock (we do not sell livestock or farm products and the cows are for us). We also won't be able to cover the barn because, get this, we actually use it as a barn and store hay and straw in it. They won't cover it if it burns because hay and straw are flammable material (it's O.K. if we store gasolene or propane though). I have never had an agent scrutinize our lifestyle in so much detail, but our friend knows what we have and says he has to tell the company or else they won't cover any claims. My former agent, a stranger, never asked us if we stored hay or straw or kept livestock (she asked if we farmed and I had her clarify the question and she asked if we were planning to plant any crops).
Really, I am to the point of giving all this shit up. I really think the bottom line to this multiple year experiment is this: It is IMPOSSIBLE to be self-sufficient even on a small scale in these modern times. It is exactly what the popular magazine calls it: Hobby Farming. It is for the well-off and not the working poor. I suppose if I owned my land outright (no mortgage) and built some sort of alternative , off-grid housing (that passes codes) than I would be closer, but that is not our reality financially (another wealthy adventure) and probably never will be. I really despise having to give up almost one whole paycheck (two weeks of my life) to insurance companies.
I really am not here to burst any one's bubbles, but all I can say is don't look to this lifestyle for any bureaucracy relief. It's not here. You'll pay taxes to run schools you have no say in the curriculum; you'll find the county has 75 feet of right-of-way on either side of a ditch that runs through a portion of your property and can cut out your trees and shrubs if they decide its necessary and BILL YOU; you'll pay higher insurance on the whim of the CEO's of a company (some of which get nice little bail-outs when things get tough) who apparently have no idea of the point of barns (Now I can understand why the farmers around here burn beautiful, century-old barns to the ground to avoid insurance); you'll find the neighborhood dogs killing your investments; the Gov will want to track your animals... It just does not stop.
I'm to the point of no return. I've invested in this house and land (e.g. fruit trees and fencing) and probably am upside-down in the mortgage. It just seems pointless to have 12 acres if you have to ask the insurance agent if you can raise a couple of pigs or cows for your own use.
On the other hand, can I go back to town living? I love the sounds of wildlife and not being able to see my neighbor's houses (an introvert's dream house!). I love how our house is nestled in a valley between two gentle hills. I love our woods and all the wild edibles our land has to offer. Could I go back? I really don't know.
What I can do is give up the livestock. I was hoping to raise the calves and I will have a difficult time letting Maggie and Baby (and even Ryan) go. I love seeing them graze out front. They have been expensive pets. However, I just can't get ahead if my bills keep rising and rising. I feel Nickled and Dimed by insurance and taxes and bills related to this lifestyle (e.g. Hay, feed, fence, loss, liability). Mostly I just feel like fate is trying to tell me something and I have been too stubborn to listen.
I am so down in the dumps tonight.
I went to the party at our friends house today (their daughter is turning 7). The man is also my insurance agent. We have been working on putting together a cheaper insurance package for me that would combine my autos, primary house and rentals all in one attached policy. This is suppose to save me money. However, today I find out that the insurance company that we had intended to go with says we have a "farm" and will have to insure it as a farm because we have livestock (we do not sell livestock or farm products and the cows are for us). We also won't be able to cover the barn because, get this, we actually use it as a barn and store hay and straw in it. They won't cover it if it burns because hay and straw are flammable material (it's O.K. if we store gasolene or propane though). I have never had an agent scrutinize our lifestyle in so much detail, but our friend knows what we have and says he has to tell the company or else they won't cover any claims. My former agent, a stranger, never asked us if we stored hay or straw or kept livestock (she asked if we farmed and I had her clarify the question and she asked if we were planning to plant any crops).
Really, I am to the point of giving all this shit up. I really think the bottom line to this multiple year experiment is this: It is IMPOSSIBLE to be self-sufficient even on a small scale in these modern times. It is exactly what the popular magazine calls it: Hobby Farming. It is for the well-off and not the working poor. I suppose if I owned my land outright (no mortgage) and built some sort of alternative , off-grid housing (that passes codes) than I would be closer, but that is not our reality financially (another wealthy adventure) and probably never will be. I really despise having to give up almost one whole paycheck (two weeks of my life) to insurance companies.
I really am not here to burst any one's bubbles, but all I can say is don't look to this lifestyle for any bureaucracy relief. It's not here. You'll pay taxes to run schools you have no say in the curriculum; you'll find the county has 75 feet of right-of-way on either side of a ditch that runs through a portion of your property and can cut out your trees and shrubs if they decide its necessary and BILL YOU; you'll pay higher insurance on the whim of the CEO's of a company (some of which get nice little bail-outs when things get tough) who apparently have no idea of the point of barns (Now I can understand why the farmers around here burn beautiful, century-old barns to the ground to avoid insurance); you'll find the neighborhood dogs killing your investments; the Gov will want to track your animals... It just does not stop.
I'm to the point of no return. I've invested in this house and land (e.g. fruit trees and fencing) and probably am upside-down in the mortgage. It just seems pointless to have 12 acres if you have to ask the insurance agent if you can raise a couple of pigs or cows for your own use.
On the other hand, can I go back to town living? I love the sounds of wildlife and not being able to see my neighbor's houses (an introvert's dream house!). I love how our house is nestled in a valley between two gentle hills. I love our woods and all the wild edibles our land has to offer. Could I go back? I really don't know.
What I can do is give up the livestock. I was hoping to raise the calves and I will have a difficult time letting Maggie and Baby (and even Ryan) go. I love seeing them graze out front. They have been expensive pets. However, I just can't get ahead if my bills keep rising and rising. I feel Nickled and Dimed by insurance and taxes and bills related to this lifestyle (e.g. Hay, feed, fence, loss, liability). Mostly I just feel like fate is trying to tell me something and I have been too stubborn to listen.
I am so down in the dumps tonight.
Another Sunday Bloody Sunday
I'm a light sleeper.
This morning in the wee hours after dawn I heard this noise. I couldn't place it and fell back to sleep for a second (I was dreaming I took a pregnancy test and not only was it positive, but it also told me I had diabetes. Weird!)
Finally, I came out of my slumber and padded out to the living room. I glanced out the front windows and saw movement. I squinted my eyes out towards the barn and coops and saw the animal. The same animal I had seen Friday in our backyard: A black and white, short-haired squatty dog.
I watched it quietly yip and run back and forth to the creek and back to the coop. Then I saw the second one, red and identical in shape to the first, INSIDE the chicken yard!
I ran and woke Sr. Sure enough, the red dog was trapped in the yard and coop. The B/W one ran off into the woods.
I'll stop the story and spare you the details of what happened next, but suffice to say ALL of my hens, my special third generation rooster, ducks, Cochin chicks and RABBITS are dead. All my careful tending down the drain. Chicks I hatched out and cared for gone. All our investment vanished. A food source stolen.
I am seeking the owners of these dogs. I have photographs.
This morning in the wee hours after dawn I heard this noise. I couldn't place it and fell back to sleep for a second (I was dreaming I took a pregnancy test and not only was it positive, but it also told me I had diabetes. Weird!)
Finally, I came out of my slumber and padded out to the living room. I glanced out the front windows and saw movement. I squinted my eyes out towards the barn and coops and saw the animal. The same animal I had seen Friday in our backyard: A black and white, short-haired squatty dog.
I watched it quietly yip and run back and forth to the creek and back to the coop. Then I saw the second one, red and identical in shape to the first, INSIDE the chicken yard!
I ran and woke Sr. Sure enough, the red dog was trapped in the yard and coop. The B/W one ran off into the woods.
I'll stop the story and spare you the details of what happened next, but suffice to say ALL of my hens, my special third generation rooster, ducks, Cochin chicks and RABBITS are dead. All my careful tending down the drain. Chicks I hatched out and cared for gone. All our investment vanished. A food source stolen.
I am seeking the owners of these dogs. I have photographs.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
At Last...
I finally fixed my camera issues and it seems it was the USB cord! I can finally share my latest project in more detail. Since first mentioning the new (old) camper, we have almost stripped all of the old interior paint off the birchwood panels and will be starting on the wiring soon.
I believe the camper is a Trotwood "Cub" built in Trotwood, Ohio in 1958. The Trotwood Trailer, Co. was the first to enter the travel trailer industry (as far as I can find anyway) and created a pull-a-long in 1932 (my historic facts aren't exact as I could not find much information on them and I am still researching). We are the third owners and in her past she has gone f
rom shiny aluminum color to having giant hippy flowers painted all over her body (according to RV place where we bought it) to being coated in the color you see here. Our plans are to take her back to shiny, if we can, or if not maybe a plum color (still on planning board).
rom shiny aluminum color to having giant hippy flowers painted all over her body (according to RV place where we bought it) to being coated in the color you see here. Our plans are to take her back to shiny, if we can, or if not maybe a plum color (still on planning board).In the interior photos, you can see the water damage we need to fix (on the right side above the bed). I am thinking water came in that backdoor as the previous owner put chalk all around it. You can also see the bright yellow and lime green 
paint. My favorite color is yellow, but not in this shade. It made the inside feel weird, like being trapped in a bag of yellow and green M & M's. I started peeling the paint by hand and it came off in sheets. We have since used a scrapper and most of it is gone. We still have a few spots on the trim to contend with and the cabinets are s
till yellow and lime green, but I plan to prime them and paint them a color more suitable to my eyes (I am think Robin's egg blue at the moment). You can also see the black & white vinyl squares they used to cover up the GREAT formica counters. I doubt I can save those as they painted over the formica first. They did save the dinette table (the chairs/convertible bed has been removed and bunk beds built in its place), so I know what it was like before they ruined it! I'll have to cross the bridge on how to make it better later.
paint. My favorite color is yellow, but not in this shade. It made the inside feel weird, like being trapped in a bag of yellow and green M & M's. I started peeling the paint by hand and it came off in sheets. We have since used a scrapper and most of it is gone. We still have a few spots on the trim to contend with and the cabinets are s
till yellow and lime green, but I plan to prime them and paint them a color more suitable to my eyes (I am think Robin's egg blue at the moment). You can also see the black & white vinyl squares they used to cover up the GREAT formica counters. I doubt I can save those as they painted over the formica first. They did save the dinette table (the chairs/convertible bed has been removed and bunk beds built in its place), so I know what it was like before they ruined it! I'll have to cross the bridge on how to make it better later.I am looking forward to camping in our little "canned ham" (and doesn't it look exactly like a giant canned ham on wheels???) I feel really lucky to have found it for the price we did and husband and I finally have a project we are both excited about pursuing! And, like Tansy said, it makes the ultimate bug out bag!! ;)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Independence Day Challenge-Y2, W11
Last week was just another blur. Can you believe July sees his half-way mark this week? Why is it summer flies and winter seems to creep along? Sigh. I need to get my fall garden planted, but I am behind on the weeding of the summer one. Sigh again. It's so hard for me to keep up and work has been busy too.
Ok, I do have some bits and pieces to report:
Planted: Again nothing, but I have several plants that I need to get in the ground. I have a four-day weekend coming up (MIL/child caretaker is having minor surgery) and I hope to get everything where it belongs. I also hope to get some of the fall stuff in...oh, wait, this is for next week! ;)
Harvested: Better here!! Raspberries and mulberries (I'm really glad I waited this year to harvest the mulberries. There was less, but they are bigger and sweeter). I also have been getting tons of summer squash from the garden and cucumbers. I keep reading about all the rain, but we are experiencing the opposite: Hot, dry weather. the squash are very happy and all of the vines (even the winter ones) are loaded. I also found a few cherry and yellow pear tomatoes and I picked up a dozen or so green ones that Shawnee knocked off. I harvested kohlrabi and a handful of beets (need to replant for fall as I was hoping to can some-I may have to buy from the Amish). We are also starting in on the green beans (we ate them two days in a row and I have about 1/2 peck to can, plus my FIL said I could have the rest of his since his canning is done) and I plan to start canning those this weekend too. Eggs, greens, hay and grass for animals.
Preserved: Froze mulberries and wild raspberries until I have a moment to deal with them.
Prepped/Adapted/Stored: Ok, I am cheating here a bit (justifying a purchase which is never good, but I can see so may benefits!): I bought a 1958 Trotwood Cub camper. It is a lightweight thing, designed to be pulled by a car instead of one of our modern huge vehicles. We are cleaning and stripping paint and plan to have it road worthy in a few weeks (*fingers crossed*). I figure if I need a quick escape at least I can do it with a house behind me!! Plus, it would provide extra sleeping for people we might need to shelter here at the farm. And the bonus: I got it really cheap (about half the normal going price for similar condition!!)
Found some food grade buckets at the Amish bulk store and bought three for storage. Also picked up the usual canning lids, popcorn, pepper, and chocolate (yes, I know...:)
This past weekend was Animal Swap weekend, but I did not go looking for animals. I found a couple of enamelware camp dishes (fry pan, roaster and bowls), some finger puppets for the kids (a 'preppy' and a 'hippy', lol!), and 5 cochin chicks (they were $1 for all!)
In other news, I've listed Ryan the bull for sale. We had an inquiry from a neighbor looking for an angus bull to rent, but he is an Irish dexter. I'm hoping they will consider him for their herd. If he doesn't sell I may consider other avenues. He is not unruly (just the opposite, quite docile, he even takes calf-sitting duty now and again), but he is pricey to feed. Our pasture is small and easily overgrazed. It is time to downsize. I have other projects I want to concentrate on and beef is an easy commodity from several neighbors around me (milk is another question, but stanchions weren't built and milking has not happened anyway).
Raccoons have also been around and I guess I could say we are feeding the wildlife. Unfortunately it was with several heritage breed turkey poults. One had his leg clean bit off and I have him the house healing. He gets around a bit on his one leg and the surgically smooth wound where the hip was is better. And, the neighbors' dog came around and somehow managed to take part of the (removable) roof off one of my rabbit hutches. I am not sure if the dog ate the rabbits or they are running loose. Both of my males, damnit, and one Californian I've had for a couple of years! This livestock thing is not easy...
I cleaned out the upstairs food pantry because I had a shelf collapse from the weight of my stored food. I took all canned goods to the basement pantry and organized a "breakfast foods" shelf, a pasta shelf, a rice shelf, etc. I noticed I have a lot of rice with past or near-to expiration dates. Guess what we are eating this week!! Luckily, Lyndon loves to say, "Mo' rice, Ma!"
I hope to get some menus done this week to help us 'Eat the Food'.
I am plugging away on our debts and am feeling the change for the better, but we are still in a "danger zone" in my opinion (i.e. one of us would lose our job). Thetenants land contract buyers did not pay July's payment. Sigh, looks like the house will be coming back to us.
Waste Not/Want Not: recycled, bought the used buckets, used grass clippings for livestock food, composted/fed chickens waste bits, recycled at work (including saving co-worker's deli meat containers-they have a lid!); purged out some too small kids clothing to donate; gave a colleague's expecting wife some cloth diapers Lyndon never wore (outgrew them before he wore them)
Community: Supported the Animal Swap (although I have mixed feelings about that, especially after the poorest Old English Mastiff I saw there for sale. Poor thing was skinny and his eyes looked and smelled infected, but he was truly sweet as pie. It's hard not to be impulsive when you see things like that there.) I also went to a neighborhood get-to-gether (potluck). I had fun, but it was tiring. And, I really need to get to a farmer's market!
Skills: Learning about vintage campers!
Eat the Food: I had a long post brewing about this category, but my energy level is low tonight. I am battling a sickness. I've been a real crab too . I'll just mention the delicious sauteed green beans I made two nights in a row. So, yummy!! Sr made homemade ice cream and I cooked up some early peaches (really good, but oh, so fragile) into a sauce and it was heavenly!
Hope y'all had a sweet week!
Ok, I do have some bits and pieces to report:
Planted: Again nothing, but I have several plants that I need to get in the ground. I have a four-day weekend coming up (MIL/child caretaker is having minor surgery) and I hope to get everything where it belongs. I also hope to get some of the fall stuff in...oh, wait, this is for next week! ;)
Harvested: Better here!! Raspberries and mulberries (I'm really glad I waited this year to harvest the mulberries. There was less, but they are bigger and sweeter). I also have been getting tons of summer squash from the garden and cucumbers. I keep reading about all the rain, but we are experiencing the opposite: Hot, dry weather. the squash are very happy and all of the vines (even the winter ones) are loaded. I also found a few cherry and yellow pear tomatoes and I picked up a dozen or so green ones that Shawnee knocked off. I harvested kohlrabi and a handful of beets (need to replant for fall as I was hoping to can some-I may have to buy from the Amish). We are also starting in on the green beans (we ate them two days in a row and I have about 1/2 peck to can, plus my FIL said I could have the rest of his since his canning is done) and I plan to start canning those this weekend too. Eggs, greens, hay and grass for animals.
Preserved: Froze mulberries and wild raspberries until I have a moment to deal with them.
Prepped/Adapted/Stored: Ok, I am cheating here a bit (justifying a purchase which is never good, but I can see so may benefits!): I bought a 1958 Trotwood Cub camper. It is a lightweight thing, designed to be pulled by a car instead of one of our modern huge vehicles. We are cleaning and stripping paint and plan to have it road worthy in a few weeks (*fingers crossed*). I figure if I need a quick escape at least I can do it with a house behind me!! Plus, it would provide extra sleeping for people we might need to shelter here at the farm. And the bonus: I got it really cheap (about half the normal going price for similar condition!!)
Found some food grade buckets at the Amish bulk store and bought three for storage. Also picked up the usual canning lids, popcorn, pepper, and chocolate (yes, I know...:)
This past weekend was Animal Swap weekend, but I did not go looking for animals. I found a couple of enamelware camp dishes (fry pan, roaster and bowls), some finger puppets for the kids (a 'preppy' and a 'hippy', lol!), and 5 cochin chicks (they were $1 for all!)
In other news, I've listed Ryan the bull for sale. We had an inquiry from a neighbor looking for an angus bull to rent, but he is an Irish dexter. I'm hoping they will consider him for their herd. If he doesn't sell I may consider other avenues. He is not unruly (just the opposite, quite docile, he even takes calf-sitting duty now and again), but he is pricey to feed. Our pasture is small and easily overgrazed. It is time to downsize. I have other projects I want to concentrate on and beef is an easy commodity from several neighbors around me (milk is another question, but stanchions weren't built and milking has not happened anyway).
Raccoons have also been around and I guess I could say we are feeding the wildlife. Unfortunately it was with several heritage breed turkey poults. One had his leg clean bit off and I have him the house healing. He gets around a bit on his one leg and the surgically smooth wound where the hip was is better. And, the neighbors' dog came around and somehow managed to take part of the (removable) roof off one of my rabbit hutches. I am not sure if the dog ate the rabbits or they are running loose. Both of my males, damnit, and one Californian I've had for a couple of years! This livestock thing is not easy...
I cleaned out the upstairs food pantry because I had a shelf collapse from the weight of my stored food. I took all canned goods to the basement pantry and organized a "breakfast foods" shelf, a pasta shelf, a rice shelf, etc. I noticed I have a lot of rice with past or near-to expiration dates. Guess what we are eating this week!! Luckily, Lyndon loves to say, "Mo' rice, Ma!"
I hope to get some menus done this week to help us 'Eat the Food'.
I am plugging away on our debts and am feeling the change for the better, but we are still in a "danger zone" in my opinion (i.e. one of us would lose our job). The
Waste Not/Want Not: recycled, bought the used buckets, used grass clippings for livestock food, composted/fed chickens waste bits, recycled at work (including saving co-worker's deli meat containers-they have a lid!); purged out some too small kids clothing to donate; gave a colleague's expecting wife some cloth diapers Lyndon never wore (outgrew them before he wore them)
Community: Supported the Animal Swap (although I have mixed feelings about that, especially after the poorest Old English Mastiff I saw there for sale. Poor thing was skinny and his eyes looked and smelled infected, but he was truly sweet as pie. It's hard not to be impulsive when you see things like that there.) I also went to a neighborhood get-to-gether (potluck). I had fun, but it was tiring. And, I really need to get to a farmer's market!
Skills: Learning about vintage campers!
Eat the Food: I had a long post brewing about this category, but my energy level is low tonight. I am battling a sickness. I've been a real crab too . I'll just mention the delicious sauteed green beans I made two nights in a row. So, yummy!! Sr made homemade ice cream and I cooked up some early peaches (really good, but oh, so fragile) into a sauce and it was heavenly!
Hope y'all had a sweet week!
Thursday, July 09, 2009
And Elvis Sang "Don't"...
Well, well, I wanted to start filling you in on my new project, but my blessed camera and laptop are not on speaking terms for some reason. I know how that is, really I do, but I am not sure which one started it!
So, I'll give you this hint instead: Sisters on the Fly love them and so do I!
Of course, it will take me years to get this project completed (I'm sitting on dozens of unfinished projects), but hopefully one day it will be worth it. I can't wait to get started.
Hopefully the old camera will be kinder to the work computer tomorrow and I will let you in on Project 1958!
So, I'll give you this hint instead: Sisters on the Fly love them and so do I!
Of course, it will take me years to get this project completed (I'm sitting on dozens of unfinished projects), but hopefully one day it will be worth it. I can't wait to get started.
Hopefully the old camera will be kinder to the work computer tomorrow and I will let you in on Project 1958!
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Independence Day Challenge-Y2, w10
...Or is it Tuesday night already???
The weekend flew by and this week is marching along briskly as well. My blogging habit has slowed a bit, but that is partly because I have been under a dismal "spell" of late and sometimes I feel like I only blog when sad, frustrated, hurt, worried, etc. I do have happy moments; this year just has not been one with many of them.
All that being said I found something (a new project like I need a hole in my head) to make me smile (altho, later I did find myself once again the victim of my own contentment-sometimes it feels like every mile of strength I find to push myself out of this fog and forward, another force pushes me back five). I do plan to share my new project with y'all very, very soon!;)
OK, on with the update...
Planted: Hmmm...I don't think I planted anything this past week. However I did de-plant a whole bunch of weeds.
Harvested: eggs; a few tomatoes (mostly cherry, but I did find one big yellow one in the garden in the heirloom patch. I need to dig out my notes to see what it is called); raspberries-red from U-Pick and black from the wilds around our place (I tell you the taste of wild raspberries is indeed the taste of my childhood); two pounds of early blueberries at U-Pick (Shawnee begged for them); cucumbers and lots and lots of zucchini and summer squash. I also harvested a handful of mulberries which have turned sweet and yummy. I need to harvest a multitude of them this week for jam or syrup. I'm glad I waited because the early ones weren't nearly as flavorful!! We also had our hay field baled and got 11 measly bales. Obviously we need to reseed.
Herbs: red clover, stevia leaves (from broken branches off a houseplant that fell); sage; basil; oregano
Preserved: put baled hay in barn (does that count?); froze the two gallons of red raspberries and one quart of the black raspberries (would have been more, but we all snacked on them); dried the herbs and stevia. Hopefully once I get some projects caught up I can can up the raspberries before the tomatoes start coming on strong.
Reduce Waste: Used cloth or no bag option (need to improve here, been bad lately); recycled; saved glass jars for leftover storage; drove as little as possible (but still horrible in this dept and it has been much, much worse in the past two weeks due to Sr's work injury. he is on "light duty" and has to go in to wrk regular 8 hour days for 40 hours. The problem is his work is far away from us. Normally, he would not drive back and forth to a main building. This is really hurting the budget and makes me quite sad and frustrated. He should have been back to his regular duties by now, but the state he works in has a really f-ed up workman's comp system and he has not been "registered" yet. This means no paycheck for the two weeks he has been hurt. I could literally scream my head off!)
Prepped & Storage: toothpaste stored, beer
Eat the Food: last year's canned sauerkraut with our own grown sausage and grilled zucchini. This category is giving me fits. I think I am going to revamp it a bit, but that will be for next week.
Community: Frequented local U-Pick for the raspberries and shared them with in-laws. Gave eggs to neighbors and relatives.
The weekend flew by and this week is marching along briskly as well. My blogging habit has slowed a bit, but that is partly because I have been under a dismal "spell" of late and sometimes I feel like I only blog when sad, frustrated, hurt, worried, etc. I do have happy moments; this year just has not been one with many of them.
All that being said I found something (a new project like I need a hole in my head) to make me smile (altho, later I did find myself once again the victim of my own contentment-sometimes it feels like every mile of strength I find to push myself out of this fog and forward, another force pushes me back five). I do plan to share my new project with y'all very, very soon!;)
OK, on with the update...
Planted: Hmmm...I don't think I planted anything this past week. However I did de-plant a whole bunch of weeds.
Harvested: eggs; a few tomatoes (mostly cherry, but I did find one big yellow one in the garden in the heirloom patch. I need to dig out my notes to see what it is called); raspberries-red from U-Pick and black from the wilds around our place (I tell you the taste of wild raspberries is indeed the taste of my childhood); two pounds of early blueberries at U-Pick (Shawnee begged for them); cucumbers and lots and lots of zucchini and summer squash. I also harvested a handful of mulberries which have turned sweet and yummy. I need to harvest a multitude of them this week for jam or syrup. I'm glad I waited because the early ones weren't nearly as flavorful!! We also had our hay field baled and got 11 measly bales. Obviously we need to reseed.
Herbs: red clover, stevia leaves (from broken branches off a houseplant that fell); sage; basil; oregano
Preserved: put baled hay in barn (does that count?); froze the two gallons of red raspberries and one quart of the black raspberries (would have been more, but we all snacked on them); dried the herbs and stevia. Hopefully once I get some projects caught up I can can up the raspberries before the tomatoes start coming on strong.
Reduce Waste: Used cloth or no bag option (need to improve here, been bad lately); recycled; saved glass jars for leftover storage; drove as little as possible (but still horrible in this dept and it has been much, much worse in the past two weeks due to Sr's work injury. he is on "light duty" and has to go in to wrk regular 8 hour days for 40 hours. The problem is his work is far away from us. Normally, he would not drive back and forth to a main building. This is really hurting the budget and makes me quite sad and frustrated. He should have been back to his regular duties by now, but the state he works in has a really f-ed up workman's comp system and he has not been "registered" yet. This means no paycheck for the two weeks he has been hurt. I could literally scream my head off!)
Prepped & Storage: toothpaste stored, beer
Eat the Food: last year's canned sauerkraut with our own grown sausage and grilled zucchini. This category is giving me fits. I think I am going to revamp it a bit, but that will be for next week.
Community: Frequented local U-Pick for the raspberries and shared them with in-laws. Gave eggs to neighbors and relatives.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
I received an award from Sue at Making a House a Home quite some time ago. Thanks Sue! You are incredibly sweet!
Here are the STEPS of this Award:
(1) Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
(2) Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
(3) Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
(4) Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
(5) Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
(6) Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
(7) Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
I had a really hard time coming up with seven unique things about me (as I have done this a couple of other times over the years and I tend to be lazy and repeat things). Here are some maybe you don't know about me!!! I don't know how interesting they are though, LOL!!!
1. I've had romantic encounters at some point in my 20's with men born outside the US: Jordan, Mexico, United Kingdom; Germany; France; Canada; and Israel (I was once a very fickle girl!)
2. When I was almost 15, I ran away to NYC (hitchhiked) to be a writer. (I was also a stupid girl!) My parents flew me home, but made me spend one night in a runaway shelter to teach me a "lesson".
3. I love anything pumpkin. I also love anything vanilla. I like most things chocolate.
4. My g-g-grandmother came right off an Indian Res when she married her husband.
5. I am related to Rob Roy (McGregor), the Scottish Robin hood, on my father's mother's side (my ancestor came to America in 1650's to escape prosecution against McGregors by an English king. He changed his name to one that means 'Sons of the Mist' which was the name the McGregors in the Scottish highlands used to rename themselves when their clan name was made illegal. OK, this is interesting to me at least, LOL!!)
6. (I've used this one before, but it's one my favorites!) I once saw a ghost.
7. I used to have a job removing venomous snakes from people's yards (in AZ). I also used to help rehabilitate bats! I've always been attracted to the "creepy" creatures (see number one...just kidding!!! ;)
I love so many other blogs (and all of them are so much more interesting than I am!!), so I nominate anyone off my sidebar list. All of those blogs are interesting and the authors wonderful!!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Independence Day Challenge-Y2, W9
Nine weeks already...wow!
Happy belated Summer Solstice (this is my first week of summer update!)
Planted: transplanted three stevia plants; planted two anise hyssop plants; borage seeds; nasturtium; pepper plant; lamb's ear plant (I'm watching a few local places for markdowns on perennials and herbs)
Harvested: tomatoes (cherry only); sweet pepper; cherries (at U-Pick); various greens for rabbits and poultry; hay (at least it was mowed today-tomorrow it will be raked and baled); elderflowers (need to get back to ditch and pick more as some are already turning to fruit); eggs
Preserved: 3 qts whole pie cherries; 6 pints whole pie cherries; 8 half-pints of conc. sour cherry syrup; cherry leather (made from the left over puree after juicing for syrup)
Prepped/Stored/Managed: canning lids and jars (Amish bulk store had great sale on canning supplies); dog, rabbit, poultry and cat food; dumped old water in storage bottles on plants and refilled; switched some stored rice to better containers (I was using the old style latch jars and they had a gap); stored seltzer water; picked up a bunch of pine firewood along US highway (it's been there for over a year and is on federally owned land-tree cutting company said it was for anyone who wanted to haul it away); bought Soda pop bottle nozzles for rabbit watering system; two ice fishing poles (1/2 off clearance); permanent markers; matches
Skills/Self-Improvement/Attitude: Practiced fiddle (I'm not so good at playing); this skill is not mine,but Lyndon is almost potty trained (on his own!!); applied for new job (we'll see...); reading _Totally Cultured_ and _History of Appalachia_ (on that topic, I researched my paternal grandmother's family because I realize my uncle and late father only researched their father's side [why is that?] and found her side was already traced by relatives back to the original immigrant from Scotland! How cool!)
Eat the Food: Made salad with harvested greens and handful of tomatoes with eggs. We've been eating left-overs from niece's party last weekend. Finished them off today.
Community: supported 100 mile range farmers (i.e. local farmers) by picking cherries instead of buying them. I had a long conversation with Amish farmer I work with about state of the world and environment.
What am I forgetting...? Well, I guess I covered everything for the week.
Happy belated Summer Solstice (this is my first week of summer update!)
Planted: transplanted three stevia plants; planted two anise hyssop plants; borage seeds; nasturtium; pepper plant; lamb's ear plant (I'm watching a few local places for markdowns on perennials and herbs)
Harvested: tomatoes (cherry only); sweet pepper; cherries (at U-Pick); various greens for rabbits and poultry; hay (at least it was mowed today-tomorrow it will be raked and baled); elderflowers (need to get back to ditch and pick more as some are already turning to fruit); eggs
Preserved: 3 qts whole pie cherries; 6 pints whole pie cherries; 8 half-pints of conc. sour cherry syrup; cherry leather (made from the left over puree after juicing for syrup)
Prepped/Stored/Managed: canning lids and jars (Amish bulk store had great sale on canning supplies); dog, rabbit, poultry and cat food; dumped old water in storage bottles on plants and refilled; switched some stored rice to better containers (I was using the old style latch jars and they had a gap); stored seltzer water; picked up a bunch of pine firewood along US highway (it's been there for over a year and is on federally owned land-tree cutting company said it was for anyone who wanted to haul it away); bought Soda pop bottle nozzles for rabbit watering system; two ice fishing poles (1/2 off clearance); permanent markers; matches
Skills/Self-Improvement/Attitude: Practiced fiddle (I'm not so good at playing); this skill is not mine,but Lyndon is almost potty trained (on his own!!); applied for new job (we'll see...); reading _Totally Cultured_ and _History of Appalachia_ (on that topic, I researched my paternal grandmother's family because I realize my uncle and late father only researched their father's side [why is that?] and found her side was already traced by relatives back to the original immigrant from Scotland! How cool!)
Eat the Food: Made salad with harvested greens and handful of tomatoes with eggs. We've been eating left-overs from niece's party last weekend. Finished them off today.
Community: supported 100 mile range farmers (i.e. local farmers) by picking cherries instead of buying them. I had a long conversation with Amish farmer I work with about state of the world and environment.
What am I forgetting...? Well, I guess I covered everything for the week.
Breath
I am taking break from the cherries I have been pitting all day. Well, not all day, I did drive to city and mow the vacant house's lawn (which was getting long, but I really think I can push two weeks for a mow.If I go longer than that the mower hates me and the property police rejoice in giving out weed citations). While mowing I did have a thought come across my mind as to what to do with the little house. It's unconventional and I am still working out the details, but I have a bit of hope.
Cherry picking was fun. The one major observation I have to report is one I noticed last year as well. The majority of the "pikers" speak languages other than American English. I heard French, German, Polish, Japanese, Spanish, Russian, and other languages I couldn't label. We met a sweet couple with boys Shawnee and Lyndon's age from Chicago: the woman is Serbian and the man Native American/Hispanic. So neat, but it says a lot to me that "typical' Americans (as in those of us remotely removed from our immigrant roots) don't go pick their food.
It was good we went this weekend because the crop is already bad due to the heat and rain SW Michigan has experienced over the past few weeks. We ended up there on the first picking day of the year and had plenty to pick from, even from the dwarf trees which seemed to be the most affected by the adverse weather patterns. We came home with 15 pounds of mixed black sweet cherries, 15 pounds of pie cherries (sour), and 10 pounds of Rainer and other yellow type cherries (my favorite!!)
After cherry picking we wandered 10 miles to the west to the shores of Lake Michigan. We played on the beach and swam for a couple of hours and then wandered back home. I have the sour cherries almost finished and will start on the black next. The yellow are mostly for eating fresh, but I may freeze a pint or two. This year I am concentrating on mostly canning vs. freezing so much of the rest are being canned.
Have any of you ever composed a blog post in your head while doing some mundane task? I did today and, of course, it was great (LOL!! JK!!) Being over at my little house brings back so many memories. I spent 7+ years in that house and then went three years with only a few hours in the house (to fix something or other for tenant). The one thing that just amazes me is how much the landscaping has grown. My last few years as a resident in the house, I was self-studying permaculture, homesteading, discovered the Path to Freedom family, so many of the plants and trees I planted are food bearing or medicinal flora. I planted a crabapple that looked like a stick in the backyard (in a hole left by one of my dogs) and this stick is now a beautiful tree that towers over the house. I didn't know a lot about planting grafted trees back then and I didn't plant this one "right". The tree reverted back to the rootstock (or they sent my the wrong stick) and it turned out to be an apple tree. Last year the tree grew a single apple about the size of a softball and so, so sweet.
Back where I kept the chickens, I planted a grape vine (some sort of seedless green grape). This thing is huge and loaded with marble sized grapes already. I planted it the summer before we bought acreage and the thing has been neglected. Next fall/winter I need to trim it back and try to trellis it's wild vines.
The mulberry and walnut trees are wild planted, but loaded with potential food sources. I remember my late elderly neighbor telling me I needed to trim back the trees along the fence line (not the one I shared with her) because I would attract rats. I did see rats once, back by the alley and not by the trees, but I also once saw a peregrine falcon sitting in the mulberry tree.
The little house was built in 1933: A year of depression and economic downturn. It is barely 750 SF (not counting basement space) and the very urban plot is .12 of an acreage. I put up a privacy fence (because I kept chickens and wanted it to be a somewhat private venture; however, word got around the neighborhood and everyone seemed really happy the hens lived there!) I also built a small barn/shed in the backyard. In the basement, the original builders put in a wall of canning shelves (perfectly spaced to hold the maximum number of pint and quart jars). Sadly, I never used it, but I would now. I hoarded items when I lived in this little space and my basement was packed. I have learned to live with less as I have matured. I've learned to let go of stuff.
While working at Little House today I started to think how great the house was situated for sustainable living. Most of the eco-friendly houses and sustainable dwellings are new construction or situated in higher climate zones (like Arizona, Australia or California). You rarely hear of anyone turning a modest (i.e cheap) house into something earth friendly and sustainable, especially in a zone 5 area (not to mention an area slow to realize certain things). I think I could do that with this house. I love reading those memoirs about adventures in local eating, old timey living, rural life or turning off modern conveniences, etc.; however, I can never get past the fact that the authors are in some situation that allows life to be lived alternatively: they are free-lance writers, one spouse is a SAHP, they make a lot of money selling real estate in major city (namely NYC), their partner is supportive and willing to give up other life for the experimental one. This bothers me tremendously about these books/blogs and I have almost come to the conclusion that us regular people cannot live sustainably full-time, even for a time-span for a book. Most of the authors, after writing their books, quit the experimental life to go back to one with modern conveniences (albeit with changes). Little House, located on the edge of ghetto neighborhoods, would be a perfect experimental dwelling.
I bought it in 1997 for a little under what a new Jeep Cherokee would cost (how do I know this? My co-worker likes to talk cars-I'm actually clueless to both brands and costs...how sad, huh?) I should have been smarter about my payments back when I was there and I would have it paid off. I still owe about 1/2 the mortgage on it (and it is currently classified as a rental or second home-most people have second homes in cool vacation spots. Me? I have mine on the edge of the ghetto in a medium sized city...:). The little point I am trying to make is this house is affordable for most incomes. I bought it as a single girl barely making above minimum wage. To me, this house is the normal material most people would have to work with to adapt to sustainable living, not some 12 acre rural parcel.
So, today, I started thinking about how great it would be to turn Little House in the city into a sustainable rental or project house (meaning a showpiece to teach others how to adapt in place with the structure they already own or can afford) because I don't think I could convince Sr to move back there (nor could I take it-the small space was an introvert's nightmare). Sharon at Casaubon's Book had a post about defaulting on debt the other day and she recommended renting a place before defaulting so you won't run into credit report issues (this is a very simple tie-in with her article). How many people would be able to rent a sustainable homestead. I would think that those with problems who also read Sharon's blog are not going to be happy moving into one of those corporation-owned apartment complexes. Most would be better off renting a house with a little land, even if very little. Maybe if I changed some things, planted some more permaculture, provided examples, the rest of the neighborhood would be inspired and create their own sustainable lots. Changes are starting to happen in this city: Someone finally started several community gardens.
I have more thoughts on this, but I am still sorting through them. By the time I got home, fed the family, finished the chores (husband is injured, YAY!!!!), started canning, my original thoughts vaporized into thin air....
After cherry picking we wandered 10 miles to the west to the shores of Lake Michigan. We played on the beach and swam for a couple of hours and then wandered back home. I have the sour cherries almost finished and will start on the black next. The yellow are mostly for eating fresh, but I may freeze a pint or two. This year I am concentrating on mostly canning vs. freezing so much of the rest are being canned.
Have any of you ever composed a blog post in your head while doing some mundane task? I did today and, of course, it was great (LOL!! JK!!) Being over at my little house brings back so many memories. I spent 7+ years in that house and then went three years with only a few hours in the house (to fix something or other for tenant). The one thing that just amazes me is how much the landscaping has grown. My last few years as a resident in the house, I was self-studying permaculture, homesteading, discovered the Path to Freedom family, so many of the plants and trees I planted are food bearing or medicinal flora. I planted a crabapple that looked like a stick in the backyard (in a hole left by one of my dogs) and this stick is now a beautiful tree that towers over the house. I didn't know a lot about planting grafted trees back then and I didn't plant this one "right". The tree reverted back to the rootstock (or they sent my the wrong stick) and it turned out to be an apple tree. Last year the tree grew a single apple about the size of a softball and so, so sweet.
Back where I kept the chickens, I planted a grape vine (some sort of seedless green grape). This thing is huge and loaded with marble sized grapes already. I planted it the summer before we bought acreage and the thing has been neglected. Next fall/winter I need to trim it back and try to trellis it's wild vines.
The mulberry and walnut trees are wild planted, but loaded with potential food sources. I remember my late elderly neighbor telling me I needed to trim back the trees along the fence line (not the one I shared with her) because I would attract rats. I did see rats once, back by the alley and not by the trees, but I also once saw a peregrine falcon sitting in the mulberry tree.
The little house was built in 1933: A year of depression and economic downturn. It is barely 750 SF (not counting basement space) and the very urban plot is .12 of an acreage. I put up a privacy fence (because I kept chickens and wanted it to be a somewhat private venture; however, word got around the neighborhood and everyone seemed really happy the hens lived there!) I also built a small barn/shed in the backyard. In the basement, the original builders put in a wall of canning shelves (perfectly spaced to hold the maximum number of pint and quart jars). Sadly, I never used it, but I would now. I hoarded items when I lived in this little space and my basement was packed. I have learned to live with less as I have matured. I've learned to let go of stuff.
While working at Little House today I started to think how great the house was situated for sustainable living. Most of the eco-friendly houses and sustainable dwellings are new construction or situated in higher climate zones (like Arizona, Australia or California). You rarely hear of anyone turning a modest (i.e cheap) house into something earth friendly and sustainable, especially in a zone 5 area (not to mention an area slow to realize certain things). I think I could do that with this house. I love reading those memoirs about adventures in local eating, old timey living, rural life or turning off modern conveniences, etc.; however, I can never get past the fact that the authors are in some situation that allows life to be lived alternatively: they are free-lance writers, one spouse is a SAHP, they make a lot of money selling real estate in major city (namely NYC), their partner is supportive and willing to give up other life for the experimental one. This bothers me tremendously about these books/blogs and I have almost come to the conclusion that us regular people cannot live sustainably full-time, even for a time-span for a book. Most of the authors, after writing their books, quit the experimental life to go back to one with modern conveniences (albeit with changes). Little House, located on the edge of ghetto neighborhoods, would be a perfect experimental dwelling.
I bought it in 1997 for a little under what a new Jeep Cherokee would cost (how do I know this? My co-worker likes to talk cars-I'm actually clueless to both brands and costs...how sad, huh?) I should have been smarter about my payments back when I was there and I would have it paid off. I still owe about 1/2 the mortgage on it (and it is currently classified as a rental or second home-most people have second homes in cool vacation spots. Me? I have mine on the edge of the ghetto in a medium sized city...:). The little point I am trying to make is this house is affordable for most incomes. I bought it as a single girl barely making above minimum wage. To me, this house is the normal material most people would have to work with to adapt to sustainable living, not some 12 acre rural parcel.
So, today, I started thinking about how great it would be to turn Little House in the city into a sustainable rental or project house (meaning a showpiece to teach others how to adapt in place with the structure they already own or can afford) because I don't think I could convince Sr to move back there (nor could I take it-the small space was an introvert's nightmare). Sharon at Casaubon's Book had a post about defaulting on debt the other day and she recommended renting a place before defaulting so you won't run into credit report issues (this is a very simple tie-in with her article). How many people would be able to rent a sustainable homestead. I would think that those with problems who also read Sharon's blog are not going to be happy moving into one of those corporation-owned apartment complexes. Most would be better off renting a house with a little land, even if very little. Maybe if I changed some things, planted some more permaculture, provided examples, the rest of the neighborhood would be inspired and create their own sustainable lots. Changes are starting to happen in this city: Someone finally started several community gardens.
I have more thoughts on this, but I am still sorting through them. By the time I got home, fed the family, finished the chores (husband is injured, YAY!!!!), started canning, my original thoughts vaporized into thin air....
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