Nov 28, 2012

More Bartered Blessings

One thing I've learned while living this "homesteading" lifestyle is that we can't do it all.  We may have tried it all, but not everything at the same time.  For instance, I haven't raised pigs in many years and may not ever again, but I've tried it. I raised bees for three years, long enough to realize that it's not my passion.  I now by local honey from a friend who does like those bees.  That's where barter and trade come in.

Yesterday I took my dog to the vet-80 miles away-and picked up some meat for a friend from a butcher up there.  The butcher blessed me with a box of tallow for helping to "clean out" his freezer.  After dropping off the meat at my friend's house, she blessed me with a bunch of bacon and a ham or two.  She also gifted me with a box of pig fat for making soap.  I have it rendering on the stove right now.  I'll be sending soaps to the butcher and my pig-raising friend.  See how great this works?

My honey is a professional barterer. :) He is so gifted that he can help out almost anywhere there's a need.  People would rather give him  something than pay him and that's usually a really good thing.

So you don't have to do it all.  That's what friends and community are there to help with.

Nov 26, 2012

Making New Memories

I think I've become a real stick in the mud.  I like curling up with a blanket and a movie in the evening and falling asleep on  the couch.  (This way I never run out of movies to watch as I never actually see them.)

When our daughter's friend called Saturday night and asked if we'd like to go to Bentleyville for the evening I did the unthinkable, I said yes. And I'm glad I did. 

The snow was falling and the temp was a perfect 18 above.  It was beautiful.
Bentleyville is a village of lights set up every Christmas season down on the Bayfront.  Admission is free and you are offered free hot chocolate, cookies, popcorn and marshmallows to roast.
Here's our daughter and her friend.
The lit walkways are beautiful.

Afterwards it was up to Buffalo Wings for snacks.  We've decided to make this a new tradition.  We're meeting here next year, same time. 

It's time to try new things and make new memories.

Nov 21, 2012

A Homemade Thanksgiving

Well, the pies are in the oven and the rolls and breads are waiting their turn.  I was going over the menu and started to count all of the ingredients that go into this dinner that come from our homestead.  I get a weird thrill when I do this, so bear with me.
Menu:
Porketta-from the store
Stuffing-from the store (hard to stuff a porketta :)  )
vegies and dip-only homegrown carrots here, and homemade dip with homegrown herbs
pickles-homegrown dill, beet, garlic and dilly bean pickles
potatoes and gravy-homegrown potatoes with homemade butter
cranberries-haven't figured out how to grow these yet.   lol
squash-from our garden
horseradish-homegrown
apple pie-using homegrown, home rendered lard and our own apples
pumpkin pie-ditto for the crust and our own pumpkins
peas and carrots-our carrots, store bought peas
rolls-homegrown wheat

Maybe next year I'll challenge myself to only use ingredients from our homestead, but that would mean I'd probably have to raise turkeys.  I'm thinking most people who read this are of the same mindset, so how do your ingredients tally up?

 There's a lot to be thankful for.  Our lives have been tossed to and fro, but our God has been faithful. He will see us through to the end.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Nov 20, 2012

Bottling Apple Cider Vinegar

For the last four years I've been making apple cider vinegar with cores and peels.  I found a recipe here.  It works great.  I put some down to ferment two months ago and today I bottled it up.
This is a picture of store bought and homemade.  The lighter colored jug on the right is homemade and the other is store bought.  Because it's made with peelings and cores it doesn't get as strong as vinegar made with juice.  It still has the same properties, though and is still good for you.  I get about two gallons each fall.

I thought I'd also post a picture of a Boston Marrow squash that we grew this summer.  It's the largest squash that I've ever grown.  Boston Marrow is an heirloom type of Hubbard.
The peanut butter jar is to give you some kind of scale.  The squash looks a bit like Jimmy from Vegietales.  :)
For sure saving seeds from this guy.

Lord bless.
From Glory Farm

Nov 19, 2012

November 19th

Things are still a bit stressful here, but slowly solutions are coming.  I'm suffering from uncertainty as to some of the decisions that we have had to make.  Praying for God's peace to fill my home and my soul.  I know that all we can do is live out our faith to the best of our ability and with God's help, what others do is a decision only they can make.  I am learning how very important and powerful prayer is and what a responsibility. 

On to happier subjects....I'm getting a new barn!  I know that we just put up a barn for the goats and the milk cow, but somehow it's now filled with tractors, a motorcycle, two riding lawnmowers, a church pew and a mess of lumber. 

This is the barn that we put up last summer.  I don't have a more recent picture, but it's more finished than this now and much fuller.

The barn that we're moving over here is a wooden one, 20x24 and has three rooms in it-a chicken coop (with nice nesting boxes), a grainery, and another room where I hope to keep my goats.  I am excited.  This building is free from a neighbor who just wants it off of his property because it needs new siding.  What a gift!  I'll get pictures next time we go over to work on it.

Thanksgiving is coming up fast.  We're having all of the standards except no turkey.  I took a poll and everyone would rather have porketta than turkey, so porketta it is.  After discussing the menu with our guests, I've found that most don't care for cranberries, sweet potatoes, peas and carrots, etc.  Some don't even like the mashed potatoes-me :).  But it's tradition and so I'll cook it all up because that's just what we do in my family.  And we'll eat it, because we're good at that in my family, too.

We have so much to be thankful for.  Life doesn't always turn out like we think it will, but we have a constant, our Lord, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Nov 8, 2012

A Different Hope

When facing stress and sorrow some people eat, some drink, I adopt new animals.  My honey is slightly amused which is why he lets me do this.

So...introducing our newest addition-
I've named her Hope.  She's an angora doe.  I don't have any black angoras and am excited to have her and my other doe bred next spring. 

Next....a puppy!  :) ???

Nov 3, 2012

Hope

I don't often post much about my personal life on here but today I covet your prayers for my family.  We are all going through the most horrendous thing we've ever had to deal with and "The gates of hell shall not prevail"  against us.  It's about more than hope, it's about faith.  As things get worked out, I'll share more of the details, but for now I would be so thankful if you would pray for my honey and I and all four of our children, that we make it though this and glorify God through it all.

Last night as I was wallowing in self pity I looked over toward the livingroom window and saw this--
My tea plant it blooming in my livingroom and is full of buds.

And remember my gardening experiment? With all of the snow and cold temps, look what came up a few days ago--
Do you see those little lettuce seedling in there?  Amazing to me as we've had temps below 20 degrees at night.  I'm going to water these and keep you posted as to their progress.

Hope springs eternal.

Nov 28, 2012

More Bartered Blessings

One thing I've learned while living this "homesteading" lifestyle is that we can't do it all.  We may have tried it all, but not everything at the same time.  For instance, I haven't raised pigs in many years and may not ever again, but I've tried it. I raised bees for three years, long enough to realize that it's not my passion.  I now by local honey from a friend who does like those bees.  That's where barter and trade come in.

Yesterday I took my dog to the vet-80 miles away-and picked up some meat for a friend from a butcher up there.  The butcher blessed me with a box of tallow for helping to "clean out" his freezer.  After dropping off the meat at my friend's house, she blessed me with a bunch of bacon and a ham or two.  She also gifted me with a box of pig fat for making soap.  I have it rendering on the stove right now.  I'll be sending soaps to the butcher and my pig-raising friend.  See how great this works?

My honey is a professional barterer. :) He is so gifted that he can help out almost anywhere there's a need.  People would rather give him  something than pay him and that's usually a really good thing.

So you don't have to do it all.  That's what friends and community are there to help with.

Nov 26, 2012

Making New Memories

I think I've become a real stick in the mud.  I like curling up with a blanket and a movie in the evening and falling asleep on  the couch.  (This way I never run out of movies to watch as I never actually see them.)

When our daughter's friend called Saturday night and asked if we'd like to go to Bentleyville for the evening I did the unthinkable, I said yes. And I'm glad I did. 

The snow was falling and the temp was a perfect 18 above.  It was beautiful.
Bentleyville is a village of lights set up every Christmas season down on the Bayfront.  Admission is free and you are offered free hot chocolate, cookies, popcorn and marshmallows to roast.
Here's our daughter and her friend.
The lit walkways are beautiful.

Afterwards it was up to Buffalo Wings for snacks.  We've decided to make this a new tradition.  We're meeting here next year, same time. 

It's time to try new things and make new memories.

Nov 21, 2012

A Homemade Thanksgiving

Well, the pies are in the oven and the rolls and breads are waiting their turn.  I was going over the menu and started to count all of the ingredients that go into this dinner that come from our homestead.  I get a weird thrill when I do this, so bear with me.
Menu:
Porketta-from the store
Stuffing-from the store (hard to stuff a porketta :)  )
vegies and dip-only homegrown carrots here, and homemade dip with homegrown herbs
pickles-homegrown dill, beet, garlic and dilly bean pickles
potatoes and gravy-homegrown potatoes with homemade butter
cranberries-haven't figured out how to grow these yet.   lol
squash-from our garden
horseradish-homegrown
apple pie-using homegrown, home rendered lard and our own apples
pumpkin pie-ditto for the crust and our own pumpkins
peas and carrots-our carrots, store bought peas
rolls-homegrown wheat

Maybe next year I'll challenge myself to only use ingredients from our homestead, but that would mean I'd probably have to raise turkeys.  I'm thinking most people who read this are of the same mindset, so how do your ingredients tally up?

 There's a lot to be thankful for.  Our lives have been tossed to and fro, but our God has been faithful. He will see us through to the end.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Nov 20, 2012

Bottling Apple Cider Vinegar

For the last four years I've been making apple cider vinegar with cores and peels.  I found a recipe here.  It works great.  I put some down to ferment two months ago and today I bottled it up.
This is a picture of store bought and homemade.  The lighter colored jug on the right is homemade and the other is store bought.  Because it's made with peelings and cores it doesn't get as strong as vinegar made with juice.  It still has the same properties, though and is still good for you.  I get about two gallons each fall.

I thought I'd also post a picture of a Boston Marrow squash that we grew this summer.  It's the largest squash that I've ever grown.  Boston Marrow is an heirloom type of Hubbard.
The peanut butter jar is to give you some kind of scale.  The squash looks a bit like Jimmy from Vegietales.  :)
For sure saving seeds from this guy.

Lord bless.
From Glory Farm

Nov 19, 2012

November 19th

Things are still a bit stressful here, but slowly solutions are coming.  I'm suffering from uncertainty as to some of the decisions that we have had to make.  Praying for God's peace to fill my home and my soul.  I know that all we can do is live out our faith to the best of our ability and with God's help, what others do is a decision only they can make.  I am learning how very important and powerful prayer is and what a responsibility. 

On to happier subjects....I'm getting a new barn!  I know that we just put up a barn for the goats and the milk cow, but somehow it's now filled with tractors, a motorcycle, two riding lawnmowers, a church pew and a mess of lumber. 

This is the barn that we put up last summer.  I don't have a more recent picture, but it's more finished than this now and much fuller.

The barn that we're moving over here is a wooden one, 20x24 and has three rooms in it-a chicken coop (with nice nesting boxes), a grainery, and another room where I hope to keep my goats.  I am excited.  This building is free from a neighbor who just wants it off of his property because it needs new siding.  What a gift!  I'll get pictures next time we go over to work on it.

Thanksgiving is coming up fast.  We're having all of the standards except no turkey.  I took a poll and everyone would rather have porketta than turkey, so porketta it is.  After discussing the menu with our guests, I've found that most don't care for cranberries, sweet potatoes, peas and carrots, etc.  Some don't even like the mashed potatoes-me :).  But it's tradition and so I'll cook it all up because that's just what we do in my family.  And we'll eat it, because we're good at that in my family, too.

We have so much to be thankful for.  Life doesn't always turn out like we think it will, but we have a constant, our Lord, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Nov 8, 2012

A Different Hope

When facing stress and sorrow some people eat, some drink, I adopt new animals.  My honey is slightly amused which is why he lets me do this.

So...introducing our newest addition-
I've named her Hope.  She's an angora doe.  I don't have any black angoras and am excited to have her and my other doe bred next spring. 

Next....a puppy!  :) ???

Nov 3, 2012

Hope

I don't often post much about my personal life on here but today I covet your prayers for my family.  We are all going through the most horrendous thing we've ever had to deal with and "The gates of hell shall not prevail"  against us.  It's about more than hope, it's about faith.  As things get worked out, I'll share more of the details, but for now I would be so thankful if you would pray for my honey and I and all four of our children, that we make it though this and glorify God through it all.

Last night as I was wallowing in self pity I looked over toward the livingroom window and saw this--
My tea plant it blooming in my livingroom and is full of buds.

And remember my gardening experiment? With all of the snow and cold temps, look what came up a few days ago--
Do you see those little lettuce seedling in there?  Amazing to me as we've had temps below 20 degrees at night.  I'm going to water these and keep you posted as to their progress.

Hope springs eternal.