Cheesemaking

photo from cheesefacts.net

Now that we're milking our cow, we have an abundance of fresh milk. I'm making yogurt by the half gallon and mozarella cheese.  We are also getting butter and sour cream. 

I needed to order more rennet, but my usual supplier was all out.  I found a new source at http://www.myspicesage.com/ . I had never gone to this site before, but the prices were good and I get 8 vanilla beans free, just for placing an order.

Another good site for cheesemaking is  http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html .  They have just about everything you need to know about cheesemaking.  I'm going to try their hard cheese recipe.  Also, they have a simple, homemade cheese press design.  And....something else I'd like to try sometime-How to Make your own Rennet.  So it's off to experiment with different cheeses.  Next cheese to try??homemade feta.

Charcoal

It's not just for cooking. 

I think it's something that everyone should have on hand. 
Charcoal-not the kind in the hard lump form, but the kind you can buy at the health food store-is good for many things-

• Absorbs poisons in your system
• Helps your digestive system
• Relieves infections
• Helps purify the blood
• Relieves diarrhea
• Purifies water
• One of the main parts of black powder
• And you can cook with it

I found a simple way for making your own charcoal at http://www.pioneerliving.net/ .
Just one more thing to add to my to-do list. 
I'll report back when I get it made.

Take a Look....

I'm a fan of the Deliberate Agrarian.  He has started a new blog-Agrarian Nation, where he is posting excerpts from his latest book.  Take a look at today's entry- http://agrariannation.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think.  I think it's great.  One of the things I tell my family is that we can live off of what we grow, but you won't be having tuna, olive oil, etc.  I'm attempting to change our diet to one that relies heavily on what we can grow and our neighbors produce.  We can't do it all, but we can barter for those things we don't have.  Foods will be simpler, cosmetics down sized, and cleaning supplies healthier.  Our wardrobe will be much smaller, (thankfully), and our expectations more reasonable.
Now if I could just find a place to stick a wood cookstove.....

It's getting a bit late in the season to see snow fleas, but I thought I'd post about them anyways.  I first discovered snow fleas about 15 years ago when I saw little black specks jumping on top of the snow.  They aren't really fleas, but they are insects.  I looked them up and found some information:

Courtesy of Kenneth Christiansen What, snow has fleas? Where? Most of us have never noticed snow fleas, unique little creatures that are really very common, and right under our noses. Here's how to find them. On a warm, sunny winter day, take a look at the base of a tree where the snow may have melted down to expose some leaves, or where the snow is shallow or hollowed out just a bit. There you'll find a sprinkling of what looks like "pepper" or "ashes" on the surface of the snow. Each speck you see is a snow flea. Once you find them, watch closely and see what they're up to. Snow fleas are actually tiny insects which come out on warm,  sunny days to eat decayed plant material or sap oozing from the tree. They hop around acting like fleas and that's where they get their name, snow "fleas." They're not fleas though, but actually an arthropod called Collembola  (kol-LEM-bo-la) or commonly called springtails which measure about 1/8 inch (2mm) long. They have a very unique catapult system to get around. Two "tails" on their  back end are tucked up underneath their belly, held in  place by tiny "hooks." When the springtail wants to move, they just release the spring-loaded "tails," called furcula, which hit the snow and send them flying into the air. Since snow fleas can't conrol their flight or direction, they  frequently land in the same spot or only a few inches away. These are not just winter critters. You can find them any  time of year in the forest living in the leaf litter stuck to the underside of leaves or on the surface of the soil, chomping on bits of rotting vegetation. They also live on the surface of ponds. You'd have to look very closely to see them here because they blend in well and are so tiny. Next time you're playing in the snow outside, or just going for a stroll, take a look and see if you can spy these incredible spring-loaded springtails, commonly called "snow fleas." This information comes from the Wisconsin DNR website- http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/eek/critter/insect/snowflea.htm It might be too late to find them this spring, but keep a lookout for them early next spring.  Snow Fleas

Livin' in My Rubber Boots

Today I realized how much I appreciate my rubber boots.  They are all the rage this time of year.  Did you know...

History

• In his book, The Reign of Rubber, Dr. William C. Greer identifies native people on the banks of the Amazon River as the creators of the first rubber overshoes in 1800. Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, commissioned a set of boots in 1817 that could easily be worn underneath trousers. Since then, rubber boots are often called Wellingtons. In 1844, Charles Goodyear created the process of vulcanization; this method, which combines heat and sulfur to increase durability, improved the manufacturing efficiency of rubber boots and shoes.

Types

• Rubber boots are divided between Wellingtons and galoshes. Wellingtons fit snugly around the foot and leg; galoshes are overshoes and require another set of footwear to be worn in conjunction. Galoshes also come in two types. The first is thick soled and made of heavy rubber; this type of rubber boot is meant for extended periods of walking in wet areas. The second is made of a thinner and more elastic rubber; these boots are intended to provide portable protection against dampness.

Function

• Rubber boots are used to protect the feet and lower legs against wetness. Their heavy sole and durable lining provide protection against extreme temperatures, high water levels and rough terrain. Rubber boots are invaluable to soldiers, farmers, laborers and anyone residing in areas with heavy precipitation. Overshoes cover regular footwear and shield shoes from temperature and water damage.

 

Read more: The History of Rubber Boots | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5127251_history-rubber-boots.html#ixzz1IbTMp4C9

 

So I guess the people on the banks of the Amazon are the ones to credit with the creation of the rubber boot.  Thanks!

In honor of the lowly rubber boot, I've written a little tribute-

 

When March snows give way to

   April's mud,

And my mucklucs are put away,

I go in search of my

   rubber boots,

So I can go out and play.

 

I wear them in the barn and

   in the field,

And checking trees for sap.

I wear them over muskeg and

   the moguls,

And checking beaver trap.

 

So thank you faithful, rubber

   boots.

You have not let me down.

'Til old and leaky you become

And my socks and feet are drown.

 

From Glory Farm