Finally Finished another room!

 Hello again.  I just wanted to take a minute and show off my new laundry room.  It's not a new addition; just a revamp of the old.  I've been looking at this same laundry room for almost 30 years.  Aside from having new floors put in last year due to water damage; nothing else has been done to it.  That changed this past week.  

This is the after.  I wish I'd taken time to get a before picture, but I didn't.  Sorry.  Think dreary, aged wall board original to the mobile home.  The pattern had faded and the wall board had yellowed with age.  The cabinets, also original, were dark cherry colored and had no shelf, except the floor of the cabinet.  I had no other storage between the washer/dryer, and cabinet.  Still need to replace the side door, but that will be, hopefully the end of September beginning of October.

We had to have our AC changed out last month.  It was a must do.  Our power bill last month was $682, because the unit we had couldn't handle temps over 85.  We've dealt with that every summer for the past 24 years, but never could afford an alternative.  This year we ended up having to change it out, so spent what we were going to spend on converting the back deck to a screened in porch to replacing the AC.  So we've put off the screened in porch until March/April we hope.  Because we had a total change out of the AC, or I should say heat and AC, we had space in the laundry room where the old indoor unit had been.  Our new unit is under the house.  This new space became a broom closet; taking all of my floor cleaning and dusting stuff out of the laundry room area and into this new "broom closet.  I did the conversion, such as it is.  It's no where near professional, but it works for now.  It just needed to have the duct hole covered so the cats won't go down it, and be set apart from the water heater.  I'm proud to say, and you can probably tell, that I used materials I already had on hand.  I had the paint, but not the primer, so the primer was purchased.

Last but not least is my area above the freezer.  I neglected to mention that I added shelves to the cabinets over the washer/dryer.  This allowed me to store a huge amount of things I had sitting on these shelves.  Now these shelves are for my canning equipment.  That rather old looking canner at the top was my grandmothers.  I can't use it anymore; although I did use it for a long time.  The base is cracking and so it isn't safe to be put under pressure.  You can read the story about that canner here.

While the rest of my house has gone to rack and ruin, I have to say I love, love, love this room!  I think I've over done a little with my left wrist, so am taking it easy on projects for today, but come tomorrow I think I'm headed into the kitchen!  I'm going to try out doing a back splash!  We'll see how industrious I get.  Any tips on that?

Simplifying my life by getting rid of some convenience.

 


I know.  That title sounds crazy doesn't it?  It was, however, the best way to describe what I'm doing.  I'm a proud Gen Xer.  My dad worked for IBM as an engineer, and we actually had a Commodore computer in the house.  No internet then.  We played computer games on it: Shamus and another space game I forget the name.  Daddy used it for grown up responsible stuff.  You know BORING!  Lol.  It's not like technology was absent from me as a child or teenager.  However, I was an adult of 31 before my husband and I got a computer and dial up internet because he was going to college and needed it.  We thought it was cool.  I was a woman of 53, I think, before I got a cell phone.  I only did that because our then pastor told us we would need one since we were part of the leadership.  SMH.  I got one.  UGH!  Talk about being tethered.  Where's my phone?  I need to charge my phone.  Don't drop the phone.  Etc..  Crazy.  I've said ever since I've had this phone that as soon as it breaks I'm getting a land line.  As an aside, the best way to insure longevity for your cell phone is to say that very thing.  It will never stop working!  So my phone is going(hopefully) to be replaced by, not the landline I grew up with, but some form of internet phone.  That's what I'm looking at.  I miss being able to talk on the phone and still do a task at home.  Now, with my cell phone, I have to stop what I'm doing if I'm going to talk for any length of time.  I'll probably get a little prepaid number for when I'm away from home.  

My phone isn't the only thing I'm changing.  My husband travels a lot.  When he's traveling, it's easier( and cheaper) for him to eat healthier if he can have groceries delivered to the house in which he temporarily resides.  For that reason we opted to get a Walmart Plus membership.  It does help him considerably.  He says he feels better eating normal food instead of the junk he has to get at restaurants or continental breakfasts.  That's all well and good, but I have to say I use it  here as well.  I've been looking over finances and I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that this membership, with my using it too, is costing us money.  All in the name of convenience.  So while we're keeping it for his convenience, I'm laying off it.  This morning my kitchen is cleaned and ready to receive the groceries I'm going out in person to purchase.  My freezer is defrosted, and my refrigerator is cleaned out and sparkly.  I'll be going by our bank to draw out $600 dollars in cash for my grocery budget for the month.  That month starts today.  I used to could do this for $400, but inflation you know.  Some prices are coming down, but still this will be snug.  I'm drawing out cash because it's too easy to whip out a debit card.  Cash will make me think twice about purchases.  In fact I've cancelled autoship/subscriptions as well.  There's something about having to get up and go to the store to make you think twice about how bad something is needed or wanted.   I also plan to have my phone off and in my car while I'm shopping.  I'm taking a techno break.  

Fast forward to this afternoon.  I'm Back!  SO refreshing!  In addition to the satisfaction of getting my own groceries, I chose to not go into Gainesville and instead opted for the mountains.  There's both an Aldi and a Walmart across the street from each other and I decided to patronize both.  It hasn't been ruined by construction yet, and so I got to enjoy the mountains as I left the store.  Not to mention the staff at the Walmart there were wonderful.  

So what were the plusses of doing things this way?

1)  Saved paying a tip to the person delivering my groceries.  Don't get me wrong, if someone delivers groceries; they deserve a tip.  By doing this myself; the tip was mine.

2) Saved myself from accumulating crazy amounts of bags, and boxes for those items I had on Autoship

3)  Added steps to my day for a little more movement for me.

4)  Got out of the house!

5)  Saved more money by making myself get in the car to go get what I need.  As a result of that, I'm less likely to order things willy nilly.  It's like avoiding all of the last minute buys in the check out line. 

6)  Saved more money by being able to shop mark downs in meat and produce.  I got drumstick chicken legs for .66 lb!  Plus I got to determine what meat and produce to buy. 

7) Saved more money by using cash for my purchases.  Keeps me using my list.

It felt GOOD!  

Now that I'm home I'll get started making the fill in things I didn't buy: bread, mayo, and chocolate syrup.  I might make yogurt.  Haven't decided yet.  I have some milk to use up.    

Sometimes advances aren't necessarily a good thing for every person.  There are pros and cons.   for instance my mom can't drive.  Being able to have her groceries delivered gives her some independence.  That's awesome for her.  It helps my husband when he travels.  Another good thing.  For some of us, this is a crutch we shouldn't have.  I haven't aways been frugal.  I don't need to fall back into bad habits.  o for me this is something that doesn't fit.  Who know.  Maybe I'm just an old fuddy duddy.  

We Need to Just Stop

 Brace yourself.  This might turn into a rant.  

First a little back story.  I commented to a young mom today, on our neighborhood website, whose baby wasn't tolerating formula, and she was looking for a way to get breast milk.  I will throw in the caveat that I didn't specifically state "If you can't find breast milk do this".  I made an assumption that this would be understood.  I guess I need to be more specific.  To my knowledge she had no problem with what I said, but another commenter did.  What I shared was that goats milk and or the homemade baby "formula" recipe that parents used when I was a baby could be a better alternative (If she couldn't find breast milk).  I included the recipe.   Here comes the commenter saying that making your own formula "isn't safe".  Now I'm not mad at this person.  Not even close.  I know she was giving information she believed to be valid.  The comment frustrated me because it shows a blind allegiance to Government Approval.  If the FDA didn't okay it then it isn't safe.  If  the American Medical Association didn't okay it...(yada, yada, yada).  Whatever alphabet group must have more knowledge than us lowly common folk.  I have a healthy distrust of three letter organizations.  They've done me no favors.  The commenter stated it was their job to know this. Well here are my credentials.

1) Was raised on this formula as were most at the time

2)  Ran a state licensed daycare out of  my home, and as a result was part of a food program that reimbursed daycare providers for the food they served the kids.  I was in an area with a lot of low income families.  Because I was a part of this food program, I had to adhere to their guidelines; USDA guidelines.  One of those guidelines was whole milk only below the age of 2; not between 1 and 2.  Below the age of 2.  

3)  Mother of three, and wish I had avoided the baby formula route.  Had I known what I know now, I would have attempted breast feeding with all of my children, and not give up after the first.  Had I failed miserably, I would have gone the homemade formula route, and not store bought formula.  Unfortunately I didn't know that then and so followed 'the experts".  

4)  While not a doctor or nurse ( although I passed the entrance exam to be a nurse; top score), I have been a Certified Nurse Assistant, Home health Aid, Patient Care Tech, Bed Control, Heart Transfers, and Finally Hospice admissions.  I started my employment in healthcare in 1991 and retired 2015; with a few years off to have my daycare.  In college had Human Anatomy and Physiology split session with a final score of 96.  Highest in the class.  I was taking 18 hours which is a massive load and was on Deans list.  Not bragging.  I have a brain.  Vast majority of us do.  

The first 'Baby formula" was developed in 1865 and consisted of cows milk, wheat flour, malt flour, and baking soda.  So for all the years prior to 1865 what did babies do?  Starve?  No.  If the mother didn't or couldn't breast feed, and a wet nurse wasn't available, cows, goats, sheep's milk was widely used.  In writing this post I looked up a name brand baby formula just to double check it's ingredients.  Included in the ingredient list were Seed oils, added because instead of whole milk, non fat milk was used.  Have to add back in the fat, only the fat chosen isn't good.  Why is nonfat milk used?  I'm guessing here, but after the butterfat is removed from milk; the resulting non fat milk is usually given to livestock.  So it's cheaper I'd guess than whole milk.  Then they add back in cheap seed oils to replace the missing butterfat. 

 Seed oils- Vegetable, Canola, Corn, Soy bean, Sunflower are cheap, but bad for you!  

Poly dextrose is a nice way of writing "sugar" without telling parents it's sugar.  I find it amusing that the name brand I researched advertised " no added table sugar".  They didn't say no added sugar.  

Soy Lecithin as a thickener.  The thickener had to be added because nonfat milk is very watery without the butterfat that makes milk yummy.  Soy beans are one of the most pesticide sprayed crops in the US.  So tell me again how Whole milk, Karo syrup, Distilled water and a liquid multivitamin are unsafe? I will say if one can lay their hands on an organic, Non GMO corn syrup; that would be a plus.  However, these basic ingredients far out weigh what's listed in our FDA approved store bought baby formula.

We have to stop allowing the powers that be to think for us!  We need to do our own research and come to our own conclusions!  

Know what else we don't have to buy to care for a baby?  Baby food.  Puree your own meat, vegetables, and fruits.  Baby cereal:  Make your own hot cereal only thin it some and let it cool.  Nursery water:  If you want a special water for your baby just buy the store brand bottled water and save some money.  Coconut oil makes a great baby oil/lotion.  Ivory soap a great bath soap.  

If I was to have another baby (that's not happening post menopause) I would do all of these things, only I do think I would attempt breast feeding.  I tried it with my first and didn't do well.  I think there's more info out there now to help breast feeding moms.  They helped my daughter.

I know I've been fixated on baby formula, because that was the topic that set me off (sorry). 

Here are some gems I personally have garnered over the years from "experts"

1)  Cardiologist "You should get the covid shot".  Me " but I had covid".  Cardiologist " You should still get the shot.  We don't know how long your immunity will last".  Me " but we do know how long the immunity from the shot lasts; 6 months."  Cardiologist " yes, well you should think about it".  I did get covid again, about a year or so later.  Had good medical care the second time around so lasted only three days.  Haven't had it since.  Won't say I won't get covid again.  I will say a covid shot will only enter my body if they hold me down and force it on me.  

2)  Me "Could my heart attack have something to do with my being hormonal?"  to every doctor I saw and the response "no".  Now I know they were ALLLLLL wrong!  Boy they were happy to have me on a Statin that I didn't need, Nitro that I didn't need, Imdur, that I didn't need.  They were happy to bill my insurance for tests I didn't need.  

3)  Here's the one that really ticks me off.  My dad was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia mainly due to his 6 months of chemo from colon cancer.  His oncologist put him on a chemo pill that he was supposed to take for the rest of his life.  He also had COPD, and CHF.  This pill kept exacerbating both of those conditions and putting him in the hospital.  My mother finally asked how long he would have if he didn't take the pill.  His Oncologist said only three years.  So he stayed on the pill.  He died in 18 months.  Up until the last five weeks of his life he was in and out of hospitals due to exacerbation of COPD and CHF.   Every time, that oncologist would put him on another pill that had the same side effects.  The hospital sent him home that final time with no hospice, no follow up care, and no hope.  It was only my experience as an employee of a hospice service that got him set up so that his final days were comfortable and as peaceful as they could be.  After he passed we found out that the protocol for his form of leukemia is normally to NOT TREAT men his age.  In my opinion that "Expert" took 18 months of time with my dad and for my mom; her husband, away from us.  

Sorry if this is a bit of a rant, but seriously guys, the only way this stops is if we take the power over our lives BACK.  That means asking questions, learning about things, standing your ground, and not blindly following the powers that be.  I promise you this; their priority isn't our welfare.  It's their bottom line.

Self imposed Austerity.

 Now, before anyone that I know reads this and thinks we're in financial difficulty, please know we're fine.  What and why we're doing this is voluntary and I'll share why without too many details.  Just know.  We're fine.  

A little back story.  We got out of debt about 10 years ago, and aside from our mortgage, have been debt free ever since.  We've managed to cash flow any major repairs over the years.  The only exception being the small inheritance we received last year that helped us pay for some much needed repairs and my greenhouse.  This year we had managed to squirrel away enough money to have our back deck converted into a screened in porch.  Unfortunately we've had another expensive issue come up and so our screened in porch will have to wait until next year.  We had the repairs done last week, and everything seemed fine; until they weren't.  Unfortunately there was an underlying issue that wasn't caught before.  So to fix this will add a considerable amount to our bill.  The reason I'm being vague is because what happened doesn't happen often these days.  The company contracted to do the initial repair has not only offered to remedy the situation asap, but to do so at their own cost.  This is a cost that is considerable.  It's also something they can't do often so I remain vague.  

So with that back story in mind, my husband and I are doing everything we can to cover half of what the overage will be.  We're not doing this because the company asked or required it of us, but because we want to honor their work ethic, faith, and generosity.  In this day and age, it's rare to find a business that isn't out for the quick dollar.  Many lay their integrity at the feet of their greed.  This company doesn't.  The owner told me that he knew God would see this cost returned to  him.  We plan to do our part.

So, hence our self imposed austerity.  We're going to do everything we can to gather the funds to help them out.  My part of that is to get back into the kitchen to get meals, and extras covered rather than just dropping an order at the grocery store.  I have gone through my pantry to take an inventory of everything: bought, canned, fresh.  My focus will be utilizing those things first and foremost.  Amazingly I was thinking I needed salsa, and chicken broth, but doing an inventory showed me I had them and had just missed them.  I make our chicken broth, and had put off making more because it was hot.  Then I found it.  Smh.  My recipe is here.  You'll need to scroll down a bit to see it.  It's after Yogurt, Bread, and Mint extract.  My salsa is here.  You'll also have to scroll through a few recipes, but their worth the read.  There are times when I start to take it easy, but then something jars(pardon the pun) me into action.  This is really fun for me.  I like the challenge.  Stretching my frugal muscles.  (Sigh) wish I enjoyed real exercise as much!  

As I sign off here, my list includes Chocolate syrup, Salsa(I only have one jar), Bread, Granola, Cereal Bars, Frozen Biscuits, and grinding corn, and wheat berries for flour and corn meal.  Whew.  Better get started!

Canning Extravaganza!

This summer has been HOT.  Not the hottest we've ever had, but hot in recent history.  We've had a few years of mild summer weather, so this year has been a bit of a shocker!  In addition to that, we're having AC problems.  These will be fixed come Tuesday!  Yay!  As a result we've been using window units to cool the place out of necessity.  Don't ask me about the power bill!  UGH!  Hence the reason for not heating the house up with canning.  

As the harvest started to roll in, I was minimally processing and putting in the freezer until I could can.  By "minimally processing", I mean tomatoes became sauce, Blackberries became juice.  Then day before yesterday we moved our grill from the back deck to our new deck on the side of the house.  For the past two days I've been happily using our grill and side deck as an extension of my kitchen; pulling out the frozen sauce and juice to combine with the current sauce and juice I've been making and canning it all.  This has actually been quite nice.  In fact I do believe this will become my summer kitchen from now on.  

   

Please excuse the water trail from the grill to the table.  I can be a little messy since I'm outside!

So far my tally is 35 pints of tomato sauce, 12 pints of blackberry syrup, 6 pints of blackberry juice, 14 quarts of tomato juice, 2 pints and 4 quarts canned tomatoes.  That doesn't count the canned rhubarb, and green beans I put up earlier in the year.  Still have many more tomatoes to can.  The amount in the picture has doubled today, even with me processing more tomatoes.  Not complaining mind you.  This is a hot, steamy process with great returns come winter time.  The blackberry syrup is great on ice cream, pancakes, or even mixed in ice tea for a great fruit tea.  

Well I'll Be! Learn something new everyday!

 Many years I've planted corn for fresh eating.  Many years we have a good thunderstorm that flattens said corn.  Not all of it, but a big chunk of it.  At times like that one would find me outside attempting to help the corn stand tall once again.  Over the years I've tried many different planting methods to see if any could give my corn a stronger hold on the ground.  None of them seemed to help.  They all got flattened anytime we had a serious wind.  This year I started my corn plants from seed, and then transplanted them in their rows.  All seemed to be going well until we had a serious afternoon thunder storm.  Then it went how it always does.  My corn was flattened.  Not all of it.  Two stalks were left standing in the middle and it seemed the other corn was surrounding the two standing stalks and paying homage to them. 

                                                            

I was in the middle of a chicken coop/run redo and had no time to get out and baby my corn stalks.  I figured maybe a few would come back, but didn't hold out much hope.  I wasn't too worried as we had another bed of corn in our "upper garden" that was surrounded by field fence.  It was doing great because it had a frame around it.  Wind had no affect.  So I figured we'd just have that corn.  A few days passed and I noticed a few of the flattened corn stalks  began to RISE UP!  I took notice, but no other action.  Then they all started to rise, and tassel!  They were green still!  So fast forward to yesterday.  As I was out taking care of the chickens; I noticed once stalk of corn was actually flat on the ground, but at a point had started growing straight up!  It almost looks as if the corn stalk is doing a sit up. Without looking, I'm assuming it laid down more roots and left the old self behind.  There's a sermon in there somewhere!  So my corn that was flattened is once again standing tall.  We may actually get some corn from this bed which would be awesome!  

So today's lesson is never give up!  Create new roots and leave the old self behind!

Philippians 3: 13-14- "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"

2 Corinthians 5:17- "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new".

Isaiah 43: 18-19- "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?  I will make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

A Wom(hen)'s Prerogative, lessons learned, and a promising experiment!

 Well she changed her mind.  Yes, our little broody hen has decided not to brood after all.  At least she did it early on.  We think the reason was having to share a nest with other hens.  It doesn't matter that we have another nesting box available.  The other hens HAD to use the one she was in.  As a result two eggs were broken.  Knowing the eggs she was sitting on were now messy, she moved to the other nesting box to sit on clean eggs.  That's what we think.  She might have done okay with those, but we aren't needing more chicks and she wasn't too determined.  We'll see what happens in the near future.  

So now on to the experiments I tried this season.  I always try new things if I'm not gong to be out much.  It's a way to learn, and perfect skills.  This season I tried two different experiments.  

1) Allowing my tomato plants to remain uncaged.  I did have some caged, but I ran out of cages and just let the rest go to see how they'd do.  I was thinking I liked uncaged better, but when all was said and done; caging is best.  In a pinch though, uncaged still works.  Caging did make it easier to view the tomatoes as they ripened so I could get them before they went bad.  However, with indeterminate tomatoes, their continued growth can become too heavy for the cages, so have some good sturdy cages when you do.  The advantage of uncaged tomatoes is they lay down more roots as they spread making an over all healthier tomato plant.  However, the disadvantage is they are so thick I can't see where the tomatoes are.  It's literally a jungle.  Both experiments had yellowing lower leaves.  However it took longer to get the yellowing leaves on the uncaged plants. Still, if I can't see tomatoes, that's a problem.

2)  Elderberry Branches as pest control.  The second experiment was the most promising of the two.  I'd seen a lecture on the benefits of Elderberry plants.  I've known about the benefits from the berries, but this lecture covered the whole plant.  During the course of the lecture, he spoke of Elderberry leaves being good for pest control.  We'd had a storm take down some branches off my Elderberry bushes; so I tried it out by laying the downed branches around my beans and squash plants.  I'm not out anything except branches that were broken off anyway.  I've dealt with Mexican Bean Beetles every year for the past 29 years we've lived here.  Every.  Year.  Today I saw one; middle of growing season, and my bean plants are almost done.  One.  That one was found on the very first bed of beans I planted, and the one bed that had no Elderberry branches placed.  I did find some squash borers on my yellow squash, but it was after the plants were finished producing.  I'd not put more branches around it in weeks, probably longer.  So while my proof is anecdotal, It's enough where I plan on doing that again next year.  I've included a link to the video if you're interested.

Here's the link

So last but not least is my lesson learned.  Do not attempt to trap Japanese Beetles or June Bugs.  The scent will draw every single Beetle/Bug in the surrounding area to YOUR GARDEN!  I chose to stop putting out traps this year and have seen very few of these insects.  The ones I've seen I can easily knock off into soapy water, and give them to the chickens.  NO TRAPS!   Learn from my past mistakes.  Just say NO!

So what experiments have you tried?  

It's been a while, and a lot to tell you

   

So I know I've been AWOL for a few weeks now.  Like I said before, this time of year is the greatest time for content to write, and the worst for having time to write.  I can't lay it all at the feet of my little farmstead.  A little over a month ago my brother in law unexpectedly passed away.  In my opinion, it shouldn't have happened.  That and a buck fifty will get me a coffee at Denny's.  All I will say is I have no trust in our healthcare system.  GET A GOOD PRIMARY, and allow only him to prescribe, order tests, etc.  If you have another specialist, take their recommendations to your primary before agreeing to anything.  I mean a good primary.  I don't mean a nice primary.  A doctor can have a great bedside manner and be a terrible doctor.  QUESTION EVERYTHING!  TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!  If something feels wrong it probably is.  HAVE AN ADVOCATE!  Preferably someone with a little medical experience, but at least have someone there who knows you and your wishes.  If I'm not careful I'll go on a tangent.  So I'll stop there.  This may be a longer post later.

In addition to that, and being there for my sister; our grandsons came to stay for 5 days.  While they were here we had a heat wave come through.  Oh boy!  So there wasn't the ability to do much more than pick stuff out of the garden then.  When we were in the house there wasn't much time to concentrate on writing.  

Once they left my focus had to turn to getting the run completed for our Jersey Giants  While still small babies, at 5 weeks old they are more in line with a laying chicken at 8 or 9 weeks.  I did finally get it completed 2 days ago.  I have a couple of aesthetic things to do to it, but structurally it's done and they love it.  Pictures to come later.  

I also finally have our new side deck!  We're thrilled!  For the past 29 years we've had this little 4x4 "landing" for lack of a better word, that was half rotted.  Now we have THIS!

So yesterday was my final "have to" outside.  That was to pick all the produce that's accumulated while I was completing the run.  Hubby was off yesterday so he joined me outside and we picked for 2 hours!  I shutter to think how long it would have taken with just me!  Then yesterday afternoon was spent processing what we picked.  I put up 7 pints of blackberry syrup, 2 quarts butternut squash, and 4 quarts of tomato sauce.  My counters are full of tomatoes still to process, but they aren't quite ready, and I have cucumbers I need to do something with.  The rest of the summer will be light maintenance, and picking.  No other big projects are on the list until we process all but one of the roosters from our meat birds in August.  

We have a broody hen in our layer coop, currently sitting on 8 eggs.  We don't want to break her brood, so we've marked the eggs to keep them separated from the other hens eggs, and the plan is to sell the chicks once they're 5 weeks old.  That's if she makes it to hatch them.  Sometimes hens change their mind.  The instinct to brood is bred out of chicks you buy at the store.  My thought is it isn't so much "bred out" as it is they aren't taught.  Store bought chicks experience no mothering in their early life.  At birth they don't imprint on anyone or anything.  As a result they don't fully understand the concept of brooding and being a mother.  It takes them a few trial and error times through before they get it down.  Sometimes they never do.  With the exception of these meat birds, we stopped buying from hatcheries and instead allow a hen to brood if she wants to.  Those chicks will be mothered for 5 weeks, and will learn how to be a mother as well.  The baby roosters will learn from the father rooster what he needs to know.  We have a great daddy rooster that cares for his chicks very well.  He does so because his daddy rooster did the same for him.  Our plan is to exchange meat bird eggs for any egg layer eggs a broody hen wants to sit on.  While our meat bird hens are figuring it out, we will still be able to continue our flock of meat birds through our egg layer mamas.

I think I've covered the big happenings around here.  I have some posts in mind for the future.  Just have to get some pictures to help cover them.  I plan on doing better in the future writing on my blog now that I have my head above water.  Thank you for your patience.  

Now back to the fun stuff!

 I know it's been like crickets chirruping on here for a few weeks.  That's because I've been racing the clock, and weather.  We had new baby chicks to be delivered this past week and we had to be ready for them.  That meant an overhaul to our current chicken set up.  The plan is to have our normal sized eggs layers in the front coop/run, and the meat birds in the back, larger coop/run.  I'm still not finished, but was caught up enough to move the layers to the front so we could temporarily house the babies, who arrived yesterday.  They can stay in the larger back coop while everything is revamped around them.  Then, by the time they're out and about, their home will be oh so so!

These are called Jersey Giants.  They're a heritage form of meat bird.  While they don't look that giant at the moment, from what I've read that will change.  From what we've read males can get up to 13 lbs. with hens getting up to 10 lbs.  So far we have 25 chicks.  We ordered 24 and the hatchery, Murray McMurray, threw in an extra one just in case we were to lose one.  So far they seem to all be doing well.  This is our foray into raising meat sustainably.  We hope.  The plan is to keep one rooster and all of the hens to keep this flock going.  The rest of the roosters from this bunch will be processed, we hope around 12-14 weeks. We would still get eggs from these hens; maybe not as many as the layers, but still.  Any future roosters would be processed for meat.  Extra hens would be sold.  Sometimes a rooster would go with hens, but that doesn't always happen.  If it does, we're happy to do it.  Below is what they look like all grown up!

We still have some major work to do for the back coop and a little more for the front coop.  I'm pretty happy with what we've done to date.  Still need to paint the new gate and house.

 

All that being said, chickens aren't my only concerns, as the garden is going great guns with all the rain/ breaks of sun, we've been having.  It's like the perfect combo of rain and sun.  My plants are going great, but so are the weeds!  Now that we have a break in the rain; it'll be another marathon to catch up before the rain comes back in:  Picking, weeding, planting, etc.   Fortunately I have my sweet hubby to help!  Check out what came in over the past two days!

Those stalks are rhubarb.  It's the only thing I've canned so far.  Everything else has either been eaten fresh, or is currently fermenting.  I've made a batch of fermented salsa (some store bought ingredients), fermented Latin sauerkraut, and fermented green beans.  I'm waiting to get enough cucumbers in for fermented pickles.  The potatoes have been washed and are currently curing on my counter before cold storage.  

WEEDS!  Thought I'd end this with a little info for weed control.  It's not perfect, but it beats Round up.  

WEED KILLER

1 gallon white vinegar 

1/4 cup dish liquid

2 cups salt

Mix well until salt dissolves.  Pour into a sprayer.  Spray on a sunny day.  Avoid your garden plants!

I only use this in my walk ways between the beds.  I don't want to risk the plants I want to stay by either spraying them by accident, or rain washing the salt into soil where my plants roots are!  This does cut down greatly on having to weed.  Time saver!

LADIES! (only)

 So if you're a guy and want to read this; I guess I can't stop you, but be aware this post talks about female medical stuff so beware!

So it's official.  I am now post menopausal!   YAY!  I say "yay" because it was a rough road getting here.  Many of you are aware that I had a heart attack in 2018, 7 years ago this coming August.  My total cholesterol was 146 total then.  That's a cholesterol people would love to have, but I was put on a statin and was told they wanted it lower.  I asked every doctor if my heart attack was related to hormones since my cholesterol was so low, I was at the best health of my life, and there were no blockages.  Not to mention the heart attack struck 2 days before my cycle was to start.  I was told "no".  Isn't she cute thinking she can play doctor!  I was on to something even then.  Found out today from my Primary that total cholesterol lower than 150 increases all cause mortality.  Dually noted.  From 2018 on, however my cholesterol began to climb.  It currently sits at 223, down from 299.  Triglycerides were fine.  Below is a list of things I've dealt with over the past 7-8years.  See if any of these sound familiar if you're in your 40's or 50's. 

Weight Gain, especially around the waist, despite best efforts.

Migraines( and along those lines throw in a heart attack for good measure)

Insomnia

Increasing cholesterol levels

Irritability

Insulin resistance

Joint pain

Low sex drive

Restless Legs (or shoulders)

Memory Loss/ Inability to concentrate/ Brain fog

Nocturnal trips to the bathroom( that doesn't help the insomnia)

Irregular cycles

These are a few of the things I personally dealt with, but many things women deal with in their 40's and up can be laid at the feet of our hormones or lack there of.  While I knew to expect some of these things, many I did not.  Unfortunately neither did the doctors I was seeing.  I was pleading for answers with every doctor I went to.  I've come to the realization that there is an age and fat bias when it comes to doctors and patients, especially when those patients are women.  I wasn't old enough for the age bias, but I did get the fat bias, I believe.  Rather than seeing the 63 pounds I had lost, they saw  a woman who was off her "diet" gaining weight back and wanted to justify her lack of will power.  Only will power had nothing to do with it.  They never seemed to want to look any further to see if maybe there was something going on.  That is until my current Primary.  He did look further and has been trying to help me through this, but couldn't do much with hormone therapy until I was menopausal.  So YAY!

 This isn't the whole list, so if you're nearing that age of 40's and 50's, find yourself a good OBGYN that specializes in women's hormones; bioidentical hormones, not the synthetic kind( IMO).  Another reason to say "Yay!"  is because, now that I'm post menopausal I plan to go on hormone therapy.  Everyone should do their own research and do what's right for them.  I've been told, many of my issues may resolve with this therapy.  So I'm not just a "yea", I'm a Heck Yea!

So if you're "at that age", and your doctor is blowing off things that concern you or lecturing you because you're gaining weight, cholesterol is up, etc.  Find a new doctor!   Second opinions are great things!

.

The Benefits of Weeds

 Good morning all.  We had a cool May morning today with our low being in the 46-48 degree range, depending on who you asked.  Fortunately my plants remained unfazed.  My morning consisted of harvesting more asparagus and strawberries, but my main thing was weeding.  Hence the title of my post.  

The latest trend among gardeners and you tube homestead influencers is landscape fabric.  I'm afraid they're a day late and a dollar short.  Contrary to popular belief; just because one has a you tube channel, doesn't make them an expert.  Many of us have already traveled the road they're on, only we're too busy with everyday things to stage, film, and edit our tasks.  Do I sound snarky?  I don't mean to.  It's just a lesson I had to learn myself.  Don't get me wrong, I have channels that I follow just like everyone else.  Only I follow more for the personality of the you tuber than anything I can glean from them.  I have learned something.  I take that back.  I learned about putting the cracked egg in the hole for planting tomatoes trick.  I learned that from a personality in Kentucky who learned it from old timers in the area.  Meaning it's nothing new, just new to me.  

So I've tried landscape fabric....Twice.  Once with a cheaper version I could afford, and another from a more top of the line brand.  Both failed, and both failed in the same way.  See there's these pesky things called birds, and wind that move seeds around.  Once the seeds get some water, they grow on top of the landscape fabric, sending their roots through the tiny holes in the fabric and into the ground.  This makes it impossible to get the root out, and if you get some of it, you can't get all; so it grows.  Other disadvantages of landscape fabric: fire ants love to build their nest under it, you can't cultivate, and soil gets compacted cutting off air flow to the roots of your garden plants.  Each time I've tried landscape fabric I've thrown it away and gone back to cardboard topped with wood chips( not green wood chips).  

So while I was weeding I was thinking about these things and decided to write this post!  Weeds do have positive side affects.

1)  Exercise-  Weather cultivating to get weeds out or pulling weeds out you are engaging in activity outside in the sun.  You're reaching, bending, stretching, and pulling.  You're hauling the weeds out of the garden.

2) Aerating the soil- Each weed that you pull away from your garden plant loosens the soil allowing fresh air to get to the roots of your plant.  This makes for a happy plant!

3)  Food for chickens!-  Many of the weeds in your garden are a favorite of chickens.  Just toss the whole pile in there.  They will eat what they want and the rest will compost into the ground.  Stinging Nettle and Dead Nettle are two favorites of my hens.  Plus those plants increase egg production.  

4)  Fodder for the compost pile-  If you have a compost pile, you have free organic fodder to toss in.  

5)  Some of these weeds can be edible and medicinal.  Do your research on this one.  Don't just start grazing.  LOL.  An example would be dandelions.  

I know weeds are a pain, but I just wanted to point out there are benefits too.  

Genesis 3:19-  By the sweat of our brow you will eat your food, until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken.  For dust you are and dust you will return.  

Even in the middle of man's fall and expulsion from Eden; it's nice to know that God saw fit to give benefit to our work.  If we could ever solve the weed problem, then we'd have a pest problem.  If we solved the pest problem we'd have a water problem.  See what I mean?  God's word doesn't change.  Frankly I don't want it to.  There is a sense of satisfaction in battling weeds, pests, drought, etc and still bringing something to the table.  Not gonna lie.  Gardening is work, but it's work that is worth while.

So while I have you here, may I present my garden picture for 2025.  My tomato plants are still small, but I'm thrilled with the garden itself.

It really is the little things

 Yes, yes.  I know.  I'm late AGAIN!  Between gardening, Easter, and my birthday it's been some crazy times.  Now that my plant sale is somewhat over, all of my own plants are wanting to get put into their own garden.  I've been scurrying around finding spots for, not only my own plants, but ones left over from the plants sale.  So when I say "somewhat over", that means I still have folks coming to shop from what I have left.  

One such person returned recently to get more plants, and her daughter had crochet me a chicken!  Cutest thing, and that she would want to do that for someone she barely know is so special.  

As if planting wasn't adventurous enough, I've begun to harvest!  Yay!  Harvest 2025 is underway!  Todays harvest consisted of Beet greens, garlic scapes, asparagus, Cilantro, and strawberries!  Beet greens are a healthy alternative to lettuce in a salad.  Down the line I'll use the actual beet root.  Garlic scapes are the single flower that begins to emerge from the center of the garlic plant.  These can be harvested and used to replace fresh garlic.

I've  managed to get everything I HAVE to get in the garden.  Now my focus is on finding spots to throw an extra tomato plant here and there, as well as volunteer marigolds and Zinnias.  Soon I will post a picture of the garden for 2025.  I have to say I'm quite thrilled with it.  Now ask me in July when the weeds are in charge because it's too hot to go outside! 

We finally have the mower working.  I'd like to say I did it by myself, but I can't.  My dear friend helped me replace the deck belt, and sweet hubby mowed the grass today.  What a blessing.  It's so nice not having grass up to ones knees.   

Another friend gifted me a few gallons of milk.  I have rennet and am going to embark on my first attempt to make mozzarella cheese probably tomorrow.  I'm excited and terrified.  We'll see.  If I can do it, I'll be sure to write about it.  If I can do it, we'll have pizza tomorrow night!  

Fast forward to tomorrow and I DID IT!  I made mozzarella cheese for the first time in my life.  It wasn't too hard.  I'll do a post down the line on how to. We are having pizza tonight!

So now I'm off again to get back to work in the garden.  This time of year is super busy!  Isn't that funny.  In the winter when I have time to write, there isn't much to do, and in the summer when I have all kinds of things to write about; I have no time!  

What cool things are going on in your garden, kitchen, homestead, life ?  

Canning Mode!

 You know the saying "Why put off until tomorrow what can be put off until the next day"?  We'll that's me.  I'm notorious for putting things on the back burner.  Problem is there are only so many back burners.  So today is the day to take some of those things off the back burner, and address them.  So we will now enter 

CANNING MODE!

I have Blackberries that need to become juice or jam.  Tomato sauce to can.  Ham bone broth and Chicken bone broth that need to be canned, and jalapeno peppers that need to be made into cowboy candy.  These are from last season, but I've had them frozen, waiting to have them dealt with.  Today's the day.  Getting all of these things out of my freezer leaves only some whole chickens, a brisket, a turkey, ham, and pork roast.  Fresh strawberries will be coming in soon.  Having room in the freezer to simply wash and freeze these strawberries is awesome!

In addition to all that; I've begun harvesting my herbs, asparagus, and spinach.  The herbs are taking their turn in the dehydrator and the asparagus and spinach are in the fridge.  It's a good feeling to shop from the back yard.  

Don't be intimidated by canning, and don't think you need all the latest gizmos.  Canning can be as simple as water bath canning.  Water bath canning is simply having your jars covered with water about an inch over the tops in a large stock pot.  Bring the water to a boil and start your timer.  You don't need a pressure canner for water bath canning.  You simply need a deep stock pot.  Water bath canning will be how the blackberries, jalapenos, and tomato sauce are processed today.  Pressure canning is what I'll do for the broths.  Jars are a necessity, either way.  However, and at the risk of endorsing a brand, Walmart has a Mainstays brand of jars that are very reasonable, and actually cheaper than the jars found at Goodwill.  I always recommend anyone wanting to start canning to simply start with a deep stock pot and begin canning jams, jellies, fruits, and pickles.  Even tomatoes can be water bath canned.  There is such a wide array of food items that can be water bath canned; one can get used to canning before dipping their toe into pressure canning.  

Aside from space in the freezer; canning a good portion of items normally stored in the freezer, allows them to be shelf stable and therefore immune to a power outage ruining my frozen items.  I'm entertaining the thought of taking the plunge and canning the meat I currently have frozen.  All I can say is let me get through this stuff first😁 .  

Okay.  Fast forward to afternoon and I managed to get 7 quarts of chicken broth,7 quarts of ham broth, and 5 pints of blackberry juice concentrate canned.  The blackberry concentrate will be used this summer in Blackberry tea.  It's a simple matter of brewing ice tea and adding the blackberry juice to the tea.  Very good, and can be done with juice concentrate from the store.  I recommend not using juice concentrate that is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.  I use cane sugar to sweeten ours.  Not wanting to toss the left over pulp from all of those blackberries; I made a fresh fruit crisp for tonight's dinner.  I also made one loaf of banana bread from some frozen bananas.  I still have enough blackberry pulp for a second crisp, but that is another nights dessert or I may use it to make cereal bars, which are a fan favorite.  Unfortunately the cowboy candy and tomato sauce will need to be done tomorrow.  It has to be because it's thawed now!

                                           

My Apologies!

 I realized this morning that its been over 2 weeks since I posted anything!  You guys are going to think I bailed again, but no I was just franticly getting ready for my and my friends annual plant sale.  This has been going on for 3 years now.  One day I went on my neighborhood app and said I was starting seeds for my own garden.  Would anyone want me to start extra?  They could come shop for what they wanted, but a lot cheaper than buying at a store.  This gave them the ability to have plants much less expensively, and it covered our gardening cost for the season.  I received a positive response, so we started the plant sale.  We've done it every year since.  This is something we have really enjoyed doing.  

1)  Fosters community that's in person and not just on a social media app.  We've met lots of wonderful people as a result of this.  These are people I may never have met otherwise.  We even had a few that came and wanted to see the greenhouse, and my garden set up in order to get ideas for their garden.  We can talk a long time about gardening!

2)  We get to share our information and answer any questions someone may have about particular plants, how to's, tips and tricks, what works and what doesn't.  I know in an era of search engines; much can be found online(allegedly), but there's something about just having a discussion in person that helps grasp a concept.  In addition, I can tell you search engines don't know everything.  Each customer left with the understanding that if they had further questions they could just message me or call.  

3)  We're helping people get started on providing food for themselves.  It may only be a little, but it's something.  Those few tomato plants they bought this year, may turn into tomato plants and peppers next year.  Someone could be starting an herb garden that expands into a medicinal garden.  I started my journey with two, count them two, tomato plants and now......

4) Savings all round.  This covers our gardening for the season; seeds, soil, and any other garden paraphernalia.  Plus our customers get at least 50% off what they would have paid for something comparable at the store. 

Anyone that can start seeds can start to do this for their community.  First gauge interest, and if there is interest; go for it!  It's work baby sitting plants until spring, but very worth it in our opinion.  I started this before I had a greenhouse.  We had plants all over, but even then it was worth it.  

Alternatives to a Greenhouse for extending the season

 Hello again everyone!  

Grab a cuppa coffee and sit a while!  How are things?  With all the chaotic weather we've had here in the US recently, things may be a bit skewed.  We were fortunate that the bad weather that came through our part of Ga over the weekend had weakened to just a thunderstorm , but many faced a much scarier time.  My prayers go out to anyone affected by this huge system that made it's way across the US.  

This time of year is the most exciting for me; good and bad.  The good is getting out into the garden after a cold dreary winter.  The bad is the upswing of thunderstorms as the seasons change.  Severe Thunderstorms make me nervous because we live in a doublewide mobile home with no basement or storm shelter.  That's changing in the future.  After this last time my husband and I have plans to get a storm shelter.  I love where we live; the house, garden ,city, county.  The only thing I don't love is the lack of emergency shelter in case of a tornado.  So we're saving to get a storm shelter.  I know it sounds like we're always saving for something, but that's only because we're always saving for something!  We save because, aside from our mortgage, we have no debt.  Once we paid off car loans, student loans, and credit cards; we were done! We have no plans to have debt.  EVER.  

With that frame of mind, a greenhouse seemed out of my reach.  Even now, the only way I was able to afford the greenhouse I now have is that my mother shared some of her small inheritance from my grandmother.  Because I didn't have a greenhouse prior to this one, but wanted to get a jump start on the gardening season; I made do to extend the season in other ways.  I wanted to share some of those with you.  

Hoop and cover-  Regardless of it being a row or a raised bed, PVC hoops covered with 6 mil plastic make a wonderful little "like greenhouse".  It's rather simple to do.  Simply take thin stakes or rebar of 18 inches in length.  Drive them into the ground; one on each side of your raised bed or row.  Move down the bed or row about 3 ft and do it again.  Once you have the rebar driven in where you want it, take 3/4 inch pvc pipe.  Slip each end over the rebar, pushing it down to the ground.  Once all the PVC pipe is in place, simply cover with 6 mil plastic.  You'll want some small spring clamps to hold it in place.  Make sure during the day to open each end of your "Greenhouse" to let heat escape.  It can get really hot in there.  Right before sunset, seal the ends back up to hold warmth in over night.  If it's going to be too low during the night, you can always add electric warming mats or heat lamps of 100 watt bulbs.  

Walk in hoop greenhouse-  This is the same concept as above, but you can walk in to it.  It takes a little more effort to set it up, but it does the job.  Here's a link for your entertainment!  Our hoop greenhouse is now a hoop coop.  So it is a versatile item.

Pop up Greenhouse-  What we like to call the green tent.  I bought this one about 3 years ago.  It has served me well.  It isn't a permanent structure, and so over time it will wear.  It's inexpensive enough to give you the benefits of a greenhouse without a crazy amount of money.  You will need some form of supplemental heat during the dangerous temp times, but I found simply adding some utility lamps with 100 watt bulbs did the trick.  Extremely low temps, I'd cart your seedlings into the house until the cold temps pass, but this does extend the growing season.  Plus it's wonderful to be able to go out and work in the green tent even with it raining and still be dry.  Ironically, we'd been using the green tent for our riding mower this past winter.  I'd moved it when the greenhouse was built, but had not really installed it per package directions.  I simply anchored it with clothesline over the sides tied to stakes driven into the ground.  Well.  My advice is to follow the directions.  I did initially, just not after I moved it.  Here's what I found when I went outside yesterday after a good windstorm.  So yea, guess what I'm doing today!

The cheapest alternative for staring seeds and/or extending your growing season is still using a sunny window in your house.  This is how I first started growing seeds. We don't really have a lot of great sunny windows in our house.  Grow light bulb put into your every day table lamps did the trick, but once the babies emerged, and weather permitted; I'd move them out to our back porch during the day and back in at night.😁 This insured a workout for me!

Regardless of what method you use, starting your plants from seeds is the least expensive.  Using saved seeds too is even better, but you'll get to that later.  Just start!  Start small, and work your way up.  That way you aren't overwhelmed.   Happy Spring! 

Getting my garden mojo on!

Hello all!  The weather is turning warmer and I'm out in it as often as possible!  My garden is my happy place.  There've been some changes on the home front, and I'm just chomping at the bit to have everything in place.  Pictures of it all finished and put together will be following, I hope soon.  In the mean time:

PROJECTS IN MOTION

1.  Finish painting my new greenhouse! Yes I was able to get a 10x12 greenhouse built this past November.  A wonderful neighbor gave me the windows from and old house they restored.  A wonderful handyman built it, and I finished the inside.  Now I'm needing to paint the outside to protect it from the elements.  I'm about 75% finished.  It will be white to match the house.  I'm hampered by either rain or cold temps.  Right now it's more rain, but I'm not complaining. This is what it looked like once the build was almost finished.  This greenhouse was something I've only dreamed about over the years, and I have to say it's my happy place!  It's worked rather well.  Neither I nor the handyman that built it realized that the bottom needed to be sealed up so that the greenhouse could utilize the ground heat.  So I added boards across the bottom down to the ground.  Now it works like a charm.  In fact it kept my tomato plants happy in 17 degrees!  

 2.  Raising seedlings for both my garden, and my yearly plant sale.  It's been tough trying to find potting soil, but I've managed.  Some soils are better than others I'm finding.  I don't get a sponsorship from Promix, but that stuff is good.  Apparently that's common knowledge because it's hard to find it in stock! 

3.  Adding raised beds to my existing garden.  This will have to have a picture taken later as I don't have the beds finished at the moment.  

PROJECTS I'VE FINISHED

1.  Fencing in my backyard garden so my chickens can free range year round.  Up until I did this one thing, my chickens would and did devastate my garden beds.  Kale is their favorite.  I'm loving the fence, and I must say am pretty proud of my work setting the 4x4 posts.  Most of the time my posts lean to one side or the other; much like the villain lair in the old 60's Batman series.  Like I always say, my garden will never be featured in Better Homes and Gardens, but would get an honorable mention in the redneck quarterly!  Use what you have available before you spend.

2.  Finishing the inside of the greenhouse and moving all garden stuff and tools into my new greenhouse freeing up our front shed as well as closets in the house.

3.  Getting my cool weather crops in the ground.  Happy to say I have everything in except my beets.  They'll get planted in the next bed.  They are seedlings at the moment though.

FUTURE ENDEAVORS

1.  We're saving to turn our back deck into a screened in porch.  This will hopefully help with high cooling bills in the summer as well as give us a nice place to be to enjoy the garden.  We are also planning to replace the very  rotted 4x4 side porch with an 8 ft wide porch that will go the length of the side of our house and meet up with the back screened in porch.  You can see our current back deck in the picture above of my garden fence.

2.  Adding a new heritage breed of chicken called Jersey Giant to our farm.  Upping our chicken game with the idea of taking chicken and eggs off our grocery shopping list.  We've ordered them, but they won't be available until the end of May.  That's fine because it will give us a chance to get things ready. 

 

Everything in my garden came over 25 years.  You start where you're at and add to it each year as you learn.  That includes learning about different plants.  When I started this garden I didn't have a tiller to start.  I paid a guy $40 dollars (that was 25 years ago)  to till up my back garden.  I didn't know then what I know now and that is you don't need a tiller!  I'd say for the past12-15 years I've maintained and expanded my garden with a shovel, cultivator, and garden fork.  I have raised beds made from cinder blocks no one wanted.  I've repurposed old fencing, old 4x4 posts, etc to use for garden structure.  I've even gone into the woods behind our house and cut down invasive privet trees to use for tomato stakes or even as fence posts.  Some things have been gifted to me.  My point is to make the most of what you have available and don't compare your garden to anyone else.  Make your garden yours and you will enjoy every moment you're out there.  Well maybe not the bugs...don't like the bugs.