Homegrown & Homemade
A word with many different definitions: homestead. Simply put, to us it means a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It means growing, raising, and producing as much as we can for our own needs. But why? Oh why would someone want to live like this? We’ve asked ourselves this question on more than one occasion… like when we’re lugging buckets of water through two feet of snow and thirty below zero …
This is like autumn in a jar. It’s tart and tangy but sweet, complex and deep with notes of molasses and caramelized sugar. And there’s only one ingredient! Karl and I have dreams of pressing cider from our own apples from our antique apple trees (someday… just have to wait for them to grow) and I think this is a GREAT way to preserve the goodness …
I do it every year. I have all these varieties of cherry tomatoes that I love, just love and have to plant. “Well, I only really need one of each plant, but I’d better make it two so that I can give some away to friends and family. If I want two plants, I’d better start four seeds just to be on the safe side.” …
When we moved to our homestead a couple years ago, one of the first things we noticed was that over the years the resident squirrels had most graciously planted a black walnut grove in the yard. The entire yard. The trees would have to come down because they were taking up our outdoor living space. We hated the idea of having to cut down those little …
If necessity is the mother of invention, a trunk-load of blueberries is the mother of this blog post. We were fortunate enough to be invited to pick til our heart’s content at a local blueberry orchard. Located on tree-lined rolling hills in the countryside, on a perfect dewy morning- we picked over 70 pounds of berries in a couple hours. And then we got home, …
(gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, grain-free, healthy, vegetarian) When we moved onto our homestead last year, I knew that one of the things high on my garden priorities list was to establish a mint patch. People are usually quick to warn you about mint: not to plant it in a garden or flower bed, because it will take over everything. Which is precisely what I wanted! I …
Do chickens and honey bees get along? Can you raise them close together? The short answer is, well… yes. I remember last spring when we received our first-ever batch of baby chicks and a couple boxes of bees all in less than a month’s time. I wondered and hoped that I wouldn’t find a band of rogue chickens sitting in front of the hives, picking …
I’m pretty sure I won Karl’s heart with potatoes: his favorite thing in the whole wide world. I learned early on in our relationship that I needed to become a potato-master, which I now proclaim to be. These are the best potatoes ever- crispy, salty, easy to prepare, and no special equipment needed- no deep fryer, just a pan. Plus, they are a great vehicle …
If you’d like to hear about life on the homestead, our crazy antics, and a story with a happy ending about a duck and her babies, well then- you’ll like this. And if you are thinking of putting some baby ducklings under a broody duck and wondering if that will work and how that might look- then this one’s for you! I’ve also included the …
Roasted what?! Maple trees already provide us with pretty much the greatest substance ever created– could their seeds taste phenomenal too? While they don’t taste exactly like maple syrup, they are nutty and abundant and best of all: free. We have two big beautiful Autumn Blaze Maples in our yard, one right next to our house overhanging the patio and covering the cement every year …
