Homegrown & Homemade
You all want to know all about heirloom beans, I hear ya! So I’m spilling them! …the beans that is. Har har. I can’t write about beans and not include at least one cheesy bean joke, come on! No fart jokes, I promise. I’m taking you through the basics of how to grow heirloom beans, from planting to harvesting and shucking, plus which varieties are …
Eventually everything comes back into style, doesn’t it? I’m happy to see lard back in a positive light, and even happier to see old-fashioned skills, like learning how to render lard making a resurgence! While you can buy rendered lard that’s ready to cook with, making your own is often more affordable, plus it’s a great skill to have. Before we get into the details …
This has been the year of the fruit leather, and my favorite so far is this plum and crabapple fruit leather… it’s sweet and tart, with a gorgeous color, plus it is very pliable and tender (a great quality for fruit leather, as some can end up as tough as… well, leather). I’m on my third batch already and it seems I haven’t even made a …
For years I’ve tried making pickles- everything from bread and butter refrigerator pickles to classic dills… and for years I’ve never found a recipe I have fallen in love with, until now. I didn’t realize how much my general lack of pickling skills was weighing on me- I mean, a homesteader should be able to make a great pickle, shouldn’t they?! Well, I feel like …
You might take one look at our garden and wonder if we’re preparing to be invaded by werewolves, vampires, and other evil spirits. Currently, a good 1/6 of our garden space is planted in garlic! My next post should really be on how to combat garlic-breath! Have you seen “garlic soap” before? If you’ve tried it, I’d love to know if it works because… I went from …
Basil: the quintessential smell of summer around here! If only there was a way to preserve it… Oh, but there is! And I’m not talking about basil-scented soap and basil hand lotion. I can’t quite decide if these products are a good way to get a basil fix, or completely weird?! While I agree that there are quite a few foods that fall under both the …
It doesn’t happen often, but when I get the sniffles I turn into a big whiney baby. I’m useless. No pushing through and carrying on with the day here, nope. I’m in bed, on the couch, taking it easy- and almost always with a pile of used tissues on the floor… yes mom, I still do that! You tried hard to break the habit, but …
Freeze lettuce?! You might think that sounds crazy. I think it’s genius! Vibrant lettuce, grown organically, picked fresh that very day from your own garden is full of nutrients… preserve them! Of course, a couple of beautiful lettuce heads from the farmer’s market are also worthy candidates for freezing. This all started last year in May when I planted the garden. I am not usually one to throw …
For many homesteaders and farmers, chickens are more than backyard pets- they are meat and eggs to feed the family, or possibly a source of income. The reality of farming is that if a chicken isn’t producing or earning her keep, then she’s got to go. They’re business, not something you name and let sit on your lap (oops!). Or maybe you got stuck with a mean, …
Farm fresh eggs: it’s either feast or famine around here! During the long days of summer I’ve got baskets full of eggs and I’m piling them on the kitchen table, the washing machine, and any other flat surface I can find. A good problem to have, I know… And then the days get shorter and the girls close up shop. Weeks and weeks go by …
