A new year is upon us! I cannot get over how mild the winter has been up till now. Facebook shows me my "memories" nowadays and so frequently the last 2 years we were under snow starting at Thanksgiving. I will admit that I don't miss it. We had a flurry of wet, huge snowflakes the weekend before Thanksgiving but so far that's it and just now do we have what I consider "winter" temperatures. I hope that this doesn't mean a late spring but I suppose we will have to wait and see.
If you are reading this from a link on facebook, you might have noticed I've been a little quieter lately. It's not necessarily on purpose. I've just been reflecting and working towards some good things for me and my home.
I have, for many years, dismayed on the "lived in" look of our home, but honestly we do live here. We LIVE here.
Read that again.
And again.
Take a second and turn that word around in your mind.
LIVE
We live here.
What does that mean for us? For you?
I had someone lament recently that they would also have time to do the crafty things I do if they didn't work full time away from home. And I completely understand that as a homemaker, I have complete and total control over my time. Almost all 24 hours of it. That, however, doesn't mean that I am sitting around watching netflix all day. In fact, I watch so little TV that I can't keep up with the very few BBC shows that I do enjoy.
The truth is that I am a homemaker.....number 1 person in charge of housekeeping, laundry and all meals. Occasionally, dh will fix a meal or help with one, but 99.9% of the time if we eat, its because I fixed something. I try to cook whole foods, from scratch, nutritious meals. I make homemade bread at least once a week. Not because I'm better than you or I want to rub your nose in it, but because it is better for us, cheaper and I enjoy doing it. Sometimes I don't feel like fixing that big, hearty meal, but I do it anyway, because it is my job.
I also homeschool 2 children. I know that I don't HAVE to do that, but I believe that it is a better way and I enjoy having the extra time with them. Educating them takes about 2-3 hours of my time, 5 days a week, 180 days a year. 90% of the time it goes well and I enjoy what I'm doing, but sometimes I really don't want to....but I do it anyway, because it is my responsibility.
We raise livestock for meat and plant a garden for veggies and fruit. We do our own butchering and preserving of the bountiful harvest. I help with or do almost all of the preserving. I also help in the garden. This saves our family untold dollars in food and ensures that we know where our food comes from and what exactly is in it.
We have a high school aged son that is heavily involved in competitive and school soccer. That takes time to go to practices and games.
We have an adult son that still lives at home. I enjoy spending time with him.
We LIVE here. Sometimes that means the dishes didn't get washed or the garden needs to be weeded. Sometimes that means that I'm curled up in my chair with coffee and a book. While you might get off work at 3, I will still have tasks to do, so I take my breaks when I can....after school and housework, before chores and supper.
We have a beading set all over our dining room table;
****empty jars sit on a counter waiting to be refilled with homegrown goodies
****my crafting stuff occupies the breakfast nook
****my dh has tools charging in the dining room
****my van is full of animal feed
****books are everywhere (I personally believe it is important for reading)
After a very stressful move this fall, I've come to realize the importance of feeding my soul. I need to feed the souls of so many that come through my home, I need to recharge, I need to soak up the quiet for the times when it isn't quiet.
In order to do that I have blocked out time every day to do the following:
**read my Bible and journal (usually 1st thing in the morning and at lunch)
**read a chapter in whatever book I am enjoying (I was actually able to do that while Bear did worksheets today - its a biography of Abigail Adams and her relationship with her sisters)
**knit for at least 30 minutes every day (I enjoy listening to an audio book or podcasts while I knit or sometimes I just sit in silence)
I'm also carving out sewing time on Saturday when I'm not focused on school.
It's the little things people. If you have a home but you are too busy working or micro-managing it to enjoy it, then what do you really have? A burden.
I'm sitting in my cozy nook at my table, wrapped in a shawl, soaking in the sunshine for a few minutes before we get back to school. I'm spending a few minutes doing what I enjoy (writing) before I get back to the tasks that are responsibilities. I will do this again later this afternoon and maybe even for a bit this evening. I will read to my children, listen to their stories and plans and projects. I will snuggle a sweet little dog. I will enjoy my domain and be grateful for every minute I get to spend here. Every minute is precious.....make sure you are doing what you love.
I look forward to another year of simplicity. I ask that you join me in the journey and I would love to have you.....just please don't ask me what I do all day. I don't think I'm better than you, I've just chosen a different path. If what I'm doing makes you irritated or envious then maybe you need to reevaluate your path. Are their changes that you can make? Also, I ask that you don't idealize my life. Sometimes my work is hard, my burden is heavy and I have difficulties just like you. Remember that there are 2 sides to every story and it is unlikely, even reading this blog, that you know the whole side-story of my life. I just ask that we share our time together. I learn so much from other bloggers. I hope that someone can take something good away from their time here.
Showing posts with label Homesteading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homesteading. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 05, 2016
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
What's New In My Homestead Kitchen
Good afternoon!
I am a homemaker on a very limited budget that must feed 2 adults, 2 teenage boys and 2 kids under 9. I've discussed my grocery budget in previous posts and those would still be relevant as our budget hasn't changed much in the last 10 years.
The quickest and easiest way to save money in the kitchen is to grow/raise your food yourself, preserve it and buy in bulk. I do shop sales monthly for things that we use regularly but doing the above things will save you money in the kitchen.
With that said, in order to save money, you must be willing to spend time working. I don't regularly buy bread, I make it. I make laundry soap (in the kitchen so I count it as kitchen work). I can and preserve things all year. Even when there isn't a garden.
Today's example is chili beans. We are given dried beans throughout the year by people who get them and don't use them (I'm not sure how this happens exactly, but it happens regularly....I try to use, in some way, all the food I manage to acquire...but we are grateful). Dried beans take a while to cook, but I like to throw together chili in the winter so I used google and found a chili bean canning "recipe" (I really needed the seasoning recipe) and got to work. These beans are amazing. They soak for 48 hours, changing water after 24. Then you cook for 30 mins, pressure can for 75 mins and then you have chili beans. My cost would be the canning flats and seasonings (which I buy in bulk at a considerable savings at the Amish store). I'm guessing around 25 cents a pint. If you can buy them for less than that at the store, then I applaud you. I can't. So I did 7 pints after shopping Saturday night.
I had about 3 pints of beans that wouldn't fit into the canner so I added some home canned rotel, home raised ground beef and home canned tomato puree to the pan Sunday morning and started cooking chili. We were busy all day so I didn't notice that it didn't get done in the time I thought it would. The beans were still hard. I'm thinking the very hard water here at the new house is the problem. So I put them back in the fridge.
Monday we had spaghetti for supper (home canned sauce, home raised pork sausage).
Tuesday I fixed fried pork chops, fried potatoes and corn for supper (home raised pork and home frozen corn - the corn was picked from a generous relatives field).
I also baked oatmeal cookies for a treat.
Today has been a big kitchen day. Early this morning I set the chili back to simmer. For lunch I made shepherd's pie. I've got bread dough rising. In case the chili doesn't get done I put a pork roast in the oven (home raised pork).
The thing about living on a homestead is, that you might not have a ton of money. We sacrifice a lot for me to stay home....but we eat well. Lots of meat and veggies. I'm hoping to be able to locally source dairy products soon but for now I buy them. It's a lot of work but the rewards are worth it.
I am a homemaker on a very limited budget that must feed 2 adults, 2 teenage boys and 2 kids under 9. I've discussed my grocery budget in previous posts and those would still be relevant as our budget hasn't changed much in the last 10 years.
The quickest and easiest way to save money in the kitchen is to grow/raise your food yourself, preserve it and buy in bulk. I do shop sales monthly for things that we use regularly but doing the above things will save you money in the kitchen.
With that said, in order to save money, you must be willing to spend time working. I don't regularly buy bread, I make it. I make laundry soap (in the kitchen so I count it as kitchen work). I can and preserve things all year. Even when there isn't a garden.
Today's example is chili beans. We are given dried beans throughout the year by people who get them and don't use them (I'm not sure how this happens exactly, but it happens regularly....I try to use, in some way, all the food I manage to acquire...but we are grateful). Dried beans take a while to cook, but I like to throw together chili in the winter so I used google and found a chili bean canning "recipe" (I really needed the seasoning recipe) and got to work. These beans are amazing. They soak for 48 hours, changing water after 24. Then you cook for 30 mins, pressure can for 75 mins and then you have chili beans. My cost would be the canning flats and seasonings (which I buy in bulk at a considerable savings at the Amish store). I'm guessing around 25 cents a pint. If you can buy them for less than that at the store, then I applaud you. I can't. So I did 7 pints after shopping Saturday night.
I had about 3 pints of beans that wouldn't fit into the canner so I added some home canned rotel, home raised ground beef and home canned tomato puree to the pan Sunday morning and started cooking chili. We were busy all day so I didn't notice that it didn't get done in the time I thought it would. The beans were still hard. I'm thinking the very hard water here at the new house is the problem. So I put them back in the fridge.
Monday we had spaghetti for supper (home canned sauce, home raised pork sausage).
Tuesday I fixed fried pork chops, fried potatoes and corn for supper (home raised pork and home frozen corn - the corn was picked from a generous relatives field).
I also baked oatmeal cookies for a treat.
Today has been a big kitchen day. Early this morning I set the chili back to simmer. For lunch I made shepherd's pie. I've got bread dough rising. In case the chili doesn't get done I put a pork roast in the oven (home raised pork).
The thing about living on a homestead is, that you might not have a ton of money. We sacrifice a lot for me to stay home....but we eat well. Lots of meat and veggies. I'm hoping to be able to locally source dairy products soon but for now I buy them. It's a lot of work but the rewards are worth it.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Life on the Homestead - July 2015 edition
Good morning!
I love blogging after my morning chores are done! It inspires me to DO them :) Do any of the rest of you have trouble with that? My husband has been working long hours and so most animal care has fallen to me. Since that HAS to be done, I've been feeling lazy about the housework. Last week was a wash because of some emergency medical problems that took the most of 2 days, but I am feeling back on track this week.
In the House:
It's hot. Finally. I refuse to complain because I HATE cold and it has been very cool and wet so far....let's face it, it's the middle of July....it's supposed to be hot. We finally turned on the downstairs AC so we can get some relief. I'm very grateful for it, but I dread the higher electric bills. I'm choosing to look on the bright-side of things though. Today, my household chores included washing the inside of the windows. I schedule this every 3 months and don't really like to do it. But it's done. I have 3 small loads of laundry on the clothesline and most of yesterday's dishes are done. I really need to get in the habit of washing dishes after supper but I find it difficult to motivate myself. It would make the mornings go nicer, I know.
I need to make laundry soap but I took the lazy way out and bought some Tide. I haven't bought store laundry soap in over a year and forgot how good Tide smells. lol I wish it didn't cost so much (and so little to make my own).
Lawn and Garden:
The water and cool weather has taken its toll on the garden. We got things planted late (because that's how we roll) and we lost most of our peppers to the incessant rain. I'm not sure how good the tomatoes and beans are going to do. The weeds have taken over and it is hard to get caught up. We do have zucchini and cucumbers though.
I harvested some basil this morning and put it on a drying rack. I've been using it fresh but decided I needed to get my butt in gear and get some dried. Abby and I also harvested some comfrey leaves that went on a rack. After they dry I am going to try making some comfrey salve for muscles aches and pains. Please share any recipes you have! I have found several that called for plantain, which I don't have, but I did find one that didn't so that will probably be the one I use. I've got to get some beeswax on shopping day.
Today I'll mow. Mowing our yard takes 5-6 hours total. I think I'm going to cap myself out at 4 hours today because of the heat and finish tomorrow evening. We will see how it goes.
Barn and Henhouse:
We had 3 momma hens hatch chicks this year, along with a guinea and a turkey hen. The turkey chick is still getting along well but we lost all the guinea chicks during a storm. The 3 momma hens have 1, 2 and 12 chicks respectively. I'll try to get some pictures loaded here. They are all adorable and live out in the cow barns.
The hens that are old enough to lay seem to have went on strike. We were getting 3 dozen eggs a day but now we are down to about a dozen. Not cool at all. I'm assuming it is either the introduction of the "teenage" chickens that we hatched out this spring to the flock or the cold/wet/very hot weather swings we've been having. Those 2 things happened about the same time so its hard to tell.
Speaking of cows.....our 4 steers are getting along nicely. Actually, only 1 is ours, the other 4 belong to the landlord, but since I do daily care for all 4 I call them mine. Now that we have had herefords and black angus I will agree that herefords are nicer to raise. They are just friendlier. The 2 black angus are onery. We will see if there is a difference in the meat taste and then decide if we will raise black angus again. I've heard rumors that we will bale hay again next week. The first baling didn't turn out great, but gosh, I dread that job. I am not strong enough to throw bales of hay. lol
We just got 4 piglets this week. I don't like pigs. The last batch caused me nothing but trouble and I still haven't decided if the trouble was worth the meat. We will see.
I think that's about it here, for now anyway. I'm going to post this up and then round up some lunch. I've got a hank of yarn I choose for a project yesterday that "threw up" into a big tangled mess while I was trying to wind it.....I need to finish untangling it so I can start on that project.....I only have 2 shawls and 1 pair of socks on needles so definately need more (note sarcasm).....I just can't help myself.
Have a great day!
I love blogging after my morning chores are done! It inspires me to DO them :) Do any of the rest of you have trouble with that? My husband has been working long hours and so most animal care has fallen to me. Since that HAS to be done, I've been feeling lazy about the housework. Last week was a wash because of some emergency medical problems that took the most of 2 days, but I am feeling back on track this week.
In the House:
It's hot. Finally. I refuse to complain because I HATE cold and it has been very cool and wet so far....let's face it, it's the middle of July....it's supposed to be hot. We finally turned on the downstairs AC so we can get some relief. I'm very grateful for it, but I dread the higher electric bills. I'm choosing to look on the bright-side of things though. Today, my household chores included washing the inside of the windows. I schedule this every 3 months and don't really like to do it. But it's done. I have 3 small loads of laundry on the clothesline and most of yesterday's dishes are done. I really need to get in the habit of washing dishes after supper but I find it difficult to motivate myself. It would make the mornings go nicer, I know.
I need to make laundry soap but I took the lazy way out and bought some Tide. I haven't bought store laundry soap in over a year and forgot how good Tide smells. lol I wish it didn't cost so much (and so little to make my own).
Lawn and Garden:
The water and cool weather has taken its toll on the garden. We got things planted late (because that's how we roll) and we lost most of our peppers to the incessant rain. I'm not sure how good the tomatoes and beans are going to do. The weeds have taken over and it is hard to get caught up. We do have zucchini and cucumbers though.
I harvested some basil this morning and put it on a drying rack. I've been using it fresh but decided I needed to get my butt in gear and get some dried. Abby and I also harvested some comfrey leaves that went on a rack. After they dry I am going to try making some comfrey salve for muscles aches and pains. Please share any recipes you have! I have found several that called for plantain, which I don't have, but I did find one that didn't so that will probably be the one I use. I've got to get some beeswax on shopping day.
Today I'll mow. Mowing our yard takes 5-6 hours total. I think I'm going to cap myself out at 4 hours today because of the heat and finish tomorrow evening. We will see how it goes.
Barn and Henhouse:
We had 3 momma hens hatch chicks this year, along with a guinea and a turkey hen. The turkey chick is still getting along well but we lost all the guinea chicks during a storm. The 3 momma hens have 1, 2 and 12 chicks respectively. I'll try to get some pictures loaded here. They are all adorable and live out in the cow barns.
The hens that are old enough to lay seem to have went on strike. We were getting 3 dozen eggs a day but now we are down to about a dozen. Not cool at all. I'm assuming it is either the introduction of the "teenage" chickens that we hatched out this spring to the flock or the cold/wet/very hot weather swings we've been having. Those 2 things happened about the same time so its hard to tell.
Speaking of cows.....our 4 steers are getting along nicely. Actually, only 1 is ours, the other 4 belong to the landlord, but since I do daily care for all 4 I call them mine. Now that we have had herefords and black angus I will agree that herefords are nicer to raise. They are just friendlier. The 2 black angus are onery. We will see if there is a difference in the meat taste and then decide if we will raise black angus again. I've heard rumors that we will bale hay again next week. The first baling didn't turn out great, but gosh, I dread that job. I am not strong enough to throw bales of hay. lol
We just got 4 piglets this week. I don't like pigs. The last batch caused me nothing but trouble and I still haven't decided if the trouble was worth the meat. We will see.
I think that's about it here, for now anyway. I'm going to post this up and then round up some lunch. I've got a hank of yarn I choose for a project yesterday that "threw up" into a big tangled mess while I was trying to wind it.....I need to finish untangling it so I can start on that project.....I only have 2 shawls and 1 pair of socks on needles so definately need more (note sarcasm).....I just can't help myself.
Have a great day!
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