The Thrifty Garden/Home

Special delivery all the way from England

2012-01-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

I entered a give-a-way at 'Growing In The Fens' blog and my name was drawn. This nifty super-protective oven mitt was the gift. It's made so nicely and of good quality. Baking bread will be a bit easier with this beauty instead of using two separate hot pads. Thank you! I will think of my blog friend every time I use it.

Our computer is finally back on-line now that we got a new service provider. So far .. so good.

I came across this(chicken) bone broth recipe using a crock pot that is perpetually filled with an ongoing batch of broth for the entire week. Will try it tomorrow and let you know how it works. There's even a nifty energy-wise comparison chart here if you think having your crock pot running all week would be too expensive; I hope you enjoy nosing around this great website (The Nourished Kitchen). I signed up for the email newsletter. Tomorrow, I'll share how I (somewhat) redeemed the sauerkraut that I canned late last summer. For those that like to keep a well stocked pantry in case of an emergency or food shortage, and yet know the advantages of fermented sauerkraut, stay tuned .. you will be mildly surprised to know you can have both.

Hope To Be Back

2012-01-24T11:42:00.002-07:00

... Soon .. having technical difficulties with my internet service. A 'NEW' ISP will attempt to hook up a signal on Friday.

Laundry and Cleaning

2012-01-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

...revisited.

My mom and dad were here for the holidays. They needed to wash their laundry at least twice while visiting. I'm not sure .. or maybe don't want to know ... what they think about my washing methods .. i.e. homemade laundry soap (at least assembled at home), vinegar added to the rinse, and no fancy ~~smelly~~ fragrant dryer sheets (I only had an old box of leftover dryer sheets from 2007 that didn't smell too fresh to offer). Seems she compares me with my late grandma and I could tell it was not mom's cup of tea ;)

Not even the frugal $26 cost for all of my household cleaning/laundry supplies for 2011 made her bat an eyelash. I think she's gotten use to sprinkling baking soda and a few drops of dish soap in the sink, toilet and bathtub to clean them when visiting.. and she seemed a little impressed that I add green food color to my window/counter spray .. but it still smells like vinegar. What's a daughter to do?

I Blew It!

2012-01-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

Done did spent all the money for the entire month of January .. and it's only the 6th. Well, let me tell you a little secret .. come closer .. I spent the whole wad on PAPER :) That's right .. on a budget sheet! Yesterday the hubby and I even went to dinner .. bought pantry supplies ... filled up the truck with gas ... and signed me up for a gun safety class. Ya know what, not one bit of plastic was used .. er .. I mean nasty old credit. Not one swipe of a debit card either. Do you know it's a fact that if you spend cold hard cash or greenbacks that it's MORE PAINFUL mentally than using a bank card?? Do you also know that by SEEING how much cash is in your grocery envelope and taken out to spend lets you know how much is left to get by for the rest of the month. Not that easy with a debit card. I even forfeit getting cash back credit points just to 'suffer' using cash. How do you suffer for money? In a good painful way .. or in a I don't know 'til I get the bill type of way?

2012-01-05T17:59:00.001-07:00

There's a hush .. in my home today. The holidays are over. Everybody is back to their respective places. I feel a bit like a high school student that just graduated. Knowing that there is work ahead (house cleaning, gardening, canning, etc.) ... but for today, I will bask in giddiness and sip tea any hour of the day, decide whether or not to make dinner ... wash laundry (yes/no) NO! A day to relax and ponder what the new year might hold. Tomorrow my feet will be planted firmly on the ground and I'll roll up my sleeves and put on my apron. Until then .... p.e.a.c.e o.u.t.

The Sky Is Falling

2012-01-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

... it hit me on the head.

I don't know about you, but as far as all the talk of the end of the world being later this year, we're plodding along as usual, making gains with our life skills, normal food storage for emergencies and paying off all debt. Worried? Not! Life goes on no matter what the news reports, or some long ago calendar. We need to be aware of world events, stay calm, live each day to its fullest and go on with life. Do you remember all the crazy predictions surrounding Y2K? (Just saying;) I see so many folks planning for the end of the world and yet they are ill prepared for today. Slow and steady progress learning how to make do with little and using available supplies seems more reasonable than buying a year's worth of freeze dried ~~EVERYTHING~~ food that wouldn't appeal to me unless I was beyond starving. We can't really prepare for such a mega disaster .. and who would want to be around afterwards? Food for thought.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age ...

Titus 2:11-12

2012 Goals

2012-01-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

After looking over my 2011 goals it appears we did well with the majors and failed in the minors. Majors being paying down on debt, setting up a fenced raised bed garden. Minors .. knitting socks, etc.

We plan on sticking with the budget again as it has become second nature .. and will allow us to, hopefully, be totally debt free by October.

Garden goals - set up a better compost station for the garden, planting ONLY those veggies that we like to eat and preserve. Can more peaches. Plant more sauce tomatoes and less for slicing. Trim vegetation around the garden, hook up pvc line to garden sink. Plant a winter garden (this is perhaps a dream). Propagate geraniums and house plants to give as gifts.

Food storage - more wheat and dried goods.

Outings - Ride the Hiawatha bike trail, visit Glacier National Park (again), river raft trip.

A New Year

2012-01-02T12:43:00.001-07:00

A new year, month, day .. and calendar page. Last year was sparse for posting on my blog. We had a second half of the year filled with anticipation, hope and worry with the arrival of our newest grandchild ... after learning that she has a heart condition in August .. that would need surgery soon after birth in December; it was a fast paced, hectic time to say the least. Baby is home with her parents and big brother. The whole event brought back so many memories 15 years ago when we welcomed our youngest son, Nathan, that needed TLC and surgeries after his birth. Such challenges try the soul .. and create unimaginable strength. Life goes on and we have to adjust. May the new year bring you strength to face the possible challenges ahead in 2012. Always be prepared, learn a new skill to help you survive whatever economic/health/weather storms may be on the horizon.

Cleaning Suppy (laundry soap) 2011 Cost (ignore post)

2012-01-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

Laundry Rinse: 2 Tablespoons white vinegar small-medium loads, 1/4 cup for large-extra large loads
Laundry Soap Recipe: 2 cups grated Fels Naptha soap, 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda, mix well in food processor and use 1 Tablespoon for med/small load, 2 Tablespoons for large load
Total spent to date on laundry soap/rinse supplies: $26.00.

COST OF FOOD 2011 (for my records .. ignore post)

2012-01-01T16:33:00.003-07:00

January - $450
February - $650 (includes extra to stock pantry)
March - $650 (includes extra to stock pantry)
April - $650 (includes extra to stock pantry)
May - $650 (includes extra for company)
June - $500
July - $400
August - $989 (this includes yearly purchase of beef)
September - $900 (this includes groceries and yearly purchase of a whole pig)
October - $325
November - $350 (includes Thanksgiving dinner)
December - $425
TOTAL FOR YEAR $6939

2011 Bulk Purchases (for my record .. ignore post)

2012-01-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

Aug - 13.5 lbs baking soda, mixed quarter of local beef $489, vanilla
Jan - Sept - 11- ltrs organic EVOO (sale price) $154
Apr - stocked up on naturally fermented organic soy sauce, raw ACV, vanilla, dehydrated onions, baking supplies
Feb/Aug - 15 (24oz) bottles expeller pressed oganic sunflower oil ($110)
Feb/Mar/Apr- 3 cases canned tuna, 3 cases canned wild Alaska salmon
Jan/Feb 50 lbs Wheat Montana flour $23
Jan/Feb - 20 lbs organic 'green' coffee beans from Bolivia $120 .. includes shipping ($6/pound)
Feb - 100 lbs Golden Prairie Wheat Berries ($50)
Jan/Feb 40 lbs organic carrots
Jan - 2 gallons white vinegar
Jan - 13.5 pounds baking soda
Jan - 10 lbs organic pork sausage ($18), Mar - 15 lbs ($28)
Jan - 25 lbs organic ground beef ($66), Mar 35 lbs ($92), May 20 lbs organic ground beef ($73)
Jan/Feb 24 lbs organic brown rice $23

2011 Bread Baking Stats (for my record .. ignore post)

2012-01-01T16:20:00.001-07:00

December - 2 loaves 7-grain bread, 5 dozen rustic dinner rolls
November - 1.5 dozen rustic dinner rolls, 4 loaves 7-grain bread, 4 loaves whole wheat (blend) bread, 6 dozen ableskievers,
October - 16 freezer waffles, 20 onion dinner rolls, 6 loaves French bread
Sept - 40 onion rolls, 2 loaves (accidental) sour dough bread, 6 loaves Italian bread, 2 loaves challah bread, 2 dozen dinner rolls
Aug - 20 hamburger buns, 2 loaves potato bread,2 loaves challah bread, 2 loaves Italian bread
July - 24 hamburger buns, 2 loaves Italian bread, cheesy-garlic-herb drop biscuits
Apr - 2 loaves challah bread, 2 dozen dinner rolls
Mar - 2 loaves 7-grain with sprouted wheatberry loaves, 4 loaves challah bread, 56 hamburger/sandwich rolls, 20 rounds of whole wheat pita bread
Jan - Feb -14 loaves, 13 dozen rolls

2011 Home Preserving (for my record .. ignore post)

2012-01-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

December - 10 pints canned beef stock, 5 quarts canned pinto beans
November - 6 pints turkey meat in stock (frozen), 6 quarts turkey stock (frozen), 4 pints pizza sauce (frozen)
October - 1 quart frozen raspberries, 1 pint frozen tomato sauce, 9 pints canned beef stock, 7 pints Boston baked beans, 7 pints Italian tomato sauce, 4 quarts tomato juice, 8 pints applesauce, 4 half pints raspberry cordial, 4 quarts roasted roma tomatoes with roasted garlic, 4 pints bbq sauce
September - 6 quarts canned corn, 8 pints hamburger dill pickles, 6 (additional) pints bread and butter pickles, 15 pints Mexican stewed tomatoes, 13 quarts Italian stewed tomatoes, 7 pints chili (no beans), 12 pints sauerkraut,14 quarts canned tomatoes in juice, 15 quarts canned peaches,9 pints canned corn, 20 pints frozen corn
August - 4 med. size and 3 small peach pie fillings frozen, 12 half-pints spiced peach butter, 24 ears frozen sweet corn, 10 lbs sauerkraut, 18 pints fresh pack canned dill pickles, 4 pints bread and butter pickles, 1 gallon refrigerator dill pickles, 4 pints canned chick peas, 6 quarts frozen green beans, 3 quarts raspberries frozen, dried herbs (marjoram ,dill weed, thyme, mint, oregano, parsley, edible flowers),13 quarts green beans, 7 half pints raspberry freezer jam, 4 half pints cherry jam, 4 pints dilly beans, 16 pints pinto beans, 6 quarts pinto beans, 2 quarts frozen broccoli, 1 quart frozen kale, 3 pints canned rhubarb
July - 10 half pints strawberry freezer jam, 10 quarts chicken stock, 3 cups chicken meat packed in broth, , 1 gallon frozen strawberries, 6 quarts frozen broccoli, frozen chopped kale, 2 quarts raspberries for jam, and 1 quart sour cherries to marinate
March - 17 pints Boston baked beans
February - 16 freezer waffles
January - 15 freezer waffles, 7 pints red beans, 7 pints beef chili, 6 quarts frozen turkey stock, 3 lbs frozen sliced turkey, 4 pints frozen turkey meat in stock, 4 pints leftover turkey by-products frozen for making dog food

Rich, Thick, Hearty ..

2011-12-08T10:03:00.001-07:00

Roasted Roma Tomatoes! This past summer, I canned, froze and roasted well over 140 pounds of tomatoes. Last night I opened up a quart labeled, 'Roasted Roma with Garlic' ... and, well, they are THE BEST canned tomatoes I've ever tasted. I found the recipe in the 2010 Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving and wanted to give a shout out if you're interested for next summer. What makes them so flavorful is that you roast them for a bit adding great flavor. Here's the recipe:

Roasted Roma Tomatoes

Yield about 4 quarts (I'm so glad I made 12 quarts :)

12 pounds Roma tomatoes (I used a mix of Roma and Amish Paste tomatoes)
4 bulbs garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
bottled lemon juice

Roast tomatoes on grill or in broiler until skins begin to wrinkle and become lightly blackened in spots, turn to roast other side. Remove from heat. Place tomatoes in a paper bag and close tightly. Cool until tomatoes are easy to handle, about 15 minutes. Slip skins off tomatoes, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch chunks, set aside. Place garlic on aluminum foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Wrap the foil tightly (place on a baking sheet) and roast in a 350F oven until tender (about 30 minutes). Remove from oven and cool enough to handle. Slip the garlic cloves from the skins and add to tomatoes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until hot throughout. Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice to each quart jar. Ladle hot tomatoes into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process quarts 1 hour and 25 minutes in a boiling water canner. Be sure to adjust for altitude (consult the directions in a reputable canning guide).

This recipe is the only one I'm going to use next year!! Yah .. it's that delish! It will make a GREAT start to a pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, or bruchetta. It's nice and thick .. no tomato paste needed for thickening your sauces. Be sure to use Roma or Amish Paste tomatoes.

This And That

2011-11-26T09:45:00.002-07:00

photo by Mrs. Mac

Last week my cousin helped to restore some functions on my computer. I now have found my 3,000+ pictures and can, once again, download new ones from my camera. Can you hear me dancing for JOY :)??

Here we are approaching winter and all of the snow we received two weeks ago is gone. It's actually been warmish (late spring temps) in the 40's to nearly 60 degrees (F) of late. Warm enough to thaw out the ground to plant approximately 75 bulbs of garlic.

Since Daylight Savings time has ended a few weeks ago, I have reset the time on the thermostat so my heater doesn't automatically come on an hour earlier any longer. Let's see: one hour early x 30/31 days per month ='s 30/31 hours each month that the heat would run when not needed. We keep it at 65 F in the morning and evening, and 59 at night. At noon it's set at 62 and I wear a sweater and/or turn on our little gas cast iron room stove. Of course, if company comes over, I turn up the heat to make them more comfortable. I'm still at that stage in life when a 'personal summer' hits me once in a while .. which isn't all that bad during the winter months ;).

It's been eleven months since we bought our wheat grinder. I'm always one to examine purchases to see if what we buy is really paying off and or used. We (I) make about 90% of our baked goods, and have gone through almost two 25 lb bags of wheat berries, using the grinder two times per week. The wheat cost $26. I've also gone through about 30 pounds of white flour ($17). When you add in the extra ingredients such as eggs and the 7-grain cereal blend I use ... and the fuel to bake, I think we will be way under $100 for the year.

This has produced approximately : 52 loaves of bread, 382 rolls, 20 rounds of pita bread, 36 biscuits, 150 ableskivers, 72 waffles .. and countless batches of cookies. I do believe that, by the time January rolls around, the wheat grinder will have almost paid for itself if we had had to purchase this amount of baked goods.

Many Hands Give Thanks

2011-11-24T19:35:00.001-07:00

Photo by: Mrs. Mac

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the States. We celebrated with a big feast prepared at our home. Ann spent last night here so she could get up very early to help with the cooking. It pleases me to no end that she wants to know how to take over the job of making her great grandma Donna's bread stuffing, make the mashed potatoes, see how to roast the turkey and set a proper table for such a special occasion. I can imagine that one day we will be eating a fine dinner at her future home.

This year I used the convection bake setting for roasting the 20 pound turkey. It came out perfectly cooked in 3 hours 45 minutes. Earlier in the week I had baked four loaves of bread; two for the stuffing and two for turkey sandwiches. The turkey carcass is in the largest stock pot and will simmer 12 hours on low. Tomorrow I'll strain the broth and put it in jars for the freezer and de-bone the meat for soups and casseroles. Nothing will go to waste.

Here is my recipe for Turkey Gravy:

The day before cooking, remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity. Rinse placing in a medium sauce pan adding water just to cover; place lid on pan and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Let broth cool, strain and skim off the fat in a fat separator. Put broth in a quart size mason jar and refrigerate when cooled. Finely chop about 1-2 tablespoons of the liver to add to the finished gravy (optional). Save the neck to add to with the turkey carcass for making stock after dinner or the next day. I chopped up the remaining liver and the heart for dog treats.

Good gravy comes from the roasting pan drippings. Prior to roasting the turkey, add whole sliced rings of a large yellow onion, including the skin, two large carrots, and two stalks of celery to the roasting pan. Put the turkey in the pan (I used a rack) and add two cups of water, chicken broth or wine, and roast as directed, adding more liquid as needed. Always let the turkey rest tented with foil out of the oven for 30-45 minutes. Place tented turkey on cutting board. Strain the pan drippings in a fat separator. Discard the onion, carrots and celery. Put the roasting pan on top of one or two burners (assuming that your pan can be used on the stove top). De-glaze the pan by adding some of the prepared stock then add the defatted pan drippings. Place 1/2 cup of flour in a quart mason jar and fill with water. Shake well. Slowly add about 1/3 to 1/2 to the roasting pan (strain first if lumpy). Stirring with a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits and mix the flour/water mixture into the pan until thick and bubble. Add more turkey stock and or flour mixture or water if needed. Check for salt and add if necessary. Cook until bubbly and thickened. Strain the gravy one last time through a sieve/wire mesh strainer. Add the minced liver if desired.

By making the stock the day before, it saves a few steps when you're trying to get dinner served. Homemade gravy can't be beat!

How much of your Thanksgiving meal is prepared ahead of time?

RIP Miss Holly

2011-11-10T01:34:00.000-07:00

Nathan and his dawg .. Miss Holly

How can I not write about the passing of my beloved pooch, Miss Holly .. aka the 'dawg' .. she passed peacefully last night. It's amazing how attached we can get to our pets. She arrived eleven Christmases ago and was the second golden retriever that possessed our hearts. If only I knew this night was her last I would have given her an extra hug or treat. She was the best companion for our son Nathan. They were inseparable and she gave him such love. How do I tell him when he wakes up?? He has Down syndrome and I don't think he understands about death. It's going to be a sad day at the Thrifty Garden Home.

Bone Health ..

2011-10-30T14:48:00.001-06:00

I've written about the benefits of making your own beef and chicken stock before. When we purchase our beef from a local ranch, I always ask for about 15 pounds of bare bones cut in 2 inch pieces (no meat). These get roasted (approx. 5 lbs at a time and the rest are frozen until needed) in a moderately hot oven (400F) for two hours in a roasting pan .. then added to my enamel canning kettle with 5 quarts of water, 4 large yellow onions, quartered and skins left on, a pound of whole carrots (don't peel) .. and a head of celery (I used the woody parts and leaves from my garden crop) .. NO SALT. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 hours .. adding water if necessary to end up with 5 quarts of liquid. After defatting and straining the liquid, it can be frozen or canned for later use. This year I canned it due to limited space in my freezer. When refrigerated is congeals .. so you know that it's got lots of nutritional properties.

chicken stock

It always amazes me after making soup and consuming this broth for several weeks, that I notice less and less aches and pains .. and cricks in my bones. My shoulder injury from a year ago spring is healed as well.

For chicken stock, buy whole chickens and save the backs and wing tips. Freeze wrapped individually in plastic wrap until you have about 8-9. Fill a canning kettle with the frozen bones, 3-4 onions, carrots, and celery .. you can add a few herbs too .. NO SALT. This doesn't take nearly as long to make as beef stock, as you don't have to roast the bones, and it cooks in about 3-4 hours on the stove top. Defat, strain and store same as the beef broth in freezer or by canning.

Forget those little bouillon cubes and broth in a can from the market.. make your own broth from bones that most people throw away.

Be sure when freezing to use freezer safe containers. I prefer to use straight sided glass jars (without narrow openings as these will crack), leaving about an inch or two for expansion as it freezes.

Broth is beautiful -

Seed Saving, Ginger and Garlic

2011-10-29T14:15:00.000-06:00

This is our first year saving our garden seeds. We purchased organic and or open pollinated seeds and used some given to us by neighbors. I was amazed to see that our bush beans (the seeds were burgundy red) have produced speckled white-ish-pink seeds. We have our tomato seeds soaking in little jars of water to help get the 'slime' off of them. Peas (bush, sugar snap & sweet) are packaged .. along with a host of other types. It will be interesting to see what they produce next year.

Last spring I planted a small 'finger' of organic ginger in a small pot with potting soil. It was kept indoors and produced a two foot palm-leaf looking green shoot. I watered it once in a while .. and last week dug up the ginger to see what was growing. It was double in size with several small nubs growing .. and roots. The biggest portion was broken off and two nubs replanted in the pot. It tasted amazing added to some cooked apple topping for our French toast this morning. I will store it in the freezer and use a fine grater as needed.

Last fall I planted Spanish rojo garlic bulbs. They produced small heads of great tasting hardneck variety, and is a good choice for cold climates. They are supposed to store well, too. After reading a blog post at Down To Earth last week about imported garlic from China, it's nice to have our own supply. If you are concerned about eating healthy AND love garlic, it's a must read article. If you don't grow your own garlic, buy organic or garlic from California. I was shocked to read that my large jug of sliced-dehydrated garlic from Costco (McCormick brand) says product of China in fine print on the back.

Economical Cooking 101

2011-10-26T10:03:00.000-06:00

Mrs. Mac's fresh herb container

There was a time when I'd pour over cookbooks and recipes, buying specific ingredients for meals. Alas .. since taking up gardening, I rarely pull out a book .. except, perhaps, for a bread or canning recipe. With a supply of fresh and dried garden herbs, and the pantry/freezer filled from the harvest, most of our meals are cooked from the bounty, locally raised meats, and staples such as single ingredients. This type of cooking is never the same twice; forever changing. Instead of relying on store bought boxed/canned goods, usually loaded with preservatives and cheaply made ingredients, it is much easier to just put a meal together by using basic (fairly simple) cooking techniques.

Recently for dinner I made Mexican quiche topped with shredded cabbage and diced cherry tomatoes & green onions. Everything pulled quickly from the fridge & pantry. The Mexican part of the meal came from corn tortillas .. and a little bit of extra taco meat & beans from a meal several days ago. With the price of food .. leftovers get turned into something brand new. Hubby raved about the meal several times .. thinking I had used a new recipe. Cooking off the cuff or from scratch with what is on hand and without a written recipe .. is a good economical skill to master and gets easier as time passes. This type of cooking does not involve extensive meal planning, is more nutritious and contains more fiber. Now that the freezer and pantry are stocked, our food bill is shrinking. We could go for many weeks without having to set foot into the market.

Mexican Quiche

Preheat oven to 350F
Serves 3-4

3-4 corn tortillas
2 tsp. cooking oil
5 eggs
2 Tablespoons half-&-half (or milk)
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp thyme (or your favorite green herb)
one diced jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup taco meat and/or refried beans

1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella .. but cheddar would be good)
1 cup diced/shredded cabbage
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
sprinkle of green onions (or chopped red onion)
salt & pepper optional

In a medium 10 inch cast iron skillet heat oil and cook the tortillas flat over med-high heat until tender (barely crisp). Turn off heat. Arrange the tortillas so a little of the edges go up the side of the pan. Beat the eggs, half-&half, chile powder, thyme and jalapeno. Dollop the meat/beans in small spoonfuls over the tortillas .. and sprinkle cheese over the meat. Turn the heat on medium and add the egg mixture cooking undisturbed for a just a minute or two until the bottom is 'set' .. Put the pan into the preheated oven and bake until the eggs are set on top (3-5 minutes). Carefully remove the pan and top with cabbage, tomatoes and onions. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and or a little sour cream on top if desired.

What is your strategy for frugal cooking?

2011 Garden .. It's A Wrap

2011-10-25T02:32:00.001-06:00

Today was the last day harvesting in the garden before we get our first predicted frost. I was also canning tomato sauce, watching my little grandson and cleaning up from hosting my oldest daughter's baby shower on Sunday. That left a very slim window of time to pick the last of the raspberries and stash uprooted/re-potted celery, peppers and parsley ... along with potted geraniums and herbs into the garage to deal with in a few days. Our apples were carefully picked and have been stored wrapped in tissue paper in the cool basement. It smells wonderful every time I walk into the storage room.

The past few days were peak for autumn colors in the yard. I even brought in a few boughs of maple leaves to use as 'floral' arrangements for the baby shower. This year the sweet peas I planted produced an abundance of blooms .. they are one of my favorite flowers to pick and bring indoors. All of the seed pods were harvested to plant next year.

It really does take many years of practice to have gardening become second nature .. even then there is something new to learn. I have not gotten up to speed with extending the growing season using protective coverings .. perhaps when hubby retires he will lend a hand and the end of gardening season won't be as demanding (not).

For now, we have more food stored away than any previous years. It was a lot of work keeping up with canning and freezing. Who knows, maybe I'll have time to start blogging again :)

Hurry Up Already

2011-10-09T23:33:00.001-06:00

I'm trying to get all of our fruit and vegetables processed before my upcoming trip. Hubby won't know what to do if twenty pounds of tomatoes ripen .. or that the apples should be picked carefully without bruising .. or our second batch of raspberries is ripening up and should be picked before the frost hits. I've got two days to get this work done .. and pack .. and get my hair cut .. and, and, and ..

Today I roasted Roma tomatoes and garlic .. then canned four quarts. The berries got turned into a nice raspberry cordial. All the apples are picked waiting for??? Sauce, storage, etc. Only 40 lbs of tomatoes to go and I'm done til next week.

Adios ..

Food Prepping

2011-10-08T12:41:00.000-06:00

... to leave a good supply of home goodness while I'm away. Hubby is in charge of the homestead next week. This means he will buy grocery items from the middle of the store .. the worst offenders laden with chemicals and over processed .. unless I leave a good supply of baked breads, and some meals he can set out to defrost and heat up for dinner. I'm sure even after my baking and cooking efforts have taken place, he will hit the store a few times. He is not a foodie and often eats what's convenient. I did leave STRICT instructions that a trip to McDonald's is forbidden; at least for Nathan. Last night he started taking notes about meal preparations. When asking how to cook pasta, I said, 'read the label' .. He seemed rather excited about buying a box of Eggo waffles .. but alas, I shall break that little bubble and make homemade freezer waffles. I'm sure he's not alone as far as hubbies that don't know how to cook. Maybe home economic courses in healthy eating should be mandatory for both boys and girls .. and heaven forbid the U.S. government get involved .. if you ever take a peek at school lunches served according to their guidelines, then they might as well eat at Micky-D's. Rant over.

Egg - less

2011-10-06T16:56:00.001-06:00

We have been going through the local eggs hubby buys from a co-worker; the new chickens are young and the eggs are smaller. I had to buy a carton of local eggs from the health food store at more than double the cost. After last year's tainted egg outbreak with big ag companies, I just can't bear to buy mass produced eggs. Can you believe I'm already thinking about where I'll buy my eggs in two years when hubby retires? Maybe by then our neighborhood will allow backyard chickens .. although I'm not sure I have the energy to take on another 'project.'

Summer .. a fading memory

2011-10-05T05:34:00.000-06:00

We had a nice end of summer in the North Woods. Warm temps allowed some tomatoes and peppers to ripen on the vine. There were still plenty of green tomatoes to pick and box to ripen in the cool temps of the basement. Rain has arrived and I've not quite got the garden tucked away for winter. All of the tomato plants have been pulled. My goal is to get some of the pepper and herb plants dug up and potted to bring in during the winter. Gardening in the new raised beds was a good learning experience, provided to our food supply ... and added a beautiful view from my back windows. Adding the fine bark around the raised beds cut my weeding down 95% .. well worth the investment. End of summer work is .. well endless! I'm glad that autumn has arrived and I can s.l.o.w. down the pace.

Enjoy the day!

Accidental Sour Dough Bread

2011-09-14T10:09:00.000-06:00

The most wonderful bread popped out of my oven this morning. While admitting to having a hormonally challenged day on Monday, I made a batch of bread and forgot to add the yeast. I discovered this when, after two hours, the dough hadn't expanded in the teeniest bit. Not wanting to throw it in the trash, I decided to kneed in the missing yeast. I gave the dough a good buttering and covered the bowl with a (recycled) plastic bag AND a dish towel. It sat all yesterday ever so slowly expanding. I think I punched it down once or twice. By bedtime (Tuesday) .. it was a nice height .. but I forgot/ran out of time to bake the bread. Early this morning (deranged and lacking sleep) I divided the dough in two rounds and set it for a final rise. Heaven .. it gave off the most nutty rich sourdough scent to my entire house. The bread has that sheen that a good commercial loaf is famous for. This may be my new easy method of making sourdough bread .. without having to mess with a starter (only next time I won't be getting up in the middle of the night to bake it).

Keeping A Food Supply

2011-09-12T12:52:00.000-06:00

I'm having a hard time using the veggies I've stored away in the freezer and pantry while it's still summer. Not wanting to 'run out' of supplies this winter before it even turns cold, this week I'm going to use up ALL of the zucchini from the garden, finish up our lettuce and start picking some more green cabbage. Sorry corn and green beans .. you'll just have to wait a few more months!

This weekend I made a big batch of beef stock by roasting bare bones cut in two inch pieces in a moderately hot oven (400F) for two hours. Then simmering with carrots, onions and celery for an hour .. then sticking the whole pot in the oven at 225F overnight. It makes the richest brown broth for French onion soup and for added flavor to gravies. I have stored it in the freezer in 3 cup units.

We are already running low on pickles .. when my kids come home for a visit .. that's the first thing they ask for .. after a hug from mom.

Beef Stock Recipe
Benefits of Broth

Fast Forward Two Years In The Garden

2011-09-04T05:43:00.000-06:00

Spring 2009

Spring 2010

Fall 2010

Spring 2011

May 2011

July 2011

A quick trip in pictures watching the garden develop from primitive to ordered. It has filled out even more beautifully with lots of flowers. Will post more pics when my computer is fixed.

Back To School Shopping ...

2011-09-02T22:34:00.000-06:00

... on a budget.

Our youngest son Nathan (the possessor of an extra chromosome) heads back to school on Tuesday. We put off buying his new shoes and clothes due to time restraints until today. He's is and is not picky about clothes; insisting on wearing what he calls 'soft pants' (LOL). Basically anything with a stretchy waist .. no snaps or zippers. I suppose having as many abdominal surgeries as he's had (about 10) .. entitles him to wear only 'soft pants'. Now my little four year old grandson insists on only wearing 'soft pants' ... it's rather a crack up how he imitates his big uncle .. and probably a little worrisome to his mother ;) Uncle and nephew play together several days a week .. they shall be good life long companions.

We set aside $75 a month for clothes for our family of three. This seems to be a good amount as we are not one to shop for labels. Nathan's shoes were on sale .. and his pants were $5/ea. He picked out three new character t-shirts and two packages of socks. He often gets gift cards for Walmart .. so this helped. My total for the outing was about $60 .. plus he had a little to spend on a gift card. Thankfully he has a closet full of other shirts to add variety to his wardrobe. We'll send him to school with the same backpack as last year.

Nathan ... a few years ago

I don't know how I shopped when all four kids lived at home .. but I do remember setting aside a limit and if they insisted on certain 'brands' that were out of our budget, they had to earn the extra money.

$75 a month ads up quickly when you shop only a few times a year for clothing and shoes. Sometimes we even pick up new and almost new items at garage sales and thrift stores. What's your best money saving tip for clothes shopping?

I've Cooled Down .. a bit

2011-09-01T23:42:00.002-06:00

Mrs. Mac Cooling Off .. in a little bit of powder ;)

The weather turned a nice temp .. we got some rain .. I took a few days off from my break-neck pace .. and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (sorta .. tomatoes are ripening up;). My computer is REALLY acting up now and not allowing me to transfer any pictures from the camera .. says I'm not the administrator .. which is a lie ;( but I can't talk any sense into the hard drive/memory. About ready to get a new one .. (again).

Today was budget day. That means I work out a budget for the whole month and spend on paper all the money at one time .. ending with zero money. I have so many categories and cash envelopes .. it's hard to mess up or omit something. Doing this helps to have the money already set aside in the bank when the bills arrive .. say for example life or car insurance. By setting aside 1/6th of a semi-annual payment each month.. I can pay for it in full and save a little by not having to make installments. I LOVE/LIKE budgeting because it really makes a person think twice before buying something if it's not allocated ... makes saying NO much easier :)

We just bought our quarter of beef for the year .. this was budgeted and made it less painful to fork over a large chunk of money since we had been saving for a long time. In this economy, living without a budget would be scary. If I could go back in time .. I'd do a better job of teaching my kids how to budget; not all of them got the benefit of seeing and living through a written spending plan.

Well .. if I need to buy a new laptop .. or at minimum get this one fixed, I'd better start setting aside some funds.

I'm Nearing The Breaking Point ...

2011-08-29T23:02:00.011-06:00

Every summer arrives with it's own workload .. and now that the workload is here, I'm dreaming about cool autumn days .. no lawn care .. no canning .. just lazing about for a few months. Anyone else at the breaking point? Here's to taking a break tomorrow and heading to the park, stopping for a cool drink at our favorite coffee house, shopping for school shoes and kicking back for awhile.

Hoping to See ..

2011-08-29T04:32:00.000-06:00

... a sea of red soon.

Yesterday I was watering the garden .. a 'chore' I enjoy doing by hand. I had hopes of setting up a sprinkler system .. maybe another year .. but for now .. hand watering affords a better look-see at what's doing well and what needs to be pulled out of the garden on a more frequent basis. And .. I spied a few tomatoes turning red! So excited as the last two summers we've only had green ones picked just prior to the first frost. Seems our oh so wet dreary spring has turned into a hot dry summer which has been good for the peppers and tomatoes.

Food Memories

2011-08-27T00:01:00.001-06:00

equals = fond memories

Growing up we would trek across the country each summer landing smack dab in farming areas in Illinois and Nebraska. We'd visit aunts and uncles (mostly great aunts and uncles) that still lived on big old farms. One family raised hogs; the clinking of their feeders all night as I slept in a much too small youth bed in a guest room was quite interesting. Pigs smell .. I remember that! Another family had barn cats .. I would follow around with delight. And, another family taught me how to milk a cow .. and eat farm fresh chicken for dinner .. ones that I'd been playing with in the yard earlier that day. It seemed these families knew how to eat .. and eat well. To remember the taste of just picked corn, pork roast, watermelon rind pickles, and everything made from food grown on the farms .. had quite an impact on my developing taste buds. Then back to reality I'd go .. home and we'd have a typical 1970's style dinner of canned veggies and often noodles from a box with a sauce mix. Maybe steak a few times a year (not very often) .. It was these early trips each summer that gave me the passion to develop my homemaking skills and learn how to try and replicate GREAT food.

With a little practice, a person can make healthy tasting meals with fresh ingredients grown in the backyard .. or picked up at the local farm. Buying in season, in bulk, and learning how to store food for winter .. can all be achieved with practice .. one step at a time. I recently read that it takes about ten years to learn the necessary skills to become more self sufficient. Skills our not so distant ancestors knew how to perform as second nature can be nurtured with a little practice. I wouldn't want to have to become totally reliant on my 'skills' to provide every need for my family. But .. learning some gardening or cooking skills just makes good sense. I've got my grandson with me three days a week. You can bet I am nurturing his love for the garden by having him by my side as much as possible. Last week he insisted eating a just pulled carrot like a bunny .. and even gnawed on it with his front teeth. He will know where some of his food comes from .. and that is a step in the right direction. Here's a quick little story about 'Growing Your Own Food: it's not elitist or impossible" .. enjoy

Tomato, Tomato, Tomato

2011-08-25T22:39:00.000-06:00

a previous year's harvest at TTGH

I'm eying my 30-40 tomato plants with great anticipation of a bumper crop come harvest time! They are ALL still green .. but plumping up nicely. Oh .. and the aroma of tomato leaves as you brush up against the plants .. well .. intoxicating. Of course, this means a few 'mean' days of kitchen work canning and freezing are in order. The saving grace of all the hard work done each summer is the anticipation of sitting back and enjoying the changing of the seasons. Well .. I'm not quite done with summer .. but soon.

Summer Goodness

2011-08-16T05:26:00.000-06:00

... At The Thrifty Garden Home

Yesterday was a 'work hard in the yard' day. Every so often we need to get control of summer growth .. read weeds .. and take a string trimmer to the landscape. Every muscle aches and yet feels sort of good after the workout. My mind is ever 'expanding' the garden space and making mental notes for next year (which should be written down .. and soon .. lest I forget). The strawberry bed is taking up too much precious ground inside the fenced garden area. I'm hoping to develop a new home for the plants. I have my eye on an area to grow corn that gets long hours of sunlight each day. Soon we should have tomatoes coming out of our ears from the 30 or so plants in our 'square foot garden' area .. it's amazing how tall they can grow if given a chance and a good sturdy trellis. Every year our garden grows a little bit .. and we become better at tending it.

I love when the birds 'plant' giant sunflowers :)

Hopes for next year (read, 'what failed this year;):

Grow more cucumbers (find out what I'm doing wrong .. only one plant survived)
Plant twice as many green beans (so I don't have to buy any from the farm to can)
Add more soil to my deeper raised beds .. the sides cast shadows and cause some areas to have stunted growth
Plant more peas (read .. enough to freeze once they're shelled as most get eaten while I'm working in the garden)
Plant onions in the old garden .. they failed miserably in the raised beds
Amend the raised beds to include a little clay for better water retention .. or mulch heavily with straw

A bumper crop of good sized heads of cabbage

Triumphs this year:

Green beans
Tomatoes (crossing fingers)
Raspberries
Strawberries
Greens
Celery
Herbs
Pumpkins & squash (a triumph because we don't have zucchini coming out of our ears;)
Peppers (still a work in progress)
Cabbage
Not a record .. but we have potatoes
Assortment of flowers to attract bees .. and the chipmunks didn't eat all of the gladiola bulbs :)

What's thriving (or failing) in your garden?

This And That

2011-07-27T23:57:00.001-06:00

in the middle of summer.

The garden is growing leaps and bounds. Tomatoes are setting fruit .. and huge heads of broccoli have been picked, blanched ... and frozen for winter. Raspberries are ripening .. and being picked .. though not many are surviving the walk to the kitchen ;) It's been cool enough for the lettuce to still be producing ... which means LOTS OF SALADS! I'm noticing the northeast corners of the double stacked raised beds grow lush .. while the southwest ends seem stunted. Will have to adjust my planting next year to take this into consideration.

We just got back from a mini trip up to Glacier National Park ... arriving only days after the Going To The Sun road opened for the season. This drive passes across the Continental Divide and opened rather late this year. (I think the latest ever.)

It seems the weather tables have turned and the inland northwest has THE best weather across the United States this summer. Of course, we'll get our payback come winter. The air conditioner has only been turned on once this summer ... and that was due to humidity .. not excess heat.

I've been enjoying and really using our flour mill of late. It's become a habit now to grind enough wheat for a day or two.

I also dragged out my pasta roller/cutter after watching an Italian cooking show that featured a recipe with dough made so quickly in the food processor .. then rolled and cut quickly. For this I am using some of my home ground flour and semolina flour ... a good mix.

The herb garden has been harvested once already with bundles of greens hanging in the garden shed to dry. My favorite dried herb is thyme. There should be enough time for another growth spurt and harvest. Nothing beats fresh herbs in the summer right out the kitchen door.

Now that our daughter, Ann, moved out in May ... we are seeing a savings in electricity and food. Coffee beans last much longer :) Speaking of coffee ..we're now roasting beans in a hot air popcorn popper! It works much better than smoking up the kitchen using a skillet ... and can be done outside.

Glacier National Park

What's growing in your garden ... and happening in your neck of the woods?

Nice Weather

2011-07-16T01:05:00.001-06:00

... a bit too cool for tomatoes and peppers.

My tomatoes have blossoms that keep falling off. I think our chilly summer is the cause. My pepper plants started from seed last March are slowly getting bigger. Ever thankful for the bigger plants I purchased and added for insurance. Not sure about the rest of the country that seems to be sweltering in the heat and humidity .. but would like to have some of the warmth arrive to set the blossoms. Today I was thankful to see the bees out once again in the backyard. Seems they were mainly collecting from the spring flowers that are now just blooming in the front yard. I have lots of clover in the back .. and now the mustard is blooming .. hopefully this will entice the bees enough to notice the tomato plants as well.

What's blooming, withering, or being harvested from your garden?

Lightening .. the natural fertalizer (huh?)

2011-07-13T03:07:00.000-06:00

Last Years Garden

I can't wait to peek at the garden in the morning. We had a huge electrical storm pass through that should green things up. It's especially true if you have any metal (i.e. fencing) nearby. I'm no scientist .. just observant. My pole beans greened up quite nicely last year from such a storm. Here's an article with some of the facts. HOW LIGHTENING BENEFITS THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

The Ups and Downs of Raised Garden Beds

2011-07-11T02:27:00.000-06:00

I like the new raised garden area. It is, for the most part, WEED FREE (yes!). My vole problem has turned out to be a ground squirrel (chipmunk). Confusing .. I know. But after studying the destructive habits and telltale signs .. and seeing a chipmunk, he is making holes all over the yard surrounding the garden. The only direct damage inside the fenced off area are my gladiola bulbs .. half of which have gone missing .. and nice little mounds of soft dirt piled up in each back corner where they were planted below the wood chips. And to think I scolded my dog while trying to nab the critter last week when she upturned a small woodpile. I have found one dead (half eaten) vole as well .. that I have credited to the dog.

The downside to the raised beds .. onions are not growing well. The top inch or so of soil does not retain moisture .. and yet it is damp deep down below the surface. Next year I shall try filling the beds to the top with more soil so as not to cast shadows from the wooden sides, as this causes uneven plant growth to some extent ... and to apply some hay for moisture retention.

This week the strawberries have ripened supplying about a quart each day .. enough to eat and make some freezer jam.

A New Garden Favorite

2011-06-29T14:44:00.001-06:00

Not a new veggie .. just new to our family. Kale is growing in abundance in our garden; getting picked sometimes twice a day. I never knew how good it could taste .. and only associated it with the curly variety used as a food prop to pretty up restaurant plates. I can think of many uses for this hardy green .. such as used in soups, stir-fries, sauteed ... and even as a delicious topping on homemade pizza (which we've baked up twice this week).

About ready to be picked are our June strawberries .. they're just turning red and have been covered to keep the birds from having a field day. Lettuce is growing and filling salad bowls .. along with radishes .. which have only had some success. Some of our onions are not doing well .. and am not sure why .. could be from planting in the raised beds .. as we've never had problems other than them going missing from voles. Speaking of the pesky creatures, here is a good link on trapping them . Looks easy enough to make the trap devices at home .. and will try it later this week. So far I haven't noticed too much missing from the garden .. and I know the voles are out there. Our raised beds lined with hardware cloth seem to be working.

Sewing In Progress

2011-06-12T03:17:00.001-06:00

Another little reveal in 'Grandma's Sewing Room.' After examining my sewing machine, I do believe it's more of a portable model than one that can be installed into a sewing cabinet ... so I found a vintage library/sofa table that is very sturdy, a perfect height, and together with an antique (in good condition) sewing rocker, makes the perfect combination for a sewing table and chair.

It serves double duty when not in use as a plant nursery. There's even a recessed ceiling light above the bay window that gives off good illumination while sewing at night.

My first night of sewing produced a beautiful linen and battenburg lace addition to the valance in the master bathroom's water closet. And .. some sachet pouches for my dresser drawers.

I'm beginning to really appreciate this new (almost) empty nest phase of life :)

A few more reveals to come.

New Room .. Just A Peek

2011-06-07T03:49:00.002-06:00

vintage parlor style lamp

The new sewing room is being transformed into a vintage tribute to my many grandmothers. I'm working on getting Grandma Libby's hand pieced quilt squares matched with some coordinating/accent fabric .. (we have a new quilt shop in town for advice and selecting material:) Here's a look-see at the lamps I purchased this week. The parlor style double globe lamp is vintage .. I'm thinking mid century by the look of the cord. Top and bottom lamps work separately or together.

antique painted rose oil lamp

The oil lamp appears to be an antique .. it may be original or have been made from two lamp parts .. I need to do a little research and look closer at it's design with a magnifying glass. More peeks to come :)

A Room Of My Own

2011-05-31T22:18:00.000-06:00

Week #1:

Our daughter, Ann, recently moved out on her own and I inherited her room to turn into my own little space. As you can see it's a clean blank slate ready for a makeover. My plan is to set up the sewing machine in a permanent cabinet .. my entire life, I've had to schlep it to the kitchen table and put everything away each night. This will be nice in that I can keep a sewing project out until it's finished.

The sewing machine might be in front of the bay window .. the view is inspiring and beautiful!

Extra deep closet .. ahem .. hubby somehow has some 'stuff' in here already!

Yes .. I'm a vanilla color nut :)

I envision antiques including a bed and small rocking chair. A washstand with a towel bar and tiled back splash to hold a pitcher and bowl. Perhaps an old dress form and a pretty lamp with a painted glass shade and a chimney. Now it's time to scour the flea markets and garage sales ... AND check the basement for items to re-purpose. Check back for week #2.

Picture Perfect Weather

2011-05-29T10:55:00.000-06:00

Today is a beautiful sunny day in the North Woods. I'm hoping the temps are warm enough to kick start some growth in the garden. My rhubarb plants have been producing for a few weeks and it's time to start thinking about preserving some of their yummy goodness. Perhaps canning some rhubarb sauce this week is in order. Rhubarb freezes well .. it's great to pull out in the winter to bake up a pie or for stewing.

The leaves are poisonous .. but you can add them to the compost heap without a problem. Nothing says it's gardening time better than the arrival of rhubarb.

Simmered Rhubarb:

4 cups diced rhubarb stalks
3/4 cup sugar
water to cover

Simmer the rhubarb for a few minutes then cover the pan and let it sit until cool. This method keeps the rhubarb pieces whole. For a sweeter version, cook uncovered until tender and liquid has reduced by about 1/3 to 1/2 in volume .. Rhubarb goes well with strawberries and apples in pies.

Coaxing Some Warmth In The Garden

2011-05-28T11:05:00.000-06:00

So far this spring has been a fizzle. Not to say that I'm disappointed with so many people's lives torn apart from horrific weather in the mid-west and southern parts of the United States and elsewhere around the world ... but our damp, cloudy, rainy cool weather in the Pacific and Inland Northwest has given gardeners a run for their money. Hubby and I are just about finished with the newly installed raised bed garden; we are adding fine bark on the ground to suppress weeds. Fencing has been put up around the center section of the garden. As you can see from the photo, I have some beds sitting outside the fence. These are my deeper beds with fine wire mesh installed in the bottoms that are a foot deep to be used for root veggies. Hoops or wire surrounds will eventually be installed to keep the deer and moose from lunching on the plants. The mesh wire is to keep the pesky voles from stealing whole crops from underground tunnels. This interior/exterior fence planting has worked for us in the past as it keeps the large animals from attempting to leap over the fence .. and I really didn't want the expense nor view of an 8 foot garden fence.

The white fabric is covering our tomato, pepper and eggplants. It's breathable and lets in some rain .. but traps heat during our cold spell this spring. On sunny warm days (which are few) the coverings are peeled back. A few heirloom tomato plants and peppers have been mingled in with our plants started from seed .. just as an extra measure of success. This year I have done some companion planting .. and have left room for planting in succession.

How is your garden growing?

New Raised Beds .. and Family Life

2011-05-20T18:45:00.000-06:00

We've been busy at the Thrifty Garden Home with installing our raised beds. Everything is set for the garden fence to be put up on the already installed fence posts tomorrow. Family life has taken over gardening plans as our youngest was being checked for leukemia after a scary white blood count during a recent out patient dental visit. This crisis has passed as he does not have leukemia .. but still wondering why such a low count .. a time of worry has passed .. although always lingering.

The garden is sprouting .. potatoes are poking through the soil .. raspberry canes are green, the strawberry bed planted a few years ago is beginning bud with berries, asparagus is being picked here and there from a two year old bed, and the chard that managed to survive winter is about ready to be picked. Most everything has been planted .. except for corn and pumpkins .. We have had nights in the 40's .. and should they drop, I have means to cover the tender plants. What's growing in your garden?

2011 Square Foot Garden Planting

2011-05-06T10:51:00.003-06:00

This is just a reference list for my square foot garden for 2011; my first attempt at this type of gardening. I found an easy way to mark the garden using ground eggshells. Just use a pointed stick as you measure your planting grid area and apply a thin line of eggshells as a planting guide. The grounds last a few days and add calcium into the soil. This is less work than making a wooden grid. I will be adding my planting schedule and pictures later. We have above freezing night time temps this week and the tomatoes, peppers and other plants are hardening off in the shelter of the front porch. What's up in your garden this week?

Update (May 20, 2011)

To date garden planting

April 24 - broccoli, wala-wala onions, radish, replanted garlic planted last fall, red and Yukon gold potatoes, new asparagus bed
May 3 - bulb onions, sugar snap peas
May 12 - broccoli, bulb onions, celery, kale, parsley, petunias, tomatoes
May 18 - pepper plants (started from seed), eggplant, rosemary, carrots, cabbage plants, yellow crookneck squash, rosemary, broccoli, lettuce, chard, spinach, cilantro, ever-bearing strawberries, butternut squash (plants) cucumbers (plants), nasturtium
May 27 - corn, pumpkins (orange & white), replanted horseradish to a better location, green beans, zucchini, peas, lettuce plants started from seed, Russian kale plants (from seed), sweet peas, broccoli plants (grown from seed), Danish ball head cabbage plants (grown from seed)
May 29 - cauliflower plants (given to me by a friend), red sweet pepper plant

Stuck In La Nina

2011-04-21T21:18:00.000-06:00

We are in a awful weather pattern .. every other day brings rain or snow showers .. it's been like this for several months including ten degrees below normal temperatures. Our last 60 degree day was in November. There is a slim chance that Easter Saturday will be hovering around 60 .. but then we slide back into the cooler wet weather pattern. Makes for little news to blog about. Just ho-hum going on here. I am still recovering from the flu (which I imagine was the swine or similar variety). Although no loner contagious .. and I did visit the doctor .. my strength has not completely returned.

Hubby and I have one last raised bed to set in place and fill with garden soil. I hope to get the potatoes planted in the next day or so. What's the weather like in your neighborhood?

Coaxing Spring (hurry up already)

2011-04-11T09:45:00.000-06:00

Our weather of late has been fickle. Most of March found rain showers, gray skies, a few snow showers .. and April is only a little bit 'more promising' ... Our teeny tiny dining room plant nursery has expanded and now includes a sturdy new shelf unit sitting in front of one of the many windows. All of our plants have sprouted .. even the pepper plants after getting a good warm start in the little plastic covered greenhouse rigged with warming beds and a grow light.

Hubby and I worked on building 10 of 14 raised garden beds last week, some extra deep and outfitted with quarter inch wire mesh underneath and soon to include hoops made from curved electric conduit to support different coverings. We have them stacked and draped outside on a slope until the actual garden ground is ready. It will be at least another five weeks or so before we are frost free and can transplant the seedlings.

Through all of this soggy weather, I picked up a flu virus that ended with acute sinusitis and over two weeks of feeling exhausted. Saturday I finally broke down and visited the doctor to get some meds and am almost up to feeling 100% better. The thought of lying on the backyard hammock in the warm summer air sounds like heavenly therapy; can't wait!

Hay/Hot Box Slow Cooking

2011-03-31T17:02:00.002-06:00

Improvised Hot Box Slow Cooker

I read about this method of cooking over at Dani's blog (in South Africa) and thought I'd adapt my own box cooker with what I had on hand to see how this works. I took a large box and nestled a medium box inside surrounded with packing peanuts. The bottom of the medium box was stuffed with some shredded newspaper .. then I placed my filled cast iron Dutch oven full of stew that I had prepared and brought to a boil.. wrapped in a large towel in on top of the newspapers .. packed more paper and another towel around the pot .. closed both boxes .. and covered it with a blanket and a few pillows at 10:15 AM. At 4:00 PM I checked and it was cooked but the meat needed to be more tender so I brought it to a boil again .. packed it up and left it until dinner time at 6:00 PM.

Beef stew boiling hot ready to get covered and placed in box.

Total cooking time on the stove with browning the meat and bringing to a boil twice was about 25 minutes ... thus saving about 2 hours worth of fuel. The packing peanuts at no time got hot as the majority of the heat stayed in the Dutch oven insulated inside the medium size box. Here are some links that explain the process and give better directions. I hope to have Hubby make me a proper box as this is a nutritious way to cook AND save energy.


Finished beef stew .. thickened while slow cooking in the hot box.

Hot Box Beef Stew Recipe:

2 pounds beef stew meat
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into one inch pieces
1 onion diced
1 cup mushrooms
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
flour for dredging beef

Heat Dutch oven and add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Have beef prepared by drying well and dredging in flour. You can salt and pepper the meat a bit. Cook in three batches, browning on both sides. You may have to add a little more oil. When all of the beef is browned, add it back to the pan along with the potatoes, carrots and onion .. stirring. Add about 12 ounces of beef stock. (I added 6 ounces of beer and 6 ounces of water). Add thyme and bring to a boil. Adjust salt and pepper. Boil for about 10 minutes with the lid on. Place the hot pot on a old thick bath towel and wrap the edges tightly around the pot. Carefully place the hot pot inside the well insulated medium box and stuff more newspaper and a towel over .. around the covered pot. Close up the box. Add another towel .. and close up the large box. Cover well with a blanket and some pillows ... and allow to sit for about 5 hours .. check again .. if the meat is not tender, bring to another boil and reseal the same was as before. I read somewhere with meat dishes to bring to a boil before serving. Our stew came out of the box piping hot.

Here are some links for more information:

Rediscover the Hay Box Cooker/Mother Earth News
Thermal Cooking

Teeny Tiny 'Baby' Nursery

2011-03-15T13:06:00.001-06:00

Oh .. so waiting for the final bit of 'white stuff' to melt! Our yard is snow free for the most part .. except .. for the last little holdout in the veggie garden.

Meanwhile .. I've got the start of my plant nursery set up in the dining room.

This little greenhouse is equipped with a heater .. albeit .. it sits directly over a heater vent in the floor .. and has the use of my heating pad .. and a grow light.

A few things are sprouting .. and my tropical plants seem to LOOOOVE the attention (read warmth and frequent water mists).

Our neighbors have graciously said I could use some of their outdoor greenhouse so I placed my wireless outdoor thermometer inside of it .. and from the comfy of my living room I can check the temp 24/7.

Having been everything green deprived for the past few months .. this little nursery is a JOY!

Mrs. Mac Of Late

2011-03-09T17:25:00.001-07:00

... hopefully, not to be confused with the 'late Mrs. Mac ..

It's just been a bit dreary in the North Woods that my creative side has been stifled .. 'stuffed up' .. er .. whatever .. As soon as the sun decides to peek out from under the ongoing veil of storms .. I'll be back posting .. and I have a blog award to post.

Yesterday I managed to get to the garden center and buy some seed starting soil and peat pots . .. maybe that will get the fire going in my heart for SPRING!

Until then ...

All From A Little Warm Up ..

2011-02-14T12:29:00.001-07:00

Before pic .. by Mrs Mac

So far this winter, we had our snowiest weather in November and December. January was a mix of freezes and thaws. February is halfway over and has been warmer than normal .. a mix of rain, gloominess .. and a few days of sunshine. It's the sunshiny days that get me going .. soaking up a little natural vitamin D, listening to the birds chirp, seeing the colorful blue sky and mountains .. is a nice reprieve from winter's doldrums.

Spring cleaning is on my list of things to do starting in the kitchen. I'm working on one wall space at a time .. ceiling to floor, wiping down walls and cupboards .. all the while emptying out and washing items we don't use too often. This is a good opportunity to get rid of STUFF. By the time spring rolls around it will be nice to have this sometimes dreaded chore put to rest. It's amazing what crud collects in drawers and the pantry floor in between cleanings. How often do you 'spring' clean?

Dang TV

2011-02-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

fresh baked bread and rolls .. pic by Mrs. Mac

We have been TV free for over two years .. saving $1,440 .. and giving us back countless hours of time to devote to renewing .. relearning lost life skills. Now .. my son-in-law brought over a $10 TV antenna .. to get about eleven 'free' channels. I'm finding myself getting 'sucked' into the TV vortex from the 'newness' of this old habit .. and must once again break free from it's hold. I have put down the remote .. and will bake bread today! Turn on some nice music .. and get to work. Daylight is burning. If I can just learn to monitor my viewing .. it will be a nice pastime to sit and knit after all chores are done for the day. We get quite a few cooking, nature, outdoorsy shows to choose from .. plus local ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX .. etc. If you're paying too much for cable or satellite TV .. you might want to make a small investment in a 'rabbit-ear antenna' and ditch your monthly bill.

How To Avoid GMO's

2011-02-10T10:21:00.001-07:00

I've done a lot of reading about GMOs .. but am no expert. Here is an incomplete list of ways to possibly avoid them. Please leave a comment with ways you avoid the 'buggers' ;)

Buy certified USDA organic products (I have much mistrust of the USDA ...)
Stay away from ALL processed foods (salad dressings, mayo, crackers, hot dogs .. unless they are certified organic .. and then be skeptical .. it's not that hard to make your own dressings, mayo .. etc.)
Buy produce from local farms where you can talk to the farmer about their farming practices.
Avoid EVERYTHING with soy products .. again .. unless they are certified organic .. and soy sauce says naturally fermented. Still ..use soy sauce sparingly. Soy is hidden in so many things that say 'natural flavorings' .. it's a catch all phrase that the government allows .. I'm allergic to 'natural flavorings'.
We now will have a problem with buying organic meat with the government's recent allowance to plant genetically modified alfalfa. When the animals eat this stuff .. it passes on to us when we, in turn, eat them.
Buy only single item foods. Whole grains, beans, rice .. and be sure it's organic.

This is just the tip of the ice berg about avoiding GMO foods and makes it nearly impossible to ever eat at a restaurant because most use processed foods to prepare their meals.. Take the time to get educated about this world wide threat. The more the general public is informed .. and if enough people 'vote' with their food dollars to buy unadulterated whole foods, then the big FRANKENFOOD manufacturers will shrivel up and go away, clean up their act, .. or morph into some other evil entity! Please leave a comment about how you avoid GMOs.

Thanks.

The Unhealthy Truth (about how our food is making us sick)
Warning to British Government about US practices of GM foods
Seeds Of Deception
Allergykids.com
GMO news at Natural News.com
Organic Consumers Organization

Wake Up America

2011-02-09T11:23:00.000-07:00

Are GMO's (genetically modified organisms) .. i.e. altered DNA plants such as soy, corn, beet sugar .. now the alfalfa being fed to farm animals making us sick .. and giving us allergic reactions? Is there some big cover-up between the USDA and mega corporations .. perhaps payoffs? I don't want to sound like Chicken Little .. but it's becoming more apparent as time passes that there is a skunk in the hen house .. and the government is turning a blind 'nose'. I think the Pide Piper is more like it. A melodic tune has captured the general public and turned them into robot zombies .. eating and consuming junk foods, processed foods, and not noticing the effects until they wake up one day with food allergies, type II diabetes, or a host of other maladies. There is a big cover-up going on. Start informing yourselves so you can, in turn, inform your families before it's too late. Oh wait .. it is too late! Pandora's Box has been opened and GMO crops are contaminating in mass force. The sky is falling .. literally!

My sweet grandson Jake .. has a life threatening peanut allergy!

Food for thought: Why do other nations around the world ban GMO's yet the USA allows them?

'

Out And About .. the garden

2011-02-05T14:43:00.001-07:00

Backyard compost bin .. November, 2010

Today I needed to empty the overflowing kitchen compost container .. in our garden bin. I was able to uncover my snow/ice flattened covered tunnel of Swiss chard .. even with the weight pressing down on the plants left to over winter, there are new leaves ready to grow. It's about the only green thing in the backyard (other than the pines). I'm hoping in a few weeks to harvest a little for fresh greens.


Chard pic taken prior to snow ... November, 2010

salad/sandwich sprouts are easy to make each week.

This winter I've not purchased but two heads of lettuce from the market. Instead I'm buying organic green and red cabbage .. it has a much longer storage life .. mine sits covered in a plastic bag and terrycloth towel on top of the freezer in our cold garage .. along with cauliflower, rutabagas and 25 pounds of carrots. The garage is the perfect cold storage area for winter hearty veggies. We eat a lot of tangy coleslaw during the cold months. It's more filling .. and the cabbage doesn't mold or wilt like lettuce; none of it goes to waste. It's our green of choice chopped finely on tacos year round. For sandwiches we're enjoying the salad sprouts grown on the kitchen counter.

While winter foods are hearty and filling just thinking about our summer garden is making my mouth water! Eating foods in season .. sure gives a person cravings .. and an appreciation for change. Do you eat seasonally .. or do you purchase out of season produce? It's been ages since we had a good fresh tomato .. but I will longingly wait and savor summer's goodness all the more when the time arrives.

Frugal (read cheap) Green Cleaning & Family Health

2011-02-03T11:56:00.005-07:00

Mrs. Mac's Cleaning Arsenal

Since we ditched our anti-bacterial soap/cleaning products several years ago.. the family has had fewer colds and flu . At one point in my homemaking career .. I tried to eradicate every germ on every surface with an arsenal of highly advertised products .. (liquid soaps .. scrubbing bubbles .. etc.) Fast forward .. and remove yourself from current society .. just think back on how homes were cleaned a hundred years ago without modern products ... one has only to turn to the kitchen pantry to find alternative (cheap) cleaners.

For windows I use a recycled spray (window cleaner) bottle and fill it with one cup white vinegar with two cups tap water and a small squirt of dish soap (adding a drop or two blue or green food coloring .. so the family will 'think' it's effective;). This can be used on windows .. stainless steel appliances .. sinks, bathtubs and toilets.

Squeaky Clean Tub .. pic by Mrs. Mac

For cleaning sinks/tubs .. try just a small drop of dish soap and sprinkle with baking soda .. use a soft clean rag and a little water .. rinse.

Toilets .. same as for sinks but use a few extra drops of dish soap. Any hard water rings can be safely removed with a pumice stone. Spray your window cleaner on another cloth to wipe down the seat and rim.

Mirrors .. a soft cleaning rag (lint free) and a little window cleaner is all that's needed.

Use caution on marble (any acid such as vinegar or lemon juice may dull the surface if not wiped immediately) .. I find no problem using the window cleaner on sealed granite counter tops .. just wipe well after spraying.

Three products: Baking Soda, Dish Soap & White Vinegar will clean your home just as well as those expensive products .. saving you a ton of money .. and the environment each year. (2 gallons white vinegar & 13.5 lbs of baking soda cost under $10 and will last a very long time ... purchased in bulk at Costco).

Essential Oils .. a little drop goes a long way! pic by Mrs. Mac

I often use a small drop of an essential oil on my damp cloth (such as Rosemary or tea tree oil) giving the cleaned areas that refreshing health spa aroma.

More money saving tips: Using cotton rags (made from old washcloths, torn up towels, flannel sheets, sweat pants, etc.) works better than paper towels .. if you stop using fabric softener (Downy or Dryer Sheets) .. and instead use 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the wash rinse. Fabric softeners tend to leave a filmy residue on fabric and may streak mirrors.

Bar soap .. and 20 seconds of scrubbing = clean!

When using bar soap, invest in a little footed insert for the soap dish .. it keeps the soap elevated and out of any water .. making it stay cleaner and last longer. A single bar can be cut into four smaller sized pieces .. perfect for hand washing.

Turning To Garden Thoughts

2011-01-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

I've been researching a bit about weedless gardening .. and was given a book by the same title by Lee Reich that explains how to replicate the soil environments found in nature. It's a very interesting and sound idea .. and less back breaking work than tilling in compost .. which I happened to do last spring by double digging in many cubic yards of compost (did I mention back and shoulder breaking?;). This week I'll be formulating .. in mind and on paper the garden setup for this coming season .. and using many ideas from this excellent and informative book.

For one thing .. I'll be planting less variety of veggies .. less beets .. more carrots etc. Why take up space for produce my family won't eat? And, hopefully, be using a lot less water. Are your spring gardening plans coming to life?

On Wheat and Kefir Grains

2011-01-28T10:08:00.002-07:00

Even though I 'hate' Walmart ... and don't buy much other than a few produce items once in a while in a pinch .. they are now stocking Wheat Montana products .. and beat the health store prices. Hubby and I picked up two 25 pound sacks of wheat berries (Prairie Gold variety) for $12 each .. and their flour products are a good price as well. Attempting to stock our storage pantry is expensive .. so this discount was a good find.

kefir grains are added to cool water/sugar mixture

I promised to fill you in on the water kefir experiment. I took half of my milk kefir grains (a nice gift from Mr. & Mrs. H ..last year:) as they had greatly multiplied .. and designated them to make water kefir. It took a few days for the grains to get accustomed to their new environment .. but now they are producing a probiotic drink quite well.

kefir grains fermenting

Here's what I noticed this past week: I do think the kefir has a detoxifying property as I noticed a slight headache for several days and a few blemishes on my normally clear facial skin ... after about three days of drinking the water kefir, these symptoms have gone away. I will leave you with a few links touting the health benefits of said drink .. read into them as you wish .. as they were taken from the internet. Also .. there are some links on how to make water kefir. This is a good drink .. especially for people that may not tolerate dairy .. or milk kefir.

Water Kefir Steps

Boil some water
Place 1/2 cup of boiling water in a super clean quart mason jar
Add 1/4 cup raw sugar, or organic brown sugar, or white cane sugar
Swirl until the sugar melts completely
Add enough fresh cool water (chlorine free) leaving about 2 inches space at top of jar
Make sure the water is no warmer than room temp and add (2-4 tablespoons of kefir grains)
Place a paper coffee filter over the top of jar and fasten with a rubber band
Set in a warm spot in your kitchen for 24-48 hours.
When enough fermentation (to suite your taste) has taken place (much of the sugar will be 'eaten' by the kefir and some will turn into fructose) .. strain the grains .. I pour the fermented kefir into a clean capped bottle. The grains get rinsed and reprocessed with more water/sugar in another clean quart jar.

I am still a newby at this .. and am finding different ways each day to flavor the drink. My favorite is to use a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed organic orange juice .. or a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Ginger slices may be added .. the possibilities are endless. Next step will be bottling it in a 'stopper' topped (airtight) bottle to get a little fizz in the drink.

finished water kefir before adding juice

Water Kefir Benefits
Kefir Health Benefits
Health Benefits Of Kefir
How To Videos @ Cultures of Health
Using Milk Kefir Grains to Make Water Kefir

Mid-Week

2011-01-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

We've had a few morning visitors the past two days. Black-Jack and his wife have been nibbling on our scrub maple trees for breakfast. Of course, this sends my dog in a tail-spinning tizzy as she observes them from our glass windowed door in the dining room. Tomorrow I'll have to venture out and see how our little fruit trees are holding up .. and whether or not the 'moose' cages I put up around them last spring (and nearly ruined my shoulder over) are working.

In a week it will be time to do MAJOR grocery shopping. We are scraping the bottom of some barrels and I've got just enough $ to buy some milk and eggs without dipping into next months budget. My family seems to be getting on board .. the financial diet plan .. and are not complaining too much. We will be stocking up on wheat and a sundry variety of pantry staples. I hate running out of stuff .. but it's good to stretch our meal planning and be creative with what's available. Last week's bread was turned into crunchy croutons and used in a quiche type egg casserole that included farm fresh sausage, Swiss chard (pulled from the freezer from last autumn), etc. There's not much waste in our kitchen any longer .. leftovers are often packed in lunch boxes quickly in the mornings .. or added to supplement the dog's diet.

I've been working on perfecting making the water kefir. So far I've made three batches and use it as a base with a few tablespoons of fresh juice added to a six ounce glass. It's a good way to 'stretch' your juice supply as well as get the health benefits of the kefir. I promise to post pictures and instructions soon.

Dabbling In The Kitchen ... again

2011-01-22T17:54:00.003-07:00

This has been an exciting week kitchenwise. First with the arrival of our green coffee beans .. then the wheat grinder .. and today my supply of Tattler reusable canning lids. Come payday I'm off the get the wheat berries and give fresh ground wheat a try.

I had such a nice quantity of milk kefir grains (see previous post) that I started to research about using them to make flavored water kefir. The grains were divided: half continue to make milk kefir .. and the other half have been designated for water. So far I'm on my second quart of fermenting the water variety. I used fresh organic ginger and some organic lemon peel to flavor the first batch .. it came out very refreshing .. now to try it on the family :). The second batch I hope to flavor with some tangerines. Soon I'll post some pictures with directions.

The seeds that were sprouted earlier this week are ready to use in salads .. and I'll start on a second batch to sprout. They greatly add flavor and crunch to our meals .. as well as good nutrition.

Last year I injured my right shoulder installing 6 foot metal T-steak posts and fencing around our three fruit trees (to keep the moose out) it has bothered me for about nine months. Well .. after amping up my use of the milk kefir, calcium tablets made from seaweed, and consuming bone broth soups, it is finally on the mend ... just in time for the coming gardening season. If you have the time .. it's well worth the effort to make your own rich soup stock.

Broth Is Beautiful
Taking And Making Stock
Bone Strength Calcium Supplement
Tattler Reusable Canning Lids