National Ladies Homestead Gathering

What Did I Just See

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:41:11 GMT

I just saw the strangest thing. It's just after 5 a.m., and I'm at the barns. It's a frosty morning, just below freezing, and I'm getting breakfast out to all the ponies. I do everything in a certain order, and the horses all know the routine.

The two mares at the end of the route were in their barn with their faces just barely visible in the dim light of the overcast dawn. They watched from that shadowy place as I moved beyond their pen to finish the first part of my chore. When I turned around at the end of the line to make my way to their feeding area, there stood my most senior mare bobbing her head as if in agreement with my progress. I’m about 30 yards away from her and can tell she has something in her mouth, spinning like a propeller in front of her face. The grand lady abruptly flings her head, launching her toy into the abyss of her pen. A high-pitched screech broke the morning's silence, followed by the sound of the thing crashing into the wire fence, and then it RAN.

She’d had a young ground squirrel by the tail, swinging it around for entertainment while she waited for breakfast! It was so weird! I imagine that squirrel will never be the same.

Lilac Simple Syrup

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 18:18:19 GMT

Unusual SEASONAL FOOD! Lilacs grow like CRAZY around here ... everywhere you look, and they are HUGE! They range in color from white to deep purple and every shade in between. It's no wonder the Idaho state flower is the Syringa, which is a variety of lilac.

Sadly, I only have one plant in my yard, and trees have crowded it for years, so I'm working to bring it back to health. It is about 10 feet tall and incredibly fragrant. This week, I am going to collect flowers from plants down the road. I especially enjoy lilac simple syrup, and it lasts about 6 months in the freezer.

Do YOU make anything special with seasonal plants in your neck of the woods?

Ingredients

3 cups granulated sugar
3 cups water
3 cups tightly packed organic lilac blossoms (flowers only, no stem or green bits attached)

Instructions

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring every few minutes.
Allow the syrup to boil for 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
Place the lilac blossoms in a large heat-proof pot. Pour the syrup over the blossoms, then stir to make sure they're covered in syrup.
Place the lid on the pot and let the mixture infuse for 2 to 3 hours. I'd be cautious about letting them infuse for much longer, as the sugar in the syrup combined with the heat can speed up the decomposition process of the flowers. The delicate aroma and flavor of the lilacs can then, unfortunately, turn into the smell and taste of an old vase of flowers.
Place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and pour the syrup and lilac mixture into it, straining out the blossoms.
Compost the blossoms in your yard or bin.
Pour the syrup into clean glass containers and seal tightly.
Refrigerate the syrup! The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

I love it for MOCKTAIL hour—Lilac Spritzer!

Window Cleaning Day

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:25:12 GMT

I'll be honest. I only do my windows outside twice a year. It is a LOT of work and takes all day. Buckets, cleaners, ladder, squeegee, etc. They have never looked as good as I feel like they should, either. Sort of cloudy and not really clean.

I bought this industrial vinegar in the spring to use as weed control instead of poison, and it is still hanging around here. I decided to give it a try on my glass. This is NOT cooking vinegar and can be very dangerous if you aren't careful.

I had a little spray bottle and put it in there for application. (I'm a dummy and didn't read the bottle to see that I should dilute it, but no matter. I know better now.) I did wear gloves as this is literally acid.

Now, if you know anything about keeping livestock, you know that means flies. Amityville Horror level of flies for a good part of the warmer months, in fact. And if you know anything about flies, you also know that they leave body fluids behind nearly every time they land. So you can imagine what my windows are like. That stuff is not easy to remove.

But today, this vinegar was a game-changer. It actually melted all the gross gunk! I didn't use any tool other than my gloves and wads of newspaper. Hardly any elbow grease, either. My windows have never looked this good in the 35 years I've been cleaning them. Here are my takeaways:

1. I won't ever use window cleaner again.

2. I will dilute the product from now on.

3. I will always wear gloves.

4. I will only do this when I can have the house open, as you MUST have good ventilation. Today is one of those days.

I am soooo happy with this! Do you have any domestic goddess tips to pass on?

The Community I Didn't Know I Needed

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 23:15:05 GMT

Homesteading can be really rewarding. But it can also feel pretty lonely, especially when you're just starting and don't have anyone around who gets it.

Back in 2018, I didn't even realize I was a homesteader. My husband and I were raising our son, and I was trying to do things differently from how I had been raised. My parents grew up on a farm but chose a more modern lifestyle for our family. As an adult, I wanted to relearn the skills they had left behind.

And I was figuring it out on my own.

Most people in my life weren't into the same things. When I talked about gardening or baking from scratch, I got a lot of blank stares. It was lonely being the weirdo.

Then one day, I got invited to an Interest Meeting for a group starting in our area—National Ladies Homestead Gathering. A few local women were working to bring this nonprofit to our county. The idea was simple: share knowledge, build community, and connect women who wanted to live more self-reliant lives.

I almost didn't go. I liked the idea, but I wasn't sure I'd fit in. My husband convinced me to give it a shot. He said, "You need to get out and meet some people." So I went. And I'm so glad I did.

From the very beginning, I felt at home. It was a room full of women talking about the same things I had been trying to learn on my own. They were swapping tips and sharing advice like it was second nature. I couldn't believe I had found a group of women who truly understood. I left that meeting knowing I wanted to be part of it. A local Chapter started soon after.

This is why NLHG exists.

We're a national nonprofit that supports local Chapters so they can focus on building real community. We handle the behind-the-scenes work—like tech tools, reports, taxes, and making sure our nonprofit status stays active. We also run a private online space where women can connect, even if they don't have a Chapter nearby.

This group is about women helping women. It’s about learning as we go and sharing what we know—no acreage, no experience required.

If you’ve ever felt alone in your homestead journey, welcome. We might be the community you’ve been looking for!

Seed Longevity Charts

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 19:07:51 GMT

Average Seed Longevity Charts

Many seeds can last for multiple seasons when kept under the right conditions, especially in a cool, dark, and dry environment. Their lifespan varies depending on the type, initial seed quality, and how consistently they are protected from heat, light, and moisture.

These charts provide general lifespan ranges so you can decide which seeds are still worth planting and which may need to be replaced. There is a scroll bar on the right of each chart.

Fruit & Vegetable Seed Longevity Chart

Herb Seed Longevity Chart

Flower Seed Longevity Chart

Building Community

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 22:07:29 GMT

A lot of women find NLHG by asking one question: “Why isn’t there something like this where I live?”

The truth is, there can be. All of our Chapters started with someone just like you. Someone who cared about community and was willing to take the first step.

When I joined the Executive Team, one of my roles was helping women open new Chapters. That meant talking with women across the country who were interested in starting something in their counties. Those phone calls quickly became one of my favorite parts of the job.

Every woman shared her reasons for wanting a local Chapter. Some felt alone in their journey. Some were looking for friendship and encouragement. Others just wanted to create a space where women could share what they were learning and grow together.

But they all had one thing in common. They didn’t wait for someone else to do it. They decided to start something right where they were.

You don’t have to be an expert. You don’t need to know everything about homesteading. You just need to care about bringing women together. NLHG can help with the rest.

Chapters start in all kinds of ways. Some meet in living rooms. Others gather at libraries, farms, or local shops. Whether five women show up or twenty-five, what matters most is creating a space where women can connect and feel supported.

NLHG is here to help get you started. We offer a Chapter Handbook, helpful tools, and leadership resources to guide you along the way. You’ll also have support from our Executive Team and committee members who work directly with local Leaders. And through our private online space, Chapter Leaders can ask questions, share ideas, and encourage one another.

Starting a Chapter doesn’t mean you have to know it all. It means you’re willing to open the door, welcome others in, and create space for learning and community. That’s where real growth happens.

If you've been wishing for something like this in your area, you don't need to wait. You don't need a perfect plan. Just take the first step. We'll be right here to walk alongside you as you begin building community close to home.

Blood, sweat, and tears

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:55:25 GMT

BLOOD, SWEAT, and TEARS. If you work the land, livestock, or farm in any way, you know these 3 things will be part of your daily duties. I can name a hundred occasions when I had them all rolled into one chore.

Kinda like just now—so cold that your breath freezes under your nose, but you can't wear gloves to hammer in small U nails when doing a fence repair. Your hands are numb, so when you smash your finger with a clumsily swung hammer, the pain takes about 10 seconds to sink in...and you jerk your hand back only to gaff your arm on the fresh cut hardware cloth and then back your butt into the hot-wire when a wave of nausea hits you. The cold sweat has you staggering outta that muddy horse pen, and you slip on the ice in the groove under the gate. DANG IT, I ripped my sleeve, and now I have more mending to do!

I was wanting jammies and coffee, but now a heating pad and happy hour might be more the flavor of the evening. And with THAT being said, I wouldn't trade it for living in town for any reason! Besides, scars give you character, right?

Paybacks

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:21:04 GMT

I used the same coffee mug for two decades. A few years ago, it developed a crack and had to be retired. I've been on the search for a new piece of art to start my day, but artisan mugs are not cheap. I reached out to potters who do work that I like, to see if they would entertain a trade ... my art for theirs. I have had several wonderful exchanges! This one is from Winding Pine Pottery. I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this mug all week. Tracking showed a Saturday delivery. It felt like Christmas!

Hubby and youngest son were in town and stopped for the mail on their way to the house, gathering the package and letters. I greet them on the driveway to tell them I have their lunch ready. Son gets out of the truck holding my box. "You got a package! Some kind of pottery or something," he calls and THROWS it to me ... but purposely short and it crashes at my feet, top breaking open and the paper packing coming out, box busted up from the weight and misshapen from the roll. I hear what sounds like breaking clay.

I SCREAMED. I admit I used all the bad playground words. They are laughing as I'm scrambling around in the gravel gathering up my prize and open the box the rest of the way while furiously cursing the laughing jerks...only to find several tennis ball-sized rocks sandwiched in the packaging. What I heard was rocks banging into each other. I kicked the broken carton of rocks a few times for good measure while I dialed back my tirade. Hubby had the mug and half the packaging cradled against his side out of my view until I got a bead on his laughing face. He held out my treasure, and I snatched it out of his grip. Apparently, the two of them hatched this plan a quarter mile from the mailbox to the house.

I'm still mad, but recognize that paybacks suck. I DO play tricks on the guys, but not mean ones! (Okay, so I CAN actually laugh and acknowledge they got me good.) But DANG I went from mild to hysterical FAST!

Does your household play tricks/pranks on each other?

Bad Intentions

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:42:22 GMT

A story about bad intentions and consequences ...

So Hunter and I were sitting on the stoop of the hay barn, enjoying the sun and brushing the dogs. Logan was lying in the yard swing, talking to a girl on the phone (big surprise, right?).

I recalled Logan had said a few days ago that he had seen a clutch of eggs under the hay barn, so I asked Hunter to grab them. Upon inspection, I discovered them to be filthy, and when shaken, they sounded all liquid.

Ohhhhh ... rotten. I spied Logan on that swing with his back to me, completely oblivious to everything around him. So, in my infinite wisdom, I give Hunter the nod, indicating I have decided to lob an egg to burst its stink bomb near loverboy to get his attention.

I gave a good heave, but it wasn't enough, and the egg just bounced on the grass. Hmmm, I have to throw it harder. So I grip that cold, filthy chicken nugget and fix to crank it as hard as I could, and without realizing it, I tightened my grip on the remaining 4 eggs clutched between my left arm and body, effectively blowing them up!

The coagulated, green, cottage cheese texture and stink that makes you wretch was plastered all over my torso and arms, with bits of shell glued to the revolting mess. Hunter’s howling laughter rang in my ears. Shrieking, I ran to the house, stripping as I went, down through the garage, laundry room, and into the shower.

As I emerged from the bathroom, disgusted that I brought that upon myself ... there stood my teen, still unaware of what I had done but concerned because he had heard me screaming. I explained what had occurred, and with an incredulous tone, he said to the girl on the phone, "Can you believe this? My own mother throws rotten eggs at me."

Then wanders off saying, "Karma is alive and well!"

Winter's Symphony

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:23:53 GMT

Soft sprinkles make no sound on their own until they accumulate on the roof and land in an adagio drip. Once combined, they make a muffled thump as they hit the snow piled high under the eave, after sliding off the roof and trickling along the icicles gripping the rain gutter.

The wind is a constant companion here on the prairie, and it whisks leaves from their hiding place under the deck. Wet and decomposed, they whirl about at an andante measure. Branches against the barn are the percussion brushes for the unorganized music. Toys half-buried in snow, buckets, hay under a tarp, and puddles created from the melting snow all respond to the rain with a different sound.

As I trudge to the barn, the melody of the rain on the tin roof of the coop is a beautiful song by itself, but marries well with the colorful splashes of barnyard noises like a rooster’s crow, bleating goats, and horses. The cleats of my boots bite into the ice-crusted snow, crushing the once soft blanket of white that lies beneath, and the freezing rain pricks my face like needles.

I rush through chores to get back to the house to a hot pot of coffee and watch the storm from the window. The grandfather clock I stand near while watching this show echoes in my head like a metronome. The symphony of instruments outside isn't keeping time. The shower is falling with an urgency now, unloading the water-laden clouds with a moderato gusto, allegro, then the maestro gives the command and PRESTO! The deluge is a deafening roar like an audience on its feet at the end of a piece performed by Mozart himself.

The recently plowed driveway is now turning to a thick slush. It is suddenly silent, and I see water seeping in under the dining room door.

Stuck In The Snow

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 19:11:56 GMT

Several years ago, my local Chapter Gathering landed on the same day as some really nasty winter weather. It was the kind of day where the snow was blowing sideways and you wondered if anyone would even show up.

But a few of us did. We bundled up and made it. It was small, but it was good. We talked about baking bread and had a Christmas gift swap for those who wanted to join in. Nothing fancy, just women coming together and making the most of it.

Afterward, as we were all leaving, we noticed a new gal who had left just before us had missed the turn out of the driveway. Her front tires were buried in the snow. She was unable to get moved on her own.

But no one hesitated. We all pulled over. Started moving snow, digging, putting things under her tires, calling in backup. Eventually, she was able to get out.

And what stayed with me wasn’t just the snow or the stuck car. It was how every woman there was fully committed. No one left her to handle it alone.

We were in it together.

That’s what I think of when I think of NLHG. We don’t just show up for the good stuff. We show up when it’s hard, when it's cold and snowy. When someone needs a hand. We’re not afraid to shovel, push, or stay a little longer.

And sometimes, it's that one moment that sticks with you until the next Gathering. A little reminder that this isn’t just a group. It’s a community.

As we head into the holidays, I hope you get to experience that same kind of warmth. The kind that doesn’t come from a fire or a blanket, but from people who show up. From quiet kindness. From knowing you’re not alone.

Wishing you a season filled with good memories and shared meals. And a few unexpected moments that will stay with you.

Pony Kisses

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:47:52 GMT

I miss sweet Chip. He was the only horse I ever really loved. He left me in October ‘24.

I can press my face anywhere against Chip’s soft velvety muzzle while he relaxes in the crisp morning sun, or a windy evening, or a snowy afternoon. I can feel his warm, moist exhalations on my cheeks, and he often will nibble at me while he speaks in his quiet, chuckling voice near my ear. We have had many conversations without ever needing words. He rarely makes the choice to move away from my attentions but rather seeks them out. He isn't following me hoping for snacks, because unlike other horses, Chip doesn't have molars and can't chew. He doesn't get carrot and apple bits from my pockets like the others.

The dark brown of his thick, shaggy bay-colored winter coat is falling away with the approach of spring, revealing the bright coppery hue of fine slick hairs underneath. At about 23 years old, he has seen a lot of action, raising 6 kids in 4H rodeo for many long years, and now has a retirement home with me. He is still willing and able to take me on leisurely rides, but does tend to get a little spunky if I give him free rein to move how he likes.

This summer I so much look forward to some easy trail riding in the cool shade beneath the dense green pines and firs of the north Idaho forest. I imagine we will bird watch and look for wildlife. We will sniff flowers and revel in the smell of composting leaf litter. We will look at butterflies on ferns and listen to the sounds so different than our farm. The forest floor is soft and easy on the old man’s feet. Chip will enjoy pretending to graze on the sweet green grass of meadows while I eat lunch from my pack with whatever friends have joined us. But alas, our summer riding season is far from here. Snow is expected in a few days, so for now, I will just enjoy his soft, messy pony kisses in the yard.

A Sock And A Reminder

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 18:29:19 GMT

Almost seven years ago, I started a needlework group through our local NLHG Chapter. We’d gather with our yarn and thread, sip something warm, and work on whatever project was in our hands. More than that, we visited. We shared tips, stories, and life. I kept it going for several years, and it was one of my favorite things. But life got full, and last year, I had to let it go. There just weren’t enough hours in the day.

I’ve missed it.

Fast forward to this week. I got a message from a woman who came to our meet-up just a few times, way back in the early days. She let me know she had finally finished the sock she started back then—and she wanted to share her excitement.

She had tried. She had stuck with it. And now, she had a sock.

If you’ve ever tried to knit anything, you know the first one is the hardest. But once you’ve done it, the second, third, fourth... they come a little easier. Her message meant so much. Not just because she finished the sock. But because she kept at it. She learned something new. And now, she has that knowledge to carry with her and pass on.

It reminded me why we gather. Why we teach. Why we share.

Sometimes, we don’t get to see the fruit of what we’ve planted. But every once in a while, we get a little glimpse.

And it’s such a gift.

When Things Go Wrong

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 04:00:05 GMT

Recently, I joined two friends to host an online canning class called Preserving the Pantry. This was a wonderful opportunity to guide our audience through the art of pressure canning pot roast.

When I arrived, everything was beautifully set up. The pressure canner eagerly awaited on the stove, with jars ready to warm inside, and the lid was set firmly on top. A pot of water for lids and seals was prepped, and the broth was in a pan, just waiting to heat up. The table was arranged with fresh carrots, potatoes, celery, and cubes of roast. All we needed to do was get the tech set up.

We were just five minutes away from going live when Katrina, our Master Food Preserver, turned on the stove to warm everything up. The countdown started, and we were LIVE!

Everything went smoothly until it was time to remove the warmed jars. When Katrina tried to turn the lid, it wouldn’t budge! The warmth from the burner had created a vacuum seal, and the canner lid was stuck. The three of us shared looks over the camera and monitors. A quiet panic set in. We were live, and our audience had taken time out of their busy days to can along with us. But Katrina stayed calm and didn’t miss a beat. Before the class started, she had set a second pressure canner under the table. Katrina planned to use it for what she called “TV magic.” Inside was a

ready-to-go batch of processed pot roast that she could reveal at the end. That way, the audience wouldn’t have to wait the full 90 minutes to see a finished product. She pulled it out with a smile and reassured our audience that we were starting over.

While she prepped the second canner, I dashed to the basement to grab new jars. The canner was ready, and the lid was left askew this time. We were determined not to let history repeat itself!

Despite that little hiccup, the class was a fantastic success! Our audience remained engaged, and Katrina answered plenty of wonderful questions. Everyone walked away knowing how to pressure can pot roast.

This experience was a lovely reminder that things don’t always go according to plan, and that’s perfectly okay. It’s important to be flexible and to keep going, whether you’re canning, homesteading, or tackling any other challenge. Learning something new (or even revisiting something you’ve done often) will often come with challenges. The secret is adapting, finding a new solution, and moving forward!

Locked In

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 13:39:44 GMT

I WAS MAD, heading upwards to livid. I was in the coop collecting eggs and tending the mama hen and new chicks. My oldest came into the little building looking for a tool, then left—latching the door from the outside. I hadn't realized it for a few minutes until I was done with my chores and he had moved on to his. I stood looking out the glass in the door at the boy across the yard wearing his headphones and dancing while raking. It was quite cool outside, but my temperature was rising in a hurry. I had no phone. I had no tools. I had no jacket.

Screaming and banging would be fruitless and just make me angrier than I already was. He had purposely locked me in there years ago, but didn’t go far as he valued his freedom. Today was a little different. I stood there looking around, and I only had one option—the poop door.

Now, inside my coop, there is a platform about 12” x 18” inside the pop door where my lovely feathered friends stand and poop before deciding what to do next. The outside of the doorway also has a little platform over a bunch of large rocks. Without any other choice, I lay on my side, stuck both feet out of the little 12” x 20” door, and began scooting my way to freedom.

The filth splattered all over the inside stoop smeared and/or crumbled into chunks, grinding into my jeans and sweatshirt. In case you didn’t know, chicken poo smells like burning tires. I already had mud all over me from a romp with my horse earlier in the day, and now I’m quite a sight. I stomped over to the poor kid and let him have it...and ended up apologizing because this time he wasn’t intentional in my imprisonment. He never even glanced at the coop once while I was giving him the stare down before my escape, which is his norm when looking for a reaction.

I have 2 customers due here any minute to pick up work, and I’m a mess. See why you will NEVER hear me say I am bored? Who has time for that? There is always something going on. Have a great day. I hope yours is poop-free.

The Quilt

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:20:23 GMT

My great-gran has been gone for decades now. She was in her 90s when she left this world. I didn't know her well, as she departed when I was 22 and lived a thousand miles away.

I am lucky enough to have 2 of her quilts, one just a smaller version of the other. I have had the larger one for many, many years, but saw the smaller one at my dad’s last week and fancied it for myself. He gave it up, not even realizing what he had.

With the chill in the air last night, I covered myself with one of them for the first time in the many years I have had them. It seemed a shame to just let her labor of love sit in a vacuum-sealed box. How was THAT doing any good or honoring her memory? I decided she would like it if I were using them. It’s like saving fine china for a "special occasion". Every day is special, right? What occasion could I be waiting for to use a quilt?

So I spread the smaller one on the bed and snuggled in. As I lay there waiting for sleep to find me, I could see in the dim light every stitch she made by hand. It was assembled with tiny stitches on every little piece and patch, and the border all the way around. Here and there, I can see a tiny knot. Later it was machined on top.

The kind of activity that goes into stitching for hours on end gives you a lot of time to think. I wonder what she pondered? Hopes, dreams, fears, joys, and pain? I drifted away thinking of all her endless hours of contemplation while making these treasures with the expectation that her descendants would use them and feel her love from a not-so-distant past.

This morning, I decided, indeed, my slumber was better under the blanket of the musings and protection of a woman who was born 120 years ago. This photo is from her wedding in 1919:

In memory of Jennie Allwood 1902-1993

Yellow Jackets

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 21:18:33 GMT

I’m not sure where to begin, as my mind is muddled from a sleepless night. Our home is more akin to the set of a horror movie, and I’m currently sitting in the dim lamplight at 5 am, anticipating the next scare. As my coffee boils, I'll tell you the story.

All summer, it has been almost a game dodging the yellow jackets (YJ) that darted in and out of a tiny crack in the siding of the house right near the back door. Honestly, they never paid us any attention despite my efforts to spray poison at them every chance I got. Well, Sunday evening I had the idea to use a can of spray foam insulation to seal up some holes an amorous woodpecker made (trying to lure the ladies in) on that side of the house, and also spray the wasp hole.

My heart was racing as I approached, climbing over the rocks in the dark, filling up the spaces in the siding that appeared earlier in the year. (HERE IS ONE NOW approaching as I write! Crawling alongside the edge of the foot stool!) I’m getting ahead of my story here.

Bear with me ... so I’m barefoot, balancing on a huge rock with the YJ mansion somewhere inside the wall of my house right above my head. I spy the crack they have been using, and I see two sets of eyes looking much like they are wearing the helmets and goggles of old-school fighter pilots facing me. They are backed into their "hangar," ready for takeoff should they be under attack.

That is exactly what I had in mind, so I gingerly shoved past them with the long flexible stem attached to my can of whoop @$$ and unloaded it. My mind was gleefully chanting "DIE! DIE YOU BUGGERS" and so on. Not one insect left the nest after me, and I felt triumphant that I likely killed them all with the foam and sealed the few stragglers inside to die. My smug self slept well.

Monday morning came as usual. Sit on my chair with my coffee and read, wake up the guys, then head to the barns for chores. Upon my arrival back to the house, my husband meets me at the door, half-ready for work, and tells me in a very odd tone that "We have a situation."

This usually means a dog threw up somewhere, and no one wants to deal with it. I follow him in, down to the mancave in the basement, and witness the YJ version of Amityville Horror. YJ are covering the windows and pouring into the room from a hole they chewed in the drywall overnight. As it turns out, this was no small nest, and for my suddenly weakened heart, it looks like the population of India in YJ is in my house. The boys come down the stairs to see what is going on, and the four of us stand in stunned silence watching this unfold.

The YJ don't seem to care we are there. Kevin says he is going to open one of the windows and let them out. Against my protests, he approached the wiggling mass of insects on the glass and slowly opened the window. I was shocked none attacked him! I begged him to just cut a hole in the screen rather than messing with those tabs trying to pry the screen out, but he wasn't having any of that. The screen came out easily enough, and he used a hand towel to swish them out. I was shocked they were peaceful until he stepped on one and it left behind a surprisingly large stinger.

I suggested we plug the YJ-sized hole with toothpaste since that’s what I had on hand, and it seemed to work. I could hear buzzing in the wall. By 8:30 am, I was on the phone trying to find an exterminator. They could have a man here around 2:00 pm. Kevin left for work.

Every ten minutes or so, the boys and I would check for more. We kept finding one or two, and then saw one drop on the windowsill from the top of the casing. I pulled the blind back to discover a couple dozen YJ clustered at the top of the window frame. I gave them a good hose down with the last half can of poison I had on hand. It looked like they had been hiding there since their friends "bugged out " earlier in the morning. It seemed like we had the all clear finally, and the toothpaste "patch" was keeping them at bay.

Fast forward to about noon. I’m sitting at my drawing table against the back door right near the plugged-up entrance site. I have the screen closed, letting in the beautiful weather. I keep hearing what sounds like rustling leaves. There is no wind, and I don’t have dry leaves on the ground yet. I get up and stand in the doorway, peering out across the yard. A YJ drops from above and hits the deck with a soft thud. I raise my eyes and—to my utter disbelief and absolute horror—see through the slats of tiny grates running the length of the house in the underside of the eaves … heads. Thousands. Of. Heads. Poking out of the grates, looking for a way to escape. The noise I’d been hearing for hours is the YJ climbing on top of each other and trying to force their bodies through the slats.

I could clearly see into the darkness of the grates a mass of movement. It is about this time that I think that if they have to open up the walls of this house, then so be it. I bet it would be newsworthy. The boys and I are standing in the dining room looking at them at about 1:30 pm and talking about going to stay at my dad’s, just ten minutes away.

Something in the air shifted. The three of us became stock still in unison. Some kind of noise we couldn’t identify began to rise up. Logan crept down the stairs to look at the toothpaste site, and the YJ were once again pouring into the house but at a faster clip than earlier that morning.

ABANDON SHIP!!!!

We all rushed upstairs to our rooms to gather some clothing, etc., locked the dogs in the shop, fed all the horses, and sat in the truck waiting for the exterminator. We called Kevin and told him to meet us at my dad’s—DO NOT GO HOME!

Against my better judgment, I crept back into the house, worrying that it would have YJ in every nook and cranny if I didn’t get that window open again near the entry point. I used a broom handle and moved as slowly as possible (which is counterintuitive!) and slid that window open, and they right away began to filter out again. So I headed back to the truck and waited.

The pest control guy arrived about 2:00 pm. He walked around for a look and discovered this wasn't just a typical YJ problem, and went to put on his bee suit. He commented he hadn't had to wear it in over three years and hadn't seen a problem like this in years. He used all his chemicals, did his pest guy thing, and explained we needed to be out 4-5 hours as the critters would be frenzied and the chemicals needed dry time.

So we hunkered down at my dad’s and waited. I kind of wanted to just stay the night over there, but really didn’t want to deal with washing all the linens later (he was traveling), so at 7:30, Kev came back to the house. He discovered hundreds of dead insects with a few wigglers in the house. He used a shop vac to clean them up. So the boys and I returned. (I couldn’t believe they didn’t have to tent or pull off walls. I’m still not convinced.)

There were a few in the kitchen light fixtures I discovered when one dropped onto the back of my neck. There is one I see up there now that’s alive. There was the one on my footstool a few minutes ago. I just can’t see how they are all supposed to be dead. The guy said I should call him back if I see more today (30-day guarantee). Of course, it's pouring, so they wouldn’t be very active anyway, but I will sure be watching. The rain makes it impossible to hear them moving in the walls if they are there. I’m nervous, so the large raindrops sound like YJ bodies hitting glass. So far, I can’t see anything in the eaves, but I’m worried! I’m uncomfortable! The man explained that there are/were several queens in this infestation, and they can live up to a year. If we hadn’t discovered this problem now … next spring we would have a very, very serious issue.

So I guess there is my silver lining (you know I always say there is one.) Say a little prayer for me today, and stay safe out there, and for heaven’s sakes, don't ever just let a yellow jacket/wasp nest go unattended!

Raspberry Rewards

miranda.johnson@nlhg.org (Miranda Johnson) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 19:36:21 GMT

My favorite part of the garden is my berries. I’ve got strawberries, raspberries in both red and golden, and gooseberries. But the raspberries are my favorite. They taste like summer to me.

The funny thing about raspberries is that they don’t all ripen at once. You can’t rush the process. You just have to show up, day after day, and pick what’s ready. Some days, I bring in a bucket full. Other days, just a handful. But pruning, tending, and caring for those canes always pays off.

Every day during raspberry season, I grab a bowl and take a break from everything else. I head out to the patch, push into the canes, and sure enough, I always find the reward. It’s peaceful and satisfying. And it reminds me that the berries ripen in their own time.If I don’t check in often, some fall to the ground before I can get to them.

That got me thinking. This delicious task is similar to the work we do in NLHG. We show up month after month. We gather with the women in our communities. We share what we know and offer help where it’s needed. We don’t always see the results right away. But we plant the seeds, care for the relationships, and over time, we grow something sweet and meaningful.

Just like the raspberries, that kind of growth takes patience. It takes commitment. It takes hands that are willing to dig, prune, and sometimes get scratched. But when you step back and take it all in, you see it. Knowledge shared. Community built. Friendships formed.

Picking raspberries today reminded me why this work matters. It’s about being present. It’s about tending to what feeds us in every way. And it’s about sharing the bounty with others along the way.

Why I Bother With Canning

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:58:16 GMT

Today I'm reflecting on WHY I BOTHER WITH CANNING SEASON.

It was hot the day I picked the peaches. It took 2 days to process them all, and the kitchen was like Georgia in July with the canning pots belching out steam for hours on end.

The pots are huge. Black with white speckles, and the lids rattle as the water boils, sounding like a never-ending earthquake.

The windows are covered with condensation, with slow trickles of water running onto the sill.

Juice runs to my elbows as I peel, dripping on the floor and saturating my apron with the sticky, sweet mess.

Baskets of the fuzzy, sweet skin create an overwhelmingly heady and delicious smell that clings to anyone passing through the kitchen, as if they had been sprayed with an intoxicating perfume.

I toss the skins into the yard, making many chickens happy, who then decide to camp out on the kitchen stoop so they can peer into the glass door and use secret chicken powers, forcing me to throw out more.

I make jam, fresh-packed halves, and pie filling. The ping of the lids satisfies me in a funny way.

The jars now stacked in the pantry are a beautiful combination of orange, reds, and yellows that seem to glow and look like a flashy, exotic concoction in glass.

I’m always a heroine deep in the cold, damp winter when the smell of a fresh pie wafts through the house. My family is coaxed into slumber with full bellies, lips still sticky with syrup, while the cold of winter swirls around outside.

What a blessing it is to go from a kitchen that felt like summer in the Deep South to cracking open this jar of sunshine in January.

Spring Time

miranda.johnson@nlhg.org (Miranda Johnson) — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:22:38 GMT

Each spring, I start tucking seeds into the soil with purpose. Like many gardeners, I grow food for my family. But in recent years, it’s become more than that.

Our local NLHG Chapter began a Chapter Outreach Project to share the extra from our gardens with others in the community. It started small. Just planting a few extra and donating the surplus. Now, it’s something many of us look forward to.

We gather what we grow and bring it to food banks and senior centers. Some ladies drop off extra tomatoes or zucchini. Others bring herbs or berries. Together, we’re helping make sure fresh, homegrown food reaches people who may not have the time, space, or ability to grow their own.

As I get ready to plant this season, I keep that in mind. With every seed I press into the ground, I think about who it might feed. It’s a small act with a big impact.

This is what self-reliance in community looks like.

Yes, we grow for ourselves. But we also grow for others. Gardening becomes something more when it reaches beyond our own tables.

Miranda is a homesteading wife and mom living on two acres in the Idaho Panhandle. She’s passionate about gardening, herbal medicine, fiber arts, and teaching others how to build a self-reliant life.

Random Musings

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 14:08:45 GMT

RANDOM MUSINGS ABOUT FARM LIFE ... and I still wouldn't trade it!

Hay rash sucks. After picking up bales from the field and stacking them in the barn, it feels like you have been rolled in barbed wire, and your arms look like a person with a skin picking problem with a whole bunch of tiny scratches and open wounds. There is NO way to avoid getting hay crumbs in your shirt, pockets, or anywhere else just going out to feed each day. Then you’ve got hay rash wherever those hay crumbs get stuck.

Screaming goats sound like they are actually yelling “MOM!” and it makes me a nervous wreck.

Always keep your cell in your pocket because you never know when you might get yourself locked in the tack room of someone’s trailer when the door slams shut and no one is home.

Be careful not to lean too close to the hotwire—EVER—but especially when you have a wrench in your pocket.

When it is windy and you are shoveling pens, be sure to stand on the upwind side of the wheelbarrow.

Best to break eggs for cooking into a small bowl before adding them to other things, as it is gross to break a partially incubated one into the dish you are making for breakfast.

Ladies, you never have long enough without wearing boots or having to walk through the dusty driveway to polish toenails and let them actually DRY. (I’m not sure why I bother since they are always covered up with boots.)

Hang the fly strips well above eye level because leaning into them with hair as long as the middle of your back is a major drag.

You know you had a good day's work (or play) when you are in the shower and as soon as the water hits you, it smells like the first rain in months when the dirt gets wet.

It amuses me that when I turn on the A/C in the car in summer, it smells just like the barn because of the horse dust that had settled on the engine.

You know it is time to move the young guinea fowl out of the brooder in the garage when they finally “get their noise” and it sounds like a vehicle with loose belts running non-stop.

Candles and cleaners smell nice…but the smells that say “home” to me are sweaty horse, a tack room's unique leather smell, coffee with a side of bacon, and fresh cut hay.

It’s nice if you bought a “seed bank”…but don’t “bank” on growing any food unless you start now. There is a HUGE learning curve to growing food, and you should be well-versed before you are actually hungry. Even city folks can grow food.

Always check your boots for spiders before putting them on, even when in the house.

And finally…When choosing paint or flooring for your home, stick with colors ranging from “dirt” to “mud.”

I Trust Animals

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:26:50 GMT

When is your spring coming?

I trust animals. Today, there are 5 robins in the yard. Usually, their appearance heralds the arrival of spring. Despite the date on the calendar, the temperature just now is over 40; later in the week, it's predicted to be in the 50s, and the snow is melting fast. This morning, it is pouring rain, and these birds joyfully flit around the yard tugging on huge rose colored elastic earthworms pushing through the wet soil. It is a seasonal banquet. They are chirping wildly in excitement.

The chickens recognize the longer days this month. They need nearly 14 hours of daylight to be decent producers. Their union boss must have given them the go-ahead to pick up the egg production after the long winter hiatus. Maybe today I will let them out into the yard to share in the feast of worms.

I’m NOT excited to see the bunnies emerging from winter burrows with babies in tow. These destructive but adorable beasts are the scourge of every gardener. Their mama is about to embark on a homeschool lesson on how to chew an expensive shrub down to the ground overnight and excavate new hiding places along fence posts or under concrete slabs.

Large flocks of Canada geese are on the move, too. (No, you do NOT say Canadian. It is CANADA geese. Think California Poppy or California Quail. You don't say Californian.) You can hear them long before you can see them. They fly in tight formation, looking much like a spearhead aiming for a muddy field with hundreds of their kin already on the ground. Very sadly, one of their regular resting spots just a few lots away from my home will soon be hundreds of houses and apartments. I will miss that deafening cacophony of avian voices. Where will the geese go?

The horses are all so muddy I can’t tell if their coats are becoming loose! With the next ten days or so of warmer and possibly dryer weather, I will be able to tell. I don't really pay attention to what the calendar or weatherman says about the season changing. I just go outside and listen to the critters. The bugs and spiders will give the official nod very soon. Go outside and find out when spring will show up at your place! The animals already know.

Mending And Memories

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 16:03:53 GMT

Today was a bore. Mending day. Fixing buttons, seams, and zippers. My oldest had 7 pairs of jeans with both knees ripped out from one seam to the other that looked straight out of a zombie movie. The youngest had his share, too.

I sat in front of the sewing machine a good part of the day, cutting off those jeans and hemming them for shorts for summer. Farm kids are so hard on clothes! I was sort of complaining to myself about the chore. But after giving it a little thought, I decided it was the uniform of a healthy childhood, one not spent in front of the TV or gaming system.

Those jeans were Army uniforms worn while waging fierce battles in the back pasture. They went to the moon and raced cars. Many aliens were slain wearing those pants. They climbed trees and caught fish, went camping, and rode bareback on a favorite horse. They protected knees when sitting on that rough barn roof and collected the mess like mud flaps when standing on the back of the tractor.

Those mangy old farm boy jeans—ripped and stained as they are—carry memories that can't be made anywhere other than outside.

So, I carefully stitched together the remnants of the legs I cut off for shorts from those pants that can no longer be worn and made pillows for the man cave...where they can loaf around and dream up the next adventure to ruin the new pants in the closet.

Fast forward 16 years. I'm not sure how to explain how I feel about this blanket I just finished hand-stitching. It’s been 16 years in the making. Each winter, I sewed a few rows. The boys are now 16 and 19, so I decided it was time to finish it up. It breaks my heart a little. My new blanket warms me in more ways than one.

It's What's For Breakfast

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:50:22 GMT

Just as dawn broke, I started the coffee on the stove. I used my blue speckled steel and porcelain pot that has the beautiful patina and chips of age. The grounds were fresh from the grinder and bobbed across the top of the water as it began to boil. Time to head out into the wet, gloomy morning for chores.

I stopped by the coop on my way back to the house and scooped up all the eggs my coat pockets could hold, as I lacked a basket. They are a bouquet of pink, brown, white and green on the outside but each boasts a blast of color in a yolk reminiscent of sunflowers.

As soon as my feet hit the stoop, the aroma of that beautiful black gold in the pot indoors has me picking up my step, anxious for the first sip as I unload my treasures from the coop. I fire up the stove and gas hisses from the burner, sounding like the fuel igniter on a hot air balloon heating up. The smell of fresh buttermilk that was made last night and vanilla wafts through my workspace as I dump it in the bowl. I'm hungry already and in my impatience, I was a bit overzealous in my stirring. Now, a fine, white powdery ghost of flour blankets the counter and my apron.

I can tell the iron is ready as I gingerly pour batter over all the nooks and crannies. The smooth, glossy surface of this 1908 Griswold iron is the original "nonstick." Steam coils out of the seams while I eye it in anticipation of turning it over. You need a strong wrist as it is heavy, unlike modern pans. My iron is a simple but clever contraption and far superior to the modern electric devices. It is a two-handed job. One lifts the base, and the other swivels the ball joint to the other side.

It smells amazing now and I can tell it is done. The first waffle is a glorious golden, crispy cake. I made butter from whipping cream last night and it doesn't disappoint. The sweet, creamy lather melts across the waffle and slides into the pockets, leaving buttery pools in its wake. I add honey to the table that came from the hives in my back pasture. It is amazing. Amber crystals cling to the inside of the bottle, as I haven't used this variety in a while. Fleshy jars of pear and apple pie jams that I canned last summer are enticing waffle condiments as well.

As I dress the waffles that begin to stack up, I crack eggs into the searing cast iron pan. The initial splash onto the hot iron sounds like a downpour on the tin roof of my hay barn and the egg white blisters from the heat. Bacon from my local butcher sizzles in the next pan over, permeating everything in the house with a smell that is nearly inebriating.

With strong cowboy coffee running through my veins, I call the kids to breakfast and get ready to start the day. WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE?

Connie Casey

Wife, teen boy mom, homeschooler

artist, farm girl, boarding biz owner

Nature's Healing: Crafting Medicine from Plants

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 19:16:05 GMT

Healing Plants

Have you ever heard this:

“Superstitious! Unscientific! Think that plant is going to actually help you?”

My reply is simple. I smile in wide-eyed wonder, lean forward and ask:

“Have you ever heard of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)? The World Health Organization (WHO)? Let’s review some studies on their sites.”

While I don’t rely on the NIH or WHO to affirm my use of traditional medicine, I do explore those sites. During the season of the Virus That Shall Not Be Named, the WHO site included strategies that were very different than the US public health policy. It was a powerful reminder that there is more than one approach to medicine and health.

For example, many of us are familiar with elderberry.

Elderberries have long been used for respiratory ailments; modern studies affirm their effectiveness.

Clinical trials are underway to determine elderberry’s helpfulness with inflammation, diabetes and mental cognition.

How do we learn more about these medicinal wonders?

You do need to do your homework: a popular post on social media is not necessarily a trusted source. I’ve seen toxic plants listed as safe and read about unsafe processing techniques. Yes, a plant can have toxic compounds and be safe to use. Elderberry is a great example of this. It can be helpful or harmful. Do your homework to use it safely!

Herbal and traditional medicine institutes, proven herbal companies, the internet, the library, and local herbalists contain a wealth of knowledge. I’ve included some useful links at the end of this article.

How do we transform flowers, leaves, roots and berries into something more palatable and portable?

The possibilities are endless! For now, let’s take a high-level look at teas and tisanes, tinctures, and salves.

Teas and Tisanes

Technically, tea is a drink made from Camellia sinensis : the tea plant. Teas can be black, white, yellow, oolong, or green.

The drinks we often call herbal teas are actually tisanes: drinks made from infused herbs, spices, and/or plants that are not Camellia sinensis . For this article, we’ll use the words tea and tisane interchangeably.

Amy (pictured above) is a homesteader and experienced herbalist. She’s shown here in the garden picking elderberry blossoms. The blossoms can be dried for future use or used fresh.

Fresh elderberry blossom tea:

Pick a handful of blossoms that are open, but not browning.
Lightly shake out any insects.
Carefully remove the flowers from the stalks (stalks and leaves can cause stomach distress).
Place the flowers in a vessel that can withstand hot water.
Pour not-quite-boiling water over the blossoms.
Steep.
Add honey and enjoy.

Tinctures

Tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts. They are made by soaking fresh or dried plant materials in a solvent (also known as a menstruum). Alcohol is the most common solvent; glycerin, water, vinegar, oil, and honey can also be used. After a specified time, the plant materials are filtered out and the remaining infused liquid is a tincture.

There are pros and cons to each solvent (alcohol, glycerin, water, vinegar, oil, and honey). They do not work equally well to extract the medicinal benefits of each plant, nor do they have the same shelf life. Wilderland Botanicals has a useful summary of the different menstruums; see their link at the end.

A tincture is more powerful than a tea or tisane. For example, elderberry blossom tea is made simply and quickly from flowers, hot water, and a splash of honey. Elderberry tincture is made from whole berries soaked in high-proof alcohol for six weeks or longer.

Basic elderberry tincture:

Fill clean, dry jar halfway with fresh berries.*
Note: berries need to be fully ripe (no green or red berries) with all stems and leaves removed.
Pour high proof alcohol (like Everclear) over the berries.
Shake gently and stir to make sure all berries are covered. Add more alcohol if needed.
Cover with a lid, label with ingredients, and date.
Place in covered cabinet away from heat and light.
After six+ weeks, strain out the berries. Pour the infused liquid into glass jars.
Use the tincture as is or use as base for elderberry syrup.
The tincture can be diluted into another beverage (for immediate consumption) or sweetened with honey.

*Fill jar ¼ full if using dried berries. Use 80 proof alcohol as solvent.

Salves

Salves are a simple way to transform plant materials into a portable, useful product. A tube of lip balm or a tin of anti-itch salve can go wherever you go.

Basic salve recipe:

Ingredients:

1 ounce beeswax or beeswax pastilles
4 ounces herb- infused oils
Optional: 10 – 20 drops essential oil

To Make the Salve:

Break beeswax into small pieces. You can also use beeswax pastilles for this.
Place beeswax in a double-boiler (low heat) and slowly melt.
Note: I use a small, dedicated crockpot for salve-making.
Add herb-infused oils; mix well.
Remove from heat.
Optional: Add essential oils.
Quickly pour mix into tins, lip balm tubes, or small glass jars.
Cool completely.

Let’s take a closer look at step #3: Add herb-infused oils; mix well.

This is where the medicinal magic occurs! You can infuse oils with a wide range of plant materials: mint, ginger, rosemary, calendula, pepper, dandelions … the list goes on. And you can use a variety of oils. Olive oil is often used: it is readily available, has skin- soothing properties, a mild fragrance, and a good shelf life. Other oils, such as almond, jojoba, coconut, and hemp seed, have different qualities. M y friend Karen makes a super soothing salve with plantain and tea tree oil.

The simplest way to infuse your oils with herbs is to place your dry herbs (Most herbs need to be dry before adding oil.) in a clean, dry quart jar. (Most herbs need to be dry before adding oil.) Leave a few inches of head space. Fill the jar with oil to completely cover the herbs. Put a lid on the jar, shake well, label and date, and set aside.

Some people place their jars in a sunny window for a few weeks. I use a cabinet away from heat and light and extend my infusion time. Drain the oils (tip: use cheesecloth or muslin, knowing that the oil residue will linger in the material). Bottle and date.

Soothing Plantain Salve with Tea Tree Oil

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil
1 cup dried plantain leaves
1 ounce beeswax or beeswax pastilles
10 – 15 drops tea tree essential oil

Three + weeks before you make your salve, make the infused oil:

If your leaves are fresh, dry them for at least a few hours to remove excess water.
Prepare a clean, dry jar.
Tear / cut leaves and place in jar.
Cover the leaves with at least an inch of oil, allowing expansion room.
Cover. Label and date.
Steep in sunny window for 2 to 3 weeks.
Strain.
Keep the strained oil in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

When ready to make your salve, follow the steps listed under To Make the Salve .

This salve truly is a balm for bug bites, rashes, itches, and allergic reactions. Enjoy!

Useful links:

Tinctures overview:
https://www.wilderlandbotanicals.com/blogs/knowledge-centre/ultimate-guide-herbal-tincture

Simple, researched recipes for salves, tinctures, and more:
https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/
https://mountainroseherbs.com/

Herbal Resources and Overview

https://chestnutherbs.com/about/links/

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/herbsataglance

The Heart Of Homesteading

Sat, 17 Aug 2024 14:49:17 GMT

I’ve had the incredible privilege of visiting many, many homesteads across this country.

Some are vast with acres that seem to go on forever! Others are tiny, tiny backyards in the middle of the city. And most are in between. Some have animals. Some have plants. Some have both. There are those who have taken on the challenge of homesteading on a steep hill, on rocky soil, or next to a busy road. Others have chosen to homestead at the end of a looooong dirt road that crosses a creek! Other homesteads have a history of farmers whispering the truth of the land; others will uncover those truths as they begin to write their own stories on the land.

But for ALL the homesteads I have visited, there is one recurring special aspect to each and every one.

Heart.

The heart of each homesteader is evident in the transformation of their land and the beauty from hours of toiling. They talk about their homesteads as if they are precious, living, breathing entities, and in reality, I suppose they are. Into these living creatures and plants, these homesteaders give their very soul to keep all healthy and thriving. There is pride on their face and strength in their voice when they figuratively take your hand and recount the journey they have been on. The heartaches, the joys, the unexpected surprises …and disappointments. The investment of time, learning, and literal blood, sweat, and tears - manifesting a dream into reality.

What an honor and privilege it was to see the hearts of so many of our ladies evidenced in their land, no matter how large or small. Our Community may be vast in measuring miles, but by the heart measurement, we are all truly connected into one beautiful Community.

Homestead Economics: Going To Market

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:10:27 GMT

A pile of bright red tomatoes, stacks of freshly baked bread, plates of scrumptious cookies, racks of quirky jewelry, tubes of lip balm, bouquets of colorful flowers, baskets of vibrant berries, swathes of homemade wares, and oodles of goodies; all while a collection of people mill about in an open space, conversing and delighting in their shopping adventure. A Farmer's Market has always held such a special place in my heart. Being a vendor was a top-tier secret goal that I have had ever since college, and it wasn't until the last couple of years that I was able to achieve it.

Where Do I Start?

Homesteading to me isn't just a hobby, it is a way of life that molds and shapes the future of my household and Community. It isn't uncommon to hear from other women how they feel the need to validate their passions financially; making profits on their endeavors. I often feel the same strain to make everything lucrative to be recognized by my peers and family as successful. The trouble with this is that when everything becomes about nickels and dimes, the value that it has for us can become strained. I certainly don't spend my time interrogating others on their hobbies and how profitable they are, but I digress.

There are many good reasons to seek out economic options on the homestead. Supplementing or replacing income, going off-grid, networking, improving options for barter/trade, building confidence, increasing public options for goods, and more. There are multiple reasons why I started my business The Misty Mushroom, but it was mainly about combining everything I do here on my small farm into a brand where I could do many things that I enjoyed while avoiding any burnout; having options to shift with the market of demand.

What Do You Want To Sell?

Researching your market is one of the biggest steps towards success. If the market is supersaturated with an item, even producing higher quality can be tough on sales. We have to examine the cost of production, advertisement, time investment, supplies/materials, seasonal expectations, laws, insurance, issues, and our own gratification with it overall. Homestead economics can be anything from a bread business to large-scale crop production, but your market and addressing the questions associated with it are crucial. Look into the vendors that frequent your local markets and see what is missing, what works, or what appeals to you.

Of course, there are a lot of questions to ask when starting out or when seeking to revamp your endeavors so far. It can become increasingly overwhelming to many, and even the thought of selling produce at a Farmer's Market can suddenly involve a lot more than bargained for. I will detail a bit of my journey and the information that I've gleaned along the way, and I welcome commentary on your own experiences in the homestead business at the end.

The Basics

Almost all farmer's markets or vending opportunities require the following:

Business License
Vendor's License
Insurance
Fee for Vending
Application to join

It is difficult for a small business to often make such investments, but look into the pricing for licensing within your state from the government website, and speak to your insurance agent on options. Keep in mind, once you obtain a vendor's license, you will be required to file taxes at the end of the year even if your sales are zero. Also, don't fall for websites that charge less for an LLC business license (they are often out-of-state law offices that take ownership of any court-related issues that may arise with your business. You want your own choice in a lawyer, so pay to file with your state).

Some markets are extremely stringent on rules while others aren't. Fitting in with cottage laws will be a determining factor also. Vending opportunities can range in price from a low $10 a day to a lofty $100+ per day. There are many local events that I have looked into that are just ridiculously outside of my budget, and often sadly end up attracting transient vendors that sell mass-marketed wares from out of the country for a huge profit margin.

I always want to at least make back the money at each market to afford my presence. If I drive an hour and make back only what the market costs to vend at, then I am not in a great position to return. A lot of my artist friends shell out for vending at conventions only to count their dollars later and realize they didn't make enough to even cover the hotel expenses.

Another aspect to consider is the equipment required to vend. The basic vending setup is folding tables, a canopy, and a vehicle to transport your wares and setup. One farmer I enjoyed chatting up was hugely successful selling produce from the back of his truck with no frills attached, while a gal who did commissioned artwork of people's homes had a remarkable homemade trailer that folded out into her display space. Some markets provide tables, but all have a designated space size for each vendor to utilize; usually 10ft by 10ft.

Common Questions

When and where is the unloading and setup for the event?

Most markets provide an hour, but larger events may have more time available for setup. Some involve a short hike while most allow vendors to park directly at their location and unload, but then demand for vehicles to be immediately moved to allow others space for unloading. Some markets have detailed explanations and maps of vendor locations, while others are extremely vague or on a first-come-first-serve basis. Expect that often things change the day of the event, as some vendors cancel and tweaking of the layout is done. Speaking to many market organizers has revealed that some vendors are not easy to work with in these regards. Being kind, flexible, and professional are all reasons that vendors get asked back.

How long is the event, & your personal needs?

Vending is exhausting, and unless you have extra hands to help; staying fed, hydrated, or using the bathroom can be difficult. Pack plenty of drinks and snacks, and scope out the distance for the facilities if they hopefully have them. I've had to abandon my post to take an extended hike, and it is certainly not the desired outcome. Bring a chair to sit in, sunscreen, a hat, a hand fan, and anything else you require for the time.

Handling money?

Cash is king at events, so make sure you have plenty of small bills to break down the plentiful $20 bills that fill your pockets. I have my banking app on my phone to accept checks, PayPal for electronic, and Square Reader for credit cards. There are many options, and don't be afraid to use a calculator to stay on track. Often it can get hectic while talking to multiple customers and handling a transaction at the same time. I use a locked cash box to store bills and use an apron for easy exchanges of cash. Before each event, I count my till and inventory my products, then count again after the event. Each is logged for my records.

What is your plan?

Practice at home setting up your canopy and tables, with an idea of how you want your products displayed. Various layouts of tables exist, some are open formats to allow more patrons into your tent while others are very space-limited for 1-2 people at a time. Keep in mind how your setup looks to customers walking by and how to pull in more, making sure to have prices visible and large.

Vendors like myself have a lot of product and a lot that goes into the display, which takes time to set up. Many things can be done beforehand or that organize your flow better. Consider simplifying your setup or adding easy decorative touches that don't require much to do, such as bundles of dried herbs or a vase of flowers. It certainly is intimidating for me when I see the amount some businesses have done for their display; including a customized canopy, signage, and other aspects that weren't cheap. It seems to assist in their overall attractiveness to patrons, but let's not forget the down-to-earth farmer with broccoli in a cardboard box and selling out every market.

Going Further

The Almighty Dollar

Money is both my greatest friend and enemy. I am always looking for methods that utilize sufficiency in one way or another. I get brown shopping bags from friends and stamp them with my logo even if they already have another company's logo on them. Plant tags are created from cut-up milk jugs, and even using some old plastic food containers to house plants. A lot of money can be spent on making a professional presentation at a farmer's market but I have never had a customer turn up their nose to one of my recycling methods; it can become a selling point. I even offer customers a 10% discount if they return my plant containers.

Growing slow and expanding annually with better methods and equipment is important to me. A few friends have invested great funds into a craft only to find the market unfavorable or not enjoyable long term. Many homestead avenues that require quite an initial investment if you are starting from scratch. Contact your local Extension office to discuss any grant opportunities available for your farming endeavors, and also research available state grants for small businesses. Begin with grants and then lean into loans if necessary. Just the money to invest in a plant tag printer is far outside of my budget at this point.

How To Push Your Product?

Networking and Word-of-Mouth are extremely important to promote yourself if your business involves direct consumer sales. Online reviews can frequently make or break a business—I try to push friends and family who have tried my products to leave reviews. I also take the advice of my father who is a Funeral Director and strict professional by omitting any political or debatable social issues from my business page or political signs on site. You can disagree with me on that, as many express their support for various causes, but I like to keep things neutral despite the fact that I have many passionate viewpoints. Certain things like conservation and environment directly correlate with my native plant sales, but I don't believe separating my consumer base on other issues is advisable because, at the end of the day, my goals in public awareness and education are higher on the pedestal.

I am big on bridging the gap with the public, especially because my product is against the grain of common methodology. I often have to work three times harder to push a product like native plants vs those that sell cultivated flowers. Other entrepreneurial endeavors do not involve such a harsh market, but there will always be challenges. Doing the overall research and talking to various vendors or producers will give you great insight into the future. A well-known Midwest native plant grower told me she was penalized for years by the greenhouse inspector because there were examples like Monarch butterfly caterpillars on her milkweed plants; which to their standards was a pest on a consumer product. Completely ridiculous!

Where Is Your Market?

Is your market local, international, online, or other? I know many who ship viable hatching eggs of rare poultry breeds on eBay for much more than they do in their own state. Many farms have online pages to promote and advertise their livestock, while others use social media to push their products and personal brands. If your comfort level doesn't include building your own website or navigating social media, then outsourcing the work will be necessary with some occupations and layers of success. My business page on Facebook is finally monetized to make money, but even taking the time to create original content may only gain me twenty bucks a month. Don't be discouraged, and understand that many homestead content creators out there who make it big now employ video editors and other folk to push their brand/channel.

Social media can be highly beneficial for free advertisement when you visit various markets and events. Your posts can be shared in local groups and city pages to push them toward a new audience. A local entertainment business I work for tested the theory of advertisement and found that just social media investment for ads far surpassed attendance numbers than previous methods. I try to dive into my local economy as much as possible and constantly find new businesses I had no idea existed. Farmer's markets are a great opportunity to see these entrepreneurs in action. If you have no intention of running a small business from your homestead, consider pushing and sharing your local people who are working hard to promote themselves online. Take the time to leave favorable reviews, those tidbits of value go a long way.

As we begin the Farmer's Market season, get out and network if you don't already; it is the season to grow together as a Community!

Snout to Tail

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 23:02:01 GMT

“Oh, happy day: I’ve got sheep fat!”

You may be wondering why sheep fat makes me smile. And the answer is:

Soap.

Handmade, cold process soap.

In my first soap-making class, we used lard as a foundation for soap. The instructor noted that we could use tallow (beef fat) instead of lard (pork fat). As I drove home from class, I began to wonder, “could sheep fat be used?”

The answer is, “absolutely yes.” People have used sheep fat for centuries. In fact, sheep fat is used for soap-making, cooking, baking, leather conditioning, fuel, gun cleaning, and more.

Since we raise sheep, I was delighted to discover even more uses for this multipurpose livestock. Using the whole animal: from nose to tail, is an important principle on our homestead.

Here are four benefits from using a “Nose to Tail” approach to food:

Reduce waste.
Save money.
Improve your health.
Honor the cycle of life.

1. Reduce waste

According to the USDA, American food waste is estimated to be 30 – 40 % of our total food supply. What a sobering number. Food waste is caused by many factors such as insect damage, weather events, process, shipping and storage issues.

Another example of food waste is excessive culling of imperfect f ood such as bruised vegetables and just-expired products that get tossed into the grocery store dumpster. Consumers also create food waste, for example: the bits and pieces of a raw chicken carcass that get thrown into the trash.

When we decide to use the whole animal, we immediately begin to reduce waste. Chicken bits and older vegetables end up in the broth pot. Meat bones are roasted and transformed into rich stocks. Even the fat and skin left behind in the cooking process can be mixed with other products (brown rice, sweet potatoes, vegetables) for dog food toppings.

2. Save money

Buy a freezer cow. Or half a cow. Or a quarter.

Buy a pig. Or a sheep, or goat.

Heck, just buy a whole chicken instead of “boneless, fatless, overpriced” chicken pieces!

When you buy meat in bulk, you save money. You also expand your cooking repertoire as you learn how to use cuts such as foreshanks, necks, briskets and short plates.

Do you have farmers or homesteaders further up your family tree? Trust me, they did not go to the grocery store to buy single steaks wrapped in plastic wrap, or overly trimmed pork chops on a styrofoam tray. They raised meat animals or knew someone who did. My grandmother kept a milk cow and raised one small steer a year for meat. Every bit of that beef was eaten, and the family did all they could do to stretch the limited resource. When the beef was gone, they ate more backyard chicken, more smoked pork, and more dried beans until it was time to butcher another steer.

3. Reduce waste

Did you know that there can be health problems associated with eating just lean meat cuts? We were not designed to live on a meat diet of boneless, skinless chicken parts, or excessively lean pieces of meat.

Lean muscle meats are high in certain essential amino acids. They are low in others. This combination can create unhealthy levels of homocysteine: an amino acid associated with heart disease. Organ meats and bones are a perfect counterbalance. They include critical amino acids plus collagen that help protect against excesive homocysteine. Organs are also naturally high in iron, folate, zinc, choline and B12 and B6.

4. Honor the cycle of life

I care deeply for our sheep. Daily, I feed them, water them, and spend time with them. And even though I know a percentage of the flock is predestined for meat, I still weep when we load the trailer for processing. I do not take their lives for granted.

For me, using as much of the animal as possible is a way to honor their gift of life. From sheep fat to sheepskins, from organ meats to bones to all types of meat cuts: from nose to tail, I want to be a good steward.

Want to learn more about this topic?

On August 7, 2024, join the National Ladies Homestead Gathering for a Virtual Gathering:

Discover the art of ethical and efficient use of livestock. Dive into "From Snout to Tail: Maximizing Utility After Animal Butchering" and learn the age-old practices of maximizing yield, minimizing waste, and honoring the whole animal. Join our community in this journey of respect and resourcefulness.

Cluck & Coffee

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 20:48:01 GMT

During my travels through Ohio, I was invited to a get-together—Cluck and Coffee. This is the brainchild of the Huron Chapter in Ohio. Seriously, let’s think about this:

A get-together that might involve chickens and coffee? I’m there!

The ladies meet at a local coffee shop, supporting the local economy, and just chat! No agenda, no pre-set topics, no judgments, no appointed leader… just a relaxed time of good conversation, highlighted with good coffee.

I loved the coffee shop! An old, old home converted to a place of business while retaining the beauty of history. I ordered my dirty chai and headed to the back room where everyone gathered. I sat down and was quickly invited into the conversations happening around the table. Some of the discussions were local so I sat and listened. Other topics included the why’s and why nots of homeschooling, the state of our economy, where to buy certain items, and how long had you lived in the area. But my favorite conversations, because they showed the beauty of diversity, were the “do you remember” questions!

I looked around the room while I quietly sipped my coffee and thought to myself, “Now this is a beautiful picture of community.” One gal carried a sweet infant in her arms, another had an almost one-year-old in a stroller. Some were thankful for the small respite from energetic children at home, while others expounded upon the joys of retirement! Others chose to spend time with friends before heading to work. Questions were asked about referrals and where to find items – a sharing of knowledge and resources.

Conversation easily flowed from one topic to another, opinions were shared and heard, and laughter continually elevated the friendships forming around the table. The hands on the clock moved quickly and before we knew it, our cups were empty and an hour and a half had flown by. And the best part? The community of the Huron Chapter was knitted together more tightly.

Women at different stages of life with differing views and opinions coming together over a cup of coffee Building Community and Growing Friendships.

Venus in the Rough: Beauty for the Hardworking Woman

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:17:56 GMT

As homesteading women, we are often at the mercy of our schedules, frequently leaving little time for self-care. Being pampered and feeling glorious become an occasional treat versus a staple of our daily routine. It is greatly important for our mental well-being that we access important factors to our beauty, even if taken on a more practical route of application. Like the parts of a tractor without oil, hard-working dry hands can become cracked and painful without maintenance and care.

Let us look beyond the perceptions of vanity that cause us women to feel guilty for embracing any aspect of self-care and instead move forward with an outlook of support. I often feel like a rusty carburetor left out in the rain for too long that just needs a day in the shop. Having healthy skin with practical care is just good for our morale. Enjoying some comfort is nothing new for humanity, and even in the sticks of civilization, we've always sought ways to treat our bodies with extra love.

Looking into the labels of beauty products at the store can lead to many questions about ingredients; certainly, many companies utilize the desire to appear young as a focal point of pushing sales. What can we do as empowered women to step beyond these restraints and access products that are simple, sustainable, and healthy for our bodies? Well, we make them!

Although I have made hair wax and a skin balm for my kids, I wanted to make an easy option for myself that would rejuvenate my face while being made from a simple recipe. I wanted to focus specifically on ingredients that grew readily, were sustainable, could be foraged, were native plants, and could also be made at home. This brought me to research a tallow face cream that while focused on being used for my visage, could also be applied elsewhere, especially for my daughter who has some skin issues.

At the time I am writing this, some of the ingredients unfortunately are not ready for me to dabble with to provide an exact recipe. I do, though, want to provide the research and information behind my thoughts so that you can join me on this journey and contribute your own results for the betterment of our Community.

Ingredients

Tallow
Jojoba Oil
Elderflowers
Yarrow
Echinacea root
Rosehips

First, let's discuss the ingredients:

Tallow

TALLOW is rendered animal fat that when applied to the skin provides essential fatty acids while being tolerated by many skin types without causing irritation or clogged pores. Many consider adding animal fat to the face or body as odd, but it is far more natural and beneficial than a greater portion of commercialized products on the market. There are plant products that can be utilized instead of animal fat, but the sustainability, fair trade, ethical sourcing, and availability of such items in an off-grid setup can be tricky depending on location and lead to another method entirely such as an aloe vera base. If you have an off-grid recipe for a plant-based face cream, please share!

Tallow is easy to make, even from rendering down fat scraps from cooking. The refined tallow itself can be used for a wide variety of projects including candles, leather work, making pemmican, baking, cooking, lubricating mechanical pieces, starching clothing, preventing rust, woodworking, soap making, fire starters, and even as a replacement flux when soldering. For face care, I have often seen mainly beef and deer tallow discussed for the benefits.

Jojoba oil

JOJOBA OIL is made from a shrub native to the Southwest United States. Simmondsia chinensis seeds are heated and crushed to produce a liquid wax that can be used in salves or buttery creams on skin and hair to heal, along with lots of other applications. I definitely recommend obtaining this ingredient from the United States, but for those of us outside of the range of growing or trading for a sufficient source if the grid shuts down, this can be an optional addition (although the final product will be harder without an added oil).

I have not done the full research on alternative sustainable oils but am certainly interested if anyone has processed any nuts or seeds to get a product like plum oil which is also very good for the skin. This would be an excellent alternative, especially since native Prunus genus species have large seeds and produce a lot of fruit.

Elderflowers

ELDERFLOWERS are from Elderberry bushes before the berries form. The big clusters of white flowers are lovely to look at while having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, boosting collagen, and acting as a skin toner and acne defense. As a native plant to North America, they are often easy to obtain from the wild or from shrubs cultivated on your land. The shrubs are easy to cultivate from cuttings while the plant is dormant or from seed.

They are adaptable to various growing locations and provide benefits for pollinators and wildlife. In my area of the Midwest, Elderberry is a host plant for thirty-three different butterfly and moth species. It is also highly beneficial for our native solitary bee populations that utilize the old canes for their winter homes. I only have two shrubs on our land, and they provide more than enough berries for my family's use; which go into making elderberry wine, teas, and delicious muffins. I usually freeze the berries to increase their sugar content. The flowers in the Midwest make their appearance around mid-June and persist until early July; of course, depending on the weather and temperatures. Snap off clusters of flowers and hang them to dry in a paper bag to catch any flowers that may fall.

Since I did not harvest enough flowers from last year (having a greater desire for the berries), I unfortunately do not have the blooms to play with in this recipe...although I will quite soon!

Yarrow

YARROW is an easy-to-forage plant found across North America. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and is also quite useful for clotting minor wounds. I discuss the usage of it for external use only and recommend consulting a professional for any internal use as it is not for pregnant mothers. I did have a lot of fun freeze-drying the leaves, powdering them, and then sealing them into small bags for first aid use— placing one in the kitchen, garage, and vehicles. Since my spouse and I both shave our heads, I want to also make a batch this year for the bathroom with any shaving mishaps.

Achillea millefolium, Common Yarrow is found readily enough in the wild. It grows in a rhizome colony, with fern-like leaves popping up in early spring. Pollinators and beneficial insects enjoy the blooms, and it is also a host plant for a variety of moths. An excellent addition to an herb and/or pollinator garden, I haven't noticed it behaving rebelliously by taking over. Oh, and it also makes a wonderful cut flower for arrangements. Take cuttings before 10am and hang them to dry; you can use the leaves and flowers. I use the leaves mainly.

Echinacea

ECHINACEA is frequently obtained from the Echinacea purpurea ( aka Purple Coneflower ) , found as a native plant across much of the United States (although not all). It is not the only Echinacea plant in the genus that is used medicinally, and there is a wide variety of native species that may provide one for you where you live. Echinacea root can be used for skin regeneration, fighting acne, reducing eczema and psoriasis, and the reduction of wrinkles; but there are a slew of other uses both internal and external, and also depending on which species of Echinacea you work with.

Some members of the Echinacea genus send down deep tap roots while others like Purple Coneflower have rhizome fibrous roots. Echinacea with deep roots have been noted by researchers for the nutrient density found in the leaves, which makes them essential for mulching in a permaculture setup vs non-natives. Echinacea as a whole are highly favored by our pollinators and birds that eat the seeds readily. They also are beautiful cut flowers, and the plants are easy to grow and maintain.

Echinacea angustifolia, the Narrow Leaved Coneflower is frequently chosen for medicinal quality over Purple Coneflower; it will also give you a wider root to work with. Cultivate it for sustainable and wise land practices to retain wild populations; dig up, clean, and dry roots from plants 3 years old in the fall and dry. The leaves should be retained and dried also; which can be used in teas and other uses.

Rose hips

ROSE HIPS can be easy to obtain, being the remaining seed head of rose species after they are done blooming. The seed head turns a lovely reddish hue in the late fall and is high in vitamin C. T hey are often used for baking, teas, sauces, and liquor making. I recently made a rose hip extract I bottled up to use in my baking. Rose hips are also listed for their value in beauty products; regenerating skin cells, keeping skin hydrated, providing elasticity, preventing wrinkles, and giving a natural glow.

Rosa carolina aka Pasture Rose is the most widely spread native rose across the Eastern USA, but Rosa Woodsii (Mountain Rose) is found out West. There is a lot within the Rosa genus that you can readily find or cultivate, and aside from their beauty and smell are also a host plant for a variety of butterflies and moths if choosing native species. The briars can be effective with hedgerows.

Go out in the late fall (October/November) and pick your rose hips. Clip off the ends and allow to dry for 3-5 days. The arduous process now begins by cutting them in half and scooping out the seeds and interior hairs; the hairs are irritable and should be avoided. If the process is proving too difficult, let them dry a little longer before trying again. Dry the final product until they are hard to the touch.

Other ingredients?

A wide variety of other plants readily found in the wild can also provide benefits to the skin. Mullein, Horsetail, Hops, Prickly Pear seeds, Goldenseal, Plantain, Chickweed, Violets, Goldenrod flowering tops, Calendula, and quite a few more. Adding antimicrobial and antiseptic herbs like Lavender, Garden Sage, Oregano, and Beebalm are effective for an all-purpose balm. For this, yarrow was the choice, but Beebalm is another native wildflower I would gladly use. Take a look at what you can obtain in the wild sustainably or cultivate responsibly on your land that would fit your environment and needs.

Combining ingredients

Once you have your ingredients, the basic recipe is:

1 cup of tallow
1/4th cup of oil
1 cup of dried herbal material

I use a specific small slow cooker for just my herbal work, but a pot on the stove kept as low also works; you'll want to monitor the flash point of the oil you use for the recipe. Jojoba oil and coconut oil have similar flash points to beef tallow; their higher flash points keep them from going rancid while cooking (lower flash point oils will smoke if cooked too long and hot). Using dried herbs helps keep any water out of the mix (water makes it less shelf-stable).

Add the tallow, oil, and herbs to your pot, cover, and let it cook on low heat for hours and longer if possible. You'll want to get as much goodness from your herbs as possible. The rosehips in this recipe will add a bit of floral note to the final result, but give the mix a whiff after it has been going to see if it is appealing for you. If not, add some lavender, rose petals, or another herb of choice. Some prefer to use essential oils for their aroma, but I try to use them rarely since their sustainability is tough.

Once you're satisfied with your ravishing cauldron, strain out the mix to remove the dried herbs. You could pour the mix into jars, or alternatively try doing a whipped tallow by whipping it for 5-8 minutes after it has cooled a little and started to solidify. It lasts about 3-6 months and can be used quite sparingly with a little going a long way. Usage after a shower or cleansing of the face is recommended; warming the product up in the hands and then applying.

I cannot wait for you to try this out on your own and let me know how you enjoy the results! I am currently feeling more of a Yeti from the Bog of Eternal Stench than a Venus to be admired, but I know when I am around my people, my lady homesteaders, that they always lift me up. Happy healing and pampering!

Doing at HOME inSTEAD of going to the store

Thu, 16 May 2024 12:28:14 GMT

Believe it or not, the term “homesteader” only meant one thing not too many years ago.

“Homestead Act (1862) – passed on May 20,1862, the Homestead Act accelerated the settlement of the western territory by granting adult heads of families 160 acres of surveyed public land for a minimal filing fee and five years of continuous residence on that land.” Source

A homesteader was anyone who participated in the Homestead Act.

Fast forward to December of 2002. I had just arrived at my dream land with a vehicle full of children and a husband. For years I had prayed for the land and freedom to raise my own food, especially meat. 6.69 acres felt like hundreds to me. I had notebooks filled with dreams and ideas. Sketches of “what ifs” filled my journals.

Google was non-existent to the common folk at the time and my “farming” answers came from books and Little House on the Prairie.

Pa Ingalls wasn’t running a monoculture farm. He was growing what he needed for his family. That’s exactly what I was doing…or trying to do. Interestingly, the real Pa Ingalls died in June of 1902—one hundred years before I arrived on my land.

I started to use the term “homesteading” when others asked me what I was doing on my land.

I was growing what I could to feed my family, just like Pa Ingalls. Of course, whenever I used the term, I often saw a surprised look on the face of the person asking. “You got free land??!”

After years of toil and sweat and admittedly, costly mistakes and tears, our homestead began to take shape and our table was graced with the food we grew ourselves. Friends and family could now visualize my dream as it became a reality.

I began speaking at different conferences on sustainability and I taught hands-on workshops. Always I used the term homesteader because I felt it best described what I was doing. And always I found myself explaining what I meant by the term “homesteader.”

Women would often say, “Well, I grow my own vegetables and I have chickens but I certainly don’t have 100 acres or own cattle.”

I realized after the umpteenth time of explaining and letting them know I didn’t have 100 acres either, I needed a shorter definition.

Homesteading is a process, a journey. It doesn’t happen overnight and it may take years to achieve a person’s sustainability goals. But each step is progress toward the goal.

The more you can do for yourself at HOME, the greater your progress. And that’s how “Doing at HOME inSTEAD of going to the store” came to be.

It doesn’t matter if you’re growing herbs on your window sill or raising cattle for beef to fill your freezer, you are on a homesteading journey.

It’s an “I can do” attitude. I will do my best with what I have right now to provide for myself and my family.

The other day, my son-in-law asked me about herbal teas—where to find them and what equipment was necessary. I live in the “cabin” right behind them when I’m not traveling. I brought over some of the equipment he would need. After chatting for a bit, I had an ah-ha. We needed to be “doing at HOME inSTEAD of going to the store” for dried herbal teas. While buying groceries for the week, I stopped by the local garden center. I found mints and lemon balm in the herb section. Five for $10! Once at home, I planted them in bigger containers and showed my son-in-law our new herbal tea shop. We’ll add more plants to the tea garden, but for now, we will be making herbal tea at HOME inSTEAD of going to the store!

Show me your “I can do” attitude and tell me what you're doing at home instead of buying at the store?!

Canning 101

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 17:56:32 GMT

“I don’t know why you do this! I can go to the store and buy cans of tomato sauce for the same money – or less money! – and not have to do all this work!”

The three of us in the kitchen turned towards Elizabeth and smiled.

Cheryl replied, “Do you know what’s in your tomato sauce? I mean, really know? What pesticides and herbicides were used to grow the tomatoes? What preservatives were added?”

Linda asked, “Have you tasted the difference between our sauce and the commercial sauce?”

I glanced down at the case of homegrown tomatoes, inhaled the scent of simmering tomato sauce, and looked at the kitchen counters. We worked as a team: washing, peeling, cutting, and cooking the tomatoes into a vibrant red, bubbling sauce. The water bath canner was ready for the next batch; hot mason jars were lined up, waiting to be filled.

“It isn’t just about efficiency and cost,” I said. “It’s about knowing what is – and what is not – in your food. It is about superior taste and sometimes superior nutrition. It is about growing and preserving your own food: a useful skill passed down through the generations.“ “And cost? Over time, the cost of canning equipment decreases. Jars and rings are reused. Funnels and measuring spoons have long lives. You can often find cheap canning equipment at thrift stores. Local farms and farmers’ markets often sell bulk fruits and vegetables at a discounted price. Plus, the environmental cost of our tomato sauce is far less than your commercial product: chemicals, labor, and highway miles.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, smiled, and put on an apron. “Where do I start?” she asked.

Canning is a time-tested method of preserving food.

Food is placed in glass jars and heated to a safe temperature. Water-bath canning is used for high-acid foods like tomatoes, fruits, and pickles. Pressure canning is used for low-acid foods like green beans, potatoes, and meats.

Canning is an important, safe method of food preservation if practiced properly. The canning process involves placing foods in jars and heating them to a temperature that destroys microorganisms that could be a health hazard or cause the food to spoil. Canning also inactivates enzymes that could cause the food to spoil. Air is driven from the jar during heating, and as it cools, a vacuum seal is formed. The vacuum seal prevents air from getting back into the product bringing with it microorganisms to recontaminate the food.
Clemson Cooperative Extension

Many resources are available to help you start and grow in your canning journey. Here are a few:

The National Center for Home Food Preservation is an in-depth resource that addresses canning, fermenting, smoking, and other food preservation methods.

Ball Mason Jars are probably the best-known type of canning jar. Generations of women have used the Ball Blue Book as their Canning Bible. This year marks its 38th edition.

Community Canneries are another resource. These kitchens are typically a self-help facility and have commercial-grade equipment. Some Community Canning Kitchens provide a Health Department-approved facility. This allows individuals to prepare food products for retail sale.

Roots & Harvest is a National Ladies Homestead Gathering supporter and offers an assortment of canning supplies, from canners to canning kits and Canning Jar Safecrates (pictured), to help store and

transport canning jars.

Speaking of the National Ladies Homestead Gathering , the virtual topic for May is Preserve the Season: Canning 101 ! Follow the link to register for an informative and useful session.

So, why do all this work?

To:

 Prepare nutritious food
 Minimize unwanted additives and preservatives
 Use the overabundance of the garden and woods
 Have good food, ready to cook
 Preserve old skills
 Rely less on freezers, electricity, and supply chains
 Build homestead skills and confidence

Let’s get canning!

Thank you, Roots & Harvest!

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:07:53 GMT

In a world where Customer Service is becoming more and more of an anomaly, it’s nice to find a company that actually cares and listens.

Admittedly, I get increasingly frustrated buying directly from companies because I only talk with a computer, and to ask questions, I push numbers on the keypad.

However, this has not been my experience with Roots & Harvest ! I have nothing but praise to shout about this company and how they treat their customers and their willingness to listen – a rare quality for any company today!

Let me explain how I got to know Roots & Harvest in the first place.

I am a homesteader of 30+ years and always keep a lookout for items to help me be more productive or efficient in my homesteading endeavors. The Roots & Harvest SafeCrate is the item that first caught my eye when I was speaking at a Mother Earth News Fair in Texas a few years back. I quickly made my way over to the Roots & Harvest table to take a closer look. Their table was covered with all kinds of tools and appliances, some of which I’d seen before and some new and intriguing. I chatted with the ladies at the table, exchanged cards, and connected back up with them after the Mother Earth News Fair ended.

I explained to Sally and Cindy that I was the founder of the National Ladies Homestead Gathering, and we had Chapters all over the country. Our Chapters were filled with women on a journey of homesteading. The products would be perfect for so many of our ladies! Roots & Harvest was practical and innovative, just like our women.

I was sent a couple of items to “trial” to see what I thought about them. The best part? They actually listened to my feedback and asked me more questions! A company that actually listened and cared what I thought about their products?? This is unheard of!

They asked me for feedback on items they were creating. They asked me for feedback on how the items actually worked in a homestead kitchen. And this has continued for over two years. I purchased other items and even offered feedback on them – because Roots & Harvest cares about the products they’re selling, and they listen!

Last year, on my drive to the East Coast from Montana, I stopped by the headquarters of Roots & Harvest in Ohio to meet the people behind this

incredible company. Each person was so genuine and friendly. Ty, their new Product Development Manager, who creates and holds patents on many of the Roots & Harvests merchandise items, walked me through the warehouse, explaining how the process goes from order to shipment. I asked so many questions, and Ty listened and answered all of them. Impressive! I met the marketing team, the customer service team, and I met the owner, Hill. How wonderful to know the owner of this great company actually had time to sit with me and listen.

Is it possible to “fan-girl” over a company? Perhaps! Because I am ��

And to further increase my applause and praise for this company, they have recognized the value of the National Ladies Homestead Gathering and what our women are trying to accomplish on their homesteads. Roots & Harvest has been incredibly generous to us through donated gifts for our yearly VIP Member Appreciation. They sponsored some of our events and travel to events. Most recently, they have provided beautiful dough scrapers for each one of the leaders in our Chapters! That’s hundreds of dough scrapers! They truly understand the value of supporting and encouraging those who are making a big difference in the lives of women in their community.

And how are those dough blades getting into the hands of the leaders? I am personally handing them out as I travel around the country visiting the women in our NLHG Chapters.

Roots & Harvest heard about my plans to travel to our Chapters on my own dime. Again, because they value what we are doing for the communities of homesteading women all over, they offered to support me financially. What an incredible offer!!! And all I have to do is tell the ladies I meet about this incredible company that sees them and listens to them. Share with women about a company that believes as much as NLHG does about the value of the homesteading lifestyle through blogs and social media posts. Physically offer our leaders the gift of a dough scraper from a company that supports and encourages those who give selflessly to the women in their local communities. I couldn’t be more proud and more grateful to be associated with Roots & Harvest, a company that is more than just fabulous items in a catalog. Roots & Harvest sees us, listens to us, supports us, and believes in our mission as the National Ladies Homestead Gathering.

Thank you, Roots & Harvest, for being a company that does more than provide quality products but also cares about people and their success on their homesteading journey, and listens!

If you, too, are as thankful as I am for a company like Roots & Harvest that supports NLHG financially and with merchandise donations, tell them! Write a review about a product you have purchased from them. Take a look at their catalog and all the items they offer for homesteaders. Tell others about Roots & Harvest! Remember, if you’re an NLHG VIP Member, Roots & Harvest has provided you a 20% discount on their items. 20% makes a big difference in the purchase price, especially on bigger items. (Click on Your Account in the menu above, log in, and look for "VIP Member Discounts" on the left!)

Thank you for supporting a company that has been so wonderful about supporting us and believing in us as an organization!

Compost Magic: Waste less. Water less. Fertilize less. Grow more!

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 14:25:05 GMT

What would you do with an extra $150?

Pay off a bill? Purchase a tool for the homestead? Hide it in the sock drawer? Buy a load of quality soil for raised garden beds?

A Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) study estimates that the average American family of four throws out $150 worth of feed every month. One hundred and fifty dollars each month! That’s almost $2000 per year in food waste.

Most homesteaders are probably below average when it comes to food waste. We freeze, dehydrate, or can excess produce, transform bones and carcasses into nutritious broths, and toss scraps in the chicken coop or feed troughs.

Even so, we have waste: food, coffee grounds, coffee filters, eggshells, garden trimmings, and cardboard boxes. Turn that waste into a nutrient-rich product called compost.

What is compost?

Compost is a natural product made from decomposed organic matter. Composting transforms those “waste” items into a soil amendment that:

 Reduces water use,
 Minimizes erosion,
 Adds beneficial microbes,
 Regenerates poor soils,
 Improves soil fertility, and
 Increases plant yield.

“Anything that grows decomposes eventually; composting simply speeds up the process by providing an ideal environment for bacteria, fungi, and other decomposing organisms (such as worms, sowbugs, and nematodes) to do their work.”
NRDC Composting 101

Hot, cold, or wormy?

There are many ways to create compost. The two most common methods are hot (aerobic) and cold (anaerobic) composting. Both methods require a balance of green and brown materials to create the best results. A basic ratio is two parts nitrogen-rich materials to three parts carbon-rich materials. Too much nitrogen can generate a strong ammonia odor. Too little nitrogen slows the decomposition process.

Hot (aerobic) compost requires regular turning and adequate moisture. This method can be done with a compost pile. Size matters: a pile of waste materials that is too small will not be able to hold heat. A too-large pile may take too long to heat up without frequent turning. Compost bins and tumblers can be helpful for hot compost. The decomposition process is quick (months versus years) and produces a weed-free product.

Cold (anaerobic) compost takes longer, sometimes years. The product may not be weed-free and can have soil pathogens. The benefit of this process is that it requires less work, can incorporate a wider range of waste materials, and can be used for small or large amounts. Cutting materials into smaller pieces and turning the pile speeds up the decomposition process.

Vermicomposting uses worms to break down waste materials. Worm compost is rich in nutrients and quick to produce. A local homestead member has been experimenting with growing seedlings in seed starting mix versus worm castings (compost) and comparing the results. So far, the plants grown in worm compost have grown faster and larger. You can purchase or make worm composting bins. Note that worms are sensitive

to hot and cold temperatures. Their food supply requires management.

Ready to learn more?

Several sites offer information on composting. Some states even offer a Master Composter Program. On April 3rd, the National Ladies Homestead Gathering will offer a virtual program on “The Art and Science of Composting 101”. Click here to reserve your seat!

Oklahoma National Gathering Canceled

miranda.johnson@nlhg.org (Miranda Johnson) — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 09:00:00 GMT

March 25, 2024

We regret to inform you that the National Gathering event, scheduled to take place in Grove, Oklahoma, from May 17-18, along with an optional workshop on May 16, has been canceled due to low participation and interest. Despite our best efforts and extensive planning, we have concluded that it is not feasible to proceed with the event as planned.

If you are a ticket holder, you will receive a full refund for your purchase. We understand this news may be disappointing, especially if you were looking forward to attending the National Gathering. Please accept our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience this cancellation may have caused you. Refunds will be processed within the next 5-7 business days to the original form of payment used for your ticket purchase.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your refund, please do not hesitate to contact us at events@nlhg.org . Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Connecting Communities

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:10:52 GMT

Education is a big part

Within our NLHG monthly Gatherings, education is a big part of the evening agenda. The VIPs (Very Invested Partners) of the Chapter choose the topics for the year. The Education Coordinator is responsible for trying to find a speaker for the topics that are requested. I’ve often said, “Our ladies will come for the Knowledge and stay for the Community.”

On this particular day, all the above had been done and checked off for a rabbit processing class for the ladies of the Fentress County Chapter, which meets in Jamestown, TN. I was speaking at the Chapter on February 10th and staying for the rabbit processing class on the 11th.

On February 3rd, I took a rabbit processing class with Debbie Cameron from the Madison County Chapter in GA. I’d been to other rabbit classes, but Debbie’s was the first technique I’d seen that I thought I could actually do. Bunnies are cute! And there is a mental barrier I had to get over. I was able to try the technique in her class; it was simple and painless to the rabbit. Yep, I decided this would be my rabbit processing technique when we started raising rabbits on our new homestead.

An incredible offer

Early in the week before I headed to TN, I received a text from Teresa of the Fentress County Chapter. The teacher for the rabbit processing class wouldn’t be able to make it. Teresa asked me if I knew how to process a rabbit.

“Well, I took a class on Saturday, so I feel confident about the killing part, but I hadn’t eviscerated the rabbit. However, it looked a lot like the same technique you do with a chicken. I’ve done hundreds of chickens, so I’m sure we can figure this out!”

We agreed to attend the YouTube school that week to see what else we could learn. Using the resources I had, I also texted Debbie Cameron,

“Anything I should be reading or watching to help me out?”

Debbie texted back immediately, “Why don’t I just drive up there. It’s easier to show than to explain over a text.”

I told her it was a five-hour drive from Madison County, GA, to Fentress County, TN. I suggested Facetiming as a possible way of “being there” with us. She chuckled (love emojis!) and said it would be easier if she could come to the class and teach in person.

Wow!! What an incredible offer for the Fentress Chapter! I chatted with Teresa. She definitely has the gift of hospitality and the mindset of “the more the merrier!” I passed the info on to Debbie…and she checked with her traveling buddy to see if she could make the last-minute travel to TN.

Final details, they (Debbie Cameron and Debi Chandler) would both drive up in time to make the Fentress County Gathering at noon on Saturday, stay the night, teach the class on Sunday and then head back to GA.

My heart was so full, so grateful for these two women and the generous kindness of their hearts. They embodied the beautiful picture of Community. The giving of oneself to help another in need within the larger Community of the National Ladies Homestead Gathering.

Debbie and Debi are both in leadership in the Madison County Chapter. Their example to the Fentress Chapter of what it means to “give back” was priceless. Debbie Cameron not only helped teach the rabbit processing workshop but she and Debi also spent time with the Fentress Board, answering questions and giving suggestions for building a stronger Chapter. The bond that was forming between the women in attendance was exactly what we strive for in all we do within the National Ladies Homestead Gathering.

I loved watching Debbie and Debi, both from a larger Chapter, take the ladies of the newer Fentress Chapter under their wing. The laughter, the connection, the honest interest in them as fellow homesteaders and Chapter Leaders … this is Community even if it is 5 hours away.

Saturday night, after the busy day was over and the 10 rescue dogs in Teresa’s home were settling down for the evening, the 5 of us quietly sneaked back to Teresa’s bedroom. Lori, one of the Fentress Chapter Board members, joined us for the overnight slumber party. Sitting around chatting was reminiscent of my college days. The “this is me” stories filled the hours. I stood quietly by the bathroom door and listened. This is true Community. Laundry on the bed, shoved aside for cross-legged sitting. Debi cuddled up next to a dresser on the floor with the clicking of her crochet needles interjecting conversations. Four women who, just a few short hours ago, knew only names. The courage to be vulnerable, the sacrifice of time to give of themselves in conversation and knowledge. …what a gift Community is to those who participate.

Huge thank you to Debbie Cameron and Debi Chandler for showing us how to make a big national Community feel more intimate.

Harboring Herbs on Your Homestead

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:44:13 GMT

For nearly twenty years, I lived on borrowed land:

being a student in a dormitory, squeezing into countless tiny apartments, and finally renting a condo with a Home Owners Association attached. Throughout those experiences, the desire to work my own land festered strongly within me, wanting to detach from the housing dictatorship and shape my future.

“Might I,” quavered Mary, “might I have a bit of earth?”

― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Imagine my delight when my dream became a reality, moving onto this modest acre of homestead with my husband to start our family. Like a kid in a candy shop, I was elated. Quickly eyeballing the grounds and dreaming up plans to fulfill every fantasy I had secretly pined for since I was a child, growing gigantic sunflowers in a square foot of space my mother gave me. The first project on my plate was to build an herb garden, to have herbs in the ground that I could harvest and use for culinary blends, teas, medicinal, and home use.

I wanted to step out my front door and smell the Lavender and Thyme, to pick Parsley and Chamomile, to brush past Savory and Sage, and to be in the shadow of Lovage. I wanted to watch the bees and butterflies visit the flowers and delight in the many dried bundles hanging inside my kitchen. The dream of making tinctures, our own spice blends, balms, and other products to increase the wellness of my family was one of the driving forces to get started (I also look for any excuse to get my hands in the dirt).

Choosing A Site

Near the front of our house was an overgrown garden bed completely overrun with thistles. A wren house hung faithfully from the former owners, still occupied by our plucky little visitors enjoying the cover the weedy bed provided. They would soon tolerate and thrive in the garden I was working to create. At least four wheelbarrows full of full-grown thistles later, I had cleared the space and mulched thickly to suppress future growth. It took me two diligent years to completely clear the thistles from their stronghold, using spring rains as my hunting ground.

I carefully evaluated my desires for an herb garden. I researched specific plants that fulfilled those goals, scrutinized the space available, and drew up several rough landscape plans to get me started. Obtaining the plants was easier for me with a specialized herb farm down the road that cultivates a plethora of options. Over the years, I have enjoyed networking with other enthusiasts to trade plant cuttings or starts, seek out small growers, forage for wild opportunities, and start countless from seed myself.

Going from weeds to a successful garden has been a delight, and I will share a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

Making A Plan

Selecting an area for your herbs doesn’t need to be in an exclusive area; many enjoy tucking them into existing flower beds, using their benefits alongside vegetables as companion plants to deter pests and improve soil, placing them into containers and bringing them inside for winter, or using them as borders along walkways. In choosing a site, there is much to be considered, but allow yourself some forgiveness, as often in gardening, we evolve and update our methods as we familiarize ourselves with the land and our desires.

A large number of herbs have a preference for full sun, but not exclusively so. There are a wide variety that tolerate part sun to shade and can become scenic backdrops or fillers to areas that are both functional and visually appealing. I grew Pennyroyal for use as an ingredient in a pest deterrent spray, and it was an excellent ground cover to fill in space under a staircase. Valerian, Tansy, Catnip, Lemon Balm, Angelica, Lovage, Sweet Woodruff, Cohosh, Blue Stemmed Goldenrod, Elecampane, Goldenseal, and Feverfew are just some examples of part sun or shade-loving herbs. I love my Valerian and Lovage as healthy-sized backdrops and how various herbs layer beautifully from a shady to a sunny spot.

Soil moisture, pH, and nutrition are equally important considerations when choosing a site for your plants. The environments that differ between herbs from other continents are key factors in understanding their needs. The requirements for Lavender are vastly different from those of Sweet Flag, but each can have its place when getting to know your land.

Choosing The Plants

So which plants should you choose? Opening up an herbal book will offer so many options (often with a focus on the commonly known ones), and thousands of species and cultivars exist that have a variety of benefits for us in the garden. Do you plan on using the herbs for multiple uses? Culinary, Medicinal, Decorative, or Retail? Understanding your desires and goals is the first step in securing a plan for your homestead. Consider your family’s health needs, what herbs you like to cook with, and what you enjoy. I have a weakness for Lavender and Roses, love cooking with Basil and Virginia Mountain Mint, making teas with Lemon Balm, wanted Willow and Blue Vervain personally, and having first aid and general ailment options for my family. Sorting out the herbs you desire first will assist in giving direction to your garden and allowances for additional options in the future.

With the area chosen, what space does each plant require, and how tall will it get? I made a list of plants I wanted to obtain with their heights, soil needs, light, moisture, and spacing, then organized which ones would be in the front vs the back of areas. My Thyme plants are lovely as a border by the walkway with Horehound, Savory, and Sage behind. Treat it like a home interior design; measure your space, graph it out, use cut-out shapes of your future plants to represent their mature size, and scoot them around until you are satisfied with the layout.

Even when doing due diligence in planning, we can still encounter bumps and challenges as we become familiar with the plants and our space. For example, I found a Common Rue (Ruta graveolens) available at a greenhouse and added it to a lovely sunny area next to some Oregano and Sage; I was not quite sure exactly what I wanted to do with it. If you are like me, you have issues entering a greenhouse and leaving empty-handed. A few weeks later, I noticed the plants surrounding the Rue had perished. Upon doing research, I found that as a companion plant, Rue was a tricky one (often poisoning other plants nearby). Rue can be successful and beneficial near Onions, Roses, and even Raspberries to help deter aphids. I moved it underneath a black walnut tree (as it can tolerate the juglone chemical) until I decide on another location for it. Sometimes, we need to alter our plans and deal with oversights; that part of the journey is our growth and development.

Maintenance

An often under-discussed topic of herbal gardening is maintenance and workload. I certainly romanticize the ideal English cottage, but some herbs require a heavy hand to tame or maintain for the long term. (Also, keep in mind that many large historic homes had hired cooks and gardeners) Many of us have seen the tenacity of Chives bringing forth an explosion of seedlings when even one flower bud is neglected by pruning shears. Even with my aggressive chopping of Lemon Balm I still find numerous seedlings year after year. Some herbs with deep tap roots can become nightmares to eliminate once they begin spreading, so keep this in mind when choosing your workload.

Figuring out which herbs you utilize the most will also factor into your maintenance amount. Perhaps you like to cook with Chives daily; having extra seedlings may not bother your sensibilities. Some say that only one Oregano plant is needed, but others would disagree. Meanwhile, I have no issue with Chocolate Mint growing directly in my herb garden, as I harvest so much for tea (I am a menace). Every year, I evaluate what herbs I need more or less of in my setup. Anise Hyssop, a native wildflower, is one of my favorites for tea with the slight root beer/licorice flavor. I have been trying to plant more around to fulfill the yearly demand. Others, like Thyme, are excellent border plants, but I have more than I actually use.

Mulching can help with weed control, but many seeds can be viable for years and eventually germinate; clipping seed or flower heads is one of the easiest methods for managing your garden and often improves the overall plant. Many herbal flowers are edible, can be used for herbal remedies, or make great cut flowers.

Various herbs require specific pruning methods. Those with a woody structure, such as Lavender and Juniper, thrive when maintained and can be decimated in less ideal circumstances. Understanding each plant can become daunting and overwhelming with all the details, but rewarding with every year spent familiarizing and gaining experience. Take the opportunity to learn about one herb each season and delight in the many uses and applications of just one ingredient.

Harvest times for herbs are another aspect of the workload to be considered. Various parts of plants (such as the leaves, blooms, stalks, roots, or seeds) may have different uses in herbalism and in the kitchen. The season to harvest these parts will depend upon the usage. Dandelions and Mullein are great examples of timing—fresh green leaves of younger plants will be sweeter and have their uses; waiting for flowers and seeds will have other benefits. Compare this to vegetables and how their life cycle determines when to harvest—lettuce will have exceptionally bitter leaves once bolted. Meanwhile, digging up a Horseradish root in early spring or late fall is ideally the best time.

I always consider the energy of plants when harvesting. The life force of a plant is the driving focus of harvest. I enjoy gathering bundles in the morning before 10am, and especially after a rainstorm. When I gather Anise Hyssop leaves for tea, I prefer to harvest them before the plants flower for personal taste; they seem more aromatic and flavorful with less harsh licorice bitterness.

Enjoying Your Herb Garden

Even if you are growing herbs in a small container garden on the patio of an apartment, there are countless ways to enjoy your harvest. Cooking with your own spice blends, adding new flavors to dishes, making refreshing teas, producing tinctures, adding ingredients to balms and salves, Victorian nosegays, wreaths, closet satchels, carpet cleaner, pest spray, hair rinses, bath salts, syrups, first aid, herbal arrangements, garlands, soap, lotions, potpourri, fabric dying, and even paper making.

Herbal usage is extensive with heartfelt, spiritual, cultural, historical, superstition, and practical applications. Adding herbs to your homestead or extending your usage into new fields allows us to grow together as a Community. I look forward to seeing your journey into herbs!

It Takes a Community

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:05:18 GMT

The National Ladies Homestead Gathering is founded on Community.

A small Community of women who have believed in the Purpose and Mission of NLHG. Together, we share knowledge, build community, and grow friendships.

It is a special team of women willing to go the extra mile and share their time and talents to benefit the entire organization – the Executive Team.

Over the years, many beautiful faces have sat around the executive planning meeting table, wrestling through the various details of running a non-profit. Hours upon hours have been given to better who we are and what we stand for as an organization of like-minded women. We’ve word-smithed ad nauseam and created and edited the Handbook at every yearly planning meeting since its inception. We’ve tweaked and deleted and re-written and created, and always, the strength of the direction of this organization is found in the Community of women on the Executive Team. Here’s a shout-out to every woman who gave of herself to serve on the Executive Team since 2013.

For 2024, our theme for the year is Prioritize People.

And while we are prioritizing our Leaders, VIPs, and the ladies who make up this fantastic organization, I’d like to prioritize the women on the Executive Team for a moment (listed by the length of time they’ve been selflessly giving their time and talents):

Amanda Stephens – Communications Director
Jill Wolfe – Marketing Director
Miranda Johnson – Events Director
Meenu Lord – Financial Director
Cammeron LaVecchia – Community Director
June Gerber – Membership Director
Julie Bowen – Media Director

For countless hours, these ladies work behind the scenes because they believe in the National Ladies Homestead Gathering’s mission, and they believe in you!

If you see one of them, let them know how much you appreciate them as a fellow homesteader and thank them for all they have given to NLHG.

I will be the first in line! Thank you ladies! I appreciate each one of you so much. I am honored to work alongside you as we continue to grow this amazing organization, the National Ladies Homestead Gathering!

Passionflower Vine: Wonders of the Wild

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:42:51 GMT

Passionflower Vine

“...My love and I are one, and yet

Full oft my cheeks with tears are wet -

So sweet the night is and the bower!

My love gave me a passion-flower.”

- excerpt from The Passion Flower by Sarah Margaret Fuller 1845

The Passionflower vine (Passiflora incarnata) is an exquisite beauty to behold. I delight in watching the wonderment of others viewing the alluring violet blooms for the first time. A phenomenal stamen and carpel centerpiece encircled by funky porphyrous tendrils of the corona filament radiates into a breathtaking show often attributed exclusively to tropical flora.

From the Passifloraceae family, it is commonly known as Maypops, Ocoee, Purple Passion Vine, or Apricot Vine. Cherokee call it ᎤᏩᎦ (uwaga), and the term Maypop may have emanated from the Powhatan word mahcawq, meaning squash (which may have been a way to explain to Europeans the edibility, usefulness, and cultural significance of the fruit).

EDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES

The fruit of Passiflora incarnata is green, fleshy, egg-shaped, and fits in the palm of your hand. It slowly ripens into a crinkled/wrinkled yellow as it matures. Edible and highly desired over Yellow Passionflower for taste, it is best once ripe fruits have fallen from the vine. The fruit inside should have a yellow hue vs white (unripened packs a sour punch). Nutritionally, their values have not been evaluated. They likely share attributes with other tropical varieties high in vitamins A and C, with a chunk of protein and carbs included to make them worthy of foraging and consideration for sustainable crops on the homestead.

“The Houma, Cherokee and other Native American tribes used purple passionflower for food, drink, and medicinal purposes. Captain Smith, in 1612, reported that Native Americans in Virginia planted the vines for the fruits. The fruits were eaten either raw or boiled to make syrup. A beverage was made from the fruits by crushing and straining the juice. Sometimes the juice was thickened by mixing it with flour or cornmeal. The young shoots and leaves were eaten, cooked with other greens. The roots were used in an infusion to treat boils, and to “draw out inflammation” of wounds from briers or locusts (thorns). Babies were given a tea made from the roots to aid in weaning. The roots were beaten with warm water and used as eardrops to treat earaches. Root infusions were used to treat liver problems. Soaking the crushed roots in drinking water made a “blood tonic.” The plant was also used as a sedative to treat nervous conditions and hysteria.” - USDA NRCS Plant Guide

In the kitchen, the harvested fruit easily pops open, revealing the yellowish pulp with seeds. Using a spoon, scoop out the pulp from the rind (compost that green goodness) and place it into a saucepan filled with water (1/2 cup water to 1 cup pulp). Bring to a boil with an occasional stir, then reduce the heat and stir frequently for 5 minutes. Use a strainer and cheesecloth to squeeze out as much pulp from the seeds as possible. Seeds can be scattered where desired, consumed raw, roasted and eaten, or roasted/dehydrated and ground into a powder as a thickening agent for soups/stews/sauces.

With that glorious and scrumptious Passionflower fruit liquid gold, you can utilize it for a multitude of recipes, including drinks, smoothies, bread, sweets, and—of course—jelly and jams. Use one cup of fruit liquid with 1 cup of sugar and 50 grams of pectin. Using sterilized jars, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, remove and allow for the glorious pings of cooling jar lids to incite a kitchen party tango.

HERBALISM

The Passionflower vine has been utilized as a hypnotic (sleep aid), anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), analgesic (pain-reliever), hypotensive (lowering blood pressure), antidepressant, anti-spasmodic, and a nervine. A sensational resource is the “ Passionflower ( Passiflora ) An overview of the research and clinical indications” by Michael L Traub , detailing various clinical trials from around the world with positive usage of Passiflora Incarnata independently or combined with pharmaceuticals in treatment of numerous issues including symptoms of opiate withdrawal, pre-surgical anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, palpitations, arrhythmia, hypertension, and even low libido.

To prepare for herbal remedies, ensure that plants haven’t been sprayed with chemicals. Use vital and green leaves, stems, and fresh flower buds picked early in the morning before 10 am. Roots can also be dug and cleaned for use. Passionflower can be incorporated dried or fresh in recipes and readily dries hung up or with a dehydrator.

For tinctures, use a 1:2 ratio with 95% chopped fresh herb or a 1:5 ratio with 50% dried herb. I prefer using 100-proof vodka as a staple for both dried and fresh (others use a higher proof for raw and lower proof for dried), putting the mixture into a jar, and shaking it daily for a month. Strain the finished product into vials and label it. A couple drops under the tongue is an easy start, using up to two dropper fulls daily.

For tea, a scoop of dried herb makes a relaxing brew alone or combined with another recipe of your choice. I recommend using it with chamomile flowers, mint, rose petals, and lemon balm as a good base that is easy on the herbal armoir and using honey for taste. Steep for 10 minutes at the least, but I often leave mine in the pot for 30 before enjoyment.

GOING FURTHER

The Passifloracea family has a variety of plants found across the Eastern and Southern USA , with Purple Passionflower being native within 23 states. A perennial with a vining habit can climb up to 25 feet long and lose leaves in the winter. It tolerates a wide range of soil, moisture levels, and hours of sunlight; it is adaptable and can be incorporated to create thickets due to the vivaciousness of the vine. Bloom time is dependent on the location and age of the vine. Still, it has continuous blooms from late spring to fall that easily give Clematis vines a run for their money.

Identification of the vine is easiest by viewing the aubergine blooms. The trident-shaped three-lobed leaves are as large as a hand and have two small bumps next to the leaf on the stem. These extrafloral nectaries attract ants but also serve as a deterrent from the blooms, which protects pollinators visiting for nectar and provides protection against caterpillars from dining heavily on the foliage.

Magnificent to look at, edible, medicinal, and also promoting a biodiverse landscape, Purple Passionflower is also the host plant for six different butterflies. The Gulf Fritillary is the most common, but you may also see the Red-banded Hairstreak and Variegated Fritillary . Bumblebees love to dance around the blooms, along with other pollinators.

Propagation from seed is doable, but germination can be low and recommended with outdoor sowing and exposure to 60 days of cold. The vine sends up various suckers from underground stems, so digging to get rootstock for planting should be done with care, as often underground stems are without roots and should be treated as cuttings. Direct cuttings of the vines are often the easiest for propagation. Heavy mulching is recommended in colder climates to protect it through the winter.

Links

Ants, Extrafloral Nectaries and Herbivory on the Passion Vine, Passiflora incarnata (1983) D. K. McLain

Reproductive biology and herbicidal sensitivity of maypop passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) (1985) G. Wehtje, R. B. Reed and R. R. Dute

The statements made on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, prescribe, recommend, or offer medical advice. Please see your health care practitioner for help regarding choices and to avoid herb-drug interactions.

Basic Steps of Healthy Cooking: Add. Subtract. Season with Grace.

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:56:58 GMT

Would you like to cook healthier meals?

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3: add, subtract, and season with grace.

“The quality of our food determines in large part the quality of our lives. And the quality of what we eat is determined by every step that goes into production and processing – the feeding of the animals, care of the soil, preservation, storage and even cooking methods.”

Weston A. Price

Add

Add a little zing to your meals with something new: a new spice, a new fruit or vegetable, or a new recipe.

A ten-month food adventure is a simple way to add new items. Each month, choose one new food to try. Try it in multiple recipes. Try it throughout the month. Go exotic: celeriac, salsify, or tiger nuts. Or gently stretch the comfort zones: try every color of tomato or a new type of bean.

To make it even more exciting, grow new varieties on your homestead. Here’s a lesson I learned: share seeds with another homesteader so you don’t end up with two rows of an unfavorite vegetable! If you can’t grow it, find it at your local farmers’ market or ethnic grocery.

Why not try a ten-month food adventure, rather than twelve months? Most people want comfort foods and traditions by the end of the year. Go with the flow.

Subtract

Subtracting unhealthy (or less healthy) foods is a straightforward way to improve wellness. Consider the bags of baby carrots:

They are not baby carrots. They are regular carrots cut to a snack size.
Their nutritional value is less than a fresh carrot.
Their production takes excess energy: multiple cutting machines, repeated handling, and packaging.
They are treated with a chlorine solution to prevent bacterial contamination.

Subtract that bag of baby carrots from your grocery cart. Grow or buy fresh carrots, wash off the dirt, and cut them to size when ready to eat.

Food additives such as high-fructose corn syrup, sodium nitrate, artificial food coloring, and sodium benzoate are common in processed foods. Though the FDA deems these additives safe, each one has specific health warnings. The least processed food is the healthiest—for us and the environment.

At one of our homestead Gatherings, we learned how to recreate the flavor of ranch dressing and other popular salad mixes without all the additives. The process was easy and fun. Bonus: we can grow most of these seasonings at home. If you like making homemade gifts, a jar of premixed salad seasonings from your garden is a great make-ahead gift!

Season with grace

There is no one-size-fits-all recipe for a healthy homestead. You might be passionate about clean eating. You might be learning new ways to cook fresh food. You might be reducing your fast-food consumption. We are all at a different place on this journey.

As homesteading has become more popular, the social media critics have grown more vocal. “Eat this, not that!” “How dare you allow your child to eat a candy bar!” “A real homesteader grows, butchers, and cooks 90% of her family’s food.” Please. We have no authority to judge others on this homestead journey. Nor should we allow others’ judgments to make us feel inferior.

We can share knowledge. We can build community. We can grow friendships. And we can give everyone – including ourselves – a liberal serving of grace along the way.

To learn more about Culinary Wellness, watch our National Virtual Gathering for “ Culinary Wellness: An Introduction to Healthy Cooking .” Brooke Lewis-Slamkova, an NLHG VIP Member, accomplished teacher, and chef, will lead an engaging and informative webinar. As Brooke says, “I believe everyone can cook healthy meals at home with a little skill and planning.”

5am Warrior

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:10:46 GMT

HerStory: Esther Arkfeld

It had been a long driving day from Colorado.

I was headed to Iowa for the night. My travel plans had changed at the last minute. I was supposed to be in Utah checking off more National Parks from my list, but alas, my 9th grandchild was making movements like he was ready to enter the world. My good friend, Esther Arkfeld, had a homestead not too far off the highway. This wasn’t my first time visiting on my way from Montana to Pennsylvania.

I was very thankful for the kind of friendship we had. I knew I could call at the last minute to see if she had any vacancy at the homestead.

I remember the first time I drove across Iowa in May 2020. I kept thinking, “Man, Iowa gets a bad rap! I think this state is beautiful!” Gentle rolling hills, some plateaus, not many trees, but lots of farmland!

This particular evening, as I turned onto the dirt road and climbed the road before me, I began to reflect on how much had changed over the last 3 years. Not the scenery so much, but within me. The healing over the last 3.5 years has given me a new focus on life. A major burden had been lifted and taken away. I was now capable of fully investing in the lives of others, and it felt very, very good.

The tall silo at the edge of the field—my clue that the driveway was approaching. Turn left and there it was.

Yes, it was a beautiful home, but what my heart was drawn to most was the magnificent old red barn.

I was greeted in front of the house by wonderful children, an exuberant LGD and my friend, Esther. Homestead chores were finished for the evening, so we had time to get caught up and plan for the next day. I was so excited to have one whole day with Esther and her family before my travels spurred me on.

Though the visit was short, there were definitely treasured moments I tucked away in my heart.

Saturday morning, I heard the footsteps early. And then the silence of a sleeping house. I threw back the covers, much to Piper’s chagrin. I quickly slipped into my clothes, sweatshirt, and jacket. I quietly made my way upstairs and out the side door. The burst of cold air felt good on my face as it washed away all traces of sleepiness.

The crunch on the driveway, illuminated by a full moon, led me to the glowing parlor window of the old barn.

Esther was inside preparing for the morning milking. I did what I was told, hoping to help, but mostly, I stayed out of the way. Esther runs a very efficient milk parlor, and I didn’t want to mess up the systems.

She and I talked while she went through the milking process, the cows munching grain. She had learned so much in the last 7 years here in Iowa. To think she had been a beekeeping student of mine in GA years ago, now the roles had reversed. I was most definitely the student! Such a beautiful picture of true friendship with a homesteader, sharing lives and knowledge.

Once all the milk had been collected and the cows were released from the barn, Esther and I entered the parlor with all the stainless steel and cleaning supplies. The air was warm, and I was grateful.

We shared our hearts between the washing of buckets and milking equipment. We opened up about our struggles, our fears, our hopes, and our dreams. Tears rolled down our cheeks, an assurance of the deep understanding of what we were each feeling and going through. And despite the bumps of life, all in all, we were each very blessed.

As the dawn of day filtered through the barn windows, I watched Esther finish her chores with the cows. Here was a woman who dreamed of providing raw milk for her family, friends, and customers. She believed in the immutable right to be able to consume raw milk. So she fought the political beast who had kept the Raw Milk Bill from passing in Iowa for 17 years. Esther jumped into the fight, despite fears, and fought with her head and her heart for three years.

In May of 2023, with Esther and Esther’s family standing with her, the governor of Iowa signed the Raw Milk Bill, allowing small dairy farms to sell milk to the public. And guess who was the first to start selling milk?! Esther’s battle victory was also celebrated by Weston A. Price when she was named Farmer of the Year for 2023.

My dear friend, fellow homesteader – thank you! Thank you for fighting a good fight.

My last morning with my friend and her family.

Once again, I awoke to the 5am footsteps upstairs and the quiet closing of the outside door. I thought, “There is a warrior upstairs donned in coveralls, a barn jacket, and muck boots. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and her ears are protected by an alpaca headband. She is making her way to the milk parlor in the barn, guided by the light of the moon. She enters her battlefield to start the milking ritual as she does every day to ensure all Iowans have the right to raw milk.”

Dairy Goats

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 14:59:12 GMT

Ever own a dairy goat? No? Yes?

Those who said “no” but secretly wish for one have a dreamy, far-away look as they imagine a peaceful pasture full of demure well-behaved caprine beings.

Those who said “yes,” as in past tense, “had,” never again, will have a slight head twitch and a crazed look when you mention the words “Dairy Goat.”

And those brave souls who still have dairy goats and have had them longer than a year or two are most definitely a special breed in themselves!

I, myself, fall into the “special breed” category. Dairy goats were on my list of homestead animals when I first began homesteading but not quite at the top of my list. But I really wanted what they had – MILK! Dairy goats are much smaller than dairy cows; therefore, I assumed, much more manageable and cost-effective.

I figured the goats would be easy to feed because a goat will eat anything, right?

Once, I had a doe, a week or two from delivering twins, escape from her pen (shocking, I know!) and munched on a few of my azalea bushes that adorned the front of my farmhouse. She was dead by the next day, along with her babies.

Yes, goats will eat just about everything, but they shouldn’t.

Anyone ever have a 2–3-year-old in the house for a while? Dairy goats are perpetual toddlers. I’m serious. They throw tantrums. And then the next moment, those goats are all cute and cuddly...only to turn around and butt you in the backend!

Dairy goats watch your every move. They watch the windows in your home, and with a single, split-second view of you, they start yelling incessantly until the hay rack and grain bucket are filled. I’ve literally had goats that sounded like they were yelling, MA! MA! MAAAAAAA!

Thank goodness it’s legal to walk away from them and shut the door.

My absolute favorite time with my goats was in the early coolness of morning. I’d lean my head gently into the side of their warm body as I milked. With steam rising off the froth of milk, I smiled, realizing I was living my nostalgic dreams...and then I was rudely brought back to reality with a crash and warm milk running down my leg. This 4-legged creature was pissed because her grain bucket was empty, so she kicked the bucket!

What is it about dairy goats that lure us into their entrapment? SPRING

Those bouncy, flouncy baby goats with kissable, lovable faces who will cuddle in your arms—they are trickery! They provide the playful antics of jumping and spinning, causing much laughter. Those tiny creatures will cause farm amnesia! And we will forget. We will forget those adorable babies will grow up to be toddlers!

In my earliest years with goats, a mentor told me, “If you can keep a goat alive, you can keep any animal alive.” I should have heeded those words, but no. I fell in love with these beautiful animals and learned to laugh instead of cry.

Cookbook Corrections

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 19:53:00 GMT

Cookbook Corrections

Thank you so much to everyone who purchased a cookbook! We're so grateful for you.

We're also incredibly grateful to the women who submitted their recipes to be included in the cookbook! Without you, we wouldn't have a cookbook at all! And we want to make very sure that every recipe is correct. Since we aren't perfect editors, some mistakes will slip through. We will update this blog post as needed when we are made aware of any errors.

If you notice any corrections that need to be added, please use the "Contact Us" form at the bottom of this post. Thank you!

Page 7: Caramel Nuts

The ingredients list calls for "3/8 C salt" and "1 Tbsp butter."

Please use 1 Tbsp salt and 6 Tbsp butter instead.

When the Lights Come Up

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT

“She lights up when you come in the room.”

It didn’t matter that she thought I was Mom. My formerly gruff & undemonstrative grandmother was in her early 90’s and living in a skilled nursing facility with progressing Alzheimer’s. In the beginning of her residence there, Nora was still spry, and fascinated with wheelchairs and a particular male resident. When I could wrap my brain around accepting her new reality, I could see the humor and even joy in the behavior.

Soon enough I noticed she had a habit of sitting and rubbing the hem of her blouse. Mom said,

“Hmmm, she’s ironing.” Remembering Gomma’s gifts of dolls to preschool me, I wondered if she would enjoy having a doll to take care of. The next time I made the monthly four hour drive to visit, there was a well-rumpled, curly haired toddler doll on her bed. Mom smiled when she told me the doll turned out to be a great idea. Atta girl.

She hadn’t been verbal for a couple years when I came home one Christmas. The habit then was to come in at dinner time. I’d chat a little, feed her if she needed help, and then give her a hug and kiss goodbye before a CNA took her back to her room.

On this particular day, I leaned over and breathed into her hair, “I love you, Gomma.” And very clearly she responded,“I love you, too.”

Astounded, I waited a moment, looked at her face, and knew that was all. Yet it was enough. More than enough. The best Christmas present ever. I lit up as I left the room.

It never gets old to see the “lights come up” at a Gathering, especially when there are first time visitors. Self-described homebodies and introverts enjoy themselves. Joy bubbles up through atta-girls. Newcomers discover neighbors. Seekers find answers from women with experience. Reliance, cooperation and shared abundance make the room bright.

Kathy Boardman has always lived in the southern piedmont, listening to the nighttime cry of the Eastern Screech Owl. She is the Education Coordinator for the Wilkes County GA Chapter.

Reinventing herself once again, she camps off grid out of her custom-built cargo van, is learning to find wild food and medicine, and dreams of living cooperatively and aging well with other solo people in her beloved woods.

April Lambing Season

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 19:33:00 GMT

Lambing season has ended. Before I move into full-on gardening mode, I wanted to pause and ruminate on the season.

Lambing season starts long before birth.

We raise Tunis sheep: a multipurpose heritage breed that thrives in the hot and humid southeast. Tunis originated from the fat-tailed sheep of North Africa. In the late 1700’s, the ruler of Tunisia gifted a small flock to George Washington. The few sheep who survived the oceanic crossing became seed stock for a uniquely American breed.

Tunis were the dominant sheep breed east of the Mississippi until the Civil War, when they almost became extinct in the South. A farmer hid the last large flock of southern Tunis on his land along the Congoree River in South Carolina. Today, this hardy breed is making a comeback in the Southeast and other regions of the United States.

Tunis are a rare livestock breed. We raise registered breeding stock. Before breeding season, we review our records to select which ewes will be bred to which ram, and who will not be bred. Spring lambs are planned months before they arrive.

Breeding takes place in the fall. Then comes the time of expecting, watching and lambing. Following are some of my thoughts from previous lambing seasons:

Expecting…

It’s too early to speculate on dates of birth or number of lambs, but you can see the pregnant ewes filling out. They move a little slower and nap a little more.

It’s a fitting response to January.

After the hustle and bustle of holidays, travel, and end of year celebrations, time has slowed. The miracle of growth is taking place inside, tucked away from the public eye, nourished in the dark.

Soon enough, the season will change. Expectancy will transform into labor. New life will be birthed. Lambs will make the journey from the inside out. So, too, the dreams currently carried inside of you. Until then, savor the slower pace. Take naps without apology. Feed the nascent dreams carried within your soul. Spring will come soon enough.

Watching…

I have begun the annual treks to the barn in the wee hours of the morning. Is it necessary? 99% of the time: no. But I am so grateful when that 1% issue occurs and I am present.

The walks to the barn are more for me than for the sheep.

Rather than lying in bed, wondering if I should get up (and wondering and wondering), the simple act of throwing off the bed covers and throwing on layers of clothing transforms my low-level anxiety into simple activity.

The moon provided all the light I needed this morning. The air was brisk, the sheep were calm, and the roosting chickens watched me as I came and went… a quiet visitor to the land of darkness and slumber.

Lambing season has begun…

Once again, the stresses of the season disappear in the presence of the sweet sights and sounds between mama and lamb.

Our first lambing season was almost perfect. No illness, no emergencies, no death. In our glorious naivety, we assumed it was a typical lambing season. Since that first season, we have experienced illness, emergencies, and deaths. We’ve cried in bitter frustration when we were unable to save a life, and we’ve laughed for joy when life won. Time after time, life wins. Time after time, the sheep deliver healthy babies with no involvement from us. But sometimes…

If she survives, I will call her Grace.

We have had a bountiful lambing season so far. Healthy babies, healthy mommas, and natural, unassisted births. Until yesterday.

We started the day with loss. In the morning, one of our ewes had quadruplets: 1 healthy and 2 stillborn. The 4th is in our living room, hanging on by a slim thread.

Loss is an inevitable companion of life. The older I get, the more I see that duality. It doesn’t make it hurt less, but it does make it easier to accept.

As for the sweet lamb: will she live? I don’t know. What I do know is that she is in a safe and dry place, covered with a blanket of prayers, and the object of loving attention. And there is tremendous grace in that.

Lambing season 2023 has ended.

Final count: 34 healthy, bouncing lambs and 19 relieved moms. Most births were simple and unassisted. It was not a “perfect” season, but it was a successful one. Every year, we learn more. Every year, we gain more respect and affection for the Tunis breed. Every year, we are grateful for the opportunity to promote and protect this rare breed.

Thank you for joining me in this rumination. I welcome your thoughts and questions.

P.S. Grace lived.

To learn more about endangered livestock and poultry breeds and how to protect them from extinction, check out the Livestock Conservancy.

Hello! I’m the shepherdess at Sheepcote Farm. We raise Tunis sheep, a heritage breed uniquely suited for the southeast. We also have chickens, guineas, livestock guardian dogs, a donkey named Bonnie and multiple gardens. I’m actively involved with the Madison County (GA) Ladies Homestead Gathering. Whether meeting in person or connecting online, my homestead life is positively influenced by the LHG mission: share knowledge, build community and grow friendships. I’m glad you’re here.

Doing Crazy with Community!

Sat, 13 May 2023 16:30:00 GMT

This particular date had been on the calendar for months. In fact, it was a goal I’d set for the year 2022. For 11 months, I quietly stressed about this goal. I wasn’t doing it alone – others were joining me, counting on me. The pressure was on!

As the days rolled by, I did as much work as I could to get ready … um, well, I did as much work as I WANTED to get ready. I mean, I did try. I just wasn’t consistent.

We had the dates, the time, and those who were participating. And finally, I flipped the calendar to November.

The chosen day had arrived!!!

Three of my very dear friends were driving up from GA to spend the weekend with me in PA. My first official visitors to my new home! I was beyond excited and a bit emotional about the reunion.

I had a special connection with this carload of friends – the connection unique to each woman. We’d done life together at different times during our friendship. Hard times, happy times, serious and silly. Two of my sweet friends were widows – young widows, and I’d had the privilege of walking with them in their grief. Another friend was transitioning from a full house to kids going off to college. And each of them had been there for me, in their own way, during one of the hardest times of my life.

Our friendships had started, grown, and strengthened during our time together in NLHG. What brought us together was knowledge. As we spent time learning together with others, our Community grew, and as we walked life together, our friendship intensified.

I may never have met them had it not been for NLHG. Each of us taking the risk to show up and be a little vulnerable … beautiful!

They’ve been friendships deepening and strengthening over the last 12 years. And on this day in November, we were all gathering at my home in PA to embark on an adventure together!

I giddily watched the app showing me where their car was on the map. Now they were in my neighborhood! Two more turns and they would be in front of my house! I quickly grabbed a pair of shoes, ran out the door to the sidewalk on the street, and waited….not very patiently, I must admit.

There they were! Windows rolled down, we started calling to one another, laughing, and then … open car doors, smiles and hugs all around. Quickly we unloaded the car and walked inside my home. The conversations were
continuous as they shared their trip from GA to PA. I gave them the grand tour of my new “cabin,” and then we settled down for a quick bite to eat while chatting, laughing, and sharing stories.

Oh, how my heart had longed to be with friends who knew me, really knew me, and loved me, and accepted me just as I am.

Have you ever experienced that kind of friendship? Have you known what it is to be with other women who “get you”? Understand your choice of lifestyle? Have you ever allowed yourself to be vulnerable enough to invest in another person and be known?

Sure, it can be a little intimidating and perhaps a little uncomfortable, but can I share something with you? It is sooooo worth the effort!

That’s what Community is all about. Being in a safe place to open up so you can be known and having the freedom and opportunity to get to know others!

But it means taking the first step, putting in some effort, and allowing yourself to get a little uncomfortable at first.

Our National Gatherings are intended for exactly this—creating an environment for growing friendships. Coming together over a common interest, spending time with other women exploring the beauty of a certain area, and sharing meals together unencumbered by the daily duties of home and work. A time just for you to enjoy being in the company of other women who get you and accept you just as you are.

What does it take from you to experience the amazing benefits of Community? A commitment to attend the National Gatherings and the effort to open yourself up to connect with other women.

I invite you to our National Gatherings. I do so knowing the incredible, heart-warming experience of meeting new friends and deepening the friendships already known.

Think of it this way …

We are placing before you the most delightful, sumptuous meal created especially for your palate. The table is set beautifully, every detail attended to, and vases of sweet-smelling flowers all around. The only way for you to truly enjoy all the flavors and nuances of this amazing meal? You must lift the fork with your own effort.

Come and share an amazing weekend together with other like-minded women eager to learn alongside you, and looking forward to getting to know YOU!

We’ll be in Kidron, Ohio in June, and we’ll be in Wallace, Idaho, in October!

PS: And that crazy adventure my friends and I all came together to experience? Well, that story is for another blog, and believe me—it was crazy!

Rosemary Italian Loaf

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 01:42:00 GMT

Rosemary Italian Loaf

From The Misty Mushroom homestead

This bread recipe is one of my staples for the family and can be altered and adapted to form various loaves depending on occasion. It makes decent rolls, sandwich, or a great baguette. I love the smell of rosemary as the final loaves are baking; it fills up the house with such warmth! This recipe makes 2 loaves, or one loaf and 9 rolls.

TIME: about 2 1/2 hours total

15 minutes to prepare, 1 hour for bulk rise, 10 minutes to divide, 30 minutes to rest, 25 minutes to bake.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Enjoy and SHARE your recipes with us!

I absolutely love sharing my journey with you thru our NLHG Online Community and encourage all women to join us ! I am the Educational Coordinator of the Sandusky county Chapter in Northwest Ohio. I run a small homestead named The Misty Mushroom with a focus on native plant permaculture. I love to forage, garden, paint, cook, craft, brew, create, read, experiment, doddle, adventure, explore, and cause some shenanigans when bored…thankfully my children and lifestyle keeps me out of trouble for the most part.

Exploring Egg Glassing

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:33:00 GMT

Egg Glassing

My family uses a lot of our farm eggs everyday for our nutritional benefit: deviled eggs, quiche, eggies-in-a-basket, French toast, omelettes, bread, fried rice, and egg drop soup are just some examples of how we dine on those beloved oblong goodies. However, sometimes the flock produces more than we can consume, trade, or sell in a week.

Considering that my gals grace us with about a dozen a day, eggs can become overwhelming.

Egg glassing opens up an opportunity to preserve eggs long term. It also guarantees that you’ll have available eggs in times of molting, winter, or flock loss. I certainly support various methods of food preservation to ensure availability and success of your treasure.

Historically, the term “egg glassing” refers to two methods of egg preservation. The first method involves the chemical Sodium Silicate aka “liquid glass”. Fresh laid eggs were immersed in the solution, removed, and allowed to dry. A permanent air type coating dried onto the eggs to retain the moisture inside of the egg, thus being fresh for up to five months. Because of not being permeable to air, the egg will crack if boiled. I still remember using a push pin to poke a hole in eggs with my mother before hard boiling them. I frequently wondered why I never saw anyone else do this until I realized that she did out of habit from her mother’s methods.

Much of egg glassing now within homestead circles is referred to as using Calcium hydroxide; slaked lime or pickling lime. Slacked lime is frequently used in various food processes from clarifying water to the process of nixtamalization first developed in Mesoamerica; where maize and other grains are soaked and cooked with an alkaline solution; frequently with limewater. After hulled and rinsed, the remaining grain is easier to grind, flavor and aroma are improved, and nutritional value is increased. It is a practice still used today!

So this takes us to using Calcium hydroxide with egg preservation. Fannie Farmer published about egg preservation in 1896 within her Boston Cooking-School Cook Book which popularized the method, but I currently have been unable to source the history beyond this with eggs specifically; it may have correlation to early chicken husbandry by women, but I am curious if there is any connection to Mesoamerican nixtamalization.

Pickling lime is used frequently to give pickles a crunch by soaking for 24 hours and then rinsing several times. Baked goods like bagels and pretzels are given a quick lye soak in a stainless steel pot; the lye breaks down the proteins in the dough and creates a unique texture and crust.

There are sources that have deterred from using limewater that is not food grade quality, as it has been linked to botulism and commercial grade calcium hydroxide is too powerful for small home usage. With the alkalinity of pickling lime, it neutralizes acids and may not be strong enough to kill bacteria. When considering egg selection for glassing, it is then of the upmost importance to choose eggs that are clean and uncracked. The solution seals the eggshells and suspends them.

So lets get down to the materials needed for egg glassing!

Containers : glass jars are my preference but I have also heard of buckets used which makes sense for quantity and ease of removal. Anything with metal must be stainless steel or will react with the lime and have toxic consequences. I recommend sanitizing the container.
Pickling Lime : must be food grade quality and can be obtained with canning supplies.
Eggs : unwashed, clean, and un-cracked eggs that are fresh.
Water : de-chlorinated water preferred.

METHOD

The basic recipe is 1 ounce of lime to 1 quart (4 cups) of filtered water.

Protect skin from direct contact with the lime. You may use a scale for more accurate measuring but roughly 2 tablespoons equals an ounce. I would load up your container first carefully with the eggs, then pour water in with measured amounts, then add your pickling lime in correct quantity. The lime will cloud the water and as it settles; forms a layer at the bottom. I will shift the container carefully to sort the eggs and mixture.

Label containers with the year and store them in a cool location. I use my cellar with a rotation, producing some each year to ensure a supply is available just in case. I admit I often do not need to choose these eggs as hybrid breeds frequently produce enough for us even in winter without extra light (although not enough to sell). I can understand the greater appeal of freeze-dried eggs to maintain quality longer. Limewater eggs do take on a different consistency as they age. Most say two years for the maximum storage; some state less, and others more.

When ready to use, open the container and very carefully remove eggs (I recommend soft tongs). Place eggs in a bath of water and soak for an hour, drain the water and soak again for another hour. I took this a step further and added some vinegar to the water to help neutralize the alkalinity of the eggs, soaking a third time. Check your eggs with the float test and remove and discard any that are buoyant. I’d love a scientific assessment of the composition of finalized eggs in this method overall for nutrition and variances to fresh laid eggs. When cracked the eggs have a supremely runny consistency; with the yolks visible but without lasting structure. They are extremely easy to beat up in a bowl for scrambled eggs.

Now, I had my own levels of trepidation and disbelief when I started egg glassing a couple years ago; it seems a very unreliable way to preserve eggs long term, but this was a long term project for me to test out if it was an option for our family. Mainly because I did not enjoy the consistency of frozen eggs that had been baked in muffin tray, and I don’t own a freeze dryer. Dehydration is another option I want to look into, but for now egg glassing had an ease of production that was ideal for my busy family.

Most articles I’ve read on egg glassing NEVER mention actually consuming the final product which almost makes me feel that many do it for the sake of action and not the sustainability. I enjoy transparency, and I’m a frightfully honest woman…so I feel it necessary to talk about the pros and cons of the entire process from start to finish with my journey.

FOR SCIENCE!

The flavor of 2 year old glassed eggs is that of store bought and also reminded me of the government powdered eggs I had in school. They taste like eggs, smell like eggs, and have the texture. However, they are not as rich and a bit flat tasting; not stale, but just not as great. Granted, I made this breakfast without milk or cheese to obtain the clarity of flavor alone; but side by side fresh eggs will always out compete glassed ones.

In conclusion, I certainly support egg preservation using proper egg glassing with precautions, but I would much rather freeze dry them for overall length of storage time, retaining flavor and nutrition, saving space, and reducing issues. I can understand a lot of arguments on either side of the fence with egg glassing. It is a feasible way to preserve eggs long term if done correctly, but establishing the best options for your family is ideal!

Julie Ibarra

Amazing Alliums

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Onions and garlic are just a start to the greatness that is the Allium family!

In this article, you will gain more familiarity with their uses in the garden, kitchen, medicinal, and wild, with recipes, resources, and much more! Join me on this adventure!

Members of the Allium family certainly are not unusual in our lives; in fact, their consumption can be traced back to the Bronze Age. The National Onion Association has wonderful information about their history, usage, guides on choosing the best, and even recipes. From spicy to mild, their versatility goes beyond the kitchen. Let us first explore what we know of members of the Allium Family.

Common Onions ( Allium cepa ) are the staple of what many of us think of first when discussing members of the Allium family, which is reasonable considering that they are the most widely cultivated. From sweet to strong, they have so many uses and varieties available. Yellow or Brown onions are all-purpose and dominate our market with varieties like Vidalia and Walla Walla known for their sweetness. Red or Purple onions are known for having a sharp and pungent flavor used raw or for grilling. White onions are frequently milder and used for salsa and also grilling. These common onions store well overall but are also pickled, frozen, canned, and dehydrated.

Garlic ( Allium sativum ) has long been used as a seasoning and comes in two varieties: soft or hard-neck, each having benefits. Soft-neck garlic is more common in warmer climates. It is sometimes braided into string plaits and suspended to assist in drying long term. Hard-neck garlic needs a chill and is not capable of being braided. Hard-neck cloves are larger and fewer, but soft-neck cloves have longer storage. I personally am a garlic enthusiast and look forward to cultivating more this year.

Chives ( Allium schoenoprasum ) are a mild-tasting green used for flavoring. They are an easy-to-grow perennial option that can be tucked into herb gardens, containers, or vegetable plots. They produce several lovely flower bundles that are attractive to pollinators. They should be removed before going to seed; otherwise, they tend to spread beyond most people’s tolerance. Scallions , also known as Green Onions, Bunch Onions, and Spring Onions, are not chives but immature common onions, useful for their green stems and leaves. Although similar in appearance to chives, they are more pungent.

Leeks are a cultivar of Allium ampeloprasum , and have a mild onion flavor; they are used not for the bulb but the long stem with bundled leaves. They are frequently chopped and placed into soups (my preference).

For me, growing Alliums is easy and often a “plant and forget” type of endeavor. They do reasonably well as long as they have nutrient-rich soil, full sun, and good drainage. Harvesting is straightforward with a careful trowel to avoid spearing the bulbs and scissors for any greens. Garlic and onions can be dried slowly away from the sun in a covered location and allowed to form the papery skin they are famous for.

From my own experience, I have enjoyed growing various members of the Allium family. I have three types of chives in my herbal garden, various hard-neck garlic varieties in my orchard, and bulb onions are frequently added to whatever space I can tuck them into. I absolutely love taking what I grow outside and bringing it to the kitchen for various recipes and other uses. The many ways Alliums can be cooked and utilized for their culinary value are marvelous. I chop them into salsa, grill them on kebabs, saute them with asparagus, use powder to season my scrambled eggs, and on and on. I look forward to adding leeks this year and will start onions from seed and planting bulbs later this month.

Got a Recipe / Preservation method? Share!

Lacto-Fermented Salsa Base

by Karen Geiser, who spoke at the NLHG Ohio National Gathering!

This is a delicious salsa using the fermented base, plus fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes don’t ferment well and are much better added fresh but the green peppers and onions make a delightful ferment that give the salsa a probiotic punch.

INGREDIENTS for a 1 quart jar

About 3 1/2 cups total of chopped green pepper (can include some jalapeno if desired), chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped garlic
(OPTIONAL) 1tsp chili pepper flakes, 1 tsp dried coriander, & 1 tsp dried oregano

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Make a brine using 1 tbsp salt mixed in 3/4-1 cup water. Pack vegetable mix into quart jar and pour over brine to cover vegetables leaving a 1 inch head space. Put a cabbage leaf on top, tucking it under the jar shoulders. Put a lid or use an airlock system and let ferment at room temperature for 3-4 days. Put on regular lid and put in cold storage. To prepare salsa, chop fresh tomatoes and fresh cilantro (if desired) and add to the salsa base. Drain before serving. The liquid can be used in salad dressing, etc.

I’m also a bit of an enthusiast about Alliums because of their uses beyond the dinner table.

Medicinal uses within this family are vast and still being studied. The major therapeutic effects of onion are extensive, and garlic is also listed with markers to fight disease and cancer. It is no surprise that Fire Cider, a tonic taken daily in the fall to ward off flu and cold (along with other benefits) has both onion and garlic. My Sandusky County, Ohio NLHG Chapter is preparing to do a Fire Cider workshop, which is very exciting!

Providing a remedy for leg cramps, sore throat, stuffy nose, stomach problems, fever, exhaustion, fungal infections, and heartburn, apple cider vinegar alone has a lot of benefits for our usage. Combining apple cider vinegar with other ingredients to make Fire Cider is an easy herbal household item to help relieve and heal from colds, respiratory issues, energize the body, raise immunity, and aid in circulation.

ROSEMARY’S ORIGINAL FIRE CIDER

by: Rosemary Gladstar

Ingredients

DIRECTIONS

Place the herbs in a half-gallon mason jar and add enough vinegar to cover them by 3 to 4 inches. Seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid. Place the jar in a warm spot and let sit for 3 to 4 weeks. Shake the jar every day to help in the maceration process.

After 3 to 4 weeks, strain out the herbs, reserving the liquid. Warm the honey (so it will mix in well) and add it to the vinegar, to taste. “To taste” means your fire cider should be hot, spicy, and sweet. “A little bit of honey helps the medicine go down…” The honey also helps cool the heat, moistens, and balances all the fiery ingredients.

Bottle, label, and enjoy! Fire cider will keep for several months un-refrigerated if stored in a cool pantry. But it’s better to store it in the refrigerator if you have the room.

A small shot glass daily serves as an excellent tonic. Or take the fire cider by teaspoons throughout the day if you feel a cold coming on. Take it more frequently, if necessary, to help your immune system do battle.

I felt the need to go onion and garlic crazy this month and try to push this adoration of the Allium family onto others so that they too could incorporate them into their gardens and benefit from their uses.

Members of the onion family are wonderful at reducing pests in the garden with their odor; being a critical role in your vegetable gardens to improve your harvests. Also in permaculture, they can be used to keep your fruit trees protected from rodents and deer. They can even help to deter mosquitos. Aesthetically, the plants themselves add interest and variety to your plantings. Some plants do exceptionally well alongside members of the onion family while others are poor choices.

With all the benefits of the Allium Family and our familiarity with them, it is important to also recognize and understand the species that grow native to North America.

Imagine having the benefits of the onion family as a hearty perennial, an early spring food source to be foraged, having varieties that grow in both shade and sun, and also have a beneficial environmental impact to preserve our nation’s biodiversity. We find this in our many native plants! Members of the onion family are found almost everywhere.

Most of my research on native plants has been selective to those that are within my range of Northwest Ohio, but I was delighted to research the options across our nation and excited with how many unique species there was. The following link is useful to discover some of the options that are available where you live, also including which ones are invasive and non-native species. ALLIUM RANGE MAP

IDENTIFICATION is one factor of foraging that I will always stress, and especially in spring when many plants are just emerging; various species can look similar. Even herbs like Lemon Balm, Catnip, and Horehound have similar leaves when they emerge, although very different aroma when the leaves are crushed. This is the major factor to identify members of the Allium family; their smell! Cultivated onions and garlic certainly have that familiar sharp pungent aroma, and native onions are no different. If you have issue with smell, I would recommend having another to verify your foraging. Unfortunately there are some heinous plants out there to avoid that may look like Alliums, but none of them smell like onions. IDENTIFICATION OF ONION VS DEATH CAMAS

Widely distributed across the USA, Nodding Onion is edible in all parts but advisable only to consume bulbs in low amounts. They are highly beneficial for attracting native bees and also predatory insects that go for pests in the garden. Attracts the Hairstreak Butterfly and other pollinators as well, making it a great addition around vegetable beds.

I absolutely adore Ramps and it is easy to enjoy their charm as an edible wild onion. Growing in rich moist woodlands of the Eastern USA, their shade loving ways are beneficial to cultivate colonies for long term land sustainability. Slow to develop, and I recommend harvesting only one leaf per plant, or less than 40% of an established group since they take time to cultivate.

Tapertip Onion is found west of the Rockies and it is said that the stalk has more enjoyable flavor for cooking. Geyer’s Onion is another Western variety that unfortunately I do not have much culinary information on; if you have experience with either of these species, please discuss your knowledge!

Canada Onion is listed as a choice edible, although readily distributed across much of the USA and native; many would wish to avoid it in their livestock pastures. Twincrest Onion is another I am not familiar with on edibility, but has listed food usage. Prairie Onion is another noted for flavor and use overall; ranging out west and even noted as attracting hummingbirds!

Adventure awaits allies of the Allium family!

I’ll admit that I’m an absolute goober when it comes to the onion family, and I likely will never have any vampire infestations with my growing garlic obsession, but I hope you obtained some new information with this article, and that it provides a springboard towards greater goals, research, and explorations! Thank you for joining me!

Changing the Sheets: Organizing & Planning Vegetable Beds

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 20:15:00 GMT

Organizing & Planning Vegetables Beds

February is one of those months that I spend indoors cleaning and planning, taking advantage of being cooped up. I downsize for donations, recycle paperwork, review last year’s notes, finalize goals, build my calendar, and what I consider the most enjoyable: ordering seeds and designing my vegetable beds.

It all seems very overwhelming for new homesteaders; planting times, crop rotation, companion planting, spacing, starting seeds indoors, succession planting, zones, pests, fertilizer, soil, raised beds, square foot gardening…the list goes on. Where do you even start? Expectations of success often lead us to be unnecessarily hard on ourselves, but gardening, like many skills, takes practice, wisdom, and experience, which often has moments of failure for clarity and learning.

Getting advice about gardening can also be a trial when every individual has particular preferences, resources, and experience. Your zone, soil, finances, and preferences will be different than others.

Start simple

Ellen Biddle Shipman , one of the first female landscape architects in the 1930s, said, “Remember that the design of your place is its skeleton upon which you will later plant to make your picture. Keep that skeleton as simple as possible. ” So let us simplify!

What type of bed do you have?

Twin, full, queen, king, or a cot in a corner?

What is the size of space you have available to garden in? I highly recommend measuring out your land, then making a graph paper map of it. How much space do you want around the beds? Measure a wheelbarrow width and make sure that you can navigate around. Now sort out how big each bed would be.

When I first started on my homestead, raised beds were the best option for me because I live in wetland territory, and over-saturated areas are not uncommon. Finances also designated how much could be dedicated to building. I designed my garden’s layout first so I could accomplish it long-term in stages. It also allowed me to start simple. I made my beds very close together like sleeping bags at my 14th birthday party, utilizing as much square footage as I could, but I certainly would recommend being a bit more gracious on your mobility.

We started with one raised bed built from leftover corrugated steel, made it tall for ease of movement, and filled up over half with tree logs, sticks, grass clippings, junk topsoil, and then compost and soil. It was a process similar to Hugelkultur. The bed measures about 3’x9′ total, which is a good chunk of space to work with. The photo above is our second year, complete with glorious pallet picket fence and one of the many barrels used for raised bed planting. Franken-farming is how we operate as much as possible to save. You can see some of the many milk jug greenhouses I had set up with native Ohio wildflowers inside. This year I have over 100, including a few vegetables.

Are you comfortable with the bedding?

Although not unfamiliar with horticulture, this was my first homestead with extensive space of my own to grow on my terms outside of small container gardening. I started easy with lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers, keeping what I knew and adding two I had never grown before. Get a feel of your vegetable beds; feel the soil, check moisture retention, and observe how your crops grow. Starting easy by simplifying allows you to evaluate plants easier. Then take steps further the following year.

Lessons in Lettuce

Lettuce is an easy and fast-growing crop for a beginner that provides great lessons.

Bells & Whistles

There are a lot of great resources out there to assist a novice, but also providing great insight to an expert. Getting the best out of our land for the greater good of our household is a gift much desired.

I really like Clyde’s Garden Planner , which is an inexpensive and wonderful guide. It is easy to use and very helpful. A tool like this helps to time planting succession.

What is your favorite tool or guide?

Some plants, like radishes, lettuce, and spinach, are ready to harvest quickly. These are easy to tuck into areas for fresh produce all season, but what if an entire plot was dedicated to spinach that could then be canned, frozen, or dehydrated for storage? What plans do you have for replacing these?

There is also the switchover for many of us from Spring to Fall crops (depending on your zone). Juggling the choices can be daunting. Radishes are excellent fillers for open spaces.

If I can’t plant tomatoes and peppers until late May, what options are there?

Companion planting is not exclusive to vegetables, but it is something we can witness quite easily compared to trees and shrubs. If starting with lettuce, group onions nearby; add basil to your tomato patch. There are many combinations, but experience will help you to get better acquainted with good neighbors.

Change the Sheets

Updating your layout each year will allow you to make decisions based on what you have learned. Keep a journal of your plants to document your experience and review for the next. Also, note the vegetables you enjoyed vs those that were less than impressive. Taking a step further, you can add quantity of harvest, amount preserved long term, and methods.

Due to my husband being deployed, I am scaling down my garden difficulty. This layout is Butterfly Pea, Tigger Melon, Bush Beans, Chamomile, Borage, and Lemongrass.

Getting Cozy

Leaning on the gardening experience and wisdom of ladies in my local Chapter has given me a lot of confidence to set aside my fears and dive into new challenges within my homestead. I hope that my lessons and tidbits build up that Community of Friendship with Knowledge; the three goals that evoke so much support and love; which I am grateful for deeply.

I look forward to adventuring in horticulture and other homestead topics with you. What vegetable are you trying new this year? What was your favorite last year? Questions?

Many blessings to your crops!

Julie Ibarr a
The Misty Mushroom; Oak Harbor, OH
Educational Coordinator of LHG of Sandusky County

Who Is A Homesteader? What Is Homesteading?

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 15:09:00 GMT

Who Is A Homesteader? What Is Homesteading?

I’m asked a lot, “What does it mean to be a homesteader?” And usually, the person quickly follows up with, “I don’t have any land or animals.”

I ask, “Do you can or preserve any of your foods? Grow anything? Sew? Mend clothes? Bake bread? Knit? Make gifts?”

Typically they’ll answer yes to at least one of these. And so I remind them: You are a HOMESTEADER!

Doing at HOME inSTEAD

I came up with this definition because I believe we all have to start somewhere! When I’d share about my 6-acre farm and the animals and gardens on my homestead, I’d hear the longing in their voices as they’d say, “Wow! I wanna be a homesteader someday!”

Folks, NO ONE wakes up one day and has an entire homestead (fences, animals, gardens, tools, a tractor, etc.) right outside their door!! It takes YEARS to get to that point if that’s your vision of a homestead. The journey is slow, seasonal, intentional, and takes time – patiently working to fulfill the dream of self-reliance.

My homesteading journey? It began in 1990 when I learned to make soap, in a suburban neighborhood, houses so close you could see into my neighbors’ windows. Next, I learned to garden on a tiny piece of yard on my postage-stamp-sized lot. I started. I learned to do at HOME inSTEAD.

And so can you! Do you have a dream to homestead? Just start by doing at HOME inSTEAD.

We’re Moving!

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 23:05:00 GMT

But First, A Story ...

Four months ago, after a week away, I came home to a new roof. A new metal roof! I was so excited! I’ve dreamed of listening to rain on a metal roof. And we could stop rushing outside whenever it started raining with buckets (because of all the holes in the carport roof)!

Then I saw my herb bed. My herb bed that normally overflows with lemon balm, violets, stinging nettles, chickweed, and elderberry.

I was devastated. It completely overshadowed my excitement and joy of a new metal roof (and a carport that didn't leak). Never mind that all these plants are notoriously hard to kill. I just saw what I no longer had—lemon balm for tea to calm me at the end of the day, enough stinging nettles to tincture this year, most of the branches on my elderberry broken. This bed was made up of things I’d been gifted when I first started homesteading and they were memories of the women who gifted them to me. What if they didn’t grow back?!

I knew I could only move forward. I still have those relationships, those friendships, and because of NLHG, I’d be able to replace anything that didn’t grow back. I’d already harvested the elderberries, and we’d already decided they needed to be moved further away from the house’s foundation anyway. This is an opportunity, not a disaster, I tried to make myself realize.

And less than four months later …

Yep, the stinging nettles came back bushier than ever, the violets barely blinked, and the lemon balm reminded me why I'd considered bush-hogging it before. And no, I haven't moved the elderberry yet!

All my worries for nothing. My plants obviously love their spot and planned on staying. They came right back up, even the stinging nettles (they were only a year old and I worried over them the most).

So that’s all well and good, but what does that have to do with NLHG and moving, you ask?

For the past couple of years, we’ve felt increasingly limited on Facebook. Our mission is to “share knowledge, build community, and grow friendships” and yet as time goes on, we find we have to be more and more careful about the knowledge shared in our Facebook Groups. Some things, if shared, risk the closure of all our Chapter Facebook Groups. It really came to a head in the last year, when Facebook stopped allowing posts involving the sales of animals (and posts of other homestead items would get caught up in the artificial intelligence net and blocked also).

We agonized over what to do. How could we keep our Groups open and not risk of them all being deleted? What could Chapter Leaders do to make sure these kinds of posts didn’t make it through? How can we support and promote NLHG Members’ homesteading businesses that involve animals?

But then we realized we don’t have to live with these limitations! We don’t have to grow in the wrong spot. There are options! And so we are moving forward to a new platform for our online communities.

When you grow a plant in the wrong location, it will limp along, sometimes sending up a new shoot or a flower just often enough to get your hopes up, and eventually it withers away. But in the right location, that plant will weather almost any storm and grow back as happy as ever.

This is our wish for you: That you find our new online community to be that perfect location where you find the knowledge and the support you need to further your homesteading dreams. Where you can build a community and grow friendships with other women who respect those dreams.

We know change is scary. (We certainly were!) We know you may not want to join another website or download another app. We know this seems like “just one more thing” 2020 throws at you. But we believe this is an opportunity, not a disaster. We believe our new online community is the right spot, the right home, where we can all grow as homesteaders.

You can find us at our new online community here!

We can’t wait for you to join us there to share your homesteading knowledge, to help us build a new online community, and to grow deeper friendships. So when the storms (or roofers!) come, we’re able to grow back stronger than ever.

For Such A Time As This

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 17:58:00 GMT

The phrase swirling around in my head is, “for such a time as this.”

It completes so many questions during these days of uncertainty, anxiety, unknowns.

Why am I a homesteader? For such a time as this.
Why do I grow my own food? For such a time as this.
Why do I spend so much time learning about local medicinal herbs? For such a time as this.
Why do I invest personal time creating a like-minded community? For such a time as this.
Why is it important I learn these survival skills? For such a time as this.
Why does NLHG exist? For such a time as this.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think we would see days like the ones we are living now. A pandemic that literally shuts down the world? Job losses, face masks, death, fears, quarantine, etc.

And yet, in the midst of all this craziness, I am confident I will be okay. It’s spring – my vegetable aisle is my own front lawn and the woods. I have canned goods on the shelves, honey from last year’s harvest. I have meat in the freezer, eggs on the counter. When I’m asked how life is for me right now, I answer that it’s not that much different. I’m here on the homestead, 6′ – or rather, 600′ – from the next human being.

It’s for such a time as this that I have spent years learning the skills necessary to take care of myself and others.

It’s for such a time as this that I am even more motivated to reach more women to share knowledge and bring them into our community. Hundreds, no thousands, of women are standing stronger during this pandemic, taking care of their families and those around them because of NLHG. We have the knowledge, and we know how to use it!

I personally want to thank all our NLHG Chapter Leaders. Without you and your willingness to lead and give sacrificially of your time and talent to put together Gatherings each month, we would not be as equipped as we are right now. I encourage you all to thank your local NLHG boards for all they have done to ready you.

If you, personally, have reached out and helped one other woman in the last few weeks, you are living out our purpose statement, and I couldn’t be more proud. NLHG exists to empower women through homesteading. Our lifestyle is no longer a cute hobby. This lifestyle sustains, nurtures, and feeds those around us. It gives us health and confidence and the ability to care for our own. Knowledge casts out fear, and you have the knowledge.

So during this tumultuous time of uncertainty, hold fast to your community, help one another, share your bounty. And remember, you are prepared for such a time as this.

6 Steps To Winterize Your Garden For A Successful Spring

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 15:04:00 GMT

The harvest is in. The canning is done. The first frost either close by or behind us. It’s time to winterize your garden ( if you aren’t planting a winter garden, that is). Take notes on what was successful this year – and what wasn’t – and plan for next year. Whether it’s rotating your garden to a new area, expanding or adding beds, or enriching the soil, putting in some elbow grease now will make spring planting a breeze.

Six Steps To Winterize Your Garden

1. TEST YOUR SOIL

Now is the perfect time to test your soil to see if it is too acidic or too alkaline. Soil that’s too acidic is a perfect environment for weeds and disease. There are test kits available at most hardware stores, through your local extension agent, or you can also test it yourself using vinegar and baking soda . Your local extension office can direct you to where to send your soil to be tested for more than acidity. These comprehensive tests will give you a more in-depth analysis of what your soil might be lacking.

2. PULL WEEDS

Hopefully, the weeds have not gone to seed yet, but if so, carefully pull them up by the roots. Don’t add these to your compost! Just add them to your burn pile or give them to your chickens as a treat. You might consider sowing a cover crop such as fetch or clover to keep weed pressure down and rebuild the soil.

3. REMOVE OLD VEGETABLE PLANTS

First, throw away any diseased plants. For healthy plants, cut their stems as close to the ground as possible. Leave the roots to decompose, adding nutrients back into the soil. Add the old plants to your compost.

4. LAYER GARDEN BEDS WITH COMPOST

Add 1” to 2” of compost to your garden bed. This is also a good opportunity to add fresh manure (in moderation) since it will have all winter to decompose.

5. ADD LANDSCAPING FABRIC

If you want, you can add landscaping fabric. It will reduce weed growth and add heat to help decompose the mulch (and manure, if you added any). Just remove it in the spring when you are ready to plant!

6. COVER AND MULCH

Cover your prepped beds with a thick layer of mulch. You can use hay, straw, leaves, dried grass clippings, or wood chips. What you choose to use will determine how thick to apply it. For finer mulches like hay, straw or grass clippings, you’ll need to apply a thicker layer. (Note: If using grass clippings, it’s very important that clippings are completely dry.) Denser mulches like wood chips or bark break down more slowly, so you won’t need as much. Don’t skimp on this step! The mulch layer is crucial for moisture retention and protecting your precious topsoil from blowing or washing away.

How do you winterize your gardens?

Share Knowledge. Build Community. Grow Friendships.

Fire Cider: A Traditional Folk Remedy

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 14:59:00 GMT

What is Fire Cider?

Fire Cider (or sometimes called Fire Tonic) is an apple cider vinegar (ACV) infusion of spicy roots, vegetables, and herbs. Traditionally, it’s been used as a folk remedy for the common cold. People have been known to take a spoonful daily as an immune booster and to aid their digestion.

The health benefits of ACV date back to 400 BC as noted by Hippocrates, and there have been various recipes involving ACV, herbs, vegetables, and honey in folk medicine ever since.

The name “Fire Cider” is typically attributed to Rosemary Gladstar of the Science & Art of Herbalism (and AKA “the Godmother of American Herbalism”) from her Californian herbal classes in the 1980s. Her basic “original” recipe is below (and from here ), and you can make any substitutions you need to:

Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Horseradish freshly grated
1/2 cup or more Onions chopped
1/4 cup or more Garlic chopped
1/4 cup or more Ginger freshly grated
Cayenne pepper fresh (chop it up) or dried (flaked or ground), to taste
Apple cider vinegar preferably raw and organic
Honey
Optional: Turmeric, echinacea, cinnamon, etc.

Instructions:

Place herbs in a half-gallon canning jar and cover with enough raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to cover them by at least three to four inches. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.
Place the jar in a warm place and let for three to four weeks. Best to shake every day to help in the maceration process.
After three to four weeks, strain out the herbs, and reserve the liquid.
Add honey ‘to taste’. Warm the honey first so it mixes in well (but not too hot!). “To Taste’ means your Fire Cider should taste hot, spicy, and sweet. “A little bit of honey helps the medicine go down……”
Rebottle and enjoy! Fire Cider will keep for several months unrefrigerated if stored in a cool pantry. But it’s better to store in the refrigerator if you’ve room.

A small shot glass daily serves as an excellent tonic, or take teaspoons if you feel a cold coming on.

When choosing ingredients, consider:

Always choose raw ACV with the “mother.” Bragg’s is a brand commonly found in grocery stores, or you can make your own!
When grating a horseradish root, wear protective glasses and be aware of the strong odor. It will completely open your sinuses and be very careful not to touch your eyes!
Root powder can be used as a substitute where the ginger, turmeric or horseradish roots are unavailable. But if you can get it, the raw root is best. You don’t have to peel the roots prior to grating. Just throw it all in there.

Fire Cider is also delicious used in a salad dressing, home-made mustard, coleslaw, soup and so much more. Save the leftover pulp and add it to stir fry vegetables or any hot spicy dish. Start off with just a little at a time because it can be strong!

How do you make your Fire Cider?

National Ladies Homestead Gathering

What Did I Just See

Lilac Simple Syrup

Window Cleaning Day

The Community I Didn't Know I Needed

Seed Longevity Charts

Average Seed Longevity Charts ﻿

Fruit & Vegetable Seed Longevity Chart

Herb ﻿ Seed Longevity Chart

Flower Seed Longevity Chart

Building Community

Blood, sweat, and tears

Paybacks

Bad Intentions

Winter's Symphony

Stuck In The Snow

Pony Kisses

A Sock And A Reminder

When Things Go Wrong

Locked In

The Quilt

Yellow Jackets

Raspberry Rewards

Why I Bother With Canning

Spring Time

Random Musings

RANDOM MUSINGS ABOUT FARM LIFE ... and I still wouldn't trade it!

I Trust Animals

When is your spring coming?

Mending And Memories

It's What's For Breakfast

Nature's Healing: Crafting Medicine from Plants

Healing Plants

How do we learn more about these medicinal wonders?

How do we transform flowers, leaves, roots and berries into something more palatable and portable?

Teas and Tisanes

Fresh elderberry blossom tea:

Tinctures

Basic elderberry tincture:

Salves

Basic salve recipe:

Soothing Plantain Salve with Tea Tree Oil

The Heart Of Homesteading

I’ve had the incredible privilege of visiting many, many homesteads across this country.

Heart.

Homestead Economics: Going To Market

Where Do I Start?

What Do You Want To Sell?

The Basics

Common Questions

When and where is the unloading and setup for the event?

How long is the event, & your personal needs?

Handling money?

What is your plan?

Going Further

The Almighty Dollar ﻿

How To Push Your Product?

Where Is Your Market?

Snout to Tail

“Oh, happy day: I’ve got sheep fat!”

Here are four benefits from using a “Nose to Tail” approach to food:

1. Reduce waste

2. Save money

3. Reduce waste

4. Honor the cycle of life

Cluck & Coffee

A get-together that might involve chickens and coffee? I’m there!

Venus in the Rough: Beauty for the Hardworking Woman

Ingredients

Tallow

Jojoba oil

Elderflowers

Yarrow

Echinacea

Rose hips

Other ingredients?

Combining ingredients

Doing at HOME inSTEAD of going to the store

Believe it or not, the term “homesteader” only meant one thing not too many years ago.

I started to use the term “homesteading” when others asked me what I was doing on my land.

Average Seed Longevity Charts

Herb Seed Longevity Chart

The Almighty Dollar

My last morning with my friend and her family.

What is it about dairy goats that lure us into their entrapment? SPRING