tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39849883728793595332024-03-13T22:21:40.469-04:00Laura's Homestead AdventuresBlogging about the things that I love to do including learning and implementing homesteading, sustainability and permaculture practices into my daily life. I also use this blog as an online journal writing about the day in and day out happenings in my life which include balancing family, work and the needs of the homestead, all while keeping in mind that you have to stop and smell the roses and count your blessings along the way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-48366398458897673012018-01-23T20:31:00.000-05:002018-01-23T20:31:07.475-05:00To Blog or Not To Blog,,,<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In January of last year I sat down and wrote a post from the RV I was living in at the time. I thought then that I really wanted to get back to blogging more often if only to chronicle the ins and outs of starting a homestead from the ground up for my own record, so much for that plan. Here it is one year later and I am back to try yet again. If nothing else along with all of the successes we have had I will always be honest about the struggles we have experienced making this new life work.<br />
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One of the reasons I find it difficult to post is that I live in an area where there is only satellite Internet service and the connections are incredibly slow and spotty. While I would not change a thing I am where I am supposed to be I mentions all of these little drawbacks as a caution to those who are looking for their perfect homestead sites. I have a contract with my current provider that I do not want to pay to break so I will stick it out, but in about six months I will be able to switch to another server who now is offering a much faster connection via satellite. I do not know if it's okay to post the names of the companies so I won't but if anyone is curious drop me an email.<br />
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On a more positive note, as of October 2017 we finally have a home on our property! After a lot of research and contemplation we agreed to put a new single wide mobile home on the land instead of building a house. While financially it may not be the better investment, for our convenience and peace of mind it was the most practical choice and I could not be happier or more comfortable than I am in my new home. My husband and I are both 54 and felt that at our age we just wanted to get to the business of homesteading on our land, raising our critters, growing our garden and so we celebrated our first Christmas in our new home and it was wonderful.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-54757053098722319582017-01-22T13:09:00.001-05:002017-03-12T07:10:37.662-04:00Trailersteading<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The homestead dreamer should really think long and hard before choosing between buying<br />
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raw land and an established place with electricity, water, living structures, fencing and outbuildings.<br />
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I bought this property before I met and married my husband Tommy, and had developed a huge emotional connection to the dream of living here, when he told me he was willing to relocate from Florida to New Mexico and help me make my dream come true, I was over the moon.</div>
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However, hindsight being 20/20, if I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, I must admit that I might reconsider buying a completely undeveloped piece of land and opt for an older already established homestead. Don't get me wrong, I am in love with this place and the challenges have been quite the adventure but this journey can certainly test the bond between husband and wife. I don't think it is fair to paint a picture of roses and sunshine when the reality is that its not an easy life, I have seen too many homesteaders that I have admired not withstand the stress of the day in and day out workload and the heartbreaks associated with the inevitable failures that occur on homesteads, farms and ranches every day.</div>
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The challenges you face building from the ground up are many. Number one, it takes money, even when you think you have estimated every penny you will need, prepare for emergencies. Equipment breakdowns, vet bills, and the costs associated with keeping warm in the winter and cool in the summer will always be more than you can anticipate.<br />
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Working off of the homestead is another challenge, if my husband were not retired and able to be here full time it would be twice as hard for us to keep things running smoothly. If you do need to work off of the homestead traveling distance and weather can present another big challenge. I drive an hour to work daily. Because our property is off of a dirt road, snow and rain make it necessary to have a 4 wheel drive vehicle and even with a jeep there are days when I am not sure I will make it out, and on that note forget about ever having a clean vehicle again.<br />
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Having a way to get water is another huge challenge that cannot be underestimated and is a topic I will address more completely in a separate post.<br />
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What to live in is probably one of the biggest considerations, one that we have not quite figured out yet. If you have some construction/building savvy you will be way ahead of the game. Unfortunately, that is not a talent the either my husband or myself possess so we will have to decide to pay a builder to build a home or go with a mobile home, a choice that we can't seem to be able make, not to mention one that we feel financially prepared for. So, for now we are trailersteading, term I first heard in the book by Anna Hess "Trailersteading", which was a pretty inspiring read.<br />
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Living in a travel trailer poses its own set of challenges that I will talk about in another post but with used travel trailers available in all cost ranges they do provide a way to get to the business of living on the land,a choice that I would definitely make again.<br />
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This is the Keytone Everest that my husband and I are currently living in.<br />
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This is the Holiday Rambler that my 25 year old son is living in.<br />
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The straw bales are our attempt at winterizing, we had the pipes freeze on both trailers right around New Years day and they stayed frozen for about 2 days. The straw bales seem to be keeping that from happening again. I will share more about this form of tiny home living in another post.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-9910691101016627392017-01-20T21:59:00.000-05:002017-01-22T12:42:50.302-05:00On the Grid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I want to write about some of the big projects we have completed here on the homestead for two reasons, first to simply remember this process and second to give others who are out there homestead dreaming an idea of what one can expect if they decide to start literally from the ground up.<br />
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One of the first things we did to make this land comfortable to live on was to get electricity to the place. While the idea of being off grid is really appealing and I so admire those who can make it work, it was not a reasonable plan for us right now. I work full time and am often up and on the road well before dawn and I know that I would have a really hard time trying to live without electricity. I would love to see us add solar panels and other off grid means of heating and cooking but not at the expense of my sanity.<br />
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We were incredibly lucky that the local power company had already run power lines along the outer edge of our property, this saved us a ton of money. The first thing we had to do is have a local electrician come in and put in a drop pole and the panel boxes that hold the breakers. After that we then had the local electrical company come out and run a line from the main power lines to the drop pole. Next, we had to have the State inspector come and give his blessing to the set up. After it passed inspection we were able to have the electrician come back and run the lines to our storage sheds, and install two fifty amp outlets to the two travel trailers we have brought up to the property to live in. We spent roughly around $7.000 for the whole electrical set up. As we add other dwellings, water pumps etc. we will pay the electrician for those upgrades as we go.<br />
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I wanted desperately to be on the property and had I not been fortunate enough to have the money to get the electricity installed I would have been looking at the best generator I could get to power the self contained trailers. With horses and other animals on the property keeping everyone in water would have been a much greater challenge. Speaking of water, did I mention that we have to haul water? Yes we do, and that is a post for another day.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-62539506777484653752017-01-20T09:49:00.000-05:002017-01-20T09:49:17.035-05:00New Life...New Blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The last time I posted was in April, 2014. I can't believe that almost 3 years have passed since that post. By the way four of the chicks pictured in that post are still alive and clucking away in Florida. As for me, life happened, I moved 2000 miles across the country and the blog fell by the wayside, but it was always something I wanted to get back to someday. Blogging for me was alway such a great creative outlet and allowed me to connect to so many amazing people all over the world, I am really excited that the cold days of my first real winter here on the new homestead will allow me some time to sit and start again.<br />
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So much has changed in my life since that last post I am not sure where to begin. I have realized one of my greatest dreams and finally moved to New Mexico onto a bautiful 30 acre piece of land at the base of the Manzano mountains. This place is truly my forever home and I am grateful every day for the peace and tranquility of this land. That being said, now the real work has begun, and as anyone who ever started a homestead from a raw parcel of land knows it is a labor of love. Since I am still working full time as a nurse and Hubby Honey Do has retired, a great deal of the blood sweat and tears that keep this place moving forward are his so I felt it fitting to rename the blog but have not yet come up with a name that fits. I'll have to mull it over a while.<br />
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I look forward to checking in with the bloggers that I used to visit often, and that some of my followers are still out there and stop by to say hello. I look forward to seeing what you have been up to over the last 3 years and look forward to sharing this new life of mine with you.<br />
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This picture is from my front window Christmas Day 2016.<br />
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I hope other new homesteaders can be encouraged from the progress we make as we build this new high desert homestead from the ground up.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-5262564032415866992014-04-18T09:52:00.001-04:002014-04-18T10:53:46.576-04:00Chicks in the Living Room <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Experienced homesteaders, hobby farmers and country folks in general would not think twice about buying a batch of chicks at the Local Rural King and raising them up for eggs. But a lot of my friends who were raised as city dwellers like I was might think that sounds a bit daunting.</div>
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Honestly, when they say chickens are the gate way drug to homesteading it is surely the truth, chicken are amazing creatures, and they spread an infectious form of happiness as they go about their daily business. </div>
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With a little reading and research anyone can raise chickens in a very small space. I currently live a suburban area and have two small coops in the back yard. I currently only have four hens and two of them are extremely small bantam hens so I will raise these girls up to fill in the egg production by next fall. </div>
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Of course you really need to check the zoning laws in your area to make sure its OK to have chickens but most cities now allow at least a few chickens. If you don't keep a rooster, the girls (pullets) don't make any noise, they eat kitchens scraps and their manure can be composted to enrich garden soil.</div>
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Nutrition wise, eggs got a bum rap for a while but now the pendulum is swinging back towards recognizing eggs (the whole thing, not just the whites) as one of natures perfect foods and there is nothing more satisfying then sitting down to a plate of eggs fresh from your backyard flock. And of course, it is true that fresh eggs are so much better than the ones from the grocery store.</div>
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Chickens are really easy to take care of , they have few health problems and really just need fresh air, clean food and water and decent accommodations. There are a thousand different plans for chicken coops online that you can build or you can buy a small one at your local farms store. Everything you ever wanted or needed to know about chickens can be found online for free. With several great blogs and websites dedicated to chicken keeping of every kind you can become an expert in no time. I see free Kindle chicken books offered at least once a week. With a little imagination a person can get started keeping chickens with little up front cost. Baby chicks sell for 1-2 bucks a piece and full grown laying hens sell on craigslist and in farm stores for around 15 per hen.</div>
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So until they are fully feathered these girls will be hanging out in the living room where I can keep a close eye on them until they are ready to move out into one of the coops. The sound of chicks pecking and chirping happily is music to my ears.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com4Lake Panasoffkee, Lake Panasoffkee28.790161 -82.13009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-78584218639332983032014-03-13T09:42:00.000-04:002014-03-13T09:42:17.480-04:00Picmonkey- Wow it's really fun and free.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Another blogger mentioned this fun</div>
website called Picmonkey <a href="http://www.picmonkey.com/" target="_blank">www.picmonkey.com/</a><br />
its a free photo editing site that allows you to add text, graphics and other interesting touches to your photos. You can edit you photos there as well. I always wondered how people got text into their photos.<br />
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At this rate in about five years I will <br />
actually know how to create one of those beautifully professional blogs I so admire.....well maybe.<br />
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I look forward to the day I actually have some time to spend learning how to use this great new feature.www.picmonkey.com/</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-67360265874147355132014-03-10T13:51:00.001-04:002014-03-10T14:43:53.613-04:00Meet Molly<p dir="ltr">My new granddaughter born on Valentine's day. </p>
<p dir="ltr">My youngest son and I drove out to Texas for two weeks to spend some time with this little beauty and her mommy. They live south of Houston. It was a good trip and I was sad to leave them behind but boy it is good to be back home in my kitchen and in my garden.<br>
Too bad that darn job demands my return tomorrow.</p>
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Bell Peppers:</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9J1a3foJPyY/Ux3JicX4e4I/AAAAAAAAD6M/tWnesYyNhCM/s1600/IMG_20140306_142454_630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9J1a3foJPyY/Ux3JicX4e4I/AAAAAAAAD6M/tWnesYyNhCM/s1600/IMG_20140306_142454_630.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Nothing is more disheartening than having the produce that you worked so hard to raise and harvest go to waste in the produce bin of your fridge because you had too much or your did not get around to using it. Same goes for store bought produce</div>
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I have thrown away or composted more beautiful fruits and veggies than I care to admit to because it spoiled before I used it. Knowing that is just wasted money, I am really making a much greater effort these days to keep that from happening. Here are some of the veggies I have recently harvested from my fall/winter garden that I have put up in the freezer. </div>
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Bell pepper diced up and spread on a cookie sheet to freeze before dumping in to freezer bags keeps the pepper pieces from sticking together to form one big ice lump. I use the same method to preserve fresh berries and even grapes. </div>
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Collard greens are another crop that grows so abundantly here in the South that you are guaranteed to have more than you can use at once. Being from California, greens were a dish that I had to grow to love but since my Southern husband and daughter in-law love them I decided to give them a try and now I do like them and grow them too. To prepare any kind of greens, first the stem must be removed (I feed those to my rabbits) and then the leaves can be diced into smaller pieces and quickly blanched in a pot of boiling water for about 2-3 minutes and then rinsed in cold water or dunked in ice water, drained and then put into freezer bags for later use. I do the same with excess kale and even cabbage. I think anything from brassica family could be blanched and frozen. I sometimes will puree the Kale into a more liquid form to add to smoothies since it is so highly nutritious. I have yet to master Kale chips, I hear people rave about them but mine tasted kind of like dirt so until I find a more tasty way to make them I will pass.</div>
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I know for many these tips may sound simply basic, but for people like me who grew up with TV dinners and boxed mac n cheese they are new and valuable skills to learn, allowing me to save my harvest and save money by reducing wasted produce.</div>
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Collard Greens:</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-59073733239004310762014-03-06T11:11:00.002-05:002014-03-06T11:11:54.088-05:00Homesteading Heartstrings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you have read my blog in the past you may notice that I changed the name of my blog again. I decided that this blog is about the journey, the process of getting to where I am going and one that will probably never be fully completed. So for now that title feels more fitting.<br />
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There are so many amazing blogs out there about homesteading and self sufficiency that it makes me wonder if I really have anything to contribute to the mass of information already out there. But, after so many months away from blogging I find that I really do miss it. I miss making note of the things that I continue to do on a daily basis that are out of the ordinary in this age of convenience. I miss the interaction with other like minded people as well. <br />
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In my day in and day out life I am a nurse on a critical care unit and there a very few people who understand my fascination with this kind of a lifestyle, heck I don't understand why I feel so strongly pulled towards a harder way of living but I always have been. There is something in me that gets the most amazing satisfaction in laying out an entire meal on the table that was produced entirely on my own land, from the animals that I have raised and from the sweat that went into the vegetables that I have grown in my own yard. I have written before about how strongly I feel that we need to keep these old skills alive and pass them down to our children and grand-children. I still feel that way.<br />
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These days prepping for disaster has become a popular thing to do and I am all for that but if one of those scenarios does come to pass there had better be plenty of people around who know how to start from scratch and exist when the canned foods run out. I definitely don't shun modern living, I think the internet is the greatest thing to ever happen in my life but I think that we take it all for granted and assume it will always be there, what if it were not? Could we get by? I digress, that is a topic for another blogger.<br />
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With those thoughts in mind, I am re-dedicating myself yet again to continuing this blog even if only for the personal satisfaction of making note of this journey that I am on. Through all of the ups and downs in my life I always come back to the same place in my heart, the desire for a little place of my own in the middle of nowhere. A place where I can put down permanent roots and settle into the task of building a working homestead with gardens, chickens and goats to start with. Room to ride my horses for miles and a place that my grandchildren can run wild on and look forward to visiting. I am not there yet but I continue to work towards that goal daily, paying down my land, learning new skills and perfecting the ones I have already learned. I hope to do a better job of making note of what I am doing regularly so that other like me can learn from my successes and failures along the way.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-56320844446221838582013-07-30T08:04:00.001-04:002013-07-30T08:04:43.412-04:00The second half of life.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The summer of 2013 has been a big one for me, first I turned 50 in June, a fact that continues to boggle my mind because besides besides my body not cooperating with what I want it to do I still feel like I the same woman I was years ago. Only the new little lines on my face and the grey in my hair and the aches in my joints that I try to ignore remind me that yes indeed time marches on.<br />
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Secondly, July 16th I got married again. After a long 4 year period of friendship and dating I knew this was a man who I could build a life with. Together we share the plan to build a small homestead in New Mexico and to pursue the idea of becoming as self sufficient as possible.<br />
So, the second half begins. I'm excited to see what the future holds.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-47112716861760402272013-06-20T09:59:00.000-04:002013-06-20T09:59:06.494-04:00Strawberry Leaf Tea<div style="text-align: center;">
Today I did something I felt was actually blog worthy, at least in the homesteading world. I made Strawberry Leaf Tea. A project that made me just a little bit nervous.</div>
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Strawberry tea, like other berry teas has many reported health benefits, high in vitamin C, it is used to calm upset stomachs and digestive issues. As a nurse I know that many of the modern medicines used today began as herbal remedies so I am always interested in learning about alternatives from nature.</div>
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When I moved from my old house I carefully dug up all of my strawberry plants that were just beginning to bloom and moved them to the new raised beds I had set up in my new location and hoped that they would survive the transplant. They did amazingly well and produced a decent crop of berries. Here in Florida the dog days of summer are just beginning to set in and I believe the plants are done producing any more fruit but the leaves were still green and thriving so I decided to try something I came across somewhere along the way, making tea from the leaves of the plant. Before I started I tried to find information online about how best to proceed but there was surprisingly little out there but just enough to get me through the process.</div>
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I picked the leaves and washed them carefully removing all of the stems. I made sure to pull out any that looked to be wilting or damaged as I had read that as the leaves begin to decompose they become toxic to humans and can cause nausea and cramping, the part that worried me. </div>
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Then I set them on my dehydrator racks to dry out. I have an old Excalibur Dehydrator that I bought at a yard sale over 20 years ago that is still going strong.</div>
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Anxious to see how the tea might turn out I decided to dry and handful of leaves in the microwave. Since I</div>
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do not have a tea infuser I improvised by tying the leaves up in a thin cotton dish towel ( I use these for cheese and yogurt making too) and pouring boiling water from the tea kettle over to create and infusion. </div>
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Nothing I found online told me how long to leave the leaves infusing so I used my best judgement and decided that this pale green color was just about right. I worried that the tea might be very bitter but it was surprisingly pleasant almost citrus like. I sweetened it with a little honey and enjoyed the whole cup. It has been a little over one half hour since I drank it and I am experiencing no bad side effects so I suppose I will live and will definitely be drinking more of this unique tea blend. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-51479358216209980412013-04-15T08:08:00.000-04:002013-04-15T08:19:22.802-04:00Not Home Yet .<div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
More transitions happening in my life. I am moving yet again. My oldest son and his family are out on their own again and I don't need this big house I am renting so I have decided to downsize and begin my transition to New Mexico. I still have about two years before I will officially make the move but the wheels are in motion. The next two years will be all about getting ready to trek my horses, dogs and possessions the 2000 miles to what I pray will be my final stopping point and the beginning of building my homestead in the sun. In the mean time I am collecting information, learning new skills and trying to organize . <br />
Wish me luck. I'm really ready to see this journey move in a new direction. <img src="webkit-fake-url://1E48F4E7-1A0D-4D3A-BAF2-8EA1BC305269/imagejpeg" />This is not my picture , but it is pretty close to what my life looks like today. </div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-46893494504232282842013-02-14T13:51:00.000-05:002013-02-14T13:51:00.758-05:00Balloon Fiesta 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Spent the second week in October back in New Mexico and Colorado two of my favorite places in the world. Finally got to attend the annual Balloon Fiesta outside of Albuquerque and it was well worth the trip. Two of my children were able to join me, we rented a car in Denver and spent some time there with family and then had a road trip down to Albuquerque.<br />
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<span id="goog_1145707711"></span>Although we were freezing , we have thin Florida blood it was such an amazing site.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-31179022302206617342013-02-14T13:02:00.002-05:002013-02-14T13:02:40.082-05:00Transitions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sunset from my property in New Mexico . </div>
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Its me just sending a note out to the blogging universe to say that I am still here but have had so many things going on in my life that blogging became low on the list of priorities. It seems the longer you stay away the harder it is to jump back into it but I miss putting my thoughts into words. Hopefully I will have time soon to get back on track in more ways than one. Some of the things I need to do include revising my homestead wish list this time with the move to my New Mexico homestead in mind. I believe I can finally start the countdown to making that move, although it is still going to be a bit of a wait Jan 2015 should be the beginning of my transition to my new home 2000 miles away where I will finally begin to build my permanent homestead/mini farm. <div>
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With the move in mind some of the things I need to gather information and learn about include:</div>
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Composting Toilets</div>
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Solar Power</div>
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Bee Keeping</div>
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Gardening in the High Desert</div>
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Feeding and keeping livestock in the High Desert where pasture is minimal and weather and predators can be challenging.</div>
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Straw Bale Building ( Although I don't think my home will be straw bale I dream of building a little guest house using this method).</div>
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Miniature Cattle.</div>
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Heritage Breeds of livestock native to the Southwest.</div>
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Trail Riding in the Southwest.</div>
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I have a vision of the life I want and a plan for how to get there now I just need to remember to not get so focused on that dream that I forget to enjoy the here and now everyday moments that come along.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-15002650747817669792012-11-14T07:39:00.001-05:002012-11-14T07:39:47.738-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: center;">I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles California where nobody I knew made anything from scratch, so the idea of making my own pumpkin puree was something I was unfamiliar with. For years I have wanted to </span><span style="text-align: center;">make my own puree for pumpkin inspired baked goods, but never seemed to get around to it till this year. I never imagined how incredibly easy it is to do.</span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4sZU2eRgF9M/UKOGyrDQM8I/AAAAAAAAAfU/SqmK0lPc3Qs/s1600/2012-10-15_15-23-35_615+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4sZU2eRgF9M/UKOGyrDQM8I/AAAAAAAAAfU/SqmK0lPc3Qs/s200/2012-10-15_15-23-35_615+(1).JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-wQ0wc-8io/UKOGepTGYsI/AAAAAAAAAfI/bsCBpy6jD9c/s1600/2012-10-15_15-24-42_202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-wQ0wc-8io/UKOGepTGYsI/AAAAAAAAAfI/bsCBpy6jD9c/s200/2012-10-15_15-24-42_202.JPG" width="200" /></a>For many of you fellow homesteaders this is nothing new but I know there are plenty of people out there like me who grew up in very different homes where convenience was the only choice so for you I say if I can do it so can you.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--CNKfRTnQ3Y/UKOLai3tXMI/AAAAAAAAAf0/TtyCD-FCuDw/s1600/2012-10-15_15-27-18_754+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--CNKfRTnQ3Y/UKOLai3tXMI/AAAAAAAAAf0/TtyCD-FCuDw/s200/2012-10-15_15-27-18_754+%25281%2529.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>I came home with a plain old Jack O Lantern Pumpkin that I bought for 2.99 and went online to research how to bake it. I quickly learned that pumpkin aficionados say that you need a small sugar pumpkin to make pumpkin puree for baking but that is not the pumpkin I had and decided to try it anyway. There are plenty of resources online including some pretty funny you tube videos to find out how to do the job but the steps are so easy and the results were delicious even from this plain old Jack O Lantern pumpkin.<br />
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First clean out the insides of you pumpkin, save the seeds for roasting, I also saved the stringy insides to give to Hamilton my pot bellied pig who loved the treat. Cut the clean pumpkin in half and place upside down on a baking pan and bake at 375 till soft to cut through. Let the pumpkin cool and peel of the outside peel. The peel became a treat for my horses making the whole pumpkin edible with the exception of the stem. Cut the soft baked inside of the pumpkin into chunks and place in a strainer mashing up a bit to allow some of the water to drain off. Once most of the liquid has drained away you can mash the remainder up up to make puree. I read that is can be pureed further in a food processor but I was afraid it would become to liquefied. I read online that is was not really safe to can pumpkin so I froze it in freezer bags about 16 oz. each (the amount in a can of pumpkin puree). My medium pumpkin filled 9 bags, so the cost savings over buy canned is significant.<br />
The house smelled amazing while the pumpkin was cooking. I used the puree to make pumpkin spice cake and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I loved this project and went right out and got another bigger pumpkin to make even more puree for the freezer. I see this a project to be repeated every year when pumpkins are in season. The only thing that will make it even more fun would be to use pumpkins that I grew in my own garden but I am not there yet...someday.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-91712952875755075772012-09-10T01:27:00.001-04:002012-09-10T01:27:25.772-04:00Pretty addicting site.<div><p>Check out my pins on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/invited/?username=laurapike</p>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-15155191926638167772012-08-18T16:15:00.001-04:002012-08-18T16:15:13.301-04:00Florida Sunset<div><p>One of those life is good moments.</p>
<br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SesKYpSwhOU/UC_3zuztz7I/AAAAAAAAAew/YxEoxIgXqSg/IMG_20120312_193258.png' /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-37231014796325309002012-08-17T11:27:00.001-04:002012-08-17T11:27:49.779-04:00Meet Sampson<div><p>The newest member of my family a 10 year old Percheron named Sampson. He is a lovely disposition gentle giant that rides like a dream. </p>
<br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SwkwAxYfdo4/UC5i8zZ_SjI/AAAAAAAAAeg/vErUQIWrAw8/2012-07-04_15-53-10_520.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-N03MOeQ1yBE/UC5ix8vik3I/AAAAAAAAAeY/vC6t9n7Pkfg/2012-07-04_15-54-34_721.png' /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-52346287132439548642012-08-17T10:48:00.001-04:002012-08-17T10:56:56.679-04:00Blogging on the go <div><p>Somewhere along the way i got completely out of the habit of blogging. With the integration of a smartphone and Kindle Fire into my life I rarely log onto the internet from my actual computer. I do find that I miss the self reflection that blogging allowed me and the interactions and feedback i got from blogging. So today i am challenging myself to begin blogging on the go using my Android phone or my Kindle and to stop using my lack of time at home as a reason not to blog. <br>
Tons of things have happened in my life this past tear that i w ish i had put in my blog but I let time get away from me.</p>
<p>So I'm diving in here from my phone with some pictures of my trip to New Mexico this past June.   <br>
Some of these are from the Sandia Parkway Tram at an elevation of 10,000 feet. One is in Old Town Albuquerque and the last is the view from my property near Mountainair where I hope to live one day soon.</p>
<br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jHY7-ek7vWg/UC5apWAjKGI/AAAAAAAAAd4/sFEJlaXNJ6g/IMAG0574.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wvn9sdxAhRw/UC5aqqKk8VI/AAAAAAAAAeA/nWdYxj2Mc1E/IMAG0602.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7XOdea4J1E0/UC5bXNMYUJI/AAAAAAAAAeI/iLwFpVgEoYo/IMAG0562.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oLq3VhcqRa8/UC5aaSHllFI/AAAAAAAAAdo/zfSkGUAMqIM/IMAG0595.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iaQ4INcffBQ/UC5abgicp7I/AAAAAAAAAdw/0NoAIbBp5jQ/IMAG0592.png' /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-11083002960207431442012-03-27T06:38:00.000-04:002012-03-27T09:58:37.651-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A fellow homesteader that I follow on facebook posted this simple illustration of the kinds of things that plague tomato plants. I am getting ready to plant a whole lot of different varieties this year in the hopes of having a large surplus to can and freeze. With her permission I wanted to pass it along to my fellow blogger.</div>
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Happy Spring!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GV-aQ2WbEkk/T3GXWhhTyuI/AAAAAAAAAdE/R7j-Z9I6WlE/s1600/526759_352128851506117_189287804456890_1079886_597032273_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; height: 628px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 415px;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GV-aQ2WbEkk/T3GXWhhTyuI/AAAAAAAAAdE/R7j-Z9I6WlE/s400/526759_352128851506117_189287804456890_1079886_597032273_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-26239645452622506582012-03-14T09:39:00.000-04:002012-03-14T09:39:56.373-04:00A funny thing happened on my way to work last week<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AEze9Wo53bk/T2CaYgCsxbI/AAAAAAAAAc4/MU0bw6fSGQU/s1600/Hamilton+1+week+old.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AEze9Wo53bk/T2CaYgCsxbI/AAAAAAAAAc4/MU0bw6fSGQU/s320/Hamilton+1+week+old.JPG" width="191" /></a></div>
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Last Monday I was leaving my rural neighborhood and as I rounded a corner there in the middle of the road was this tiny little creature. At first I could hardly tell what it was but as I got closer I realized it was a very very tiny little piglet. I stopped and got out and picked the poor thing up. It still had a cord attached to it and it was weak and cold. I looked all around trying to find some sign of the mother pig or a nearby home that it could have come from, but there was nothing and the one home in the rural area had a padlocked gate and some angry barking dogs jumping at the fence so I was not about to try to go in there. I was already running late for work so I drove the baby back home and asked my wonderfully understanding daughter in law to run to Walmart to buy milk replacer and baby bottles to feed it. It has been one week of round the clock feedings ( just like any new baby), but I am happy to report that Hamilton ( the grandsons named him) is thriving. We are pretty certain he is a pot belly pig and from what we have learned they make wonderful pets so he is now a member of the family. Last night I bought him a litter box and have begun putting him in there after he eats, he is making progress. I need to get him on the scale but I would guess he weighs about a pound maybe a little less. Funny what comes along when you least expect it.</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-59684474574702778262012-02-09T19:35:00.001-05:002012-02-09T19:35:48.265-05:00Family Grain Mill<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hg0RItGYzTc/TzRUPI-vRHI/AAAAAAAAAcs/MM1A3wRdMrA/s1600/fgmmill_d64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hg0RItGYzTc/TzRUPI-vRHI/AAAAAAAAAcs/MM1A3wRdMrA/s320/fgmmill_d64.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Even though I enjoy all the conveniences of a fully electric home I hope one day to be at least partially solar powered if not completely. I am fascinated with knowing how to get by should the luxury of electricity become unavailable for whatever reason. I also just really like the idea of passing along basic skills to future generations. Things like making candles, soap, cheese, gardening, and cooking real food from scratch should not be things our kids have no basic understanding of. I admire those who live "the good life" to quote Helen and Scott Nearing and strive to get closer to the ideal working homestead that I envision.<br />
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One of the items I have had on my wish list for years I finally purchased last Fall. I would love to have the Country Living Grain Mill since it seems to get the best reviews and honestly the old fashioned design makes it look like what you think a grain mill should look like but it is really pricey. After a lot of research I found The family grain mill which is a good quality hand grinder for under $200.00 that can be attached to a Bosch mixer or a kitchen aid mixer should you wish to power it by electricity. Here is a video demonstration of the grinder in action.<br />
.<a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Family+Grain+Mill+Video&mid=E151DFF488C1254A2FD8E151DFF488C1254A2FD8&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1">http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Family+Grain+Mill+Video&mid=E151DFF488C1254A2FD8E151DFF488C1254A2FD8&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1</a><br />
I see offered by many retailers online so it pays to shop around for the best deal.<br />
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I have been hand grinding Hard Red Wheat Berries to make whole wheat flour, my entire family has taken turns grinding flour and I am often surprised to discover a freshly ground batch left by someone who felt the urge to expend some energy. Grinding flour is not easy work I have to say, but it is a great way to relieve tension as well as a great bicep workout. I mounted the grinder to my counter edge in the kitchen. I found that a simple plastic lid like the kind on a coffee can fits nicely over the open bin so I can leave unground berries in it all the time. I grind the wheat into a canister I keep on the counter below it so any time the urge strikes me I can grind wheat for a while. The Family grain mill is also supposed to grind other kinds of flour like bean, oat and rice flour and oat flakes but I have not tried any of those yet. I have been making the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day recipe <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx</a> experimenting with half wheat /half bread flour since my family likes a fluffy loaf but I like the grainy goodness of whole wheat. I have not been able to get the really light fluffy kind of flour you buy in the market and I am not sure if it needs to be sifted or if it has to do with the quality of the grinder or the type of grinding element it uses, but I find the flour very useable. I plan to experiment with making flat breads and pancakes over an open fire outside just because I think those would a good substitute for baked bread if needed in a pinch. I have had it for a few months now and it seems to be of good quality that will hopefully hold up over time.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-83961575182297848712012-02-07T14:33:00.003-05:002012-02-07T14:34:22.145-05:00Pinerest Addiction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I can not believe I have allowed myself to find yet another thing to consume my time online since I try so hard to limit my mindless foray's into the land of the lost but I am loving Pinterest so much.<br />
Here is one of the latest things I have pinned to my boards Spicy Black Bean Burger. I have the beans soaking now. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jl5dMgPUCb4/TzF7q95mueI/AAAAAAAAAck/GwzN-Ker4X4/s1600/spicy+black+bean+burgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jl5dMgPUCb4/TzF7q95mueI/AAAAAAAAAck/GwzN-Ker4X4/s1600/spicy+black+bean+burgers.jpg" /></a></div>
For the recipe click on my link to pinerest and get started making your own fun boards<br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/laurapike/">http://pinterest.com/laurapike/</a><br />
When you click on someones board pictures it usually takes you to the original source of the picture.<br />
It is a lot of fun.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-80373100239232520842012-02-05T17:05:00.000-05:002012-02-05T17:05:30.916-05:00Pantry Organization Dried Goods.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bKxrhIQhR5k/Ty7tfC0kJzI/AAAAAAAAAcc/KOlLl01TwJQ/s1600/Pantry+Prep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bKxrhIQhR5k/Ty7tfC0kJzI/AAAAAAAAAcc/KOlLl01TwJQ/s400/Pantry+Prep.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I wish I could remember which preparedness blogger originally pointed me in the direction of these great inexpensive containers but they have really helped to get me started organizing a working pantry, one of my goals for 2012. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iJPO4L0TaGM/Ty7spC7L3VI/AAAAAAAAAcU/7VzpDjnXvmg/s1600/plastic+storage+containers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iJPO4L0TaGM/Ty7spC7L3VI/AAAAAAAAAcU/7VzpDjnXvmg/s320/plastic+storage+containers.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>
I ordered them from US Plastics <br />
<a href="http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/search.aspx?search=PB%20safety&page=1">http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/search.aspx?search=PB%20safety&page=1</a><br />
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here are the three items I have ordered so far and the prices which I found to be very reasonable in comparison to similar brand name containers sold in local stores.<br />
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Item No. <br />
66425 <br />
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Clear Container With Handle and Cap<br />
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160 oz Clear Container 7.5” x 5.13” x 10.5”.<br />
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Comments: Standard Ground (UPS, USPS) $2.21 each<br />
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72035 <br />
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11187<br />
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32 oz. PVC Pinch Grip-It Jars w/ Lid <br />
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Comments: Standard Ground (UPS, USPS) $1.35 each<br />
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66579 <br />
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PVC Clear Canister With Lid<br />
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20 Oz Canister With Lid, 3.3" x 3.3" x 4.85"<br />
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Comments: Standard Ground (UPS, USPS) $1.28 each<br />
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The containers are the same as the kind you might find in your Warehouse stores like Sam's club holding dried goods, sturdy and washable.<br />
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Later down the line I may venture into long term storage in five gallon buckets for the same kinds of dried goods but this is a nice start for now. I still keep the flour, sugar and other baking goods in canisters on the counter since I those often but these would probably hold two five pound bags of flour or sugar.<br />
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I store things I know I will use and cook with regularly. <br />
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Canned goods are another area that I plan to slowly build up. My short term goal is to have enough on hand to feed my family and my animals without going to the store for 1 month and then build from there. This will include water which I find to be the biggest challenge. <br />
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3984988372879359533.post-28935741063233601232012-02-05T14:17:00.000-05:002012-02-05T14:17:38.620-05:00February Already?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OWsdSQCxLmE/Ty7Txs4Om6I/AAAAAAAAAb0/-BiWn19Hdj0/s1600/cabbage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OWsdSQCxLmE/Ty7Txs4Om6I/AAAAAAAAAb0/-BiWn19Hdj0/s320/cabbage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZZX8ya9ljI/Ty7UJTTfCkI/AAAAAAAAAb8/wHXUsAl4gkU/s1600/strawberries+in+Cinder+block+holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZZX8ya9ljI/Ty7UJTTfCkI/AAAAAAAAAb8/wHXUsAl4gkU/s320/strawberries+in+Cinder+block+holes.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AWUvZif6kC4/Ty7UVsdqYtI/AAAAAAAAAcE/CmF8WqbR0bE/s1600/lettuce+pots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AWUvZif6kC4/Ty7UVsdqYtI/AAAAAAAAAcE/CmF8WqbR0bE/s320/lettuce+pots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Today I hope to have a never leave the house kind of day, my favorite kind of days since they are so rare. At noon it is already 79 degrees outside and I have been out and planted a flat of strawberries and one bunch of green onions in the holes of my cinder blocks that surround a couple of the raised beds. Little by little the garden is becoming more of what I knew it could be. I somehow broke my digital camera so I am left to take pictures with my phone these day which I find less satisfactory but for now it works, these are some pictures of the garden right now.<br />
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Yesterday was my grandson Cadyn's 4th birthday and I was happy to be off work and able to join in the celebration. It was a beautiful springlike day here in Florida and we had a crowd of guests. I saddled up old Red and took the 9 kids on horse back rides. My oldest grandson Logan who is now 6 has learned to ride on his own off of the lead rope which thrills me to death. None of my own 3 children like to ride so the idea that I might have a future riding buddy in the making really makes me happy. My daughter in law made pulled pork sandwiches and potato salad. It was a perfect day.<br />
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The new years projects are going well, I got rid of 10 boxes of stuff out of the garage last week, so I am ahead on that goal of one box per week. This past week I planted carrots, spinach and more broccoli. So the goal of planting at least one new thing per week is well on track. I am brainstorming on how to find a place to plant seed potatoes soon. I don't have anymore raised bed space and don't want to spend money on materials right now so I am going to have to get creative. I certainly have the room here in this spread of property so I am sure when I get out and look around I will come up with something. More on this topic to follow. <br />
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On another note I was recently inspired to join Pinterest by another blogger Debbi and I have been having so much fun with it. It is like your favorites folders on your computer but with pictures which seems to make it so much more fun to save and organize the things you find on the web that spark your interest, its addicting really. You have to join the site and wait for an invite which takes about a day by email, but it really is interesting once you set up your own boards. You create your own virtual bulletin boards for pinning up things you clip from the Internet your favorite blogs and social media sites. /<a href="http://pinterest.com/laurapike/">http://pinterest.com/laurapike/</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04027961595371601398noreply@blogger.com3