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.

Happy Spring!

A funny thing happened on my way to work last week

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.

Family Grain Mill

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.

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.
.http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Family+Grain+Mill+Video&mid=E151DFF488C1254A2FD8E151DFF488C1254A2FD8&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1
I see offered by many retailers online so it pays to shop around for the best deal.

 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  http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx 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.

Pinerest Addiction

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.
Here is one of the latest things I have pinned to my boards Spicy Black Bean Burger. I have the beans soaking now.

For the recipe click on my link to pinerest and get started making your own fun boards
http://pinterest.com/laurapike/
When you click on someones board pictures it usually takes you to the original source of the picture.
It is a lot of fun.

Pantry Organization Dried Goods.

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. 

 I ordered them from US Plastics
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/search.aspx?search=PB%20safety&page=1

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.

Item No.
66425

Clear Container With Handle and Cap

160 oz Clear Container 7.5” x 5.13” x 10.5”.

Comments: Standard Ground (UPS, USPS) $2.21 each

72035

11187

32 oz. PVC Pinch Grip-It Jars w/ Lid

Comments: Standard Ground (UPS, USPS) $1.35 each

66579

PVC Clear Canister With Lid

20 Oz Canister With Lid, 3.3" x 3.3" x 4.85"

Comments: Standard Ground (UPS, USPS) $1.28 each

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.

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.

I store things I know I will use and cook with regularly.

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.

February Already?

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.

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.

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.

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. /http://pinterest.com/laurapike/

The New Year

While I hate the idea of putting any unnecessary pressure on myself in the form of resolutions there are definitely some things I want to accomplish this year and since my blog is my way of journaling my thoughts I guess I am gonna put those hopes out there.

First, I really want to get back to blogging again, I have seem to have hit a wall last year and the longer I was away from it the harder it became to jump back in, so this is me jumping in. I miss the interaction with my fellow bloggers, I miss actually putting a thought down in writing, it somehow helps me to clarify my direction and focus in life zeroing in on who I really want to be and where I want to go.

I got divorced October 25th 2011 and that day marked the end of a long hard journey but now that it has all finally sunk in, I realize I came through it alive and well, and the old saying really is true, what does not kill you only makes you stronger. So, 2012 marks the beginning of a new life for me. I feel no need to reinvent myself only to be more genuinely me, to truly live the life that nurtures my soul and to be more present in the moment and to make sure that my family and friends know I am there for them and support them.

Next, like so many Americans I need to lose weight, and I want to do it in the most sensible of ways by eating more whole foods, fruits, veggies, lean cuts of meat, less simple carbs and by increasing my activity. Losing one half to a pound of week would be lovely but if I maintain and don't gain but have made choices I feel good about then I am fine with that. I absolutely refuse to jump on any diet trends I want to make lifestyle changes that don't make me feel like anything is off limits.  I love food I just need to love it in a little more moderation.

Declutter, declutter, declutter, that has got to be the theme of 2012, I am drowning in 29 years worth of stuff.
With the divorce somehow I became responsible for all of our accumulated junk and man do I have a hard time parting with that stuff,, but it is really time to get rid of lots of it. So in that spirit I am again aiming for small manageable goals, to rid stuffed to the rafters garage of one box a week. Since I am starting late in January I figure I can manage to get rid of at least 40 boxes this year giving much of it to local charities. that should be doable right? I just have to learn to let go, I am such a pack rat and I really want to simplify my life.

I want to amp up the gardening efforts even more, maybe add a couple of more raised beds. The fall garden has been absolutely wonderful, my daughter in law and I have grown broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, collard greens,onions and herbs this fall and winter with really good success. I have discovered my grandsons will eat any green veggie when mixed with fruit as a smoothy via my Vitamix. Getting ready order the spring seeds and start them indoors soon.

Professionally, I have a goal to sit for my CCRN which is a certification for Critical Care Nurses that involves a really difficult test, so I plan to study for a year and take the test at the beginning of 2013 again not putting too much pressure on myself but taking it on in little chunks.

Lastly, I want to continue to focus on building up my pantry and cooking meals from scratch. I hardly buy convenience foods but there are some things my youngest son really loves like pizza and frozen burritos so I am hoping to convince him to learn to make his own versions from scratch, he likes to cook so it will be a fun project for us to experiment with together.

I am looking forward to the challenges of new year, I still am working way more than I want to be but for the next 3-4 years it is what I need to do to get to where I want to be so I will find ways to make it work and still have some quality of life. For me that means making sure to get plenty of rest, not allowing my inner critique to get the best of me and by reminding myself to be fully present at work, at home with my family, out with the horses and in the garden. I have so much to be grateful for, now I just need to focus on enjoying it all while working towards where I want to be say five years from now but that  is topic for another day.

Finally Going Back to Work

Tonight will be my first night back to work in the ICU after one month off recovering from my injury.
I considered myself blessed to have such a good job to go back to but boy being home was so
nice. Heres to hoping that 12 hourse passes quickly and that my patients are well cared for

Happy Birthday Christopher and Casi.

Today we celebrate not one but two birthday's in our house. My son and his wife Casi are 28 today. We all think it is pretty special that they were born on the same day, my son in California and Casi here in Florida and that somehow they found each other. We know she was meant to become a part of our family.

Hook Rug Kit Give Away at Hungry Hook Primitives

I love crafts that use recycled materials and have loved the primitive creative patterns seen on hook rugs forever but have never known anyone who actually makes them who I might learn from. Today one of the new bloggers I follow Farm Girl posted the following giveaway from another creative blogger at Hungry Hook Primitives.

http://hungryhookprimitives.blogspot.com/2011/08/rug-hooking-tutorial-lesson-1.html?showComment=1314554575232#c4130539824412402103

This blog explains in detail how to gather the supplies to begin making hook rugs including finding wool garments from thrift stores that can be used to make rug strips. If the rest of her tutorials are as easy to understand and as thorough as her first one I can't wait to read them. Finally I have a much clearer understanding of how these rugs are put together.

Visit her site and read yesterday and today's posts for a chance to enter her give away of one of the two kits pictured above.

Looks like fun.

The New Homestead Begins to Take Shape

With my recent move from the suburbs to a more rural setting on five acres again I have decided that I no longer can be considered an urban homestead so I have changed the title of the Blog back to Laura's Homestead Adventures. Slowly, the pieces are beginning to fall back into place and I am beginning to see progress.

Last weekend I bought four young laying hens off of Craigslist and a starter coop for them with plans to build a larger movable chicken tractor very soon. The chickens are currently moulting but should begin to lay eggs again as the weather cools off in the next month or so.

Because we have mild weather usually well into December here in Florida we can grow a Fall Garden, we have the fall garden seeds started and sprouting and 3 raised beds in place one with a nice batch of green beans already on their way. My daughter in-law Casi and I planted Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Garlic, Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Thyme and Squash Seeds and all are doing well.

The plans for fall include establishing at least 8 raised beds for veggies, continuing to can and freeze our produce as well as in season produce from our local farmers market.

I have eight meat rabbits in the freezer thanks to my gentleman friend who does not mind doing the dirty work for me with plans to continue to butcher rabbits all fall and winter. I know I will eat the meat and will share it with the boyfriend and his family but I am not sure I will convince anyone else in my family to eat it, they can't get past the cute factor. We have four does and a buck and their offspring in different stages of growth. I know for many the idea of eating rabbits is difficult but I feel like if I am going to buy and eat meat why not raise my own in humane conditions, well fed, well cared for right up until the quick end. Worldwide, rabbit meat is consumed routinely and it is a great source of protein for families that can be raised in a very small space.

I have not yet learned how to spin my angora rabbit wool into yarn yet but plan on trying to take a class this Fall or Winter to learn the basics. If I am successful at learning to spin the yarn I might think about adding a couple of more Angora bunnies, but I wonder how many bunnies one might really need to provide enough fiber for knitting projects. Ash, our little grey Angora has become such a wonderful pet, he lives in the house and loves to run around and jump in peoples laps to be petted. He is terribly spoiled.

Now that I have mastered canning salsa, jams and spaghetti sauce I need to learn how to pressure can things like soups, chili and meats so that is the next project.

I will continue to dry the herbs that I am growing and hope to learn to dry some fruits and veggies as well.

These are small beginnings but beginnings none the less and it is exciting to get back to doing the things I love. This week I am going back to work after being home for four weeks following my horse accident, I have loved being home even if it were not under the most ideal circumstances but at least I go back with a clear reminder in my head of what I work so hard to support and that makes it so much easier.