Mad Max's Shelter

I had one picture of Max's shanty on a previous post, but thought I would go a bit more in depth about the frugality of our farm.

We have moved this dog kennel all around the place for different reasons.  Yes, it started out as a dog kennel for Hercules.  He tore up the door and easily climbed out of it.  We used it for a bunny play pen.   We used it when Mad Max was but a wee lad.  We used it to put hens in for a short time.  Once again, it is Max's shelter.  With Brie and Mollie both being bred (I am 95% sure of this), Max had to be separated because of his butting them in the stomach and his chasing them and his stench. 

I am hoping that he will be okay in his new quarters until we get him a wether to be his friend.  I will still let him out and about, just not with the girls, and not unsupervised.  But, this will be after he becomes familiar with this new living arrangement. 

So we set up the kennel behind the garden in a pine grove and hubby and son took some leftover fence we had and wrapped it around trees, only needing 3 or 4 fence posts.  It is not a huge area, but he has plenty of room to romp around if he wants. Hubby removed the inner chain link fence of the kennel, leaving it open. The door of the kennel is open so that he can come and go from the outside when I let him.  The fence is attached to either side of the kennel. We used PVC pipe we had lying around and made the top arch for protection and hopefully to not hold water.  This next week will be the test.  We zip/cable tied the black plastic I had left over to the shelter. Hubby also duct taped some of the lose edges that he thought needed it.  He has some fresh straw to bed in and a pretty purple water bucket that I haul water to every day and a food bowl that I will be moving inside the shelter when the rains begin.  I may have to add a pallet to keep him off the ground depending on how the rain flows.  Well, it ain't pretty, but you can't beat the price!

I know he is not a happy camper.  I know they are herd animals, but he will just have to hold out for a little while.  I don't know, I may let them all graze together if they behave, that is asking a lot, but my guilt may get the best of me.   I will make sure he has his share of attention and treats. 

Christmas Ham Leftovers

As you know, I didn't have the  leftover Thanksgiving turkey torture that most people did this year, since I stayed on the farm while the family traveled to the Midwest.  I had no turkey to cook, eat or save.  (It was fabulous!)

The son receives a ham for Christmas from his work, and that is what we had for Christmas Dinner.  Although, admittedly, this year was not the feast that I normally do; not even a dessert.  We did have plenty of stocking candy for any sweet tooth that arose, however. 

One of the uses for our leftover ham was good old fashioned ham salad.  I really like Paula Deen's recipe and use that to go by.

Used my new meat grinder (yay!) and finished up the rest of the ham to make just over 3 cups.

 I diced up 4 celery stalks.  I could have gone smaller, but I like the crunch.

 Then comes the tears.  I used half of a large onion for about a 1/2 cup.

 I added 1/2 cup of chow chow that my neighbor gave us for Christmas-sooo good!

 Two hard boiled duck eggs chopped.

 Not my homemade mayonnaise...but 3/4 cup of mayo and about 2 teaspoons of mustard.

 

 

Mixed and ready for consumption.  It makes enough for everyone to have ham salad sandwiches until New Year's!  And since the ham, eggs, and chow chow were free it makes it a great frugal start to the new year.

 

 

Share with me your favorite ham salad recipe! (Ham is still on sale, so for the next go round.) 

Just Animal Pictures

To Do Tuesday 12/22

Last week's inside chores: Christmas tree up-small but its ours. Mailed cards.  Sweep drywall dust.  Zone clean.  Seed orders ready.  Closet reorganized.  Restock kitchen.

Last week's outside chores:  Max's shelter. Burn limbs. Buy soil. Sow seeds. Bring wood from holler. Barn yard cleaning. Oil in truck changed.
We moved the older hens to the garden coop with the ducks.

Max's redneck but free shelter

This week's inside chores: Cookies for gifts.  Sweep drywall dust. I have perused the seed catalogs and have put together a seed order for winter/early spring.  Just waiting on payday to send it.  Still need to get the closet organized.

Lettuce growing

This week's outside chores:  Well, its going to rain so I am not sure about burning the limbs or bringing up the wet wood from the holler.  We still need to change the oil in the truck and rake the goat yard where the sticks and bricks have been kicked around.  Figure out how to move the ducks closer to the pond (build makeshift duck house and start fencing area).  

Since this week is Christmas, I am not going to push what has to be done.  We did get 98% of our shopping and wrapping done.  I am sure there is something that I forgot, so I am giving myself a 2% cushion. 

Have a Merry Christmas everyone! 



Tuesday To-Do 12-15

It is that time where I need to evaluate priorities for the week.  At least for this minute; it can change in a blink of the eye.  As usual, I have been slacking in my lists, and just trying to do what I felt needed to be done.  But then things sneak up on you, things that should have been taken care of earlier.

Last week's inside chores: Not listed-did what I had to do.
Last week's outside chores: Not listed-did what I had to do.

This week's inside chores:
Christmas tree up.  I have some decorations here and there, but no tree.  Daughter has her shopping almost done and I am so jealous.  I have a few more things to get done. I would like to have all gifts done and under the tree by next Tuesday.

Mail cards.  I have birthday and Christmas cards to get in the mail.  This means a trip to the post office for stamps.  Just used my last one on the roll.  I hope they get their on time! Eek!
 
Sweep up the drywalling dust in the dining room.  Put the plastic back up to prevent it from going throughout the house.  And, maybe encourage hubby to finish up so that I can start to Kilz2.

Start back up with zone cleaning-find the right notebook or reprint daily schedule.  Why, oh why do I veer? Basically, I just need to catch up. 

Go through seeds and see what to replace, reorder and peruse seed catalogs.  

I need to reorganize the closet a bit.  I opened up the space bags of sweaters and sweatshirts and I need to clear out summery items and get them stored away.

Time to restock the kitchen.  You know how my life seems to revolve around food.  Right now there are many baking ingredients for sale at the grocery stores.  Sugars, flour, spices, and that sort of thing.  I need to make taco seasoning, taco sauce, trail mix, pimento cheese, PB&J to freeze.  Luckily, hubby has had several work parties to help supplement his lunch since I have not kept up very well.

This week's outside chores:  Here we go...
Work on Max's shelter.  Bend some PVC pipe in the old dog kennel and put plastic, tarp, whatever we have to provide wind and rain protection.

I need to burn tree limbs that fell, and throw on some decaying lumber that won't be useful.


Coldframe lettuce

I need to get some soil mix to fill about 8 trays in the greenhouse with some cold crops.  My lettuce is germinating and I need to sow a few more seeds in the coldframe.

We need to continue to bring up some split wood from the holler and finish getting that stacked. 

We need to continue to clean out the barn yard for construction for the goats.  I think that Brie is even further along than Mollie (who I am guestimating to be due at the end of March), so we need to get that going-QUICKLY!

And we need to change the oil in the truck-hubby's job, or son...

That should keep us busy for a while, especially when there always be something to throw a kink in our schedule. 



Cooter's Eye

One of my ducks had "white-eye syndrome."  Okay, that's what I call it.  It gets all foamy and swollen and horrible looking.  Everything I read says its from unclean environment, stale air, etc.  Well, my birds are free range in the garden (72x24) and even run free on the rest of the 17 acres occasionally, of course, never touching the pond...go figure.  I dump and rinse their pool at least once, if not twice, daily.  It apparently could also be from trauma. Well, the boys have been fighting, but they seem to attack the neck from what I have witnessed.  I am hoping that is the case. Otherwise, it would be some horrible bacterial infection that would take out the whole flock of four.

Poor Cooter was isolated in the small duck coop where they stayed early this past spring, and will more than likely be put up at night this winter to keep safe.  It too is super ventilated, so I don't foresee a problem with that.

I tried several different remedies for him.  I changed his water three to four times a day to make sure it stayed clean.  On day one, I bought some Vetericyn spray (although it was not the pink eye formula).  This is just a wound wash safe for eyes, ears and mouth.  (I was hoping it was something stronger at that price!) Since a week of getting it, I have used it on Cooter as well as our cat, Oreo.  I am sure it will be a good addition to the barn medicine cabinet.  It did not really seem to help other than to wash away the foam covering his eye for a short time so that I could see just how swollen and icky it really was.  The next day it was starting to foam in the other eye.
Panic ensued. 
Luckily, there was no sign of it spreading to anyone else, which made me be think this had to be an injury from fighting.
After more research and perusing the web, I added apple cider vinegar (ACV) to his water and continued to wash it.  By the next morning it seemed to have improved a bit, but was really hard to tell.
The next day, again, after more research and pure desperation so as not to either take him to the vet (not enough funds for that) or begin culling, I went the conventional route and bought some water soluble antibiotic.  I used that in his water and he seemed to improve a bit more after that. 
Oh, but he was a mess.  He was not happy being separated from his family.  Pacing, quacking.
By day four, the swelling had gone down, no more foamy production.  There was just a little bit of color change around the skin of the eye. I felt he could see out of it again.
I went ahead and let him out.  He was very happy for a while but then went back to fighting.  I guess being cooped up he had a lot of pent up energy and hormones to release. 
At least this time he won. So far, all is well.  But they still get a bit chippy.  I am going to be investing a few more females to add to the flock to hopefully help this. 

Now that their summer pool is put away so as not to freeze and crack and various buckets have been brought out, I think as a prophylactic measure and overall health benefit, I will add ACV to their buckets weekly.  I have, in the past, done this for the chickens, and will be more diligent with their water too.  This is going to be even more important as the fowl/poultry are being locked in every night. 

Always something to learn on the homestead...

Menu Monday 12-14-15

Time to get back to some normalcy around here.  The best way to get back on track is to make my menu plan.  So...

This week supper will include (starting tomorrow):
Spaghetti, broccoli, cottage cheese, salad and homemade garlic bread

Taco salad with homemade taco sauce, ranch dressing mixed with salsa, and taco seasoning that  also  needs to be made.  Also some homemade tortillas.

Chicken potpie with one of the Zaycon chicken breasts, fruit dessert of some kind (probably fruit cocktail, maybe a jello salad- how retro).

Chili soup with PB&J

Nachos, fully loaded, with salad

Pork roast with potatoes and carrots, buttermilk biscuits and, you guessed it, a salad!

BBQ pork sandwiches, Texas style potato salad, cole slaw, and Arnold Palmers

I will have to get my grocery list together later today.  I am sure I need a trip to Sam's for staples and a few dairy related items, and the rest will more than likely come from Aldi, or Ingles if we are in a pinch. 

I also have a few lunchbox items to make.  Trail mix, pb&j for the freezer, chicken salad, pimento cheese, etc.  It's raining today and probably would have been a good day for some mixing and blending and bagging, but, unfortunately, clean clothes trumped...using the dryer for fire-starting lint balls. Ha!

Until tomorrow, when maybe I can get my To-Do list back up and in working order too.  Oh, dear!

Late Fall Update

I thought this was the South; it turned cold all of a sudden.  Well, I guess it is December. 

Boy, this last month has flown by and the Holidays are here!  The hubby and kids spent Thanksgiving in the Midwest with family.  I was here for two reasons: 1)  I had to take care of the animals, and 2) I was in much need of a break that I used for prayer and fasting.  It was a wonderful time.  Growing up as an only child, alone time is very restorative, not lonely at all.  Besides, I have plenty of animals to talk to :)

We are trying to get ready for the winter.  Wood carried up from the holler.  Straw and pine shreds in the barn stalls and coops. All kinds of little maintenance projects to be done.  I tried to put "noodle" insulation with duct tape over the spigot in the goat yard.  Well, I noticed Brie had duct tape stuck to her chest and the actual Styrofoam stuff was partly scattered over the yard and partly missing.  I am sure that's healthy for them!  Guess we'll have to figure out plan B. 

Since it's been cool and rainy and dreary, I have been in the kitchen more. Makes for better meal planning, doesn't it? 

 

 

There has been some nice slow time though.  For everyone. 

 

 

As we head into the hustle and bustle of the holidays, remember to take time to enjoy the important things, you know, the things that can't be wrapped or bought on Black Friday. 

Goat Trough Turned Planter

I have it my head that I must build a goat trough.  They fight too much over the purple hanging bucket. 

In the unutilized greenhouse, I unloaded some wood that hubby got from work a while back when they tore apart a large crate.  It has been stored in there just waiting for me to get the gumption to do something with it.  Today is the day.

Let's face it, I have no carpentry skills at all!  My nails always go in crooked and I spend most of my "working" time trying to straighten the nails.  That is why I have not attempted to build anything. 
But you know what, I never will if I don't even start.  So, I did.

I carried the circular saw, the handsaw (just in case), a crappy hammer, too-big nails and a tape measure to the greenhouse.  Daughter came down to hang out with me (of course, she helped too).

We began by prying out the dozens of staples.  Really, is it necessary to have 30 staples per board?  Were they shipping elephants in the crates?  We got the staples out of the middle and one end.  The other end we just cut off to make the boards close to the same length.  I did bring a tape measure, but didn't really use it. 

I ran back into the house to get a red pencil to mark where I wanted to pre-drill for the too-big nails.  Yes, even though I didn't have what I really needed to make a goat trough good, I just wanted to get it going, taking mental notes along the way.  (I have many pages of mental notes...)

After getting all the holes pre-drilled, we began construction.  Too-big nails + too-small boards = way too small for a goat trough, not to mention that some of my handy-dandy hammering left a few nails sticking out of the back side and one on the front!  Errr! That's okay.  I know now that I need a wider board for the bottom and I need smaller nails for the sides, and I could use the "measure twice, cut once" banner above my work table.  I used the ends that I cut off for the ends of trough, and this is where a little better planning and measuring would have come in handy.   But all in all, it was okay...for a planter.  I don't believe the chickens, let alone the goats could get their big old gourds in there.  I could, however, grow some decent size carrots or beets in there, along with cool weather crops like lettuce, radishes and chard. 

 

 

 

So, I will take my goat trough planter and spruce it up a bit with some fun colors on the outside and put some veggies on the inside for now.  If it lasts through the winter, I will plant colorful flowers or something a little more fun in it.  Worse comes to worst, I could plant wheatgrass and other fodder for the goats, making it sort of a goat trough...

So back to the drawing board.  I think my second attempt will be better; goodness, I hope so!

Good-Bye Old Friend

Over the summer, my favorite pair of knit capri yoga pant cut-offs were washed and dried scores of times.   They became thin, long and full of holes.  The seams were wearing away.  I cut them off with every inch they stretched.  But alas, as with everyone's favorites T-shirts, sweats or even  underwear, the time comes when we must part ways, when nothing can be salvaged, not even for a rag, but who would dare!  Those pants were above wiping dust off the mantle! Someone needs to take the trash out now.  I can't...I just can't.

RIP gray ones...RIP

 

Two Week Menu 11/7-11/21

This is going to be a couple of those "special" weeks.  With buying the chicken in bulk, our auto insurance increases, some unexpected medical bills, some higher priced healthier groceries last payday, and the timing of bills versus payday,  this week's menu and grocery list is some slim pickin's.  Personally, I love these challenge weeks.  It forces me to be creative and resourceful, and brings that personal satisfaction that one can achieve only through surviving a hardship. (Okay, that sounds a bit exaggerated, doesn't it.)  The family curls their nose at these menus, but I seem to do the same amount of dishes, actually more, so they must partake.

Breakfast (only on the weekends): Cream of wheat x 2, oatmeal x 2 and I have a can of o.j in the freezer left that we can stretch through one weekend.  I think we still have apple cider too.

 

Lunch:  Leftover suppers, frozen PB&J sandwiches, peaches, and rice crispy candy

 

Dinner: Leftover macaroni marinara with meatballs

Eggs, sausage, homemade toast with honey

"Fried" chicken breasts (1/2 per person), mashed potatoes, corn, homemade biscuits

Vegetable soup (clean out fridge day)

Chicken, rice, mixed vegetables

Pancakes

Chicken 'n dumplings, green beans

Chili soup

Homemade beef/cheese ravioli, broccoli or leftover green beans

"Fried" pork chops, rice with gravy, mixed vegetables

Pork stir-fry with rice

Pizza

Baked oatmeal, canned peaches, sausage

Tuna noodle casserole, peas, applesauce

 



 



My To-Do list:  Make 2 batches of biscuits (freeze extra)  make bread for sandwiches, dinner bread, pizza dough (freeze extra), rice cereal candy, make milk (include remaining whole milk, evap milk), make ravioli and noodles, cook kidney beans for chili.  I have a variety of dried beans that I might go ahead and cook up to freeze or can.  (Probably freeze with the extra baking that has to be done.) Pinto, black, red, cranberry, garbanzo, navy...I think I have a hoarding problem!

 

The grocery list includes, potatoes, flour and buttermilk.  I think we can swing that.  Maybe if things go well I can find some fresh salad vegetables too.  Fingers crossed.  I tried to start some lettuce seeds last month, but they did not survive: the caveat of having one commercial-sized greenhouse too expensive to heat/cool, and one too small to remember!

 

Our weather seems to be cloudy and more rain chances this coming week, so it will be an excellent baking week less the humidity, but at least I know I won't be missing out on the sunshine and fall breezes. 

 

What's on your upcoming menu? 

Bulk Chicken Breast Order

As of yet, we are still not able to eat only our chickens. (We only had three roosters to butcher this spring and they are long gone.) I have asked Santa for a nice incubator to help us until we can get some Silkies ordered next spring.  My hens are not broody at all and I really want to be able to hatch out our chicks and ducklings.

Until we can get a routine to keep our freezer full with our own chickens, I still have to buy some.  That's where Zaycon Fresh comes in.  We had tried their lean beef a couple of months ago and it was excellent (and promised no pink slime in it).  I have heard lots of great things about their chicken too, so we purchased a box.  Yes, that equals 40-pounds of chicken breasts we brought home.

Other than the passive two and a half hours of canning time, it only took a couple of hours to get it all squared away. 

We brought home the nice box of chicken breasts that were bagged in 10-pound  bags and those four bags were double bagged in sealed blue plastic.  No worry about a mess in the car or even the box. 
The counters...a different story.

Cutting the trimmed breasts for the pint jars

Raw packed and ready for the canner

On your mark, get set, go!

 

Meanwhile, making freezer-ready

 

Plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, then...

Finally, gallon freezer bags

 

Had to put honey on my steam burn (one should
 pay attention to what they are doing)

Waiting for the "pings"

 

Ta-da!  Everything is put away nicely and ready for use.  I did keep a couple of whole breasts in the refrigerator to cook a few meals from soon.  Tonight, however, as requested from Hubby of course, is buffalo chicken and celery sticks.  I guess I had better make some homemade ranch dressing too!  (A great big thanks to Amy/Aunt Addie for the bottle of hot sauce that made it here from Indiana!)

Don't forget, if you want to give Zaycon a try, please use this link so I can get some credit on my next order.  Does that sound needy?  It should, I am.  zayconfresh.com/refer/zf471524

As a suggestion, get your orders in early.  I wanted to try their kielbasa last month (Octoberfest kielbasa and sauerkraut-Mmm) and it was sold out before I could barely think about it!



Dish Soap Update

I made a quadruple batch of my beloved dish soap.  I scented it with lemon and orange essential oils, heavier on the lemon, of course.  And I added one softgel of vitamin E for winter dish hands. 

I am not as happy.  The vitamin E makes it a bit more greasy that I like.  My glasses are a bit smeary.  Ewww! 

I added about a cup and a half more water to the entire batch and made sure the water is super hot, using gloves to wash the dishes and this has helped. 

Sooo,  no more vitamin E oil in the soap.  I will save it for the lotion bars that I can use after getting the dishes done.  Lesson learned. 

I still will only use this dish soap.  Making the large batch was just as easy to make and is being stored in a 1/2 gallon mason jar.  I won't have to make a new bottle every week now.  I can make it stretch 3-4 weeks!  Yay! 

Online DocuSeries

I am sure I am months to years behind on these online Documentary Series.  Luckily, I have been notified of two recent ones that were sent to my inbox or can be found on YouTube.  Thank you to those of you who send me links to register for these! 

The first one I watched, every night, way past my bedtime, The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest. You can find the website here: http://thetruthaboutcancer.com/ or you can search on YouTube.  It confirmed what I feel in my gut.  Basically, that cancer is a big moneymaker at the expense of individuals' health and wellbeing. I don't mean to belittle anyone who has had cancer or who has undergone "conventional treatment."  I have an aunt who is a survivor and a grandmother who is not.  It just doesn't sit right with me how we dedicate a whole month to "the cause."  I can't fathom that these billions of dollars spent on pink is really making a difference.  And, booyah! This series has so eloquently put my feelings onto the screen for everyone to see and hear.  (No, I don't believe any of these professionals interviewed used the word "booyah.")  It was filled with so much common sense and science proving that God has provided what our bodies need to be optimal if we just do a little looking around, a little elbow grease, and a little restraint of our flesh.  This is not the first series either, so I am going to have to watch previous episodes when time allows this winter to see what else I can learn. 

Playing now is a new one called The Search for Sustainability, by Nathan Crane.  It can be found here: http://theselfreliancesummit.com/the-search-for-sustainability.  Admittedly, I have not been as excited to watch this one as the last one.  Maybe because a lot more action needs to be taken with this one.  That being said, I have already plotted out a permaculture design for the front portion of the yard that has been a thorn in my side, as well as given me hope for the isolated land that has not had a specific use yet: This could be the answer.  So, even though not as exciting yet, it is motivational nonetheless. 

There will always be disease and suffering.  There will never be a cure for everyone for everything, and it certainly won't be in pill form sold by Big Pharma.  But there is knowledge of old that is still around if one wishes to look for it; knowledge that can make our lives more enjoyable by giving us more physical energy and mental clarity and spiritual fortitude.  Who doesn't want that? 

AWESOME Dish Soap

As you know, I am trying to clear out as much of the chemical-laden items that we use in our home.  I have changed over to homemade deodorant (really, I only use it when I leave the farm), homemade shampoo (this one is still a work in progress, even though it is satisfactory right now), laundry detergent for years now, toothpaste (it too is good but I would like to do a bit more tweaking on the flavor -more mint, less stevia), and now dish soap. 

Cooking from scratch and having no modern day dishwasher, I use quite a bit of dish soap.  I used to get the big ol' pink gallon at Sam's Club for less than $5.  It lasted a month or two.  I didn't really keep track.  Then I read the bottle.  What!?  Wash thoroughly after handling? So I am supposed to wash my hands after washing my dishes with this stuff.  Yes, it has a MSDS to read (as all dish soaps do).  Contains material which may cause damage to organs:  stomach and eyes.  Don't we put food on the dishes we wash and eat it? If you dilute 2 oz into 8 gallons of water you greatly reduce the health risk.  I can't say for sure how much I squirted in. Probably way more in my little sink.  So, homemade dish soap it is.

I think I lucked out in finding an awesome recipe the first time.  I absolutely love it.  I have made it twice and still love it.  Don't get me wrong, I still hate doing dishes, but this makes it a little more tolerable. 

Here's what you need for about 14 oz:
1/4 c. shredded castile bar soap (I use Dr. Bronner's, both bar and liquid)
1 1/2 c. boiling water
I put the shredded soap in a quart jar and carefully add the boiling water.  I stir for just a minute until it is dissolved.  Then I add:
1/4 c. liquid castile
2 1/4 tsp washing soda
1/2 tsp glycerine
I stir that trying to dissolve as much as the washing soda as I can.  I let it cool a bit.  I stir and shake again and add my essential oil.  The recipe of course calls for 15-40 drops.  I use about 10.  I have used lemongrass only so far because I love the scent for the dishwater.  Grapefruit or orange blossom will probably be next.  I guess I am a citrus girl.
I pour it into my plastic bottle I use and let it set overnight.  I probably need to invest in a glass dispenser.  Baby steps.  It will thicken a bit.  The directions say if it firms up too much, add more water and swish and swirl.  I haven't had to do this yet. It stays fairly thin for me. 
There is also an option to add vitamin E oil for your hands' sake.  And I might try this next time as the weather is getting cooler and less humid.  If you try this before I do, let me know. 

The first time you use it, just like homemade laundry soap, no suds.  It only fogs the water a bit.  You start washing you glasses and it almost feels oily.  The glasses become very slippery!  After rinsing, your dishes have a squeaky shine, almost like Rain-X on your car windshield.  Water beads up and rolls off with no trace it was ever there.  AND, it also really loosens hardened or stuck foods like magic.  Don't throw away your greenies or anything, but it amazed me what just a little time soaking did.  AND, if your son brings in his milk glass after you have washed all the pots and pans and the water looks brown and greasy and gross, go ahead and try to wash it just to see.  It is an amazing surfactant...is that the right chemical term?  The milk glass will look as shiny and beautiful as the first glass I washed.  The glycerine maybe?  I don't care what it is, but the combination, to me, is awesome and I will never buy Ajax again!

Give it a shot, unless you have one of those new fandangled automatic dishwasher things, and let me know what you think?  And what essential oil combination is your favorite?

Sabbath Sunday

Oh dear, I find that my Sundays are still busy.  This is the day that get everything ready for the working people of the household-those working a job outside of the home.  There is baking to do, snacks to fix, laundry to have clean and available, alarms to set, lunches on the ready.  I do think this should be the first day of the week for housewives and stay-at-home moms.  This is the day that can make or break the trajectory of the rest of the week.

Thank goodness this is the day of worship as well.  We need all the prayers we can get to keep moving while everyone else wants to quietly mentally prepare for the week in front of the television, as we physically prepare-usually in the kitchen.  It can be a bit frustrating sometimes.  But, if you don't do it, it really only makes it worse on you.  Don't you hate it when that happens!?

That's okay, bring on Monday.  I have my daily list and dry-erase marker ready to go!

Back to Bible Basics: The 10 Commandments #5

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Yes, we love our parents whether we want to our not, but to honor?  What does that mean?  I guess respect would be a easier to understand; not necessarily to do. Or would it?  Don't we say that respect has to be earned.  That is not what God is commanding us to do.  He is telling us we need to hold our parents high.  He is telling us to respect our parents regardless of how they earn it.  Most of us find this fairly easy, less the teenage years, of course.  For others this could be extremely hard due to different circumstances.  Abuse, absenteeism, disagreeing with their morals and ethics.  I guess in honoring our parents, we allow them to be the humans that we all are, humans that make mistakes, humans that have their own hurts and struggles.  It's hard as a child, grown or not, not to want our parents to love us and be there for us no matter what.  Sometimes, as parents, we find that "no matter what" may have some limitations for the greater good whether it be "your own good" or a more global good. We are blessed in that no matter how wonderful or how not-so-wonderful our human parents are we can know that God is our perfect parent and we have no need to fear of not being loved or accepted.  We still need to consider the consequences of our decisions, but we will never be left alone.

Menu Monday 10/5

Week 2 of Payday...budget left over $23 with $5 worth of rolled coins.  Don't you hate it when you are like two coins short of a roll.  I have 38 quarters and that's after scrounging couch cushions.  Oh well, they will wait!

Breakfasts
Eggs, sausage
Cream of Wheat, bacon
Fruit Smoothie
Eggs, sausage
Waffles, bacon
Sausage casserole
Biscuits and gravy, egg

Lunches
Supper leftovers
Bologna sandwiches, chips, pudding
PB&J, banana, trail mix
Pimento cheese, veggie sticks, cookies
Fried pork chops, mashed potatoes w/gravy, green beans, biscuits

Dinner/Supper
Beans and bacon (add leftover in freezer to pot), canned spinach, fried taters, cornbread
Spaghetti (homemade) w/marinara, salad, garlic breadsticks
Tuna casserole, peas
Pizza, salad
Meatloaf, breaded tomatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes
Black beans and rice
Taco salad with Salsa ranch dressing, Mexican rice and spicy refried pinto or black beans

Snacks
Popcorn
Chocolate chip cookies
Pumpkin bread

Grocery List    I might have to post a pic of this huge haul!
Celery  1.29
Potatoes (10#) 3.29
Sweet potatoes .99
Lettuce x 2    4.00
Frzn green beans 6.98 (Sam's)
Cheddar x2   3.78
Avocado .99
Bananas 1.98 (Sam's)
                                                    Total:  27.16
Whew.  That's cutting it close. 
I might get a 3 pack of green peppers at Aldi for $.99 to throw on the pizza, and in my marinara and meatloaf, even if overbudget.  I do have those quarters...The only other thing that I might have to still get is milk.  I have 2 quart jars of dry milk to make yet, but I like to mix it with a little whole milk.  I have less than half of my milk I bought last week.  Hubby can pick up the tab, right?  Boy, Mad Max better get it done soon.  I am ready to have my own milk this spring.  Of course after a couple of months of twice a day milking, I may have them for up for sale. Ha!  Just remind me this is what I wanted.


      

Say Cheese...

No, we are not making cheese today, although that is in the near future.  We are, however, making toothpaste.

Back in the day of couponing, toothpaste was always free with coupons and drug store discounts.  But eventually, I had to read what I was buying. 
Triclosan.  "Researchers have raised concerns about triclosan and its link to dioxins, which are highly carcinogenic chemicals that can cause severe health problems such as:

• weakening of the immune system,
• decreased fertility,
• altered sex hormones,
• birth defects, and
• cancer"

Fluoride: You can look up the studies regarding this element that is becoming more and more controversial, especially considering it is in our municipal water sources. 

 

I personally wanted to eliminate these two ingredients, especially the triclosan, from our household as much as possible.  I found a few homemade toothpaste recipes and have found one that I tweaked and really like so far.  

 

In a 3-4 oz jar, mix 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil, 2 Tablespoons of baking soda, 2 Tablespoons of powdered calcium/magnesium, 1Tablespoon of stevia (most recipes included xylitol for a sweetening agent), 10 drops of liquid trace minerals and peppermint essential oil to taste.  Most recipes used 20 drops, I only put in 10 for two reasons: 1) I wanted to use it sparingly, and 2) it tastes just fine with that much to me.  Give all the ingredients a good stir.  It is a bit drier than a paste.  If you prefer, you could add more coconut oil to get a texture that made you mouth-happy. 

 

I purchased the items I did not have on hand from Amazon, but I will replenish them as needed from a local health food store, but this will be a very long time from now.  I could have gotten smaller quantities locally that would still have lasted months. 

 

I am very happy to slowly change over to homemade products so I know exactly what is in them. 

 

Next up:  Shampoo

 

Me The Hypocrite ?

You all, I mean Y'all, know that my life's goal is to live as close as I can in the Ingall's fashion.  The simplicity, the hard work, the faith and love that comes across the Hallmark channel every day from 4 pm to 6 pm.  Yes, the tear-jerking television show that has much of my generation thrown into nostalgia nausea, whether it is just memories of our childhood innocence when we begrudgingly watched it with mom and dad Wednesday nights, beginning on 9/11...1974 or the longing for the simple life without smart phones and the treadmill of surmounting stuff we try to attain for convenience sake.

As I was out feeding the ducks in the misting rain that had been falling for a few days (thankfully), it hit me that my homestead was not as "working" as I would like it to be.  In fact, a loved one has coined it as more of a "petting" farm.  And it's true- for the most part.  Mad Max, our Nigerian dwarf buck, is not my favorite to pet, but he is a necessary part of the farm regardless.  Every animal on the place has a name, except one gray rabbit that is less friendly than the others, but still waits by the feed shed every morning.  When I open the back door, the animals begin walking, hopping or waddling to the shed.  Some wait for me impatiently at the door.  Others will patiently wait for me to go ahead, just to make sure I don't back out of feeding them, I suppose.  Others still walk beside me waiting for me to ask them how they are. And I do.  The older rabbits that we let loose late this summer to live the last bit of their lives freely are the first to stand on my boots and try to stretch up to the shed floor, making it very difficult to maneuver from bin to bin and bag to bag.  But we manage.  Some of the young hens fly out of the coop and come running to hop into the shed.  A few just strain their necks up as far as possible to see if anything has dropped on the floor.  Poor Shirley got her head squished by the door when Hubby wasn't paying attention.  It took her a couple of minutes to recompose herself-poor thing.  I feed the goats first, and hopefully Max, being the bully that he is, will push out of the gate so that I can then lock him out until the girls have had sufficient amount of grain.  Then he can come back in for his share.  (Yes, I am saving money for a fence so he can be separated; life will be better for all caprine when this occurs).  I also check the chicken tube feeders to see if they need refilled while I am in there.  Then I give the rabbits just a dash of rabbit chow on the barrel lid in the back yard.  Black, white, gray bodies circle the lid like a not-so colorful daisy.  (Rabbit chow has gone up in price so much, I am really reconsidering how much food to buy when we invest in new stock to be caged next spring! and how to make rabbit runs for most of their dietary needs.)
Speaking of Daisy, and her boys, the ducks noisily follow me back to their area by the garden where I feed them and refill their pool.  Then of course when I let the goats out for fresh grass, weeds and saplings, where do they go?

Knock, knock, knock

"Anybody home?"

"I see you in there."

"Don't you love me anymore?"

I began thinking about how this person was right.  This is probably not the right way to homestead. I probably will not be eating any of the Duke ducks.  I am letting the rabbits grow old without worry of being fodder for the freezer; the coyotes are a different story. The hens that we have had over three years?  Am I going to stew them up before they die of natural causes just because their laying is dramatically slowed?  I am not sure.  Isn't the point of the lifestyle I am choosing to eat what you grow instead of buying it at Sam's Club?  We have enjoyed several roosters and of course the egg-eating hen for Sunday dinners, but with all the time and money invested in these meat animals shouldn't we be spending more time at the "cone?"  Shouldn't our dinner plates have a different look than the rest of the modern world?

I am starting to think that I may have to make some adjustments in my actions to sync up to what I believe in and am striving for.  Yes, hypocritical...

The time that I spend in the kitchen is already huge, particularly on the weekends when lunch is a must; breakfast ready at 5:30 for everyone who is going out the door to work and of course lunches packed, or lunch as soon as the buns are done cooking for hamburgers, and moving straight to supper that has to cook in the oven for three hours, cleaning up as I go (dawn to dusk)...how much later is supper going to be if I have to butcher the chicken that day or skin the rabbit?  But, isn't that the reason that I am here, at home, so that I can have the time to do it. 

I guess painting my nails will have to wait...

Prep Day(s)

Saturday morning brings shopping.  Shopping brings groceries.  Groceries bring prepping.

(I have given over all finances to hubby, which he has ungraciously accepted.  Frankly, my dear, I don't give...well, let's just say that I am very happy to have a new budget (although I would have given myself a bigger one) to only worry about groceries and household things. I think this will be such a load off my shoulders. )

We hit BI-LO, Aldi and Sam's.  Oh yes, and of course the Dollar Tree for his Hawaiian Punch packets.  I now have a budget of $120 for 2 weeks.  Yes, approximately $60 a week.  This should be interesting; I like a good challenge, but will they like beans and rice three days a week ?  Just kidding...for now.  Because we have had much food saved up while on MY budget and our mothers (both his and mine) sent us home with a bag of Midwest meat, we should fare fine for a while.  I am hoping that anything left over from the budget will add up to some Zaycon purchases.  It might take a while.

I spent $12 at BI-LO.  I spent $40 at Aldi.  I spent  $44 at Sam's.  Yep, I have $23 for next week. One item that I was not happy with was buying $10 worth of pepperoni at Sam's.  We used all of our last bag but I have since stopped doing pizza day once a week.  Guess I will reinstate that one!  I did divvy it out into smaller bags, as I do all things, and got about 25 snack-sized bags for at least two uses each.  I will try to stop complaining about abundance.  I would have been happier buying a smaller package and using the remaining cash on something else. 

Hubby did stop at a local feed and seed and let me get these 6 clay pots and saucers so I can repot several of my plants.  They were 50% off.  I got everything for just over $10 bucks!!  So great!

After feeding the family lunch, I began prepping a bit.  The two bags of chips are bagged into snack-sized bags and in the pantry ready for lunches.  I finished all the peanuts, raisins and dried cranberries for the trail mix.  I bought a bag of chocolate chips at BI-LO for $1.50 today so that should last until I can get a huge bag at Sam's next month.  Hubby was down to two bags of work oats, so I whipped up a batch and got 20 more bags for him, but I did deplete most of my oats.  No-bake cookies may have to wait until next payday.  There is still plenty of beef jerky that I made left.  I divided my pork loan from Sam's into five meals: 3 roasts, 1 chops and 1 chunk for stir-fry eventually.

Hubby will be off hunting this evening so I may do some more prepping.  What do I have left to do?

Buttermilk biscuits (to freeze)
Sandwich bread to bake
Vanilla pudding
Granola bars
Mayonnaise
Rice cereal candy
PB&J sandwiches
Pimento cheese spread
Cheese snack crackers
Pizza dough (bulk)
Garlic bread and hamburger buns will be made on the day we eat it.
Pie filling done
Eggs washed and crated up, ready to boil, fry, scramble or bake. (Only 5 more dozen in the fridge-time to freeze too)

I will dehydrate some apples and make some PB&J sandwiches before Notre Dame plays and then prepping time is on hold.  Tomorrow is sounding like a bake day for sure! 

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!