No More Information Overload by Nancy Carter, Senior Editor
I hope your 2007 is off to a great start. I know that many people are working on simplifying their lives, better managing their money, eating healthier, and spending more quiet time with the Lord. One way that we're going to help you is to shorten our newsletter. No more information overload. We're still going to be bringing you lots of wonderful homestead information, but just not quite so much information at a time. So enjoy our new shorter version of the Homestead Newsletter, and be on the lookout for the Winter issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
In our newest issue, you'll find some great articles in the Natural Schoolhouse section. Lisa Barthuly explains the dangers of many common household cleaners and explains how you can clean your home without all of the toxins! Meanwhile Martha Greene's "Hunting for the Homestead" gives tips for the hunt, tips for processing, and tips for preparing and cooking with venison.
It's really a great issue, and I think this newsletter has some great information too,
so I won't keep you here any longer. Enjoy the read and let me know what you think!
Blessings!
Nancy Carter
Senior Editor of HomesteadBlogger
Garden Journals by Catherine Love
Every gardener needs a place to jot down ideas, plans, needs, and those never-ending wish lists for new plants. Also, it's a great help to have a record of when you planted those seeds or started rooting that cutting. A garden journal is a very good way to keep track of these things and much more.
There are many different types of journals, just as there are many different types of gardeners. If you are artistic, you may want to sketch beautiful pictures of the flowers and herbs growing in your garden, or perhaps do a scrapbook style journal and add photos of your garden. Maybe you're a planner and keep records of everything down to the smallest detail, making lists and charts showing when and what you planted and how much you harvested. Whatever your personal preference, you can customize a garden journal just for you.
You can use something as simple as a composition book. Anne at Backyard Treasures has instructions on her blog for dressing up one of these inexpensive notebooks to use as a garden journal. Another great idea from Anne is a scrapbook containing favorite photos of her garden. This is a beautiful way to keep a record of your gardening successes. There are even free printable journal pages online that you can print and put in your own binder or notebook. As you can see, the possibilities are almost limitless. Just decide what you would like and get started!
Once you've decided on a style for your journal, brainstorm what information you want to add. Some good starters are pages for recording when you planted seeds or set out transplants, varieties that did well in your garden, records of when you fertilized, a map or drawing of your garden, ideas for new gardens, lists of favorite seed companies or nurseries, and don't forget those wish lists. You will come up with your own ideas as you go. Just remember, this is your journal, and there is no one right way to do this; just choose something you like and get started on your own garden journal!
Catherine Love lives and gardens in Central Texas with her husband, Carl, and three daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They have recently moved from their urban homestead to a new home in the country. Stop by her blog to read about their home and garden adventures.
Stitches & Pins: A Beginning Sewing Book for Girls
Learn to Sew! From plugging in the sewing machine to creating a pair of pajamas, Stitches and Pins guides the novice seamstress with clear, step-by-step sewing instructions.
Fourteen projects, complete with sewing patterns, are useful items the seamstress will be proud to use, wear, or give. Pillowcases, potholders, tote bags, doll blankets, vests, handmade purses: each sewing project focuses on mastering specific sewing techniques and builds upon skills learned. Apparel patterns are for girls sizes 8 to 16.
Combine the projects in Stitches & Pins with these 18" doll E-book patterns to make matching outfits for your 18" doll for a fraction of the price you would pay for ready-made. Only $4.95 for doll instructions and patterns!
Help For Dry Winter Skin by Nancy Carter
Do you suffer from dry skin? Is it even worse in the winter? Does it seem like nothing you do helps? Well, maybe it's because of the products you are using on your skin!
Mineral oil and petroleum are the main ingredients in many skin care and cosmetic products. When you use products with those ingredients, you are exposing your largest organ, your skin, to products that could actually be making your dry skin worse. Ninety-eight percent of cosmetic companies use some kind of petroleum derivatives in their products. They are listed as mineral oil, petrolatum, or propylene glycol.
While many of us grew up thinking that those ingredients help to moisturize our skin, science is showing that they can cause more harm than good. A study by Johns Hopkins University lists mineral oil as the second leading cause of skin aging after the sun! And just take a look at all of the products you have in your home and think of all the years you've been using them. Many parents start their babies off with baby oil or other lotions that are made from petroleum products.
Your skin is actually meant to be used for detoxification, much like the liver. Your skin needs to be clean and healthy in order to expel toxins and to take in nutrients. Petroleum-based products actually form a barrier on the skin, blocking toxins inside and preventing absorption of other nutrients. Modern research at the Herb Research Foundation shows that the skin absorbs up to 60% of chemicals in products that come into contact with the skin and send them directly into the bloodstream. Scientists estimate that it takes 26 seconds for a substance to go from the skin to every major organ of the body, which is the reason nicotine or birth control patches are effective. Knowing that, you have got to take the time to read labels!
Look for soaps, moisturizers, and cosmetics that use natural oils, such as sunflower, coconut, avocado, and rosehips, or shea, cocoa, and jojoba butters. Arbonne is one cosmetic company that has wonderful botanically based products.
Another item that I have been very impressed with is Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. While coconut oil has wonderful dietary benefits, I have found it to also be a wonderful moisturizer with tremendous antiviral properties. Approximately 50 percent of the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are from lauric acid, which is converted to monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin is adept at fighting viral pathogens and is also present in large quantities in breast milk, where it protects infants from viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections. A higher concentration of lauric acid on your skin helps fight off the bacteria that cause pimples and acne.
So spend some time looking at your soap, moisturizers, and cosmetics. If you can't pronounce the words on the labels then you probably shouldn't be putting them on your skin. Find a natural soap without all of the harsh chemicals, a plant-based moisturizer, and natural cosmetics. You might feel like you're searching for a needle in a haystack, but the results will be worth it.
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Barthuly Chicken Soup by Lisa Barthuly
Gather your crockpot, a wooden spoon, and all your ingredients to treat your family to a delicious and nutritious bowl of homemade chicken soup.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. onion
1/2 c. celery
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. (or less) poultry seasoning
3 to 5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
Water or chicken broth
2 c. chopped/sliced carrots
Cooked noodles or rice (amount depends on your preference)
I make my chicken soup in my large crockpot. I turn it on high, toss in a tablespoon (or so) of butter, the onion and celery (chopped fine), and spices. Once the butter has melted and the celery and onions are getting a little translucent, add 3-5 half boneless, skinless chicken breasts and organic chicken broth or enough water to cover the chicken. Put the lid on and let it cook all day. About 2 hours before I want to serve, I break up the chicken breasts with a fork, toss in the carrots, and put the lid back on and just leave it to cook till it's ready to serve. At that time, I add the cooked noodles or rice, stir it all together, let it sit for about 5 minutes, break the bread, and load up the bowls. YUM!
Here's a Variation:
Use a bit less water, and when you add the carrots add 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, and it thickens right up!
Lisa Barthuly, her husband, Marc, daughters Mercy and Cassandra, and new baby Jesse live in Washington State on their little homestead. Check out their website, Homestead Originals, where they specialize in all-natural soy wax candles, aromatherapy products, and gifts.
We hope you've enjoyed this issue of The Homestead e-Newsletter. We'd love to hear what you think about it. Did you try the recipes, craft suggestions, or any of the other tips? We want to hear about it! And we also want to hear your suggestions for future newsletters. Is there a topic you'd like to see covered that we haven't yet? Would you like to contribute a column? Just let me know! You can email me at SeniorEditor@HomesteadBlogger.com. Or just stop by The Front Porch and say "Hello" when you're visiting us at HomesteadBlogger!
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