Making the Best of Winter by Nancy Carter, Senior Editor
There is just something about the quiet stillness of winter that makes it a wonderful time to do some thinking, enjoy some good books, or learn a new skill. For me this year it has been quilting. After having bought material months ago, I finally got a chance to start my first quilt. It has been so enjoyable and rewarding. There is something about sitting down and actually creating something useful with my hands that just warms my heart. Winter also draws me into the kitchen more and helps me to focus on my family.
Is it that way for you too? Are you busy jotting down plans and ordering seeds for your garden? Or are you thinking of ordering a few chicks? We've got some tips for those of you just getting started. Has your family been battling all the little bugs being passed around lately? We've got some tips to help keep your family healthy this winter. And finally, do you like to bake your own bread? We've got a wonderful wheat bread recipe for you with variations for making it by hand, with a large mixer, or in a bread machine.
Whether the groundhog is right and we're in for an early Spring or the folks at the Farmer's Almanac are right that Winter is going to stick around a little longer, let's all make the best of winter. Enjoy your family. Enjoy the stillness. Enjoy working with your hands. Enjoy God's beautiful creation.
Blessings, Nancy Carter
Senior Editor of HomesteadBlogger
7 Tips to Avoid or Lessen the Winter Bugs by Jessie Hawkins, MH
- Avoid sugars. Sugar, even in natural forms, can lower the immune system by up to 40% for 3-4 hours after consumption. Obviously, if the immune system is lowered, it cannot fight of those nasties as well.
- Don't grab the echinacea unless you feel ill. Yep, you read it right. Echinacea is a treatment, not a prevention herb. Take it in the proper dosage at the first sign of illness, but not before. Also, do not take it longer than 3-4 weeks at a time. It is safe for children over 3, but be sure to use children's dosages. As with any herbs, talk to a qualified herbalist or other professional before giving it to children younger than 3.
- Astragalus: This Chinese herb (actually a legume) gives the immune system a boost by bolstering the white blood cell count. Follow the manufacturer's directions.
- Elderberry: These berries are a great immune system builder, as well as a treatment for colds and the flu. Sambucol is one great brand of a syrup, and Herbs for Kids has a wonderful children's blend for colds and flu. It can also be purchased in a tincture or in tablets ... or jam!
- Don't rely on the antibacterials. Remember, colds and flu are viruses. They cannot be treated with antibiotics, nor can they be prevented with antibacterial sprays or cleaners. Hand washing, covering mouths during coughs, and keeping our germs home with us when we are sick are still the best ways to prevent the spread of winter bugs.
- Essential oils: Essential oils are more than great scents. Many of them are actually antiviral, and others can ease the discomfort of colds and flu. Try cleaning the light switches and doorknobs with a tea tree oil and lavender blend, both of which are antiviral and antibacterial. Eucalyptus can be added to a humidifier or warm bath for ease in breathing during illness. (Use caution with young children. Less really is more.)
- Garlic--not only does it keep vampires at bay, but it is an immune-building, yummy way to combat viruses and bacteria. So many studies have been done on this amazing plant that I could never list them here, but the general idea is to eat garlic! Obviously the easiest way is in our food, but for an extra boost, try an odorless supplement like Kyolic. (Note: garlic has some blood thinning properties, so discontinue its use 7-10 days before surgery.)
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained herein is complete and accurate. However, this article should not be construed as professional advice to the reader.
Jessie Hawkins and her husband Matthew reside in Spring Hill, TN with their three little blessings, Gracie, Joel and Micah. When she is not classically homeschooling, you can find her busy with her consulting business, Vintage Remedies, teaching wellness seminars or working on her latest book.
Ordering Your First Batch of Chicks by Nancy Carter
Of all of our homestead projects, I'd have to say that raising chickens has probably been one of the most successful and enjoyable. Raising chickens doesn't take a lot of space, equipment, lots of visits to the vet, or a special trailer to transport them. With a few supplies for brooding them as baby chicks, a nice chicken tractor or coop, and plenty of food, water, fresh air, and soil, you can soon be entertained and later provided with yummy farm fresh eggs or chicken for your kitchen.
First of all you just need to start by deciding what you want and ordering your chicks. How many will you want? We are a family of 5 and our first year we ordered 1 rooster and 9 hens. That was more than enough, but not too many to handle. You could definitely do well with only 5 hens, but we wanted to get more just in case we lost any. We ordered Rhode Island Reds, Araucanas, Black Austraolrps, and White Giants our first year. We were very pleased with all of them and especially enjoyed getting the colored eggs from our Araucanas! The next year we ordered even more and combined orders with a friend because of shipping costs. You can read about what we ordered last year here.
It usually takes 2-3 weeks to get your chicks once you place your order, so that gives you time to buy your supplies and prepare your brooding area. I usually order the Grow-Gel Plus with my chicks to help them get off to a good start. To brood the chicks, you need some type of container with sides (think about a clear plastic box or kiddie swimming pool), a bag of pine shavings and some paper towels for their litter, a red brooding light, a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature in the brooder, chick waterers and feeders, chick starter food, and fresh water, of course!
Then once you get the chicks you can work on building your chicken coop or tractor. How long they need to stay in the brooder totally depends on your weather. Most chicks are fully feathered by 6 weeks and can deal with the weather better then, at least. However, if you have pretty days before that it's always fun to find a safe place in the yard where they can practice scratching on fresh grass. Chickens make a wonderful addition to any homestead, even a small backyard. Armed with the supplies for their basic needs and a copy of Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, you too could soon be enjoying the pleasures of chicken-keeping!
Nancy Carter is the Senior Editor of HomesteadBlogger and a contributing writer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. She and her husband are homeschooling and learning all about country life with their three sons on their small farm in Kentucky. Learn more about their journey at Nancy's Unlikely Homesteader blog!
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Marilyn's Famous Whole Wheat Bread Recipe by Marilyn Moll
This recipe has been our family's daily bread for over 15 years and has won many blue ribbons at state fairs and earned lots of money when sold at Farmer's Markets in the summertime. You'll also enjoy the many nutritional benefits of making whole grain bread, especially if you have time to soak the flour ahead of time. Soaking fresh flour allows enzymes and other helpful organisms to help break down the gluten and other difficult-to-digest substances into simpler components to be more readily available for absorption.
Hand Method: (yields 2 loaves)
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. oil
2 1/2 c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. Saf Instant Yeast
2 1/2 tsp. Real Salt
6-7 c. fresh whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dough Enhancer
Combine the warm water, yeast, and 2 cups of fresh whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sponge for 15 minutes. Add the honey, oil, dough enhancer, salt, and 4-5 cups (12-16 cups if using the Mix N Blend or Bosch) additional flour until the dough begins to clean the sides of the mixing bowl. Do not allow the dough to get too stiff (too dry). Dough should be smooth and elastic. It is a common mistake for beginning bakers to add too much flour.
Knead the bread by hand 7-10 minutes or until it is very smooth, elastic, and small bubbles or blisters appear beneath the surface of the dough. Six to ten minutes of kneading by electric mixer (Use speed 1 on the Bosch Universal, and use speed 4 on the Mix n Blend - or use the Auto-Knead function) should be sufficient to develop the gluten if you are using fresh flour. If you are kneading by hand, be sure to add the minimum amount of flour to keep the dough soft and pliable by using a teaspoon of oil on your hands and kneading surface.
Form the dough into 2 loaves if using the hand method or 5-6 loaves if using the Mix N Blend or Bosch Universal method. Place the dough into greased loaf pans. Allow to rise in a slightly warmed oven or other warm place until doubled in size (about 30-60 minutes).
Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Bread is cooked through when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and when the top and sides are a golden brown color.
Marilyn's Famous Bread Recipe is VERSATILE! Use it to make cinnamon rolls, pizza, bread sticks, and more. Click this link for Whole Wheat Bread Dough Variations.
Marilyn Moll, a passionate lover of "old-fashioned skills," together with her husband Duane and homeschooled children, has been running www.urbanhomemaker.com for 16 years and offers Bosch bread baking equipment and products for better health in the Spirit of Titus Two. You may subscribe to her free online newsletter of tips, recipes, timely articles, and more at www.urbanhomemaker.com/subscriptions.
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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