Homestead e-Newsletter, September 2006
|
|
In This Issue
|
|
From the Editor
With Melonie K. Murray
Happy September, homesteaders! It's that time of year again--the days are shorter, the nights longer; the kids are headed back to school and homesteaders everywhere are preparing for a new season. Those of you in the northern hemisphere are getting ready for the briskness of fall, while our southern neighbors are ready for spring's arrival. No matter where your piece of land or how large (or small!) it may be, September usually marks a period of change.
It seems to me that my family's calendar is influenced by the cycles of the traditional school year, though we homeschool year-round. As I've been selecting curriculum and gearing up for changes I want to make in my daughter's education, I've also been looking at ways to educate myself. I've started hitting the gym and reading fitness magazines, which has led me to whole new levels in my quest for green living. Resources are hopping out at me from around every corner, or so it appears, when I read scrumptious recipes like the ones contributed this month by Theresa Powers, Jessica Munday, and Lisa Barthuly! Other things are making me think harder about what I can teach others; that's what came to mind when I met new HomesteadBlogger, "Urban Farmgirl." It's nice to know that in the wide world of homesteaders, a growing number of us are suburban and urban dwellers. Those of you with acreage in your dreams will enjoy her ideas for creating a homestead wherever you are; those enjoying the benefits of city living will surely like this list for adding to your natural urban lifestyle! Speaking of lifestyles: if you have little ones (or one on the way!), I hope you'll enjoy my list of resources for bringing up baby naturally. And of course, we've got the last installment in the series about emergency preparedness. Education is in the air in September!
Are seasonal changes making questions swirl through your mind like leaves on the wind? Come visit everyone at HomesteadBlogger. You can ask questions, share your trials (and your triumphs!), and meet knowledgeable new friends! We have a very knowledgeable group of bloggers contributing tips, ideas, and recipes on our Front Porch. Each week they address:
|
There's plenty of space for you to share your own thoughts and ideas. Come join us over at The Front Porch!
|
The end of summer also brings change to the Homestead e-News. I've filled in for a few months here as guest editor, and the time has certainly been interesting and enlightening! Everything has its season, however, and this month, Nancy Carter returns to the helm of the Homestead e-News. Nancy is the Senior Editor of HomesteadBlogger.com, as well as an experienced homesteader. She's already looking for ideas for future editions of the Homestead e-News, so be sure to get in touch with her at SeniorEditor@HomesteadBlogger.com.
Wishing you many happy homesteading moments,
Melonie Kennedy ~ Visit My Blog
Quick and Easy Jam Recipes
By Theresa Powers and Jessica Munday
Making jam is easy and rewarding. Taking a family trip to a fruit farm can be a tradition you make with your children and one they will look forward to yearly. Most certainly they won't forget what you reap from picking all that fruit! We recommend a good canning book such as the Blue Ball Canning Book.
Peachy Raspberry Jam
(Makes about 4 pints)
3 lb. peaches (Great White are the best)
1 c. crushed red raspberries
5 c. fructose
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
Blanch peaches to remove skins. Cut up and crush together with remaining ingredients. Cook until mixture starts to thicken. Times on this can vary, we say anywhere between 30-45 minutes. Spoon into hot sterilized jars. After each jar is filled, adjust lids and seal with screw top. Don't let them sit open. In Colorado we water process for 25 min. Please check for your altitude in a good canning book. Enjoy!
Strawberry Jam
(Makes about 4 pints)
3 lb. strawberries, washed and hulled
5 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
Crush all ingredients together. Cook until mixture starts to thicken, 30-45 minutes. Spoon into hot sterilized jars, adjusting and sealing each one as you fill. Water process 15-25 minutes according to your altitude.
|
Take your Homemaking to a Higher Level
The Christian-Homemaking Newsletter: providing the guidance, inspiration, motivation and practical ideas you need to manage your time, home and family. Get your free subscription at: Christian-Homemaking.com
|
Attention teens! College students! Christian leaders! Pastors!
Take your walk and witness to the next level - through Christian apologetics! At the
National Conference on Christian Apologetics, November 10-11, hear experts such as Ravi Zacharias, Norman Geisler, Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, Erwin Lutzer, and more! Teens need apologetics, too! The conference features "Dare2DigDeeper," special apologetics instructional workshops just for
teens, hosted in association with Focus On The Family.
Register today - space is limited, and filling up fast! For complete information, call
(704)
847-5600, or visit our website.
|
|
Bringing Up Baby--Naturally
By Melonie Kennedy
My journey to organic living began when I was preparing for my first pregnancy. A friend convinced me of the importance of buying organic milk, and I began making adjustments to my lifestyle and home from there. It started with consuming organic milk and cutting back on traditionally farmed beef, due to my concerns about overuse of antibiotics and growth hormones both in my system and my baby's. Near the end of my pregnancy I found Planet detergent, which is free of fragrances, dyes, and phosphates. I originally simply washed baby clothes in it in preparation for her arrival but switched to doing the whole family's clothes with it because I enjoyed not dealing with the perfumes of the mainstream detergent and fabric softeners I was raised on myself.
By the time my daughter was on solid food, I was sampling organic foods here and there and offering her some of the few organic baby foods available as well. Just five years later, there are organic baby formulas, biodegradable disposable diapers, and loads of organic offerings for children of all ages. I love learning about new items in the swiftly growing "green" industry! If I had it to do all over again, raising a "green" baby would be much easier and more affordable than it was even such a short time ago!
Interested in ways to make your baby's upbringing greener? Try some of these resources on for size:
Feeding green: Yes, Virginia, there really is an organic formula! Obviously if you're breastfeeding you can easily control baby's exposure to toxins through your own diet; now bottle-fed babies have access to organic dairy too. Companies such as Parent's Choice, Earth's Best, Nature's One, and even market giant Similac are offering green families organic formula options.
Babies ready for solids have greater choices as well: Earth's Best is one of the best known in this arena, but Gerber is now in on the act too. If you've got the urge to make your own baby food, simply select organic produce from the grocery store, farmers market, or your very own garden to for organic purees made with a parent's love!
Little baby bottoms have used the most natural method for generations: cloth diapers. Companies such as Ecobaby Organics cater to green parents by offering not only organic cotton diapers but soft wool or organic cotton diaper covers, burp cloths, and more. If you prefer disposables, there are green alternatives for those too. Try Seventh Generation or Tushies for diapers and wipes that are chlorine-free.
What about toys? Many parents are concerned about phthalates in plastic toys, or loud, battery-operated gizmos that are supposed to educate infants (but irritate parents). Dozens of companies offer toys that are made of wood, wool, or cotton and that run on your baby or toddler's imagination instead of electricity or batteries. Start with Nova Natural Toys and Crafts, Rosie Hippo's Toys, Natural Play or Willow Tree Toys; then see where other searches take you and your green baby!
Melonie Kennedy (formerly known as Melonie K. Murray) is a freelance writer, homeschooling "Momma" and suburban homesteader. You can catch her blogging about business issues at www.SmallBizMentor.com and www.Workerette.com. She writes about her soap opera life at StoptheWorld.ClubMom.com and her adventures as a (mostly) green suburbanite at www.HomesteadBlogger.com/GoingGreen.
US Subscriptions:
19 FREE GIFTS
Whether you are new to our magazine or a long-time subscriber, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine has an incredible offer that you won't want to pass up! In the past, we couldn't offer the renewing subscribers the 19 free gifts - those were only for new customers. But for a limited time only, RENEWING subscribers get all 19 gifts (over $200 value), too!
I'm a new subscriber…what do I get?
With your paid two-year subscription to TOS you'll receive:
•A 2-year/3-year subscription to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine
•19 FREE gifts for you
All this for ONLY $39 for 2 years and ONLY $59 for 3 years
Click Here to Purchase Online
Or, call 1-888-718-HOME
Already a subscriber?
Renew now and receive:
• Two or Three more years of your favorite homeschool magazine and 19 FREE gifts (valued at over $200)!
All this for ONLY $39 for 2 years and ONLY $59 for 3 years
Click Here to Purchase!
Or, call 1-888-718-HOME
The first 3,000 two-year or three-year new subscriber or renewing your two or three year subscription, you will receive (by USPS mail) NINETEEN free homeschooling gifts. But you don't get four gifts - you get 19! And yes, even the shipping is paid for - and you are not required to buy anything again - EVER.
Click Here to View the FREE Gifts
(US Residents Only)
|
|
Living Here, Living Now
By Urban Farmgirl
What sort of things can this urban farmgirl do now to live sustainably and prepare for farming, you may ask? Good question. And the full answer would not be short! But allow me to give you some great ideas:
- Install a rain barrel at the end of a gutter or three.
- Get a varmint-proof compost bin and put your kitchen scraps and yard wastes there.
- Tuck vegetables amidst your landscaping plants, or devote a whole bed or container garden to organic veggies.
- Use window boxes for flowers and/or herbs.
- Support a local farmer by buying produce from her throughout the summer, either at a farmer's market or through a weekly subscription service (CSA).
- Grow your veggies at a nearby community garden.
- If there's no community garden nearby, start one! Look for abandoned lots and see about renting them. Most owners are glad to have something on there besides brush and trash.
- Indoors, put herbs and greens (lettuce, kale, spinach) to grow in a sunny window for winter veggies.
- Sprout seeds and beans for cheap and easy winter nutrition.
- If you have a small lawn, consider an electric mower or a reel mower. We use outdoor scissors!
- Recycle everything you can.
- Learn to cook whole foods from scratch. Stock up on whole grains and beans and figure out how to make something yummy.
- Bake your own bread. Every farmgirl should know how to do this!
- Grind your flour from bulk organic wheat berries. We used part of a tax return to buy my grain mill, after years of wanting one!
Those are just ideas to get your gears working. I'd love to hear what you do to farm in the city, or things you do on your 40 acres that could be translated into an urban environment.
"Urban Farmgirl" grows sugar snap peas, weeds, and two gorgeous little girls on a city lot the size of your guest bedroom. She and her campus minister husband spend their extra time fixing up their 1920s bungalow, ripping out concrete in the backyard, and enjoying what the city life has to offer. They hope to do some small scale farming in the country one day but are enjoying the place they feel called to right now.
|
Do you subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine?
Here's what our readers are saying:
"My homeschooling has been so enhanced by ideas I've read in this magazine! I love to find quiet time here and there to read everything. I even take notes for future plans of the advertised curriculum I want to add to our homeschool. Thank you!"
-- Laura Yackel
The Great Bean Flour Discovery
By Theresa Powers
As we conquer one learning curve and start another, I am always amazed as I look back and think about the things I always wanted to know more about but was too busy on my current project to start another. Grains and beans have always been of interest to me. I started with grains first. After several years of working with grains and their properties, I can easily help others to learn. I was ready to move on to beans.
Most people I've met do not like big bursty beans. Well, not in large quantities anyway. We have had to be creative with our beans in the past and I would buy frozen or canned from the local store. We have now found that dry beans are not only inexpensive but really easy to cook if you take the time to learn. Pressure cooking is the easiest and quickest way I have found to cook whole beans. Navy beans are excellent, black even better! I like to soak the beans for an hour or so before pressuring, and 16-20 minutes does the trick in the cooker.
Now for the bean flour! I quickly discovered that the 11-bean/pea mix I stock was too hard to cook. I decided to turn to the use of bean flour, something I always wanted to learn more about. Now was my chance with over 200 pounds of 11 bean/pea mix handy! Milling beans is quick, easy and nutritious. If you don't own your own mill, consider investing in one. Buying pre-packaged mixes is expensive. When you mill your own you know what is in your mix. So if you are buying refined mixes to add to your dinner, most likely you will end up constipated. Bean flour adds fiber, soluble and insoluble, to your diet. Refined grains are missing the insoluble fiber and lacking in pure untouched vitamins and minerals.
Buy good quality beans. Fill your mill according to the directions and zing! Nutrition is handy! Bean flour has no gluten and is a plant protein. Mixing with a grain or seed will complete the protein. Bean flour can be 1/4 of a grain recipe to complete your protein! It is very handy and you can add it to almost anything you cook--soups, sauces, dips, breads, baby food, and more. Get yourself a mill and a stock of beans, and start adding sneaky nutrition to your family's diet today. Here are a few recipes to start you out. These crackers are a complete protein cracker made with wheat and beans! The peas and barley for baby are a great combination also.
Sprouty 11-Bean Crackers
by Ripe for Harvest
Optional:
Sprout and dry 2 cups of radish seeds or try your own seed mix.
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.
1 1/2 c. hard wheat
1/2 c. 11 bean/pea mix (or any bean flour)
2 Tbsp. sprout flour
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp. real salt
1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
4 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp. dried green onion
2 Tbsp. dried peppers
2 Tbsp. dried tomatoes
1 c. half and half to start
1. Mix all dry ingredients in the food processor.
2. Add oil one tablespoon at a time.
3. Start mixing in half and half slowly, processing as you slowly add a little at a time. Your goal is to get a nice soft dough.
4. Separate in 6 portions, each rolled thin about 1/8" into a rectangle.
5. Trim edges, use a pastry cutter or pizza cutter to score into crackers.
6. Bake on parchment about 15-20 minutes until light brown.
Note: They will crisp as they cool.
A Nice Soft Dough | 
Roll Thin, Score & Bake! |
|
International Subscriptions:
19 FREE GIFTS
Whether you view your subscription as a gift for yourself, a homeschool conference delivered to your door, a professional journal, or simply a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with other homeschool families around the world, subscribe now to insure that you are in the first 2,000 and receive this incredible International Subscription Homeschool Gift Pack!
One-Year International Subscription:
Receive four issues of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine delivered directly to your door and 19 FREE gifts from our generous sponsors. Subscribe now! Only $38!
And we have an additional gift for two-year and three-year subscribers!
Two-Year or Three-Year International Subscription: Receive eight issues of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, the 19 free gifts, AND our Secrets of Successful Homeschooling e-book!
Subscribe now! Only $69 for 2 years and $83 for 3 years!
These special offers will expire soon, though. Subscribe or renew today so you don't miss out on this opportunity!
Three easy ways to subscribe!- Subscribe online
- Call 1-888-718-HOME
- Mail your order to:
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC
PO Box 10 White Pine, TN 37890
Click Here to View the FREE Gifts
(International Residents Only)
|
|
Peas and Barley for Baby
Making baby food is easy and very healthy for your little one! Try this out.
Mill some dried peas. It doesn't matter how much you mill, just store to have on hand.
Bean flours have a shelf life of 6 months, a year refrigerated. Wouldn't this be great if you had to travel and fresh wasn't handy?
1. Boil 1 cup water
2. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. pea flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Note: It takes about 1 minute or so to thicken.
  
Mill some pearled barley, and use the same method.
Grain flours must be kept in the freezer if you don't use them that day.
1. Boil 1 cup of water
2. Add 2 1/2 Tbsp. barley flour
3. Cook about 5 minutes or so.
4. Add these two together and store remainder in the refrigerator.
The Powers are a homeschooling family of 9 children and live in beautiful Colorado. Ripe For Harvest and Tasty Homemaker are owned by Theresa Powers and Jessica Munday, a mom and daughter team. You can find them blogging at: www.HomesteadBlogger.com/HarvestMom9, www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/HarvestMom and www.HomesteadBlogger.com/TeaFlower
Bake Up a Blueberry-Cranberry-Lavender Crisp
By Lisa Barthuly
This crisp makes a great end of summer dessert! Treat your family to something healthy and hearty with this treat. You'll need:
Filling
3 c. blueberries
1 c. cranberries
1/2 tsp. lavender flowers
3/4 c. sugar
|
Topping
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. melted butter
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1 1/2 c. crushed graham crackers
|
Note: A great job for the young ones to do on their own is crushing the graham crackers for the topping... put them in a Ziploc and CRUSH 'EM! Just be sure it's sealed!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Get out an 8 x 8 baking dish. Combine blueberries, cranberries, lavender flowers, and sugar in a bowl & mix well, then pour into your 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Combine crushed crackers, brown sugar, melted butter, and sliced almonds. Crumble over the top of your filling mixture in your baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until filling is bubbling. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
This is delicious and different--enjoy!
Lisa, her husband Marc, and daughters Mercy & Cassandra live in Washington State on their little homestead with Cooter the Dog, Whitefoot the Cat, & lots of wild critters. They pray for more critters and more children (they have one more on the way, joining the family in January!) and love the quiet country life amongst God's creation! Check out their website, Homestead Originals, where they specialize in all natural Soy Wax Candles, books and gifts.
Grab 'n Go: Evacuation Preparation (Part 3 of 3)
By Melonie Kennedy
Over the past few months we've touched on a basic "grab 'n go" pack for your vehicle that will get you through a day trip with the kids or a roadside emergency, as well as putting together 72-hour packs for each member of your family in case of short-term emergency needs. This month I'd like you to consider what items are vital to your family in case of an evacuation due to natural disaster or political strife. Here in the US, we more frequently deal with natural disasters such as tornadoes, forest fires, and earthquakes rather than the latter. Those of you homesteading in other countries may face issues such as riots, terrorist attacks, and political operations that can turn an area upside down for days, weeks, or months on end.
Because the possibilities vary so much by region, even within one country, it's hard to say what "necessities" apply to each homesteader. Instead, I have questions for you. Sit down with your spouse and discuss the following considerations. Families with older children may want to make this an informative and educational opportunity, since older children can and should be expected to help the family in survival mode.
PRAYER POTS™ GALORE & MUCH MORE!
Visit our website to find hand-painted flowerpots, prayer journals, stationery, jewelry and inspirational books. There’s more… sign up for weekly devotionals, register to win prizes and request a FREE catalog! There’s so much to see and do; you won’t want to leave!
|
|
Start at the beginning. What mode of transportation will you use to evacuate? Families with livestock need to make the decision whether to secure animals in a barn and hope for the best or to spend time loading them into trailers. Do you have enough adults trained to drive a vehicle towing a trailer along with a second vehicle for the family? Remember, as much as we love our animals, our children must come first. If you have a smaller, faster vehicle, be prepared to leave the larger, more cumbersome one behind if necessary. If you are splitting the family into separate vehicles, have a chosen point of contact out of the area to check in with by phone or radio, along with a previously chosen meeting place. If you are split up on the road, each driver will know to make his way to that spot.
Other transportation issues to consider: if you are in a rural area, would horseback, a four-wheeler, or a motorcycle be a better option? During an earthquake, roads and bridges can be torn to shreds in an instant. Flooding will make many routes impassable. Would you be better off on a small, nimble vehicle or leading a couple of sure-footed horses loaded with your gear and smallest children to higher ground? If you're driving a truck or SUV, is there a boat you could haul along as well during floods?
Now: what will you take with you? You've already got a basic day pack in each of your vehicles, as well as 72-hour packs, right? So you've got the bare minimums covered. Now is the time to plan for extended problems, considering your needs for a week or longer. This is particularly important if you will be attempting to evacuate with pets. Durable plastic storage cases filled with food, clothing and toiletries, large water containers, camping gear such as tents, sleeping bags, and a camp stove or portable grill will be essential. Some families in high-risk areas invest in a small horse trailer and keep it stocked year-round with their evacuation goods. (Remember to go through each season and rotate food and clothing, based on family members' current sizes and seasonal needs!) Others keep such gear stocked in a storage area of the home, ready to be loaded into the car on a moment's notice. The important thing here is to be prepared: decide in advance who will go, how they'll go, what they'll need, and have it ready!
|
Don't forget that during some emergencies, you may choose to remain on your homestead. This is especially true for those in suburban and urban areas. Your present location may very well be safer than being out on the streets. Power failures from winter ice storms don't mean an evacuation is necessary; they do, however, mean that you'll be without electricity and possibly water for anywhere from hours to days or weeks. Stay put, stay warm, stay dry, and stay occupied. You'll still need food, water, and other supplies set aside, even if power outages are the worst emergencies you see your family facing.
While you're considering safety, decide how to best protect your family. Police, firefighters, and EMTs will be overworked during large-scale emergencies. Assume that you may be responsible for protecting your family and providing basic first aid to family members and even neighbors during these times. It's always good to have older children and adult family members take a Red Cross first aid class to learn basic medical responses, including CPR. Those of you who hunt should also make sure children of adequate maturity are trained in safe use of firearms. If something should happen to you, an older child may well need to protect himself and his younger siblings, or to provide food and water for the family. Make sure children you deem capable of handling weapons are trained and prepared for the worst, then hope they don't have to use their knowledge.
Are you a business owner? Be sure to make arrangements for your business as well as your family. Important documents, expensive equipment, and other such items need to be dealt with. Will you lock down your shop and keep employees with you because you are in a safe zone, with families meeting at your location, or will you shut down and head home to gather privately? Discuss these options with anyone who works for you. Remind them to prepare their families as well!
Come up with ways to introduce your family's evacuation concepts to younger kids; you'd be amazed at what they consider important after the basics of food, water, and shelter. Comfort comes in many forms, and little ones who are content are much more likely to follow requests from older siblings than those who are caught unaware and afraid. Scared children are more likely to dash away from an emergency in an instinctive attempt to survive, adding one more problem to the family's situation.
Be sure small pets are secured in carriers and large pets are adequately secured if you are taking them with you. Unless they are incredibly well-trained to stay with and defend the family, many pets will attempt their own evacuation plans ... which normally includes running away from the fray or hiding in what they think is a safe place. They don't understand that a burning home is not the place you want to be stuck searching for them or trying to draw them out! As soon as you are given an evacuation order, get your family to your chosen transportation and get the pets secured in their assigned location.
These are just the basic questions to ask yourself when it comes to preparing your family for large-scale emergencies. Check with your local county extension office, or do searches on federal sites for further suggestions and resources. Just like planning your escape routes in case of fire in a home or place of business, more in-depth emergency preparedness can get you through the worst safely. Don't delay: plan today!
Melonie Kennedy (formerly known as Melonie K. Murray) is a freelance writer, homeschooling "Momma" and suburban homesteader. You can catch her blogging about business issues at www.SmallBizMentor.com and www.Workerette.com. She writes about her soap opera life at StoptheWorld.ClubMom.com and her adventures as a (mostly) green suburbanite at www.HomesteadBlogger.com/GoingGreen.
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 us 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!
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following information is a reminder of your current
mailing list subscription:
You are subscribed to the following list:
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine Newsletters - Homesteaders using the following
email: homestead@tosmagazine.com
You may automatically
unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL:
http://www.tosmagazine.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/u/homesteader/
If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the
entire address.
Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this
automatic unsubscribe mechanism.
You may also change your subscription
by visiting this list's main screen:
http://www.tosmagazine.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/list/homesteader
If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: homestead@tosmagazine.com
The following physical address is associated with this mailing list:
http://www.theoldhomeschoolhouse.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
©2005,2006. TheHomeschoolMagazine.com is a division of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved. No content may be removed or used without permission from TheHomeschoolMagazine.com.
Site designed and maintained by: Black Crow Designs :: Contact Webmaster |
