Category: Homesteading How To

I think so often of her hands…The browned age spots from years of sun exposure, the knots on her knuckles and how they still remained so unbelievably soft her entire lifetime. They always smelled of the Nivea lotion she applied after every washing with hints of lavender, bergamot, sandalwood and rose. I miss her.

I remember watching those hands press the crinkles out of aluminum foil that had only been once used. “Waste not, want not, Ash” was a mantra that was recited quite often in our home. I can only imagine having spent her early childhood during the Great Depression and being raised by a mother who survived it, is what created her constant desire to be prepared for things. She purchased in bulk when she found a good sale, clipped coupons and taught me to cook and bake from scratch. When I had a friend sleep-over, a forgotten toothbrush was never a worry…Nanny always had extras. I don’t know that I ever thanked her for that, but I’m adding it to the ever-growing list of things I’m grateful for and will share with her when we meet again.

I write this from the comfort of my sofa, thoroughly enjoying the scent of fresh-baking country bread wafting throughout the house. My kids are pacing, anxiously wishing I would finish so we can take the nature walk that was promised them. Life for us during the Covid19 pandemic has been largely unaffected; the very welcomed difference is we’re together more. This is a time to slow down, and focus on what is truly important.

It’s a bit eerie out. Traffic is next to nothing and we are doing our part to stay away from others and prevent the spread further. I am left wondering, however, what are people feeling and thinking when they see the empty grocery store shelves? What happens when your food source runs low? What should you do? The masses are hoarding everything from toilet paper to bread and I cannot begin to imagine the panic those left without are dealing with.

I see this as an encouragement for change. Biblically speaking, things here on earth are going to get worse before they get better. I don’t say that to frighten anyone…His plan is written out for all to read and it ends absolutely perfectly. The peace our family finds amidst this chaos is two-fold. First and foremost, our faith in Christ Jesus gives us everything we need to get through; and also our ability to be self sufficient for the basic necessities of life during times of uncertainty.

Some ways you too can become self-sufficient during uncertain times include:

1) Make good friends with a farmer or homesteader. A lot of people don’t have the ability to care for livestock or grow a productive garden. I understand that. I did not grow up on a farm or actively in a farming family. I grew up in Fairfax county, in northern Virginia in a townhome with a teeny backyard. Homesteading as an adult has meant finding my calling. Myself and most farmers do this to help others. It’s our passion. When we have extra, it is available for our friends. Always.

2) Clip coupons, look for sales, and buy non-perishables in blulk BEFORE the need to have a stock-pile is necessary. My sweet sister has mastered this and sent our family a care package a couple weeks ago full of basic necessities.

3) Cook and bake from scratch. With shelves being bare, opt for 5 ingredient or less dishes that you can make large batches of and fill the freezer with the leftovers. Things like chili, lasagna, beef stew etc go a long way waiting out isolation. They also are cost efficient, and I know that is a big concern when jobs and income have been put on hold.

4) If you’re able, a small backyard flock of chickens can provide you with eggs and meat nearly year round. When one hen decides to hatch a clutch of eggs, raise those birds separately for butcher. Knowing that your food was loved and cared for as opposed to being raised in cages is both comforting and frankly tastes so much better!

5) Nigerian Dwarf dwarf dairy goats can milk anywhere from a couple cups to a half gallon a day. Investing in proven stock is a great way to ensure the latter and keep your family in milk, cheese, soaps and lotions during times of scarcity. These are small animals that are not expensive to keep and don’t require more than a fenced backyard space-wise. Male offspring can be butchered for meat or sold to cover the costs of their care.

6) Rabbits can provide both an excellent source of low-fat protein and income. Their pelts can also be preserved or sold.

7) Learn to keep yourself well using natural remedies. We have been provided with everything we need. We just need to slow down from the rat race and learn how. A neighboring farm up the road offers a whole living from the ground up class. I have not taken it yet, but will be for certain!

October just so happens to be my favorite month of the year.  The changing colored leaves, sweet baked pumpkin and apple goods, on top of creepy decorations, and cooler weather… and the other months simply can’t compete.   If that weren’t enough, our annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s also happens in October!!!

After an amazingly fun night of haunted houses, carpool karaoke, and amusement park rides with friends, I decided it was time to kick off the season and make some apple butter.  Despite the temperature being in the upper 80s with humidity that could rival the rain forest, I am dedicated to my love of fall and this is one of the opening celebrations!

I think a mix of different types of apples is key to creating layers of flavors.  This year I selected Red Delicious for their deep sweetness and soft texture, Empire for their milder sweet flavor and ability to hold thickness after hours of cooking, and Granny Smith for a tiny hint of tartness.  I vowed after last year’s bourbon apple butter, I would never try another recipe, but folks this one is a winner!

As a mom with very limited spare time, I enlist the help of a slow cooker at every opportunity.  It doesn’t disappoint and I’m able to simultaneously do laundry, break up fights (keepin’ it real ya’ll), and do all the other mom stuff while it does the heavy lifting! It’s a rough guess but I’m thinking  7 or 8 lbs total filled the crock pot to the top.  Then I baked them for 4 hours on high with the top on.

Once they came to the below consistency I added my dark brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and ground clove, removed the top and cooked them 3.5 more hours.  Using the immersion blender (we were gifted this one years ago and I absolutely adore it) they came to the perfect consistency and I pulled my hot jars, filled them and processed them in a water bath for 5 minutes.  VOILA!  Happy babies in the morning and another way to raise some money for a cure!

2017 was the hottest, driest summer I can remember.  Our garden was practically crispy and after a full work day I often found myself toting 5 gallon buckets of water all over the yard, desperately trying to keep something (anything) alive and producing.  I’ll never forget it though, it was the first summer I entered into our county fair.

We live in a relatively small rural town smack in between Richmond and Charlottesville, Virginia.  I adore the solace of country life and at the same time enjoy the easy drive to the occasional hustle and bustle.  Given my passions, I’ve found farm work, easygoing attitudes, no traffic, and the ease with which one can potty train a little boy from the porch are only found ’round places like these where the homes don’t touch.  As many small town country girls know…nothing brings summer to a beautiful close quite like the county fair.  This is a time to visit with neighbors, show off your skills, kick back, laugh and celebrate the year’s work!    And so I entered.

With my family as my guinea pigs I placed things before them that got me “chopped” many times – as Henry would say.  But then I found the most incredible recipe for cinnamon rolls I had ever tasted.  It was nearly perfect, and with just a few tiny modifications it transformed into the epitome of sweet-tooth heaven.  This will forever be my go-to for holiday breakfasts and special occasion deserts.  And do you know what?  When I went to the awards tent, perfectly placed next to them was a big, purple BEST IN SHOW ribbon!!!