independence days - week 29

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i do nothing.

i am now focusing more preparedness & solstice gifts.

1. plant something

2. harvest something:
^eggs
^calendula flowers
^chard
^celery
^carrots
^rutabagas
^sunchokes

3. preserve something:

4. prep something:
^8 dozen cookies into freezer for solstice goody bags

5. cook something:
^rutabagas...they are quite good, better than turnips

6. manage your reserves:
^

7. work on local food systems:

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs

9. Learned a skill:

independence days - week 28

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i do nothing.

still going!

1. plant something

2. harvest something:
^eggs
^calendula flowers
^chard
^celery
^carrots
^rutabagas
^sunchokes

3. preserve something:

4. prep something:
^quartered potatoes

5. cook something:
^rutabagas...they are quite good, better than turnips

6. manage your reserves:
^more lamp oil stored
^

7. work on local food systems:

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs

9. Learned a skill:

independence days - week 27

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i do nothing.

over the hump!

1. plant something

2. harvest something:
^eggs
^calendula flowers
^chard
^celery
^carrots
^sweet potatoes (i forgot i had them!)
^3 roosters
^rutabagas
^sunchokes
^zinnia seeds

3. preserve something:

4. prep something:
^started growing eyes on potatoes

5. cook something:
^rutabagas...they are quite good, better than turnips

6. manage your reserves:
^gauze bandages/pads, surgical tape purchased for first aid kit
^rubber hot water bottle (we now have 5...used to keep us warm in bed at night)

7. work on local food systems:

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs

9. Learned a skill:
^

feeding our own

back in may and august, i wrote about how we were going to attempt to grow some crops for the goats, sheep, turkeys and chickens this winter. today, i checked on my crops and wanted to report on my observances.

crops were planted at the end of august this year. i should have started a bit earlier i think, maybe 1 month earlier. also, i need to find a better seed supplier. the local place i ordered from (3 orders this year) were less than impressive in customer service, delivery and performance. strike 3, you're out!

the wwoofers planted the seeds and i'm a bit confused as to how they planted some of them. i'm hoping they planted them out correctly...

anyway, here's what was planted, how much and how it is doing:
chard 9 rows (8' x 19') there are about 6 plants total growing now
cabbage 4 rows (12' x 57') doing so/so...about 1/4 - 1/3 is growing
beets 3 rows (3' x 54') crop failure 1 plant
parsnips 7 rows {7' x 30') crop failure about 3 plants growing
kohlrabi 10 rows (7' x 30') so/so...about 1/4 is growing
rutabagas 5 rows (7' x 30') excellent success full plot
kale 8 rows (7' X 30') so/so about 1/4 - 1/2 is growing
spinach 5' x 10' bed complete failure
radishes 5' x 10' bed excellent success full plot and these suckers are HUGE
carrots 9 rows (5' x 30') excellent...my best crop yet
tyfon volunteers, not sure how big an area as they are wide spread excellent

so far, i've harvested some of the rutabagas. we are going to eat them for dinner tonight. the goats enjoyed the tops but didn't touch the roots.

sunchokes will be part of the fodder this winter. they grow abundantly in our garden and we never eat even a 1/4 of the patch.

the sunflowers did ok. i hung them to dry and the birds robbed them. i should have put them in paper bags.

we also had a lot of milo self feed in the garden (from the goat bedding). since it is hard for me to kill off any useful plant, i let them grow as a quasy feed experiment. today, i cut off a bunch of the tops and tossed them to the goats. they loved them. i'll cut the rest and store them in a feed bag for this winter or perhaps save them and sow a field next spring. i'm thinking it might be something to sow in an 'undesireable' area and then in the winter, tether some goats out there to eat it up. i'm going to feed them some stalks tomorrow and see if they would like that part too.

anyone else have any luck with crop growing for animal feed this year?

independence days - week 24

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.


1. plant something
^cut some sweet potato vines to start rootings for next spring's planting

2. harvest something:
^eggs
^tomatoes
^okra
^calendula flowers

3. preserve something:
^canned 14 1/2 pints butter
^canned 2 qt + 1 pt stewed tomatoes
^canned three qt + 1 pt spicy pickled okra
^dried more apples
^toyed around with making a chest salve

4. prep something:
^ordered dental kit
^scheduled eye appt.
^located source for bulk kerosene
^purchased 4 1.5 ml bottles everclear (for tincture making, not partying)


5. cook something:
^

6. manage your reserves:
^2 jars garlic
^4 bags coconut
^4 cans tuna
^2 bags dried cherries
^added scalpel & blades to first aid kit

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bartered with produce vendor: milk for veggies

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store and farmer's market
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs


9. Learned a skill:

independence days - week 23

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

i've noticed my i d days have evolved to include general 'wtshtf' type preparations as well as just food storage. anyone else have a similar experience?

1. plant something:
^planted goldenseal
^planted garlic

2. harvest something:
^eggs, milk
^tomatoes
^okra
^10 long neck squash to store
^calendula flowers

3. preserve something:
^4 qts. chicken broth

4. prep something:
^ordered 15 lbs. sea salt

5. cook something:
^

6. manage your reserves:
^bought big berkey water filter with black filters
^bought otoscope
^bought sheep shears
^bought colored paper to print out special book pages (see below)
^print colored pages for when there is no doctor book
^bought binders at salvation army to put above printouts in

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bartered with produce vendor: milk for veggies

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store and farmer's market
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs
^bartered herbal products for fitted diapers

9. Learned a skill:

independence days - week 19

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

summer is winding down drastically. the wwoofers have all left. there is already a chill in the air.

1. plant something:
^

2. harvest something:
^eggs, milk
^tomatoes
^okra
^elderberries
^apples


3. preserve something:
^11 half pints ketchup
^froze 1 gallon okra
^sun dried (with dehydrator) tomatoes
^6 - 1/2 gallon milk jars into freezer for winter consumption/use

4. prep something:
^

5. cook something:
^

6. manage your reserves:
^

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bartered with produce vendor: milk for veggies


8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store and farmer's market
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs
^return containers to farmers at the market
^collecting packaging from grocery stores to store apples

9. Learned a skill:

independence days - week 13

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

i've been on a weeding binge, trying to relocate all the vegetables in the garden. it is hard work as some of the weeds are taller than me! most of the squash have bit it to borers. freaks.

the puppies took out half the sunflowers in a fight over food yesterday. they got hosed and screamed at by yours truly. those were seeds for my goats!


1. plant something:
^transplanted daylilies
^sowed poppies, thyme
^ginger root

2. harvest something:
^eggs, milk
^blackberries
^onions
^pattypan, zucchini
^lamb's quarters, basil
^peaches and PLUMS!
^broilers - 5 ended up in our freezer, the other 6 were sold to friends

3. preserve something:
^yarrow to make more bug spray
^5 broilers frozen

4. prep something:
^cleaned out portable coop and moved 25 baby broilers into it
^parents got me a sausage stuffer they found at an estate sale

5. cook something:
^

6. manage your reserves:
^weeded like crazy!
^added 1 gallon lamp oil to reserves
^started trellising tomatoes (finally!)

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bartered with produce vendor: milk for veggies
^sold herbs to chef (lamb's quarters and basil)
^sold broilers to friends
^greg and i discussed the csa we plan on doing next year with animals/animal products instead of vegetables

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store and farmer's market
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs

9. Learned a skill:
^considering applying to a master naturalist program this fall

independence days - week 12

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

out of town half of this week so again, not much done...


1. plant something:
^transplanted astragalus, banana trees

2. harvest something:
^eggs, milk
^blackberries
^pattypan
^lamb's quarters, basil

3. preserve something:
^holy basil in everclear

4. prep something:
^made patchouli soap

5. cook something:
^

6. manage your reserves:
^brought home 2 sheep and 2 polish chickens

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bartered with produce vendor: milk for veggies
^met with chef and set up time for delivery
^taught friends to make soap

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store and farmer's market
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs

9. Learned a skill:

independence day - week 11

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

wow, friday already? it feels like this was a wasted week. our 1st wwoofer of the year arrived this week so hopefully, production will go up.


1. plant something:
^transplanted astragalus, banana trees
^buckwheat (cover crop)
^hay/pasture seed

2. harvest something:
^eggs, milk
^blackberries
^purslane, asiatic dayliliy, lady's thumb, dianthus flowers, pansy fkowers, daylily flowers, peppermint, clover leaves, lemon balm, nasturtium for salads
^rosemary, thyme, summer savory, parsley, chives, dill for cooking
^pattypan squash (1)
^potatoes (finished harvesting red)
^clover blossoms
^chamomile, lemo balm, thyme, rosemary for tea

3. preserve something:
^clover blossoms

4. prep something:
^greg bought me 2 antique (but useful) cherry pitters for our anniversary
^bought (another) herb book
^made another batch of soap (patchouli)

5. cook something:
^

6. manage your reserves:
^weeded
^took wether to friend's petting farm (he was a previously owned pet and came to us with the stipulation that he wouldn't be eaten)

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bartered with produce vendor: milk for veggies
^emailed chef from local restaurant to follow up on earlier conversations of supplying herbs
^ok, it's not food but i taught the wwoofer how to make soap

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store and farmer's market
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs
^use our metal water bottles when we go out

9. Learned a skill:

independence days - week 10

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

wow! 10 weeks already?! where has the time gone.


1. plant something:
^transplanted comfrey, oats, curry, astragalus, tansy, scarlet pimpernel, winter savory
^sowed more chamomile, dill, chives, amaranth, summer savory, cilantro
^lettuce, pumpkin

2. harvest something:
^eggs, milk
^herbs, flowers for salads
^potatoes

3. preserve something:
^

4. prep something:
^purchased 50# pasture seed mix to start sowing pasture/hay fields
^scores at auction: fuel tank to store gasoline for tractor or kerosene for winter heat supplement, glass pie plates to make ahead meals and freeze in, wooden pulleys, ice tongs (for carrying blocks of ice), dual wash tubs on stand, corning ware dishes

5. cook something:
^

6. manage your reserves:
^30 more broiler chicks arrived to be raised and eaten
^chicks in incubator are hatching

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bartered with produce vendor: milk for veggies

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store and farmer's market
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs

9. Learned a skill:

independence days - week 8

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

sometimes, i feel like i'm just squeaking by. every little thing is done in spurts between chasing down toddlers and filling demanding preschooler requests. forget about spending any meaningful times with the older two...

this week found me planting much less, weeding and mulching more and harvesting a tiny bit more. today is started watering, a irst this year other than potted plants.

1. plant something:
^zinnias, radishes, cukes (round 2, only 7 came up in round 1), okra (round 3-nothing came up either time before
^transplanted joe pye weed, spilanthes, red rubin basil, lyre leaf sage, white sage

2. harvest something:
^eggs
^radishes, turnips, flowers, lemon balm, mint, lamb's quarters
^cherries - 2 gallons
^milk! from my new goat! (~1/2 gallon per day - not too shabby for a first time freshener who's never been milked and was being dried off when i got her!)

3. preserve something:
^more st. john's wort in alcohol
^cherries - 12 - 1/2 pints of cherry jam

4. prep something:
^cleaned out the garage that is to be converted into a wwoofer/guest cabin
^built 9 supers and 90 frames for the supers and painted the supers
^found s/s stock pot w/lid($3), more cloth napkins (.50 - .79 each), sheet set (for wwoof futon)($2), flannel sheet for one of the kids ($1), 2 wool twin sized/throw blankets ($4 for both), misc kitchen gadgets for guest cabin (.50 - .69 each), set of melamine plates, bowls, cups, saucers (19 pieces for $8), brita water filter ($1.29),3 ice cube trays (.69), 3 chairs ($18 total) for the table we already have (again for guest/wwoof cabin) at thrift store
^started a preserving recipe section in my household binder to keep track of all my favorite recipes...no more 'hmmm? where was that recipe from????' as i search frantically for my tried and true recipes!
^items purchased off craigslist for wwoof cabin: ceiling fan $20, door $20
^brought home 4 turkey poults and 3 does
^reviewd my options for a ram, narrowed it down to 3 (we're getting 1)
^made soap

5. cook something:
^salads from the garden using lots of flowers - pansies, dianthus, borage, nasturtium and herbs - lemon balm, peppermint, oregano, lamb's quarters and kohlrabi and lettuce/spinach from market
^turnips
^kohlrabi was a new veggie for me to try this week (yum!)

6. manage your reserves:
^used old applesauce to make apple bread
^confirmed the purchase of 4 more n-c ewes (that makes 6 plus we will be purchasing a ram too)
^weeded garden like crazy and mulched as much as possible

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bought some locally raised pork and beef from vendor at the market
^shared my cherries with a friend who helped pick and several herb plants
^picked up our 4 turkey poults! and 3 new goats
^taught a friend how to make soap

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs
^bought used bicycle from thrift store for sage ($8)

9. Learned a skill
^talked to a friend who is giving us 2 pyrenees puppies about raw food diet for them
^discussed feeding turkey poults raw chicken livers to keep healthy (anyone heard about this?)
^learning more about navajo-churros

independence days - week 7

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

this week was all about weeding with a wee bit of harvesting tucked in. i still need to replant some things (okra, beets) and plant (pumpkins, hay). up next or harvest is our wheat crop and pie cherries! yum.
1. plant something:
sat: red rubin basil, rosemary
sun: none - all day festival
mon: none
tue: none
wed: none
thu: none
fri: 1 package zinnia seeds, 4 yellow scallop (replant), 7 cream of the crop acorn squash, chinese rose winter radish, other type of radish

2. harvest something:
^eggs
^turnip seeds
^st. john's wort flowers
^shelling peas
^strawberries
^mulberries
^thyme
^jewelweed

3. preserve something:
^stored turnip seeds
^st. john's wort in oil and everclear (2 separate containers of course)
^jewelweed into olive oil
^drying thyme

4. prep something:
^worked on cleaning out the garage that is to be converted into a wwoofer/guest cabin
^made contact with another n-c owner who is looking to sell his existing herd
^started 12 more eggs in the incubator
^found 2 - 2gallon jars with bail wire lids to use for storage
^bought several items at salvation army for guest/wwoofer cabin: sheets, blankets, pots, kitchen gear (spoons, spatulas, can opener, etc), baskets, games (checkers, yatzee), wooden folding peg rack
^found a food grade 5 gallon bucket on side on road

5. cook something:
^smoothies using my kefir made from local raw milk, our strawberries and local honey, all local stuff!

6. manage your reserves:
^weeded carrots, tomatoes, basil, strawberries, onions, potatoes, basil
^uncovered brassicas (they were covered with floating row cover but it is ripped to shreds)
^5 lbs sea salt (was supposed to be 10 but the store screwed up)

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^opened farm to guest or tour
^started selling kefir grains and kombucha scoby's
^sold herb plants at local horseradish festival
^taught a friend to make mozzarella
^invited a woman i met at the market to come over and tour our farm (they are wanting to start their own farm)
^took students on an herb walk around the property to show medicinal and edible plants

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs

9. Learned a skill:
^learning more about navajo-churros
^practiced id-ing trees using an illinois tree book and discovered we have a roughleaf dogwood tree

independence days - week 6

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

there's not a place to put it really, but i did a lot of weeding and mulching. i laid down some old black tarp that blew over from the subdivision a few years ago (black on one side, white on the other that had covered some lumber at one point) down the paths and covered with mulch to keep the weeds from popping up. i wish we had much more of the stuff!

1. plant something:
sat: sowed shatavari, tansy, arnica, eyebright, red bergamot, spilanthes, slippery elm, scarlet pimpernel, transplanted more feverfew
sun: none
mon: sowed astragalus, uva ursi
tue: transplanted calendula, curry, and an unknown flower (have to wait for it to bloom, it's self seeded from last year in the medicine circle)
wed: transplanted a bright pink bergamot and oreganos from jen's house
thu: transplanted more basil, 3 rosemary
fri: transplanted holy basil, moved around several existing plants to give them more space

2. harvest something:
^harvested eggs
^rose petals for jelly
^strawberries!!!
^oregano for drying
^peppermint for drying
^st. john's wort flowers

3. preserve something:
^rose petal jelly
^st. john's wort in oil
^motherwort into vodka

4. prep something:
^repaired aladdin lamp and stored extra mantles and globes in basement
^spoke with sheep person #2 about acquiring a ram and possibly 4 more ewes
^worked on cleaning out the garage that is to be converted into a wwoofer/guest cabin

5. cook something:
^tyfon from garden (we usually eat the greens but out of desperation to have a fresh vegetable, i cooked the root which was quite good boiled and tossed with salt, fresh thyme and olive oil)

6. manage your reserves:
^using up applesauce in breakfast breads
^hatching some eggs for more chicks

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs
^grocery shopping (i rarely do any other kind than this) less, reducing amount of waste coming into the house
^using smaller bags for garbage to encourage less waste

9. Learned a skill:
^studying up on pasture/hay field rotation

how much does a rutabaga weigh?

or beet? or parsnip? or kohlrabi?

i ordered several root crop seeds for experimental animal feed. i estimate we'l be feeding 7 goats and 3 sheep this winter. those 10 will eat an average of 40 pounds per day. multiply that by 6 months (182 days) and that equals 7300 pounds. wow.

i don't expect to grow that much but you never know. the complete list of what i hope to grow (we'll be eating most of these too):
turnips
parsnips*
carrots*
sunchokes*
beets
kohlrabi
rutabaga
kale*
swiss chard*
several winter squash varieties: pumpkins, buttercup, etc.

* marks those i will leave in the ground and cover for protection.

this year, i hope to rate their yield vs. weight and compare that list to what the animals prefer. then next year, i'll grow more of what they prefer. w/in 3 years, i hope to get them mostly off grain and onto root crops for winter feed (plus hay - see below).

i feel that i cannot truly be self sufficient with animals if i'm always needing to purchase our feed for the animals from outside sources. i don't want to be one of those 'homesteaders' who raise a whole menagerie of animals to be self sufficient and raise their own feed but yet still be dependent on others to feed their feed. did that make sense?

we have plenty of land that can be better utilized to accomplish this goal. we are taking over the back field that the farmer usually farms and turning it into a hay field. there are two types of hay i'm interested in: a mix of clover, vetch and alfalfa and a mix of oats and peas (grown together and harvested when oats start to turn). supposedly, the latter is good if you have poultry in with your goats/sheep as they will scratch and eat the oats that fall out of the hay. we hope to keep our turkeys in with them. we'll cut these with a mower on the tractor and then hand rake it and pile it loose in the shed. if need be, we have a sickle to cut it with.

i am very excited that we are approaching this goal. from day one of owning animals, i've wanted to be able to provide them their feed. the $20 worth of seeds i'm investing in will hopefully be a great start. i was just reading this morning how someone was growing 4 - 90' rows of parsnips and a few rows of carrots to feed their 2 cows during the winter. it's great to see others are attempting this as well.

i also am growing some black sunflower seeds. that started when i discovered several had sprouted from the goat bedding i had covered the potatoes with. they love these sunflower seeds and they are expensive. i hope to set up a small patch and see what my yield is. they will make a yummy treat and also a good supplement for the does in milk.

carla emery's country living book also has some great information on feeding animals in this manner. the whole 'what did people do before they could go to rural king and buy grain for their animals' aka the pre-cornfed diet.

has anyone else had any experience with this method of feeding livestock?

next, i'll be researching what to grow to feed the chickens during the winter.

in other news, the pesky rabbits have been taking out my cayenne pepper plants one at a time so greg fashioned me some mini pepper cages out of hardware mesh. they are dinky but hopefully will keep any more from disappearing (i've only got 3 left).