I just finished reading a fantastic piece on urban edible landscaping in Oklahoma. Check out the article here:
http://www.oklahomafood.coop/edible.php
I've been pondering this idea...how to add in edible plants among the beds we created when we first moved in...mostly in the front of the house. Some good advice from a gardener who's been building his gardens for 3-4 years.
I also love how this article relates to companion planting.
Check it out!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Patty Cake, Patty Cake, Baker's Bread...and more homesteading efforts
I've finally found the perfect bread recipe! I wish you could smell this coming out of the oven...take a peek...
The original recipe has half whole-wheat flour and half bread flour, but I'm slowly increasing the ww now to get a more nutritious loaf. It's posing next to my homemade plum jam...yummy combo!
I also ventured into the world of handcrafted Christmas gifts a bit this year. Here are two of the gifts...homemade plum jam wrapped in knitted dish cloths. (I think learning to can was my homesteading accomplishment of the year in 2007! Knitting took the award in 2006.) These looked so pretty tied up with a bit of raffia!
Oh...and in case you've been in a cave this winter, Oklahoma had a bit of an ice storm! Here are a few shots:
After a long cold week, a warm weekend is forecast! We're hoping to see some 60s! I'll be out back...working on my square foot gardens! :-D
Monday, January 21, 2008
Finally...the order is official! Here were the final winners from Seed Saver's Exchange:
Tomato Transplants:
Mexico Midget 1 $3.00
Amish Paste 3 $9.00
A & C Pickling Cucumber 1 $2.75
Amish Snap Pea 1 $2.75
Lazy Housewife Pole Bean 1 $2.75
Bountiful Bush Bean 1 $2.75
Oxheart Carrot 1 $2.75
Grandma Einck's Dill 1 $2.75
Greek Oregano 1 $2.75
Amish Musk Melon 1 $2.75
Tomato Transplants:
Mexico Midget 1 $3.00
Amish Paste 3 $9.00
A & C Pickling Cucumber 1 $2.75
Amish Snap Pea 1 $2.75
Lazy Housewife Pole Bean 1 $2.75
Bountiful Bush Bean 1 $2.75
Oxheart Carrot 1 $2.75
Grandma Einck's Dill 1 $2.75
Greek Oregano 1 $2.75
Amish Musk Melon 1 $2.75
Sunday, January 13, 2008
New book...
I purchased myself a little Christmas gift this year. It's a book entitled Country Wisdom & Know How: Everything you need to know to live off the land. Check it out here:
http://www.amazon.com/Country-Wisdom-Know-How-Editors-Publishings/dp/1579123686/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200279742&sr=1-1
My favorite review of the book is this one, from Harold McFarland in Florida:
If you could gather up the wisdom of the many generations of farmers, ranchers, outdoorsmen, homesteaders, and mountain-men and put it into a book you would end up with a book like this. While this is not as thorough as the multi-volume sets like the older Foxfire series, it is one of the most complete single-volume works available. The text is small in order to cram all the information into this oversized almost 500 page book but it is still readable and very interesting. The book is divided into the six major sections of animals, cooking, crafts, gardening, health and well-being, and home. Each of these major divisions is subdivided into multiple more detailed sections. For example, the animals section includes information on attracting desirable animals such as humming birds, building bird shelters, feeding birds while preventing squirrels from robbing the feeder, getting rid of problem animals, taking care of your pets, herbal treatments for dog problems, rabbit husbandry, horsemanship, raising chickens and ducks, beekeeping, and butchering. Each section is similarly detailed with the gardening section being particularly large. Country Wisdom and Know-How is an indispensable reference volume for anyone interested in country living and is highly recommended.
This book truly has an answer to every question you might have asked your great-grandparents. It's got recipes, plans for building a smoke-house, pickling and preserving information, instructions for making soap, hand salve, and a stone wall! AMAZING. I don't think I've ever met a reference book I like better. Try it...you'll like it... ;-)
http://www.amazon.com/Country-Wisdom-Know-How-Editors-Publishings/dp/1579123686/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200279742&sr=1-1
My favorite review of the book is this one, from Harold McFarland in Florida:
If you could gather up the wisdom of the many generations of farmers, ranchers, outdoorsmen, homesteaders, and mountain-men and put it into a book you would end up with a book like this. While this is not as thorough as the multi-volume sets like the older Foxfire series, it is one of the most complete single-volume works available. The text is small in order to cram all the information into this oversized almost 500 page book but it is still readable and very interesting. The book is divided into the six major sections of animals, cooking, crafts, gardening, health and well-being, and home. Each of these major divisions is subdivided into multiple more detailed sections. For example, the animals section includes information on attracting desirable animals such as humming birds, building bird shelters, feeding birds while preventing squirrels from robbing the feeder, getting rid of problem animals, taking care of your pets, herbal treatments for dog problems, rabbit husbandry, horsemanship, raising chickens and ducks, beekeeping, and butchering. Each section is similarly detailed with the gardening section being particularly large. Country Wisdom and Know-How is an indispensable reference volume for anyone interested in country living and is highly recommended.
This book truly has an answer to every question you might have asked your great-grandparents. It's got recipes, plans for building a smoke-house, pickling and preserving information, instructions for making soap, hand salve, and a stone wall! AMAZING. I don't think I've ever met a reference book I like better. Try it...you'll like it... ;-)
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