Ella's Acre Phase IV

If it tastes bad it must be good for you

2011-05-31T09:26:00.000-05:00

I’ve been staying with as much local farm stuff as I can and more importantly now staying away from Homogenized milk all together. The fats and items I eat are saturated and the milk is whole but I continue to lose. More and more I am convinced it is my bodies inability to process preservatives that keep me super sized. Well that and portion size. The other thing I notice that is hard to miss is mood. The frustration factor is way down so as I leave the rural and enter the world where I work the ability to deal with people is more constant.

In the 3 months I tried to not stay local and organic but still manage food and portion size weight loss and mood were not possible.

I am down another 35 pounds now and looking for ways to feel satisfied but still stay simple.

I am going to continue to beat the drum on that foul nasty Beet Kvass.

Beet Kvass –Click for site

• 3 medium or 2 large organic beetroot, peeled an chopped up coarsely.
• 1/4 cup whey made fresh from raw milk, leave raw milk on the bench it will turn to cheese and whey within a few days (if fresh whey is not available just add another tablespoon of sea salt)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• Filtered water

Place beetroot, whey and salt in a 2-quart glass container. Add filtered water to fill the container. Stir well and cover securely. Keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator.
I have amped my batches a bit and added more beets in a gallon jar. The result is a fluid that is a bit more viscous, so even fouler if you would drink it straight. I’ve been looking for something to mix it with it to cut the viscosity and the beet taste. I had been using orange juice but since I don’t make my own I find it has a ton of calories and the GI/GL is a bit higher than I would like at 46 GL and a 12 GI. it dawned on me to add fermented lemonade. If you look up lemonade you’ll find it has a higher GL/GI however I make my own and I don’t use sugar. Instead of sugar I use Agave Nectar and not very nectar much at that. The result is my morning Juice. I mix it at a ratio of 60/40 (Kvass to Juice) and then pour it over ice.

The result of all of this is I don’t feel hungry after breakfast- normally two poached eggs or one half cup oatmeal.

Fermented Lemonade –Click for site

• Juice of 4 lemons (organic is best)
• 1/4 c. Rapadura (the least refined type of sugar – your grocery or health food store has it)
• 1/4 c. whey (be sure to use homemade whey, not concentrated or powdered whey)
• 1/4 t. grated nutmeg (after our 2nd batch, we decided we like it better without this)
• 1 quart filtered water
• Optional: another 1/4 c. sugar after it’s done fermenting (it was too tart for us and this extra sugar was just what it needed)

** I dont use sugar I use Agave Nectar. I also do not use Nutmeg. Also you can not use lemon juice from the store, it has perservatives. Just squeese the 4 lemons and add filtered water. (Tap has addatives get them out for fermentation.)

Sally’s recipe in the cookbook was for double this amount and she said to place all ingredients into a 2-quart glass container, but my 2-quart glass jars were filled to 3/4 with only half of her recipe (the amounts above). Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Skim off any foam that may have risen to the top. Cover tightly and refrigerate

Ill be back maybe In 90 days

2011-02-15T09:18:00.002-06:00

In the mean time ..
http://90andcounting.blogspot.com/

Whew Thick Ice

2011-02-13T17:04:00.000-06:00

I got back from New jersey this week and went fishing Its been cold and i think we added 6 inches of ice. There must be 30 inches out there. We did fire up the grill and the heater and managed more fish for the table.

As a bonus this week we got Jumbo chicken eggs. They are all double yolkers. I added a video of the fish house it should be showing on the blog page.

We do try to stay local

2011-01-26T19:26:00.000-06:00

Fishing has been pretty good this year. Bluegill were on the menu lately. I'm not sure why they are where we are finding them but Ill clean them and eat them

Potato and an asortment of bluegil crappie and walleye ... the potato and onion with fish I think is the best meal you can get in the winter. I would think you should get er done if you can.

25 Below

2011-01-21T11:17:00.000-06:00

Brought home 3 crappie last night .. so 6 fresh filets.

Its 24 below this morning .. off to work. Its too cold for the temp gauge to work this morning .. so i guess that means its OFL outside

ManFort Night

2011-01-20T11:57:00.000-06:00

Yup it's Thursday so it's ManFort Night. Men everywhere are encouraged to find a spot and sit down with other men and do men stuff. At 6:30 Central US time we toast real men everywhere that are with us or with us in spirit. The official ManFort Spot is Al's salon in Center City

Al's

Tonight we will be meeting at the Red Shed Ice Shack. This is a Secret ManFort location only known to ManFort Central members who are founding members of ManFort.
Please do not confuse ManFort with Man Cave. Man Caves are for grunting cave men... ManFort more of a utopian society where we eliminate bad man sterol types and promote the good ones. Where women are the heart of honor children are protected and faith is promoted.
Gosh I hope the fishing is good.

Nice Weekend

2011-01-18T10:28:00.002-06:00

3 days of fishing. We are sitting on around 18 inches of ice so that do bring out the weekend warriors and that’s always unfortunate. Yesterday Monday MLK Holiday brought folks out from everywhere. I showed up to fish and there was hardly a spot to park. I guess they see a couple houses sitting on the lake and assume it’s a hot spot. Silly Rabbits Usually there is no one behind us... this was yesterday yikes.

We did eat good fresh fish for breakfast this weekend though so still trying for as many freedom days as we can get

Well Then ... back at it

2011-01-13T12:20:00.000-06:00

Lots of work. Lots of firsts for the kids. the dust cloud settles and its time to get back on track. Tonight perhaps Ill fish that will make a good breakfast.

Hydration

2010-09-13T12:13:00.000-05:00

Couple things..

Drink half your body weight in ounces per day. A 200 pound person should consume 100 ounces per day to stay hydrated.

Consume equal parts water to caffeinated beverages. 8 Oz of Coffee = 8 Oz of water above and beyond your normal intake

Dehydrated people often mix the signals for hunger and thirst. If you drink water when you want to eat and wait 15 minutes you may find you are simply thirsty and your mind is just telling your body it needs intake. People who switch to this method will probably lose 20 pounds over a year

Party Animal ? GAK

2010-09-07T09:42:00.000-05:00

I didn’t know it but home entertainment centers run around 1700 dollars. After I stopped laughing I asked my wife if she would settle for a built in wall unit. Currently the unit is under construction.
After creating sawing and hammering for the weekend I went to the store for a cheese puff. I can’t tell you why I have a need to have a cheese puff but there was no getting past it so off I went. I had a small bowl full and that was good enough. Later that day my wife brought in a bowl of multi-grain chips? and some kind of prepackaged spinage dip. This morning I was sick such horrible stomach pain.
I think it was stomach pain its been so long since Ive had an upset stomach perhaps that use to be normal and i didn’t pay any attention. Well I won’t be having store bought dip any longer either now ..
Yesterday I cut a watermelon open... I will plant those again next year.. Wow was that good

Depressed

2010-08-30T14:34:00.000-05:00

I read a book called Kitchen Literacy , interesting.

A movie called Food fell into my world last night, depressing

I made it though the movie until the chicken farms. Then I had to stop. I understand the need to mass produce food. I understand there are alot of people to feed. Should a McDonalds Hamberuger with bun and fixings cooked packaged that comes from a resturant where 5 paid employees touch it before you cost less than a head of lettuce ?

The Eggs

2010-08-25T21:13:00.000-05:00

Well today I went to get my eggs. Today I had to go to the coop and get them myself ... fresher then fresh I guess. I also picked up a fryer hen and ordered up 20 pounds of hamburger. So fresh eggs a chicken and grass fed beef. Trying to stay local is working well today

Vacation Bust or Boom .. well a bad day fishing ....

2010-08-25T13:31:00.002-05:00

30 MPH winds. Lightning and storms. A cold front. all things that shut off fish and stall a vacation. We did bring home some fish but not nearly enough so off to the lake this weekend I guess.

Sunsets however .. were very nice

and I did .. well .. I did ride a Jet Ski

and Julie did get to play loon hunter

SAVED

2010-08-13T10:03:00.002-05:00

The "Blossom Rot" is subsiding and the Black Krim cherry tomato's are OMG good.

I'm working from home today and low and behold Alyssa was looking for cucumbers .... So I showed her how I make them and she did it. Its a long long story but ladies and gentlemen this is a miricale

Almost done

2010-08-12T20:38:00.002-05:00

it's coming out well

Vacation

2010-08-11T09:52:00.001-05:00

Soon fishing and a short vacation. The best part you would think would be a few days off ... but it could be that my new Livewell cover for the boat is almost done ... some varnish some stain and just a bit more detailing and poof on it goes. The plan will be to burn the waypoints in as we fish .. then 100 years from now it will be worth 10,000 dollars on Ebay.

Focus on the good focus on the good focus on the good

2010-08-09T11:06:00.001-05:00

During the traffic reports and delays this was my view.

My tomato's turning red but rotting on the bottom ... I waited and waited... pppppphhbt .. what can I do ?

Breakfast

2010-08-08T10:25:00.000-05:00

Breakfast for two Some crackers a few grapes ... caraway seeded cheese and some beet kvass.

Putting up some stock from yesterdays chicken dinner

Watering

...and my favorite cup ... only with Dunk'n Doughnuts coffee the only good coffee

Deal Day At The Store

2010-08-07T22:02:00.002-05:00

Today ... Bonanza. my local store was buy one get one free on chicken thigh .. London broil ... bone in chops ... and sirloin tips ..I purchased 120 dollars worth of beef for 60 bucks

I packaged it all up and we are good for a couple weeks. A deep sigh of relief. Between this and the fish we catch we will be good for at least a month on protien. I wish I had more vegitables and had not wasted all that space on cabbage and rhubarb ..

I went to the local butcher for some chicken, pork fat and tallow -- no luck. He did give me a couple smoked beef bones for the dogs though ... man were they happy

Now if Jak would leave Addisons' Bone alone .. grrr

I have attempted the FRIED GREEN TOMATO

2010-08-06T15:19:00.001-05:00

I have decided to scare the other tomato’s in to turning red by trying fried green tomatoes. They were pretty easy... And well... Tasty... I will make them again. I also think when I left for work today there was a red tomato so it may have worked.

I also found a recipe for green tomato pie .. this is how I got it so we will have to play with it ..but I'll bet its good.

click the photo so you can read it

Cabbage beans and cucumbers-- oh my

2010-08-05T10:35:00.001-05:00

The garden is giving up the goods! Last night we had cabbage, brussel sprouts, beans, some peppers and couple FRIED green tomatoes along with some chicken thighs. The whole thing was about around 5 bucks for the chicken. With lots left over for lunch.

The night before we had a small celebration so I had purchased food. I went to famous Dave’s and for 60 bucks got enough sides and meat to feed everyone.

I asked the youngest if on Thursday he had a choice between Famous Dave’s or a repeat of the Garden dinner what he would choose. He said he didn’t like the famous Dave’s all that much. He said there was not much meat on the bones and it wasn’t very flavorful just covered up with sauce.

That’s what I’m finding too. The things I thought were so good either have no flavor or are so over flavored they just aren’t good. I don’t think I could convince people to eat fresh or local just by talking about it. Just like I don’t think I could convince them to drink Beet Kvass. I think if I feed it to them for a month … heck even a couple weeks the difference in health and tasted would be noticeable for them when they returned to their normal life.

It’s a tremendous deviation from what we have been use to. I guess 8 months ago I would have said it’s a lot more work I find that interesting. The payback from all of this deviation is worth it to me which I find REALLY interesting. Unplugging and working together with my wife on bread and all of the other mini projects we have to sustain ourselves and eat better lets us chat and laugh more. The two hours we spend watching a movie is spent in silence staring at a TV. The two hours we spend on a project is all talk and togetherness followed by a better way of life.

Is it just? Because as I watch the news it seems like the entire country is facing some kind of technology repulsion.

Rye Bread

2010-07-30T08:59:00.001-05:00

Back Home. At 50 pounds less my flight home was far less cramped on the regional air jet. Those planes are not my favorite. I spend those two hours with a woman who had managed 3 bloody Marys prior to the flight. Normally I don’t speak with people on the plane but since this wasn’t going to be an option with her we chatted. She didn’t like kids--her life was too hectic--she drank a lot and -- preferred not to call time off a vacation, since to her it should be called a holiday. (Planning out a schedule for your holiday makes it a vacation). GREAT IDEA.

That holiday thing sounds really good to me so I'll adapt that to my thinking --the lord works in mysterious ways. This new philosophy will meld very good with -- Tourists bring back souvenirs explores bring back stories.

Tillie Telle Time has been suggested for Julies new you tube video career. Shes famous amongst her friends and family now. This weekends project I think will be Rye Bread and Beet Juice.

I was so happy to get my beet juice when I got home I cant even tell you.

Still no red tomatoes and since no one picked the cucumbers while I was gone .. I shudder to think what mutated 12 pounders I have out there ... we shall see this evening I guess. Hello weekend

Wednesday

2010-07-28T13:51:00.000-05:00

Blahh blaah blaah

Me ? Lots of book smarts not practical application. It's been a humbling 8 months on the self sustained / eating locally/ survival skills side of my mini hybrid lifestyle experiment. I am getting the results I need though.

I know food comes from the garden plants and chicken comes from a dead bird but when do you harvest them. How do you know. How do you care for the plants? How do you kill those damn cabbage munching moths? Does this look right? why didnt that can seal? why is this bread different then yesterdays good grief

.... If your idea of prepping for an event is reading good luck. If youre interested in growing food and you think your ready because you read a book good luck. If your ready for a cultural melt down because you watched a tv show, read a book and have an emergency first aide kit in the bathroom, good luck. If you think your going to heaven because you own a bible good luck. So much to learn so little time.

The garden.

I’m sure to some extent, from a hobby point of view; experimentation in the garden is good if you have the room. If not Gardening is not at all about wonderful exotic beans, Okra and the rhubarb crisp you were dreaming of the day you planted. It is instead completely about what foods can sustain you and foods that you can preserve. Also one needs to consider the output of a plant vs. the space it takes. At least I think that’s right-- I’m still wiping “stupid drool” off my chin.

Planting is not about choosing 8 rhubarb plants where beans could have gone. It is not an experiment in red OKRA where a tomato could have gone. It is not about 16 large cabbage and broccoli plants where corn could have gone. It is not about pride and conversation pieces it is completely about -" thank goodness I’ve got food." Next year we rethink our strategy.

On the upside I have wonderful cabbage and okra, more cucumbers that I can ever pickle or eat and just the right amount of tomatoes. As an afterthought I put in a watermelon where a cucumber had failed. I have 7 watermelons and this will be enough. I all ready know going forward each year I will plant a single watermelon vine to remind me enough is a feast.
Midstream Mainstream

I’m not home this week I’m in the great state of Texas. This morning my yogurt came in a plastic tube. It sure was sweet- almost like candy it had lots of sugar and gelatin and some artificial flavors. They place them out for you to take. You could take a bunch and toss them in the fridge in your room. They taste good and it takes nothing to throw a few in your laptop case for later. It takes me 13 hours to make mine and I’m carful about portioning it out into reusable jars so I’m sure it stretches through the week for the whole family. Two extremes on the yogurt scale, which is better? My way is better for my body but the other feeds the masses. Maybe it’s not about pass fail and changing the world but instead doing what’s right for you. As long as you arent being a sheep and have thought it through its your own dang bussiness

I’m more curious also as I eat in restaurants this week.

I’m enjoying the eye rolls from the restaurants when I ask if the vegetables are locally grown and if the fish is farm raised or wild caught. I think I have a new label. Instead of angry white conservative I think people are seeing me as a environmentalist tree hugging bean sprout eater. I have to laugh. Im not sure what I am anymore I do know now the fuel waste it takes go get the Chinese grown tomato to my plate instead of the one grown 8 miles down the road. This understanding causes me to pause.

Sure is a lot of waste in the world. I saw the Book of Eli with Denzel Washington a few weeks ago. They used this line

Eli: People had more than they needed. We had no idea what was precious and what wasn't. We threw away things people kill each other for now.

Enough Is a Feast

2010-07-23T11:21:00.000-05:00

Overheard a Father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport.

They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the Father said,

''I love you, and I wish you enough.''

The daughter replied,

''Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed.

I wish you enough, too, Dad.''

They kissed and the daughter left. The Father walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry.

I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking,

''Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?''

''Yes, I have,'' I replied. ''Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?''
''I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,'' he said.

''When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say,

''I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?''

He began to smile. ''That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone..''

He paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and he smiled even more.

''When we said, 'I wish you enough', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'' Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

He then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.

Pickles

2010-07-22T20:15:00.002-05:00

OK... 5 jars of pickles.. let’s keep our fingers crossed. Originally I was going to put the in the crock but I decided that i needed that for a new batch of sour kraut so in the jar they went. I had to quarter some of them into spears and that was kind of disappointing but I'm sure that will be good when they finally get ready to eat.
Nutrition wise I’m not sure its worth the time and effort since pickles are pretty cheap. These have garlic and peppers so the zesty will be the pay off.

I had the afternoon off. This allowed me to do my normal weekend chore early. Yogurt granola kvass sprouting dehydrating all was finishing up this morning. That means I get an extra day for education this week. That’s never a good thing my wife gets really nervous when I learn new things. Perhaps I will make sausage this weekend.