Our critter family is a growin’ and today it grew even more – one of our nanny goats had twin kids!

How have y’all been? Tired of this long winter, I am! I’m ready to dig in the dirt, sweat, and breathe lots of fresh air!

Do you have critters? Are you an animal person like the ol’ Herb Lady? What would ya name these here twin kids? I’m thinkin’ along the lines of “Cookies and Cream” or “Oreo and Cookie” – share name suggestions in the comments!

Herb Lady is happy to say she enjoyed a mighty fine Christmas and New Year, with her family and friends.

Now, for Pete’s sake, I can’t figur out why I’m a talkin’ in 3rd person! Ha!

On a serious note, I ain’t been blogging ‘bout herbs lately’ ‘cause I’ve been busying myself helpin’ the homeless in these here parts.

Fer Christmas, we took some goody bags to the homeless. This wasn’t fer necessity, but to let ‘em know they aren’t fergotten. A many of ‘em nearly dropped their purty bag of bread, cookies, and candy, when they saw that there Christmas card just fer them!

Now, we’re also workin’ on the necessities – we’re makin’ toiletry bags fer the homeless. They’re needin’ all kinds of stuff to make ‘em feel good and clean and loved!

We already taken ‘em some crocheted and fleece scarves and hats.

and…

Prayer Pillows

Kevin, a homeless man, gave us his permission to share his story with y’all so you can see that all homeless aren’t addicts, alcoholics, or mentally ill. A lot of people are homeless these days ‘cause they lost their job and ain’t been able to find more work, that’s all.

You can read about Kevin on our ministry site: Putting a Face on Homelessness.

We’re also workin’ hard on raisin’ money fer Momma’s Houses. I want to be them there folks’ momma and help get ‘em back on track.

We need at least $80,000 to buy our first building. We’re still needin’ $79,928.22 to reach our goal. Our electronic fundraiser ends January 27th – we’re in a hurry ‘cause we don’t want someone else to get the building and because the homeless are out in them there bitter cold streets, a freezin’!

Ya can’t just give ‘em an herb or cup of hot tea, we need to heal their heart and troubles and get ‘em on their feet!

If ya ain’t comfortable donating over the Web, you can also write to us at the following address:

Highways and Byways Ministries

P.O. Box 115

Diggins, MO 65636

Be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email so ya don’t miss my thoughts on King Orchards Montmorency Cherry products, plus lots of other good stuff that’s a comin’ up . Y’all come back now, fer real!

In one of my previous electronic letter to ya, I told ya them there nice folks at King Orchards sent me some of their Montmorency Tart Cherry Products to review. Then, I shared my Cherry Walnut Movin’ Muffins recipe with ya, that I made usin’ their cherries and their tart cherry juice. So, you’ll fer shure and shootin’ wanna check them out!

I’m from the “old school” and I love my cast-iron skillets. Whether yer bakin’ up cornbread, cake, or frying taters, no skillet or pan brings the same results as that old-fashioned (heavy as all get out!) cast-iron skillet.

But if yer like me, yer always a reachin’ fer a thick mitten or hand towel to wrap around that HOT skillet handle, right?!

That’s where these here “Skillet Getters” come in handy. They’re made from yarn, crocheted into a design that’ll easily slip over the skillet handle – made with love, right here on the Amish farm!

These here are done up in red and green yarn fer a holiday look.

And each “Skillet Getter” comes with a handcrafted description tag, tied off with straw raffia fer a real natural look. Now that’s a dandy holiday present, if I do say so myself, whether it’s fer someone else – or fer yerself!

Want a Skillet Getter?

Fer a limited time, fer a limited supply, you can get one (or more!) of these here “Skillet Getters!”

Keep yer eyes open ‘cause we’ll have other colors and designs coming soon!

Just shop using the button here. Enter how many you want. When ya get to the form, you should be able to enter yer address (so we’ll know where to ship it to)! Thank ya fer shopping with the ol’ Hillbilly Herb Lady!

Hillbilly Skillet Getter $6.00

Be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email so ya don’t miss my thoughts on King Orchards Montmorency Cherry products, plus lots of other good stuff that’s a comin’ up . Y’all come back now, fer real!

In my last electronic letter to ya, I told ya them there nice folks at King Orchards sent me some of their Montmorency Tart Cherry Products to review.

Any of y’all that knows this here hillbilly Herb Lady in person, knows I’m always a hollerin’ at ya fer eatin’ (bad) carbs – especially them there cupcakes or donuts!

Now yer gonna be really happy campers today ‘cause I’ve come up with some muffins that’ll not only make yer taste buds dance all around and are yummy to yer tummy – why they help make fer healthy bowel movements too! Now don’t go gettin’ all paranoid on me. It ain’t like yer gonna get diarrhea! Just keep reading, and you’ll see what I’m a talking ‘bout!

Cherry Walnut Movin’ Muffins

Unsweetened Dried Tart Cherries

Tart Cherry Juice

Cherry Walnut Muffin Recipe

2 cups stone-ground muffin mix (or flour of your choice)

1/4 cup King Orchards Dried Tart Cherries, unsweetened

2 tablespoons King Orchards Tart Cherry Concentrate

1/2 cup water

1 farm fresh egg

1 banana, mashed (or in chunks)

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup walnuts (or nut/seed of your choice)

1/4 cup oil (I chose coconut oil, you can use your favorite)

Banana Lovin’

Fer all you monkey people (like my husband and son!) you can throw a banana in the batter.

Stir It Up

Fresh Out of the Oven

Served w/ cool whip, cherry juice + dried cherries!

Tart cherries are a healthy whole fruit that is high in fiber, potassium, beta carotene, and antioxidants. One-quarter cup of dried cherries has 15% of the RDA for fiber. Many research studies have found that diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber are associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, diabetes, digestive disorders, and heart disease. Cherries also contain potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamins A, C, B6, E, and folic acid. Tart cherries have virtually no fat and no sodium. This variety of nutrients in tart cherries translates into good nutrition. In fact, the nutrient profile of cherries is hard to beat. – King Orchards Farms

This is a wonderful high-antioxidant, bowel-movin’ muffin loaded up in vitamins, minerals, and lots of other goodies. Heart-healthy walnuts are in these tasty muffins and the cherries and cherry juice (without added sugars) have been known to fight inflammation and some diseases. (More about the health benefits in my official review posts of King Orchards tart cherry products.)

My Walnut Cherry Movin’ Muffins are sure to make ya happy – in taste, and in health!

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Can’t get yer youngin’s to eat healthy stuff? Let ‘em sink them their toothies of theirs into my muffins!

Are you excited to try these yummy muffins? Have ya ever tried tart cherries or tart cherry juice? I’ll be writing about how big of a difference they make in my life and will also be sharin’ a fun story with y’all (you’ll be surprised!).

Be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email so ya don’t miss my thoughts on King Orchards Montmorency Cherry products, plus lots of other good stuff that’s a comin’ up . Y’all come back now, fer real!

Life is still as busy as ever on this here Amish farm. The homesteading blog is a comin’, I tell ya. It’s just takin’ a while with all that’s a goin’ on.

I have excitin’ news fer ya, but first I wanted to catch ya up on the latest stuff I’ve writ over on the website:

1. Herbal Tea Fer Makin’ Ya Happy
2. Tea Fer Makin’ Yer Man Happy
3. Essiac Blend Tea Fer Cantankerous Cancer

And did ya know I’m on that there electronic social media stuff? Yep! YouTube Channel, Facebook page, and Twitter

The Excitin’ News

The nice folks over at King Orchards opened up them there big ole hearts of theirs and sent me a package of their Michigan-grown Montmorency tart cherry products my way to review. That’s right. Herb Lady’s gonna be reviewing their Montmorency Tart Cherry Concentrate, Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries, and Montmorency Tart Cherry Preserves.

King Orchards Package

Nutrition & Other Info

All in a Row!

Thanks King Orchards!

Reviews of the Montmorency Tart Cherry products are a comin’ up – with loads of pictures!!

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Plus a Surprise

Yep, I have a surprise to share with y’all and it’s a gooden too — but ya have to come back to find out what it is. Now, that’s a little rotten and sneaky of me, but a hillbilly woman’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.

Be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email so ya don’t miss my thoughts on King Orchards Montmorency Cherry products, plus lots of other good stuff that’s a comin’ up . Y’all come back now, fer real!

Wanna see more videos like this here one? How ’bout videos featuring the ole Herb Lady? The Herb Lady now has her very own YouTube channel: Hillbilly Heaven Herbs! I’ll be sharing videos here that’ll knock yer holy socks off! So, be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email. Y’all come back now, fer real!

Hillbilly livin’ on an Amish farm has been TARRSOME but I have such exciting news: Before too long, our homesteading website will be up and running and this here Hillbilly Herb Lady will even be putting her tarred mug on YouTube! Yep, you’d better subscribe (by my feed or by email) if ya want to see that there craziness!

Today is Blog Action Day. This year’s theme is climate change — they’re trying to get the word out that us folks need to pay attention to how we’re harmin’ our purdy world. So, one of the ways you can be more eco-friendly is by using nature to grow and fix yer vittles!

If yer just a tunin’ in, you can catch up on this sustainable living talk I’ve been sharing by clicking the links right there.

• Dome home – See the outside and inside of an eco-friendly dome home!
• Solar greenhouse – See how ya can grow her vittles in a greenhouse with solar power!

Eco-Friendly Cookin’!

While walking around at the Sustainable Fair, I ran into this here dehydrator – it’ll dehydrate yer vittles with sun power. It’s purdy amazing!

Solar Dehydrator

Dehydrated Yellow Squash

Dehydrated Zucchini

Solar Oven

And it works! Have ya ever seen a solar dehydrator or oven? Did ya know they existed? Would you try to build yerself one, or buy one? What are you doing to help preserve our purdy world? Herb Lady wants to know what yer a thinkin’!

Want to read more on this here topic? Visit my daughter’s Blog Action Day post: Raw Juice Girl’s Eco-Friendly Living Tips!

More pictures and information comin’ in the next post!

Wanna see more pictures like this? How ’bout videos featuring the ole Herb Lady? The Herb Lady is comin’ to YouTube SOON! I’ll be sharing videos here that’ll knock yer holy socks off! So, be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email. Y’all come back now, fer real!

How’s the Herb Lady’s readers doing? Have ya built yer wood fire yet and snuggled up under yer favorite, fuzzy throw? I ain’t been cold ’cause I ain’t had time to sit down. Busy, I’ve been!

Well, I’m gettin’ caught up on what I wanted to share with ya (and I’ve been busy gettin’ new business cards and all kinds of good stuff, that I’ll be sharin’ right here soon).

Anyway, last time I told y’all about that eco-friendly dome home I seen when I went to the Sustainable Living Survival Fair.

And today I’m showing ya the solar greenhouse I saw – that’s right, solar greenhouse! Check it out fer yerself!

Solar Greenhouse

Rainbow Chard

Banana Tree!

Can you imagine all the possibilities with a solar greenhouse? Look at those beautiful plants growing! What would ya grow in yer solar greenhouse? Do yahave a greenhouse? Do ya want one?

More pictures and information comin’ in the next post!

Wanna see more pictures like this? How ’bout videos featuring the ole Herb Lady? The Herb Lady is comin’ to YouTube SOON! I’ll be sharing videos here that’ll knock yer holy socks off! So, be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email. Y’all come back now, fer real!

Sustainable livin’ is something the ole Herb Lady has been interested in for a long, long time. I’ve stared at magazines and read and re-read articles about it. I’ve worked hard toward learnin’ more about it so I can someday be self-sustainable.

A local Survival Fair recently popped up in our neck of the woods. I went, and thought you might like to see what it was like!

There’s too many pictures and too much neat stuff to share in this here one post, so I’ll share  more in the next ones. In this one, I’d like to tell ya about the eco-friendly Dome Home….

Eco-Friendly Dome Home

Woodburning Stove

Dome Home Loft

Eco-Friendly Sink

What’s so neat about this here sink is that the barrel contains rain water. Purdy neat, if I do say so myself!

Western Decorations

Composting Toilet

Sink

Shower

Back Door

More pictures and information comin’ in the next post!

Wanna see more pictures like this? How ’bout videos featuring the ole Herb Lady? They’re a comin’! So, be sure to subscribe to my feed or by email. Y’all come back now, fer real!