Homestead Revival

Goat Milk Soap Tutorial

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, ready to make soap? If you missed my first two posts, be sure to read Preparing To Make Soap: Equipment and Preparing To Make Soap: Recipes, Ingredients, and Suppliers.

The first time I made soap, I was at a friends house and she made it seem so easy. The second time I made soap (in my own home), I invited some friends to join me. We were all "newbies" and it was a lot of fun, but we spent half the time trying to figure out what we were suppose to do. The next time I had a lot more confidence and for the most part, it went smoothly. But by this time I had learned a thing or two that helped make it easier...

• Have all your supplies ready to go (and know what you really need!).
• Make a big sink of soapy water so you can wash as needed; really helpful if you're using just one or two measuring glasses, etc.
• Cover your scale with plastic wrap in advance.
• Pre-line your mold if required. Have towels and a board to cover the molds ready to go. I like to put my molds in an out-of-the-way location where they will remain while they set up - you don't want to move them around! Think... laundry room counter, guest room, etc.
• Know where you'll dissolve your lye in water (outdoors is best!)
• Wear an apron, have some type of protective eye wear, and rubber gloves!

Because soap ingredients are measured by weight (not volume), I wasn't sure the first time around how much I really needed of each item. Making notes in the margin helps for future reference and for ordering more supplies (and to know that you have enough on hand before you begin!). The recipe states the ingredients differently than how companies list things to sell, so knowing both is necessary! I've included some general measurements out to the side of each that may help with this.

Let's start with the recipe...

Goat Milk Soap
from The Natural Soap Book by Susan Miller Cavitch

2 1/2 pounds cold, distilled water (does not need to be refrigerated) (approx. 5 cups)
473 grams sodium hydroxide (just over 1#)
4 pounds olive oil (roughly 8-9 cups)
2 pounds 8 ounces coconut oil (just over 6 cups)
1 pound 8 ounces palm oil (just over 4 cups)
30 grams grapefruit seed extract, optional (just over 1 oz.)
2 2/10 grams tocopherol, optional
1/2 pound cold goat milk (about 1 cup)
45-50 grams pure essential oil (about 15-18 teaspoons or almost 2 oz.)

Note: Cavitch's original recipe states you can add extra nutrients, but for this information, you will need to purchase her book and read Chapter 6. For this post (and my soap), I only am using the basic ingredients. My instructions below will differ in that I have simplified or inserted something that I think will help you along the way. Again, please refer to her book for the original instructions.

1. Set the 2 quart glass container on the scale and add the distilled water; remove and set aside. Place a second container to receive the lye on the scale (I use a large disposable plastic cup). Weigh out the sodium hydroxide.

2. Take the 2 quart glass container with distilled water and the cup of lye outside and carefully add the sodium hydroxide to the distilled water while stirring briskly with your hard plastic spoon or a rubber spatula. AVOID breathing the fumes! Try to stand up wind. Move away and let it off-gas a couple of minutes, then return and stir until the flakes or grains have disolved. Set aside in a safe place, away from children and pets, to cool down to 80 degrees. Since the chemical reaction reaches over 200 degrees, this will take a while. You've got some time, but don't forget it! You need to work with it at 80 degrees!

3. Begin mixing the oils by setting the larger soap making pan on the scale and adding the olive oil. Set aside.

4. Place the smaller soap making pan on the scale and add the coconut and palm oils. (The coconut oil will turn to liquid at 76 degrees. You want it all to be liquid, but not hot! I usually just set my coconut oil container in hot water til it melts, then I pull it out and wipe it off to keep the water from dripping into the oil when I pour it into the pot.) Pour the palm and coconut oils into the olive oil.

5. Add your grapefruit seed extract and tocopherol to the oils if you wish to include these ingredients. Do NOT add the essential oil to scent your soap at this time.

6. Check on your water/lye solution and when it is approaching 80 degrees, gently heat the goat's milk to 80 degrees as well. It won't take much, so be careful not to over do it! You also want your oils to be 80 degrees. {Smile... } Quite a challenge! To me, this is the hardest part; keeping it all at the right temperature! Don't stress too much over this; a degree or two isn't going to cause it to fail (I know there are perfectionists out there, like me!).

7. Now add the goat milk to the lye solution, drizzling it SLOWLY. You do not want it to curdle the milk. Cavitch does this reverse, pouring the lye into the goat milk, but I need it all in the 2 quart measuring glass so I can pour it into the oils. It's much easier for me, but if you wish, you can do it her way. The photo below was from my second soap batch and I did it in the pot instead of the large glass measuring cup; not nearly as easy to pour.

8. Slowly drizzle the lye/goat milk solution into the oils, stirring briskly as you pour. Continue to stir, circling the pan and cutting through the middle of the pan so as to keep as much of the solution in motion as possible. Do not scrape any residue off the sides of the pan. Cavitch recommends not whipping or beating the solution either. HOWEVER, I have found that this recipe takes a long time to trace and I used an immersion blender with much success and I recommend using one as long as you keep moving it around, trying not to touch it directly on the bottom. WARNING: Do not lift it out of the solution while it is on!! This soap typically can take anywhere from 10-40 minutes to trace, but without an immersion blender, I've had it take even longer.

Note about TRACING: Tracing is when the oils and lyes will no longer separate back into oils and lye. You will notice as you're stirring that it is changing into a smoother, more homogenous product (and it may be a bit thicker). To test for tracing, you need to drizzle some of the mixture across the surface of the batch and when it leaves a clearly defined trace line, you know you have a saponified product ready to pour into molds. I've tried to capture this in a photo, but you'll have to look closely to see the lines. It was actually more defined than it looks here:

9. Now is the time to add any essential oils you may wish to use, but it is not necessary. After you add the essential oil, stir briskly for 20-30 seconds to fully incorporate it into the entire batch.

10. Quickly pour the soap into the molds without scraping the residue off the sides of the pan. Do not pour any oily/watery substance at the bottom of the pan in the molds either. You only want the saponified liquid. Better to waste a tad at the bottom of the pan than to ruin your batch of soap! Also, if it is getting thick and you must use a spatula to spread it out to the corners, don't worry. You can trim the soap later to look nice.

11. Cover the molds with a board or piece of plywood or even a heavy piece of cardboard. Next, cover with a blanket. Leave undisturbed for 18-24 hours. You want the molds to be well insulated so the soap can heat up and complete the soapmaking process (I nearly blew this on my last batch by only using a couple of towels - use a blanket!).

12. After 18-24 hours, uncover the frame and set away from cold drafts and temperatures for 1-7 days. As soon as the soap is firm enough to work with and remove from the molds, do so and cut them into the sizes you desire. Do not wait until they get so hard you can't cut them! If your molds are lined, you can use the excess lining like a handle to lift it out of the mold. If you have molds like mine, just unscrew and pull the sides away carefully. Note: just because it's firm on top, does not mean it is firm down in the mold, so go slow and test it carefully.

13. Lay the soaps in a single layer on a plain brown paper grocery bag (not on the ink side or the bars could absorb the ink coloring). You could also use cardboard. Some use old plastic crate trays. You will leave the soaps to cure for 4-6 weeks in a well ventilated, dry room where the temperature remains fairly constant. Half way through, be sure to turn your soaps so the portion touching the bottom has a chance to be exposed to air. Over time, the soap will become harder and more mild.

And then you can enjoy your wonderful, homemade, goat milk soap!

My next soap is going to be a shampoo bar! But that's for another day.

Preparing to Make Soap: Recipes, Ingredients, & Suppliers

2012-02-08T15:38:00.000-08:00

Now that you know what kind of equipment you're looking for (see yesterday's post on equipment), you need to consider what recipe you'll use, where you'll get your supplies, and what ingredients you'll need to purchase. And believe me, there are lots of choices in all of this as well! Once again, you need to decide what your goal is for soap making.

For now, I'm concentrating on a general bath bar. In learning to make this kind of soap, I am learning a lot about the process in general without my family sacrificing by making a drastic change in what they are use to using. My recipe is not a stripped down rustic version that one might need to make if the grocery stores shut down and trucks stopped delivering supplies (which I need to order to make this soap). But if I can make this kind of soap, I'm one step closer to making an "emergency bar" (just by going through the process of learning how to make a cold pressed soap (ie: with lye), you will learn a lot about how it all works).

On the other hand, this is not a particularly foofy soap either. It doesn't have a lot of extras other than about three oils, some goat's milk, and lavender essential oil. It's basic enough that it's easy to do without getting too discouraged, yet pleasant to use in the bath or shower.

Where To Find Soap Recipes

You can find all kinds of soap recipes on the internet. Good ones, too. But for your first attempt, it would be best to do some further reading beyond this blog post. There's so much to learn and while you don't need to know it all before your first batch, it's nice to have a book for troubleshooting and more information.

My recipe comes from Susan Miller Cavitch's book The Natural Soap Book. At first I checked out nearly every soap book from the library system in California so I could narrow down which books I liked. Then I went on Amazon and bought a used copy at about half the price. This book is well rated and will give you a few basic recipes. I used her Goat Milk Soap recipe on page 110 (actual recipe to follow on the tutorial another day).

There are other books in this series by Storey Publishing, but they are not all by the same author, so they are not uniform in how they tell you to do each step which is nice because you can get different ideas on how to do the same thing. Milk Based Soaps is another good option which is written by Casey Makela, as well as The Soap Maker's Companion, also by Susan Miller Cavitch. Because of the popularity of soap making, you'll find several good choices available, but be sure to actually look inside them and determine if they will give you instructions for the type of soap you want to make; I strongly suggest a simple recipe to begin with.

Ingredients

This Goat Milk Soap uses 3 basic oils:

• Olive oil, when used in soap, it is often called "castille soap", but a true castille soap is 100% olive oil. Using olive oil helps hydrate your skin and keep it from drying out without blocking the natural functions of the skin. Thus it helps create a mild soap. Used alone, it does not produce a good lather and so most people combine olive oil with another oil to give the soap the desired properties they are seeking.

According to Cavitch, different types of olive oil will trace at different speeds (see pages 22-23). (Tracing is a term used to describe the point in which soap is setting up so that you can pour it into molds. It will leave a "trace" on top of the liquids when you drizzle some across the top with a spoon.) I've used Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Costco and had good success. Recently, I used Light EVOO because that is what I had on hand, and it seemed to take longer to trace, but I believe it was due to other factors involved. Pomace olive oil, made from the final pressing of the olives and includes some of the pits (pomace) in the oil. This type traces the fastest, but it can be a bit too fast at times. Also, it has the highest amount (or percentage) of unsaponifiables (which means it doesn't react with the other ingredients to make soap - often thought of as impurities) and yet it pulls the other vegetable oils into the quickest saponifiation; this can produce a darker soap and sometimes over reacts to other ingredients such as fragrance oils. Are you confused yet?

The reason I mention this is because soap suppliers often sell Pomace Olive Oil. It is somewhat inexpensive compared to other grades of oil, yet you should know in advance how it is going to work. I suggest starting with Extra Virgin Olive Oil until you're familiar with the process and then, try a batch with the Pomace Olive Oil.

• Palm oil (often substituted for tallow) helps make the bar hard, but used alone would make the bar too brittle. And it's a good companion to the coconut oil because used alone coconut oil would be too drying on the skin. Palm oil saponifies (turns to soap) easily and is mild.

• Coconut oil is great for making lather! A little can be moisturizing, but too much can be drying. It also helps to make the bar hard. And coconut oil is good for you on the inside, so I kind of like the idea of feeding my skin on the outside, too.

Other ingredients in this soap are...

• Sodium hydroxide, which is commonly called lye and is a caustic alkali. Once the chemical reaction with an acid (oils and fats) occurs to neutralize it, the sodium hydroxide no longer can burn you. So once saponification occurs, soap is safe to use on your body.

I'm sure you're probably thinking why use lye to begin with? Isn't there another way? Well, I'm probably not going to explain this well (or fully), but here goes... it helps to remove the dirt. How's that for an explanation?

Let me try to do a bit better. Home School Enrichment Magazine had an excellent article (which I highly recommend for you and your children to read) in their Jan/Feb 2012 issue (see pages 32-34). Ray and Gale Lawson stated in their article Cleaning Up With Soap, "...soap that is created dissolves in water, but it also dissolves in oils. This means soap has the ability to dissolve into both oil and water at the same time. When you take a bath, the water may not be able to combine with the dirt on your skin (due in part to the oils on your skin that the dirt adheres to), but the soap can combine with the dirt and oil, and since it also combines with water, it provides a way for the dirt and oil to be lifted from your skin and into the bathwater, where it is literally drained away!"

In short, the lye (alkali), combined with oils (acid), saponifies to create soap which works to lift away dirt in a way that the oils alone or water alone could not do. Better?

You can purchase lye in solid (mostly for commercial purchases), granular (bead), flake, or liquid forms. I prefer the flake. Just a personal preference with no real reason behind it. However, where you buy it, will determine your choices. I buy through a soap supplier, but you can buy this at a local hardware store as well. If purchasing on line, you will need to sign a waiver before anyone can sell you this product (because it can be used for good or for evil and they need to be able to track who is purchasing sodium hydroxide in any amount). Usually you just download a form and fax it to them with your information, what you plan to do with it, and how much you are purchasing.

• Grapefruit Seed Extract is an antioxidant and a natural preservative. This helps your soap to last longer which is important if you are making a lot of bars for personal use. If you will be giving the bars away and everyone using them in a timely manner, it might not matter too much, but this recipe makes between 30-40 bars depending on how you cut them. That will take some time to use unless you have a really large family that showers often (or really hard water). (Note that it is not a "full spectrum" preservative, so it is often used in combination with another preservative such as Optiphen, or Tocopherol (vitamin E), however I have not used anything other than the Grapefruit Seed Extract.)

• Goat Milk is prized for it's moisturizing properties. Capric-capryllic triglyceride is an oil found in the milk (as well as coconut oil) which is beneficial for the skin. If you can obtain fresh goat milk, I recommend going that route, but if not, you can purchased powdered goat milk and reconstitute it.

• Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils are a big part of the fun, but don't feel like you have to use them. For an economical bar of soap, I just leave this out. But it's so much more fun to have a scent, right? Essential Oils will cost a little more than a fragrance oil, so it's a personal preference.

Where To Purchase Your Supplies

Without compromising quality, you need to buy from the most economical sources. I've done a lot of comparison shopping and unless you are going into a business venture and purchasing wholesale, here is what I've found as of the time of this post...

• Costco is good for Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but if you want to use Pomace Olive Oil, you'll probably need to use a soap supplier. (I have not tried Sams Club or other discount stores that may be located in different parts of the country or outside the U.S. Be sure to look at your own options).

• Goat milk is best free! From a friend or purchased locally from a farmer. Second best is a powdered milk from a soap supplier.

• All other items are best purchased from a soap supplier.

My favorite soap supplier is Bramble Berry. They are totally unaware of my post and have not paid me in any way for this recommendation. This is the company I use and as of today, I've purchased all my own supplies from them. Besides being a one stop shop, they are by far the most economical choice. Item after item is less expensive without sacrificing quality.

Keep in mind, that making soap is not "cheap". If you can avoid shipping fees by purchasing locally, you should do so! Buy with friends and go for the bulk buy if it's cheaper. And it's always more fun to make soap together. In fact, if you do so, you can make different kinds and have a little of each. Another option is for each friend to make a different kind of soap or "flavor" and then have a soap exchange. And as you become familiar with the process and know your favorite ingredients, you can keep an eye for deep discounts and really save money!

Preparing to Make Soap: Equipment

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Those who follow Homestead Revival on Facebook, already know I made soap this weekend. And at the request of several, I'm going to try to attempt to show you how I make soap. This won't be a substitute for a good book on the subject (which I'll recommend on the next post), but I hope it will fill in the gaps that the book doesn't cover or isn't emphasized enough. Also, there are things you might want to know before you even get a book and dive into the world of soap making.

I want to clarify that I'm new at making soap. I've only done it about 3 times. The good part about this is all that "newbie" information is bouncing around in my brain and I might be able to capture some of what you might miss with an experienced person might forget to mention some things because it is naturally a part of their thought process at that point and they forget that we don't all know that stuff yet).

Why Make Your Own Soap?

Before you begin, you need to decide why you are making soap. Perhaps you're concerned about ingredients used in commercial soaps. Making your own allows you to control what goes into your bars. Maybe you just like to make things from scratch; this is a very satisfying item to make yourself. Or maybe you want to experiment with different kinds of soaps and you can't find what you want at the store; making your own is the way to go!

However, if your goal is to save money, you need to know that your initial investment can make your first bars pricy, depending on your choice of molds, pots, pans, and such. That doesn't mean you won't eventually save money, but you do need to make a decision about how committed you are to learning the process. And when it comes to ingredients, if a batch doesn't turn out right (and sometimes it does happen), you've lost some dollars $$, BUT... you must remember you've gained experience.

So let me give you an idea of what I'm talking about so you can decide if this project is for you.

Equipment

• Molds. To make soap, you must have some kind of mold. You can go cheap (such as a recycled milk carton) or expensive (like a wooden mold). And then there are those that are priced in between. Depending on what your soap will be used for will also depend on what kind of mold you need. For this series of post, I'm going to concentrate on bath soap; just a plain rectangle bar.

I made soap once in a plastic container lined with wax paper and was not pleased with the appearance of the bars. Whenever wax paper has a crease or fold, it will show up in your bar. However, we were in a hurry and didn't get the paper in the mold correctly and I did not know at the time that I could purchase a soap planer to recut the soap and eliminate this problem. Wood molds are expensive, but very lovely, and if the paper is in the mold correctly, it's easier to get the soap out. The least expensive options are flexible plastic molds or cardboard from home, but you must line it well with butcher paper.

Since I wanted to make a complete switch from commercial soap, I invested in some molds (a birthday gift!). After researching a while on the internet, I decided to buy molds from EZ Soap Molds. And I have NO REGRETS! These molds are amazing! They do not need to be lined in any way, nor do they need to have any preparation whatsoever other than to put them together properly. They don't leak (just a bit of seepage) and they make perfectly rectangle bars. The soap usually comes out easy and cuts nicely.

Before you rush off to their page and make a purchase, you must buy the correct size. And you'll need a recipe that you plan to use in order to know the size. My recipe makes a 4 pound batch, so I bought a set of two molds and an adjustable slicer (see here). Because I like uniform pieces, I wish I had purchased a set with a different slicer. You can still customize your soap sizes with this other set by moving your soap along through the slicer, which is what you have to do on the adjustable slicer anyway. Also, I always have extra soap after I've poured, so I think I may purchase a small 1-2# or 2-3# mold at some point. In the meantime, I just grab a disposable plastic container and pour it in there. It works just fine for out in the garden or for laundry soap, etc.

We could talk a LOT more about molds, but I'll save that for another day. I just want you to get an idea of what you need to be thinking about.

• Pots/Pans. You can't use just any ol' pot. You need something that won't react with the lye. Glass or stainless steel are your best options. Now you need to decide if you are going to use your own cooking pots for this, or some that will be dedicated strictly for soap making. I highly suggest one 2 quart (or larger) glass measuring bowl for the lye itself. I've been using my good one from my kitchen, but I freak out and wash it about 10 times afterward to make sure I get all the lye out (okay, I'm exaggerating; I only wash it 3 times... maybe 4). The reason I suggest a measuring bowl with a spout and handle is because you must pour this into your oils and it's much easier to do so with the right equipment.

You'll still need additional pots and pans, but check your recipe/book for what they recommend. I use a 4 or 5 quart stainless steel pot and a 3 quart stainless steel pot. Start looking at flea markets, garage sales, estate sales, etc. It will take time to find these. If you absolutely can't find them, you can purchase some at a discount store such as Walmart or Target. They do not have to be high grade stainless steel, but make sure you don't buy something that LOOKS like stainless steel, but really isn't. You can get a cheap stainless steel pot for around $12-8, but you'll really have to look around.

• Measuring cup. I use a 1 quart measuring cup from my kitchen. It's mostly just for oils and so not necessary to have one dedicated strictly for soap making. But you will need something to measure the lye in. I used a plastic disposable cup.

• Spoons. You'll need plastic. Hard white rigid plastic works best. With long handles. Trust me, this is the best option - and cheap (see photo above of pots and spoon).

• Immersion Blender. This is an optional item, but I'm so glad I got one (dedicated solely for soapmaking - under $20). My last batch just would not trace until I used the blender (due to stirring too slowly, but after an hour, my arm couldn't do it fast enough). Once I used the immersion blender, the batch traced in 5-10 minutes; I should have used it earlier! (Note: tracing can take more time depending on one of several factors, but in this case it was both the type of Olive Oil I used and my slow stirring).

• Thermometer. Get a nice, easy to read thermometer that is solely for soap making. You'll be putting it in the lye. I prefer one that's large enough to stand up in the pot and lean against the side (see photo at bottom of post for an idea of what I'm talking about - it's in the container).

• Kitchen Scale. You can use what you already have. I just take and cover mine with plastic wrap while making soap to keep it clean.

• Miscellaneous. Some disposable gloves, protective eye gear (I wear my glasses), and an old apron are very good ideas, especially if you are using an immersion blender, but also for protecting yourself from the lye that burns! You will also need a scrap piece of plywood (or something like it) and some old towels, but of which are used to cover the molds while curing the first 24 hours.

Think about where you're going to store all this "dedicated" equipment. I keep mine in my pantry, but so that my family doesn't accidentally mix it up with the day to day items, I store mine in a large plastic container (except for the large pots). Even my molds fit in this container and it keeps them from collecting dust and such when not in use so that they are ready to go the next time around.

The next soap post will cover a bit about recipes, ingredients, and reliable companies for supplies. It's just too much to cover everything about soap in one post! But now you can start planning how much you want to spend and you can keep an eye out for items you need to acquire. Some of you who have been making soap for a while can share other equipment you like to use that I didn't mention. This isn't a once size fits all process, but there are some rules of science that must be adhered to - such as reactive pots.

Happy hunting!

Barn Hop #48

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our weekly Homestead Barn Hop where you have a chance to link up your post on homesteading and visit other homesteaders via the internet! As hostesses, Jill, Kendra, Kelly, and I are so blessed to have each of you help cultivate the homesteading community by contributing your knowledge, experience, and yes, even your failures that we can all learn from.

As you probably already know, I'm trying to get my garden ready for the spring, but it's a slow process locating items. I'm also trying to locate a couple of nucs of Carniolan bees, just learned to draw blood on my goats to test them for CAE and CL so I can breed our doe, made soap this weekend, and have been on the hunt for another goat to add to our small herd. Life on a homestead can be busy, even in winter!

I'm trying to get a few posts together on soap making for those interested, the first of which should post tomorrow. Until then, I can't wait to see what's happening at your place!

Join The Barn Hop!

Jill @ The Prairie Homestead

Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead

Kelly @ The Morris Tribe

and Amy @ Homestead Revival...

...invite you to link up and share your homesteading adventures!

1. Write a blog post about what's going on at your homestead or a post on something you're learning or an item of interest that will benefit the homesteading community. Be sure to add the red barn button and link back here so others can join in the fun.

2. Come back here and enter your information in the Linky. Please be sure to link to your actual post (click your title and then copy the URL above) and not your home page so those participating later in the week can find your post easily.

3. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment and tell us what's going on at your homestead!

Please Note: As hostesses of the Homestead Barn Hop, please understand that we reserve the right to remove any links that are not family friendly. While this may be subjective, we will err on the side of caution in order to keep our blogs appropriate for all readers. Thank you for your understanding!

Sunday Blessing

2012-02-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser...

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me.

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
~ John 15: 1, 4-5

May you abide in His rest today and find yourself refreshed and bearing good fruit!

Winner: Preparedness Challenge Link Up

2012-02-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

Those who participated in the Preparedness Challenge this past Saturday were automatically entered in a give-away sponsored by USA Emergency Supply. This month's prize, a 5 gallon water barrel for emergency water storage, will be sent to our winner who was selected by random drawing from the those who linked up their blog OR left a comment telling what they had done to prepare in one of three categories (or all 3):

• Food Storage

• Emergency Preparedness

• Sustainable Living

Each of these three categories helps to make a family better prepared to deal with various events in our lives whether it's a natural disaster, a financial loss (such as a job), or as a result of a man-made disaster/event. Like having a savings account, putting a little food and supplies aside for hard times is both biblical and wise (see my prior posts under topics: Preparedness).

Congratulations to our January winner...

Just another Day on the Farm

Our winner wrote a post on how much sugar her family used in 2011. This amazing woman cans A LOT, so most of it went into canned goods, but she also counted her honey and molasses. You need to read her article to get an idea of how well she is prepared!

Now is the time to start preparing for the February challenge. I'm making a list so I don't forget what I've done over the month (I have a hard time remembering some days!). So start getting ready now for the Preparedness Challenge on the last Saturday of the month, February 25th!

Winner: Back To Eden DVD!

2012-02-04T10:52:00.000-08:00

Have you had a chance to watch the free Back To Eden movie yet? I hope so! Many of you have left some great comments, some sharing good experiences and others some concerns. All of this is good information as I start to move forward with an experiment to cover my garden in wood chips.

How fast this will happen remains to be seen. I've had to get on a list or two for a delivery of chips and both of those will only occur if they trim trees in my area. The good news is, lots of trees exist in my immediate neighborhood and tree trimming trucks are often seen around the community. I just have to be patient.

Finding newspapers has been surprisingly difficult. I use to get what I needed at the newspaper office, but now they sell the old editions. I tried our small local paper and when I was in the "big city" I tried the newspaper office there as well, but while both gave me a very small stack, they reserve most to sell. I have the word out, but not as many people take the paper anymore.

Laying down newsprint is not necessary for Paul's method, but I had a weed problem last year and I want to make an attempt to rid my garden of most of these. I'll still have some, but hopefully they will be easier to pull. It certainly worked in my initial application a couple of years ago. To this day, although the newspapers have broken down, there are very few weeds. However, I should mention that this is mostly pathways between boxes which only receive water from the boxes that seep. (Note: many newspapers now use a safer soy based ink - you'll need to ask if have any concerns about toxic ink substances.)

For those of you who haven't watched the movie yet, you might want to read my summery post or Chaya's review on her blog (our give-away hostess!). If you want to purchase a video to share with others or if you are unable to view it on-line because of dial up or other issues, Chaya sells this as well as a host of other wonderful pantry items at Pantry Paratus.

Now, I know you want to know who won, right? Congratulations goes to...

Hoosier Girl @ Blessed Little Homestead Life!

I'll be in touch, Hoosier Girl! Have fun sharing your new DVD with all your friends!

For more information on the "Back To Eden" method, be sure to read over their page "How To Get Back To Eden".

My "Back To Eden" Experiment

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted about the Back To Eden movie and give-away hosted by Pantry Paratus. I hope you've had a chance to watch it before reading this post, because it will certainly make more sense if you have. But I realize life doesn't pause whenever you want, so I'll try to give a little background where I can so those who haven't seen it will understand what I'm trying to achieve.

Over the last few years, Paul Gautschi has replicated something similar to the "lasagna method" for his vegetable garden, with much success! Of course, he lives where it would seem hard NOT to succeed, but that aside, I think his ideas have merit. And although he was an experienced gardener prior to moving to his current location, his vegetable garden was not as successful as he would have liked.

His orchard was.

This prompted him to inquire of the Lord as to why the vegetable garden struggled and the orchard thrived despite being on the same property. The Lord reminded him of a forest floor, which was similar to the ground around his fruit trees, and he then sought to replicate the soil conditions in his vegetable garden.

Here is where you might think, oh, yes, this is the lasagna method; didn't work for me (or perhaps it did). But the difference is Paul uses mostly one layer... wood chips of varying sizes all over his garden (not wood shavings, bark, or saw dust). He chose this medium for several reasons (and I'm sure I'll forget something!)...

• The wood chips naturally decompose over time; the smaller pieces decompose faster, the larger pieces slower.

• The decomposing chips, made from tree branches that contain leaves, wood, and bark, provide both green and brown material, thus supplying the three major items found in fertilizers (NPK - nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus) and thus negates the need for crop rotation.

• The chips must be in varying sizes to create air space and to prevent compaction of soil.

• You can walk on the wood chips and it distributes your weight and prevents soil compaction.

• The wood chips keep the area underneath moist and attract earthworm activity, which also keeps the soil from becoming compacted while adding natural fertilizer in the form of worm castings.

• You can easily part the soil and plant in the chips that have decomposed more.

• Although you must water initially while seedlings are sprouting, afterwards the soil maintains enough water for the plants since the wood chips cover the bare earth. (I'm thinking in really arid locations like the Southwest might have to water, just less frequently - still a nice plus!)

• At first, you will need to maybe add some fertilizer until things start breaking down. Also you will need to add more layers of wood chips; more in the beginning and less each year. Over time, you will build the right kind of soil; thus each year you should see more improvement than the year before.

• Weeding is not a big issue because they easily pull out from soil that isn't compacted. Also, there just tends to be less weeds overall.

• For some reason, his plants really soak up water and are flavorful and full of water. So much so that the pests which are looking for cellulose seem not to be interested in eating as much of the plant. Paul says it's just too much water for them.

That's all this brain can remember right now. I'm sure if you watch the movie, you'll pick up on more. But it's the basics.

The big no-no that is so difficult for us all is the concept of NO TILLING. It just seems so counter to what we know and think about soil. But isn't this like God; to work counter to what we think? His wisdom is not our wisdom (Isaiah 55:8-10).

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth

And making it bear and sprout,

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

So this year, I'm going to conduct my own experiment with the no-till wood chip method. I'm going to give it a try and report back to you what worked and didn't work. It may take me more than one year since I suspect that I'll struggle a bit at first as I build up my soil with wood chips, but if it works here in the arid Southwest, in the mountains where we have more than our fair share of wind, and plenty of cool weather and very little light, then I'm sure it will work just about anywhere!

This weekend I started covering my garden with newspaper to eliminate the weeds (which nearly consumed my garden last year - oh the hours of weeding!). I need to get LOTS more paper, but this is a start.

TIP: Be sure your newspaper is wet when you lay it down, especially if there is wind!

When I laid this paper down, there was a nice breeze blowing, but the weight of the water in it kept it from blowing around. If you're a perfectionist, like me, you really need to get over it for this project. Don't worry about how straight or how thick (within reason), or what's under it; just get it down there. It's all going to compost together and become soil over time.

I laid down newspaper and hay a couple of years ago and it worked great for keeping the weeds at bay (see Preparing the Garden Path). My mistake was letting the chickens on it before it had finished composting in. There was bits of paper everywhere after awhile. But despite that, it kept the weeds down everywhere I had laid newspaper. So don't let the girls rummage through it too soon.

Next I put straw and manure from the chicken coop and goat shed down on top. Since it's my first year, I think I need a little something for nutrients. I may sprinkle some more compost on top of the wood chips, but for now, I just needed to get this down so it could break down a bit before I start planting in the spring. In fact, I'm keeping it wet with a garden hose until the wood chips are on top. This will prevent the straw from blowing away (and the newspaper) and will speed up the composting a bit since we've had warmer than usual weather and very little rain.

You can see one section completed (minus the wood chips) in the photo below, but I've got a long way to go since our garden area is really large. I plan to do the entire space, including the pathways (I just won't put manure in those areas).

If you think you might want to try this method, start hunting wood chips now! It's not that easy to locate them. At least not for me, but I have found a couple of leads and I have one definite source if I'm willing to use my own chipper and make my own. My husbands says I'll be chipping til the cows come home!

Earth911.com has a locater where you can plug in what you're looking for and your zip code to find a recycling center that might take green waste and sell or give away wood chips. Just remember, you need to find them in varying sizes and with green leaves from branches; not saw dust or wood shavings or wood bark.

I can't wait to get some wood chips; I feel like a kid waiting to go to Disneyland or something. The next post, I hope to show how the hunt concluded and what it looks like on the ground.

Have you had any experience with this method? What were some of your thoughts after seeing the movie Back To Eden?

Give Away: Back To Eden

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those eureka moments that rings true in your heart? The minute you hear it, wisdom is speaking to every part of your being? I know I'm sounding a bit "mystical" here, but I think you know what I'm talking about.

Watching the documentary Back To Eden this week, the message I heard rang true again and again as I listened to Paul Gautschi recount what he has learned over the years from the Lord about gardening. It seemed that all the various things I had been reading, researching, and learning over the last few years about gardening was coming together in one harmonic symphony.

Techniques and philosophies that seemed so difficult and unnatural to growing plants were revealed as exactly that... a heavy yoke. And yet, freedom and the ability to garden as my body aged seemed possible once again. Perhaps that is what has sparked my enthusiasm to tackle the garden again this spring!

I don't want to diminish the impact of this movie by telling you much more at this point. You need to hear the message from Paul himself. The movie is free to watch on line or you can purchase a copy through Pantry Paratus.

I've had several conversations with Chaya, owner of Pantry Paratus, and I can tell you that this subject is near and dear to her heart (and her husband!). So much so that they are planting a five acre garden at their church to help others learn to grow their own food. They also made the decision to carry this DVD in their store to further promote it's message to others.

Enter the Give-Away

Chaya is hosting a give-away today for a copy of Back To Eden. To enter this give-away, we're doing something a bit different. Those who sign up to receive the Pantry Paratus email newsletter will be entered in the drawing. You can do so either on their website (at the bottom of the page; right corner) or their facebook page (on the left side bar, fourth line under the big canning jar). She will be sending out a coupon to those on her email list very soon!

Once you've entered your name for the newsletter, please come back here and let me know you've done so - otherwise, I won't know and can't draw your name as a winner! Chaya will verify the name that is drawn and get the DVD out to the winner.

This give-away ends Friday, February 3rd at 11:59 p.m.

I'm thinking this DVD would be great to show to homesteading groups, gardening clubs, 4H friends, church groups, family, .... the list goes on! Tomorrow, I'm going to talk a little about my own experiment to return "back to Eden"!

Chickens in the Garden!

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

This may seem something akin to an oxymoron, but apparently it doesn't have to be so. While many a "chicken farmer" has been disappointed to find their seedlings and plants disheveled after their dear fowl friends took a stroll through the vegetable beds, Jessi Bloom (author of Free-Range Chicken Gardens) says she's learned a thing or two that can bring bird and garden together in harmony. Wouldn't that be nice?!

Timber Press is hosting a give away through February 17th where entrants can win...

• A copy of Free-Range Chicken Gardens

• $50 gift certificate to McMurray Hatchery

• A downloadable coop plan

from The Garden Coop

• Organic seeds and forage mix from

Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply

I'm all over this one!

Barn Hop #47

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Good morning Homesteading friends! Welcome to the Monday Barn Hop! For those of you who are new, this is a weekly opportunity to link up your blog post on any homesteading topic so that others can visit and get to know you. In turn, you can visit their blogs, gathering some great ideas!

It's always fun to see what others are doing and how they're solving problems as they encounter various homesteading challenges. Take gardening for example... this subject has been on my mind a lot the past week. There are so many ways to grow a vegetable garden; the number of techniques and philosophies are quite astounding. But because each of us must garden with different variables (climate, soil conditions, weather patterns, pests and beneficial insects, etc.), it just isn't a one size fits all.

This week I'll be sharing some thoughts on a particular method that I've recently encountered, but I've lived and gardened long enough to know that it may not be a fit for everyone. However, I do think it's worth considering. Even if you've tried a similar method and failed, you might glean something new that may make the difference between failure and success. (Did I get your curiosity up yet?)

All that to say, visiting different homesteads is a real blessings. Each of you contributes uniquely based on your experiences, research, and focus. Thank you for helping to cultivate the homesteading community!

Join The Barn Hop!

Jill @ The Prairie Homestead

Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead

Kelly @ The Morris Tribe

and Amy @ Homestead Revival...

...invite you to link up and share your homesteading adventures!

3. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment and tell us what's going on at your homestead!

Preparedness Challenge #31

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today is our 31st Preparedness Challenge, but it's a new beginning as well. Starting with today's challenge, we will be welcoming our new sponsors USA Emergency Supply (representing Emergency Preparedness) and Tattler Reusable Canning Lids (representing food storage)!

Since we didn't have a December Preparedness Challenge, it's been a while since we've come together to talk preparedness. Let me just emphasis the three areas we are concentrating on (because there are so many things one could be prepared for!):

• Food Storage: this is basically to have a "savings account" of food for hard times which could be as a result of any number of things including a job loss, a cut in pay, an illness, etc.

• Emergency Preparedness: for the unexpected major events in life whether it's a power outage due to weather, an earthquake, a sudden collapse in the economy, etc.

• Sustainable Living: because the best way to be prepared is to have sources close to home - like your own back yard!

If you're new to prepping, you may wish to read my older posts on preparedness (start with the last post and read forward), but keep in mind that you'll need to read more than one or two posts to get a fuller picture of what I mean when I use the term preparedness. Not everyone has the same views on the subject, so please don't assume... read what I say, what others say, and then pray about what God would have you do. Each person will prep differently because needs are different from family to family.

Now for my list this month. As I've mentioned before, I tend to focus on the sustainable living much easier than the food storage and emergency preparedness, but that's why the challenge is so good for me; it keeps pushing me so as not to neglect these last two categories! Personally, I want to do something in each category every month (or more if I can). It's up to you how much you prepare each month, but I hope the challenge will keep preparedness in the forefront of your mind since it's apt to slip to last place on our to-do list!

Here's what I did this month in each category...

• Food Storage: Added venison (2 doe) to my freezer and thus my food storage for the rest of the winter!
• Emergency Preparedness: {sigh...} I dropped the ball on this one! But I did clip a coupon for a fire extinguisher on sale at Costco. Next trip!
• Sustainable Living: I attended a beekeeping meeting and learned about top bar hive methods. Then came home and did a little more research on it. Also, I watched a movie about permaculture agriculture (more on that next week), and I spent time locating a major item needed for this project. I'm still waiting on calls back, but it's in process. I know this isn't much, but I have about 5 things on my plate that I'm working on so that February's challenge should easily make up for the small showing today!

Now it's your turn to join the Preparedness Challenge. Just write a post on something you did this week to prepare and then link up below or leave a comment. Even one thing a week adds up and it will encourage you to do even more! And by participating in the challenge, it will get you thinking about prepping on a regular basis. The three areas we are focusing on include:

• food storage
• emergency preparedness
• sustainable living.

And don't forget our give away prize from USA Emergency Supply... a 5 gallon water barrel. You can store water in lots of items, but if you need to do it safely and without compromising the integrity of your container, this is an item you should consider (read more here).

Join the Challenge & Enter The Give Away

Leave a comment on something you did this week to be more prepared OR link up your Preparedness Challenge blog post (one or the other please). Posts not related to one of the three areas of preparedness will not be counted toward the give-away. Please be sure to clearly state in your comment or post what you did this month to be more prepared. The three areas we are focusing on include:
• food storage
• emergency preparedness
• sustainable living.

Please be respectful of our challenge and only add a post on one of these three preparedness topics ONLY in order to retain the integrity of the link up event. If your post is just a general homesteading post, please save it for the Monday Homestead Barn Hop. Be sure to take the Preparedness Challenge picture and add it to your blog so others know you're participating and hopefully they'll join up, too! THANK YOU!!

Say Hello...

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

to Mark and Erin, the new proprietors of Homestead Drying Racks! Daniel and Abby Jo haven't gone far, but they're refining their calling and pursuing a little bit different direction. Here is what Abby Jo shared on their blog...

"As for Homestead Drying Racks.com we are passing the torch to a wonderful homesteading family. We are passing full ownership to Mark & Erin Harrison, this family has the same hard work and ethics that we have put into our online business. We will continue supporting and advertising for them.

Mark is a talented craftsman, with attention to detail. With his large shop he will easily be able to handle the growing demand. Mark will also be able to reduce the shipping of 4-6 weeks to 2-4. So you will get your drying rack sooner.

We are very excited for the new direction this change will bring. We are ready to start on a long awaited filming project. Our heart has always been to grow non-GMO, chemical free, organic food, and we want to get serious about it. So filming and farming is where this family is headed. Mark and Erin are helping us walk into a long awaited dream, and we know our drying racks are in good hands."

To celebrate the new merge of their two families they are hosting an enormous giveaway valuing $255.00 in new products, including a Grandpa Jakes Campfire Cooker, Homesteading for Beginners DVDs vol. I- II-III, a Plunger Washer, Erin’s Super Green Drink Mix 1 lb., and Erin’s Sick Tea ½ lb.

So be sure to visit Forgotten Way Farms at their new blog and say hello! I can't wait to hear more about their new adventure!

Gardening Goals 2012

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

I've definitely put off this post, procrastinating terribly! Nothing like a bad gardening season the year before to discourage one from ever attempting again. But, I WILL persevere, with a few changes so as not to have a repeat performance from last year.

It's not that anything went terribly wrong, but not much really went well either. My tomatoes struggled along all spring, so I purchased some larger plants. Those didn't produce until late in the season and by October 1st, I still had only green tomatoes on the vine. Fortunately, the frost was late and I harvested a few for eating, but not enough to can or dehydrate. (I realize I should have pickled or fried the green ones, but I was exasperated at this point.)

The potatoes were viciously attacked by gophers (okay, THAT went wrong!), but after trapping a culprit or two, the remainder never got very large or prolific despite rotating the crop location.

And onions... what onions? I forgot to plant them. Squash? Not one zucchini plant made it, only one crook neck and a spaghetti squash or two. Carrots never sprouted again this year despite the fact that the nation's largest commercial carrot farmer is within 5 miles.

What did go well? My cucumbers were the best I've every grown. The Swiss chard was nice, some of the lettuce, and eggplant. I also got my peppers to do better than they've done in the past, but somehow I'm not harvesting them at the right time because they started to rot before I can pick them.

Enough whining.

The important thing at this point is to focus on what I learned and will do differently.

I learned...

• I need to have fewer goals that are clear cut. I tried to do too much too soon. Have you ever heard in gardening circles "start small and gradually increase what you grow"? Sage advice. Unless you're really young (ie: no kids yet) or retired with very few responsibilities outside of gardening, listen to this wisdom! I took on way too much before I had mastered certain skills.

• I must stick to seeds that have a shorter growing season. Because of the mountains around my house and our microclimate, I have about 60-80 days for my heat loving plants. TOPS. Fifty days is more like it.

• I need to cut back on the varieties I'm growing. I think diversity is highly needed, but not necessarily for the beginning gardener or until you know which varieties grow best in your microclimate. I have had repeated success with Diamond Eggplant, so now I know it's a winner for me. So now I'm going to add a totally different kind of eggplant to my garden. I need to do the same thing for tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Maybe lettuces, too. At least until I'm growing enough that I know I can feed my family with the dependable varieties first.

• I need to mulch so I don't have to water as much. I'll talk more about this soon, but because I stressed over watering the garden (worrying about a high water bill), I actually didn't water enough. But without mulch, it quickly dried out and I had to water again! So I probably stressed my garden more than necessary (ughhh - both the garden and I were stressed!). To add insult to injury, we had a small section of water line not insulated and exposed... yes, it broke in a freeze and a day or two later we found it. I won't tell you how much that mistake cost me!

• I need to create heat where I can. After watching a permaculture video of a guy in the alps who grew all kinds of things, I realize I CAN garden in my Zone 7 (actual microclimate more like a Zone 5 or 6). He used large rocks to soak up sun and distribute heat to near by plants. And I have some ideas for other heat generating solutions.

• Extend the season. I have GOT to get this thing down... shading lettuce in the heat and protecting tender plants from frost. I've bought supplies, I have covers, I have the basic knowledge. But I have to do it and keep it up! For some reason, I'm extremely intimidated by this subject, but I feel compelled to learn.

• Grow more than I need. Lots more! If I grow more than I need, I will have plenty to share or feed to my animals. It's not wasteful because someone can benefit. Even if it's my chickens... that's less commercial feed I have to buy. This is not to be confused with the idea that I have to grow every single thing I put in my mouth, but rather if I think we will eat two plants worth of eggplant, plant 3-4 of the same thing. I get really stressed thinking I have to grow every single vegetable known to man. It's pressure I put on myself; why do I do that? I need to be more proficient at a few good vegetables that we like and feel good about it instead of feeling guilty that I didn't plant garlic or something!

Okay, those are the big basics. Now if things go well, I hope to slip in one or two additional challenges, but I don't want to get my hopes up if they don't pan out...

• Grow a small amount of pasture plants for the goats and chickens. Okay this one is waaaayyy out there for me. I have no clue where I'm even going to do this, therefore I intend to start REALLY small. I just want to try growing it and see if they'll even eat it before I go hog wild.

• Practice more succession gardening. That means growing lettuce more than once. Planting a second crop of peas in the fall. That kind of thing.

So... there it is. The list for all the world to see. I'm committed now. Thankfully, I've found some new inspiration this year, but I'll save that for another day.

What is your one biggest gardening goal for 2012?

Feeders and Water for Goats

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Just in case you don't already know this... goats are very curious! They like to use their head for testing stuff, moving things around, and who knows what else. And they climb. A LOT. Standing on their back legs, jumping up on things, head butting... they're just a lot of fun to watch. Such a happy animal!

So I've learned that I don't wear my good clothes in their pen and never have anything that's dangling down that might be fodder for chewing. That would include jacket drawstrings, apron ties, long skirts,... things like that.

I've also learned that they need a good sturdy feeder because they ARE going to climb on it. And they need something for water that they can't knock over, because they will find it oh-so-fun to do so.

The first few weeks after the trio arrived on our homestead, we just made do by using a bucket and filling it often and making a feeder from extra pieces of wire cut from hog panels which we attached to the fence. But it was temporary at best.

So I did a little research on the internet to see what others were using as feeders. Having been mentored by a friend on goat care, I knew they do not like to eat hay that has fallen on the ground (my they're picky!), so it needed to have some kind of tray to catch most of what gets knocked around and eventually to the floor. I was surprised to see so few had something like this. And even fewer from suppliers. I visited every local store that might possibly sell feeders and still... I couldn't find just the right thing. Which meant making our own feeder.

I gave my husband a picture of what I wanted and he made a feeder out of scrap wood from around the garage. I think it only cost us $12 for some dowel rods. It was large enough to hold two flakes of hay along with a tray on the bottom to catch the stuff that gets knocked out, dropped, or just left over. You can see it works well and is popular with the goats.

We hung it on the wall, but made sure it was resting on a 2 x 4 that was nailed to the back wall. Also, we added sturdy legs in front. The goats can climb all over and it doesn't budge a bit. Seems like we're not using as much hay either, since it catches what they drop. Hopefully this will save us some money in the long run.

For watering, we purchased a wall bracket that has a lip on the back side for holding a bucket. To make it even more secure, there is a pin that holds the handle up and supports some of the weight. Both of these use the weight of the water in the bucket to help hold it firmly in place. It's been working perfectly! No more buckets being knocked over.

Finally, I picked up a mineral feeder at Hoegger's. If you're thinking of getting goats, you need a Hoegger catalog! Funny how the books and catalogs by my bedside table have changed!

I admit, I'm totally a novice at raising goats. And I know there is "more than one way to skin a cat", so I'm sure readers would like to know how others have solved their feeder and water issues for their goats. What seems simple and obvious to someone who has raised goats for a while is like a foreign language to those who haven't stepped into the water yet. So please share your thoughts and ideas!

Loving The Little Years

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

If Rachel Jankovic had a blog, I'd read it every day. Oh, but wait... she does blog! Over at Femina along with the rest of the Wilson women, just not every single day. As the mother of five toddlers and another on the way, she would be insane to attempt such a thing! But can you believe she managed to write a book filled with some very powerful vignettes on motherhood... and survive? (To my knowledge the children and the husband did, too.)

Rachel has honed her writing skills to be sure, but it's immediately clear that she also has a natural talent along with plenty of wit to communicate in such a way that you feel like she's hanging out with the girls talking face to face. I love that.

Loving the Little Years, could only be written after spending time "in the trenches" herself. She masterfully teaches without being preachy, throws in some natural humor (that could only come from someone who has learned to laugh at herself once in a while), and leaves you with a nugget of wisdom to take with you as you re-enter the trenches of your own home.

Each chapter is short enough that you can read it in the bathroom when you get a 2-3 minute break. Seriously, I'm a slow reader, but I could read one of her 20 chapters in the amount of time that it takes to go to the bathroom and no one need ever know! But don't think that just because this book is smaller than most that it's thin on substance. You'd be grossly mistaken. Those nuggets I mentioned are meaty... something you can chew on for a while and put into practice.

It would have been great to have had this book a few years earlier! My girls would've really appreciated it (once they were older). I think I'll be buying this in multiples and tucking them in baby gifts - for the moms, of course!

I received a copy of this book to preview, but I have not been compensated in any other way. My views about this book are strictly my own.

Barn Hop #46

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome! Mondays are for visiting around here as we hop from one homestead blog to another. I think last week was the first time we had over 200 friends link up! And although there are so many great homesteads to visit, we have all week long to stop by and say hello. One or two a day and you'll have made a lot of new friends while catching up on some you visit regularly.

I spent some time this week getting our goats better situated with their new feeder and a better water solution. They kept knocking over their water bucket, as goats are prone to do, and so we resolved that issue. My next goal is to get them tested for CAE and CL, add something for them to climb on for entertainment, and introduce Miss Fiona Bleu to a beau!

Don't forget this coming Saturday is the Preparedness Challenge! I hope you can all come back and participate. USA Emergency Supply will be giving away a nice item and you'll find ideas to help you meet the challenge of being good stewards in terms of preparedness.

Join The Barn Hop!

Jill @ The Prairie Homestead

Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead

Kelly @ The Morris Tribe

and Amy @ Homestead Revival...

...invite you to link up and share your homesteading adventures!

3. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment and tell us what's going on at your homestead!

Sunday Blessing

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

"Surely I have composed
and quieted my soul;...
hope in the Lord..."

~ Psalm 131:2,3

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him..."

~ Psalm 37:7a

Dear Daughter... Keeping It Real

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

By request of several friends, I've been asked to continue my Dear Daughter series. Yes, they are for my daughters, things I want to say about life and becoming a godly woman, but they are for all of us, myself included! I hope you find inspiration and perhaps even a springboard for conversation with your own daughter.

Dear Daughter,

How real should we be in front of others?

Lately, I've seen and heard a lot of comments about the idea of being transparent. The premise is, if you're not real, no one can relate to you. Without transparency, others won't let you in their life to help them because they think you really don't understand. Sounds reasonable.

There's plenty of "transparency" on facebook. Seems like it's the new venue for letting it all hang out. And it's not just teens, but people of all ages revealing attitudes, thoughts, and their wildest desires. And then there's the blog world. This past week, I read a blog that was slamming another blog tongue and cheek over the fact that they weren't being real. In doing so, they were very transparent! However, I can congratulate them that in this situation they were not being hypocritical.

On the other hand, there are those who have set the standard so high that they don't want to give the appearance of not living up to the very standard they are proposing, so they stay as far away from being real as possible (and often without realizing it). These are the commenters and bloggers who seem to have the "perfect life"; every room in order, children happily and cheerfully obeying, dinner on time with all the trimmings, and husband who takes them out on date nights regularly without a hitch. Not a hiccup to be seen for miles in any direction!

The good thing about some of these "unreal" comments or blogs is that they are often the very same people that inspire us to strive further than we are currently reaching. This can give us a good kick in the pants to get up and get busy. They display the beauty that our hearts are seeking after and aspire to bring into our own homes (unfortunately, they can also make us discouraged to the point that we give up and think our lives are never going to be "perfect"). But let me ask you... have you ever really been "inspired" by a blogger who poured out all the "real" in her life post after post after post? You may have been entertained, but were you motivated and energized? And what about that friend whose "real" comments on facebook are endless? Did it draw you to or away from that person after a while?

Computers aren't the only place we get these diverse misconceptions. For years we've known that magazines, television, and movies were purveyors of this sort of discontentment. But let's get even more "real"... how often have we looked at our friends sitting in the pews around us at church and thought "they wouldn't understand... their lives are prefect" or "their husbands are wonderful godly men" or "how come they can do it all and I can't" even get dinner on time?" And that's just for starters! We're skilled craftsmen at all kinds of lopsided notions when we see only a glimpse and not the whole picture.

Well then... which is it? Real or unaffected? Transparent or hidden? Should we seek to draw others to us and reveal the ugly or should we seek to inspire at a distance?

I think you can guess where this is going...

Too much transparency is exactly that... too much! If we only show our "real" selves, we will never inspire others or even ourselves that we can reach for a higher prize. And yet, someone who never shows one bit of her heart and yes, even a few of her failures, won't inspire either. Instead, over time, she whittles away at the very thing she had hoped to instill in others.

If you're wondering how to know exactly when to be real and when to be more guarded, you're not going to find the answer in this letter. You'll only find it as you walk with the Holy Spirit. Some of us have a personality that naturally makes us fall into the camp of being realists, laughing at ourselves as we fumble through life, while others instinctively clam up and want to look good before others and not reveal our mistakes. Don't be fooled, the root sin of both is often pride because we are seeking acceptance of man, but we're just going about it differently.

So next time you want to let it all hang out, remember...

• Don't assume that others have it all together. In fact, know for SURE that they don't. When you're sitting at church or anywhere else for that matter, seeing everyone in their Sunday best (and maybe feeling a bit inferior yourself), remember what is true (they don't have it all together) and then pray for them that the secret things in their lives will be given to God and worked out for His glory!

• Don't reveal so much that you loose your effectiveness for inspiring others, especially the very people you're trying to relate to. Think twice before posting that comment on facebook and reread your emails and blog posts. Ask yourself if you've included enough to encourage your friends to rise above their current situation or circumstances rather than revealing so much that they feel like they've just wallowed in the pit right along side you.

• Don't join in when others start to get too real! You'll recognize the situation when silly talk is flowing freely and coarse jesting is the norm (Ephesians 5:4).

• Don't be so guarded that you never share anything you're struggling with. It just ain't natural! Seriously, you may inspire for a moment, but over time, you'll find yourself all alone in your Pollyanna world that you've carefully tried to craft.

• Do listen to the Holy Spirit, and if He whispers to you to be real, then be humble enough to share what He's laid on your heart. Just be careful that it's no more and no less than what He's told you to say.

• Being real and speaking the truth does not mean you forgo tact. Choose your words carefully even when being real so that you communicate what you intend and not innuendo. Once your words are out, they can not be retrieved.

I'm reminded of a story someone once told about a magnificent tapestry they had a chance to view. When no one was looking, they reached up and moved back a corner to reveal the underneath side of the wall hanging, only to find a mess of threads going every which way. What was chaos and disorder had been transformed into something beautiful. You, my daughter, are priceless! And even your struggles and trials in life are part of a greater tapestry the Lord is lovingly weaving together. Let Him be the Artist of how and when it is woven!

Love,
Mom

And for all my blogland friends...

When you see pictures like this...

remember that there ARE times like this...

And if you see a photo like this...

keep in mind that you may not be seeing this...

Recipes for "Plan To Eat"

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Several of you have asked how the Plan To Eat site works in comparison to other menu planning programs. Others have wondered how they could figure it out since they're already short on time. I know that the first time I tried this plan, I really didn't find out what it could do and for almost 6 months, I missed out on using this great program. Knowing how to add a recipe EASILY is one of my favorite features and key to planning your menus which will dramatically enhance your use of the Plan To Eat program.

More and more I find that the recipes I cook from come off some blog or website I've found. Importing them into your Plan To Eat recipe book is easy, and it can be done 4 different ways.

Demonstrating the first two ways to import, Julie at Busy Mom Blog's You Tube Channel, has a couple of short videos that help explain the best or most preferred methods. This first video tells how to use the program to import them directly by using the bookmarklet right off the site.

This second video shows you how to cut and paste quickly and easily while still using the bookmarklet (and how to find a recipe for something you know is on sale). I can see this feature working nicely when the garden is producing an over abundance of something like zucchini or eggplant! Imagine finding all those ideas and importing them into your recipe box. You can even mark each recipe for the main ingredient or tag it so that next time around, you can just click "zucchini" and find all your recipes where this ingredient is used! (I'm in serious "like" mode here!)

There is a third way to import recipes, which Julie has not yet covered in a video, and it is just as easy to use; I've done it several times. When you find a recipe on line that you like and the other two methods haven't worked for some reason, just copy the URL from that page, go to your Plan To Eat Recipe Book and click "add a recipe". Right near the top you'll see a search bar that says "Search The Web"; just paste the URL into that box and hit return.

Once you hit return, check the recipe for anything that you might want to add or correct and then just save it as you normally would. All three of these methods typically import the photo as well. (I like photos!)

Finally, you can type a recipe in the old fashion way filling in each box. This is the method you would have to use to add recipes from your recipe box at home, family favorites, a recipe passed along by a friend, or something out of a magazine. You can add you're own photo as well as notes and share it with others.

Although Plan To Eat is not a "recipe" site where you'll find a lot of ideas for things to cook, the more friends that join and make their recipes public, the more recipes you actually have access to. (Making them public means that only their friends on the Plan To Eat site can see them, while a private recipe means only the person who posted the recipe can see it.)

I hope this helps answer some of your questions. I really encourage you to stop by Busy Mom Blogs to see some more of her videos on different parts of the Plan To Eat site. And thanks to Julie for all the time she spent putting these together!

I'm feeling a bit more... organized!!

Is there a website where you find a lot of great recipes? Share the link in the comments below!

As an affiliate of Plan To Eat, I receive a commission when users sign up for a subscription.

Barn Hop #45

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome! We're marching right on through January at lightening speed! Were does time go? It certainly isn't standing still? It has suddenly come to my attention that it's time to place my order for bees, any seeds I might need for spring, get the goats tested for CAE and CL so that I can breed my doe, get more raised beds built that I have planned for the year, have my dear husband make some trellises I've admired and desperately need,... {taking in a gasp of air...}

I'll stop.

The weather here has been spectacular! On the down side, no rain or snow = no moisture. Hmmm... it's either feast or famine. But since it is what it is, I need to "make hay while the sun is shining" and get to that list!

Last week at the Barn Hop, we said good bye to Megan as a hostess (although she's still blogging!) and hello to Kelly. Then I shared that I've joined Raising Homemakers as a contributor. As promised, I have still another announcement that I've been saving all week.

Those of you familiar with the Preparedness Challenge, know that I have changed these from every Saturday to only the last Saturday of each month, giving us more time to do a few preparations. I'm pleased to share that USA Emergency Supply and Tattler Reusable Canning Lids will be sponsoring these monthly challenges! Both companies are right there with us, helping to get everyone prepared whether it's for filling your pantry by preserving the harvest or repacking grains purchased through your local co-op. (Check out Tattler's new redesigned website!)

AND... for each Preparedness Challenge, USA Emergency Supply will be hosting a give-away! Woo hoo!! How's that for fun! I'll be sharing the specifics about a week before the first 2012 Preparedness Challenge, so keep an eye out for advance details.

Join The Barn Hop!

Jill @ The Prairie Homestead

Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead

Kelly @ The Morris Tribe

and Amy @ Homestead Revival...

...invite you to link up and share your homesteading adventures!

3. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment and tell us what's going on at your homestead!

Sunday Blessing

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

"... do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
~ Romans 2:4

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight."

~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Raising Homemakers

2012-01-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

Well, the cat's already out of the bag, so to speak, but I couldn't help but share a bit of news anyway... I'm just a wee bit exited, to say the least!

Raising Homemakers has kindly extended an invitation for me to join them as one of their contributors along with several other wonderful bloggers!

Such an honor! And of course, I was pleased to accept. Their mission, to teach and prepare daughters in the art of homemaking, is in keeping with my own... I just hope I can contribute as well as these other beautiful women of God have done. Your prayers for this new adventure would be greatly appreciated!

If you haven't visited Raising Homemakers yet, I'd like to encourage you to do so. You'll find a wealth of information and thoughts that will give you plenty to meditate on, a weekly link up on Wednesdays that is outstanding, and a new Raising Sons Corner (coming soon!) for those of you with young men. Topics on the blog cover everything from parenting to sewing and everything in between. Be sure to spend a little time there browsing through some past posts because the words of wisdom within them is timeless.

Thank you, Raising Homemakers! I'm blessed to be numbered among you!

What topics relating to Raising Homemakers (or sons) would you like to see?

Freezing Buttermilk

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted a list of my Kitchen Goals for 2012, one of which is making my own homemade dressings. However, a lot of my favorite recipes call for either sour cream or buttermilk, but I don't always have these on hand when I need them, and when I do, it seems like such a waste to purchase a large container when I only need a small amount. (The exception to this is when I make my own cultured sour cream or buttermilk, which taste so good that I go hunting things to use them in and on!)

So I needed to come up with a way to have these two ingredients on hand at all times. In the past, I purchased Bob's Red Mill Buttermilk Powder. Although I can keep it in the freezer so it lasts longer, it only works okay; it isn't as thick and creamy as what you buy in the carton at the store (or homemade for that matter). It's fine when I'm in a pinch, but if we're going to switch to our own dressings all the time, they need to be GOOD; crowd pleasers and yet, still frugal.

Often I buy raw cow's milk in advance and freeze it since I can't get it at the grocery store. (Until Fiona Bleu has a kid and is in milk, we treat it like a rare commodity around here!) Then I got to thinking, if I freeze milk, why can't I freeze buttermilk?

Just like my extra lemon juice, I poured it up into ice cube trays and popped it in the freezer. One quart filled 3 trays with 2 T. of buttermilk in each cube. The small size should allow me to thaw just what I need for a dressing without wasting much, if any.

A few hours later, I was in the frozen buttermilk business.

Bagged up in freezer bags, these should stay fresh for up to 3 months (be sure to date your bags). Even if I don't use them all, I can thaw the extras at the last minute and feed it to the chickens.

I decided I should thaw some and make sure it worked. So I pulled out a cube and let it come to room temperature.

Other than a few ice crystals, it seemed fine. Tasted the same. A purest probably would not approve, but until I have my own source again for making raw, cultured dairy products, this was the next best thing and the most frugal option I could come up with.

Unfortunately, sour cream does not freeze as well. When thawed it separates and isn't great in most recipes. But, few dressings call for this ingredient and I can find something to do with the left overs. I just wish it was as easy as freezing a few cubes!

Kitchen Goals 2012

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

I don't think I've ever set up Kitchen Goals as a specific New Year's resolution or challenge, but I'm doing so for 2012. Of all the items on my budget, the food category seems to be running away from me lately and I really want to get a handle on it. I may not succeed in all of them, but at least I'll be focused on a goal and hopefully meet most of them.

2012 Kitchen Goals

• Eat 20 of 21 meals a week at home. We're doing pretty good in this area, but I want to nail it this year! No getting caught by surprise. Ha! Well, surprise really isn't the right word. Perhaps I should say, "caught without a plan". This is where I'm thinking the Plan To Eat site will pay for itself. I figure if I eliminate even one more meal out a week, the savings would pay for the monthly Plan To Eat fee of $3.25-$4.95 (depending on how you pay - yearly or monthly). I'm taking the money for this out of my food budget linie item since it's related to meals.

• Buy even more items in bulk and on sale. I've been a bulk purchaser for years, but there are things that I have never quit buying one at a time which I could easily buy in multiples and save money. Time to do so. Like frozen organic corn. Yogurt (until the goats kid). And I seldom check to see what Azure Standard has on sale in order to stock up when prices are better. Must do better on this!

• Make more crock pot meals. I just don't use this kitchen tool enough, especially on Sundays and Wednesdays. {Sigh... } This may be the biggest challenge since my cuts of meat are not typically what the recipes call for. I get about 90%+ of our meat/fish from our own sources/hunting, or from a friend who raised/hunted for the meat. We don't get boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or even a large package of just chicken breasts for that matter (but I do have lots of chicken feet!). And I haven't seen too many venison crock pot recipes. Any chance you have?

• Eat more bean or vegetarian dishes. We usually eat at least one vegetarian dinner a week, but I'm thinking two or three? That would leave four days a week, one each for beef, chicken, venison, and fish or wild boar (just depends on what the Lord provides).

• Make all my own salad dressings. I finally quit buying mayonnaise last year - yahoo! No more GMO soy stuff or expensive organic. I make my own and after several experiments, I'm very happy with the results. Thanks to the link up last year, several of you gave me some fabulous salad dressing recipes. Only problem, there was almost always a major ingredient missing from my kitchen. I'm resolved to keep those items on hand so that I can offer my family a variety of great dressings and save money! (I might get really committed and stop buying ketchup, too!)

• Keep better tabs on my pantry/freezer inventory. Again, I hope to utilize the Plan To Eat site to help me track my pantry and freezer items and actually use them (not my emergency food storage unless I'm rotating items in to eat them). It's typically the unusual stuff I seldom use, but need for a recipe once in a while that I overlook. Once loaded, I can click "Cook From My Pantry" when I'm in a pinch (but of course, I hope I've planned ahead!).

Feel free to share your own kitchen goals for this year!

NOTE: Anyone who clicks my PLAN TO EAT link and signs up, I'll "friend" you so you can see my recipes!
Per FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I am an affiliate and am paid per sign up.