With crisp mornings and the bluest skies of the year, who can resist Fall?
While I love the changing colors of the leaves, sometimes I feel as though I could do without the thousands of little (and big) tasks that the fall brings.
For us, this years list has included cutting and stacking firewood, and of course, hauling of hay. October also marks the fall cleaning of the chickens houses and the clearing of the garden. Let's not forget that this is the perfect time for those yard work items that've been put off for too long, like vines growing on the fences and such.
Adding to my list is also the rush to start and to finish Christmas gifts. I've got quilts and afgans already in progress and some yet to be started! While it may be easier to go out and buy a gift, the process of creating something beautiful for a loved one is an experience that just can't be duplicated.
Enjoy your fall weather my friends!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
My Fantastic New Toy
About a month ago we had to have a 50' oak tree in our yard felled. I hate to lose the summer shade, but it had developed rot at the base and the number of dying branches had been getting worse. We had a local tree service come and take it down for us so that we could cut it in to firewood. If you are in the Jackson area and ever need a tree taken down, I'd highly recommend Geddie Tree Service.
Anyway, so my husband cut a large portion of the tree up into "donuts" and we carried them to the house and set up a big piece as a cutting stand and I went to work on splitting. Nothing fancy, just with an axe. Canaan came in behind me and split the pieces that I had trouble with. Quite a bit of what wouldn't split with an axe did split with the help of a wedge, but still there was a mountain of pieces that would require a splitter.
The debate was on - to buy, to rent, or to borrow? No one we know locally owns a splitter, so that was out. Our local Home Depot rents one, but knowing that there would be more wood to split down the road, I wasn't sure that this was our best option. I started looking around to buy one, but they looked out of my price range. Even the ones I saw on Craigslist were too much!
And then I found this beauty:
The price was awesome! Just $120 at our local Harbor Freight. They are also available online.
I picked it up Tuesday but didn't get a chance to take it out and try it until yesterday. Super easy to use, it's essentially a 10-ton bottle jack mounted to a stand. It lays down like shown, you put the wood pieces between the jack and the wedge point, and pump the handles to engage the jack. Easy peasy.
The directions say it won't split anything larger that 6 1/2 inches in diameter, but I powered through pieces much larger. I just had to turn it a few times and resplit it.
I'd recommend it to anyone on a budget that needs a splitter. Since it's manual it doesn't require gasoline or electricity to use, so it would be perfect to use anywhere.
That's how I spent about 4 hours of my time yesterday, and how I intend to start my morning.
Have a fantastic day!
Anyway, so my husband cut a large portion of the tree up into "donuts" and we carried them to the house and set up a big piece as a cutting stand and I went to work on splitting. Nothing fancy, just with an axe. Canaan came in behind me and split the pieces that I had trouble with. Quite a bit of what wouldn't split with an axe did split with the help of a wedge, but still there was a mountain of pieces that would require a splitter.
The debate was on - to buy, to rent, or to borrow? No one we know locally owns a splitter, so that was out. Our local Home Depot rents one, but knowing that there would be more wood to split down the road, I wasn't sure that this was our best option. I started looking around to buy one, but they looked out of my price range. Even the ones I saw on Craigslist were too much!
And then I found this beauty:
The price was awesome! Just $120 at our local Harbor Freight. They are also available online.
I picked it up Tuesday but didn't get a chance to take it out and try it until yesterday. Super easy to use, it's essentially a 10-ton bottle jack mounted to a stand. It lays down like shown, you put the wood pieces between the jack and the wedge point, and pump the handles to engage the jack. Easy peasy.
The directions say it won't split anything larger that 6 1/2 inches in diameter, but I powered through pieces much larger. I just had to turn it a few times and resplit it.
I'd recommend it to anyone on a budget that needs a splitter. Since it's manual it doesn't require gasoline or electricity to use, so it would be perfect to use anywhere.
That's how I spent about 4 hours of my time yesterday, and how I intend to start my morning.
Have a fantastic day!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Nothing's Better Than Soup on a Cold Day
Today's forcast was for a high near 70, but rainy. I know, I know, that's not very cold, but it's the rain that makes it feel cooler than it is.
Cool weather always takes me back to being a little kid. My mom would occasionally make a big pot of beans with ham hocks and some homemade cornbread. Hot and hearty, the beans were flavorful, and what could top fresh cornbread with melted butter and honey?
I decided right away that soup would be a perfect choice for dinner, and had already decided to try Hurst's 15 Bean Soup as the ticket.
Most people I know won't cook with dry beans, for two simple reasons. One, it takes forethought, and two, it's not as simple as opening a can. With a little planning though, it really is the most economical way to use beans of any kind.
The first thing I did was pull out a glass bowl and fill it with water. Then in went the beans for about 8 hours of soaking. (This isn't a special mix of mine or anything, it's simply a 20oz package of mixed beans that I picked up at the local Wal-Mart for aobut $2. It's name on the package is Hurst's 15 Bean Soup Mix.) You can soak beans first thing in the morning for use at dinner, or if you are using a crockpot you could soak the beans overnight to put in the pot before leaving for work.
Anyhow, by 3pm the beans had soaked and I was ready to make soup! Following the directions, I rinsed the beans and added them to a pot with 2 quarts of water. Next you add whatever meat you are using - ham, ham hocks, or smoked sausage. I went with the sausage because I had some in the freezer.
I also chose to add some onion at this stage because I wanted it to really add flavor into the soup. Either way, the next thing to do is let it simmer for about 2 1/2 hours. Once I had it going I went about cleaning up the kitchen and doing some housework.
At 5:30pm it was ready for the tomatoes and seasonings. I also mixed up some cornbread and put it in the oven. I mean really, what's better with bean soup than cornbread?
A little after 6pm we sat down to eat. It was fantastic! Thick, hardy and flavorful, my husband really enjoyed it as well. Because there is just two of us and it makes so much we have plenty for lunches and lots for the freezer.
I know not everyone has all day to spend on soup, so I'm thinking you could make this in a crockpot pretty easily if you cooked it on low, which is below a simmer heat. I'll try it next time I make this and report back!
Stay warm!
Cool weather always takes me back to being a little kid. My mom would occasionally make a big pot of beans with ham hocks and some homemade cornbread. Hot and hearty, the beans were flavorful, and what could top fresh cornbread with melted butter and honey?
I decided right away that soup would be a perfect choice for dinner, and had already decided to try Hurst's 15 Bean Soup as the ticket.
Most people I know won't cook with dry beans, for two simple reasons. One, it takes forethought, and two, it's not as simple as opening a can. With a little planning though, it really is the most economical way to use beans of any kind.
The first thing I did was pull out a glass bowl and fill it with water. Then in went the beans for about 8 hours of soaking. (This isn't a special mix of mine or anything, it's simply a 20oz package of mixed beans that I picked up at the local Wal-Mart for aobut $2. It's name on the package is Hurst's 15 Bean Soup Mix.) You can soak beans first thing in the morning for use at dinner, or if you are using a crockpot you could soak the beans overnight to put in the pot before leaving for work.
Anyhow, by 3pm the beans had soaked and I was ready to make soup! Following the directions, I rinsed the beans and added them to a pot with 2 quarts of water. Next you add whatever meat you are using - ham, ham hocks, or smoked sausage. I went with the sausage because I had some in the freezer.
I also chose to add some onion at this stage because I wanted it to really add flavor into the soup. Either way, the next thing to do is let it simmer for about 2 1/2 hours. Once I had it going I went about cleaning up the kitchen and doing some housework.
At 5:30pm it was ready for the tomatoes and seasonings. I also mixed up some cornbread and put it in the oven. I mean really, what's better with bean soup than cornbread?
A little after 6pm we sat down to eat. It was fantastic! Thick, hardy and flavorful, my husband really enjoyed it as well. Because there is just two of us and it makes so much we have plenty for lunches and lots for the freezer.
I know not everyone has all day to spend on soup, so I'm thinking you could make this in a crockpot pretty easily if you cooked it on low, which is below a simmer heat. I'll try it next time I make this and report back!
Stay warm!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sometimes Homemade Really Should Be Homemade
I've always had a different version of what Homemade is, probably because my Mom has always been such a wonderful cook. Unlike most households, I can remember meals from a box being few and far between, with fresh ingredients the norm in our house. With raw meats and fresh vegetables Mom would whip up meals that would put most restaurants to shame.
Growing up I hated cooking, and only rarely would help or try to make a meal on my own. I guess it's no surprise then that when I moved out on my own, my version of cooking at home consisted of frozen dinners and boxed meals. Not suprisingly perhaps, the young women around me had this same method of home cooking.
As I've grown older, acquired cookbooks, and branched out at making my own, I've made the destinction between "homecooked" and "homemade". I've concluded that if you boiled store bought pasta and dumped in sauce from a jar or can that's not "homemade" spaghetti, just "homecooked". Sure, you can even call it "semi-homemade" if you've taken a jar of sauce and added vegetables, meats, seasonings, etc., but you really can't call that a homemade meal in my book.
Today I set out to make Homemade BBQ Pulled Chicken on Sweet Rolls, and yes, it took almost all day. I took a whole chicken out of the freezer, boiled it, stripped the meat off and put it in the crockpot with homemade Peach BBQ sauce. I made my own buns, and we ate it with home canned Bread and Butter Pickles on top. YUM!
(In the midst of all of this, I also made a batch of Healthier Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for this week's sweet. Let me know if you'd like any of the recipes posted.)
Why bother with homemade if homecooked is easier? Because one day, when I have kids of my own, I want them to have the same memories that I have - of mom in the kitchen making something delicious and healthy from just raw ingredients.
And more than that... I want them to taste that one special ingredient that only true homemade cooking has.... Love.
Until next time....
Growing up I hated cooking, and only rarely would help or try to make a meal on my own. I guess it's no surprise then that when I moved out on my own, my version of cooking at home consisted of frozen dinners and boxed meals. Not suprisingly perhaps, the young women around me had this same method of home cooking.
As I've grown older, acquired cookbooks, and branched out at making my own, I've made the destinction between "homecooked" and "homemade". I've concluded that if you boiled store bought pasta and dumped in sauce from a jar or can that's not "homemade" spaghetti, just "homecooked". Sure, you can even call it "semi-homemade" if you've taken a jar of sauce and added vegetables, meats, seasonings, etc., but you really can't call that a homemade meal in my book.
Today I set out to make Homemade BBQ Pulled Chicken on Sweet Rolls, and yes, it took almost all day. I took a whole chicken out of the freezer, boiled it, stripped the meat off and put it in the crockpot with homemade Peach BBQ sauce. I made my own buns, and we ate it with home canned Bread and Butter Pickles on top. YUM!
(In the midst of all of this, I also made a batch of Healthier Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for this week's sweet. Let me know if you'd like any of the recipes posted.)
Why bother with homemade if homecooked is easier? Because one day, when I have kids of my own, I want them to have the same memories that I have - of mom in the kitchen making something delicious and healthy from just raw ingredients.
And more than that... I want them to taste that one special ingredient that only true homemade cooking has.... Love.
Until next time....
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Relaxing Weekend!
Greetings! Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend!
Here in Mississippi it was a lovely weekend, if a little warm. Mid to upper 80's is a bit much for October, but Wednesday begins a cooling trend that will keep us in the 60's for at least the next week. It's definitely Fall!
After burning brush, mowing pastures and just doing the general on the farm business, tonight I made a wonderful home-cooked meal that I thought I would share.
The recipe is Chicken Stroganoff and is adapted (slightly) from the recipe my mom sent me.
Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken, breasts, tenderloins, thigh strips, etc.
1 pkg bacon
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup flour
1 cup diced onions
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons parsley
8oz egg noodles
Broil bacon until crisp. Cool and dice. Set aside. Boil egg noodles, keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a pan, cook the chicken until no longer pink. Remove from heat, dice into bite-sized pieces and set aside with the bacon.
In a bowl, whisk together sour cream and flour until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk in broth. Set aside.
To your pan, saute the mushrooms, onions and garlic. Add chicken and bacon to the pan and cook a few more minutes, mixing it all together really well. Add the sour cream mixture to the pan. It will be thin, so cook it for a few minutes to thicken.
Serve the stroganoff over egg noodles with some garlic bread and a side salad.
Happy eating!
Here in Mississippi it was a lovely weekend, if a little warm. Mid to upper 80's is a bit much for October, but Wednesday begins a cooling trend that will keep us in the 60's for at least the next week. It's definitely Fall!
After burning brush, mowing pastures and just doing the general on the farm business, tonight I made a wonderful home-cooked meal that I thought I would share.
The recipe is Chicken Stroganoff and is adapted (slightly) from the recipe my mom sent me.
Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken, breasts, tenderloins, thigh strips, etc.
1 pkg bacon
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup flour
1 cup diced onions
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons parsley
8oz egg noodles
Broil bacon until crisp. Cool and dice. Set aside. Boil egg noodles, keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a pan, cook the chicken until no longer pink. Remove from heat, dice into bite-sized pieces and set aside with the bacon.
In a bowl, whisk together sour cream and flour until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk in broth. Set aside.
To your pan, saute the mushrooms, onions and garlic. Add chicken and bacon to the pan and cook a few more minutes, mixing it all together really well. Add the sour cream mixture to the pan. It will be thin, so cook it for a few minutes to thicken.
Serve the stroganoff over egg noodles with some garlic bread and a side salad.
Happy eating!
Friday, October 14, 2011
A Beautiful Morning
I was up and about a little earlier than usual today. At 6:30a I roused myself from a warm bed, threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt and came downstairs.
Today a local gal is coming to buy eggs, so I donned my headlamp and headed out to pick up those eggs I didn't grab last night. It was quiet with the exception of the roosters who were greeting the world with their crowing. The grass was heavy with dew and the llamas were beginning to stir. I saw a nose poke out of the donkey barn at the sound of the gate, and seeing that it was just me it promptly returned to its warm shelter.
After picking up the eggs and bringing them in to be washed and put away, I poured myself a cup of orange juice and sat on the front porch to watch the sun coming up.
Fog was rising lightly from the ground only a few feet. It was beautiful to watch the farm lighten by degrees - each moment a little brighter with early morning light.
As I sat there sipping my orange juice and gazing over my farm it occurred to me how different my life is from so many of my friends and family. How odd it must seem. How difficult it is to walk the line between the modern world and that simpler time where you reaped what you had sown.
I decided in that moment to start my own blog. I hope to share some of my experiences with you as I go along on this journey. Comments and questions are always appreciated.
May you have a beautiful Friday!
Today a local gal is coming to buy eggs, so I donned my headlamp and headed out to pick up those eggs I didn't grab last night. It was quiet with the exception of the roosters who were greeting the world with their crowing. The grass was heavy with dew and the llamas were beginning to stir. I saw a nose poke out of the donkey barn at the sound of the gate, and seeing that it was just me it promptly returned to its warm shelter.
After picking up the eggs and bringing them in to be washed and put away, I poured myself a cup of orange juice and sat on the front porch to watch the sun coming up.
Fog was rising lightly from the ground only a few feet. It was beautiful to watch the farm lighten by degrees - each moment a little brighter with early morning light.
As I sat there sipping my orange juice and gazing over my farm it occurred to me how different my life is from so many of my friends and family. How odd it must seem. How difficult it is to walk the line between the modern world and that simpler time where you reaped what you had sown.
I decided in that moment to start my own blog. I hope to share some of my experiences with you as I go along on this journey. Comments and questions are always appreciated.
May you have a beautiful Friday!
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