Friday, September 19, 2014
How we never get tomato worms!
How does a family that grows an enormous amount of tomatoes not get tomato worms? Simple, marigolds. Well, we might have found like two each year. We just put a few marigold seeds between each tomato plant so that when tomato season is over, there is still a sea of marigolds left for table bouquets. Not even a dime needed to get them going after the first year. That first year you buy a couple of packets and after that there's plenty of dead heads to save from. Just remember to get the dead heads, those have already been pollenated by the bees and butterflies. So simple! Its also a very easy way for little ones to get involved in the gardening process. They can easily pull apart dead flowers to save seeds for next year. Then place on cookie tray to dry out for a day or two. Jar and keep in a cool, dry place until next year. Get out and grow together!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
1 Hour A Day May Keep Hunger Away
What if you could make an investment for your family's food future so that in a time of need, such as a disaster, power outage, or such you would not be stuck having to do without. Or worse! Remember hungry people don't always get along. What if you could spend a little time investing not only in your food future, but in the next generation. (See: Planting Fall Garden with Them). Last week we spent 1 hr toward growing greens, lettuce, beets, kale, spinach and carrots. Dad did till up ground, but after that we spent only about 45minutes to 1hr putting out the seeds of knowledge, bonding, learning and love. Here we can see already the sprouts of a fall/winter food source. Carrots grow really well in winter here in the south. They won't be ready until early spring. Summer in the south is sometimes too hot for them, so we plant in fall. We can start pulling them up come Febuary/March. All for pennies on the dollar.
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| Saved seed and grew herself, 5 yrs. |
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| Before |
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After 1 week and a good rain. |
Monday, September 15, 2014
Affordable Garden Fresh Pizza with "them"
Summer is over, however; there is still a produce section at the grocery store. One of our favorites is to make homemade pizza together on Friday night. So after pricing it up and considering the "health food" aspect of it, I though it might be worth sharing. In the summer we eat a lot from the garden, which means mostly free, minus sweat equity and a little $. But even buying all the ingredients you can do soooo much better making your own food than buy "convenience foods". You must be willing to "do" a little work. And that means move your rump off the couch, but it is worth it for your pocket book, your health, and for "them". I really do believe the best option, that really IS an option to most of us is to grow what we eat. It is hard, time consuming and requires you to "do" something, but it is worth it. Your health, your family's health is all at stake. But this recipe can be used for anyone who wants healthy and affordable even if you don't grow a garden.
This recipe feeds 8 people, and so if you're only feeding say 2 or 4, half or quarter it as suits you. I'm going to itemize for you here so you will see the value of it. It's also soooo much easier nowadays with all the new kitchen equipment most of use. It's not so time consuming. It takes 30min to prepare and 20-30 min to cook. And there's enough for everybody to have average of 3 big pieces. But little ones won't eat but 1 or 2.
Crust: 6 Cups flour ($1.50), 3/4 Cup Safflower Oil ($.75), 1&1/2 Tblspn Yeast ($.10), 2 Cups warm water free. Mix in blender, until looks like dough. To stiff add water 1/4cup at a time, too wet add flour. Eyeball it till it looks right.
Topping: Veggies 2med sized Squash ($1.50), 2med Zucinni ($1.50), 1 Onion ($.50), Handful of Peppers ($1.00), 1/2 Cup Safflower Oil($.50). Cut up veggies and sautée in skillet just until there not quit so hard and crunchy.
Cheese: This is "The Best" Cheese with No Hormone Use! Joseph Farms It comes in a 4 lb block ($15.00). Shred 1&1/2 lb. ($5.62).
Sauce: home canned tomatoe sauce ($.25) or ($1.00) store bought, with pizza herbs for seasoning ($.25) or free if you grow 'em. Ok so the cost for feeding a family of 8 two big veggie pizzas is ( if it were my Husband he would figure in energy use and gas to the store :). But anyway, all items bought Total =$ 14.47 Half it for feeding 4 and you've got $7.25. "What !!!!"
Yep, now lets see what it would be if you grew most of these things, what that might look like. Minus cost of Peppers, Onions, Squash, and Zucinni, and canned tomato sauce, your looking at $9.22 for 8 people or $4.61 for 4 people. That's $ 1.80 per person if it is all store bought or $1.15 a person if you grow it your self. WOW!!!!! Verses the mystery meat, cheap-o hotdog & chips at an average of $1.75 a person. With nothing but dog, bun, and chips. Come on!!!!! So not only can you eat healthy on a dime you can do it with the ones you love. "Get out and grow together!" Then make pizza :)
This recipe feeds 8 people, and so if you're only feeding say 2 or 4, half or quarter it as suits you. I'm going to itemize for you here so you will see the value of it. It's also soooo much easier nowadays with all the new kitchen equipment most of use. It's not so time consuming. It takes 30min to prepare and 20-30 min to cook. And there's enough for everybody to have average of 3 big pieces. But little ones won't eat but 1 or 2.
Crust: 6 Cups flour ($1.50), 3/4 Cup Safflower Oil ($.75), 1&1/2 Tblspn Yeast ($.10), 2 Cups warm water free. Mix in blender, until looks like dough. To stiff add water 1/4cup at a time, too wet add flour. Eyeball it till it looks right.
Topping: Veggies 2med sized Squash ($1.50), 2med Zucinni ($1.50), 1 Onion ($.50), Handful of Peppers ($1.00), 1/2 Cup Safflower Oil($.50). Cut up veggies and sautée in skillet just until there not quit so hard and crunchy.
Cheese: This is "The Best" Cheese with No Hormone Use! Joseph Farms It comes in a 4 lb block ($15.00). Shred 1&1/2 lb. ($5.62).
Sauce: home canned tomatoe sauce ($.25) or ($1.00) store bought, with pizza herbs for seasoning ($.25) or free if you grow 'em. Ok so the cost for feeding a family of 8 two big veggie pizzas is ( if it were my Husband he would figure in energy use and gas to the store :). But anyway, all items bought Total =$ 14.47 Half it for feeding 4 and you've got $7.25. "What !!!!"
Yep, now lets see what it would be if you grew most of these things, what that might look like. Minus cost of Peppers, Onions, Squash, and Zucinni, and canned tomato sauce, your looking at $9.22 for 8 people or $4.61 for 4 people. That's $ 1.80 per person if it is all store bought or $1.15 a person if you grow it your self. WOW!!!!! Verses the mystery meat, cheap-o hotdog & chips at an average of $1.75 a person. With nothing but dog, bun, and chips. Come on!!!!! So not only can you eat healthy on a dime you can do it with the ones you love. "Get out and grow together!" Then make pizza :)
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Yogurt making, the easy Homestead Moma way.
This is so super easy that my 6yr old begged to be our in house yogurt maker, and loves the job. We could'nt be happier. Homesteading skills are not all hard, or I would not be doing them. Grab your little people and "grow together", in this case it's probiotics. Teach them this one easy trick and you'll have it made. It really takes 10 minutes to put together. Oh and please don't waste your time telling me, it might not be safe because you aren't using proper ($200) equipment. I like doing things the old fashion way, so thanks but we've done it like this for years. If it's bad, it's because there is bad Milk used, and you'll know it by the look(like cheese) and smell. Yogurt smells a little sour anyway, so you know it's bad when it really WREAKS! Very rarely does that happen. And again do you know your milk source?
Things Needed:
Pint or Quart Jar (must be glass)
Yogurt (I prefer/like Greek) when$ will allow
Milk
Sugar or Honey
Just place 1/2 Cup of your yogurt of choice into a pint jar or 1Cup into a quart.
Top with 2 Tblspn Sugar or Honey for pint, 4 Tblspn for quart. Top with milk.
Put on lid, shake VIGOROUSLY. To evenly disperse among milk. It may have clumps at the bottom of jar and not make as well if it's not mixed in good. Then simply place outside in a sunny spot. The glad will make a greenhouse/solar cooker for it and Viola! It's done. Really were all those gadgets to "make yogurt" used 100 yrs ago? No! So let it sit all day and at nightfall you'll have yogurt. If not, let it sit another day. The idea is to let it incubate or grow the good bacteria. And needs a temp in the upper nineties for about 12-18 hrs to do so. Don't put it out in the daytime(afternoon), because it's not getting all day sun. Don't start after say 12pm noon. Unless it's pretty warm outside. If you need to make with "them" in afternoon. Just put out next morning. If it is real hot and sunny, 90 degrees or more, put in a place that will give some shade/some sun. 1/2 and 1/2. You'll know it's done when it pulls away from the jar in a solid clump, or has the thick look of jelly. It can over cook. So watch it. Or if it's fall and cool outside, place in front window of a car that does not have tinted windows. Free solar cooker! I have mine here on the greenhouse shelf, and just left doors and window open to prevent overheating. Trick here is it takes getting direct sunlight! If your greenhouse is not translucent put in full sun. Like now in the fall, I'd do full sun on a piece of aluminum foil to help heat rise temp. ***Or place in oven with light on, and oven off. Another option is place in crockpot alternating between warm and off through the day. Idea is to keep warm. Once gelled, refrigerate and reserve a small amount to do again. If you can keep it going, it's like sour dough starter. In this manner you won't need to buy yogurt, at least for a long while.
Occasionally it can go bad, but if it does it's because you've got bacteria in your milk. IE. Bad Milk. Yogurt is a natural process, like cheese of the good bacteria growing and "contaminating" the whole container of milk. If you end up with something that smells real bad, IT IS! It should not have a "cheesy look and smell", like a baby bottle that was left in the car on a hot day. Dump it and try again. It only costs pennies to do this anyway. In fact when these pictures were taken we did 2quarts and 1pint, and we saved about $15 in what we would spend at the store for that much yogurt.
Things Needed:
Pint or Quart Jar (must be glass)
Yogurt (I prefer/like Greek) when$ will allow
Milk
Sugar or Honey
Just place 1/2 Cup of your yogurt of choice into a pint jar or 1Cup into a quart.
Top with 2 Tblspn Sugar or Honey for pint, 4 Tblspn for quart. Top with milk.
Put on lid, shake VIGOROUSLY. To evenly disperse among milk. It may have clumps at the bottom of jar and not make as well if it's not mixed in good. Then simply place outside in a sunny spot. The glad will make a greenhouse/solar cooker for it and Viola! It's done. Really were all those gadgets to "make yogurt" used 100 yrs ago? No! So let it sit all day and at nightfall you'll have yogurt. If not, let it sit another day. The idea is to let it incubate or grow the good bacteria. And needs a temp in the upper nineties for about 12-18 hrs to do so. Don't put it out in the daytime(afternoon), because it's not getting all day sun. Don't start after say 12pm noon. Unless it's pretty warm outside. If you need to make with "them" in afternoon. Just put out next morning. If it is real hot and sunny, 90 degrees or more, put in a place that will give some shade/some sun. 1/2 and 1/2. You'll know it's done when it pulls away from the jar in a solid clump, or has the thick look of jelly. It can over cook. So watch it. Or if it's fall and cool outside, place in front window of a car that does not have tinted windows. Free solar cooker! I have mine here on the greenhouse shelf, and just left doors and window open to prevent overheating. Trick here is it takes getting direct sunlight! If your greenhouse is not translucent put in full sun. Like now in the fall, I'd do full sun on a piece of aluminum foil to help heat rise temp. ***Or place in oven with light on, and oven off. Another option is place in crockpot alternating between warm and off through the day. Idea is to keep warm. Once gelled, refrigerate and reserve a small amount to do again. If you can keep it going, it's like sour dough starter. In this manner you won't need to buy yogurt, at least for a long while.
Occasionally it can go bad, but if it does it's because you've got bacteria in your milk. IE. Bad Milk. Yogurt is a natural process, like cheese of the good bacteria growing and "contaminating" the whole container of milk. If you end up with something that smells real bad, IT IS! It should not have a "cheesy look and smell", like a baby bottle that was left in the car on a hot day. Dump it and try again. It only costs pennies to do this anyway. In fact when these pictures were taken we did 2quarts and 1pint, and we saved about $15 in what we would spend at the store for that much yogurt.
****Homemade yogurt is a little runny because you don't add in all the "unhealthy" additives to thicken it up. Just put into frig till good and cold. A couple of hours. Just hold with spoon or cheese cloth and pour off whey to get the liquid off, if you would like. I usually don't bother. Also a good Greek yogurt to use as starter produces a better, less whey containing, end product!!! I don't mess with pouring of any whey when using a good Greek type to start with. When pouring off whey, easy or you'll loose the soft yogurt. Mix, and keep in frig. Throw in some fruit and it is soooo good! Happy "growing bacteria together".
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| Add Yogurt, milk, and sugar. |
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| Lick spoon! |
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| Shake well. |
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| Let sit in warm spot 12 to 24hrs. |
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Southern Fried Green Tomatoes-Double Dipped!
One of the first things we love to do each spring is make fried green tomatoes, fresh from the garden. It is really rewarding when finally all the planting, hoeing/tilling, weed picking, and fertilizing bears good harvest. All that hardwork is laid out for you to enjoy and it is good! We don't eat a lot of fried foods, and when we do we use Natural Oils, "God Made". No hygrogenated or chemically processed. Organic if possible, but not always. $$. Also NO Canola, Corn, Cotton or Soy Bean Oils. All are mostly GMO. I don't believe man has the right to alter what an All Knowing & Perfect God originally designed. It's like waiting for a bomb to go off. Now through time, medicine, and science we have seen more gut issues, immune issues, and allergic reactions then time past. Well doesn't that say anything to us? I'm just saying, He either knows what He's doing and can do it right the first time or He clearly has made mistakes in nature and needs us (man) to correct His errors. Ummm so, if you reap what you sow, where does that leave us? SICK. How many times did the children of Isreal say, this is not good enough? Manna, meat, ect... So now our idol of convience has given us a harvest of disease. If it (plants) have been altered now to contain pesticides to kill pests when they eat of it, what's that going to do to you? Come on people. You will reap what you sow! With that said here goes our simple and delicious version of Fried Green Tomatoes, Double Dipped!!
You'll need: nothing measured, we use the eyeball it method
however many green tomatoes you think to feed your crew
In first bowl- flour mixture
A few cups Flour (wheat works best)
About a cup cornmeal
Tblspn Sea Salt - this is God made and will not increase blood pressure
Tblspn Garlic
About a teaspoon blk pepper
Mix all up real good
In second bowl
A few eggs with about 2 cups water
Mix up real good
Pour your oil into skillet to be heating up and while your making up tomatoes. Slice up tomatoes and 1st dip into egg mixture then 2nd into flour mixture, then real quick do over again. Make sure batter doesn't come off on hands, BE QUICK! It is messy but worth it.
I use either Safflower or Coconut Oil and Organic if I can afford it. Drop into skillet and turn when golden brown. When cooked on both sides lay on paper towel to dry, and Viola! The best fried green tomatoes you'll ever have.
You'll need: nothing measured, we use the eyeball it method
however many green tomatoes you think to feed your crew
In first bowl- flour mixture
A few cups Flour (wheat works best)
About a cup cornmeal
Tblspn Sea Salt - this is God made and will not increase blood pressure
Tblspn Garlic
About a teaspoon blk pepper
Mix all up real good
In second bowl
A few eggs with about 2 cups water
Mix up real good
Pour your oil into skillet to be heating up and while your making up tomatoes. Slice up tomatoes and 1st dip into egg mixture then 2nd into flour mixture, then real quick do over again. Make sure batter doesn't come off on hands, BE QUICK! It is messy but worth it.
I use either Safflower or Coconut Oil and Organic if I can afford it. Drop into skillet and turn when golden brown. When cooked on both sides lay on paper towel to dry, and Viola! The best fried green tomatoes you'll ever have.
The Adam & Eve Diet
Ok so here it is, basically the way your designer intended for you to eat. As close to all natural, organic and as minimally processed as possible. Some eyebrows are going to raise on this, and I would say rightly so. Anything that challenges the stasis quo always gets a frown, or a "what!" until science proves it. Funny thing is science is now giving us a lot of proof. This is to be used as a good rule of thumb, not the end all of life hinging on your diet. Let me elaborate, most of us are so used to a man-made diet it's hard to wrap our heads around that which is God-made. It's a different way of thinking, but not really. I believe that if you can get from scripture (particularly Genesis) marriage ideals, societal norms, rights and wrongs, and so forth; why not eating practices. Not an old kosher diet of do's and don'ts but a mere window to God's heart, of what is really healthy(clean) for you to eat. Most people would quickly turn down eating vulture meat, why? It's unhealthy (unclean), and will most likely make you sick and it's easy to think about it that way. So what about hotdogs or bologna? Same thing, it is unhealthy! According to blog.lef.org 80% of American convenience food has "chemicals" banned in other countries. HELLO! 80%? Where does God come in here? Stick with me, I'm getting to that.
If you purchased a Microsoft laptop, but down loaded a Dell program on which you expected it to function, your going to encure lots of problems along the way. As with people, we ought to consider our designer and why so many problems are plaguing our "civilized" societies. That term is used loosely. Because the farther away from agricultural societies we get, THE SICKER WE GET, & THE MORE COMMON KNOWLEDGE IS LOST. Can you treat a migraine from what grows in your yard? Most grandmothers could, but most of us could not. My 8yr old can, because we work at it. And you should too, you may wish you had one day. I aim to empower you to "get out and grow together!" Try Willow. Yep, originally asprin was made from an ingredient in this plant.
Let's talk salt. "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewithal shall it be seasoned?" So there you have it, salt is good. So why so much high blood pressure? Simple. MAN MADE salt is not as easily processed by the body as natural SEA SALT, ie GOD MADE, or any other salts that are naturally derived such as rock salt. My husband had high blood pressure before changing his eating habits, to eliminate man-made salts, as much as possible. He still has to take his lunch to work and therefore gets some in his diet, but only a little. Again we're on the road to changing, not claiming we have it all perfect. There are some boxes of cereal in the cuboard, but it's getting better and moving in a direction away from so much processed food. This is what is explained in the food rules of the Old Testament by saying don't do as the heathen do. See, the people who knew not God, would not consider Him in anything they did, as well as eating practices. People of the Jewish faith in the Ancient world were by far the healthiest people. This is not to say we should or shouldn't follow food laws (not going there) but that what we eat reflects who we worship. Did that chemically laced prepackaged something, puff you up for a moment only to give empty and vain rewards in the end? Whole, raw, fresh, minimally processed food will nourish your body with lasting results. See in the end, it is choosing to take care of your temple or destroy it.
Everyone is in a different place and your healthy and mine may look totally different. Not everyone can change diet and eating habits overnight, but with "line upon line and precept upon precept" we are changed. If we quench (put out) the spirit of God he will turn us over to our lusts and disease is the end result of not obeying God when he said " Deny Thyself." (Paraphrased from Mark 8:34 & Luke 9:23.)Now this idea of self denial is a practice of self discipline and pertains to ALL of life and following God. Not just food. But to those who argue it does not pertain to food I say read on, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1Corinthians 10:31 Or in another verse it might be said we are not to eat things sacrificed to idols. Isn't it just fitting that one of today's biggest idols is our own pleasure and convience, or that convience was actually the name of an idol in Ancient times! So it might do us well to begin to look at "why" we do this or that concerning food as we would in other areas of life such as parenting, finances, marriage or any other area that we are to give over to God. Food is only one thing we are to use to show forth God's glory. And remember it can be used to build up or destroy, it is your choice. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit which are God's. " 1Corinthians 6:19-20
If you are his then use his designer program. This not to say you'll not get sick, cancer or any other disease, you still may. But it's about surrender, "I surrender all!"
If you purchased a Microsoft laptop, but down loaded a Dell program on which you expected it to function, your going to encure lots of problems along the way. As with people, we ought to consider our designer and why so many problems are plaguing our "civilized" societies. That term is used loosely. Because the farther away from agricultural societies we get, THE SICKER WE GET, & THE MORE COMMON KNOWLEDGE IS LOST. Can you treat a migraine from what grows in your yard? Most grandmothers could, but most of us could not. My 8yr old can, because we work at it. And you should too, you may wish you had one day. I aim to empower you to "get out and grow together!" Try Willow. Yep, originally asprin was made from an ingredient in this plant.
Let's talk salt. "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewithal shall it be seasoned?" So there you have it, salt is good. So why so much high blood pressure? Simple. MAN MADE salt is not as easily processed by the body as natural SEA SALT, ie GOD MADE, or any other salts that are naturally derived such as rock salt. My husband had high blood pressure before changing his eating habits, to eliminate man-made salts, as much as possible. He still has to take his lunch to work and therefore gets some in his diet, but only a little. Again we're on the road to changing, not claiming we have it all perfect. There are some boxes of cereal in the cuboard, but it's getting better and moving in a direction away from so much processed food. This is what is explained in the food rules of the Old Testament by saying don't do as the heathen do. See, the people who knew not God, would not consider Him in anything they did, as well as eating practices. People of the Jewish faith in the Ancient world were by far the healthiest people. This is not to say we should or shouldn't follow food laws (not going there) but that what we eat reflects who we worship. Did that chemically laced prepackaged something, puff you up for a moment only to give empty and vain rewards in the end? Whole, raw, fresh, minimally processed food will nourish your body with lasting results. See in the end, it is choosing to take care of your temple or destroy it.
Everyone is in a different place and your healthy and mine may look totally different. Not everyone can change diet and eating habits overnight, but with "line upon line and precept upon precept" we are changed. If we quench (put out) the spirit of God he will turn us over to our lusts and disease is the end result of not obeying God when he said " Deny Thyself." (Paraphrased from Mark 8:34 & Luke 9:23.)Now this idea of self denial is a practice of self discipline and pertains to ALL of life and following God. Not just food. But to those who argue it does not pertain to food I say read on, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1Corinthians 10:31 Or in another verse it might be said we are not to eat things sacrificed to idols. Isn't it just fitting that one of today's biggest idols is our own pleasure and convience, or that convience was actually the name of an idol in Ancient times! So it might do us well to begin to look at "why" we do this or that concerning food as we would in other areas of life such as parenting, finances, marriage or any other area that we are to give over to God. Food is only one thing we are to use to show forth God's glory. And remember it can be used to build up or destroy, it is your choice. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit which are God's. " 1Corinthians 6:19-20
If you are his then use his designer program. This not to say you'll not get sick, cancer or any other disease, you still may. But it's about surrender, "I surrender all!"
Monday, September 8, 2014
Fall Gardening With Them Part 1
I am convinced knowing "how to" do something is the number 2 reason most people don't try there hand at it. What's number 1- "want to" Sorry to say, and I used to be in this boat. Until I began to take on the attitude of "It's really not about me!" Also started thinking in big picture terms. Then I began to see the more I slowed down to purposely and physically "do" things with them, the more fun we have as a family and the more they respected me. They see me investing in "them". Also what child doesn't love to play in the dirt? So how special to have someone who loves them right along side. So don't let "know how" or yourself get in the way of a beautiful relationship with "them".
Maybe an all knowing perfect God knew this was important to life. "And God said let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth and it was so." Genesis 1:11
"And God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." Genesis 2:8
"And The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." Genesis 2:15
It (gardening) is particularly mentioned even after the fall. "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field." Genesis 3:17b-18 "Therefore The Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken." Genesis 3:23
I take this to be more than a hobby, needed for survival and great for family unity. It is also so rewarding financially as you don't have to buy as many groceries. Physically tending a garden gives good exercise while getting loads of vitamin D. Aren't we all becoming a little more interested in living better, healthier, and more sustainable lives.
Here's years of trial and error going to work at a better garden each year. I'll do more parts to this Gardening with "them" theme. Part 2- Fertilizing with "them". 3- Raised beds with "them". And then more in winter and spring. If you do plan to garden in a raised bed next year, you should be building and fertilizing NOW, to get the most out of it next season.
What grows best in a southern garden? 1- Purple Top Turnip Greens win hands down as the easiest and most productive garden crop for fall. Don't know anybody with a southern fall garden that doesn't grow 'em. 2- Mustard Greens. 3- Collards or Kale. *In my experience, although these are all from the Brassica family, the others like Broccoli, Cabbage and Brusselsprouts do not grow well in fall/winter, in the south. Don't waste your time. Weather and plants are too finicky, unless your greenhouse growing. 4- Lettuce, in fall we like Butter Crunch, Bibb or even Black Seeded Simpson. We throw in some red variety while planting to give a color and taste change. All leafy It really depends on your taste. Black Seeded Simpson is great for the south as it is good for warmer climates. 5- Carrots, and Tender Sweet are hands down the best for size and flavor. I 've tried all colors shapes and sizes and these turn out great everytime. Others seem to get "stumped" in our clay soil. Which does not loosen up much to give them room to grow. Which by the way, next time (part 2) I'll go over fertilizer. It's easier than you think. 6- Spinach, it does not grow extremely well, so plant more than what you need. Best kind for southern garden, that I've seen is Bloomsdale. Again, like carrots we've tried many varieties and this one works everytime. It also needs extra amounts of vitamins, so for this use manure, compost or 13-13-13. If you do not have rotted manure use 3x13. Never use fresh manure right on food you'll be eating soon. This ought to be a no brainier. 7- Beets, this too needs extra fertilizer. 8- Bok Choy or any similar Chinesee Cabbage. I was surprised at how wonderful, though not traditional, it grew. These are also great in homemade stir fry or egg roles and what not dishes! Add some different things every year to keep it fun.
Start out with your seeds, don't over complicate things putting too much expectation on production at first. Just try and have fun. 1st, till and add lime. Lime is a must for the gardens in the south every year anyway. Then add, anything else you can get your hands on, like leaves, compost, rotted manure ( you can use fresh if not planting till next season). I add manure to the ground in spring, and wood ash whenever, fall or spring or through winter. As well as other things all through the year. Where we have the fall garden now we burned a bunch of brush so I haven't had to add ash lately. We'll cover fertilizing in Part 2.
So here it is in a nut shell. Honestly its so ridiculously easy. Till up the season before if possible, add fertilizer. If not, oh well. Till up your ground. Attempt to hoe in straight lines. Drop seed into rows. Covor only the larger seeds like beets and spinach. Do not cover your lettuce, carrots, or greens. The seed is so small it gets buried. Then IMMEDIATLY water lightly. This gets those tiny little seeds to stick in the ground so if a big rain comes in they are not washed out. And Viola! We'll fertilize next week. When I can get the tiller running to help work it in.
Oh and don't be upset if "they" fumble around a little. Spill the seeds, undo the hole roll of tape, build a castle in the row or don't want to help. Remind them they won't get to share in the loot. Enjoy it, even if the 100lb German shepherd lays down in the middle of your newly hoed row. And try to remember to bring in the coffee cup. Daddy has run over sooo many. AND WHO CARES IF THEY GET THEIR CLOTHES DIRTY!!! "Get out and grow together!"
Maybe an all knowing perfect God knew this was important to life. "And God said let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth and it was so." Genesis 1:11
"And God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." Genesis 2:8
"And The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." Genesis 2:15
It (gardening) is particularly mentioned even after the fall. "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field." Genesis 3:17b-18 "Therefore The Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken." Genesis 3:23
I take this to be more than a hobby, needed for survival and great for family unity. It is also so rewarding financially as you don't have to buy as many groceries. Physically tending a garden gives good exercise while getting loads of vitamin D. Aren't we all becoming a little more interested in living better, healthier, and more sustainable lives.
Here's years of trial and error going to work at a better garden each year. I'll do more parts to this Gardening with "them" theme. Part 2- Fertilizing with "them". 3- Raised beds with "them". And then more in winter and spring. If you do plan to garden in a raised bed next year, you should be building and fertilizing NOW, to get the most out of it next season.
What grows best in a southern garden? 1- Purple Top Turnip Greens win hands down as the easiest and most productive garden crop for fall. Don't know anybody with a southern fall garden that doesn't grow 'em. 2- Mustard Greens. 3- Collards or Kale. *In my experience, although these are all from the Brassica family, the others like Broccoli, Cabbage and Brusselsprouts do not grow well in fall/winter, in the south. Don't waste your time. Weather and plants are too finicky, unless your greenhouse growing. 4- Lettuce, in fall we like Butter Crunch, Bibb or even Black Seeded Simpson. We throw in some red variety while planting to give a color and taste change. All leafy It really depends on your taste. Black Seeded Simpson is great for the south as it is good for warmer climates. 5- Carrots, and Tender Sweet are hands down the best for size and flavor. I 've tried all colors shapes and sizes and these turn out great everytime. Others seem to get "stumped" in our clay soil. Which does not loosen up much to give them room to grow. Which by the way, next time (part 2) I'll go over fertilizer. It's easier than you think. 6- Spinach, it does not grow extremely well, so plant more than what you need. Best kind for southern garden, that I've seen is Bloomsdale. Again, like carrots we've tried many varieties and this one works everytime. It also needs extra amounts of vitamins, so for this use manure, compost or 13-13-13. If you do not have rotted manure use 3x13. Never use fresh manure right on food you'll be eating soon. This ought to be a no brainier. 7- Beets, this too needs extra fertilizer. 8- Bok Choy or any similar Chinesee Cabbage. I was surprised at how wonderful, though not traditional, it grew. These are also great in homemade stir fry or egg roles and what not dishes! Add some different things every year to keep it fun.
Start out with your seeds, don't over complicate things putting too much expectation on production at first. Just try and have fun. 1st, till and add lime. Lime is a must for the gardens in the south every year anyway. Then add, anything else you can get your hands on, like leaves, compost, rotted manure ( you can use fresh if not planting till next season). I add manure to the ground in spring, and wood ash whenever, fall or spring or through winter. As well as other things all through the year. Where we have the fall garden now we burned a bunch of brush so I haven't had to add ash lately. We'll cover fertilizing in Part 2.
So here it is in a nut shell. Honestly its so ridiculously easy. Till up the season before if possible, add fertilizer. If not, oh well. Till up your ground. Attempt to hoe in straight lines. Drop seed into rows. Covor only the larger seeds like beets and spinach. Do not cover your lettuce, carrots, or greens. The seed is so small it gets buried. Then IMMEDIATLY water lightly. This gets those tiny little seeds to stick in the ground so if a big rain comes in they are not washed out. And Viola! We'll fertilize next week. When I can get the tiller running to help work it in.
Oh and don't be upset if "they" fumble around a little. Spill the seeds, undo the hole roll of tape, build a castle in the row or don't want to help. Remind them they won't get to share in the loot. Enjoy it, even if the 100lb German shepherd lays down in the middle of your newly hoed row. And try to remember to bring in the coffee cup. Daddy has run over sooo many. AND WHO CARES IF THEY GET THEIR CLOTHES DIRTY!!! "Get out and grow together!"
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| Try to remember to bring inside. |
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| Ummm, we needed that, but ok. |
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| Nothing like little barefeet! |
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| Give them the knowledge and watch them grow. |
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| Everybody likes to hoe! |
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| This is not my good side! |
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| I want some attention!!! |
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| Lightly Cover Larger Seeds |
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| Just work around the dog! |
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| I was working here. |
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| And they teach one another the good! |
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| Little one building the "I CAN". |
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| Sometimes it's crowded. |
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| The older teaching the younger. |
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| Working together. |
Friday, September 5, 2014
A Rainbow of Tomatoes, so fun!
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| A little of this and that! |
Now people will say they won't cross. That is not true! We have crosses every year, but hey we're in to surprises anyway. And are going to try some of those seeds for new varieties. That's all old-timers did. So here the queen of the garden on her throne in our garden and our hearts gives us one more reason to "grow together". Everybody awaits that first ripe one, and who spots it first has an awesome honor badge, metaphorically speaking. Without further ado here she is!
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| Green Zebra |
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| Orange Woodle |
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| Dr White (a cross) |
Dressed For Success and Purple Hull Peas
The homemade costume you see here was totally designed by a beautiful little 8yr old. Who chose this day to wear her mock middle eastern "play outfit" to pick purple hull peas. (Well she thinks it looks middle eastern, so we'll go with that.) The purple hull pea is a southern favorite, which by the way needs a dose of either manure if it's Organic or 13-13-13 to grow well. We did both. Old timer secret and it works! Most people don't give them any nitrogen, but when I did what old timer said they blew up. Thanks old timer! This are not something you can get in a grocery store. You have to grow'em or know someone who did. They are a Mississippi favorite. I remember being a little girl, shellin' peas on the back porch of my Great Aunt's house and hearin' those crickets singing , It's Hottttttttttt. It sure sounded like that's what they were sayin'.
I love the wonder and imagination that little ones carry around with them. All the hard-work in the world seems so easy when your dressed for it! I plant for them, but with them, and we work together and it is sooo good. These times we share will never leave the gardens of their hearts or mine. As we pull weeds here, I teach them what it means to pull out the weeds in their hearts. As the rain helps the plant grow, I tell them of how they are being watered to grow into fruitful adults. As the heat and bugs come out, I work right beside them and we sweat together. I love them and they know it. Who ever said life was fair or easy? If you never show them they are worth the effort, like a hot sweaty garden then don't expect much of them in the area of character. If you never challenge them to do something that makes you and them uncomfortable then you are giving and getting "nothing". You get back what you expect and more so what you invest! When you expect/invest nothing, you get it everytime. So when you say to them here's what I expect, and I'm giving my time, energy and sweat too. This is loving you! They will know you love them and will give of themselves also. Even in a dress up costume, their willing to share in the work and sweat. They will also get to share the reward. I told them today, that if we never reaped a harvest I would still plant a garden. That sounded so backward to them, "Why?" I was asked. To work, teach, tend and learn together. For the profit of the soul, not the belly. When we get up we have a routine, everybody is needed. And everybody needs to be needed, so I divide up the day so that we're working like a Swiss Clock, (well kinda). And come lunch time we're all so tired and happy we drag up to house and actually are "Thankful" for A/C. We share so much of ourselves that we really are learning to need and love one another. Even when were hot, sweaty and tired. A team, with trials and triumphs. Also if we get something out of the garden, we get to share in the loot. Today it's peas. Yippee! And I've already been asked, "Can we have peas for dinner, please?" You betcha. And will you be dressing up for pea shelling, I hope so in your handmade costume. They are only little for so long, I am so blessed to have the gardens of there hearts to tend and the peas to share with them!
I love the wonder and imagination that little ones carry around with them. All the hard-work in the world seems so easy when your dressed for it! I plant for them, but with them, and we work together and it is sooo good. These times we share will never leave the gardens of their hearts or mine. As we pull weeds here, I teach them what it means to pull out the weeds in their hearts. As the rain helps the plant grow, I tell them of how they are being watered to grow into fruitful adults. As the heat and bugs come out, I work right beside them and we sweat together. I love them and they know it. Who ever said life was fair or easy? If you never show them they are worth the effort, like a hot sweaty garden then don't expect much of them in the area of character. If you never challenge them to do something that makes you and them uncomfortable then you are giving and getting "nothing". You get back what you expect and more so what you invest! When you expect/invest nothing, you get it everytime. So when you say to them here's what I expect, and I'm giving my time, energy and sweat too. This is loving you! They will know you love them and will give of themselves also. Even in a dress up costume, their willing to share in the work and sweat. They will also get to share the reward. I told them today, that if we never reaped a harvest I would still plant a garden. That sounded so backward to them, "Why?" I was asked. To work, teach, tend and learn together. For the profit of the soul, not the belly. When we get up we have a routine, everybody is needed. And everybody needs to be needed, so I divide up the day so that we're working like a Swiss Clock, (well kinda). And come lunch time we're all so tired and happy we drag up to house and actually are "Thankful" for A/C. We share so much of ourselves that we really are learning to need and love one another. Even when were hot, sweaty and tired. A team, with trials and triumphs. Also if we get something out of the garden, we get to share in the loot. Today it's peas. Yippee! And I've already been asked, "Can we have peas for dinner, please?" You betcha. And will you be dressing up for pea shelling, I hope so in your handmade costume. They are only little for so long, I am so blessed to have the gardens of there hearts to tend and the peas to share with them!
The Best Cornbread In The Whole Wide World! Non-GMO
We hardly ever use boxed mixes. Mainly due to both health and cost. It's so much cheaper and healthier to DIY in the kitchen. You must be resillient and realize you will make mistakes and we have and still eaten it. But then when you hit it with a DIY recipe you really hit it! Now being from the south, I wanted to keep a lot of traditional recipes, yet make them "good for us". And who ever said that to be healthy, you need to give up skillet baked cornbread? Just say no to the GMO's and hydrogenated oils and you've got a very nutritious treat. This recipe is my teen daughter's and it's sooo good that we have to make two skillets for dinner. It's more like a corn cake, and still very healthy. First, we grind up some white Non-GMO Grits, into a fine cornmeal, using Vitamix. Or use Orville Redenbacher's Non-GMO Popcorn, you will need to put this into a very tough grinder. Then transfer to blender such as Vitamix for a finer grind. But not quite flour consistency. This is a fabulous cornmeal. Then using about 2 Cups Cornmeal, 1 Cup Flour she adds 1Tblspn Baking Powder mix these. Then add 1/2 Cup Organic Sugar or Honey. Now put your oil (3/4 Cup) and 2 Eggs in blender, whip together and pour into dry. I use Organic/Expeller Pressed Safflower Oil, but Coconut works good too. Add enough water to look like a batter and when skillet is hot pour into. This is the real trick to all southern cornbread, OIL AND HEAT YOUR SKILLET! Preheat oven to 400 F and put oiled skillet into it until it's good and hot. If you're doing it right, it will sizzle when you pour the batter into it. That's how you know it's gonna be good, you must hear that sizzle! So happy homemaking that Non-GMO Cornbread. You use a popcorn that's labeled Non GMO if you have a grinder or can get it to cornmeal consistency. It might dull blades to try in blender, would not suggest that. ** In place of the grits, you could also use a beautiful Indian cornmeal or grind it yourself.
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