Such a odd subject matter this week.. trying to find and take a picture of trash..
These cushions are going to get a second life by being rescued and turned into soft spots for the kitties to sit in the sun and nap here on the farm.
Muck Boot Season is Here!
Hello Folks, So I have decided to step into the modern world and create at least one proper pin for each post and I am slowly learning how to use the graphic system I choose to work with..
However having said that, I still want and plan to use my own photos in them.. yes it means it’s a bit more work for me because it would be faster to use their “pre-made” ones with just a fast word adjustment.
However that would mean breaking one of my “blogging rules” which is that I use my own farm, my own photos and that what you see is what you get.. LOL
Look at my new Muck Boots. On sale at 40 percent off and I sure needed a new pair as my old wear worn to the point of no return, not even my foot repair glue was going to get them though this season.
They were not found in the rubber boot area, which are your standard black and with orange bottoms. I find those have a rubber that really bothers my feet after a good hard workout.
There were found in the hunting section, amazing treads for hiking, meant to put the miles on in them, rubber up to a certain point and then into the softer tops. That is my other pet peeve with standard rubber boots, I want the height of them but they are straight legged the whole way up and that works just fine for my hubbies skinny leg but for me with my “fuller calves” I really dislike that they rub on my leg in the same spot again and again.
The new boots with their waterproof but soft half top hugs the leg well, its snug to help keep out spring ticks, its soft and mobile for when I am going up and down on pens to check momma’s, babies and or milking etc.
In many cases, its worth passing the “farming” section and heading right to the hunters, this goes for coats, gloves, boots and more..
Last reason to head that way.. its rare in my neck of the woods to find things on sale at the local feed stores in the farmers area. I mean they had a rubber boot sale and their on sale boots were 2.5x more on sale then what I paid.
However in the Hunting/Fishing/outdoor lifestyle area.. you can find the gear, you can find them in all sizes, from super small to those XXX’s sizes and they go on an amazing sales and they tend to be really good quality and built tough and to last.
While I woke up to -7
I know that spring is coming! And with it comes lots of mud, Muck and so much wet melting mucky poo that needs to be cleaned up.. Fun, Fun
So what is your favorite brand of muck boots? Have you ever wrapped your socked foot in a plastic bag and stuffed it into a leaking boot to get the job done ? I know I have!
Posted in homestead
Tagged farmgal's Homstead, Muck boots, Mucking out a stall, Mud Season on the farm, Saving money
16 Comments
Farmgal’s All About the Nettle’s
Local Folks that are interested come on out in Mid-May for an amazing afternoon learning about the Nettle Plant. You have gotten stung by it and its on the bad plant list..
Let me tell you honestly, you are missing all the amazing things about Nettles.
We are going to cover some of the known plants history and its been used since the roman’s times and most like even before that!
We are going to talk about it as an eating green and there will taste testing and detailed recipes given out.
We will be talking about it in detail as a herb, both for in the kitchen (cooking) we will talk about its cottage uses and then we will dig down into some studies that have some solid backing on it in the modern sense. We will talk about how to use this plant in your homestead animal health kit and why it should be there!
We will do a small color dyeing show on my own sheep’s wool as this is very much a plant that has been used world-wide in this way!
Last but not least! We will take go step by step on how to make it into a wonderful green salve for your own use.
Each person will go home with one tin of Farmgal’s Nettle Salve, 4 oz of freshly dried crumbled Spring 2019 Nettles as a pot herb for use in their kitchen and if they want, they can take home a 4 inch pot with their own nettle plant in it to start their own patch!
Want to learn more? Want to sign up for the class?
Friday Rambles around the Table – Snow and Melting.
Come on in!
Watch out for the puddles, the melt has started.. sorry, can you come in by the farm porch, Mud season has started.. If you want to sit in the living room, give me a moment to take off the covers for all the wet prints from the indoor/outdoor time.
We had a leak on the pipe coming in from the well. Thankfully it decided to tell us about it earlier so we were able to get a repair patch on it before it really hit the spring thaw, the real question is will that patch hold for the whole spring thaw and I am not looking forward to adding that job on our list to do this year.. we will need to move the rocks, clear out yet another one of my gardens(WHY.. shakes fist at the sky) and dig down and repair it from the outside for a longer term fix and while we are at it.. update the seal on the underside.. it is pretty much year 21 since it was made, its the new part on the house, it got its new roof 2017, it will need a new window in 2019 and I guess some repair work as well.
We are not the only one’s the house just across the road up on the hill has had the foundation repair trucks there for a few days this week as well. Its just the year.. the hardware stores says folks are having issues all over the place. Heck, every morning this week, the local radio has had a time set for bringing in the experts, I was all excited this morning when they said they were going to be talking about basement window seeping.. the advice, shovel it away and cut a drainage channel.. ah.. duh.. yes I would if I could..
Thankfully only one window seal in the cellar (we have the old cellar and the newer basement) is seeping, the other two do not have the same snow build up. (And with today’s melt out, its now below the window seal and that means no more seeping there)
Speaking of water and seeping, on the one side of the older roof, we have a lifting happening on the metal roof.. bugger.. that will have to be looked at.. so far its just the one tiny spot where the screws have lifted but it will grow so that at least must get done this weekend.
So before we had the melt, we had more snow and they say more is coming yet! We got a solid six inches in the first go and other inch or two on the second.
I am really wanting to get some butchering done this month, I should be already done my first one and showing all kinds of fun things on the blog, but we have a issue.. we can’t get to ground to dig the pit to put the extra’s in. I can’t draw in the crows/ravens or the coons or coy-wolves by trying to do a top coat and cover, they will just dig it out.. It really important that its properly down and if we could get under the snow pack, the ground itself can normally be quite able to be dug right now.
Its still very much on my list.. a few things will be cleaned up to a point and then some frozen and then use the mealworms to help clean them up for other uses.
I am excited about trailing a number of different mason bee housing types and for a coming guest post series in regards to their Mason bee’s and houses/homes. I think it will be very interesting for you guys as well.
So I had had joined a homestead/green living group and I have been learning this and that, some things I like and other things I have struggled with but I have pushed myself to learn more things and try new things.. somethings got a trial and then I went nope.. other things are taking a slower more careful.. hmm.
It was interesting when I have been talking to someone and I went I can help with that and at the end of it, I laughed and went look at that, I was paying attention! I will be trying few more things and we will see if they stick or go to the side..
I opened up some classes this week and made the events pages on the Just another farm facebook page and I was thrilled that my Cold Process Soap Making Class filled up and was fully booked within 24 hours.
I will be promoting the other ones at some point here on the blog for locals and I am now at the half way point on the Master Rain Gardener Class and its keeping me busy on learning and homework that’s for sure.
I have been working on my new business cards, labels and so forth, my order is shipped and I am quietly working behind the scenes getting things ready for the launch of Farmgal’s Spring Soap and Salve Collection.
I am learning how to work Zoom and I am building my first “online course” which is taking me way longer then expected but I promise you even if it takes me a good while yet, my “Farmgal’s Adapting in Place” based on C5 Dark Green Mountain Research Center’s Adapters Series.
It will hold to his core values but will have my own spin on it, with my own examples and idea’s, and in keeping with working as a community, I will not be offering it as e-book, I will be offering it as a multi weekly gathering where you can see me, hear my voice, interact live asking questions and with follow up in a working facebook group for those that are interested in it. Its a work in progress.. wish me luck on it! Please 🙂
There are moments it seems simple and then there are times I spend far more time then I want to admit re-reading C5’s words and then mine. I know that it will have my voice but I really want to make sure it stays true!
I am thinking of doing a small test run on using Zoom with a shorter subject and hopefully a few of you will be willing to give me a helping hand and be my beta testers when the time comes.
That’s a Wrap for Today!
Chaga Poppyseed Salad Dressing Recipe
Chaga Poppyseed Salad Dressing Recipe
Guest post by Adagio Naturals
CHAGA POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING
This salad dressing is as simple as it is nutritious. It little bit of a tart creamy dressing that works very well with lighter greens but holds up to stronger flavours well.
INGREDIENTS
1 oz of Rice Vinegar
1 or 2 Chaga Chai Tea Bags (if using your own Chaga tea 2 tsp of ground powder steeped)
2 Tablespoon of Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Sugar (or Splenda)
1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
Salt and Pepper to Taste
In a bowl soak the tea bags in the Rice Vinegar for about 20 minutes. Then squeeze the tea bags to extract as much as possible of this precious liquid. Add the Mayonnaise, Sugar and the Poppy Seeds and whisk with a fork until completely blended. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Stir again. Pour over your favorite green salad and enjoy.
Don’t have chaga of your own but want to try it.. Head on over to Adagio Naturals to see their wonderful Chaga Collection. Our chaga is sustainably harvested from deep in the pristine forests of Northern Ontario. Free from heavy metals and pesticides.
Crispy Cornmeal Baked Brussel Sprouts
Crispy Cornmeal Coated Baked Brussel Sprouts
Looking for a new way to serve roasted Brussel Sprouts?
- 1 pound of Brussel Sprouts (baby full size) or full size trimmed and cut in half
- 1/4th cup of cornmeal
- 1 tsp of course fresh cracked salt
- 1 tsp of Paprika
- 1 tsp of seasoning salt
- If you want a little more kick, 1/2 tsp of crushed Chili pepper flakes can also be added!
- 1/2 tsp of course fresh cracked Pepper
- 2 tbsp. of light Olive Oil
Take your sprouts and put half the oil on them and toss them to lightly coat them, then in a small bowl mix the cornmeal, salt, pepper and Paprika together and then put it over the sprouts and toss them till well coated
Take shallow roasting pan and use the other half of your oil to lightly coat it, then add your coated sprouts in a SINGLE layer (don’t overfill your pan, they need space LOL)
In a hot oven at 400, it will take approx. 20 min or so for cooking, shake your tray a few times at the ten minute mark to make sure you get both sides crispy. Serve hot and if you want with a bit of Ranch dipping sauce on the side!
Farmgal’s photography March 14th
For days I have had a single wild turkey hen hanging around..
They finally found the deck feeder, dance of joy!! new flocj of sparrows are coming every day now.. and then take turns between the deck feeder and the bigger tree feeder.
Hubby called me out to see the trails in the sky in the sunsets.. wow!
and then on a different day, farmgal, if you take photos of the moon, the back lite rim at this stage will show amazing craters..
Last one for this week! the amazing thing is these were taken free hand on a cold bitter moment. I really like them and when it is warmer, I will try again with the full set up 🙂
My Bee’s are ordered! Mason and Leaf Cutters
Native Bee’s are Awesome. New Genetics coming by mail to join my local populations of Mason and Leaf Cutter Bees here on the farm.
My orders are in and on the way, I have big plans in regards to my Mason and Leaf Cutter bee’s I will be increasing the size of our local population and I will also be working with local private larger scale gardeners and also community gardens in placing houses in their areas.
If all goes well, I will have Native Mason and Leaf Cutter Bee Coons available for sale in the winter/early spring of 2020 for across Canada. More on that at a later point.
Here is what I am so excited about! I ordered in a viewing house so that I can take lots of photos, and short video’s for you over the season. You can take the clear wall off and properly clean and use this year after year. I will be looking into the gear needed to get us the best viewing and photo in this regard, I have a great Macro on my new camera for photos but I am might need a different plan in regards to getting a good quality video or two.
I have had these wonderful amazing bees working hard on the farm for years now and I firmly believe that the mason bee and the fact that you can control and stagger its hatching times is a huge part of THE answer in regards to unstable climate change in regards to small homestead/gardener when it comes to early spring pollination needs.
Snow pack and Cellar Windows
Snow Pack and Melting Out
That was just one little snow storm on top that hutch that had been cleared off totally before that storm and there has been many of them, Mid-March and I have a massive snow pack on the farm..
Even with the melting we have had, the touch of rain to sink it down, its still ranging between two to four feet in most area’s, I have around a 12 to 16 inches of fencing showing.
Honestly my pasture critters could just walk over the fence if they really wanted to, thankfully they are happy to wait on the other side and have their hay, feed and water hand delivered to them 🙂
When we head out to the area’s that don’t have trails on them, you need to wear snow shoes or you will sink in, cut your legs up and have a heck of a time indeed.
The snow pack has for the first time covered up under my deck way past the Cellar window and I have a water seeping in under the window ledge.
One more thing to add to my spring fix it list.
I had been watching the sump pump and worrying about a few other areas and instead the water is coming in at a unexpected place.. huh.. I have a feeling I will not be the only one that has a few huh moments this year.
We will need to cut chanels into the area to help drain the water away from window ideally, but it will be a bad job as there is not even room to be on your knees, maybe we can crawl in on our bellies and wiggle under to dig out a small narrow drainage channel till it melts down enough to be below the sill.
Only two more days before the spring road weight limits come on and soon enough I expect the country will have the closed road signs delivered and waiting to be set up when needed. I fully expect flooding out by the creek this year.. It will make my road so quiet for a bit and I look forward to taking some interseting flood photos as well..
Here is from our last big spring flood year!
Posted in At the kitchen table
3 Comments
Master Rain Garden Course
What is a Master Rain Garden Course?
I am taking a six week Master Rain Garden Course and I am greatly looking forward to learning more each week, so far I have come away with pages of notes, a great respect for Zoom as a way to hold meetings and homework each week.
I had done a ton of research in regards to rain gardens with most of it being done in the states as it hard to find active information in regards to Canadian sources and certainly even harder to find it at the scale I wanted to work with.
The biggest thing so far is the difference in size and depth, the modern rain gardens are far more shallow (which allows for far different plants to be used in the planting of it) then what I was reading about
Now it would be very fair that the “rain garden to be” that was dug last fall by Farmer R and Dear Hubby while I was on a fishing boat in the middle of a lake on a much needed weekend away is WAY! to big.. even for when I redo the levels.
Its pretty much set up to be made into a small pond to be honest with the overspill leading to a area that is perfectly suited as a rain garden.
I could have it refilled and made into a series of rain gardens and that is something I am still mulling on.. once I am finished my classes, I must have my project designed, worked, planted and finished within six months to get my paperwork.
On the flip side, I am very excited to cut in mini swale lines though a problem pasture and have them lead to a properly done large shallow rain garden that collects and works to help refill out main house shallow well.
I am greatly enjoying many new little things in regards to working with these rain gardens!
Just another Day on the Farm 