No Buy November 2018- Week One

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Just another day on the farm


Oct 31st

Hubby was home with a cold today but that did not stop me from heading out to get extra things done while I had the car to do so.  I did a stop by to where I buy my hay/straw and had a lovely little chat. Then off to the feed store, a quick stop at bulk barn, I was on the hunt for a Christmas present (but they didn’t have what I needed) and despite Halloween candy being 50% off, I headed out the door with just a small amount of a spice that I wanted to add to the cupboard.

Then I headed to Walmart, now that’s a store I have very mixed feels on.. but hubby needed new winter work to and from boots and they carry a Canadian made brand made in montreal with real leather that is around a 1/3rd of the price if I get the same type at the only other local shoe store.  Hubby did wear the last pair right into the ground, so they really needed to be replaced.  I did not buy a single piece of candy, but I did get one thing out of the Halloween area..  they had spider plants on sale..

I love these plants and have been looking for them for a bit as they are really good air cleaning plants and I wanted to add them to collect of plants in the house to help keep the indoor winter air cleaned.

Gas was at 1.09 a liter or 4.36 a gallon Canadian, weds tend to be the lowest days of the week to fill up the car, so that’s just what I did.

It rained pretty much steady all day long.. that’s day 3 of rain and more rain 🙂

Spending * : 6.29

this was money spent over my standard budget that I would be allowed for my standard week before the No Buy November started.  The rest of the things gotten are all in the critter/farm/work related

*means spending that counts per the challenge rules.

Nov 1st

Woke up to heavy fog but its not raining! It was deep mud to work out there to get the hay hauled out and the hounds were mud up to their elbows but they do love their morning run time, they didn’t much like the mini leg baths quite as much.

Today is a catch up day, all about getting the regular things done, housework and figuring out how to redo the living room as I have brought up the kitty condo tower so that kitten can be trained to go to bed at night. It is just a good idea for house breaking training and it means I can go to sleep knowing she is safe.

Got a lovely card in the mail from a dear friend of mine.. Its so nice when we get personal mail, even a card with a little note can just bring such a lifting of the spirits in our day.

She did a reading for me for the coming new year and pulled the Two of Wands 🙂

I thought I would share with you.. I have to agree, I do feel that I have some choices to make this year that will effect which path forward I will take.

Spending – 0

Nov 2nd

Its Friday and its raining, we have hit the point that the ground can take no more and we are now getting puddles and laying water.. thankfully most of it is being directed down into my rain garden area and collecting there.


I am loving this little tiny cast iron soap dish I got for my birthday, it’s so cute. I am using it for my scrubby for doing dishes. Made us a treat.. puffed wheat squares

Spending – 0

Nov 3rd

Pouring rain, the mud is brutal on the farm today. still got hay delivered and covered up tight, We did a trip to town with just two things on the list, the feed that they did not have earlier this week at the other feed store and something we were not to get till later.. our big xmas present.. the issue was that it went on super sale this week.. it was 500 off regular price

I am big on following the rules on my challenges but I am also frugal! 500 saved is enough to make me get flexable!

This afternoon was taken up with working in the croft and barns, this was needed given that farm work still needed to be done despite the rain but with both hubby and I still having slight colds, it made sense to keep our rain/damp to a limit.   The only thing still liking the rain is the geese and ducks.

Today is a great day to get out the smaller seed starting set up with grow lights and get out the seed sprouting trays for winter..

Nov 4th

Despite knowing that we needed to fall back a hour, we still forgot to change the alarm clock which went off at 6am (instead of 7am), we had company coming and we needed to get all the morning chores done and the extra do it just before folks come..

I made a lovely venison stew with baking powder biscuits and banana bread for dessert..  We had a lovely visit and the kitten kept the Miss K busy, us adults headed outside and got started on building our new strawberry bed. Our big bed got taken out in the main garden with the farm reno’s, some might come back but we had saved about 3 dozen plants and potted them up and they needed to be planted out into a bed to overwinter.

 

Its totally the wrong time of year to split them out and plant them proper, I will let them dry back fully and then cover with straw cover and in the spring, when the soil is workable, I will split out the plants and properly space them out, they are quite root bound at the moment and its totally the wrong time to be pulling the plants apart..

We had a lovely fire, it was one of the last great weather days.. the yard was so nice and dry as the storm garden did its job really well in regards to collecting the water from five days of rain! I loved finishing the day as the sun went down with a warm coal bank in the fire pit.

The other thing I noticed on Sunday was how fast my fridge got empty..  To a point this should not have surprised me, I was eating of our gardens/yard for as much of oct as possible so we did not buy much in the way of “fresh” and I only got my normal basic’s.

Still, when I did the tidy on Sunday, I went hmm.. the outside gardens are done, forage is done, we are down to Cellar, Pantry, Freezers etc..  While we have fresh eggs coming in daily, we have no dairy coming in..  We have a one sour cream, half a tube of plain yogurt and I have a bit of canned milk in the one jar..

The fridge reflects it, so many jars.. jars of fruit, jars of relish, jars of jam/jelly, jars of canned meat and sauces.

Well, I am getting right chatty on my Nov No Buy Diary, I am going to split this week at least into two posts.. I think it will just be to long to read if I don’t lol

So the poll results are in! Everyone said.. GO to the movie 🙂 but no extras! Thank you everyone that votes or wrote your thoughts!

I just looked up.. its snowing lol.. Itty bitty tiny snow flakes..

 

Posted in No Buy November | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Happy 8th Birthday! To the Living my dream life on the farm blog!

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

Today is the blogs 8th birthday..  Its amazing to me that I have been on this writing journey for that long.. so many words, so many photo’s, friendships made and stories told..  Recipes shared, joy and sorrow shared.. the day to day moving of the farm though the season’s..

I had to hit the stats a little for you..

In the past 8 years, I have written 3004 posts

There have been 11,547 amazing comments on the blog!

And wait for it.. I have written 1, 098, 222 words.. 

That is according to my darling hubby, using a standard average.. 22 books worth of words.

Thank you to everyone! Without you! the blog would just not be the same…. Lifting a glass to the start of year 9 on the blog today! Upward and onward!

 

Posted in Blogging | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Pumpkin Cranberry Compote Recipe

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

Are you looking for a new way to use up your leftover pumpkin, Thanksgiving is coming, what a combo.. Pumpkin and Cranberries.. its bright and colorful for the table..

Just another day on the farm's avatarJust another Day on the Farm

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Pumpkin Compote

  • 5 cups of cubed (1/2 inch by 1/2 inch) pumpkin
  • 1 whole  peeled, cored cubed pinnapple or 1 large can of pinnapple tidbits
  • 2 cups of whole dried cranberries
  • 1 cup of diced dried apricots
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup of lemon juice
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice

Put the sugar over the pumpkin cubes and let it sit for an hour or two to draw out water, then add the rest and Cook them all together in a large steel pot, bring to a boil then simmer till everything soften’s, stirring now and again, remove the cinnamon sticks, pack the hot pumpkin mixture into pint jars, then top with the hot juice, Hot water Process for 25 min.

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Posted in Life moves on daily | 1 Comment

Little found, A little bit don’t where I am…

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

Half your life you struggle
Half your life you fly
Half your life makin’ trouble
Half your life makin’ it right
One day I’m the exception
Most days I’m just like most
Some days I’m headed in the right direction
And some days I ain’t even close
I’m a little bit steady but still little bit rollin’ stone
I’m a little bit heaven but still a little bit flesh-and-bone
Little found, little don’t-know-where-I-am
I’m a little bit holy water but still a little bit burning man
Burning man yeah
I always loved the highway
I just don’t run it as fast
I still go wherever the wind blows me
But I always find my way back
I still don’t get it right sometimes
I just don’t get it as wrong
I still go a little bit crazy sometimes
Yeah, but now I don’t stay near as long
I’m a little bit steady but still little bit rollin’ stone
I’m a little bit heaven but still a little bit flesh-and-bone
Little found, little don’t-know-where-I-am
I’m a little bit holy water but still a little bit burning man
Burning man
Still just a burn, burn, burning man
Just a burning man, uh
Maybe I’ll go to the desert
Find myself in the Joshua Tree
If we pass in the night then just hand me a light
And tell me you burned just like me
I’m a little bit steady but still little bit rollin’ stone
I’m a little bit heaven but still a little bit flesh-and-bone
Little found, little don’t-know-where-I-am
I’m a little bit holy water but still a little bit burning man
Burning man
Still just a burn, burn, burning man
Just a burning man
Uh uh
Burning man

This song speaks to me in so many ways!

I am very excited to announce that thanks to a dear friend who is going to come farm sit for us. Dear Hubby and I for the first time in 19 years and what will be 15 years on the farm are planning both a off-farm holiday TOGETHER which we are declaring our belated honeymoon..

We will being going on our Honeymoon on the year of our 20 years anniversary.

We have so many things up in the air yet but we know it will be after the gardens are in and in the late spring/early summer 2019. We know that we want to go some place that we have never been before!  We are planning on staying in Canada

So much excitement in the figuring and planning, so much to do to get ready for our big “Road Trip 2019”

We are maybe thinking east coast nova scotia, have you been? if so where must you go? we are more nature, trails, water, fossils, old mines, geological type things then we are city, fine dining or museums.

 

 

 

Posted in Road Trips | 17 Comments

Easy to make Puff Wheat Sqaures

Posted on November 3, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

Puff Wheat Square are so easy to make.

  • 8 cups of Puffed Wheat
  • 1/2 cup of butter
  • 1 cup of brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup of corn syrup or honey
  • 1/4th cup of coco powder
  • 1/2 tsp of salt

Measure out your puff wheat into a bowl, butter grease a 9 by 12 cake pan or if you want really high puff’s a 9 by 9 pan (Grease it well).

In a pot, add your butter, corn syrup ( I used my own homemade kind so I know its non-gmo) or add your honey, sugar, salt and coco powder at medium heat. Mix it with a whisk as it melts down and bring it to a simmering boil..

Pour it over your puffed wheat and mix it though with a wooden spoon.. pour it into your pan, use a little bit of butter on your finger to push off the last bits into the pan.. butter up your hands and with care (its hot folks) push it down and flatten into the pan.. if you are worried butter up your spoon and you can do the same thing.. it just takes a bit longer and more butter that way, where you feel more with your (clean washed hands) to do it that way.

You need to compress the mixture so that it can “set” in the pan and will be cut into squares for yummy snacking.. its sweet, its a touch salty, its crunchy.. Its a old school treat from my childhood.

 

Posted in Baking | Tagged | 12 Comments

Friday Rambles around the kitchen table.

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

The Kettle just whistled and the coffee is on.. come on in and sit down..

How are you? How is your world? I really do mean that.. I hope my readers who like the Friday rambles posts will share interesting things about their area, their lives. I loved! how interactive and chat folks have been on the last two of these posts. So if you think should I write a comment, if you are willing please do.

One of the things that has been big news this week has been how little the red cross is helping the local folks that have been hurt by the tornado’s in the Ottawa area. I expect that this type of thing happens ALL THE TIME and because it’s not local and because it’s not in a first world with fast ability to use social media to share the information on that we just do not hear about it.

So the red cross was one of the first to arrive to help(or so they said) and they quickly raised 1.3 million  in donations..  Want to guess how much of that money was given out by four weeks mark!

I can only imagine the shock of the first four weeks of losing your home, losing your community, in some cases losing your home, your workplace, your school, your church and in many cases your vehicles! Poof.. gone.. the stress of cloths to wear, right down to even shoes to put on your little ones feet..

So let’s go back shall we..  1.3 MILLION and they had given out 3000 dollars in the first four weeks.. those that they did help got 600 if they are a family of 3 and under and 800 if they are four or more..  That’s a flat amount.. you could be a family of 12 and you still only count as a family of 4..

That’s not even 1 percent..  So the news got diggy and the red cross got ants in their pants.. I have been listening to the women who is “their voice” she will NEVER answer a direct question.. she is the queen of dance..

Her favorite line..  I can not say how much has been given out as that can change hourly..

HAHA.. WOW!!! what a bunch of Bull $#^#   you trying to tell me that in today’s world that you don’t know to the last penny what has been spent.. I can log online right now to my bank and it will tell me up to the date what I have in my checking, my savings and on down the line.

You trying to tell me that the red cross is so far behind in their own banking that they do not know what they have and what they have spent!?

So here is what they have said to date.. they have earmarked for the Ottawa tornado victims 720,000 of that 1.3 million.. what I have not gotten an answer on, is the rest for the Quebec side of effected folks. Or are they really saying they need close to 500,000 for admin/personal.. cause.. what? if that is the case.. wow!

Because of the pressure placed on them locally, they have decided this week that they will give more folks the ability to claim that 600 and 800 for this month..  Let me explain the issue with this! They were going to do this anyway!

It’s a new month, they clearly said at the beginning that they would have to fill out their paperwork and continue to report monthly and then they would get their 600 and 800 per month.. So while they are up there in the news going.. WE ARE GIVING MORE money out..

Of course you are.. its a new month..

I did not donate to the red cross, I saw what they did when it came to the Fort Mac fires and how poorly they dealt with so many things..

They said they are looking at the long-term needs and that it must be a slow release of things so they can help for years to come.. I am not sure on that.. most of the folks do have insurance.. its my understanding 5 do not have anything (but will be covered on the province to a point) and that the rest all had private that will cover x amount.

So where does that leave us when we want to help? We do not want to get took by some fly by the night scammers and yet, clearly we do need to look smaller if we want a faster response

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/tornado-relief-red-cross-west-carleton-disaster-relief-1.4880618

The response of the Canadian Red Cross appears to contrast starkly with that of West Carleton Disaster Relief, a volunteer organization that sprung up in the days following the tornado and which says it’s already delivered $500 cash payments to 137 families in the Dunrobin area.

Len Russell, the group’s secretary, said the money was delivered within about two and a half weeks, to help people meet basic needs without red tape.

Many were left with nothing and faced long waits for insurance payments, he said.

Russell was very critical of the response of the Canadian Red Cross, saying the short-term assistance has fallen far short of what was provided to residents affected by flooding last year in nearby Constance Bay.

“The reaction of people is, ‘I needed you in the first week,'” Russell said.
“We don’t need you three years from now, and yet you’re going to hold on to this money for years.'”

In addition to the $500 payments to families, Russell said the group has been helping to cover the cost of re-connecting utilities and leasing shipping containers for farmers who need storage after buildings were destroyed.

A volunteer board approves new programs as they’re needed.

While I can not find it in the news to back me up, I know that this group above also released more funds yesterday to all effected family’s and I love that they got sea cans for farmers and are paying those re-connecting costs, which can cost your hundreds for each one.. I just did a power reconnect that needs to be signed off and its not cheap at all.

I listened to the folks effected by the floods talking that a year later many of them are still waiting for insurance, waiting for repairs, waiting to even start building their homes again. I do understand that these thing do take time, I am not trying to say.. snap your fingers and its done..

What I am saying is that they say Donate.. and we will help them, we know what needs to be done.. well I am not so sure about that anymore..

I was thinking about the fact that there have been so many floods, so many fires, so many hurricanes this year.. I feel like this must be happening to thousands, tens of thousands of family’s right now all across Canada, N.A and across the world..

So I ask, If there has been an issue in your neck of the woods, do you find those that are to be helping are doing a good job? Do you find that local groups are stepping up to fill the gaps that the bigger ones are leaving?  Do you donate to Red Cross? Would something like this make you rethink it? Do you donate cash to anyone? or do you prefer to give time, items?

Posted in At the kitchen table | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Local Seed Cleaning Event

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

For my local garden folk! Do you want to learn more about how to save your seed? Want to learn how to make screens to sort your seed? Check out this workshop!

So you’ve saved your own seeds, now what? At this workshop, attendees will get an overview of cleaning dried seeds with screens, fans, and even a special homemade open source seed cleaner. This workshop will cover threshing, winnowing, screening, labelling, storing your seeds. Whether your small or large gardener this workshop will give you the techniques you need to get your seed clean for next year.

Attendees will be able to bring their plant material, or the material they wish to donate to the Ottawa Seed Library. During the workshop attendees will also learn about the Ottawa Seed Library, and how they can contribute and participate in 2019 season.

Where: Just Food Farm – 2391 Pépin Court
When: Sunday, November 18, 2018, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
RSVP: Seeds@Justfood.ca
Cost: $5.00 or pay-what-you-can

Participants can get to farm by car or bus # 94. Parking is also available behind the big red barn.

Posted in gardens, seed saving | Leave a comment

Seed Sales for November

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

I am excited to announce that these Seed Sales from Mary’s Seeds.

Mary’s Seeds currently offer’s over 500 varieties of Heirloom, open-pollinated, non-gmo & non-hybrid seeds. Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.

This is a An affiliate link and if you choose to use it and you buy something, I will get a small percent of the sale.   

I have never done a affiliate program before so I hope this goes smoothly. I have had different folks over the years talk to me about it. While I will continue to support Canadian seed producers a lot of my readers are in states and I have been asked a number of times each year who I would recommend to buy seeds from in the states.  I am pleased to be able to have a answer to give now.


This seed sale runs from Nov 1st to Nov 14ths and my promo code is leeloo

The sale is 10% off all order of 15 dollars or more and it can be used on all Sale items! as well as all regular items.

One of the things I like about Mary’s seeds is that she has outstanding deals on her 99 cent seed packages.  They cover a large amount of basic’s for your garden at a lower cost. There are also some great seed kits on sale already and take a extra 10% off.

Its a great way to save if you would like to give seeds to your favorite gardener as Christmas gifts.

 

 

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November No Buy : Reader Poll

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

Hello Folks,

First up on Nov No Buy Week old is a poll for my readers?! I have never done a poll on the blog before but I have lots of first planned for the blog and my life in 2019. So I asked hubby and he said.. why don’t you poll your readers and let them decide.

I have a scene card that is linked to my one bank account that gives me “points” that can be redeemed for movie tickets. The new movie about Freddie is coming out Nov 1st and a few of my girlfriend are planning a movie night out to go watch it at some point in the next two weeks.  I will admit to wanting to go.

Going to the movies is a straight up NO in regards to spending money on No Buy Nov!

However being a somewhat clever girl I said.. what about points.. I have already earned them, they are just sitting there? if I go to the movie and do not buy any goodies or go out before or after with the girls, I think I can use them..

So I will give it over to you my dear readers.. vote in the poll and I will follow the outcome.. The poll votes will count for the first 72’s of voting.

I might be reaching on this one.. lol..

 

Posted in No Buy November | 17 Comments

Happy Halloween 2018

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Just another day on the farm

Grumpy Winter Black Cat.. what a great pout for Halloween 🙂

I love Halloween but here on the farm. Its just another day and a quiet one at that. We do not get folks to come around in the country, everyone from the country packs up the kids and heads to the local community centers that host parties.  You can drop of gifts, chocolate and such at the center to be shared out.

Its not the same as folks coming up the driveway and asking the little ones about their dressing up, or asking them to sing a song or tell a joke.. I put out my pumpkin and lights for the first couple years here on the farm and never got a single child..

Now sadly, I do not even put out the pumpkin anymore.. but if I was going to do it I would be putting out one of the teal ones and giving out little toys and gifts. I did that often before it was even part of the program now.

Do you have the teal pumpkin program in your area. Teal Pumpkin houses are houses that will be giving out small toys, gifts or other idea’s for the little ones that are safe for everyone to have. I have so many friends now that have little ones with allergies, and I don’t mean, little sniffle allergies, I mean their little ones carry Ep-pens with them all the time to be on the safe side.. On the flip side I also have a good amount of mom’s friends that work so hard to keep food die colors, over load of sugar and processed food out of their home and their children diets.  Sometimes this is not just due to a food choice, it really does effect their little ones when they eat these types of things.

I want all the little kiddo’s to feel they can get dressed up, get out there and have a GREAT! time. I want those that want Candy to get their treats and I want those that can’t have candy to pick out a cool toy or item or to tell the truth I normally always let them do both 🙂

I know that some folks have said..  my kids would be so sad if they didn’t get the candy and I say, you didn’t put your thinking cap on enough.. What little girl does not want to get to pick out a new hair clip with bling or a tiny nail polish bottle or maybe she would prefer to grab a funky pencil topper.  Hit the dollar store and take ten minutes and think like a kid of different ages.. a fun straw! or maybe a cute travel size bottle sparkle glue or colored eggs of slime..

Trust me, we used to give little toys/gift when we lived in the artic and we had kids lined up the steps and out the driveway waiting to get to the door to see what they could pick, we had different bowls for different ages.  We would give the kids a choice.. total of two to pick.. and they could pick two candy, two toys/little gifts or one of each.. I would say that 100 percent left with at least one toy and about 50 percent took the second toy over the candy.  I liked giving them a choice 🙂

What was your favorite treat as a kid when it came to the candy, I am giving away my age now on this one LOL I loved color popcorn balls.. I liked making them, I liked giving them, I liked getting them..

These days you can’t even consider giving away a homemade treat, without assuming that it will be thrown away by the parent for “safety”  I also adored Puff wheat squares…

I look forward to hearing your favorite treat and what you find in your neck of the woods.. its is a homestead thing that we don’t get kids in the country or is it just where I live now? If you have little ones, do you take them to town? for the parties..

I hope everyone local stays safe in this cold wet night..

 

Posted in At the kitchen table | 8 Comments