Home Stead Fast Fun
These days there are lots of doomsday preppers, survivalists, and homesteaders. I am not an extremist, I am a moderatist. The definition of moderate is:
I am by no means an average person (lol), but I like to glean the great ideas from all sorts of people and groups to use it in my own life - a Moderatist! I use ideas from others in a moderate way so we can all benefit.
I grow quite a few herbs and have been looking for ways of preserving and using them in my everday life. My favorites are basil, thyme, rosemary, stevia, parsley, and curry. I also like to harvest chaga. Chaga is a mushroom. It is also one of the most potent natural antioxidants on earth. We have a bunch of it growing on the birch trees on our hunting property in northern Minnesota. Below I have put together a few great 'recipes' for you if you are into homesteading. (Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It is characterized by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of foodstuffs, and it may or may not also involve the small scale production of textiles, clothing, and craftwork for household use or sale. Per Wikipedia)
Lavender Extract (Akin to Essential Oil but easier to make)
1 cup lavender buds
2 cups 100 proof vodka
1 pint mason jar with lid
If you use fresh lavender buds, you will want to crush them in a mortar and pestle to get the oils to release from the buds. If you use dried buds, then you can crush them with your fingers and drop the in the jar. Add the vodka and cover with the lid. Store for at least 3 days. Shake vigorously at least once a day to release the natural fragrance. You can evaporate the alcohol in one of two ways. You can strain the alcohol off and lightly heat the liquid to a very gentle boil for 10 minutes, or you can take the lid off the jar and let it sit for a week. Your choice. I choose to boil because I get impatient. After the liquid cools, you can put it back into the original jar or separate into smaller jars for gifting.
I like to add this to my hardwood floor cleaner. I make my cleaner out of 1 part each of white vinegar, water, and isopropyl alcohol. My kids and dogs hate the smell, so adding the lavender really cuts down on the vinegar smell.
I also make my own lotion. Well, it's really more of a salve as it's a little on the oily side. But it works wonders, especially in the winter. My daughter loves lavender at night, so I've added it to the salve and then rub it on her temples at bedtime and she konks right out!
You can also use this extract recipe for all sorts of other herbs:
Echinacea (coneflower - helps boost immune system)
Calendula (marigold - used as an anti-inflammatory)
Oregano (anti-microbial - great for kicking colds, killing warts and fungus)
Rosemary
Mint
Add an inch of water in the bottom of a sauce pan. Place the beeswax in a glass jar or measuring cup and put in the sauce pan. Melt the beeswax in this manner. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the essential oil. Make sure it all melts very slowly. You don't want to ruin the natural healing properties of the oils by heating at too high of a temperature. Once everything is melted, remove from heat and add your essential oil. Fill the jars to the bottom of the threaded part of the jar. Gently put the lid on and let it cool and harden. Give as gifts or save for yourself. One 4 oz jar goes a very long way. I made these right before Christmas and I still have 3/4 of the jar left!
Chaga Extract
2 cups ground chaga
1 pint mason jar
100 proof vodka
If you are grinding your own chaga, please use a coffee grinder. No other device works as well, plus the chaga may stain or burn through plastic or subpar blades (I learned from experience). I went to a thrift store and bought a used one. Chaga is very dense and may wreak havoc on any chopper you use. I purchased it at Goodwill for $4. That way if it craps out on me, I'm not out that much!
Fill the mason jar with the chaga and then add the vodka until it is completely covered. Here's where the patience needs to come in. The chaga needs to sit for at least 3 weeks. Try to shake it everyday. Once it has steeped for 3 weeks, take the whole mixture, add 1 cup of water and boil in a sauce pan very lightly for 10 minutes. Strain out the chaga. You can toss it or keep it and use it again. It can be used up to 3 times before you've pulled out all the nutrients. Boil the liquid again very lightly until it's has reduced to half of what it was. Jar or bottle it. I keep it in the fridge because it stays fresh much longer. Chaga extract can be added to a glass of water and drank every day to help fend off viruses and bacterial infections. I put a tablespoon of it in my coffee when I feel a cold coming on. In the winter I use it almost everyday. I swear by it that it helps as much as zinc as an immune booster. It is also great to help kill a hangover. Mix an ounce of it with water, juice or coffee. Then drink about 24 oz of water at least throughout the day to help flush the toxins from the night before. I make a tea with it when my kids are sick and add a little lemon and honey. They ask for it now when they feel a cold coming on and within 24-48 hours they are on the mend!
Infused Oils
When approaching the project of infusing oils with a natural fragrance or flavor, be mindful of what oil you use. What are you using the oil for? Beauty products do best with coconut or jojoba oil. Flavoring oils for culinary purposes are best with extra virgin olive oil, coconut, or avocado oil. Dried herbs are best due to the water in the herb can cause mold and spoilage of your finished product. You can use your own home grown or purchased.
1 cup of your choice of herb
1 pint mason jar with lid
2 cups (approx) of your preferred oil
I prefer to use a slow cooker that has a warm setting for the the infusion method. This is the least hands off approach which also has the least amount of room for error. Fill your jars about 1/2 inch below the top with the herb of your choosing and your oil. Cover tightly with the lid. Tap the top of the lid and swirl the jar to release any bubbles in the mixture. Put a towl in the bottom of the cooker and fill half way with water. The towel will keep direct heat off the jars and allow for a more uniform heating. Allow the oils to infuse for 8-12 hours. Swirl the jars a few times during that time to allow herbs to make contact with as much of the oil as possible. Cool the jars to room temperature and strain the herbs out of the oil once it's cooled. You can now transfer your oil to whatever container you'd like to store it in.
Gardening Hacks & Tips
I live in a suburban area where we can have chickens. My neighbors on both sides have them. On the one side, he is very free in sharing his chicken coop compost. It make a great nutrient boost for planting your spring garden. Just make sure it has sit at least 2-3 months before adding it to anything. Chicken poop has a very high acidity and will kill anything unless it has marinated for a couple of months.
Regrow veggies from your store bought items. I have saved my lettuce bottoms and replanted them. You can sit them in water for a couple of days or put them right in the dirt. They will magically regrow a new head of lettuce for you! I've done this with romaine, butter, and iceberg. It works best with organic, but it has worked with non-organic as well. Green onions are the easiest to regrow. Use the majority of the onion but save at least a half inch of the bulb. Again, you can plant directly into a potting soil and it will regrow itself in about 2 weeks.
Here 's a list of veggies that regrow easily indoors or out:
Glass bottle watering
Using glass bottles from beer, sparkling water, oil, vinegar, tequila - whatever your poison - works great as a watering system when you don't want to water everyday. It works best on potted plants, but you can put them right in the ground. Make sure to moisten the ground first so as to keep the bottle from completely draining right away. I water after I pull out the empty bottle and put the water right into the hole the bottle creates. That way I can see how much water the plant is retaining. Fill your bottle and put it back in the hole. It works great in keeping plants from wilting on those super hot days or if you decide to go away for the weekend. The best bottles I've used are tequila (don't judge) and sparkling water bottles. They seem to take longer to drain into the soil and that's what you want - a slow drip to keep the roots from drying out.
As summer progresses, I will continue posting great ideas from interesting people, websites, and youtube videos that I've researched and somewhat tested.
mod·er·ate
- 1.average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.
I grow quite a few herbs and have been looking for ways of preserving and using them in my everday life. My favorites are basil, thyme, rosemary, stevia, parsley, and curry. I also like to harvest chaga. Chaga is a mushroom. It is also one of the most potent natural antioxidants on earth. We have a bunch of it growing on the birch trees on our hunting property in northern Minnesota. Below I have put together a few great 'recipes' for you if you are into homesteading. (Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It is characterized by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of foodstuffs, and it may or may not also involve the small scale production of textiles, clothing, and craftwork for household use or sale. Per Wikipedia)
Lavender Extract (Akin to Essential Oil but easier to make)1 cup lavender buds
2 cups 100 proof vodka
1 pint mason jar with lid
If you use fresh lavender buds, you will want to crush them in a mortar and pestle to get the oils to release from the buds. If you use dried buds, then you can crush them with your fingers and drop the in the jar. Add the vodka and cover with the lid. Store for at least 3 days. Shake vigorously at least once a day to release the natural fragrance. You can evaporate the alcohol in one of two ways. You can strain the alcohol off and lightly heat the liquid to a very gentle boil for 10 minutes, or you can take the lid off the jar and let it sit for a week. Your choice. I choose to boil because I get impatient. After the liquid cools, you can put it back into the original jar or separate into smaller jars for gifting.
I like to add this to my hardwood floor cleaner. I make my cleaner out of 1 part each of white vinegar, water, and isopropyl alcohol. My kids and dogs hate the smell, so adding the lavender really cuts down on the vinegar smell.
I also make my own lotion. Well, it's really more of a salve as it's a little on the oily side. But it works wonders, especially in the winter. My daughter loves lavender at night, so I've added it to the salve and then rub it on her temples at bedtime and she konks right out!
You can also use this extract recipe for all sorts of other herbs:
Echinacea (coneflower - helps boost immune system)
Calendula (marigold - used as an anti-inflammatory)
Oregano (anti-microbial - great for kicking colds, killing warts and fungus)
Rosemary
Mint
Miracle Salve - this is awesome for cracked feet, sunburned skin, eczema, dry cracked hands, and much more.
- 3 tablespoons beeswax pellets
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup avocado oil or other oil of choice (sweet almond, olive or jojoba make great choices, too)
- 2 tablespoons shea butter
- optional: 20 drops essential oil or your homemade extract of choice
- 4 - 4oz mason jars with lids
Chaga Extract2 cups ground chaga
1 pint mason jar
100 proof vodka
If you are grinding your own chaga, please use a coffee grinder. No other device works as well, plus the chaga may stain or burn through plastic or subpar blades (I learned from experience). I went to a thrift store and bought a used one. Chaga is very dense and may wreak havoc on any chopper you use. I purchased it at Goodwill for $4. That way if it craps out on me, I'm not out that much!
Fill the mason jar with the chaga and then add the vodka until it is completely covered. Here's where the patience needs to come in. The chaga needs to sit for at least 3 weeks. Try to shake it everyday. Once it has steeped for 3 weeks, take the whole mixture, add 1 cup of water and boil in a sauce pan very lightly for 10 minutes. Strain out the chaga. You can toss it or keep it and use it again. It can be used up to 3 times before you've pulled out all the nutrients. Boil the liquid again very lightly until it's has reduced to half of what it was. Jar or bottle it. I keep it in the fridge because it stays fresh much longer. Chaga extract can be added to a glass of water and drank every day to help fend off viruses and bacterial infections. I put a tablespoon of it in my coffee when I feel a cold coming on. In the winter I use it almost everyday. I swear by it that it helps as much as zinc as an immune booster. It is also great to help kill a hangover. Mix an ounce of it with water, juice or coffee. Then drink about 24 oz of water at least throughout the day to help flush the toxins from the night before. I make a tea with it when my kids are sick and add a little lemon and honey. They ask for it now when they feel a cold coming on and within 24-48 hours they are on the mend!
Infused Oils
When approaching the project of infusing oils with a natural fragrance or flavor, be mindful of what oil you use. What are you using the oil for? Beauty products do best with coconut or jojoba oil. Flavoring oils for culinary purposes are best with extra virgin olive oil, coconut, or avocado oil. Dried herbs are best due to the water in the herb can cause mold and spoilage of your finished product. You can use your own home grown or purchased.
1 cup of your choice of herb
1 pint mason jar with lid
2 cups (approx) of your preferred oil
I prefer to use a slow cooker that has a warm setting for the the infusion method. This is the least hands off approach which also has the least amount of room for error. Fill your jars about 1/2 inch below the top with the herb of your choosing and your oil. Cover tightly with the lid. Tap the top of the lid and swirl the jar to release any bubbles in the mixture. Put a towl in the bottom of the cooker and fill half way with water. The towel will keep direct heat off the jars and allow for a more uniform heating. Allow the oils to infuse for 8-12 hours. Swirl the jars a few times during that time to allow herbs to make contact with as much of the oil as possible. Cool the jars to room temperature and strain the herbs out of the oil once it's cooled. You can now transfer your oil to whatever container you'd like to store it in.
Gardening Hacks & Tips
I live in a suburban area where we can have chickens. My neighbors on both sides have them. On the one side, he is very free in sharing his chicken coop compost. It make a great nutrient boost for planting your spring garden. Just make sure it has sit at least 2-3 months before adding it to anything. Chicken poop has a very high acidity and will kill anything unless it has marinated for a couple of months.Regrow veggies from your store bought items. I have saved my lettuce bottoms and replanted them. You can sit them in water for a couple of days or put them right in the dirt. They will magically regrow a new head of lettuce for you! I've done this with romaine, butter, and iceberg. It works best with organic, but it has worked with non-organic as well. Green onions are the easiest to regrow. Use the majority of the onion but save at least a half inch of the bulb. Again, you can plant directly into a potting soil and it will regrow itself in about 2 weeks.
Here 's a list of veggies that regrow easily indoors or out:
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Green onions
- Garlic
- Potatoes or any other root vegetable
- White or yellow onions
- Leeks
- Lemongrass
- Mushrooms (I've never done this, but it's my next project!)
Vermiculite
I bought a bag of vermiculite and added it to all my garden spots. It helps retain and regulate water. If you don't want to buy a whole lot of potting soil, this is a great way to stretch your homemade compost.
Straw bales
Straw bales are certainly a good way to garden if you don't want to plant in the ground. There is a specific process to preparing them and once you do, they provide a great garden with little effort. A couple tips if you choose to garden this way:
- Don't put plants in straw that need extra attention or moist soil. It is best for plants that grow with well drained soil or are somewhat drought tolerant. The biggest issue I had with them is that they need lots of watering and are very dry.
- Do make sure to prepare the bales with fertilizer and water every day for two weeks before you plant.
- Don't put them in direct sun. It will dry them out way too fast.
- Do plant lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and other hot, sun-loving plants.
- Don't plant broccoli, cauliflower, kale, carrots, potatoes, or anything that has a sturdy stalk or bulb.
- Do use the used straw in your compost or as a filler for planter pots, starting your garden, as a mulch for your garden.
Deterents
- Bugs - cayenne pepper spray with a drop of dish soap works great to fend off bugs from eating your plants.
- Rabbits and other varmints - marigolds. Plant marigolds around the areas you don't want to get eaten by small animals. They have a distinct smell that keeps them away.
- Deer - cayenne spray on your hostas and other greens work to keep them from eating your flower and bulb gardens.
- Slugs - place mulch around lettuce plants or find something to lift the leaves off the ground. I used plastic garden pavers to keep the leaves from sitting on the dirt. Slugs like to suck on the bottom sides of lettuce leaves and eat them up. I found this trick works really well.
Using glass bottles from beer, sparkling water, oil, vinegar, tequila - whatever your poison - works great as a watering system when you don't want to water everyday. It works best on potted plants, but you can put them right in the ground. Make sure to moisten the ground first so as to keep the bottle from completely draining right away. I water after I pull out the empty bottle and put the water right into the hole the bottle creates. That way I can see how much water the plant is retaining. Fill your bottle and put it back in the hole. It works great in keeping plants from wilting on those super hot days or if you decide to go away for the weekend. The best bottles I've used are tequila (don't judge) and sparkling water bottles. They seem to take longer to drain into the soil and that's what you want - a slow drip to keep the roots from drying out.As summer progresses, I will continue posting great ideas from interesting people, websites, and youtube videos that I've researched and somewhat tested.
Comments
Post a Comment