Journey to our Heart's Homestead

Friday, July 24, 2015

Week 9

Veggies. I can't get enough of them!

Here is this week's gatherings...

6 jars raw milk - free!
10 lbs blueberries - $20
2 loaves sandwich bread (and a free cookie!) from a local bakery - $12
CSA share - $25
Lettuce/zucchini - free
Fermented CLO and Butter Oil - traded for labor

Total for week 9: $57

Beautiful Babies - book review

I was hesitant to purchase this book at first, then decided it has been far too long since I spent money on new reading material.

When it arrived, I opened it... and then couldn't put it down.

Everything I have studied regarding Weston Price's research, Nourishing Traditions, and the Cure Tooth Decay diet, all wrapped into one easy read that is tailored specifically towards moms, moms-to-be and babies.

I especially loved that the forward was written by Joel Salatin - very appropriate considering this book is all about supporting local farms by purchasing pasture raised animals for our health.

Yes, as some reviews state this book mostly reiterates WAPF nutrition. Even then, I learned some new things, and it is far easier to reference information than digging through Nourishing Traditions or Nutrition and Physical Degeneration - fascinating books but rather long-winded.

Beautiful Babies is encouraging me to continue prioritizing clean, pasture raised animal products and alerted me to a couple foods I need to phase out of my diet.

Check it out!

Week 8 - the meals

Here are a few favorites from this week...

Chopped salad with radishes, cucumber, carrots and sunflower seeds

Spaghetti with Pesto and sauteed zucchini

Tuna melts

Rice/sausage dish with garlic, scallions, and parsley

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Easiest Sauerkraut

Making sauerkraut.

It all starts with a cabbage.

Which you slice into ribbons.

Collect in a very clean bowl (glass or stainless steel, anything non-corrosive). To which you add 1 T. salt and a couple tablespoons whey (the whey is optional, merely speeds up fermentation process).

Massage cabbage with your very clean fingers for a few minutes.

...until it shrinks in size and looks somewhat like this...

After which time transfer to your very clean glass half gallon jar thustly.

And start mashing 'er down real good.

Once the liquid has risen above the level of the cabbage, you are done!

Add a bit more brine (water with dissolved salt) if required to make sure cabbage is fully submerged.

Put a large or several small rocks in a ziplock baggie and place in the jar.

Cover jar opening with a coffee filter, paper towel, cheesecloth... use whatever you have on hand.

You can ferment up to three to five weeks (or longer), start sampling after 10 days until it meets your taste preference. Cover and refrigerate once to desired taste!

Week 8

Lookie at my 'free' food items this week! Thanks to a generous gift card from one of my students, helping with my folks' garden, and our own chickens.

My fall garden is going in slowly - Ed Hume seeds ordered and ready to plant...

I also harvested some yarrow that grew behind the shop, it is in the process of drying for winter cold remedies.

Parsley and basil from my garden...

My Cultures for Health order came!!! Now here's to yogurt, sour cream, and mozzarella-making :)

Something fun I have been trying to help me drink more water - adding sprigs of fresh mint to a jar of water and letting it infuse. Tastes very refreshing.

And here is this week's CSA share :)

Here is this week's gatherings:

CSA share - $25
6 jars raw goat milk - $18
4 dozen eggs - $8
8 lbs blueberries - $15
Assorted produce/blackberries/herbs - free
Seeds - $9
Cheese/Yogurt/Sour Cream cultures - $40

Week 8 Total: $115

Week 7 - the meals

Here were a couple meals from this week :) The rest have been posted before... what can I say, most of these meals are worth a repeat!

Chicken Caesar salad - bacon, chicken, hard boiled egg, dubliner cheese, lettuce, green onion, and creamy ranch dressing with fresh parsley and basil!