More Thoughts about You Tube

Dear Readers,  I wonder how many think of you tube and you tubers channels as I do; I have become quite put out, tired, very tired of it all. I believe you tube to be a fad as all other types of technology is has been, it looses it's draw after a time. Once to be an informational avenue it has become the soap opera of computers as the soaps were on t.v. long ago, or maybe those soaps are still around I do not know. Grant, perhaps, not every one fits the category, but many, many do. So much drama they put out, entice with, or just create to 'draw'. Be it called a 'vlog' now or just a supposedly regular video upload, it is still the same drama only by another name. I do not need, desire, nor want it anymore and as I did 20+ yrs ago, pulled myself off the t.v. I shall do the same with you tube and just much of the computer all together. No, I won't stop sharing posts, as I only do so now as I feel led too. I have not missed the t.v. and although it was tough in the beginning, because we are so programmed to such things, I am believing it won't be as difficult this time around, I have learned much in deprogramming my mind in 20 yrs. And it is truly amazing how clear my mind is when not filled with so much of others 'stuff' when I have plenty of my own, and much more important duties to attend too. I would think most do, have more of their own stuff to deal with daily than needing extra from others.

Onward.
In Joy

A Full Day

Hello Dear Readers, a very full day and it is only half over; butchered rabbits this am, 5. Got them cleaned and cut up, some pieces for canning with bone, some boiling for bone broth and taking meat off for canned barbque, the flank pieces ground up for dog food to can of which I added some carrots, green split peas, and rice, and a few pieces left for frying tonight for supper. I will make scalloped potatoes to go with. I also have cottage cheese draining, and saved the whey to can for my bread making. Since my cow is dry at present I am buying milk from a local plain community nearby. I miss the fresh, raw milk and refuse to buy the so called 'milk' from the store. I encourage you to research the dairy industry, with treatment of cows, feed fed, and processing of milk, perhaps you will think deeply and try to make a change.  I made some pizza last night for supper, having some left over dough, made a small loaf of bread of which today I tore into pieces for bread pudding, adding some oats, raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon, soaking for an hour in milk. It is almost ready to pop in the oven for baking. It will be good for breakfast in the morning.  As it is a very pretty day, I have been able to get 3 loads of laundry washed, hung on the line for drying and here soon, they will be ready to bring in for folding.

The clean up after the storm was done yesterday, and with the fullness of today, I hope to get back on the railing fence I am putting up around the garden tomorrow. We have had to put this fence up because the deer have begun coming up and in many numbers since our outside dogs have died in the last 4 yrs. We thought of getting another dog or two but the fence, though just time and days to get it up was the better choice than dogs, that more feed to buy, shots and controlling of pests in the dog area and other tasks we did not feel up to do daily.  We also spread grated Irish Spring soap all around the garden area and it really does help.

The canner is jiggling, need to check and adjust. Much encouragement to all as you pursue your journey in homesteading.

In Joy

After the storm

Hello Dear Readers,  yesterday afternoon a storm came through our county, bringing quarter size hail and 60 mile howling winds and heavy rain. God is good  all the time, no matter, He is good, gracious and full of mercy. The storm lasted about 30 minutes and then all over and done. We lost 2 solar panels, a large cedar tree fell on a portion of pasture fencing and many, many various size limbs and branches lay all around this morning.

We listened to NOAA weather a few days ago and it predicted this storm coming. We are always in much prayer over our valley and such conditions and even in the midst yesterday in prayer. I do not fear as once I did, knowing and trusting in God and Jesus to be faithful to their word and I am always reminded of Jesus in the boat with the disciples and a big wind storm came up and they allowed fear to grip their hearts, Jesus said to them not to fear, and he himself was asleep during the storm and they woke him with their fear that they may perish.  I am convicted that when ones are born again, they know their home is in heaven, their trust, faith and assurance is in Christ, they have no reason to fear even though death may call them, or they suffer loss of some sort. This is peace that passes all understanding.

Today begins clean up. We were to butcher rabbits this morning, but, 'what a difference a day makes' in deed.

In Joy

Homesteading with 'Challenged' Loved Ones

Dear Readers, I have been pondering on sharing our life of homesteading/farming with challenged or more realistic term, handicapped, children. Our children came into our family through various means and through 20 yrs now. We have 5 of which 4 are total care and in wheel chairs, the oldest is ambulatory, though delayed and needs constant supervision. Just in the last year we have gotten home nursing care for 3 of the children and what a great blessing this has been, as it has enabled husband and I to do more on our farm. The nurses are wonderful and excellent in their skill. We are very thankful to God. 

In years past husband and I had been doing it ourselves, and at one time our now grown, adult children were home and they helped too. But as we are aging, we cannot do as we once did. It was somewhat a great adjustment, bringing in strangers into your home to have the help you need. We gave much prayer in this and we know God brought the right nurses to our home He had for us.

We have a good schedule and can be flexible if a nurse is unable to come on a particular day. But it feels so good to see accomplishment in a short amount of time than before.

God will supply. There are many who desire to do some homesteading but they themselves maybe challenged, do not lose heart, God can make a way and he will when we seek him in earnest. A little bit is better than none when one has the desire.  I pray God will give insight to those who seek him.

In Joy

Chickens love left overs

A Blessed day to you Readers, it is sunny, chilly and invigorating day; wheel chair people were here several hours; a new chair delivered for one, an fitting for a new chair for another and an adjustment on another new chair. Thankful for good people in the company we use for medical equipment for our children.

I have made bread today, 5 loaves. Sweet smelling savor in the house.

Last week we cleaned out the freezer to make way for the steer we had processed; I have purple hull peas, rice, chicken and carrot mix, pumpkin, and various other vegetables. I am taking portions of this food and heating it just enough to be almost cooked and giving some to the chickens daily. They love it and with 20 chickens it only takes a few minutes for them to devour the food. It saves a bit on the regular feed, which means a bit of savings on buying. Every little bit helps in my thinking. I have enough left over foods for almost several weeks. I suppose the only draw back is the chickens get use to this type of 'treat' and come running to the fence every time I go out to do something around their pen thinking I have the left overs for them and then seemingly turn their beaks up at the pellets they normally get. I think I can mix some of the 'left overs' in with their regular pellets and see how that will go over.

I hope all is well with what ever your hands are put to today. Blessings abound in Christ no matter what.

In Joy

Canned goods from our Pig

Greetings Dear Readers,   a few days ago I shared of butchering our pig. I canned 17 quarts of bone broth, 3 quarts of BBQ meat, and 8 pints of dog food.  The dog food consist of rice, grated carrots, broth and the fatty/meat and bone marrow that fell from the bones when boiling. We mix this homemade dog food with their reg. dry dog food and they love it.  I only make dog food when we have processed our home grown meat from a steer, pig or rabbits. It helps stretch out their dry food and save a little on buying.

I am drying out the bones now and in a few days will dig my trench down between our grape vines and bury them.

Lots of rain today, a blessed day for baking. I made banana/applesauce cakes, poured up my witch hazel face tonic, have seeds sprouting for fresh eating, and lots of dishes washed. With all the rain this morning, I was able to get my kitchen rug outside on the ramp for a good washing.

Now time to do a bit of laundry, which I will be hanging on the drying racks this evening and they will dry over night by the wood stove.

Hope all is well in your homes.

In Joy

BULL!!!

Dear Readers,  we have a young dexter bull, about 7months old and weighing around 500lbs. He is 'Dun Bar'  our 2nd herd bull, we have another older one, Chaco. Dun Bar is also dehorned as we thought this would make him a bit more docile, of which the dexter breed is a very docile breed in nature. Dun Bar has always liked to play with the feeder, which is a metal frame with a plastic liner attached by screws. We had the feeder attached with wire to metal post but he soon rubbed it off them. so we attached it to the cattle fencing. He worked long enough through the weeks that he also tore it off the fence. We have been pressed for time with other things, that we did not get to attaching it again, so Dun Bar has been eating with the feeder free standing. He had pushed the liner almost out of the frame, it was hanging in by one lone screw. Husband had gotten frustrated at Dun Bar's constant playing with it, watching him some days butting his head all over the feeder that he said, "I hope he gets stuck in it."  Well, we must watch what we say for we may get what is spoken. Yes, today Dun Bar got stuck in the feeder and went wild, jumping the cross fence from one pasture to the other. The feeder caught on his hips, he ran wildly, dragging the feeder, until he became tired. He finally stopped, we went out to see about him, and the only thing we thought would work is if we had a way to tranquilize him to be able to cut the frame off him. We know of a woman who has vet skills, though she is not one, and access to such equipment, so we called her but she was not home. After a while, I told husband we must pray and ask God to work the happening to get that frame off this bull. We did, came back to the house and began evening chores. I continued to give it to God, and it was not long, husband came in the house and said, 'Dun Bar is free, he is out of the frame.'  I praised the Lord for his work. Husband went and took the feeder frame and liner out of the pasture. Dun Bar has a few cuts, is very tired, but o.k.  I told husband think before you speak from now on. ")  Dun Bar will eat off the ground from now on.

This caused me to think of what many are speaking of when the poo hits the fan and there is not an avenue of the normal means to get help,  what will you do, are you prepared? We have had a few things in the last several months finding ourselves in this position, and each time when the normal avenue was not there, we have prayed and God has answered each time. He is faithful in all things of our lives, big, little and inbetween.  I am thankful.

Farm life, gotta love it.

In Joy

Butchering Day

Good evening Dear Readers,  today was butcher day for 'pig'. Husband and son shot him, bled him out while washing him, then loaded him in the pickup and took to our neighbor who, I believe can do it all to a pig as far as butchering goes, in his sleep. It was very educational. Of which I include the cuts of meat, how to cut, how much meat is really on a pig that is very useful. I have always heard all that is not used is the 'oink.'  Pig weighed around 300 lbs before butchering. We got ribs, roasts, tender loins and the majority to put into sausage, which we weighed out and it is around 120lbs.  Our neighbor said it was not cold enough to salt down the hams, nor do bacon. His process of these takes much colder weather for longer period and the steps for his bacon is about 5 days. Maybe next time, but we are thrilled to have what we do. I also got a nice amount of fat to render for lard and bones for bone broth, of which I have going right now. Bone broth is very nourishing and great when a body is sick. I also have just learned that some old timers used bones to put in the ground around their vineyards. After I am done with these bones, the meat is all off and the bones have dried I am going to put them under the ground around our vineyard and see if it helps. Dig deep enough to hopefully keep the dogs from digging them up. ")  In the next week it will be time to butcher our meat rabbits.

A week ago I sowed radish, kale and lettuce seeds in a raised bed, today I checked and they are coming up nicely. It is to drop down in the mid 20's tonight, so husband and I put plastic over the hoops I have placed along side of the bed. I am thrilled that they are doing so well.

Time for evening chores to do, so I shall close for now. I hope each one is making some progress on your homesteading journey, keep the focus and stay encouraged.

In Joy