Chicken Tunnels

Time to start saving those 2liter bottles again

Check out this tutorial on how to make a greenhouse out of plastic 2liter soda bottles over at http://ana-white.com/2011/04/plastic-bottle-green-house-build-guide

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Instructions on how to build a plastic bottle greenhouse using 2ltr plastic lemonade bottles. This was produced as part of the Greenspaces project with primary schools in Moray. http://www.reapscotland.org.uk/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=8

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How I built my Greenhouse, or how to ignore instructions and get away with it! http://www.squidoo.com/plasticbottlegreenhouse

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Plastic bottle greenhouse http://www.appropedia.org/Plastic_bottle_greenhouse

New Seeds Ordered And Garden Plan Done

It's funny, for all the gardening I do, I don't really like to garden. I like the planning, and the seed saving, and love the picking, canning, dehydrating, freezing and of course the eating. I'm just not much for the in-between. But hey, dusting, floor washing and toilet cleaning are not my favorites either, but providing us with a clean, healthy and nourishing life makes it all worthwhile.

2012 Garden

Do you Re-grow your garbage?

We have been eating the same green onions I bought at the store all winter long. No I don't have a corning wear dish of mushy green onions sitting out at every dinner. But I do have a beautiful pot full of lush green onions growing on my windowsill. Here's a quick pin I found on pinterest to show you how to grow them. The only difference from how I grow them is after mine had a nice root system going I potted them.

Source: plumsintheicebox.typepad.com via Pacy on Pinterest

I had a bunch of celery that needed to be used up quickly before I was ready to cook with it, so I chopped it up leaving the bottom stub intact. Dehydrated the chopped up stuff for the spice rack and I am going to re-grow more celery from the bottom stub. Here's a great how to re-grow celery pin.

Source: chickensintheroad.com via Pacy on Pinterest

Next neat regrow pin I want to try is re-growing ginger from store bought ginger roots. Check this one out.

Source: tropicalpermaculture.com via Pacy on Pinterest

 

 

I did find this neat book with loads of plants you can re-grow from your kitchen garbage.

Now at Wash. U.: A Butter Churning Club?

The three founding members of WUChurn (l-r), Sean Wang, Jeremy Winer and Zach Kaufman, demonstrate the fine art of butter-making.

​One night last spring, three dorm-mates at Washington University had one of those ideas that seems absolutely brilliant if you've been up very late studying: Why not start a butter-churning club?

Not that Zach Kaufman, Sean Wang and Jeremy Winer grew up on dairy farms or anything. Kaufman had churned once, on a grade-school field trip, and, in third grade, had read the entire Little House series, although he says he did not enjoy it. ("But you enjoyed the butter portions," Wang suggests helpfully.) But the idea charmed them. They started watching YouTube videos to find out how, exactly, churning was done. They told their friends about it. They started a Facebook group that has, so far, attracted more than 60 members.
Eventually, the time came to put up or shut up. Would there be a butter-churning club or not?
And so they put together a funding proposal, complete with PowerPoint, and presented it last week to the Wash. U. Student Union. "They liked us a lot," says Winer. So much that the Union voted unanimously to allot the group, now called WUChurn, $467.
The three founders purchased supplies at Schnucks: a pint of heavy cream and several Mason jars to serve as temporary churns until they get around to purchasing a more traditional crock-and-dash churn. (As they had learned from their research, you can churn butter simply by shaking up a Mason jar filled with cream, though it's not nearly as picturesque.)
Last Friday, the great moment arrived: For the first time, they churned.
"It took three minutes," Winer says.
Wang: "Who knew it was so easy?"
They were so pleased with themselves, they gathered on Saturday afternoon in the Danforth University Center to do it again.

Jeremy Winer pours the unchurned cream into Mason jars.

​The first and most obvious question: Why do students at Wash. U., which offers no classes in agricultural studies (though it does have a community garden, the Burning Kumquat), need a butter-churning club?

"It's a unique experience on campus," Kaufman explains earnestly as Winer pours cream into three Mason jars. "It's a way to create local, organic dairy products and support the humane treatment of animals. It's healthier."
"It tastes better," Wang adds.
"And there's no butter on campus," Kaufman continues.
What?! How can this be?
"We've been talking to the dining staff," says Wang. "They have to use spray stuff. There's no margarine, either."
"They may have some at brunch on Sundays," Winer interjects.
"We saw a niche," Kaufman concludes. "Now we're working on health codes."
"The proper storage of dairy products," Wang explains. "Right now we're using the refrigerator in our suite."
The three pick up their Mason jars and begin to shake them vigorously.
"There's not much material we have to buy," Kaufman says as he churns, "so there's not much overhead."
The group's biggest expense will be the churn. On EBay, they go for between $60 and $160. ("We expect it to last 100 years," Wang asserts.) They also plan to buy a strainer and a spoon to wash the butter, as well as Tupperware containers for storage. The executive board is currently looking for a dairy where they can buy cream, so they don't have to rely on Schuncks. And maybe one day, they'll get a custom Wash. U. butter mold.
"In the spring we're planning to have a butter-carving competition," says Kaufman. "And maybe we'll expand into ice cream and cheeses." They're not sure if they'll continue to use antiquated equipment, though, or if they'll concentrate on dairy.

Sean Wang can't believe it's butter!

​"It's an easy break," Wang says, opening his jar to check the progress of his butter. It currently looks like whipped cream. "It's so intense here. Food is like an afterthought. This is easy and repetitive."

"It makes a cool noise," says Winer, holding his Mason jar up to his ear. "It's a stress-reliever."
"A productive stress ball," Kaufman agrees. "We're going to siphon off the buttermilk into a pancake committee."
"The treasury committee wants us to make flavored butter," Winer adds.
Although all three are majoring in the sciences (Kaufman in biomedical engineering, Wang in econ and physics and Winer in philosophy, neuroscience and psychology), they haven't thought much about the scientific principles involved in turning cream into butter.
"Maybe we can quantify the amount of time it takes to make a certain amount of butter," Wang muses.
"Or strap a pedometer to the wrist to measure how many calories you burn," Kaufman adds.
With the butter nearing completion, Winer is dispatched to the cafeteria line to scavenge for rolls. He returns triumphant with a few slices of white bread. "They gave it to me for free!"
Each of the WUChurn members takes up a plastic knife and begins to spread butter on a slice of bread. Kaufman and Winer's butter is light; Wang's is thicker and doesn't spread as easily.
"We should have a spreading class," Kaufman observes.
"I like my clumpy butter!" Wang says defensively. He takes a bite. "This actually tastes really good. I can't believe it's butter!"
Winer eyes the three Mason jars while he eats his bread and butter. "We have so much butter right now."
"Let's bake something!" exclaims Wang.
"We should save it for the next meeting," says Kaufman. "Let's get sample cups on the way out." This evening the six members of the executive board plan to schedule the first general meeting and delegate club duties, such as cleaning the churn.

A toast to butter-churning (on white bread).

​Winer has started shaking his Mason jar again. "My butter is starting to look clumpy like yours," he informs Wang.

Though WUChurn's funding doesn't officially kick in till second semester, the group is already planning for the holidays.
"Butter makes a great Christmas gift!" Kaufman declares as he wipes excess butter off the table with a paper napkin.
"Or Chinese New Year," Wang chimes in.
"Or Hanukkah," Winer adds.
As the three leave the building, they continue to stare in awe at their Mason jars.
"We made butter!" Winer exclaims.
Wang giggles. "This is so rewarding!"
WUChurn is open to the general public. If you know of a local dairy that can provide cream, please contact the group at wuchurn@su.wustl.edu.

I Made Cheese! I hate cheese!

The two things I've hated eating since I was a baby, are cheese and potatoes. I know, my mom has always told me that's un-American to not like potatoes, but hey I like apple pie. My poor hubby is of Irish descent and he really, really likes his potatoes. Poor guy I think we were married for about 8 years before I cooked potatoes more often then his Birthday and holidays. The Army actually got me eating potatoes, not much choice to not eat them in Boot camp:) But cheese is another thing. Yuck! What really gets me is that cheese looks so good. Every time I look at cheese I think it looks delicious. It really looks like something I should love. Then I taste it, and well, we don't want to even go there. Lets just say I still hate cheese! I have learned to tolerate mozzarella cheese, well if its on a pizza, and just a light coating. That's a big step for me, I went all they way into my 30's ordering my Pizza's without cheese, and getting a lot of weird looks at Pizza Hut for ordering that too. But now I'm 50, I can't believe I just told you my age, and  I can eat my Potatoes and Mozzarella like a grown up.
I bought this Mozzarella cheese making kit for a fun activity that my daughter and I could do with my mom on her birthday. We followed the directions, or so we thought we followed the directions, laughed a lot and ended up with nothing that looked like mozzarella cheese, but we sure had fun trying. So today I was determined to try it again. First I watched this video.

Boy we didn't do nothing like this the first time.

Separating the curds and whey   

Adding Citric Acid to milk

Checking the temp after the rennet was added

Kneading and stretching

Walla, I made cheese



And it only cost me;    $35.32 
Cheesemaking Kit  $23.75, Shipping  $5.49, 2 Gallons milk (1 gallon for each attempt) $6.00

But everybody sure loved it on the home made Pizza we had for dinner tonight ☻                                                          





A rushed move and kids car playmat

Things have been so hectic. Apparently my daughters landlord decided to never tell us that he lost the house she was renting to foreclosure. We had no idea until a bank official showed up and told her we had 72 hours to be out. After a very frantic packing job, with a 110 degree heat index (we even packed dirty dishes, no time to wash them) we ended up with her all her worldly belongings spread out between my mom's, my son's and our house. The kids sleeping in the spare room upstairs and my daughter sleeping in my sons camper in our backyard, for the last few weeks. We just got them moved into a lovely house yesterday.

I did get my DGS's Car Mat finished for his 2nd birthday.

Next project up on the list of things to do is a helmet skin for my son and a dollhouse play mat for my daughter inlaw's future niece.

Setting Up a Worm Composting Bin

How To Weave On A Peg Loom

I've been looking for a project my DGD and I can do together this summer and I think I have found it. Peg looming. It is an ancient form of weaving and its beauty lies in its sheer simplicity! She can make some scarves for her Christmas presents and maybe she'll want to try working on a rag throw rug while I'm working at my loom. Here's a great tutorial I found, and a quick video of a Peg loom rug... enjoy

Natural Ant and Mice Repellant

As I've complained about often here, we have a major Mouse problem every Spring and Fall. With all our wet weather again our mice have invited all their relatives to visit yet again.
Now I have no more traps this year, I found the secret Mouse and Ant leave us alone Elixir Peppermint Oil. Mice hate it. Ants hate it. Bugs hate it also, but I am in LOVE with it.
First I made up some Peppermint Castile Soap Spray.

1 gallon water
4 tablespoons peppermint castile soap (I found this at Walgreens)
I also added some peppermint oil to boost the peppermint odor
Combine the ingredients.

I then filled a spray bottle with it.
Spray the backs of counters, baseboards and all other areas you have problems. Do not rinse.

And now Ant and Mouse’s are BYE BYE

More Soap Making

I'm gonna admit to how dumb I am☻I always just assumed that lard was animal fat. Now I am educated and know that Lard is Hog and Tallow is Beef. In class this week they went over soap making. And I soon figured out why my cleaning soap didn't smell like my grandma's used to. I can remember when I was a kid and every summer I spent at my Aunt and Uncle's Farm and my grandma's house. I would always leave for home with a few cherished bars of my Grandma and Great Aunts Homemade Soap. Boy we sure loved that soap. It was too harsh to use as body soap, but grate some of that soap in the washer and add Grandma's homemade quilts and that night you were sleeping under the smells of a fresh country summer on the farm. My homemade lard soap just didn't have that smell I love. Then my teacher passed around a few bars of her soap and I found that smell again. I also learned how they rendered tallow to make their soap. That's what I've been missing.  So the Butcher is going to have 25lbs of beef fat for us the 1st of May with which my daughter and I will be rendering into.
Even though they thoroughly went over the instructions in my Urban Farmsteading class, I still like watching the process visually. So here's a video I found . 

Growing Sweet Potatoes in a Bag

Available at this link

The 1st thing I'm trying from the Extension Center's class on Urban Farmsteading, is going to be growing sweet potatoes in a bag. With our iffy spring weather and the sweet potatoes long growing season, I'm hopeing I can just bring the bags into our warm house and plop them under grow lights if this fall turns cool to early.

Gayla Trail from yougrowgirl.com has a wonderful article on how to grow sweet potatoes in a bag over at The Globe and Mail click here to read . She explains how she re-purposes over-sized green shopping tote bags for her grow bags. This is just perfect for me. I have so many of those black reusable shopping bags that I have not been using since I replaced them with my home-sewed bags. If this works well I plan to try carrots in grow bags. We've never had much luck growing carrots in our clay soil.

A Hetic Spring

Well things have been hopping crazy around here. Between the weather, my family and the garden, I've been running on empty. We're gonna be having another grandchild so I have lots of baby things to start making. The weather is slowly letting us get into the garden and I did get 50 lbs of potatoes planted. This is our 1st year that we are planning to grow enough to store all winter. But I still planted more than my new garden plan allotted for so I had to revamp the design again. I have over 300 hundred plants to start inside, There won't be a flat surface in my dining room that's not stuffed with newspaper cups with lights hanging over. Each year I have a unique (Well unigue to me) plant to grow in the garden, last year was Sorghum, this year is Luffa Gourds and Paprika Peppers. I didn't end up making any sorghum molasses but the animals sure loved eating it. I hope to do better drying the peppers and making our own smoked paprika. And I can't wait to have some homegrown luffa sponges to use.
After plowing and tilling the garden, not to mention planting 50lbs of potatoes I am proud to report that the homemade deodorant works fantastic. Though my hubby was a little surprised when I asked him to smell my armpit and tell me if my deodorant was working☺ That idea was a no go, but I can't smell any unwanted odor and no one is complaining, so I can only assume it'd working. Since I last posted I've made another batch of soap.
Tonight I start an 18 hour workshop at our Extension Center. It's all about Urban Home-steading Farmsteading  (they changed the name because of the now infamous trademarking of  Urban-Home-steading(s)) . It's supposed to teach us the skills, tools and strategies to live a simpler, self-sufficient life. So hopefully I'll have lots of new ideas to post in the coming weeks. Well we have 3 Birthdays this week, and I'm still not finished with making their presents so I had better get busy.

Use a 2-Liter Bottle as a 50 Watt Light Bulb lightbulb hack

Yukon Mike over at the Living Prepared Blog posted this link and I just had to pass it on

Almost Garden Time

 Our weather is finely in the 50's this week. With the ice and snowing melting and the property a big mud bog it's really got me in garden mode. Time to start planning the garden and start the seeds ☺

Last year I started my seeds in 2 liter soda bottles, sorta like mini terrarium. But I found this technique very space consuming. I needed alot of lights for the amount of plants I started. And I found that my plants became very leggy because with the height of the bottles I could not lower the lights to the proper distance. This year my daughter is starting a large garden. And with my DGS's 2 year old "helping" fingers, she figures that it's a better idea to keep her seedlings at my house.  So now it's time to come up with a better way to start my seeds. I've always wanted the Paper Pot Maker, but no way will I spend $18.95 for it. After hunting around the Internet I found these 2 video's. I like this 1st video because it seems to make a stronger pot, more like the wooden pot maker. But the 2nd video is more simpler, and if you twist the cup in the last step it should tighten up the pot bottom just as good. I think will be using one of these 2 video's to start our veggies this year.

How to Make Elderberry Syrup

How to Make Natural, Homemade Deodorant

PPS: to last post

I forgot to add I toted all that wood with supervision

and 3 eggs in my pocket