Spring Time Means Rhubarb…

May 23, 2016

Spring is here…I guess.  In our neck of the woods, we have had rain almost every day for weeks.  Due to the rain and cool weather, my garden in town is not looking good.  I’m ashamed to even show pictures, it looks so bad.  As usual, I grew most of my tomato plants from seeds, but they look pretty sad.  We did buy some plants from a local greenhouse nursery because Charming wanted to introduce a few new heirloom varieties for seed-saving purposes.  Although those plants looked good when we purchased them, they now look as sad as my home-grown ones.  Since tomatoes thrive on sunshine and hot temperatures, about the only thing we can do is wait for the sun to shine and the temperatures to go up.

Our garden at the farm is mainly for experimental purposes only.  I’ve planted a few things there just to see what will grow well.  So far, I’ve planted potatoes, tomatoes, beets, pumpkins, and onion seeds.  (Most people say that it’s difficult to grow onions from seed, but for some strange reason we’ve always had good luck with onion seeds.)  Because the weather at the farm is always a few degrees cooler than it is where we currently live, frost is a real possibility until late May or early June.  We found this to be true this past week when frost bit the fourteen tomato plants that I had planted the week before.  I think there’s a chance that four or five of them may survive, but we realize that gardening at the farm will largely be trial and error for the first few years.

On the bright side, the previous owners of the farm had planted quite a few things that may be of help with my soap-making and salve-making hobbies.  I’ve recently discovered that we have a comfrey plant beside the porch and a rather large patch of mint in the garden.  Since the garden is not an ideal place for mint (it can be invasive), I’ll have to get it out of there and move it to a better location.  Perhaps by the cottage, which is beside the river, would be a better place or maybe in a large container.  I have plans to try to turn some of this mint into hard candy that can be used as cough drops.  I’ll try the comfrey (along with other herbs) in a batch of soap or salve as comfrey is a healing herb.

In addition to these herbs, I was delighted to find a large patch of rhubarb in another corner of the garden.  Charming had plowed the garden early in the spring just to test out the used cultivator we had purchased.  We were amazed a few weeks ago when we noticed the rhubarb growing, as the cultivator had dug into the ground about a foot.  So I’m figuring we may have lost some rhubarb due to the cultivator, but this determined patch demands to be cut every time we go to the farm.  So far, I’ve gotten about eight quart-sized freezer bags, each full of 1-inch sized pieces.  The rhubarb is a beautiful mix of red and green and it seems to grow and grow and grow and grow.  By itself, rhubarb is a bit too tart for most tastes, so in recipes it’s often paired with strawberries or raspberries.  (Luckily, we also discovered that we have a big raspberry bush next to the house...which will also need to be moved.)  Rhubarb provides a slight tang to compliment the sweetness of other berries.  Right now, in celebration of spring, there are rhubarb recipes in magazines as well as on the internet.  I’ve tried recipes for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble, Strawberry Rhubarb Slab Pie, and Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and the rhubarb never disappoints.  So I give a hearty, “Hello Spring and Welcome Rhubarb” every time I taste this scrumptious gift from nature!

The mint patch that is growing in our garden.

 

Although invasive, mint really is pretty and smells wonderful.

The rhubarb patch is 5 or 6 plants big...more than enough for the coming year.

Pretty to look at and makes great desserts...yum, yum!

Jax and Charming removing interior windows from the house.

Jax willingly submits to his daily "farm tick inspection".

Charming in the process of window removal.

Now we can accurately measure for replacement windows.

2nd half of the shed floor will be connected after we finish the final row of piers.

Charming let me remove the wood forms from the concrete piers...nice!

Paving The Way...

May 13, 2016

This past week, Charming and I have been making some concrete progress…literally concrete.  A post or two ago, I shared pictures of Charming digging 2-foot holes for the shed that he/we are building.  This past week, we’ve been mixing concrete to pour into those holes…that hold the posts…that hold up the shed.  (Sounds almost like a round of “Teensy, Weensy, Spider”, doesn’t it?)

We worked out quite the assembly line to get the concrete pouring accomplished.  For each hole, Charming would lift the 80 lb. bag of concrete, open it, and pour it into the cement mixer (a big metal orange tub-like thing, powered by electricity…thank God!...that mixes the cement with water).  While he was doing this, I filled up a plastic jug with water and placed it beside the cement mixer.  I then moved the wheelbarrow into place in front of the mixer.  By the time that was done, Charming had emptied the bag of concrete and thrown the bag out of the work area.  So while he was adding the water into the concrete mixer, I rolled up the paper bag then stuffed it into a large trash bag.  Over the period of a few days, we each repeated these steps 45 times (45 bags of concrete!). 

Luckily for us, we found that we really do work well together.  We each had our tasks to complete and the process seemed to go fairly quickly.  When each day was over we were both tired, but we had actual results to show for our work.

On another, but (I think) important subject, a few weeks ago I went to see my doctor.  For a good while now, I’ve been having some symptoms that seemed to be getting worse as time went on.  Prior to the appointment I made a list of all of my symptoms so that I wouldn’t leave anything out when I talked with the doctor.  Those symptoms included:  significant joint pain (especially hips, knees and shoulders); extreme tiredness (I would get out of breath after just a few minutes of work and would almost immediately start yawning whenever I sat down to rest, but yet had trouble sleeping at night); my heart had also recently started to skip beats; muscle weakness in my thighs and upper arms; and sudden sharp pains in my feet and ankles.  Charming had had Lyme Disease about four years ago with similar symptoms, so I wanted to rule that out before exploring other possible explanations for the symptoms (bad things like lupus and/or rheumatoid arthritis).  Charming and I go to the woods each year to cut fire wood because we heat our house with wood during the winter.  Almost without fail, we each end up pulling at least one tick off of us every time…guess we’re “tick magnets”.

At the appointment, I rattled off my first few symptoms.  The doctor interrupted and said, “Sounds a lot like Lyme to me.”  My doctor is pretty sharp and not like so many doctors who will brush off their patients’ symptoms, thinking that it’s all in their heads.  (We women, especially, get a lot of that kind of attitude from some doctors.)  He said he would request labs for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis in addition to the Lyme test, but if all the test results were negative that he would probably treat me for Lyme Disease any way because I had so many symptoms of the disease.  All of the test results came back negative, but he prescribed Doxycycline, based on my symptoms.  So I’ve been on the medication for about 2 ½ weeks now and I am definitely feeling better.  The joint pain is much better now, my energy is coming back, and I’m sleeping better.  My heart still skips beats, but not nearly as often as it had been prior to starting the medication.  I’m praying that the progress continues, as Charming and I have only just begun to undertake the major work involved in getting our new place up and running. 

The only reason I mention this is because some of you may be having similar symptoms.  If so, it’s worth talking to your doctor about Lyme Disease.  I believe it is much more prevalent than people realize.  If you have extra time, check out this link on the Internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAcfHS51VEk.  It a bit from a video called, "Under Our Skin".  Charming and I watched the entire video after he tested positive for Lyme.  It is a scary disease and almost everyone is at risk.  You might also want to check out this video about Lyme Disease https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFMwMTuJRkw.  I just thank God for having a great doctor who understands the symptoms and seriousness of this disease.  Here’s hoping you never have first-hand Lyme Disease experience!

Concrete was mixed in the mixer and then poured into the wheelbarrow.

24" holes were dug, then the post, rebar and wire cage were added before the pour.

Filling the hole with concrete.

Charming uses a concrete vibrator to remove air, which makes the concrete stronger.

He then built forms for the concrete piers...

And placed the forms around the wooden post, before filling with more concrete.

A trowel was used to slope the concrete.  Forms will be removed when concrete is dry.

Little Things That Matter...

April 27, 2016

Charming and I have been splitting our time between our current house and the farm.  I must admit that living at two different places is becoming easier than I had first imagined it to be.  While living at our current house provides more comfort items like a washing machine, fully functional kitchen, Internet, and over-the-air television, we know that we have to try to spend as many sunny (work) days at the farm as possible because there is so much work to be done there.  So we're willing to rough it a little.

This past week, Charming started building a large shed that will suit our storage needs.  The shed needs to be completed before he can start the renovation work on the house.  I try to help him with this work whenever possible, but my main priority at the farm has been coming up with ways to make Charming's life easier until the building/renovation process is completed.  I know some women might get offended by my saying that my main priority is to make my husband's life easier, but I see this as a very important task.  God saw fit to bestow on me some pretty darn good organizational and problem-solving skills and these skills have made quite a difference in how smoothly we are able to transition from one place to the other on a weekly basis.  (Yes, indeed, I am patting myself on the back.)  The payment for my work is having had Charming make a point to express on, several different occasions, how much he appreciates what I do and how it makes his life easier.

For instance, because we live in our camper when we’re at the farm, there is little room to prepare full meals with Jax under my feet on a constant basis.  So I prepare several days’ worth of meals prior to going to the farm.  I plan each meal around simple foods that are easy to prepare at home and then microwave them when we’re at the farm.  Casseroles are great for this as they contain meat and vegetables in one dish.  We eat from paper plates for easy clean up, so the only dishes I have to wash are the silverware and the casserole dish.  The sauerkraut that I made a couple of weeks ago has proven to be a great side dish for hamburgers and hot dogs.  (The sauerkraut turned out pretty well.  I like its tangy taste and, because it's not cooked, it keeps its crunchy taste.  In addition to the pleasant crunchy taste, the beneficial bacteria stays alive to help keep my tummy in good working order.)

Another of my ideas that Charming really appreciated was a simple solution to a problem that ate up quite a few minutes each day.  When taking lunch, supper, snack, and bathroom breaks, Charming would wash up at the water hose that's hooked up to the outside free-standing water spigot.  He would have to come to the camper to get the dish detergent to wash his hands and then return the dish detergent to the camper after he was finished.  I found an old hanging wire flower basket (without the hanging parts) that had been left by the previous owners.  I crocheted several strings and attached them to the basket.  I then hung the basket on the water hose reel and filled it with things like work gloves, a liquid hand soap dispenser, along with the attachments for the water hose.  This works like a charm and has saved Charming many steps and minutes during the day.  He was quite happy with my idea.

There are other ways that I've tried to help as much as I possibly can.  I've told Charming that, although I'm not a skilled woodworker/remodeler/farm hand, I'm willing to perform any "grunt work" that will help while he performs the hard work.  I am grateful for the work he is doing, in an effort to give us both a better life, and I know that he is grateful for each little thing that I do to help him out.  I am finding that this give and take is one of the secrets to being an extremely happy farm couple.

A top view of the water spigot basket with soap and other items.

A side view of the basket...not pretty, but functional and helpful.

Charming used a friend's post hole auger to dig holes for fruit trees.

After he dug the holes, I planted two apple and two peach trees.

I was tasked with removing the wire from two chicken coop doors.

So the back of an old lawn chair becomes my work bench.

Using pliers & a scraping tool, I removed A LOT of staples from the doors.

This left us with scrap lumber & wire to use in a project later.

I decided to turn this heavy-duty plastic rice bag into a tote for use on the farm.

With an awl, I poked holes around the turned-down top of the bag.

Using a tapestry needle, I added a blanket stitch to the holes around the top.

With the blanket stitch as a base, I doubled my yarn & crocheted handles.  Voila!

Charming constructed the first half of the shed floor & dug holes with the auger.

The shed will measure 16'x24' & will be 18" off the ground in case of flooding.

Foray Into Fermenting…

April 11, 2016

A few weeks ago, Charming got me several “how to” books related to farming and homesteading.  He knows that his lovely wife prefers reading “how to” books over any other type (other than the Bible, which I guess is the greatest “how to” book of them all).  What can I say?  I just love to learn how to “do stuff” and there seems to be an endless supply of books that teach you how to “do stuff”. 

The book I’m currently reading is called, “Fresh and Fermented” by Julie O’Brien.  It’s all about the benefits of eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, carrots and other fermented vegetables.  According to her book, fermented foods have been around since the beginning of recorded history and include such things as yogurt, salami, cheese, chocolate, coffee, and wine. 

I’m half way through the book and I’ve read that we all have good and bad bacteria within our bodies.  (Something that I try not to dwell on.)  The body uses its good bacteria to fight off any bad bacteria that enter into the system.  However, problems can arise when we take prescribed antibiotics because these medications can’t distinguish between good and bacteria.  So the good bacteria, as well as the bad, are killed off in the process.  This can weaken the body’s immune system, unless the good bacteria are replaced.  This is where fermented foods come in handy.  They provide the good bacteria, which helps build up the digestive system and, in turn, the immune system.  Good bacteria (like the probiotics found in home-made yogurt and sauerkraut) are said to help aid digestion and improve overall health.  With my gluten sensitivity, I need all the help I can get, so I’m on board with trying this. 

The book provides basic recipes for making fermented foods.  The author also includes recipes that camouflage the fermented foods in things like smoothies, salads, desserts, breakfast foods, dips, salsa and more.  Many of the recipes sound pretty good.  However, before I could try what I like to call the “camouflage recipes” I needed to make one of the basic fermented food recipes.  So last night I went to the store and bought some cabbage and sea salt.  I figure that because cabbage and sea salt are relatively cheap, it won’t be a big loss if it doesn’t turn out well.

I’m not a huge fan of sauerkraut, but then again, I’ve only had the store-bought kind.  I’ve heard that the home-made kind is much better.  So, today I made my first quart of sauerkraut!  It was surprisingly easy to do, didn’t take nearly as much time as I expected it would, and didn’t make the huge mess I expected it would.  (Although a mess still may be in the offing as the book instructs to place your finished jar into a bowl in case of spill-overs.)  Now all I have to do is wait from 1 – 3 weeks (with weekly taste-testings) to see how well my experiment worked.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning how to ferment vegetables.  Below are photos of my attempt and, yes, it really is as easy as it looks!

Ingredients to make your own sauerkraut are simple:  cabbage & sea salt.

Cut out the core and then cut cabbage into really fine slices.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sea salt and let sit for about 20 minutes.

Then knead, pound, smash for about 10 minutes until reduced by half.

Pack cabbage into jar, wedge in the core, and cover with brine. (Foam is o.k.)

 

Leave 1" space between brine and rim of jar. Tighten ring to "finger-tip" tight.

 

Home Away From Home…

March 25, 2016

After Charming retired several years ago, he decided we needed a new RV camper so that we could take a trip across the United States.  (I didn’t bother weighing in on this particular decision because Charming had a camper when we got married and we’d traded up a time or two to accommodate family trips, so having a camper was like having an arm…we’d always had one.)  This time, we traded down as it would just be Charming and I on the trip and smaller is definitely better when you’re dragging your home behind you.  

Unfortunately, “The Big Adventure” (i.e. the trip across America) hasn’t yet materialized.  That little thing called “living” has gotten in the way.  At the time he decided that we needed the camper, I was still working so we didn’t have a big chunk of time to devote to The Big Adventure.  Shortly after I quit working, we started toying with the idea of buying land in an area that was more suited to our lifestyle.  We checked out several areas in Florida and Virginia.  I really love the mountains; Charming really likes warm weather.  We didn’t really have that many hard requirements, just pleasant weather most of the time and a place to grow a large garden.  We compromised on a Virginia property that meets many of our requirements…water for Charming, mountains for me, no oppressive heat in summer for Charming, room for a large garden for me, and peace and quiet for both of us.

The biggest stumbling block with this property for both of us is the house.  As I’ve said, it’s a “pre-fab” and not in great shape.  However, as with any home purchase, compromises must be made and the house was it.  So we are prepared for the long haul of renovating the house.  We travel to the property on a weekly basis and spend one to three days working there.

Luckily for us, Charming made the decision a couple of years ago to purchase the camper. A month or so ago, we moved it to the property, and I am so thankful each time we stay there.  It has everything we need to make life much more comfortable while we fix up the house.  (Prior to moving the camper there, we took day trips to the property and I found it necessary to “go” in the woods...numerous times.  Trust me, life is much better when you have a camper.)  The camper even has a TV and radio, so that we can watch movies after a day's work.  There are also outside speakers for the radio, which allows us to have music while we work outside.

Preparation for a trip to the farm includes me pre-cooking a couple of casseroles and other easy-to-fix foods that only require heating in the microwave.  Breakfast is cereal and milk.  Lunches consist of ham sandwiches and chips.  Snacks are fruit, microwave popcorn, or cookies/cakes that I baked at home.  We make do with a bit of preparation and the knowledge that we will eventually be moving into the house.  Since the camper is small, cleaning is a breeze and takes very little time.  That allows us to spend most of our time actually working to get the property in order.  Below are some pictures of our cozy home away from home.

Our "living room" includes a sofa with a lovely view of the bedroom.
We generally keep the curtains closed, but they have tie backs to hold
them open and let more light inside.  The camper came with a fairly
good-sized table, but we decided to purchase smaller folding TV
trays to put our food on when we eat.  These trays are kept behind
the sofa when not in use.

The bedroom has cabinets beside the bed where we hang our farm clothes.
There is a storage bin, as well as storage drawers, under the foot of the bed.
A ledge that overhangs the under-bed storage provides a great place for Jax
to sleep.  He has a nice towel and a pillow to keep him comfy all night.

The kitchen area has a TV, radio, propane stove/oven, sink, and microwave oven.
The TV pivots so we can either watch TV from the bed or on the sofa.  The camper
also has outside speakers so we can listen to the radio while we are working outside.

The potty in all its glory.  (Sure beats a trip to the woods.)
There is a skylight, with a fan/vent, over the shower.

The sink and refrigerator/freezer, with storage closet on the left.
The camper also came with a grill that attaches to the outside
of the camper, so we can cook outside as well.

What’s This Girl Gotta Do To Lose Weight?

March 19, 2016

Last week, we had a tree removal company take down that very large pine tree in the yard at the farm.  The two guys (father and son) who cut down the tree did a wonderful job.  They did exactly as Charming requested and did it in less time than they had said it would take.  (Although Charming insisted that I stay in the camper where I’d be “safe”, I was still able to take some pictures of the tree cutting process from the back window of the camper.)  After the tree was cut down, we spent the remaining two days cutting up the tree limbs, cutting the trunk of the tree into sections, and moving the leftover debris to a location at the edge of the property.  We ended up with three large sections of tree trunk that Charming will use for lumber in the future (he wants to buy a portable saw mill after we get settled in the house).  He cut the tree limbs into firewood that will dry out and then be used to heat our home after we move there.  

A large part of our time during this week’s trip was spent clearing up the area where Charming plans to build a large storage shed to store all of our excess “plunder” (as my sister, Joyce, would call it).  We stacked wood, filled in holes that were left by the pointy limbs as the tree hit the ground, filled in holes left by the removal of old clothes line posts, filled still more holes used by the previous landowners as fire pits, and started preparation on the site of the future storage shed.

I’m always whining about not being able to lose weight.  It seems that no matter how much less food I eat, my body tries to hang onto that weight.  Well, let me tell you, after a few days of stacking wood, moving brush, filling holes and barely noticing when it was time to eat, I came home three pounds lighter than when I left.  That leads me to the conclusion that living on a farm will not only give me the space to raise more healthy food; it will also force me to exercise which will make those extra pounds to come off.  So what’s this girl gotta do to lose weight?  Buy a farm and work my adoublescribble off!

                                                       

A few limbs into the tree removal process.

The top section of the tree in motion towards the ground.

The owner of the tree company uses the big saw to take down the tree trunk.

Jax wonders what happened to the tree.

"Hmmm...how do I pick up these sticks and run with them?"

My weight loss plan...stacking firewood between standing pine trees.