Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
Common Sense Home Good News Letter 10/19/24
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"The morning dawned with frost covered grass as white and crunchy as the hair of a bleached, spike topped pop star. By midday the sun was mellow and bright, but the scattering leaves told the tale of the season's end. Garlic planting, trellis storage, wrapping trees in the orchard - the clock was ticking on winter preparations for the homestead." This year's main batch of sauerkraut is fermenting in a four gallon crock, and the elderberry harvest has been turned into juice. Using the steam juicer to make juice from the berries is much easier than picking them all off the stems. Now we can turn them into elderberry syrup or jelly or gummies as needed. A friend was able to help with trenching the electrical line to the workshop, and the guys got power hooked up! The chickens were very confused by the large equipment (part of the trench went through their run), but none of them escaped. This week's rule of Ikigai is (From the book, "Ikigai: the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life"):
Surround yourself with good friends. Friends are the best medicine, there for confiding worries over a good chat, sharing stories that brighten your day, getting advice, having fun, dreaming... in other words, living. Things can get so hectic that time passes without seeing each other, but it's important to make time for those who matter. Spending time with friends is a also a good mood booster during the dark, chilly winter months. All our best to you and yours, Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan) This week's featured articles...The nights are frosty and the leaves are turning. We planted sugar maples on the south hill some years ago, and they are finally getting tall enough that we can see them from the house (at the opposite end of ten acres). You can celebrate the season with these fun and easy to make glazed maple leaf cookies. We deal with chemical and fragrance sensitivity in our home, so most standard personal care products are not an option. In this article, I share a simple homemade deodorant recipe, as well as our top picks for ready made natural deodorants. It's time to get those winter preps wrapped up! Friends have already been posting about first snowfalls of the season - brrrrr! This article shows how (and where) to put up a snow fence so that it works correctly. It's also time to get any needed maintenance done on those vehicles, and prep a winter car kit - before it's time for holiday traveling. We have a maintenance checklist and car kit checklist. Popular on social - the steam juicer and our surprise harvest. |
Laurie Neverman @ Common Sense Home
Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
"Mushrooms dappled the edge of the tree line, rising in circles like miniature villages of fairy houses. The fairly ring mushrooms were aptly named, as it was easy to imagine the wee folk dancing around the earth-toned whorls that emerged after the rains. The mild fall and gentle rains coaxed so many mushrooms to spawn that we harvested enough for several meals without making a significant impact in the display." Our mild November weather continues here in northeast Wisconsin, but I'm not...
"The midday warmth of the November sunshine felt all the more precious because it was so short-lived. Darkness fell early now, and the chill lingered in the shadows. Still, the short days flew by quickly. In a little over a month, the daylight hours would begin to lengthen again." I had a terrible urge to linger on the sunny end of the couch today, soaking up the sunshine with the cats. The weather has been blessedly mild, but these short days give me an urge to hibernate. They also give me...
"Halloween morning began with the fog lifting off the big pond like wisps of smoke from a cauldron. Daybreak saw the land coated in frost, but the pond held enough warmth to welcome the duck patrol like a big, splash-filled hug." Our lives are so seasonal here on the homestead, and it's interesting to me to see how the place changes throughout the year, and from one year to another. Both of our ponds are still open because the fall has been mild, but only the larger pond was creating its own...