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 11/17/24
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"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 complaining. It's much easier to deal with some mud than freezing your tail off shoveling a mountain of snow. We have rain mixed with snow in the forecast for the next several days. The duck patrol is loving it, spending their days running between the ponds, orchards, gardens, and field. The chickens are having a blast, too, working over the brassica patch in the garden. Captain Featherpants, our rooster, has gotten HUGE. Thankfully he's a good fellow, watching over all the ladies and calling them over when he finds good snacks. August has been dealing with a new Federal pain in the backside called the Corporate Transparency Act, which requires small businesses to register with the Feds (above and beyond all your other paperwork). If you have a small business you need to register with FinCEN by January 1, 2025 or face fines of up to $10,000. I'm mentioning this here so our readers who are also small business owners a heads up, but you need to do your own research and registration. This is the site for the program - https://fincen.gov/boi It looks like the gentlemen of the house nearly have supper ready, so I'm going to wrap up for now. All our best to you and yours,' Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan) P.S. This week's rule of Ikigai is (From the book, "Ikigai: the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life") is a good reminder as we head towards Thanksgiving:
Give thanks. To your ancestors, to nature, which provides you with the air you breathe and the food you eat, to your friends and family, to everything that brightens your days and makes you feel lucky to be alive. Spend a moment every day giving thanks, and you'll watch your stockpile of happiness grow. This week's featured articles...This can be a stressful time as we juggle various obligations to wrap up the year. I've updated the Home Remedies for Headaches article to help those aching noggins. It's a great time of year to stock up on fresh cranberries. They keep well in the fridge, or you can freeze or can them for longer storage. We have recipes for:
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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.
The faded flower spikes of the mullein plants stood like sentinels, watching over the pumpkin patch. A downy woodpecker flitted in, hopping up and down the spires, looking for seeds. We hadn't planted the mullein, but we'd made room for them when they appeared in the garden bed, as they were useful to man and beast alike. Morning walks included sampling now, checking various fruits for ripeness. The elderberries had started to turn, but early apples were long done. The grapes needed picking...
When we left the suburbs over 20 years ago, I had no idea where this journey would lead. Yes, we knew we wanted to move to the country and build a sturdy home that focused on providing for our needs, not just looking pretty. We knew we wanted to give our sons the opportunity to grow their own food, build things with their own hands, and learn at their own pace. I didn't know that the food we grew and stored would help us through job loss, or that the medicines we grew in the backyard would...
The years came together like a tapestry, weaving in all the moments of our lives and reminding us why we chose this path. That time when our eldest (then around six years old) came in from playing outside holding two tiny wild raspberries in his outstretched palm and proclaimed that he had harvested them "from the bounty of their land." Making fire-baked pizzas in the oven of the masonry stove — and that same stove keeping us warm in below-zero temperatures when the primary heating system...