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.
It's been said that there's no great loss without some small gain, and I suppose that was true with the home-building project. Multiple delays gave more time for more research into the systems that would go into their "Forever Home". There were strong winds at the building site, so they chose sturdy ICF walls. Those well-insulated concrete-filled forms would protect them from strong winds, summer heat, and bitter cold, keeping heating and cooling bills low for a lifetime. They opted for a...
They'd lived in the suburbs for around eight years now. It was time to pursue their dream of moving out to the country, raising more of their own food and becoming more self-reliant, while their sons were still little. They looked at a lot of homes, but none of them seemed quite right, so they hunted for land. Much of it was priced out of reach, zoned so it wasn't suitable for homesteading, or snapped up as soon as it went on the market. Then they spotted it - a "For Sale" sign, tipped over...
She hobbled warily into the yard, foraging for stray seeds under the wild bird feeders. Her right leg was injured - we couldn't tell exactly how, but I suspected the neighborhood fox that had developed a taste for poultry, which had carried off one of our drakes earlier in the year. Weeks passed, and she became a regular visitor. We started calling her Turkey Turkey. We took to rinsing out the bowls from the duck chow near the feeders to give her more selection. She didn't completely lose her...