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 11/9/24
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"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 some time to catch up on indoor activities, as we shift gears for the seasons. Duncan and I have started on a special project that we hope to have done for you before Christmas. The guys continue to make progress on finishing the interior of the workshop, tucking in extra storage all over the place. It seems to be a rule of thumb on the homestead - no matter how much storage you have, projects and materials will grow to fill the space. Small harvests continue to come in with the mild weather. The greenhouse is still producing, and we've been foraging mushrooms that sprouted in the recent rains. All the potatoes are tucked into the root cellar. It was a good harvest. This week's rule of Ikigai is (From the book, "Ikigai: the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life"):
Reconnect with nature. Though most people live in the cities these days, human beings are made to be a part of the natural world. We should return to it often to recharge our batteries. Helping you create resilience and abundance, Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan) P.S. - If I were to write a book, which type of book would interest you most? A how-to book combining homesteading and preparedness? A narrative book written more in a "Little House on the Prairie" type style, sharing observations and snippets of our lives, building on the quotes I make up for the newsletter introductions? A children's picture book? Something else? Reply to this email to share your thoughts. This week's featured articles...November is a great time to stock up on pumpkin and squash - and to put them to good use in the kitchen. We are able to keep some of our garden winter squash from one season to the next with proper curing, and squash puree also freezes well. (Pumpkin storage tips here and pumpkin cooking and freezing tips here.) One of our favorite pumpkin recipes is one you might not expect - pumpkin pasta. Duncan has become our resident pasta maker, crafting tasty egg noodles with our lovely duck eggs. Sometimes he makes them plain, but he's really come to like the pumpkin version. It's simple to make, but the pumpkin and spices add a little "something" that is extra yummy. Another family favorite is this maple sweetened pumpkin pie. The filling uses only maple syrup for sweetening. I had a fun time testing recipes with an old friend until we got the mix just right. Before we get swept into the holiday season, it's a good time to review winter preps. See "Emergency Heat During a Power Outage and other Winter Storm Preps" and "25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Warm in Winter" for ideas. |
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.
"I woke with a start as thunder boomed in the predawn light. A wave of relief washed over me as the winds picked up along with the storm. We'd spent hours picking pears the previous evening, finishing just at evenfall. Had we been a day later, the storm would have taken most of the crop." Harvest season marches on here on the homestead. This week we helped the neighbors get the pear crop in, spending about two and a half hours with my sons in a tractor bucket picking the higher branches while...
"The chill breeze swept across the open fields, an early and unwelcome harbinger of the winter days ahead. It was only late August, but already nighttime temperatures had dipped unseasonably low. There was a pause in the wind, and for a moment, the ghost of the warm sunlight that bathed the homestead just an hour before lingered. Then it began to blow again, and the heat vanished like a wisp of a memory." Our weather took a sharp turn towards cold this week, with nighttime lows into the 40s,...
"The sunlit hours of late summer days always seemed to shrink faster than they grew in spring. With the shifting of the season, so too changed the aromas in the home. Instead of being greeted by peaches and honey as I entered, my senses were teased by the perfume of apples and a whiff of fresh baked bread." Our life is very seasonal here on the homestead. Because we grow and preserve so much of our food, timing is critical (and can be a tricky when the weather doesn't cooperate). There's also...