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 6/22/25
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A few petite blossoms lingered along the path to the coop, strewn like shiny pennies in the sunshine. Though the main bloom time was past, the ever resilient dandelions still put on a bit color here and there, until winter's chill lulled them to sleep for the season. I realized this weekend that I sometimes take wild plants (weeds) for granted. I can't look at a dandelion (or plantain, or lambsquarters, or...) without knowing the plant like an old friend, and thinking about how I could use it. This drove my brother a little nuts when he was visiting us, as he would end up asking whether or not a particular group of weeds in the garden should be pulled, or if we were saving it for food or medicine. Not that we save all the weeds (they would happily crowd out the intended crops), but we do let some grow in the garden specifically to make them easier to harvest. (Some make great living mulch, too, like purslane.) For instance, there's a gorgeous plantain on the outside edge of the potato patch right now that has leaves as big as my head. (I think it likes the soil.) Take dandelion, Taraxacum officinale. I use the greens and flowers for food for us and the chickens, and cook the roots as a root veggie or turn them into "coffee" or medicine. I have tasted the seeds (you eat the little brown bit, not the parachute part), but they're not something I seek out. The craziest thing about the plant is that while millions are spent to kill it (like Edmonton budgeting $3 million for dandelion control in 2018) it's one of the most studied medicinal plants on the planet. In " A comprehensive review of the benefits of Taraxacum officinale on human health", they describe twelve therapeutic properties of dandelion:
How many benefits are we missing out on by ignoring (or trying to eliminate) this plant? I got behind this weekend with the crazy heat wave (and trying to prepare for it), so I decided to extend my reader special offer on The Dandelion Workshop. (Among other things, we spent a good chunk of time this morning trying set up a tarp for extra shade for the Cornish Cross chicks, only to have the wind kick up so hard that it ripped the grommets out of the tarp. Not helpful. Plan B was required, with sturdier shade objects.) The Dandelion Workshop is intended to help you get started using dandelions for food and medicine without being overwhelmed. You can get it half off until midnight on Tuesday here. In related news, we finally tamed the garden wheel again, and finished spring planting, in spite of the crazy weather. It's so hot this weekend that my niece had flower pots melting in her greenhouse, even with huge fans running and watering repeatedly during the day. I'm hoping we don't lose too many young plants to the sky high temps. The heat wave is supposed to break on Tuesday, with rain moving in. Grandpa was feeling a little better this week, so he and grandma came out for a surprise visit one afternoon and we were able to spoil them a little with some fresh baked goodies. We had another power outage this morning, but the solar and battery backup kicked in as it should and I didn't even realize it was out until I went to turn on the light in an area of the house not hooked to the backup power. Thankfully the crews got it up fairly quickly, or many people would have been in trouble in this heat. I'd best wrap up because it's going to be time to put the duck patrol to bed soon. All our best to you and yours, Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan) This week's featured articles...Speaking of heat, be careful out there if you're caught in extreme temps This guide will help you identify and treat heat stroke (and know when it's time to get professional help). It also includes tips for prevention. We also have tips for keeping your house cool without AC. Plants get stressed by the heat, too. This article focuses on dealing with extreme temps in the garden. I've also updated our Weekly Weeder article that features Field Pennycress. Learn how to use this week for food, medicine, and more. For those who are ahead of us in the gardening season, these zucchini gummy candies are a fun summer treat. |
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.
"Stepping in from the brilliant sunlight to the cool interior of home, a subtle sweetness in the air caught my attention. It took me a moment to recognize the smell. It was a combination of honey and peaches. Duncan had been processing honey comb, and we had a bushel of fresh peaches spread on the kitchen table to finish ripening. It was a good reminder to savor the comforting bits in life, wherever you might find them." I read an article this week about water. In the article ("If Water Has...
"It was all so different! The days slipped into weeks, slipped into years, and somehow those tiny plantings placed into the ground with enthusiasm and a lot of hope turned into a bonified food forest. Now it was time to tame and nurture those trees, shrubs, brambles, and vines, lest they cross completely back into wildness." Harvesting and preserving season is ramping up here in northeast Wisconsin. It can be overwhelming at times (especially when many things need attention at once), but it's...
"Petricor" - such an odd word for such a fundamental, comforting aroma. The earthy smell of dry ground after a soaking rain is more than just bacterial secretions, plant oils, and ozone. It's life, springing forth, rejoicing, sighing in satisfaction at abundance after needfulness." I'm pretty sure some of the plants in the garden doubled in size overnight. We've had unusually warm weather, and not much precipitation to moderate it. There was enough to keep plants going, but not thriving. We'd...