Summer At Peaceful Forest

Peaceful Forest Road

Summer at Peaceful Forest  is never easy for some reason. At least not for us here. The projects we hope to work on always take money and that is always hard to come by. It seems that summer should not be more expensive than winter, but it is always a difficult time. Here it is the middle of July and we have just started getting some vegetables from the garden. Our first vegetables, which we ate for supper the last two nights, was yellow summer squash. It was good to finally have super fresh, organic vegetables. Yes, I said organic, even though we are not certified by the so called "government."

Organic Homegrown Yellow Squash

We have bush bean plants that are loaded with blossoms. Our cucumber plants have tiny cucumbers coming soon. My mouth is watering thinking about them all! Our garden is organic in all ways. We never use any type of chemicals on it. Our fertilizer is our own compost made from our horses' manure, which is all organic, as they do not consume any type of chemicals. Even their hay comes from fields that has nothing added to it.

No fumes EVER is deposited on our garden!

Since it has been a cooler summer this year, with plenty of rain, our raised beds have not needed watering. They get hot in the sun, but not like normal for this time of year. We have been removing trees that shade parts of our garden, and that has made a big difference. I count about seven more trees that need to be taken out. That adds to our firewood pile for winter. Always thinking of winter!

Bush Beans

Hope your summer is going well and your garden is producing a lot of food for your winter stores. I will be getting my canner out soon. I can everything I grow for winter meals. Even the summer squash, which I know everyone will say you can't. I do. It is good and fresh when I take the lid off!

 I hope you have a happy homesteading day! 

Copyright © 2014 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2014 Kathleen G. Lupole

Planting Our Garden In Spite Of The Weather

Wood Raised Beds Planted

My husband and I have been working on our garden as much as possible for this whole month. We thought our weather was going to let us get our garden in before Memorial Day, and was excited about that. Well, it did let us get it in a day or so before. But we had nights of frost warnings, tornado warnings, high winds, heavy rain and days so damp, cold with no sunshine. EEK! Not good for planting my precious little transplants and new seeds!

Salad Greens Already Coming Up!

Luckily, salad greens and lettuces like cold weather. I did cover them up the nights of the frost warnings. For the most part, I didn't worry about them. They are all coming up really good. I can't wait, because we eat salad every day if possible. Buying it from the store in the winter is not my favorite thing to do. This year, for sure, I am going to get some salad greens going in the fall, for winter time salads. I say that every year, but this year I am doing it for sure!

Backyard Beds Mostly Of Rock

For the time being, we have all but two beds planted. We will fill them up with more compost in the next few days and get them planted too. I have also planted many containers. My tomatoes will stay on the deck this year, away from the rest of the garden in their own containers. Hopefully, that will keep them from getting the dreaded Late Blight. I have really missed canning my own tomatoes for these last two years. This year I am determined to overcome that problem. Tomatoes in the grocery stores have absolutely no taste. Compare one of them to your own home grown tomatoes and see what you think!

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No Fumes! Uses Human Power!

In these times of everything costing so much money, planting a garden is truly a necessity. Growing your own food is so important. Most people cut their budgets to accommodate other expenses, and you know where they cut it? If you guessed, their grocery budget..........you were right! When food in the grocery stores is questionable, it is time to get your hands dirty. If you are not growing your own food...........you are way behind! You are not putting your health and your family's health above everything else. Start today! Once you get started, I am sure you will love it. So will your family!

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2013  Kathleen G. Lupole

Composting Is An Important Element Of Our Garden

Composter in the Garden

I am sure most people have seen these composters. Maybe you even have one in your yard or garden. They work good and should be used by everyone. It comes in handy to have it near your garden. Then you do not have to haul the dirt from it so far to your garden. Mine is right in the middle of our raised beds in our yard. It doesn't turn or do anything special. Just sits there. A lot of work is going on inside!

Up close, its not so pretty!

Since we have horses, we compost their manure. If you have some kind of livestock, composting their waste makes sense. Even if you only have chickens or rabbits. Every little bit helps. I also add raw food waste, like when you peel a fruit or vegetable or have some go bad. Don't throw them out! Put them in your composter. I even empty coffee grounds in mine.

Adding bedding hay and manure

Cleaning the horses' barn gives us a lot of manure. A lot more than what this little composter will hold! We only add it to that when it needs it. Most of it will go into our bigger compost pile out back. This composter has a little drawer at the bottom to take the composted dirt out of. Pretty simple design and easy to use.

The Big Composting Area

I have told on this blog before, but will tell it again in case someone new has arrived here. We have three basic piles. One for the new compost that we are adding today. That will just sit and compost. Then we have another pile that is from last year and the year before. That pile is not composted enough to use. Then the last pile is the one that has been composting for three years or more. That is the one we will be using this year.

Rich, Black Dirt full of  Worms!

Two years ago we had a massive summer squash plant growing in this compost pile. I could not believe how many squash I got from it, or the size of some of them. It did not look like any certain type, kind of a cross between a zucchini and the yellow squash. I canned them up and we have a huge supply that we are still eating from. Of course, it was kind of hard to get to the compost piles due to that plant. The other plant that grows in massive amounts in this compost pile is jewel weed. Jewel weed is a valuable medicinal plant to have around, especially if you get into poison ivy. Fortunately, I have never needed it!

Final Result!

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2013  Kathleen G. Lupole

Raised Rock Beds In My Garden

Apple Blossoms On Our Little Tree

Spring time means a lot of work to many home gardeners. It is work that most of us enjoy. There is something about digging in the dirt to plant a seed or a plant that will be food on your table. The marvel of that little seed, which gives you more than one piece of fruit or vegetable. Each seed is precious to me. I don't plant a whole row of something, just to thin it out later. Each seed I plant, I am hoping will give me a plant that is healthy and plentiful.

Jurassic Bed looks horrible!

This year I took a look at our raised bed that we call, The Jurassic Bed. It is named that, due to the fact, that everything that grows in it is a Jurassic size. Anyway, it has been here more than a few years and looked like it needed some updating. It is made with rocks we harvested on our property and old cinder blocks I got from a friend. It looked so ugly, I felt bad for it. It produces a ton of food for us. Plus, I love making things out of the various items we have right here on our land. Instead of purchasing rock or new planters. Besides no one else has one exactly like mine! LOL

Added More Rock, Compost & New Plants!

I mentioned to my husband that I thought I'd try to bring more compost to it after I add another layer of new rock. I moved the cinder blocks to the end and took a look at our rock pile. I was not up to moving such heavy rocks but figured I could do them a little at a time over the week. Next thing I knew, he had the wheelbarrow at the rock pile and was selecting rocks to add to the bed. It didn't take him long to put them on. After that he hauled five wheel barrow loads or more to fill it up to the top.

Cinder Blocks Are Individual Planters

I added the compost to the cinder blocks. They make a nice little planter for five special plants. I have planted green peppers in each one. Hoping they make it with the cold temperatures we are now having. I knew I jumped the gun by planting my garden this week. New York is a little "iffy" around this time of the year. The general rule is "ON or AFTER Memorial Day!"

All Done!

Did you already plant your garden? If so, I hope you have great weather to keep your garden producing for your family. This is the most important thing anyone can do this year. Grow a garden and feed your family!

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2013  Kathleen G. Lupole

Garden Time For Me

Patches found a cool spot!

I have been having a productive week here working outside in my garden. It is sunny, warm and breezy. So not too hot and the breeze keeps those nasty little black flies (or better known as, "May Bugs" here in NY) away from me. Tell me, why do my cats have to get on my lap if I sit down to take a break? I tell them, "You are outside! Not the time to be sitting on someone's lap!" Every break I take, I have a cat on my lap.

Lemon Balm

The bed with the Lemon Balm is coming in good. This bed used to have chives and oregano in it too, now I don't see any of that. Just lots of lemon balm. It takes over the bed. I love it. Smells so clean and fresh. I add it to salads and make tea with it or add it to lemonade. Drying it for winter use too. I have more than enough for us.

Strawberry and Mint coming in!

Strawberries are already blossoming and that is usually one of our first crops here in NY. I have never had much luck with trying to make my own strawberry bed. This year, I have a plan from a picture I found on Pinterest. I am hoping that will work better for me. I'd really like a regular strawberry patch in my garden.

Apple Tree is in full bloom!

Working outside after our long winter is just so relaxing. I am doing physical work in the garden, which is now much harder for me since my knees became so bad. I think my desire to do it, makes me just do it. Hurting or not. I feel such a satisfaction of looking at my garden and watching my food grow. This is the only way to be able to afford the food we love. Not living on high carbs makes you eat more fresh food, such as produce from the garden. Salad is my favorite food of all! Fruit is next.

Raised beds in the backyard

I hope you are able to get out and enjoy some sunshine in your garden today. It is another benefit of gardening..........fresh air, sunshine, the music of listening to birds sings and the breeze flowing through the tree tops, exercise (if doing any activity like gardening) and soon, food from your own hard work!

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2013  Kathleen G. Lupole

Watching My Seedlings Grow!

 Tomato seeds planted in this one.

From a container of dirt, some water and sunshine...........comes our food! Every spring, gardening fills my thoughts. I want to always grow more every year, than I did the year before.

 Seedlings in the bathroom.

Many different plants get their start inside the house to give them a head start when the weather warms up. Tomato and pepper plants, especially have to be started early in order to enjoy them as early as possible. My cucumbers and squash plants, I have been starting inside in recent years, but I really don't have to. They still grow fast, and I know we will be eating lots of squash and cucumbers fresh from the garden all summer.

Getting bigger!

The seedlings respond to the warmth of the sunshine every morning! Someday, we hope to have a greenhouse. We had planned on building a sun room on our deck so that we could start seeds there. But now we have plans to move from this house, and will make sure our new house will have a space for starting seeds. And it will not be cold during the night, as it is here. That will make gardening much easier.

Gathered together in front of the window every morning!

I swear if I sat in front of them all day, I would see them move through the dirt! No, I have watched, and you never see their heads pop up. A few minutes later, you come back and there they are......popping up through the dirt!

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2013  Kathleen G. Lupole

10 Ways To Become Self-Sufficient

Becoming self-sufficient is more important than ever right now. Everything has gone up in the grocery stores. Gas is expensive and driving very far from home to get the best deals is not always good to do. There are ways to overcome that and I will share some of my ideas here. Being self-sufficient provides food and supplies in bad economic times, as well as during storms, emergencies, illnesses and loss of income.

1. Grow a Garden.

The garden has been a life saver for us. Growing a garden is not that hard and will give you plenty of food. A small yard can easily be made into a garden. You don't really need fancy equipment to get started. Even a container garden can add to your grocery supply significantly.  A package of seeds will explain how to plant and care for them.

Working together in a garden can become a family activity. It is good for children to learn to garden! It is a skill that may feed them and their families in the future. Being outside on a nice day, enjoying nature while working in your garden is a good way to get the benefits of the fresh air and sunshine. Nothing is more satisfying than a day spent producing your own food in your own garden!

2. Can Foods

Producing a lot of extra food in your garden is perfect for preserving foods for the future. All those tomatoes can easily be canned. Or made into the various tomato products you purchase in the store, such as tomato sauces, juice, paste, ketchup, salsa, whole and diced, etc. Whatever you buy, you can make with your own fresh produce.

Canning equipment can be purchased used. Buy a canning book and learn the basics. There is a difference between a pressure Canner and a pressure Cooker . Make sure you use the right one! Some foods have to be pressure canned and some can be water bath canned. This is another rule that cannot be broken or you will risk your family's life.

3. Dehydrate Foods

Dehydrating or drying foods is another method of preserving foods. It is a very healthy way to keep the foods for future use. There are many different types of dehydrators available for sale. If you can find a used one for sale, that is a good way to get started. There are many articles and books available teaching how to build a solar dehydrator. That way you can use the sun to preserve the foods.

Make sure that you store the dried foods safely so they do not mold. Using canning jars for storage is the method I like best. When you use the foods you have grown, you know that nothing bad has been added in the process.

4. Buy In Bulk

Buying in bulk is another way to build up a supply of food for the future. Buy when foods are on sale or plentiful in season. The cost is way less. I always buy in bulk the foods I can't or don't grow or raise. Then I can or dehydrate those foods for the future. Building up a supply of food for the winter is the way it was done for centuries. Even the wild critters do that.

When you see meat on sale or offered by a local meat producer, purchase a quanity. Bring it home and can, dehydrate or freeze it. It can also be made into various dishes, like soups, stews, casseroles, main or side dishes. That gives you fast foods that are good for you and have no garbage in them during the processing.

5. Cook From Scratch

Cooking from scratch is not complicated. So many people will admit they do not know how to cook. Why not? Can they read? Don't they eat? If you know how to do some simple processes, cooking from scratch becomes second nature. Buy a good cookbook and just follow the directions. There are many videos available on the internet that show you how to make various recipes. Try some.

Making your own food will really cut the cost! Not only will it be cheaper, but it will healthier and taste good. As you do it more and more, you will not even be tempted to buy processed foods any more. When you do, you will taste the difference immediately!


6. Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

I use vinegar and baking soda for most cleaning jobs. It works on everything and will even clear a clogged drain. There are recipes all over the internet for makeing your onw cleaning supplies. One thing I do not make is my dish detergent. The reason is that I use Dawn, and Dawn can be used on more than dishes. It is also a main ingredient in various other cleaning supplies or jobs.

This is my recipe for laundry detergent. It can be adjusted and other products substituted after you have made it a few times.

1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda

Melt and dissolve grated Fels Naptha soap in 2 cups of water in a pot on the stove on medium heat (Be sure to use an old pot for this. Reserve this pot for this purpose from now on.). Stir in the Borax and Washing soda till it gets kind of sloppy and thick. Pour it into a bucket that has a lid and add enough water to make about 2 gallons. Stir it until it is well mixed. It can be used right away or set overnight to thicken. It gets thick and may not look pleasant, but it works great. Use about 1/2 cup per load. Use more if your laundry is really dirty or your washer is really large.

If it is not getting your laundry really clean, try increasing the Borax. Instead of bleach try using Hydrogen Peroxide. Instead of fabric softener, use plain old vinegar, 1/2 cup in the rinse water. You can use homemade soap for the Fels Naptha, or any type of soap. I have used liquid Ivory soap in this recipe many times.

A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs

7. Make Personal Care Supplies

Many people have taken up soap making, but what about shampoo and other personal care items? There are many wild plants that can be added to your own products. Just takes some research. I wrote a blog post about making my own shampoo, using a recipe I had found in this post, Homemade Shampoo.You can find thousands of recipes and instructions on the internet for making every personal care item you purchase. You don't have to make all of them, but if you at least make some of them, it will save you money. In fact, once you start making your own, you probably won't like the store bought ones after that.

8. Buy Second Hand First

I shop regularly in thrift stores. In my kitchen, I cook with cast iron pans and skillets exclusively. My whole collection, which is quite impressive, was purchased in thrift and second hand stores. Some for as little as a dollar! Whatever you need can be found at good prices or even free if you look. It is a good way to recycle what someone else is getting rid of.

9. Generate Electric From Sunshine!

We have lived off-the-grid going on fourteen years now. Everybody can generate at least a little power by having a small stand alone system. One or two solar panels, of at least 50 watts each, a small charge controller, two golf cart or marine batteries, and an automotive inverter can power up a part of your household electric.

Hook up your lights, televison, stereo and computers to your small system. That will cut your electric bill a bit. When there is a power outage, these items will stay powered and running. It is not that hard to do and it will save you money. Try it and see. The cost of the solar panels and related equipment have gone down a lot since we started living with our own system.

10. Share With Others

Build a network of friends who you can share with. If you are going shopping, go with a couple of friends and you can split the gas for the trip. If you need to buy a piece of equipment, split the cost of it with a couple of friends. Another way is to share equipment you already own, but take turns using each other's things.

Share the work load too. If  you have a lot of tomatoes to can, do it together and share the product. Then go to another's house and can whatever they have coming in. If you each grow different items and you do the picking and processing together, you should be able to put up a lot more food in a shorter period of time. Besides doing it together makes the jobs or trips go faster and be more fun.

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2013  Kathleen G. Lupole

Five Homesteading Skills That Can Save Your Life

Start gardening!

1. Gardening - number one thing is that we need food to live. Learn to garden and you will have food. Start small and you can increase your garden as your knowledge and ability increases.

Canning is a life saver!

2. Canning - Learn to can your garden produce. If there is an emergency and there is limited electric power or none, your food will be safely in your pantry in the jars you canned it in. Fast meals, needing just to be heated up or added to other foods for a casserole or soup.

Buy pet food several cans at a time to build a supply.

3. Prepping - Prepping is not a bad thing to do.........in fact, it is the ONLY thing to do. Prepare now in case you need those supplies or food you have stocked up. Do it a little bit at a time until you have a couple years worth.

Know how to repair or set up things yourself!

4. DIY (Do It Yourself) - Learn to fix or make things. Start making cleaning supplies, personal care items (like shampoo) and other items that you buy regularly. Learn to repair your vehicles, household items, shoes, etc. You never know when there will be nobody to call or no money to pay someone to fix things for you. LEARN NOW!

Use the wild plants around you! Burdock here.

5. Herbal and Alternative Medicine - I know what you are going to say! But these medicines were here long before allopathic medicines and professionals. Learn what some of them are and then discover which ones grow around your home. Prepare before you need to!

Knowledge will take you a long way! Don't be helpless!

Copyright © 2013 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2012  Kathleen G. Lupole