Homesteading through a Blizzard

Barn under snow. And still falling.

Soon Bonnie won't be
able to see out the back door!

First things first during a storm.
Rob and the boys shovel
small pathways so we can get to the barns.

Blizzard Kolbe! Even though his
name is spelled different from this
blizzard I knew it was going to be
a whopper!

Butch is wondering
when all the white stuff will stop falling. 

Daisy at another hay feeder. There is
plenty for every goat!

Snow doesn't bother the goats
as long as they have yummy hay in their barn.

Gigi hanging around outside the goat barn.

Tommy wondering if we
are still going to milk the goats
in this weather.
Every morning he gets a sample!

The chicken run is under snow.
So we opened the entry way and
made it into a make-shift patio for them.

Katniss checks out the new chicken patio.

Chickens in their patio!

Chores done . . . let the games begin!

Bonnie having fun on the path.

Millie makes a bee-line
for the house. 

Yummy. Homemade
Hot Chocolate to warm the soul!

Homemade Hot Chocolate

For every 10 oz. of milk (we used goat milk of course)add:

2 Tablespoons sugar

a pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla 

Whisk in pot on low heat until sugar and cocoa are dissolved. Continue to heat until desired temperature.

We love your comments.

Tell us what your up to today! 

3 Ingredients = Great Savings on Laundry

Making my own laundry soap has been something I have done for quite a few years now. Even before I lived on our homestead I realized how important is was to keep our family costs down. It may seem time consuming or weird to whip up your own batch of laundry soap, but this small effort has proven its worth to me. Here is how I do it and the cost effectiveness.

The 3 Simple ingredients are:

1. Zote Soap = $1.70 (for this batch I used 1/2 of Zote and 1/2 of one of my homemade soaps). I found Zote Soap at Family Dollar for $1.00 but you can also order it online or I have seen it at Home Depot. You could also use Fels Naptha
2. Super Washing Soda = 3.49( you only need 1 cup per batch so = $0.44)

3. Borax (4lb. box) = 3.99 ( 1 cup per batch = $0.50)

A grater and a large pot to
be used only for soap.

5 Gallon Bucket
that can that the heat.

Some other things you need are a 5 gallon bucket, an old pot and a cheese grater. It also helps to have a long stick to stir the soap. One batch gives me 5 gallons of laundry soap.

Grated bar soap.

Grate your soap into your pot.

Add water

Step One: Grate your bar soap into pot. Add water and stir on medium heat until dissolved.

Medium heat and stir
until grated soap is dissolved.

Add 1 cup of washing soda.

 Step Two: Add 1 cup of Washing soda. Add more hot water. (I just use hot tap water, but some people like to keep another pot of water heated.)Stir until disssolved.

Add more water.
Stir until washing soda is dissolved.

Add borax.
Add more water.

Step Three: Add 1 cup of borax. Add more hot water. Stir until dissolved.








Step Four: Continue adding hot water and stirring until your pot is full.

Pouring hot detergent into bucket.

Step Five: Pour your mixture into your 5 gallon bucket. Continue adding hot water and stirring until your bucket is full. At this time you may want to add your own scents or essential oils.

Optional Step: Get a gorgeous man to help you stir.

After detergent is cooled
I transfer liquid to individual containers.

Step Six: Let the soap sit in the bucket until it is cool. Then transfer the soap into containers of your choice. It could be recycled laundry soap containers, or juice or vinegar jugs. Just be sure to use containers that will be easy to shake and pour.















Step Seven: Let it set in containers overnight  - it should turn into a thin gel. 


The only down side to this soap is sometimes it separates and you have to shake it before pouring it into your washing machine. It is fine to use in a High-efficiency machine (that's what we have). And it is a much more natural detergent. So for $2.64 you can make 5 gallons of laundry soap. One gallon of laundry soap can range from 10.00 - 20.00 (brand variation). You have to admit that is a huge savings. 

Is this method too time consuming? No, 5 gallons last our 6 person household at least 4-5 months. So basically, I only have to make a batch 2-3 times a year. The savings is well worth that small amount of time. 

I hope you found this post to be helpful. 
If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact me.

A Day in Our Boots

If you ever wondered what homestead, homeschoolers do all day. Here is a sample schedule of what a day is like for us. I try to get our family to focus on mind, body and soul each day. If we have touched upon each of these things throughout the day and the animals, the children and myself are still alive I believe it to have been successful.

4:30 a.m. - Dad leaves for work. I try to squeeze in 2 more hours of sleep.

6:45 a.m. - I leap out of bed late . . . screaming "we only have 5 minutes to make it to daily morning Mass, people!"

7:03 a.m. - We arrive to our pews just in time to hear the last half of the 1st Reading. Despite our usual tardiness we enjoy the rest of the Mass and still get to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. It gives us strength to make it through the rest of the day.






















8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. -Back at the homestead we take this time to eat breakfast, feed all the animals and milk the goats. We also gather materials for our school subjects in between our many moments of distractions, fooling around, bizarre conversations and peeks at social media.

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - School work either at home or the library (the library is less distracting for us . . . and all the kids can get onto a computer without rotating on the one we have at home. But sometimes due to weather or car problems we have no choice but to stay at home for school work. The kids than take turns between book and computer work.) I am here for help or sometimes I work on blog posts.

We believe every animal on the
homestead deserves an education.
Here Millie learns more about rodents!

Homemade bread with peanut butter
and homemade raspberry jam!

12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Angelus prayer and Lunch (which is usually a salad or green smoothie for me and for the kids leftovers or sandwiches made on homemade bread. I do however encourage them to to have the green stuff too!)


12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - This time block usually is my flexible scheduled time. It may contain one or more of the following:
- More Schoolwork
-Workout at our Community Center (which includes swimming)
-Meeting with friends
-Errands
-Crafts or Hobbies

-Other must be done homestead chores (depending on day and/or season)
-Baking, cooking, canning, cheese making or soap making
-Silent reading, personal art or writing
-Playing with or walking the dogs
-Volunteer work

Gigi prays while watching the fire.

3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Divine Mercy Prayer and the kids get some free time. They usually choose to watch Doctor Who or check out their social media. I take this time to prepare supper.

One of our suppers. This is
boneless pork chops stuffed with
apple stuffing on a bed of
swiss card.

4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Last of the homestead chores, hay for the goats, collect eggs and close the chickens in for the night. We also tidy the house before Dad gets home. After Dad arrives home we eat supper. Supper is sometimes pretty gourmet or as simple as lentil soup and homemade bread. After supper we clean up.










7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. - Family Rosary and Relax Time.  Sometimes we watch a movie or show (while I knit or write). Sometimes we play a game or just take the time to talk and laugh together.

Once a week the boys film a local t.v. show.

Other nights the kids order pizza and the hubby and I get to go on a date.

Sometimes we meet friends at the Community Center Pool so the kids get to have fun with friends.

Bonnie pooped out from our busy day.

9:30 p.m. - Everyone retires to their bedrooms. Some chose to read, while others just flop down on the bed and fall fast asleep.










Even with everything I have to squeeze into our busy day I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful life!

Thanks for looking in on one of our days!

Homesteading beats Winter Blues

Okay, so I was having a totally hormonal morning. My emotions were all over the place. I broke a glass at breakfast . . . the Christmas cards and ornaments I am working on were all over the dining room table. My thoughts were everywhere  . . . "what am I going to wear to my nieces wedding this weekend" . . . "what am I making for dinner for guest on Sunday" . . . the list could go on. Just as I finished my morning prayers, breakfast and cleaning up the broken glass I was thinking of putting myself in a padded room. But just a minute . . . I had homestead chores to do. . . out to the barn I went.

The animals don't expect much from me. They are content with their food, and a warm pile of hay and in the goats and dogs case a good scratch between the ears. All the animals are sooo happy to greet me any time of the day. They seem to always put a smile on my face. Besides, doing chores gets me up and going even on the worst of days.

Who couldn't resisting smiling at this face!

Although sometimes it seems daunting and time-consuming to run a homestead there is something quite rewarding about it. This morning the beautiful snow falling plus the goats in their cute fuzzy coats completely changed my mood. I guess the padded room can wait  . . . I'll be in my muck boots and overalls in the barn!

7 Healthy Homestead Habits

"Our apothecary's shop is our garden full of pot-herbs,
and our doctor is a good clove of garlic." - Anonymous

This is the season for family, friends and festivities; but it is also the season for colds and viruses. We have had our fair share of these ailments but most of the time my family seems to avoid many of these sicknesses. Here is how I believe we do that:

1. Maintain a healthy diet - During the winter months it seems there is a lack of veggies around. You can still grow some salad greens in a window box. You can also grow your own sprouts. If you don't know how look for a future post soon or you could google it now. There is also nothing wrong with adding frozen veggies to your favorite soups or dishes.

Incense burning
for fragrant air
and aromatherepy.

2. Use of Essential Oils and Organic Incense - there are so many benefits to the use of essential oils. Get to know the different kinds of oils available(online or at a local health food store). You can put them in an diffuser. Put a few drops on your pillow at night. Fragrance devises and scented candles may add scent to your home but they also add lots of chemicals. We try to avoid these chemical or perfumed candles unless they are made with essential oils.

During the cold/flu season Thieves Oil is my favorite - you can make your own ( or my favorite place to purchase it is at Piping Rock. Carry it in your purse to holiday parties. Put some on yourself and children. You can rub Thieves Oil under your nose, rub some on your hands as you would sanitizer. Thieves Oil is antibacterial and antifungal.

Thieves Oil is a
cold/flu season must-have!

Thieves Oil Recipe
20 drops of Clove Oil
20 drops of Lemon Oil
9 drops of Cinnamon Oil
8 drops of Eucalyptus Oil
6 drops of Rosemary Oil

My essential oil
medicine cabinet.

Kombucha

3. Eating and drinking probiotic-rich drinks and foods - In this case bacteria is your friend. A lot of times people get sick because their bodies are lacking the Good Guy Bacteria. Probiotics help your body fight the bad bacteria. Take a probiotic supplement, eat yogurt or grow your own. I make kombucha. Kombucha is easy to brew at home and is packed with probiotics and antoxidants. Fermenting your veggies is another cool option.

4. Taking daily vitamins and supplements - You should get all the vitamins and minerals you need from your food. But lets face it we are an on the go kind of people and often times do not get a completely balanced diet. Add supplements but sure to check the amounts carefully and also consult a trusted doctor.



5. Drink plenty of fluids - Of course water . . . if you hate water add a cucumber or lemon. Mineral water is always a favorite of mine when I want something sparkling. But do not forget all those herbal teas. You are more likely to crave hot drinks during the cold months.

Other plants such as this aloe
can be useful in the homestead.
Aloe can be used on dry skin and burns.

6. Keeping healthy herbs and plants growing in your home - Plants have a wonderful way of adding greatness to your home. They also add oxygen. If you grow herbs you get the added bonus of them adding fragrance to your environment and yumminess and health to your meals.





7. Spice things up - frequently use spices in your cooking. Garlic, garlic and more garlic - your breath may stink but your body will thank you. Other great spices to beat winter sniffles are ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, oregano and cayenne.

Adding the Jesse Tree to your Advent Season

I have had a request for this post. What is the Jesse Tree? And how do you do it? Can I still do it even though it started Dec 1? Of course. Today is day 4 of our Jesse Tree and if you don't mind playing catch up I don't see a problem. The Jesse Tree apparently started in medieval times. I can not pin point the exact location or official start of this tradition. But it comes from the bible verse in Isaiah 11:1 there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse. 

The Jesse Tree follows the ancestry of Jesus from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Each day or evening in whatever time is best for your family. You read from the bible and place an ornament that symbolizes that reading. By the time Christmas comes around you have walked a biblical path and will have many cute ornaments on your Jesse Tree.

My children are older
so we are reading from the regular Bible
but you can use a Children's Bible
for younger children.

Your Jesse Tree can be what you chose . . . it can be a real tree, a fake tree, a felt banner. Our Jesse Tree is a felt banner and we make little felt ornaments. I have seen Jesse Tree as a small plant with paper ornaments . . . it does not have to be difficult. It is just a way for you and your children to celebrate Advent in a special way.

I have a list of readings and the symbol that represents that reading. But there are also some variations  . . . you too can create your own symbols that are meaningful to you and your family.
Some readings are grouped together to be sure to include all the readings within the days. You may have to adjust each year accordingly.

Day 1 - Creation - Sun or Earth - Genesis 1, 2:1-4

Making the ornaments is
so much fun for all of us.

Day 2 - Adam and Eve - Two People - Genesis 2:4-9, 15-25
Day 3 - Original Sin - Apple - Genesis 3:1-24
Day 4 - Noah and the Flood - Rainbow - Genesis 6:5-22, 7, 8, 9:1-17
Day 5 - Abraham - Stars - Genesis 12:1-9, 15: 1-6
Day 5 - Jacob's Dream - Ladder - Genesis 28:10-22
Day 6 - Joseph and His Brothers - Coat - Genesis 37
Day 6 - Joseph's Greatness - Shock of Wheat - Genesis 41
Day 7 - Moses (Prince) - Basket - Exodus 1, 2
Day 7 - Moses (Burning Bush) - Burning Bush - Exodus 2:23-25, 3
Day 8 - Moses (Plagues) - Frog - Exodus 5 through 12:1-36
Day 8 - Moses (Parting Sea) - Parted Sea - Exodus 13:17-22, 14
Day 9 - Moses (Ten Commandments) - Tablets - Exodus 19, 20, 24:12-18
Day 10 - Moses (Water from Rock) - Staff - Exodus 19, 20, 24:12-18
Day 11 - Samuel (Voice in the Night) - Candle Lamp - 1 Samuel 3
Day 12 - David Chosen King - Sheep - 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Day 13 - David and Goliath - Slingshot - 1 Samuel 17
Day 14 - Solomon's Wisdom -Crown - 1 Kings 2:1-6, 3:4-28
Day 15 - Elijah's Contest - Burning Rock - 1 Kings 18:3, 21-39
Day 16 - Jonah and the Whale - Whale - Jonah
Day 17 - Tobiah's Journey - Fish - Tobit 5, 6:1-9, 10:1-6, 11:1-15
Day 18 - Daniel and the Lion's Den - Lion - Daniel 6:1-29
Day 19 - John the Baptist - Sandal - Luke 1:5-25,57-80
Day 20 - Annunciation - Angel - Luke 1:26-38
Day 21 - Visitation - Mary - Luke 1:39-56
Day 22 - Joseph - Joseph - Matthew 1:18-25
Day 23 - Journey to Bethlehem - Manger - Luke 2:1-6
Day 24 - Jesus is Born - Baby Jesus - Luke 2:6-20
Day 25 - Visit of the Magi - Star - Matthew 2:1-12

Goat Cheese Avocado Dip

Goat cheese is something we make pretty often around here. Guacamole is one our favorite family treats. Charlotte and I experimented and came up with this yummy combination of the two. You don't have to make your own goat cheese to whip up this yummy dip.


Recipe for Goat Cheese Avocado Dip

2 cups of Chevre
2 mashed up small avocados
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
salt to taste