This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week. Somehow, even with all the emails and notifications, this seems to catch me off guard and unprepared. That and the fact that the bar seems to always be raising on what’s appropriate and expected. It used to be a $5-10 gift card to Dunkin Donuts or Barnes & Noble was reasonable. Now it’s send a gift, buy them lunch, paint a picture, and hold a parade. Not really, but you know what I mean.
I’m always a fan of homemade gifts. I’ve done jellies and jams, homemade breads and brownie mixes in a jar. I would like to receive those things so I’m hoping they do too.
Last year, Cactus brought home a jade plant from a customer he was doing a job for who no longer wanted it. Jackpot my friends! There are always new little plants showing up around the base of the main plant in the pot so I just remove them and start them in their own new pot. I keep them on the windowsill in my bathroom, usually 3-4 are growing at any given time, and bada bing – instant homemade, thoughtful gift.
I usually have some extra pots in the shed that are a bit nicer than what I use for seed starting. You can always grab some from a yard sale or goodwill to have a few on hand. I don’t have to tell you where or how to get potting soil. Then in 5 minutes you have a gift.
Even for someone like me who intentionally avoids the news and social media, I’ve heard about microgreens as one of the latest super foods.I as at the local farmers’ market last fall when I saw a stand selling just small, essentially Ziploc sandwich-sized, bags of microgreens for upwards of $7 each. Yowza!
Up to that moment, I’d had exactly two experiences with this genre of green fluff lettuce confetti:
As a kid, my mom always included alfalfa sprouts on taco night. Call her ahead of the curve and ahead of her time, this was the 80s in Missouri. My dad was in the military and assigned to Ft. Leonard Wood and people lovingly called it “Ft. Lost in the Woods.” Knowing that, I have no idea how my mom decided sprouts were the thing to take taco night to the next level. I loved filling my hard, yellow tach shell to the brim with the white, hair-like sprouts with little green bulbs on the tips.
A few years back, I was into making ‘bowls’ for my work lunches. You know the trend of Buddha bowls or green bowls where it’s some grain like quinoa or brown rice, topped with sauteed veggies like kale, sweet potato, and mushrooms, and drizzled with some sort of goddess sauce. A co-worker of mine suggested adding sprouts to it so I started sprouting my own mung beans.
So when I saw this outrageously priced (IMHO) bag of microgreens, I thought “I can grow these for way less.” And I did (#MIM). Very easily. In case you’re wondering, yes, I bought them. Then immediately thought “why did I buy these?!?”
How to Grow Microgreens
Fill a tray with potting soil. Doesn’t need to be deep, like 1-2 inches. The size of the tray depends on how much you want to grow.
Sprinkle the entire surface with seeds. I grew arugula for this first stint.
Wait three days, then let the tray sit under grow lights. To save you some struggle, since my first attempt was an utter failure, the grow lights are essential. I put my tray in the sunniest, warmest room in my house and they just got too leggy and pathetic looking.
Within 10-14 days, you will have microgreens to fulfill all your heart’s desires.
It was seriously that simple. Minimal effort and zero fuss. I’ve put the greens on grilled cheese sandwiches (any panini or regular sandwich would be delicious, I’m sure – just not PBJ), mixed in with regular lettuce salads, and used as a topper for an orzo or other pasta salad, and on pizza. My good friend had delivered this orzo salad with grilled veggies and the arugula greens were a super yummy addition.
A few days ago it was 60 and sunny. I was wearing just a t-shirt outside doing yardwork. An that’s not really a thing here in the mid-Atlantic in winter.
If you’ve been experiencing unseasonably warm weather like us, that’s a great time to turn or dig out your compost pile.
There are so many different styles of compost bins across quite a few price points. I tend to prefer simple and have had really great results with a just a pile enclosed by mesh like this. Our local department of environmental services gives these away for free if you request one. And this composter was on our property when we moved here 4.5 years ago and it’s been pretty great. I don’t know how long it was used before us but I will say it’s showing signs of wear and UV damage.
There’s no wrong choice when it comes to compost bins, but you should consider what is best for your living space. Will it be on a deck or balcony very close to your home? Or do you have a yard with more space? These factors determine what size makes sense as well as how secure you’ll want it to be. I’ve never had a smell issue with mine, but that and attracting rodents is most peoples number one concern.
If you are new to composting, it’s really not hard and will be LIFE CHANGING. When I started composting in my 20s, it cut my trash in half. I used to live in a townhome with no yard and couldn’t plant anything so I never benefited from the compost in terms of being able to use it. But I like to think the Earth benefitted by not sending all those food scraps into a landfill.
The main rule to follow with composting is no animal products – nothing fatty or greasy. Everything else is either a ‘brown’ or a ‘green.’
Browns are things that are carbon rich. I think of them as being the dry stuff from my yard, like leaves and grass clippings. You can also use cardboard and paper bags.
Greens are things that are nitrogen rich. This is pretty much everything from your kitchen – produce scraps, coffee grounds, and tea bags. I consider this the wet stuff.
Many people believe there needs to be very precise ratios of browns to greens. I’ve never been that particular and I’ve always had great compost results. To keep it simple, think of it as a 70/30 or 60/40 split. You just want to keep adding browns to absorb the wet and stink of greens.
I have a countertop bin that I keep under the sink that’s about ½ a gallon and I fill it up approximately 3-4 times a week. Every time I take it out to the compost pile, I cover the fresh green addition with a layer of leaves I keep in a pile nearby. Then, as the bin gets full, I simply dig out the fresh, beautiful compost from the bottom and voila! My garden beds get replenished with black gold. It’s a triple win: less trash, free compost, healthy garden beds.
It’s nearly seed starting time! Can you feel the excitement in the air? Oh Joy 😊 It’s so fun to be thinking about and planning this year’s garden. Each year it gets a little easier as some things become more habitual and I figure out little tricks to challenges I encountered before.
Something I wanted to do this year as a little test was make my own seed starting mix (#makeitmyself, #MIM). Last year I used the Miracle Gro® seed starting potting mix and it turned out really well. And that might lead one to say “Well, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But, I’m not entirely sure what is in the mix and I like to know what I’m growing my vegetables in.
Before I go further, there is one important point about seed starting to remember. You can’t just go outside and shovel a bunch of dirt into a bucket and bring that in your house. I know, this didn’t make much sense to me either when I learned it. Afterall, when I direct sow, I’m not creating a bunch of little holes of different ingredients before I sow the seed. But typical soil is going to be too dense, likely have a bunch of weed seeds, of course pests, and possibly disease. That’s just a much harder start than your little baby seedlings need.
Instead, it’s important to use a seed starting mix that is light and well aerated to allow you to control the moisture levels and drainage, sterile meaning there is no fungus, mold or viruses, and ensures strong root development for proper nutrient absorption.
Ingredients to Use:
You may find lists of 7-10 ingredients that go into seed starting mix. From the numerous articles I’ve read, there are really only three items common to all recipes so that’s what I’ve chosen to use. It’s the “no frills” version and it works just fine.
Peat Moss OR Coco Coir – peat moss comes from peat bogs whereas cooc coir made from the husks of coconuts and is a much more sustainable alternative to peat moss. From a price standpoint, they are pretty comparable so I don’t see any reason to not use it. I had leftover peat moss from last year and will only be buying coco coir going forward.
Perlite – a volcanic glass that helps your soil stay light, prevents compaction, and promotes moisture retention.
Vermiculite – a mineral that is highly absorbent, improves aeration and moisture levels, and will help your little seedling absorb nutrients.
Steps to Follow:
Your ratios are 6 parts coco coir to 2 parts perlite and vermiculite (6:2:2). As an example, if you took 1 coffee mug from your cabinet and filled it 6 times with coco coir, you would then fill it 2 times with perlite and 2 times with vermiculite.
Mix it up well with your hands in a bucket or plastic storage bin.
Then add enough boiling water to thoroughly wet the whole mix, and then let it cool to room temperature. Caution: it will be hot when you add the boiling water so wear garden or kitchen gloves.
Then just fill your seed trays or pots that you plan to use with the mix.
The big win from starting your own seeds and making your mix is you have complete control over everything that goes into the process and don’t have to rely on whatever your garden store offers.
This is sort of a MIM gone wrong post. It’s meant to serve as more of a warning than a “how to.” Essentially, ways to make sure you don’t do what I did. Let me set the scene.
Last February, when we were a mere 12 months into the pandemic, I made an octopus for my six year old. She is a fanatical animal lover who knows more animal facts than I could ever memorize. I saw the pattern on Ravelry and couldn’t resist how simple and cute it was. Picked up some yarn at the local yarn store on my once weekly foray out of the house, and then stayed up knitting about an hour each night for a week. Voila! You have Seven, the cuddly and fun Octopus.
In March, my lovely and adoring three year old asked that I knit her something also. Being a mother who over analyzes my parenting and wants each child to feel valued and special, I said “Of course! What would you like?” And this is where the story turns tragically foreboding. She asked for a ballerina.
Feeling over confident based on my momentary success with Seven, I headed to the library to get a few beginner knitting books and find some doable options. I showed her pictures of a handful of ballerina dolls and we agreed on what looked like a reasonable choice. I took on the project with zeal, working from the bottom up. I made her two little legs, I made her torso, I attached arms, and then… nothing.
It was April. The weather was getting nice and daylight was getting longer. I wanted to be outside in my garden. I associate knitting as a cold weather activity so I had zero motivation to do it. Then it was May, and June, and July, and August. Every few weeks she would ask where her ballerina doll was and I would say I’m working on it <total lies>. This made me feel horrible as a mom and person. Why did I agree to something I couldn’t do? Will she think I don’t love her as much as her sister because I’m not finishing the doll? Will she use this in arguments when she’s a teenager to prove how unfair I’ve always been? Remember the over-analysis-itis I have? Serious condition.
Fast forward to October and her birthday looming the following month. I told myself this must be finished by that date. And, you’ll be pleased to know I did. But oh it was painful. Thankfully there were no physical injuries in the making of this doll, but if you count the social emotional damage to my four year old, the bill would be quite high.
And so friends, in an effort to save you from similar troubles, I am sharing a few suggestions to avoid the “make it myself” trauma we have both endured. And yes, I know I’m being overly dramatic here and this is all tongue in cheek, but there is a bigger lesson here.
For any homemade gift you are considering, please take the following advice to heart:
Read the instructions carefully. Whether this be a pattern, recipe, or manual, the devil is in the details. If you’re not an advanced practitioner of _______ (fill in the blank: knitting, baking, building, crafting, etc.), ask someone who is to review it for any obstacles you may not know to look for. This is where I must interject to say using an online pattern where people can write reviews would have saved me. But I used an old-fashioned hard copy paper book. Any weirdo can write a book. It takes true expertise to blog <wink, wink>.
Think through the usefulness of the item. Will it actually be functional or is it decorative? For either answer, does that make sense?
Consider the recipient of said item. How well do you know them? How much do you love them? Will they appreciate it? Not meant to be a judgement of the person but more so an assessment of appropriateness.
Account for the time. Do you have the time the project will require or will it become a source of stress and burden? Handmade gifts are truly unique and special. And they take considerably more time than clicking through Amazon or Target. As a compromise, give ol’ Etsy a gander or frequent a local small business instead.
Lastly, will it bring you joy? I know this sounds a little too Marie Kondo but it is honestly an important component if not The most important. For all the reasons above, this is no fanciful endeavor. Are you going to enjoy the act and effort of creating it? Or just the fleeting moment of handing the gift to someone?
I know I must sound like a horrible scrooge with these “make it myself” warnings. That’s not my goal. I guess my point is the gift of time is more precious than any material item. If I’m yelling at my kids on the weekend, telling them to leave me alone while I finish the sweet breads, chex mix, and cookies I’m making for the neighbors, I missed the point. But if I can make it an activity that brings our family together with an intention of generosity and community, then that was worth it. I truly love making and receiving homemade gifts. I think we need to do it more instead of just handing someone a gift card (no judgement – I LOVE ME A GIFT CARD). But you’ve got to find the format and avenue that works for you. It can’t be about comparison or competition. It’s got to be about belonging and caring.
I have never been much into radishes. I’m guessing there is more than one way to skin a radish, but I only ever at them in salads years ago. They were always flavorful and added some crunch, but nothing I craved. Until… have you ever had Korean Fried Chicken #TheRealKFC?
In our neck of the woods, KFC has been a pretty hot trend for about five years. If you’re not sure what it is , I suggest you not ask too many questions and just trust me when I say it’s delicious. It’s double fried or twice fried chicken with a few different sauce options – usually sweet or spicy. I wouldn’t say KFC is a regular indulgence by any means but two to three times a year won’t kill you, or it will, I can’t say for sure.
The whole reason I’m bringing this up is because the accompaniment served with Korean Fried Chicken is pickled radish that is absolutely addictive. You can’t stop popping them in your mouth. I think they cleanse the palate and turn down the heat. You will ask for multiple refills, I assure you.
So back in September when I wanted something fast and easy to plant, I heard radishes fit that description. But per my opening paragraph, I didn’t think beyond what I would do with them after I grew them. I hope I’m not the only gardener who does this. I obviously didn’t want to waste them so I thought pickling would be a good approach.
Without further ado, here is an insanely fast and easy recipe for pickled radish KFC style that are great to put with cheese, crackers, and other snacks when you have guests over <hint hint for upcoming holiday gatherings>.
What you need:
1 lb radish (daikon is recommended, I used a regular cherry radish)
⅔ c white granulated sugar
⅔ c white vinegar
⅔ c filtered water
¾ tsp salt
2 pint-sized canning jars with lids
Steps:
Clean, peel, and chop your radish into 1/4 to 1/2″ cubes. Place in canning jars.
Combine your pickling liquid and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Pour the pickling liquid over the radish.
Store in the refrigerator for minimum 8 hours; 24-48 hours is recommended.
Ladies and Gents, in the spirit of prevention, it is my duty to inform you that flu season is upon us and I encourage everyone to go get a flu shot. If prevention isn’t your thing, well then I’d be remiss to ask how you’ve found yourself a hobby like gardening? Homesteading and self-sufficiency is all about being prepared and doing what’s in your power to ensure a better tomorrow (the definition of prevention in my book).
On the flip side of that same coin, while I have much respect for the evidence and advancements of the scientific and medical communities, I will also emphasize that we shouldn’t solely rely on them to “make us better.” There is nothing wrong or contradictory to also use the wonders of nature, our original doctor, to boost health and immunity. That’s called complementary.
In that vein, I have been hearing about fire cider for over a year now but for whatever reason haven’t managed to find the time to actually make some <Translation: totally unmotivated and barely getting myself to accomplish the minimum each day due to the pandemic>. I had been doing The Booch for a while if you recall because that’s great for boosting gut health. But I’ve taken a break from that and figured there’s no better time to jump on some fire cider and #MIM (make it myself).
I did some searching for different recipes and found that most are built off the same baseline ingredients and the overall process seems to be pretty similar as well. The main difference between recipes seems to be the variety and extensiveness of ingredients. Basically, how much flair do you want to add?
The majority of recipes I reviewed all used the following ingredients.
Apple Cider Vinegar – a source of Vitamin C, amino acids, and more
Citrus fruit (lemon and/or orange) – source of Vitamin C
Garlic – a wonder food that boosts immunity, plus many other benefits
Ginger Root – great for soothing the stomach
Honey (local) – a natural allergy fighter
Horseradish – effective against respiratory issues
Hot Peppers – boost metabolism and sinus relief
Onion – boosts heart health and anti-inflammatory
Turmeric – anti-inflammatory
So here’s what I did:
Chopped an orange, lemon, onion, and four habanero peppers. Peeled a whole head of garlic. Shredded a large piece of horseradish and ginger root. Note: If you’ve never shredded horseradish, it will open your nasal passages like never before!
I divided the ingredients between two quart-sized mason jars and then sprinkled 1 tablespoon of turmeric on top of each.
Then poured enough apple cider vinegar in each jar to cover all ingredients.
I covered the top with a piece of parchment paper and screwed the band on then shook it gently.
I let it sit on the bottom shelf in my pantry for a month and tried to shake it up a little each day if I remembered. Realistically, it was more like 3 times each week.
After one month, I strained out as much liquid as I could and then poured into a clean quart jar.
I added about ¼ c of honey and stirred. You can add however much ‘til it meets your taste preferences.
Then store in fridge.
I am taking a tablespoon each morning to prevent any illness. Some people think it will also help shorten any bouts of cold and flu that you may experience. If you want to check out a couple, these all tap into nature’s amazing immune-boosting properties.
It’s getting hot in here, so take of all your clothes. I am getting’ so hot, I’m wanna take my clothes off. Thank you, Nelly, for those unforgettably classic lyrics.
Summer is officially here and depending on where you live things might be feeling pretty steamy. And I don’t know about you, but I’m a sweater. Not a warm, fuzzy, give-my-body-a-hug article of clothing. I sweat. I sweat a lot. And the smell of body odor is never pleasant or subtle. I’ve spent a lot of time in foreign countries that don’t do anti-perspirant the way Americans do so I am well acquainted with body aromas.
And I’ve heard other people talk about this so don’t think I’m a weirdo, but my sweat has totally changed over the last year with the COVID-19 pandemic. Maybe stress, maybe anxiety. Who knows the cause but being smelly is really not my jam. (But don’t ask Cactus. On a near daily basis, he asks me if I’ve showered, sometimes right after I get out of the shower, and then proceeds to tell me that I can’t call running through water taking a shower.)
About two years ago I started making my own deodorant. It largely spurred from me wanting to pay more attention to the ingredients I put in and on my body. I wanted to make things really simple. I found this 5-ingredient recipe that is beyond easy and takes about three minutes to make. I do two batches at a time and it lasts me an entire year, sitting in my bathroom cabinet with no issues.
Homemade Deodorant Recipe
Ingredients:
2 T shea butter
1 tsp coconut oil
3 T of arrowroot powder or corn starch. I use corn starch simply because that’s always in my kitchen. I do want to get some arrowroot powder and make a comparison batch.
2 tsp baking soda
10-15 drops of your preferred essential oil
Steps:
Mix the shea butter and coconut oil together. I put these first two ingredients in a dish in the microwave for 15 seconds so they are slightly softened and easy to stir.
Add the powder or starch, whichever you are using, and the baking soda and stir until smooth.
Add the essential oil of your choice.
Pour into a small pyrex dish, old eye cream pot, or a 4 oz mason jar (whatever you have handy, as long as its relatively shallow because you’ll need to dip your fingers in it) and then put it in the refrigerator for about an hour for it to set.
This makes 3.5 ounces, a whole ounce more than your standard stick of deodorant. Voila – happy armpits!
And if you want a chuckle, have you seen this ad for Lume body deodorant? Oh man I couldn’t stop laughing. I was like “Is this for real?!?”
As you’ll notice, one of my goals for 2021 is to make more things myself (#MIM – make it myself) and coincidentally that also supports one of my other personal efforts to reduce food waste. One of my first attempts was using veggie scraps and chicken bones to make my first ever chicken broth. In all transparency, it wasn’t super tasty but I made a second batch last week with lots more bones and it came out so much better.
Back during the Christmas holiday, my *hopefully* future sister-in-law brought this over-the-top fruit and cheese basket from Bishop’s Orchard. There were so many simultaneously impressive and entertaining aspects of this gift.
1-It weighed at least 30 pounds and she carried it on the train from Connecticut on Christmas Day.
2-There were at least 20 apples in this beast (should have taken a picture).
3-It had cheeses, jams, jellies, and multiple sweet breads inside as well. I’ve never seen a fruit basket with so many different foods. I think if you’re going to get stranded on a desert island with one food “item,” this basket would be the way to go.
After a few days when it became apparent we were not going to be able to eat these apples fast enough, one of my daughters asked “Do you have any work for me to do?” I thought about it for a second and replied, ‘Yes, yes I do.’ (And yes, this child is that sweet and helpful all the time. I’m not quite sure who her parents are…)
So I followed this apple pie filling recipe from awesome homesteader Melissa K. Norris. I used XX apples, it took me about 90 minutes from start to finish, and I ended up with a three quarts of apple pie filling. Not being someone who eats pie very often, this will probably suffice the entire year. I’m thinking I’ll use one for an apple pie, one for an apple cobbler, and one for some mini apple pie bites like these.
Here’s what I did:
Washed, peeled and quartered 12 apples. My awesome helper did the slicing with the food processor. I was sure to include a few granny smiths because they have more acidity which is important for water bath canning. The lemon also helps ensure you achieve the right acidity.
In two batches, I dropped them in boiling water to protect them from turning brown. To save time and water, I used the boiling water in the same pot I would later use for the water bath canning.
Made the ClearJel® mixture in the pot, brought it to boil, took it off the heat and folded in the apples. (These first three steps took about 40 minutes. I mention this because we all think we don’t have time to do these “home spun” activities which just isn’t true.)
I washed my jars and lids with warm soapy water, dried them with a paper towel, and used my canning funnel to fill the quart jars. I also did the air bubble release by running a small spatula around the inside. I ended up only filling three quarts instead of four and I chalk that up to varying apple sizes.
Fastened the lids to “finger tight.” This is important to just be tight, not “all your might” tight.
Placed them in the water bath, ensured the water covered beyond the top of the jars, and boiled for 25 mins. (Steps 4-6 took me about 40 mins as well, but the 25 minutes of boiling I was playing tag.)
I let them sit another five minutes in the water bath, then carefully removed with my jar lifter and let sit on the counter until the next morning.
In other MIM adventures, I knitted this fun little octopus for my 6-year old. She named him Seven which tickled me. Yes, I followed the pattern and he does in fact have eight legs so the name is quite hilarious.
I am a tad embarrassed to admit that I’ve never made any of my own broths. Is that bad? Pathetic? Up to this point it just wasn’t on my radar as something I could or should do myself. I’m not sure what I thought it involved and figured it was likely difficult and time consuming. And we are lucky enough to live during a time when so many foods are just as convenient to buy at the store and often it’s faster and sometimes cheaper than making it myself.
Recently though I was reading the label on a box of organic chicken stock I bought at the store (don’t recall why, but it was an exciting read) and was like, “Wait a minute. Chicken, water, carrot, celery, onion, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. This is all stuff I have!” Challenge accepted!
As I referenced, 2021 is going to be a year of MIM (make it myself). My hope is to identify a handful of items I use regularly and learn how to make them. Chicken broth seemed like the perfect first foray. I searched for a few different recipes and used a bit of a combination approach.
Here’s what I did:
I saved vegetable scraps and chicken bones for about two weeks in a gallon ziplock bag in the freezer. Whenever I was chopping carrots, onions or celery for another meal, I saved the (washed) ends, nubs and skin. Ordinarily I would have tossed them in the compost so this wasn’t any extra work or cost. Once I had the whole bag filled, I figured I had enough.
I put the chicken bones (and a few feet) in my crock pot and added 2 T of apple cider vinegar.
Then I added the vegetables – celery, carrots, onion.
I covered everything with 16 cups of water, basically filling my crock pot to the brim. I added 2 teaspoons of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper.
Set the crockpot to low for about 16 hours. I turned it on around 9pm and went to bed (with mild nightmares of a This is Us situation happening) and then turned it off around 12pm the next day.
Strained out the veggie and chicken remnants, and filled my mason jars.
SPOILER: I didn’t love the flavor of this first attempt. I was kind of bummed and I think this is how people get discouraged doing things themselves and just opt to buy them. It’s disappointing to do extra work and not be happy with the result but I am going to give this a few more tries because a) it was very little effort and b) there are many ways of tweaking the flavor. I am going to pay attention to the ratio of vegetables because I think I had too much onion and not enough carrot. I can also try using bone-in chicken thighs and wings. And add different spices like garlic, thyme, rosemary, or parsley. I also want to try plain vegetable broth.
One of my underlying goals was to put food scraps to use and I did that. The flavor was fine, just not amazing. I used it to make butternut squash soup, copy cat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana, and a few other things, all of which came out very tasty.
Let me know what things you’ve made yourself that you were intimidated to try but now can’t imagine buying at the store.
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