food and rights and the environment - warning "rant"

Most of you who know me have gotten the idea that I really support food rights and the environment...you could say that the two have become my life being supported by many other things in my life, including my spirituality.

So, recent conversations with several people and an article from one of the newsletters I receive spurred me to say something...I will continue to intersperse my learning to homestead trials and joys with things like this on this blog.

So... about food and rights and environmental impact. I believe everyone has the fundamental RIGHT to eat what they feel is best for them (or not if you choose to eat junk). I believe that everyone has the DUTY to walk their talk. If you believe that the environment (you know the planet we live on, the water we drink, the air we breathe) is important...it is up to every single person to do their part to make a difference. Revolutions do not succeed because of big groups usually...revolutions and change happen by everyday PEOPLE making the changes, one person at a time. One person plus one person plus one person. That is how we make a difference!

So, if you believe that you have the right to healthy food in our bodies...then stop buying from the grocery store middle aisles in particular. Demand fresh food. Educate yourself. Demand labeling even on produce. If you find out like I have what is really in those foods...and you don't like it...change the way you buy and the way you eat. Don't be complacent and decide it is too much work... if you don't do it for yourself, do it for your children (for those of you who have them) or do it for the future generations.

If you understand the impact that CAFOs and large ag farms (corn, soy, etc) are having then you will know it has to change. So, don't support these industries! Stop buying meat from the grocery store unless you know it is not raised in that way - research your brands or buy local (hey and buying local helps your local economy). Stop buying vegetables and produce grown on farms that use tons of fertilizers that leach into the ground and water (not to mention in your bodies).

You believe that the government (and this is coming from someone who works for the government) does not have the right to tell you what you can and cannot eat...CHOOSE to make a difference in the way you buy and the way you vote!

WALK YOUR TALK people. No one is perfect but if we all make small changes it will make a difference. Big business will not change its practices while it is still making tons of money. People start thinking differently and more importantly making a difference in how they buy...then the big business and the government will make a difference if only to cover the bottom line. But talk does no good with out action. And no, you don't have to homestead like me. But changing the way you buy food, buy commodities, stop playing the consumer game we have all gotten trapped in and we can make a change.

One judge in Wisconsin said:
"no, plaintiffs do not have the fundamental right to own and use a dairy cow or herd"
"no, plaintiffs do not have the right to consume the milk from their own cow"
"no, plaintiffs do not have the right to produce and consume the food of their choice"

Do you really want this to be the precedent? Do you really want to be told what you can and not eat, can and cannot own, can and cannot grow?

not feeling very accomplished...

I had a "list" and it is depressing when only a couple things on the list get crossed off. But so I don't feel like a complete slacker...I will write down what I got done...not what I didn't from said list.

- made a batch of Vanilla Caramel Apple Butter (came out okay but I burned the bottom a little - now trying to soak the pot)
- 6 pints of yogurt (4 maple and 2 vanilla) for the next 2 weeks breakfast
- another part of the aquaponics area set up
- another section of the kitchen rearranged

busy day yesterday but can we dry out a bit? PLEASE

I got a good amount done yesterday and am hoping for a bunch more today...enjoying a bit stronger coffee with lots of yummy cream so I can have extra strong coffee to make the pumpernickel bread shortly. But first...can we dry out PLEASE?

The homestead is a disaster and I just spent days cleaning and organizing things not long ago! There are flies galore! There are cows across the street but I believe the biggest culprit is the duck/geese pen. They will be moving to their new area in the next month or so (just need to coordinate schedules with friends' helping me) but they have been pretty good where they are even through the hurricane. Well, it is a muddy disgusting mess right now and no amount of straw is helping (and I am out). And flies...ugh...disgusting! The geese stay pretty white no matter how yuck it usually is out...they are a muddy mess now.

AND...fleas, I have had no issues with this all yea and now...fleas. Last year when it got like this we had a small problem. My flea meds are out because we are heading to winter and honestly, with my older cats, I really hate using it. My Trollie girl has been on it because her buddy, my brother's dog tends to be a flea magnet. UGH! Trying to get the harvest in, the freezer full and tons canned with these two issues has been a bit of a miserable task.

Anyway, I did get some done yesterday after a meeting and then errands took WAY longer than expected. So, late afternoon I started on chores....and letting the Ball blue book explode in the kitchen (stolen from my homesteading blogger friend OFG - I really like the image it invokes!).

I got lots of applesauce canned (and some eaten). I have gotten quite a bit of apples from a really cool local farm...they have seconds for a decent price. Super sweet great flavor applesauce. I got couple quarts done the other day plus enough to eat for breakfast the past 2 weeks.
Yesterday:
- 4 pints (2 plain, 2 cinnamon cardamom)
- 6 half pints (cinnamon cardamom)
- 2 quarts of juice (mostly for cooking)

I also went pumpkin picking. A local place I really like grows amazing big pumpkins that most people like plus the pumpkins I like! The woman remembers me specifically for that. I like the old fashioned long neck pumpkins for roasting. So, I picked a few of those (noticed lots still getting ready to ripen so should be more in another month!), a small hubbard and got some spaghetti squash and butternut squash. I got the butternut cut up and will be making apple butternut squash soup tonight to go with pumpkin bread and probably chicken breast (hoping to get a couple meaties in the fridge tonight).

Okay, this is getting long and coffee is done...more later with how much I get through my list!

baby! and food put up...

One of the babies Mani has been sittin on hatched! Hopefully there will be several more hatching too! I will be running to the barn as soon as I get home!

In the meantime, it has been one of those weeks. Never enough time to get everything done. Last night I got 11 quart bags of eggplant put in freezer. Those will be lots of lunches for the ones in cubes...I like them roasted. The sliced ones will be for eggplant parm and such over the winter...along with the tomatoes that have been put up (canned and frozen). I couldn't resist the eggplant, I stopped at one of the little farm markets and she was just bringing the eggplant in fresh picked and only $1 each for really big perfect looking purple eggplant! Numm Numm. Tonight I will be roasting one to have with fresh tilapia with roasted red pepper cream sauce. Organic cream and the peppers I roasted. Definite yummies!

I still have about a dozen and a half apples to put up. I plan to make them all into apple sauce for myself for lunches. Probably a few of apple butter for holiday gifts. And if I can get them done by Monday...go get more! I have a few other things to get put up mostly in freezer... onions and yellow squash and pickling okra. Monday is feed day (getting the 100# bag of feed and getting whole wheat and oats to sprout), apple day (hopefully) and meatie freezer farm day! (if my car acts right!) *crosses fingers and says a little prayer*

I was hoping to go hunting tomorrow but the weather is looking exceptionally crappy and another day of sitting in the woods in the rain with the squirrels all cozy does not make me happy. Sitting in the woods in the rain waiting for deer...sure! They have to eat sometime...the squirrels are all snug with their little stash of munchies wondering why we crazy humans are sitting in the rain. But not going hunting at all would be blah too. Maybe we will jumpshoot for Canada Geese...they yummier than squirrels! I need to rearrange my freezers though...they are getting mighty full! Such a great feeling! If I get all my feather heads set for freezer farm there and a good deer and a few Snows...I will be all set for the Winter and Spring. Should be getting pretty good for veggies too if I can go punkin picking soon, they hadn't opened yet last weekend.

So tomorrow up in the air but Sunday and Monday is pretty packed with homestead "to do lists" and studying...have my first test in Soil Science on Monday opening...due Friday but considering how my middle of the weeks are, need to get it done Monday night!

something besides yogurt and cheese!

Well, my little sweetie polish is still hanging in there but hasn't improved any. I don't have a clue what the problem is. Is so sad. The plan is still to make the new area in pen and coop for her and Lil Dude and hopefully new babies!

Speaking of babies. Less than a week and the eggs under Mani should hatching...cross your fingers! They should be half pure Buff Orpington and the other half RIR/Astrolorp mixes. All under my broody polish! I paid for the Buff eggs and half of them broke in transit so I am really hoping these little eggies are viable and hatch! I am not so good at the candeling so am just doing the fingers crossed and praying method!

And...more babies...I HOPE from my rabbit does...they are due in about a week and a half... definitely crossing fingers and praying...I haven't had a doe kindle in over a year! These bunnies really need to start earning their keep besides the wonderful poo for my garden!

I have one busy Sunday coming up...here is my list:
- go pick pumkins and other squashes to put up for winter
- go to Llama fair...hope to get wool for holiday projects/gifts
- come home and butcher couple more chickens.
- build pen for Sweetie and Lil Dude
- various other kitchen things and more work on the Sun Room project

*sigh* Saturday I hope to make up for the crazy busy Sunday by having a nice long kayak trip! The rest of this week is more yogurt and cheese and applesauce when I get home from work and in between all that studying for my two classes. *falls down*

More yogurty goodness!

I made another batch of yogurt...a little bigger. Yesterday morning before I left for work I heated the milk up, added my culture (still the Dannon yogurt) and put it in my prewarmed cooler. I left at 6:00am and got home about 8:00pm and after checking on my featherheads, immediately checked out my yogurt...it was perfect! I put up several jars and added mango to 2, peach to one and left one plain (for the next starter). There was a tiny bit left so I put up in a cloth to make yogurt cheese! It will be enough for a snack!

Loving this yogurty goodness!

Yogurt a success!

I am so happy...the yogurt thickened up during the day. I put in two cups and flavored one vanilla and the other with the mango I had left from making the dessert goat's cheese.

Yay, I am happy that most of my food adventures are going well. If I can keep this up, it will save me money and be much healthier and I will avoid the trip to the grocery store more often!

Tonight is school and tomorrow errand day so I don't get home til late...so more food, rearranging house and homestead stuff this weekend!

cheese, yogurt, applesauce and chickens!

I have been making goat's milk cheese (from my homesteading friend's goats) for awhile now...some worked, some didn't. I FINALLY figured out the trick (letting the milk sit out for the day and THEN put it on the stove!). I think I was doing it too cold and not getting much curd when it finally got to temp. Anyway, I made cheese and divided it into a savory one (dill and salt) and a sweet one (mango). And then, I made ricotta successfully for the first time from the whey! Oh my is that the best ricotta I have ever had! I had the mango cheese with golden delicious apples I picked on Saturday. I had the savory cheese in my suddenly appearing big zucchini...baked with my own sundried tomatoes and sausage from the piggy I got last month. Yumm! The ricotta I am saving until I have a bit more and making a yummy dessert!
Then I tried my hand at my first apple sauce. I took the rest of the apples I picked and made 2 batches of apple sauce...decided to combine them after cooking down and putting them through my foley mill. I spiced with cinnamon and cardomom and canned in 2 very large canning jars and have enough for breakfast for the rest of the week! Very yummy...so first apple saucing was a success!

(the chickens, turkeys and ducks/geese all really enjoyed the apple parts caught by the foley mill, as well as the extra whey!)

I took the raw cow's milk I got and used half a gallon to make yogurt for the very first time. I heated up on stove, added a dollop of Dannon plain yogurt and put in a cooler with some hot water over night. I left there over night... I checked it this morning and it came out well! A little liquidy so I put in a cloth that I use for my cheese making and put in strainer over bowl and back in cooler (minus the water). I will check on tonight when I get home! So very excited!!!!

And finally...I put two of my meaties into freezer farm all on my own. I usually help with the killing (my friend has helped me in past) and do all or most of the cleaning/prep. However, this time, it was just me from start to finish. I plucked and kept most of feathers for crafts, breasted them out (for dinner this weekend), took all meat off legs and such to make sausage (something I haven't done yet) and took the skin and all misc pieces for my puppy girl.

Besides all that I did some rearranging in the house for Fall prep. I got a gun rack at a yard sale and put up in the sun room and put my kayak paddles and fishing rods on it. Got the little table and chairs in there out and onto the porch (just too crowded and I have plans -aquaponics and herbs!). Rearranged my corner in the kitchen from 1/2 baking supplies, 1/2 candlemaking/soapmaking to all cooking. (I share house with my brothers and decided I want to start slowly getting "good" kitchenware since I am cooking more and keeping things separate i.e. not messed up...this month I got a cast iron dutch oven/fry pan, last month a good double boiler). Candlemaking/soapmaking supplies moving to the family room that I never use. And I started rearranging my living room so I have my drafting table in one corner and a much more functional conversation area with my big old ugly couch and 2 chairs.

And, I even managed to go to two little events with friends which was lovely and spent much of Saturday kayaking and attempting to fish!

busy time of year but so glad it is starting to cool down

I have been busier than a one armed paper hanger as they say...but it is all pretty good (except my car being in the shop again).

I am working on getting the rest of the homestead Fall ready and into Winter ready because I know it will be here before I know it especially now that school has started. Irene helped get some started! On top of that I have the light up in the barn but my ladies have already slowed their egg production... :-( Hopefully it will pick up again. I have been reading alot on my forums about feed.

I am on an all local (mostly), paleo/primal diet meaning I don't eat many grains and I eat only meat I raise or from local organic farms (pig and bison mostly) and as much of my veggies that I grow or I get from side of the road family stands. I just switched my dog to that type of diet now too...she gets all the "extra" stuff from my meat birds (hopefully soon rabbit) and I add bison heart and things like that plus some veggies, my birds' eggs and yogurt. Now, it is time to look into reducing the amount of commercial feed for my birds and rabbits. To continue in the lifestyle I am trying for and to save money. It seems that sprouting grain is a good way to go and helps in egg production. So, I am embarking on this new thing this weekend. I have some seed I will try this weekend and in a week I will be going to my local grainery and getting much cheaper layer feed that I currently get at TSC and a big bag of oat seed and barley seed. I'll post how it goes!

Meanwhile...lots more to do this coming weekend including freezer farm time for half the meat chickens, making soap, cheese and yogurt! I so wish I had my own goats and cow but until then I have local supply luckily! I have lots of pics to share from this past week but will post them separately.