Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Rascals ~ Kitchen Happenings

This post should have been up a few days back. I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July.  I'll have an more current update in a few days.  Until then....
 
If you have been following my blog, you have heard about the raccoon that was taunting me.  We'll several days have gone by with nothing getting into my pots, so I replanted my organic medicinal seeds (I had to reorder all of my seeds).


A few days went by and the pots where untouched, until this happened.  Grr!  So frustrated.  I'll be buying whatever herbs do not make it this year.  I could put them all inside until they start, but I really don't want to buy seeds a third time.



We've never, in all our years living here, had raccoons in these numbers.  Nor have we had them dig out my plant pots.  Ever.

I'm starting to wonder if someone is catching and releasing raccoons into the woods behind us.  

We are already configuring a plan to build frame with wire.  It will "box in" my pots or simply plant them all in a separate raised bed.  Live and learn on this I guess.

Update on the brazil nuts.   I have one daughter who is now eating one or two a day to see if her nails growShe's also weighing herself to see if it also helps her thyroid.  I'll be updating you in about 6 weeks.


I've been busy mixing up some comfrey in my food processor, and making a dozen freezer poultices.  My Army daughter has a hip issue, and put in a request.  










It was a busy "kitchen" day too.  Bread was baked, dandelions and collards were blanched and frozen, and we made a quick trip to the library (borrowing Son's car).  My car decided not to start.  Pinto beans were cooking all day in a crock pot, to mash up for bean burritos, breakfast burritos, and for snacking.

My tea is typically a hot tea, but this time I infused in a quart jar and indulged it iced.   

7 comments:

Sam I Am...... said...

It was quiet and rainy until later last night when the fireworks started. Glad it cleared off for people that had plans. I took the weekend off. Your bread and veggies look yummy!

Liz said...

Oh those darn raccoons, its beyond frustrating for you!
Baking bread is on my list to do for tomorrow!

RB said...

Medicinal seeds? Maybe the 'coon has an ailment the seeds are helping. ???
The bread looks wonderful, but doesn't it heat up your kitchen to have the oven going in the summertime?
Here we're experiencing high humidity and high heat that makes it feel like you're walking into a wet blanket when you go outside. Yuck!!! And it's been accompanied by some pretty fierce storms.
We've all pretty much agreed around here that high summer started awfully early in NC this year. Luckily that's good for most of the farmers.
Praying everyone had a safe and happy holiday, and the week ahead too.
God bless.
RB
<><

RockWhisperer said...

Mmmmmm! Now you have made me want to cook pinto beans! Heh. They are a pretty versatile bean. I also use them in salad mixtures (my favorite: chopped fresh tomato, green and red sweet peppers, onions, basil, drained pintos or black beans, and some drained canned corn, with a little oil-and-vinegar-and-sugar dressing, served cold. Or chili, once the weather cools.

So sorry about the raccoons. I've heard they can migrate from great distances. They can get into anything and are very destructive, as you know. We've seen one occasionally out here. But we also have a large population of coyotes, maybe there are some good things about having coyotes around, but they will also kill chickens, geese, cats and small dogs unfortunately. We also have an occasional armadillo that tears up the yard looking for grubworms. And there's a large skunk that perfumes the morning air, some mornings. Once in awhile we find a dead opossum along the road to the mailbox, killed by a neighbor's dog. Now that we don't have a dog, we are getting squirrels in the yard and garden. They will strip a fruit tree in one night. Hubs has a shotgun and has taken to shooting the squirrels. I used to know a man who said that whatever creature gets into his garden ends up in his freezer. Not sure I'm ready to eat squirrel, though....

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Liz, so far I've completely lost my horehound and possible feverfew. I've rescued a few other pots that have teensy starts (miraculously) in them.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks RB, that's a funny thought about the raccoon. There is another one out there today that didn't make it across the road. It does heat up my kitchen to bake bread, but we don't eat as much of it anymore.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

llene Jones, I have had squirrel before, but they are horrible to skin and tough to cook right. I don't think I'd ever eat raccoon here, although some people do.