This and That ~ Welcome April

 We have been using local beef tallow for maybe a year now, but it is $5.99/pound.  We have located a better resource for buying it, and at a lower price of $2.49/pound.  Thankfully, we can freeze it, so we are re-stocked for a while.  We only fry fish (perch and walleye), and that is only when we are gifted the fish.  Once a year I make homemade corn dogs with all beef hotdogs.  I have used the beef tallow to grease pans, and that works great too.

I have been substituting oil with the tallow, for when I make steel cut oat patties, squash patties, or anything similar needing "oil" to pan "fry" or cook.

The same resource also sells local lard, and that can be frozen as well.

I have been checking around at prices for vanilla beans, and the online resource (for organic) is still the best price.  In store prices seem to be high.  The above photo was taken at a bulk Amish food store.

The daffodils are starting to bloom here.  We have several varieties growing in the flower beds.

The hyacinths are popping up now.

Green onions are continuing to spring back to life.  I'll be adding them to meals very soon.

Chives are springing back to life as well, and they will soon be in our daily meals too.  As you  an see, I have not cleaned out the herb garden or even the flower beds.  It's too soon, although it's tempting on warmer days around here.

April is bringing us a lot of rain.  A lot.  It's also bringing more back and forth weather, and with the warmer days, it's bringing in tiny ants.

I had to put out soaked cotton balls to get rid of the ants again.  I mix a 50-50 solution of borax and granulated sugar.  I add enough water to mix up a "paste" solution.  I coat cotton balls with the solution, and put them on small pieces of waxed paper in the areas where the ants are coming in.  The wax paper just makes clean up so much easier.  Otherwise the borax mixture will leave a mess on the surface of where you place the cotton balls.  The ants will devour it, but the borax kills the ants within a day or less.  

We finished this puzzle.  Will colder days be coming to an end?  Well.  Welcome April!  We woke up to 23°F this morning.  We have had snow all the way to Easter, so it's not impossible, although we'd like to have Spring stay put.

This and That ~ Welcome April ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

End of September Garden ~ Winter Medicinal Prep ~ Tidbits

 We finally got rain on September 22nd, and it just kept coming, and coming.  The hurricane rolling in by Florida is bringing us much of the rain our way, forcing us to cancel our third planned camping trip.  There was no point in hauling the camper over an hour away, only to spend the entire weekend inside the small camper (there was not much to do in the area indoors either).  No campfires, no campfire meals, and no hiking.  I was pretty sad hitting that "cancel" button.

(husband's packed breakfast with daikon root hashbrowns)

One vegetable I did not get to plant this garden season - daikon radish.  I am however experimenting with it in recipes, and actually grating it for a healthier hashbrown, and using it cubed in place of potatoes in some soup recipes.  I have yet to make kimchi, but it is still on my list.

New to the garden this year, and new to us - Mashed Potato Squash.

One mashed potato squash came off the vine, so I brought it in a second one and roasted them.  I have never grown these, so I am relying on whatever baking instructions I can find online. 

We tasted it by itself, and then we seasoned it with salt, pepper and a bit of butter.  Oh my goodness!  Tastes better than mashed potatoes.  So good!  I will be planting these again.  It is a squash you cannot find at any produce stand or grocery store.  I have a few more to roast, and may even try mixing in some pesto.  We are both amazed at how good these squash taste.  I cannot believe, that not one produce stand grows and sells them.

The bell peppers rolled in all month long.  I made stuffed peppers for breakfast, stuffed peppers for dinner, froze stuffed peppers, froze the peppers diced and sliced, and made other "stuffed" recipes with them.

Dug up the last of the garden potatoes.

I tried a new crustless quiche and we loved it.  I am taking advantage of the herb garden as long as the season lasts. The quiche had asaparagus, dried oregano (from the herb garden), fresh green onions, and chives (I measured those fresh herbs with my heart).

I was harvesting goldenrod for one of the kids, and learned that it not only helps heal a runny nose, but also sinus infections, and helps treat the flu.  I also started a tincture.

Tips:  I keep extra lids from my mayo/peanut butter jars, as they fit any regular lid canning jar.  When I give dried herbs for cooking or teas to a friend/family, the lids come in handy.

I also keep disposable teabags on hand.  I gift them with the dehydrated teas when someone is sick or needs a tea (most people do not own a teaball or such).

Pickled radishes with a garden jalapeno.  These won't last long, but they are good for up to 6 months, according to the recipe.

My husband finally got his homemade corndogs.  I told him I would only make them once a year, as he is diabetic, but it has been about 3-4 years since I made them.  I use all organic ingredients in the batter (all beef hotdogs), and this time we made homemade fries with home grown potatoes and fried them in local beef tallow.

I started a jar of Four Thieves Vinegar.  It will last up to one year, and we like to have it on hand "just in case" for feeling ill or preventing illnesses.

A "sleepy time" tincture started (we still like our evening tea too), and a new honey based elixir for a new "cure all" for winter/spring.  It will last up to 2 years, so we are trying something new, along with the Four Thieves.

Walking is the elixir to mental health, overall health, and just feeling physically healthy.  I'm so glad we are spending more time with nature this year.

We have been getting a few hikes in this month (until the rain rolled in).

The only handiwork that got made during the later part of the month  - another dish scrubbie for us.

Strawberry Margarita Pie

I am still purging books, and am trying new recipes from one of the cookbooks (deciding on donating or keeping), and other home updates/repairs.  The dishwasher (we bought used) quit working, and now the dryer is on the fritz.  I had to use it, as the mowing was getting done, and the rain was arriving, but glad I used it.  I had not used it all summer long, and it is almost 16 years old.  Time to start looking for a new washer and dryer.

I hope all is well with everyone.  We will be getting rain until the very last day fo the month (maybe more).

End of September Garden ~ Winter Medicinal Prep ~ Tidbits© September 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Just the Bits

 

I'm not sure who is happier when all the canning supplies go back in storage. . . my husband or myself, ha ha!  We got very little canned this year.  In fact, I only canned ketchup and tomato sauce.  Very strange garden year this year.

The majority of our own tomatoes were very very small.  Most likely due to the second planting (rabbits ate the entire first before we fenced it), and the drought we are having.  I was gifted enough tomatoes to can what I did this year.

The hot peppers are nearing the end of the season, and if you have been following my blog, you read that our "hot" banana peppers were not hot this year.  I yanked the plants and pickled the rest for the season.  These were not canned, but will last 3 months in the refrigerator.

I bought us a new tool for when we stuff jalapenos, or when I need to de-seed any hot peppers.  Call it being prepared for the next garden year, as we decided to freeze the jalapenos this round of picking.  I leave the seeds in when I freeze hot peppers.

I have pulled half of the bell pepper plants this season, as they are at the end of their harvest as well.  I have never seen this on a bell pepper until this year.  I am guessing it's sun scald.  It appears "burned" and a few other ones had it.

It's the end of the garden season, so we are pulling plants when we have the time.  I have already pulled some tomato plants, but hoping for a rain soon, so I can get those stakes out of the ground.

I started my yarrow infused oil.  I will eventually use it to make a yarrow healing salve.  I am learning a lot about yarrow this year.  If you have a tried and true salve recipe, please share.

Last year I made garlic honey, to use as a medicial if we needed it, but we did not, so I'm contemplating what to make instead.  I typically have Four Thieves Vinegar on hand every year, or even Fire Cider.  I'm just not sure yet.  What do you have on hand for the "in case" you need it medicinal?

My attempt to propagate our Thai basil failed.  They grew mold and zero roots.  The cuttings also attracted flies and that drove me nuts.  Out they went.

I have more herbs to stock up for winter.  It's on the to-do list.

The chickens have slowed down with egg production, as it is the typical time of year.  I will start rotating in our breakfast oatmeal bakes, to stretch those eggs out in our meals.

I can't remember if I shared this new recipe we tried.  It is a cookie recipe that uses tahini in place of the "oil" and has dates in them, oats (no flour), and honey.  At first, I thought I'd never make them again, but we love them!  A soft, chewy goodness.

We purchased some local beef tallow for the first time.  If you have used it for cooking, let me know what you used it for. 

Our weather is surging up to the 90's this weekend (making any outdoor recreation or work miserable).  We have not had rain all month long, and many parts of our state now have burn bans, including some campgrounds.  The drought has been pretty bad this year.

On the book front, I have only purchased one book since May. I'm so proud of myself.  I have purged more that I need to get rid of, and have more to read.  I started the year off great using the library, but have not been back since May I think.

Oh, and I used to be a hoarder of printing new recipes to try.  Way back in the spring, I started using a notebook.  Instead of printing the recipe, or holding it up in my tabs on the computer, I write the recipe name and location in a notebook.  When I have time to try it, I locate it, and try the recipe.  Nine times  out of ten, we don't keep the recipe.  I have only printed one recipe since spring.  I have hand written a few down on recipe cards.  No more wasting paper, ink and time.  I am pretty proud to end that cycle of waste and time (not to mention clutter).

Why do I look for new recipes?  Well, for starters, if we have a bumper crop of bell peppers like this year.  I look for new ways to make stuffed peppers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Or I look for recipes regarding herbs, or medicinal herbs, or the like.

We also have a bumper crop of basil, and for the first year ever, I can freeze either pesto or just the basil.  

Now I am on the hunt for a new, and better tasting pie crust recipe for the holidays and other entertainment.

Just the Bits © September 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart