This and That

 I've been using a sample size of horsetail salve, to see if it will help with the very dry cracked skin on my hands (joys of gardening).  I did a bit of reading (like a tiny bit), and it apparently is good to help brittle fingernails too.  I do not make the salve.  I, honestly, never heard of it, until we bought some earlier this year.  So far, it's helping restore my hands and heal the very dry cracks.  

Garden planting is still on-going.  The rain has now moved later into the week, so watering newly planted seeds and plants is happening.  I obtained a few packets of organic collard seeds, and have a new plan for them this year.  I read that if they are planted next to thyme, they thrive better (we'll soon find out).

Our garlic is starting to grow scapes, and the radish plants have not even sprouted due to late planting.  The two together, make the most delicious dip.  I don't need to cut the scapes just yet, but I read they will store in the refrigerator for a good long time, so there is hope for making the dip this season. 

I recently listened to a video, where the garden grower stated that once you cut those scapes off, your garlic is done for the season.  I read that you cut them off, so your bulb grows larger, but now I'm hearing that is not the case.  Any thoughts on that?

It's that time of year I call "dip" season.  Easy dinners that require no cooking, and are also light lunches or even simply a quick, nutritious snack.  The photo above is a dip that uses 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar in the dressing and it is delicious.  I split this batch in half, and added a fresh chopped jalapeno to one half of the dip this time.

Black bean and corn dip.

Our comfrey is now blooming.  I grow it in a plant pot, and it comes back every year.  If I had a "weed" garden somewhere, it would be grown there, as it spreads quickly (medicinal plant).

I am glad I make my own comfrey salve, as we have used that this year too.  Along with plantain salve and yarrow salve.

Something I learned, but have to check resources to make sure it's correct - borage blooms (another green I would like to start growing) look almost identical to comfrey blooms, and the plant looks very similar.  You can eat the blossoms of borage and they taste like blueberries.  Hm.  I have yet to plant any borage, but it's sounds interesting.  It is one plant I am not familiar with.

Something else I learned - the roots of cleavers can be used to make a red dye.  Very interesting (Learning Herbs).  I decided to go ahead and start a tincture with cleavers, but in a smaller jar.  We love ginger root for swollen lymph nodes, but I think the tincture would be nice to have on hand this coming winter. 

I started an apple cider vinegar tincture with chickweed.  My first tincture made with vinegar.  My research recommended filling the jar 1/4 to 1/3 of dried herb.  As you can see a little herb goes a long way (using dried herb) in this type of tincture.  It will sit for 4 weeks before I strain it.

I do need to make an inventory on tinctures. I like to get those all re-stocked when the plants are growing.  I'm considering making more tinctures.  Possibly more with vinegar this year, but tinctures with apple cider vinegar will only last 1 year.  However, you can use them to cook with too.  I'm considering maybe Thai basil.  Garlic would be a good one too.  

I have a packet of Sorrel seeds, and have yet to decide where to plant them.  I really need a "weed" garden somewhere.  I have never eaten sorrel, nor planted it, nor harvested it for any reason.  I did read a bit about it, and it is invasive and a perennial plant.  Has anyone eaten sorrel?  Worth the time to plant possibly in pots for a trial run?  Benefits?  Does it freeze well when blanched?  Best way to eat it?  I'll have to do more research on this plant.  Adding it to my "rainy day" activities.

Deer are on the move lately.  They are the reason gardens are fenced around here, but deer can jump high too.   

This and That  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Just the Bits

April 9th - rain and snow mix, morning temperature was 21°F!
April 10th - 38°, high of 44°F, rain
April 11th - 30°, low chance of rain, partly sunny

We should be picking asparagus, wild violets and wild dead nettle right now, but the weather is delaying it.  I surely hope we still get them all.  Time will tell.

Despite freezing cold weather that is freezing my chickens water at night, my potted comfrey is already coming to life again.  The weather is to warm up again thankfully.

I need help with deterring rabbits.

Does anyone have any tried and true (non toxic) ways to deter rabbits from your flower beds and herb garden?  I read coffee grounds deter them, but they are not good for my herb garden.  I had motion sensor noise gadgets, but they did not work for the rabbits last year.

A tree of some sort is growing in the edging (between the landscaping stone and chives of all places) of the herb garden, and it has thorns.  It needs to be dug out thanks to the birds.

I have wild growing wineberry starts (again thanks to the birds) to yank from the asparagus patch, and have already put straw in the newer asparagus patch (to keep those weeds down for harvest).  I will need to add more straw before Spring harvest.

(oatstaw in a jar)

I've been brewing nettle tea for us here lately.  It's a powerhouse, but it's great for allergies too. I'm no doctor, but you can do your own research on stinging nettle.

Homesteading/Self Sufficiency goes hand in hand with being physically fit.  If anyone is interested, I can write up a post on this.

Garden or no garden is the question.  We purchased not-so-inexpensive fencing to fence one garden area last year.  We need fencing to protect the other (larger) garden area, and it's now in limbo.  The cost to buy fencing is not low, by all means, but we can install it ourselves.  

A lot has affected the purchase of the fencing.  Our electric cost doubled, and we are not even heating the upstairs (as we did when the kids lived here).  We are not even using heat in two downstairs rooms either, yet our cost doubled.

Groceries more than doubled.  Home repair supplies are up.  I mean it's just a rough time for everyone right now.

Home Repairs/Updates:

-purchased one window blind and installed it (was thankfully under $30)

-one last blind is needed for another room, but the window itself will need replaced at some point soon.  I'm on a list to be notified when they are in stock (has to be custom cut to fit).   I already got one email stating they were in stock, but when I went to order it, it said "out of stock" (again).  I called, and yes in fact, they are out of stock (again).

-lined more wire closet shelving. I have a few more to line.

-started stairway project by scraping tape and adhesive off the walls (kids!!) This job will take a while to get done.

Just the Bits ©  April 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Whoopsie!

It appears that some of the bigger projects on our to-do list will be taking a longer break than we want.  Atleast anything related to climbing a ladder around here.

Oh boy.  I did it again.  I'm mostly mad at myself, because I just started to clean up flower beds, and was about to start raking out weeds from the already tilled vegetable garden (s).

It's an eye roller moment.

I've been MIA a bit in blogger-land this past week.  First, I was instructed to stay off my feet, other than to use the bathroom.  Second, I was instructed to use crutches when I was up.  They were (yes were) the most pain in the rump to use.  I can say, that I can stand to lose more weight than I thought ha ha!  Lifting myself on those was a complete work out in itself.

The urgent care I went to did not have any boots.  I thought this was very odd for an urgent care facility.  They gave me paperwork to take to a medical supply in the same town.  Again, no boots in stock.  Seriously?  Keep in mind, I was in pain as it was the day of the incident.  They loaded the paperwork into their computer and sent us to another town (a good half hour drive), with another one of their stores, and low and behold we got one, and just before they were closing.  Crazy times right now.  What if I didn't have a driver with me?  What if I was by myself, and needed a wheelchair?  At the time, I didn't have my crutches either, so I had help.  

The good news is, that I have been able to lose the crutches, and no surgery needed, but the fracture will take time to heal. Also, it took almost a week to get into see someone at the ortho doctor office.  Oh, my blood pressure was "perfect" as I was checked.  I'm used to walking 10 plus miles a week, so I'm already working on chair exercises, to keep me sane and not so restless. 

Off the subject, our family doctor now only works 3 days a week.  Again crazy times we are in.  I guess we will be looking for a new family physician now, because he has been canceling my husband's appointments, leaving the message, and no re-sheduled date.  It's been frustrating there as well.  I won't have to go see him for this, but ....

 

Of course, I am applying a comfrey poultice/compress daily, and every day it feels much better than the day before.  The x-ray showed the bones already fusing together within a week's time.  It also reduced the bruising after the first application.

If I had a plant store, I would sell plants like comfrey, mullein and other plants that some city folks do not have access to.  Anyway....

I'm still infusing our nettle/oatstraw teas for more nutrition, and the doctor instructed taking vitamin D3 with K2.  I had to change my vitamin D to that, but my husband brought it home, and the ingredients include (gmo) soybean oil and other bad oils.  I'm on the hunt (online) for a healthy vitamin match for this.  If you know of a resource for this vitamin (non-gmo vs. gmo), please comment below.  

A funny to share.  If you can picture it.  My husband was bringing me a cup of coffee at a time, as I was to keep my one foot non-bearing weight.

I would drink it, and before he could finish his cup, I'd be asking for another. I continued to ask, and he'd look at me like "where it heck are you putting that coffee?"  Ha ha!

He told a friend I could "suck down a cup in 30 seconds" ha ha!  He is probably right.  

One day, he handed me my coffee, and stood in the doorway, and said "I'm just gonna stand here until you need another cup" (picture him standing there sipping his own coffee) ha ha ha!  Oh boy, it made me laugh and laugh and laugh.  He is tickled pink that I can now fetch my own coffee, amongst other daily chores he had to take care of.

If you know what these are used for, I kept my eye exam, and yes they dialated my eyes, and that was while on crutches.  What a hoot that was.  A miserable combination too, but I was not about to change my appt.  The eye doctor is only in once a week anymore.  I can always change doctors, but no, I was getting that checked on my to-do list, and off the calendar.  

I have gathered all of my to-do lists, and meal plans from over a week ago.  I have no idea what the meals will be yet, but I do have new recipes yet to try.  I dehydrated 2# of mushrooms, because it was easier to save them vs. explain to my husband what to cook with them ha ha! 

My library books are overdue (totally forgot about them), and the housecleaning is so far behind.  The laundry is not too far behind, as I have done some (I see a laundry basket on wheels in my future, ha ha!).

We've had a lot of rain here lately, and a tornado watch yesterday, so things have been pretty wet outside. It's sort of a blessing to me, so I'm not feeling bad about being behind on the outdoor work.  As soon as it dries up a bit, I need to check in on our garlic and asparagus, and see if either is up (from this recent rain and warmer weather).  The rhubarb is up, as I had checked that over a week ago (a few garlic sprouts were up as well).  Considering my situation, I have left the wild violets to be just that - wild.  I will not be making wild violet jelly this spring, but I'm okay with that.

Whoopsie!  © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Comfrey Salve (2nd Trial)

 I've narrowed down my draft blogposts.  I went from 80-some down to 38.  I have resurrected another draft.  The odd part, is that I made this salve years ago, and never posted this draft.  I have no idea why I didn't.  It was drafted up, but the date is not showing up. All I know is that this was the 2nd version of comfrey salve and I like it much better.

 You can make comfrey salve a few different ways.  You can check recipes in library books or on the worldwide web too.  Many vary, but I have been making salves for a while, so I  know how thick I want it.  

The first recipe I attempted created a very hard salve.  It was too hard to even use.  I was a beginner salve maker at that point.

You can also use an oil of your preference for making the infused comfrey oil prior to your salve making.  I, for the most part, use olive oil, but I have used grapeseed and jojoba oils, depending on what I am making them for. 

If you are new to salve making (or infusing oils with plants), I do suggest doing your research first.

How I made my comfrey salve:

I infused my oil with comfrey first (I used the sunny window method).

I then strained that oil and made the salve.

I bought my amber jars online for this salve.

Heat 2 cups of comfrey infused oil and 1 /4 c beeswax until they melt (I use a double boiler just for this purpose, and only used for salve or lip balm making).  I use a recycled can from cooking beans or what not, that has been washed and dried.  I place that can in the top pan with a bit of water.  It really helps with clean up.

Once the beeswax is melted, remove from heat and add 1 Tbsp. of vitamin E oil and about 15 drops of lavender essential oil (I have also used other essential oils).

(I store it in amber jars you can buy online or from local health stores)

I have used this salve for bruises, varicose veins, strains, fractures, and healing broken bones.  

Notes:  It came in handy when I sprained my ankle a few years back, but one thing I learned to do, other than apply poultices and salves (for a sprain), is to do a foot soak with comfrey itself.  I did soaks with Epson salts, but never even thought to do a comfrey water foot soak.  It is difficult to apply a poultice to a sprain, and I did do that, but every year I learn something new.  Do you have any tips with comfrey?

(photos of comfrey poultices from 2016)

(I have a disclaimer on the bottom of my blog.  I am not a doctor, and this is personal experience.)

Comfrey Salve (2nd Trial)  © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Garden and Storms ~ Air Fryer Zucchini Fries (low carb)

 

Yesterday's pickings.  Even though I picked the day before, and I obviously missed some cucumbers.  Those larger ones went to the chickens.

In lieu of a severe storm threat yesterday afternoon and evening, I tied up the last 35 tomato plants, hit the stakes again (best I could with a dry ground), and found another worm.  I accidently slammed the side of my thumb while hammering stakes in (not the first time for either of us).

I could barely bend my thumb to cook nor do dishes, so I whipped up a comfrey poultice, and today there is barely the sight of a bruise, and pain is about zero.

We have been enjoying our homegrown green/wax beans.  We don't eat potatoes like we used to, but last night was just the right time.  So good with bacon.  

My husband is my entertainment lately.  He is coming up with ideas for the extra zucchini, and last night made these in the air fryer.  Blech.  Coconut oil with an egg dig and seasonings.  

We got a laugh, and then I took over and looked up some recipes.  Almost everything involves breadcrumbs, but we adapted a recipe.

It was a winner recipe for air fryer zucchini "fries" for us.  The original recipe calls for either almond flour or panko.  We are not fans of panko (it contains high fructose corn syrup).  

During a shopping trip, I had picked up a healthier version of panko at our grocery store.  It's called Aleias Panko Bread Crumbs, but gluten free, soy free, corn free, low sodium, non-gmo etc.  Otherwise we followed the recipe and these were delicious!  I good replacement for french fries when we have walleye or perch for dinner.  The recipe is online at Gimme Delicious, Air Fyer Zucchini Fries (Keto - low carb).  If I remember correctly, they do give instructions for oven baking them as well.

We did get our storms and rain last night.  I know the garden needed a good soaking, but I will have to wait to venture out.  It could be too wet to walk in, and I know I will have something out there to pick. The ground doesn't look that wet from looking out the window, but I'll be finding out soon enough.

Purple Blossoms and Lack of Rain

Chives are in full bloom.

Sage is about to bloom.

Comfrey bloom for the first time ever.

Now we are battling the lack of rain.  The ground is almost rock hard due to the temperature getting up to 91°F.