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

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.

Showing posts with label Dill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dill. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Chit Chat

 

In May of 2024, I ordered a brand new, USA made stainless steel tomato strainer.  In the fall of 2024, I called to check on the order, because it did not arrive in 6 months as I was told.

I was then told, the new sauce maker would arrive in May of 2025.  Keep in mind, you have to remember this over all this time too.  Well, May of 2025 has passed. 

It's now June and I called again.  I'm told (and before she even asks for my order number) the production won't produce any until "May of 2026" (seriously). 

I asked for a refund.  I'll let you know what happens, as I do expect that refund one way or another.  Once that is back in my bank account, I need to find a better source for a stainless steel tomato strainer.  I thought I would share, if case anyone has thought about ordering from them.  I'm not "bad" mouthing the company.  I'm just sharing my experience in attempting to order a tomato strainer.

Who knows what I'll be doing in a year from now?  My instincts told me that next year would arrive, and this company would tell me the same story  - not ready for another year, blah, blah, blah.

I may have a secret summer home by next year, sold the house, and started traveling the world in an RV by next year.  I could be sailing the oceans too.  You never know.

Either way, I was not going to wait another entire year to find out if the tomato strainer would be shipped or not.  So....if you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them (for a stainless steel one).



I have been taking advantage of the hot water the garden hose has in the first use in this heat wave.  I can clean chicken feed pans, my lounge chair, and the chicken watering units, not wasting that hot water.


No rain yet, and the heat continues, but very slightly lower than the 100's.  Rain was due last night, but nothing.  



We have been very thankful to once again get garlic scapes from our garlic.  These can sometimes be found at Farmer's Markets as well.  Garlic scapes form on mature garlic plants, and you need to cut them off before they bloom. 

I have once again made our favorite spread - radish garlic scape spread. The spread is cream cheese, garlic scape, radishes, fresh spinach and a bit of real lemon juice.  It's delicious!  The only thing missing is freshly made cream cheese from goat's milk (we really miss that).  I also use 2 garlic scapes in this recipe.  I do cut off the flower end.  It really has a good flavor, and the cut scapes are not wasted.  I plan to freeze the remainder for future recipes.  I may even freeze some garlic scape pesto.


We were gifted a lot of fresh dill from a co-worker of my husband's.  I put much of it in the dehydrator, but saved some for salads and other recipes.  It got me thinking.  Has anyone ever made a dill tincture?  I'm looking into it, only because of the large amount of dill we were given.  


It's a small start this year, but this is my husband's attempt to start back at the new chicken coop project.  The ladies deserve a chicken castle picnic table, ha ha ha!  We have much to do on the coop, and are now looking into solar exhaust fans for the new coop.  I can say, I am thrilled we picked the location for it now.  They will have more shade when their new run is built and installed.


Homemade peach crumble.  The only thing I've done with peaches this year.  So far anyway.  Georgia peaches from a local produce stand (we planted another peach tree this year).


Back in May, I visited a locally owned coffee shop/book store.  I walked by this book enough, and finally opened it. 



I did a check at Goodreads to see what the rating on it was.  I am still reading a book, so it is now on the list to read.  We shall see if it's any good.  My first "blind" date with a book.

Chit Chat  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Powerful Herbs ~ Learning as I go

We are to heat up to the 80's today.  They sky is looking strange this morning.  One direction looks like a storm brewing, and the other, the sun rising with very dark clouds above it.  We had very bad wind yesterday.

Once again, you are being entertained with a blog draft from June of 2017.  To be honest, I don't remember buying the book.  I think a blog follower sent me her copy, but anyway, a very old draft to entertain you with.  It does have me thinking about other herbs now.  I have, as of last year, started to harvest our wild growing goldenrod.  I had to laugh reading this draft, because I do not remember growing Gotu Kola seeds indoors either.

We are blessed with a lot of wild growing herbs and weeds, but you do have to know what you are picking as well.  Stinging nettle requires some very thick gloves, or your hands will be pricked by the stinging part of the nettle.  

When we had barn cats, I never had a problem finding wild growing catnip.  I dehydrate it for my homemade bug spray (which does work, but has to be applied often or you just sweat it off).

Do you have a favorite herb?  Do you have a favorite herb resource book?   Do you infuse a regular herbal tea for health reasons?

I hope you enjoy this today.  I think I have reduced my drafts down from 80-something to under 30 now.  

Remember this book?  I actually bought it after borrowing it several times from the library.   It's half full of recipes, has pumped me up in the way of adding more herbs/spices to my meals.  I do already, but this has pushed me to a new level.  


I've learned a new word recently - adaptogen .  I'm researching herbs for a brain booster tea, or infusion, and keep coming across ingredients such as "Rhodiola."  When I looked up this ingredient, I see it is a plant grown in the arctic, but not enough research for me.

So far my list of herbs for a "brain booster" tea I've collected are:

~Gingko
~Rosemary
~Gotu Kola, and herb grown in India (new one for me, but Mountain Rose Herbs carries this and I also bought seeds and have started them indoors this year.
~Ginseng, an adatogenic herb

Other herbs I'm considering:
~sage, my research has found it in "thinker's tea" recipes
~peppermint
~Green tea


I'm checking out more and more books from the library.  I hope to find a tea recipe that is suitable and with ingredients I can trust putting in my body. 

So many of the books I want to read are printed in the UK and only on Kindle.  Hmpf.  I don't want to read books on my computer and I don't have a kindle.  Kind of frustrating, but my library will still get my business.

I just learned about eyebright and goldenrod too.  Both are good for spring/fall allergies.  I'm reading as much on these as I can, and have plans for the goldenrod this fall.

I have also been experimenting with different herbs for a hot cup of healing tea.  I felt the second tube that was horribly and very roughly put down my nose and down my throat last winter, damaged my throat.  It hasn't been the same.  I've been drinking a hot tea (off and on) with a bit of sage, thyme and chamomile.



Powerful Herbs ~ Learning as I go  © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart