Why I Do It

I have been asked more often "why" in regards to living off the land, making household items myself, and canning from the garden.  Basically, people who rely on convenience, feel I am making our life here, way too hard.  However, we don't feel that way.


I can rest easy, knowing that our pancake syrup is all natural, and is not packed with high fructose corn syrup.  I can rest easy that our pickles are home grown and many pints are without sugar.  Growing everything without chemicals, and knowing that we are eating safe and healthy, and on a wonderful budget, is all worth it.

I think it's the hard work that scares people off.  If I worked a full-time job outside my home, I would definitely not be able to eat this healthy, and raise our own meat.  However, by making sacrifices of "conveniences" and spending money on things we really can do ourselves, I can stay home.  


I get funny looks when I tell people that I am a stay-at-home Mom.  Especially, in this day and age where the economy is so bad.  I explain to them that I am continuously finding ways to save us money, keep plastic out of our landfills, and live a life without chemicals (even on our farm animals, pets, and home).


I not saying that vacations are never allowed in our budget, as my husband and I took a recent "disconnect to reconnect" weekend last spring.  I think a getaway is refreshing when it doesn't include stress in the planning and preparing process.   So, yes we do take a few days to reclaim ourselves, but it involves a lot less spending and more relaxation.  And no stress returning home, and wondering if we spent too much.

Today, I am making blueberry syrup, using up about 10 more cups of blueberries.  After that I will bake a pie.  My husband is working another full day today, and will be happy to see a homemade pie when he gets home.  It's the first time for me to bake a blueberry pie.

In between it all, I pulled more cucumbers for another quart of fridge pickles, and pulled a bunch of potatoes.  I think I will make a kohlrabi/potato bake to go along with leftover chicken, and use 3 kohlrabi that I pulled this morning. My oldest daughter just brought in another bucket full of potatoes.  


I think I will use some of the potatoes for tomorrow's breakfast.  My husband makes wonderful omelets with farm fresh eggs, garden green pepper, and onion, a bit of cheese, and some organic bacon.  


As soon as this humidity lifts, I would love to make more homemade bread.

Blueberry Update

12 full pints of my first canned blueberry jelly. 
We snacked on some of the blueberries, and froze the last 16 cups from the first 10 lb. box.

 

 

I never flash freeze my blueberries.  I wash them, drain them, and dry them before freezing.  It's worked well for me.

After that I headed out to weed out the spaghetti squash and the pumpkin.  When I came in, I completely forgot to put my chickens in the roaster.  So............back out to the garden I went, despite getting attacked by an army of mosquitoes, dug up carrots and potatoes (I already had a few onions dug up), and set it all to roast.  It won't be done until late, but it will make a nice lunch tomorrow.