"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.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Cleavers Facial Wash ~ Natural Wrinkle Remedy

When ever I read something new about a weed I harvest, I give it a try if I can.  The season for cleavers are over for us, but I wanted to share this.

I made a tea with cleavers. I just made sort of an infusion in a pint canning jar, strained it and put it in the fridge.  

Dip your washcloth into the tea and rinse your face with the tea solution at room temperature (or cold).  Cleavers at as a skin tightener, so in reality, reduces wrinkles and lifts up the skin naturally.

Some people may have a bad reaction to this facial wash, so try a small area at first.  If you use fresh cleavers in you tea (not recommended for this), you have greater chance a having a skin reaction.

I used this tea for 2 straight weeks and feel and see a difference.  I also used it cold on my face, and it felt great in the heat of summer.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Time for sweet corn and blueberries

Monday was not about the garden, it was about dropping another $200 for Youngest - school uniforms, photos etc.  It will still save us in the long run, but man.  School is not cheap.  That doesn't include her shoes, supplies and other necessary clothing.  They told us we'd spend only 1 hour there, but ended up spending 2 hours, and it was a 30 minute drive there and back.  We didn't get home until almost 2 pm.

Rain was in the forecast again, but the weather man has been wrong this year.  So wrong.  We need more, so I was hoping they were right for a change.  We didn't get any, and it's in today's forecast too (slight chance).

I had food to freeze, and a lot of it.  Despite rain and dry/hot weather, the cucumbers, zucchini and other stuff needed dealt with.



Three bags (slightly short of 3 bushels) brought home.  We'll need a tractor to plant this much sweet corn in the future.


The fun started.  



Youngest and I shucked the first bag while Hubby went to work on a call out. Tuesday I got a double batch of corn frozen, but we have two more bags to shuck yet.  Here is my recipe to freeze corn - freezing corn.

I finally found not one, but two sources for MI blueberries.  The last time we were able to obtain them, the 10 lb. boxes were $31.00.  The price this year, despite a bad blueberry year was $27/10 lb. box.



Twenty pounds of deliciousness.  I'm so happy to find a source and so happy to restock, but like I said, things are all happening at once.  It's a good deal too.  They were selling them $7/qt.


The minute I started working on the corn, Tiger was meowing like crazy.  To get him to stop, I gifted him a cleaned corn cob, and he loved it.  Soon after, he was napping peacefully.  He's such a cutie.

The chickens got to clean off some corn cobs too, so everyone was happy.  We even had some corn on the cob with our dinner last night.  

Today is going to be super busy, packed with work, so I'm praying I can get it done.  I'll have to clean up and then make dinner too.  But first, the garden.