Dehydrating, Spiders, Using Dyes, and More Cleaning

I am continuing to dehydrate Swiss chard, along with the stalks.  

The recent rains brought up some nice green onions.  I am dehydrating some of them today also.

We are now at war with spiders.  I clean the webs down, and they rebuild the next day.   We have also seen wolf spiders in the garage about 3 inches in diameter.  


My mother has armed us with 3 bags of hedge apples. They do have a funny smell, so I hope they work.  I'll be placing these bad boys around the house, garage and barns today.

I am starting to experiment with natural dyes.  We have many outside animals, as well as inside animals, so I am trying to work with dyes that I can easily dispose of without harming them, or our septic tank.


I crocheted this flower vase doily with 100% 2 ply cotton yarn.  I then boiled red onion skins in a designated pot for dye purposes.  I discarded the skins, and heated the water with the doily.  I turned the heat off, and let it sit overnight. 


For this, I did not use a mordant, however an alum mordant would hold the color longer.  To experiment in how long the color will last, I purposely did not use a mordant.

It turned out to be a beautiful golden color.  The dye water actually appears red, but the color of the cotton is golden.  


I'll be delegating cleaning to the kids later today.  I've been sick and have developed a bad cough.  I am grateful for the sunshine and wind today, so my laundry will dry quickly.

Black Walnut Dye ~ Home Canned Applesauce

There are so many versions of using walnuts for dye, including making a dye for stamping fabric.  I decided to soak some walnuts in water for 3 days  (slightly browned).  I ran the liquid through a strainer, lined to catch all the small stuff.

Pokeberries

In all the strange places pokeberries can be growing, I found them in the loft of one of our barns.  We don't use this part, as it needs major repairs.  


I was walking around the property last week and saw these and thought they would make a nice color to dye yarn with.  After doing my research on the wildflowers on our property, I found out that pokeberry juice can be used to write with also.  In fact, I was told the Declaration of Independence was possibly written with it.  I'm not sure if that's completely true, but found it interesting.  Pokeberry is poisonous and I removed a few that had grown near or in my garden this year.

Last week I got out the ladder and had one of the kids help me pick a bag full of these berries.  Did you know you can actually freeze these and dye with them later?  

I could not locate a local farmer who spins their own wool, so I purchased wool yarn.

I chose to use a safe mordant for my yarn.  I mixed a 50/50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water.  I heated my designated cook pot to a temperature that was just before boiling.  I did not boil, as this is wool.  I let the pot simmer for about one hour, then let it sit overnight.  I did not dry my yarn, and I saved the solution for the dye.

 Wool yarn after it sat overnight.

 Wool yarn drying after rinsing it.

I mashed the pokeberries with a potato masher, then ran that through a fine metal strainer, smashing out every bit of pokeberry juice.  I then discarded my stems, and poured my leftover 50/50 vinegar/water solution into the juice.  I heated that with the wool yarn and solution to the point where I saw the solution bubbling.  I did not boil it.  From what I have read, the temperature of the pot will be what decides the color you end up with.

I let the pot sit overnight again, and rinsed it out the next day.  I placed the yarn on an old towel to dry.  I have read that you should not place this out in the sun to dry, so it dried inside.  That particular day it was extremely windy and raining.

I plan to crochet or knit with it, but have not decided on my project yet.  I am very excited about the color and cannot wait to try other natural dyes. 

I think this farm could use a few sheep to spin wool with. 

Self-Suffieciency Lifestyle Paying Off

I'm posting early today.  Hubby brought home another 10 lb. box of blueberries and a box of peaches.  I'll be busy for sure.

Here's an update on our journey to being self-sufficient.  Each year it gets better.
 
In the last 3 1/2 years we have really gained progress with self-sufficiency.  It does require some investments, but those pay off. 

So far this year, with making our own soap with our goat's milk, have not had to buy any bars of soap (and have used it to make homemade laundry detergent also).

We have not purchased dishwasher detergent either, and I am proud that we have reduced those chemicals and costs.

We have not had to buy any onions or potatoes this year.  Last year we did.  

We went all winter using green peppers we froze versus buying them from the store.

When we are low on eggs, we do without.  

We have cut down the cost of buying organic milk by having the goat's, and have drastically cut down the trips to the recycling center (cost of time and gasoline) to take milk jugs in.  It's been nice to recycle our canning jars for milk. 

I have not had to buy ricotta cheese this year also.  Making it is so easy with the goat's milk, but it takes 4 1/2 quarts. 

As for making ice cream out of goat's milk, we need another goat for more milk.  We need cream to add to the milk, otherwise it will freeze rock hard.  My daughter already has her eye on one she wants to add to her herd. 

We have not had to buy any jelly or jams for the last two years.  Every year I learn more recipes to make and stock up on.

I have cut back on the cost of annual flowers, and used seeds from other farmgirls (lovely zinnia's).  We also get the joy of watching butterflies.

We have not had to buy pickles or relish for two years now.  We had a bumper crop of cucumbers last year, and have not cut back the cost of carrots.

Our homemade deodorant is lasting so much longer, and had drastically cut back the cost and cut out the chemicals.

Last year, from butcher time to this spring, I never had to buy chicken.  Our meat chickens were worth the time to raise and we know they are chemical/antibiotic free. 

After last fall, and three rounds of yucky antibiotics, I am really working hard to use natural remedies.  Since then, and my awful sickness with allergies, we have been successful.  With the purchase of Allergy Easer Oil, I have not had to buy any allergy pills whatsoever (since last fall).  I have only had to take ibuprofen one time since then as well.  And my 10 year-old, who also suffers horribly, has not had to take one pill either.  She uses the roll-on Allergy Easer, and it has eliminated buying over the counter drugs, and we feel much better.  We've been successful at reducing our costs, and staying chemical free.

I've learned foraging skills, and have researched the health benefits of eating dandelion greens, and tops.  I've been making jelly from dandelions, and using the roots for dandelion "coffee."  I've learned that clovers are edible, and I can make jelly from white and red clover.  I've been making jelly from the flower of Queen Anne's Lace and studying the uses for the black walnuts on my property.  Even foxtail grass is edible.  We have wild chickweed on the property (not road side plants) and they can be used to make coffee, natural salves, and such as well.  Every year we pick the wild growing black raspberries.  It just gets more interesting as we learn.

I've learned skills for natural dyes, including the wild pokeweed growing on our property.  I hope to experiment more with plants like the goldenrod that grow here as well.

Over the past two years, I have taught my self to knit and to do needle tatting.  My goals are to learn quilting, blacksmithing, foraging for mushrooms, go hunting for deer myself, fish more often, and to learn the art of spinning wool.  The list gets longer each year, but our hand crocheted afghans are warmer than any blanket you can buy in the store, and last longer.  

This is our first year to plant again for a fall harvest.  Thankfully the August rains are helping.

It's all hard work, but in the end, worth it.  Our next goals are to make and use homemade toothpaste, grow enough corn to grind down ourselves for cornmeal, raise beef and dairy cows and much more.

Our wish list keeps growing, and every year we gain a few steps forward.

Homemade Hard Tack Candy ~ Tidbits

The younger kids have been pestering me to buy Valentine's candy from the store.  I just shake my head, because of what's in that stuff.  Not to mention all those dyes they use to make them so appetizing.  So....you know me.