Hedge Apple Tree ~ Keeping the spiders away

This is what a hedge apple tree looks like.  My mother brought me 3 more bags of hedge apples today.  I will spread them out tomorrow.  I had a garden spider, a little bigger than a quarter, in my shower this morning.  So far, other the finding one in my shower, the hedge apples are working at keeping the spiders out.  I will also use chestnuts in our drawers, as suggested by another follower. 

Zucchini Pumpkin Bread & Pumpkin Apple Butter

I love a bread recipe that makes 2 loaves.  With our family size, it's the best way for me to make the most of a recipe.  I love this recipe, as it contains two items from my garden, is another use for our eggs, and uses butter.


Our long term goal is to have a jersey cow and make our own butter.

Zucchini Pumpkin Bread

1 cup butter (or stick margarine)

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, beaten (or 3/4 cup egg substitute)

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup canned pumpkin (I used pie pumpkin puree)

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cloves (ground)

1 cup chopped nuts

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla, zucchini, and pumpkin, and mix well.  Combine other ingredients and then add to creamed mixture.  Blend well and pour into 2 greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.  Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 2 loaves

(Source:  The Zucchini Houdini, by Brenda Stanley)

Pumpkin-Apple Butter

2 cans (15 oz) canned pumpkin
2 cups peeled, cored, and shredded granny smith apples
2 cups, no sugar organic apple juice
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine in a slow cooker (4 qt) and cook on high for 5 hours, stirring every 2 hours.  Store in a covered jar for up to 2 months.  

(Source:  unknown)

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. 

Pumpkin Fudge Recipe

Pumpkin Fudge

2 cups sugar

3 Tablespoons cooked mashed pumpkin or canned pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup milk, evaporated milk, or cream

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

2. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, cornstarch, and milk.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils.  Still stirring, continue to cook until the mixture reaches 236°F on a candy thermometer (a small piece of fudge will form a soft ball if dropped in a glass of water).

3. Immediately remove from heat.  Add the vanilla and beat with an electric mixture until smooth.  Scrape into the prepared pan and let cool.

4. When the mixture is completely cooled and hardened, cut into squares.  Fudge is best eaten fresh, but it can be wrapped well and kept in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Makes 1 pound.

Many followers said they could not view the recipe, so I re-posted it for you all.  (source:  ?)

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.

Mushroom Update

This is a photo of the mushroom yesterday.

 The mushroom today.  Is it Shaggy Mane?

Another one growing.

I am still deep cleaning.  I actually think that when the kids see me, they are either inspired to help me, or help me out of quilt (watching me do it myself).  My son helped me in the kitchen.  I am now pulling out drawers sweeping inside, inside the drawers/cupboards, removing anything that don't use (using the box method), and reorganizing.  I think we cleaned 6 drawers and 2 sets of cupboards.  Unfortunately, my old kitchen was re-done with mostly drawers (by the last home owner).  I have very little cupboards.  It makes it very difficult to store items.  My mixer and food processor are stored in my living room (in a pie safe).

While cleaning yesterday, I started dehydrating my Swiss chard.  I am even considering growing some inside this year.  I think it would work if I grew it in the warmest room, next to the wood burning stove.  

I am so excited that we found a thrift store closer to home.  I needed to go there to look for a pot to dye yarn and fabric with.  I ended up, not only finding what I needed, but found these small bowls.  I need to go back to look for an old picnic basket or basket with a lid, to hold library books in.  I guess it will be fun looking anyway. 

Well, it rained all night.  However, today it's extremely windy.  I need to dry bedding outside today, so I hope it doesn't end up in the next county - ha ha ha ha!  At least it will dry fast.

Mushrooms and A Curious Cat

I have walked around the property (some of it) and found two different types of mushrooms growing.  One was growing on a fallen tree.