Happy Hallow's Eve

The pumpkins are carved. Seeds are toasting in the oven. Candy is laid out on a festive tray for the little ghosts and goblins that live on the street. Our street is quiet and dark, without sidewalks or street lamps, so not many other children brave the unknown that is our little piece of heaven.

Dinner will be tummy warming chicken and dumplings, paired with a spinach salad and gingerbread cake for dessert. Then - a fashion show of homemade creations and store bought characters. We have an unofficial vote on which costume we like the best. Since most of our little one's are young Halloween will be over by six o'clock. A short, fun, festive night.

October is over. The clocks will change. We'll wake to November and the start of winter.

a homestead library

I've never been to a book store I didn't like. Really. Small or large; flea market or thrift store I love combing through the shelves or boxes of books. It's like a dusty hutch of curiosities, old treasures just waiting to be found, taken home and loved. Almost everywhere I travel I find new additions for my collection. I can't help myself. I love books. It's like an addiction and I need a fix.

Most of the books I own were once owned by someone else. Some have notes in the margins, little glimpses into what the previous owner was working on or thinking while reading the book. Sometimes I wonder who they are or what intrigued them about the book. I want to meet them, see what they're like, how they live and how the book affected their life. Did they use it to learn a new skill? Did the works in the passages bring new meaning or inspiration to their lives? Or, did they just read it for fun on a long rainy afternoon?

I want to know.

The books in my library are many and the topics varied. Classic works sit beside the contemporary. Practical farming exist along side politics and nature. It's an eclectic mix that speaks to who I am and where I'm heading. The topics really don't make sense to anyone, but me. They are my likes, my interests, my future and my past, all stored in a carved antique bookcase. And a few boxes on the floor.

They bring me inspiration and galvanize the path I'm on. They give me ideas to try, adventures to look forward to in the future. I revel in reading about people who live the life I am trying to live, doing what some day I'd like to try. I'm especially moved by women who are "doing it" on their own. No man to help with the heavy stuff, no children to commandeer your time, no one, but yourself to rely on. I find strength in their stories and admiration in the challenges they've overcome. I feel more confident by these strangers, whom I've never met.

My bookcase is like a mini travelocity, the place I go when I want to get away. I can slip away, laying by a warm fire, for an entire weekend. I may go to a farm in Idaho or a village in Africa. Or, maybe, as close as my own backyard garden. I crack open my books often and highly recommend any new homesteader build a library of their own. Even if you don't have your land right now, the skills you learn will serve you well when the time comes and you'll be glad you spent the time reading.

It's a fun world out there folks, so dive in and travel someplace new, have an adventure, learn something new. Read. Learn. It's up to you.

pumpkins in the sun

home churned butter

When I started moving toward a simpler, more self-reliant homesteading life one of the first projects I tried was making homemade butter. Now, it’s the first recommendation I make to anyone moving in the same direction because it’s so easy and the results are immediate – and delicious.

You don’t need any fancy equipment, a quart-size mason jar or mayonnaise jar will do fine. Fill the jar 1/3 of the way with cream (preferably organic or farm fresh) and set on the counter for 12 hours so the cream can “ripen”. The ideal temperature for the cream is about 75 degrees. (I usually set the cream out in the morning and churn after dinner).

Once the cream has “ripened” you’re ready to churn. Just sit down and start shaking.

It’s that easy.

Not too violently though, just an easy back and forth motion will do. In about 15 to 20 minutes a lump will begin to form. When the butter forms, drain off the buttermilk, keeping it for pancakes or biscuits. Pour the butter in a bowl and work it around the sides of a bowl to remove even more liquid. Pour off any liquid, then salt to taste. You can add as much or as little salt as you want or no salt at all.

I put my butter in a plastic-wrap lined mimi-loaf pan to harden. Then I cut it in half cubes and use part and freeze part.

Fresh homemade butter is nothing like you’ve tasted before. So, buy some cream folks and start churning.

meet Blue

"Blue" is our head honcho, top dog, main guy - as far as roosters go. He is the leader of our flock. He was not a planned addition, but came to us quite by accident.

Brianne and I were attending a poultry show where she fell in love with a black Cochin hen that was part of the raffle chickens. She begged me to let her try and win the little hen, but I said no. We had too many chickens already. As the day went on I felt a little guilty about my abrupt decision. We didn't have that many hens and one more really wouldn't be a problem, especially considering the aged hens that needed to be replaced. So, in true mom fashion, I reneged, bought $5.00 worth of raffle tickets and placed them all in the bag in front of the little hens cage.

Poultry shows are interesting events, one's that every would-be homesteader should attend at least once. Picture a group of people who can talk turkey - or chickens, or ducks, with the best of em; throw in a group of kids, eager to show off their own birds, that are viewed as "future poultry enthusiasts", and you have the makings of a happy day.

Poultry shows are the easiest livestock shows we've ever attended. Birds are cooped-in (entered) the morning of the show. When the judging begins, the show barn is closed and exhibitors are free to leave until the judging is complete.

But, what does this have to do with Blue? Well - while we were out touring the area a call came in from the raffle organizer. Brianne's ticket was pulled and she was the winner of the Cochin pair. Pair? I asked, puzzled and confused. We only put in tickets for the Cochin hen. Turns out the rooster had been placed in his own coop and no one noticed there wasn't a sign identifying the pair as - a pair (hen and rooster). So, we were now the proud owners of a pair of Blue Cochins.

Blue Cochins are an interesting breed. In order to hatch blue chicks, a blue rooster is mated with a black hen. Some of the hatch will be black, some blue and some mottled black and blue. In a show flock only the blue roosters are kept for future breeding.

We brought our new additions home and introduced them to the flock. After ma period of settling in, Blue has turned out to be the most docile rooster we've ever had. He's a stately guy that keeps watch over all the girls, he is gentle with the chicks, and he is a very eager breeder, which gives us plenty of eggs to hatch and chicks to sell or trade.

What I thought was going to be a disaster in the making turned out to be really good addition to our little farm.

laying in firewood

Bringing in firewood is one of my favorite seasonal chores. To be out on a beautiful fall day participating in labor that will ultimately bring pleasure and comfort to our home fills me with a sense of accomplishment, of self-reliance.

I get my wood from a local rancher who trims the wind rows (tree barriers) on his ranch every year. It's seasoned and split. All I have to do is load it and take it home. Each year I offer to help with the enormous job of cutting and splitting the wood, and each year he tells me "no thanks". (actually, I'd like to learn how to use the splitter and get pointers on wielding an ax more efficiently). We use about 4-cords through the winter. My firewood rack holds a generous 2-cords, so we get another load mid-season.

It's such a warm feeling to realize that there are people, who in their small way are looking after us. Every time our fire blazes warm and bright this winter, I will think of our friend, of his quiet concern for us and be grateful.

(the wood pile in the photo are "rounds" waiting to be split)

fruits of our labor

Our newest little layers have been working overtime. The girls are laying 2 eggs every day!

To celebrate their accomplishments, we baked a ham, cheese and spinach quiche. That and a fresh salad made a great light supper.