How are you spending your free time this September?
For some I know it's far and few between.
Lets get some links up...or personal stories/memories
Canning tutorials?
Favorite fall crafts?
Interests you haven't gotten to be might want to share?
Harvest numbers?
Best places to go in the fall?
Fool proof fall foods?
Flea markets?
Let's create some excitement and community!
Please comment. Any thing and everything.
Look forward to getting to know you all better.
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteWell where to begin. I post on this blog once in a while and admit I should post more. Animal safety, animal husbandry, and homesteading are very important to me. I live in a rural area at this time but have lived on farms and plots of land most of my life. I am a female in my fifties, and married. I became interested in homesteading almost thirty years ago now and had friend’s abundant living in Alaska who homesteaded quite well. I enjoy hearing about sustainable homesteading, farming and other practices.
I would consider myself an intermediate homesteader even though I do not have land at this time. I make my own soap, can, freeze dry and freeze all of my own produce and fruit. For meat we go in on a pig and a cow-usually a 1/4 each and help butcher and clean well over 300 free range chickens. I have a container garden on my porch where I grow peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and lemon balm among many other things. I water all of my plants with rain water collected.
There are many sustainable practices I practice- we don't use plastic if we can help it, we reuse, and recycle a lot. We have just one auto and if one of us is using it and the other needs to go somewhere there is walking or a bike to ride. We don't go out and buy much new in the way of appliances or such. We still have our original basic cell phones from the early 2000's. Albeit we've had to turn them in a few times to get updated basic ones.
I read a lot of books about homesteading so finding authors such as JW was not hard. Although I must say she does not come up when one searches for homesteading tips or blogs or resources. At least she doesn't for me. I think Amazon may have referred her to me. I tried a couple of her books and must say after reading homesteading books for years and having so many homesteader friends, I find her book and experiences to be rather boutique homesteading. Nothing too terribly rough and not offering anything to terribly useful.
So I continued to look for more modern resourceful homesteaders and found Suzanne McMinn-1st time homesteader and she has a very interesting blog http://chickensintheroad.com/
Novella Carpenter-author and urban gardener. I absolutely loved her book Farm City and learned so much from her.
Robin Mather- author of The Feast Nearby who has been a huge inspiration to me and her book has helped me so much this summer with gardening and putting by food for winter.
A blog I've been following for years- Soule Mama -Amanda Soule. A family blog about Amanda, her husband and five children living off a plot of land for the past five years. She makes everything herself including most if not all of her families clothing. They live off the animals they raise and the garden they grow. She has a lot of how-to's and writes a very successful blog while homeschooling her children.
Last but not least I couldn't not mention Kurt Timmermeister. He once owned a successful restaurant in Seattle I believe. He sold it, moved to a plot of land with fairly broken down buildings and after several years built a successful farm out of it. His first book Growing a Farmer is a must have for anyone considering buying a rundown farm and milking cows. He also talks about in great detail, butchering.
I have a full-time job, so time to do things is fairly limited for me. I dedicate most of my free time to writing and sourcing as well as putting by food. Almost all my friends if not homesteaders are farmers. I am an accountant. I have attended workshops at the county extension office to learn canning. I've also attended the local tech college and learned how to make butter and also how to knit. Almost every town, city, county has these resources free. I live in the Midwest directly in the middle of farm country. I come from 4 generations of farmers and understand and respect the hard work involved in farming the right way. I've been an animal and environmental activist for 35 years.
to should be too and families should be family's. Sorry about the formatting but I had written too many words for my first post..
DeleteFall is my favorite time of the year. I work full time, have a small flock of sheep and train my Border Collies to help me with sheep. The weather cools down enough that I am in a revitalized mood, and am ready to tackle many things. I have all the hay I need for the year in, but will get a load of straw sometime in January. The ewes are with the ram, and the dogs are all starting to get more work, both regular chores and training for trials. I start to do a bit more baking when apples are in, so apple crisp and pies.. those are my favorites. There is a big exposition later this month that I will go to- it's nice to enjoy a fair in cool weather, and I will be running a couple of Border Collies at the trial there. October is really my favorite month of the year. The tax bill has been paid, the sheep are happy, as it's cooler (and so am I), and all is right with the world. I love fall. If there is anything I would share with others, it's enjoy each season and always look forward to the promise it will bring.
ReplyDeleteDoing some Fall canning this weekend - applesauce with heirloom apples, late tomatoes, some jam. Cracking open the pickle crock to retrieve sour dills....it's all about food this weekend
ReplyDeleteFor myself, September is the cruelest month. I live in California’s Central Valley and we’ve gone from over 100 degrees, down to the 80’s, back up over 100, currently the highs are a lovely 79 degrees, but the forecast calls for 98 degrees by the end of the week. I am so tired of hot weather.
ReplyDeleteI work as an editor and journalist for a couple of print newspapers and we are nearly finished with our month of specials. These are special inserts that run about 30 pages. Over the past 3 weeks I’ve completed 5 of these specials.
I love small town and country living. I also love writing about the people who make these small communities great.
Like many, one day I hope to have a farm. Until then I’ve been working on increasing my skills and improving my property. This year I’m learning to garden in a severe drought. This fall will be spent planting trees (mostly citrus), and doing some massive front yard landscaping.
I live on a corner lot in a small town and I have some grown-ass adults who think it’s perfectly ok to use my yard as a shortcut, which includes walking across my front porch. I never thought I’d turn into that lady who shouts get off my property!
I’m currently researching the best types of plants to help secure my yard, any suggestions would be welcomed.
I enjoy reading this blog and love all the comments, I’ve learned so much from this site. Wendy
I am in the club with Wendy, only I am on the Central Coast of CA where it is a bit cooler, but still quite warm for "fall." Our fall actually happens in November, lasts less than three weeks, then we move on into winter. Winter is when the best beach weather is, though, warm, sunny and no fog. The one thing I do notice about this time of year is the changing of the light; even though it's still hot, the sun sits at a slightly lower angle. It makes the water on the ocean sparkle and the afternoons inland beautiful -- the sky looks a little bluer than at other times. But I've always longed to live in a place that has a REAL fall at this time of year, and so I read all blog posts, recipes, clothing cataloges, etc. enviously.
DeleteChiming in from farther down the CalCoast where we have FINALLY dropped below triple digits. Hot weather on the coast is muggy and gross when you're not use to it.
DeleteActually, woke up this morning to a bit of overcast, and the rain the other night was just lovely. Hope it lasts.
I love the light this time of year too. I bathes my little farm in warm and homey golden glow, just beautiful.
Fall also means warm hearty meals I love to cook...and eat:)
Leaves were falling as I drove home from work yesterday so maybe we'll get an early change of season. Would be nice.
Yay Fall! Fall is my very favorite time of year. I live in a four-season climate, and I love the changing of the seasons and the rhythm of the year. Fall brings cooler weather, some changing of the leaves (I live in the Evergreen State, so lots of green though). After fall, spring and winter are tied and summer is my least favorite season! Being on the Eastern side of the state, we do have four seasons here, as opposed to the coast. I finally got to fire up my woodstove which I use to supplement my heat as it was about 40 degrees for a few nights recently.
ReplyDeleteFall also brings Halloween, and October is my favorite month. I don’t have little kids anymore, but Halloween was my favorite holiday. I got to sew their costumes every year, carve pumpkins, and go out for spooky trick-or-treating! I will carve some pumpkins and put them on the porch, and put up a few decorations.
I also come from a 4th generation history of farming. My ancestors farmed wheat for generations here. Unfortunately, my dad sold the farm when he retired, as neither of my brothers were interested in farming, and the economics of a small wheat farm in the age of “get big or get out” did have a lot to do with that. At least he sold it to a (bigger) neighboring farmer, so it didn’t go corporate!
Being self-employed, I work a LOT, so my garden was a bust this year. However, neighbors and friends give me extras of things, and I did do some refrigerator pickling, and my chickens and ducks were very happy with the vege and fruit scraps. I currently live on an acre at the edge of suburbia, one block from a creek and hills above that. There are coyotes, skunks, and I often see signs of deer in my yard from the night before. This whole valley used to be farms. Orchards, mostly. Now it’s a strange mix of housing developments, older homes on an acre or two, and the occasional few acres of vege farm tucked in.
I’ve always read and kept up with homesteading, sustainable living, gardening, recycling, and animal care. I loved Novella Carpenter’s book, as well as Robin Mather. Thanks for the tip on the Soule blog. Coincidentally, I have Growing a Farmer on hold at the library!
As I don’t make much money, have been widowed for many years and in my 50s, my last child just flew the nest for college, so I’ve always practiced black belt frugality and upcycling. I enjoy finding new ways to use things, and doing with what I have. I used to shop thrift stores more often, but it seems their prices have risen and they’ve gone “corporate” in that, there are no “good finds” anymore. All mediocre, overpriced merchandise. I stick with Craigslist and garage sales now.
Oh, as far as securing your yard, Wendy, if you're in a drought and it's hot, how about some cactus! That should do the trick. :-)
Anyway, a bit longwinded here! It’s so interesting hearing about you all. Thanks for hosting the blog, Meredith.
Duckmama
I live (deliberately) in a low-income inner city neighborhood in the Southeast. Fall is my favorite, though September is mostly teasing fall between the hot days. I am slowly building up my gardening on my 50 x 150' lot. I have a fig tree, blackberries, blueberries, some raised beds and a "gangster garden" in the easement along my sidewalk that I started this summer. I also have a plot in the community garden in our neighborhood. We are in the dead center of a food desert. Being more self sufficient and healthier is one way of empowering a neighborhood that traditionally is left out. I also get a CSA half share from an urban farm that I helped start at my former employer a mile from my house. Even with all of that, I have really slacked on putting up - canning, freezing, drying this summer. I still have a good amount from previous years, but I think I will enter next spring much more motivated as the stores dwindle.
ReplyDeleteI started working for myself this year, so all of my energy is going to that! But my fall/winter project is to move and re-build raised beds in my yard that will allow me to plan my gardening better. Also, some new neighbors are beekeepers and we are planning to go in together on chickens to be kept on their land but just out my back gate. Hooray!
Awesome KR! I love my chickens and I'm sure you will enjoy them, too! Sounds like not only will you have fresh eggs, but honey. That's great. :-)
ReplyDeleteDuckmama
Also, I am reading The Market Gardener to get ideas for my own growing. I am trying to do some more purposeful composting to feed my own beds this fall. I invested in 2 Geocomposters to finish off my current pile and start a new one. As leaves come down I'll have more materials and a friend found that a local university has a literal mountain of leaves from their campus about 1.5 miles away - so far you can just drive up and load up.
ReplyDeleteAutumn is my favorite. I'm a Florida transplant from MA. Still not used to the heat here. I'm on vacation from work this week so I'm trying to tend to my poor neglected container garden, that has pretty much succumbed to the sweltering heat and neglect. I managed to get a couple bell peppers and tomatoes out of the deal, and a bunch of limes. Hoping to get things set for a fall planting to see how that goes. About me, 42, single mom to an amazing 15 year old autistic young man.. work retail selling beauty products but dream of land and a small home farm.
ReplyDeleteOne of your Southern Hemisphere readers here - going into spring/summer down here in New Zealand. After a windy, cold winter, looking forward to long hot summer days and to wearing shorts, T shirt and no shoes (bring on summer holidays!). About to set up my Gege garden for summer veg, all the winter ones are spent. Also looking forward to fresh raspberries around Christmas and making HM tomato ketchup later in summer.
ReplyDeleteI have really gotten into making my own sunflower seeds this season! Over the summer I grew some giant sunflowers and am learning how to harvest and roast the seeds. I love sunflower seeds, but they can be very expensive (or too salty) in the store. I admit I had to you tube it to figure out, uh, were the seeds were in the flower and how to do it. Don't judge - I am new to homesteading, but trying really hard to learn. and Wow do they taste SO MUCH better from seed to seed in my own yard and hands. Its so easy - anyone can do it if I can! (and you will probably be able to look at the flower and find the seeds....) Oh, and the added bonus - the bees and butterflies LOVE to hang out on the wildflower plot in my yard. I am proud to give the bees a pesticide free place to eat
ReplyDeleteThis sounds great! I have a vacant lot next to me, I think I may be gorilla planting a sunflower patch!
DeleteDo you mean "guerilla" or do you mean you put a gorilla suit on and plant sunflowers?! ;)
DeleteBOTH! That gorilla suit protects me from the Florida sun.. though I can only run out and throw the seeds, jump up and down and pound on my ape pecs, and run back inside!
DeleteHey the world needs more gorilla planting. Will try something similar here in NY!
DeleteI grew sunflowers too for the first time this year. I grew huge ones for me and little ones I will put out for my wild birds this winter. It was easy.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSunflowers aren't fool-proof here in northeast Ohio -- birds nip them when they first emerge, as they sometimes have their shells still attached. I have been most successful either over-planting significantly if I want a perfectly full row, or protecting emerging seedlings with small pieces of scrap window screens for the first couple weeks.
ReplyDeleteThis has been such an interesting thread, thanks to everyone for sharing! I live on 2 acres in semi-rural Ohio -- horse farms as neighbors but only 45 minutes to downtown Cleveland. As our family has expanded (3 kids ages 5 and under, Lord help us) I've spent too many hours looking longingly at real estate postings for "real" farms, with great old farmhouses and lots of acres. But I've recently felt much more settled in place, like I'm ready to call this our own little corner of the earth and work it like crazy. I don't read a ton of homestead blogs, but love Wendell Berry's books, Ben Hewitt's, and "A Nation of Farmers" by Sharon Astyk and Aaron Newton.
We are in apple cider season. I set up at 2 farmers markets and also sell from home. This year we were able to build a large garage that has a small cold storage unit, which really helps when the temps get too hot. Our cider is pressed at a state approved cider mill. It is not pasteurized, instead it is treated with UV light that kills e-coli. This is how we have to have it made in order to meet state regulations for selling cider at markets.
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:08, I am also in Ohio, about 70 miles south of Cleveland. I love going to the lake, especially Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge near Toledo and the small town of Vermilion because of its quaint shops and small public beach that is near the downtown area. :)
I'm an American living in The Netherlands and fall is the start of me missing home. I am also gearing up for the long rainy and semi dark winters they have here and appreciating the last bits of sun. I am originally from Oregon so I am no stranger to the rainy days..but over here the rain and cold is very different.
ReplyDeleteI had a small flock of hens but re homed them over the summer and I miss them terribly. We plan on moving back in about 3 years and we need to get the house and yard ready for the property market soon and lets face it,..not everyone is excited about seeing chickens in the back yard. I had a container garden this summer and also grew sunflowers for the first time. I loved it and will be doing it again next year.
Lets see..to help myself get through the most difficult months I bake bread. I bake a ton of bread. I am the crazy bread baking American..lol I have a list of fall breads I want to bake..Challah,apple breads,stuffed breads,twists,buns,braids and then that will ease me into Christmas baking which is the best ever :) I cook and bake from scratch and the fall and winter months brings out the comfort foods in me. I love my slow cooker for that reason and use it several times a week.
I plan to do some train traveling around the country.It's expensive to travel via train here but my husband works for the train company and one of the perks is free train passes for the families. So we are making a point to get out and see things during the last few years we are here. So fall this year means more train travel and sight seeing.
I really miss fall foods from back home..We have a Starbucks in the bigger cities and I am told they are finally selling the pumpkin spice latte there now. I was never a coffee drinker until I moved here 8 years ago so I totally plan on marching in there and getting one :)
What does everyone do for Thanksgiving? we live 10 mins form the German border so we drive over there to get a turkey..they sell 12 pound turkey's so I always pick up two..bake one for thanksgiving and freeze the other to use closer to christmas. It's been rather comical at times trying to recreate our favorite things over here and it's turned into a nice blend of cultures.
The leaves haven't started to turn yet so it doesn't fully feel like fall..once the foggy mornings hit and the cold sets in..then I'll know it's finally here..lol