Back To Eden Gardening Method

Grandma Farmer has decided that Friday's will be Gardening Day on the BLOG and we will be discussing how EVERYONE can garden in one form or another. 

We've also done some remodeling to the site and doing a bit of organizing.  We will be focusing on several aspects to make you better informed and to share what we know.  Hope you enjoy it.  On Saturdays we'll be occasionally offering special give-aways related to our topics, so watch for that to come.


After years of back-breaking toil in ground ravaged by the effects of man-made growing systems, Paul Gautschi has discovered a taste of what God intended for mankind in the garden of Eden. Some of the vital issues facing agriculture today include soil preparation, fertilization, irrigation, weed control, pest control, crop rotation, and PH issues. None of these issues exist in the unaltered state of nature or in Paul’s gardens and orchards.

“Back to Eden” invites you to take a walk with Paul as he teaches you sustainable organic growing methods that are capable of being implemented in diverse climates around the world.

Schedule 90 minutes to watch this informative film!

http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/

Monday This 'n That

My garden and yard is starting to look good inspite of the handicap and chronic pain that was inflicted on me by a doctor who messed up my last knee surgery.  I'm thankful for my husband who is working tons of extra hours (inspite of his own handicap) so that we can afford to hire help for me in the garden and yard.  What a blessing.  My inside chores and BLOGGING is suffering for lack of time, it is dry and we could really use some rain, so a good three day rain would be helpful right now.


You are going to love tomorrows post about my ear infection that I healed at home and how I did it.




Homemade Lemonade Easy On The Budget

1 cup Organic Lemon or Lime Juice, or some of each
3/4 cup Organic Cane Sugar, ½ cup honey or ¾ tsp liquid Stevia extract

Stir together 6 1/2 cups water, juice and sweetener of choice in a 2-quart pitcher. Serve over ice.

Reading Through the Bible In a Year
We are again attempting to read through the Bible this year. Just joining us or did you get behind? No matter and no need to play catch-up. Start where you are today and go forward.

Monday: Mark 15:1-15, Galatians 4:1-20, Psalms 114, 2 Samuel 16-17
Tuesday: Mark 15:16-32, Galatians 4:21-31, Psalms 115, 2 Samuel 18-19
Wednesday: Mark 15:33-41, Galatians 5:1-12, Psalms 116, 2 Samuel 20-21
Thursday: Mark 15:42-47, Galatians 13-26, Psalms 117, 2 Samuel 22
Friday: Mark 16, Galatians 6, Psalms 118, 2 Samuel 23-24
Saturday:  Luke 1:1-25, Ephesians 1:1-14, Psalms 119:1-8, 1 Kings 1
Sunday: Luke 1:26-38, Ephesians 1:15-23, Psalms 119:9-16, 1 Kings 2-3


We also like to read a Proverb a Day corresponding to the day of the month. This month I am memorizing Psalms 32, could you memorize a Psalm?

Myth: Food from the farmers’ market is so clean, you can eat it right there.

Fact: Before you polish off that entire quart of cherry tomatoes on the ride home, think of all the people who may have picked over them before you got there. Dirty hands = dirty produce. And although it may be free of pesticide residues, it could still harbor dirt and other bacteria that aren’t good for you. Get your produce home, then clean it with this cheap and effective produce spray: In a spray bottle, mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, and 1 cup cold tap water. Shake well to mix it up, spray on your produce, and rinse before eating.

Read this entire article

This Weeks Meal Plan

Monday - Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings, Refried Rice
Tuesday - Easy Gluten-Free Skillet Lasagna, Super Salad
Wednesday -Stuffed Chicken Breast, Carrot Cucumber Salad
Thursday - Fiery Scallops & Bok Choy over Cello Noodles, steamed sugar snap peas
Friday - Sweet and Sticky Spareribs, Crispy Potatoes, Fennel Cabbage Salad
Saturday - Grilled Steak, Baked Potato, Super Salad
Sunday Brunch:Italian Frittata, Salad; Supper: Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Fruit Salad

Our GAME PLAN contains grocery list and a day by day list of to-do's for your meal plan. We'll send this to you for a $1 donation to Grandma Farmer to PAYPAL at gramafarmer@gmail.com

101 Herbs That Heal

Below is the First 10 in my list of the 101 Plants/shrubs/Trees on our property that have healing qualities.

1. Aloe
2. Apple Trees
3. Aronia
4. Basil
5. Blackberry
6. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
7. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
8. Catnip
9. Cayenne
10. Chaomile

I only have 58 more plants/trees/shrubs to propigate. (Chuckle) This also means I get to create more beds to plant all these wonderful and beautiful plants. There's nothing like edible landscape, incorporate all these wonderful plants into your landscape and include them in your 'flower' and garden beds. We will discuss two plants a week.

Aloe

I would never be without an Aloe Vera plant in various sizes.  Here we have to have it as an inside plant.  I use the smaller leaves for minor kitchen burns but have filleted larger leaves and placed on larger burns when necessary.  It is amazing how the burned skin will suck the moisture out of a plank of skinned aloe leaf.  I change often and find the used up portion just a paper thin piece left even though the piece I put on the burn was at least a quarter inch thick originally.  When I've used this the healing is usually quick and without scarring.  For serious burns see your Doctor.



Apple Tree

Medicinal qualities?  I found an interesting article by Jim McDonald which is worth a read.  Very interesting.

Swiss Chard

Different varieties of chard exhibit lots of color. So much so that one variety is called rainbow chard. Those bright green leaves and multi colored stems hold a powerhouse of nutrition for our bodies. 

Chard is a leafy green vegetable often used in Mediterranean cooking. While the leaves are always green, chard stalks vary in color. Chard has been bred to have highly nutritious leaves at the expense of the root (which is not as nutritious as the leaves). Chard is, in fact, considered to be one of the healthiest vegetables available and a valuable addition to a healthy diet (not unlike other green leafy vegetables). Chard has been around for centuries, however because of its similarity to beets is difficult to determine the exact evolution of the different varieties of chard.
Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, K and C, with a 175 g serving containing 214%, 716%, and 53%, respectively, of the recommended daily value.  It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein.  Chard is also known for its iron content: the stalk retains more iron compounds than the leaves, hence their rosy color.

Chard can be eaten raw, sautéed or steamed and it can be used in the place of spinach or other greens in salads, soups and other cooked dishes.  Raw chard has a light texture and the leaves can replace the lettuce on your sandwich. Sauté the leaves and add them to pasta, omelets, or quiche. The leaves can be added to soup for a few minutes before serving to add flavor and nutrition.

To avoid spoilage chard should be stored unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator

HINT FROM ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS: "I never liked Swiss chard, until several years ago I had some that had been freshly picked from my local farmer's garden. It was so sweet and buttery I couldn't believe it was actually Swiss chard. It was then I learned that freshness was the key determinant to whether chard was delectable or detestable. Last night we had Swiss chard that we had picked up from Whole Foods. It was good, quite good. But not nearly as fantastic as the chard we had a week ago that we had bought from our local farmer. So here's a hint. If the thought of Swiss chard leaves you uninspired, get some from a local farmer that has been freshly picked. It is sort of like the difference between white corn picked that day, or the same corn two days later. The tastes don't even compare."

Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans and Fresh Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions, sliced
2 Tablespoons diced red onion
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch Swiss Chard, rinsed and chopped
1 tomato, slices
1/2 lemon, juiced

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Stir in onions, cook and stir for 3-5 minutes, or until soft and feragrant.  Stir in garbanzo beans, and season with salt and pepper; heat through.  Place chard in pan, coo until wilted.  Add tomato slices, squeeze lemon juice over greens, and heat through.  Plate, and season with salt and pepper.

Great as a main dish or serve as a side for fish or meat.

Monday This 'n That

Thomas Jefferson ordered the landscape at Monticello to create a "ferme ornée," or ornamental farm, combining function and beauty.

What's Available from Grandma Farmers Garden this week:

Greens (4-oz $2): Red Russian Kale, Arugula, Spinach
Herbs (1-oz $2): Sage, Oregano, Chives (Garlic and Onion), Spearmint, Dill Weed, Cilantro, Flat Leaf Parsley, Lemon Balm
Vegetables:  Green Onions 6-8 bunch $2
Fruit:  Rhubarb $3 per pound
Farm Fresh Eggs (fed organic grains) $3 a dozen
Grass-Fed Ground Beef $4.50 per pound
Daylilies 6 fans for just $5

Email Us for pick-up.  We do make daily trips to Omaha and ocassional trips to Lincoln where we can meet.

Reading Through the Bible In a Year
We are again attempting to read through the Bible this year. Just joining us or did you get behind? No matter and no need to play catch-up. Start where you are today and go forward.

Monday: Mark 13:32-37, 12 Cor 12:1-10, Psalms 107, 2 Samuel 1-2
Tuesday: Mark 14:1-11, 2 Cor 12:11-21, Psalms 108, 2 Samuel 3-4
Wednesday: Mark 14:12-31, 2 Cor 13, Psalms 109, 2 Samuel 5-7
Thursday: Mark 14:32-42, Galatians 1, Psalms 110, 2 Samuel 8-10
Friday: Mark 14:43-52, Galatians 2, Psalms 111, 2 Samuel 11-12
Saturday: Mark 14:53-65, Galatians 3:1-14, Psalms 112, 2 Samuel 13
Sunday: Mark 14:66-72, Galatians 3:15-29, Psalms 113, 1 Samuel 14-15

We also like to read a Proverb a Day corresponding to the day of the month. This month I am memorizing Psalms 32, could you memorize a Psalm?

This Weeks Meal Plan

Monday - Szechuan Orange-Ginger Beef with Rice (opt), Coconut Pudding with Fresh Strawberries
Tuesday - Chicken Noodle Casserole, Peas
Wednesday - Salmon with Asparagus, Rice (opt), glazed Carrots
Thursday - Tex-Mex Stir-Fry
Friday - Brocolli, Ham & Cheese Frittata
Saturday -  Pizza, Super Salad
Sunday -  Roast Pork Loin, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans and Fried Apples

I've been cooking out of the WeightWatchers One Pot Cookbook these last couple of weeks.

Mission 101 Herbs That Heal

I have created a list of the plants and herbs in our yard, currently that have healing qualities.

1. Aronia
2. Basil
3. Blackberry
4. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
5. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
6. Catnip
7. Cayenne
8. Chaomile
9. Cilantry
10. Currants
11. Dandelion
12. Dill
13. Echinacea (Purple Cone Flower)
14. Feverfew
15. Gooseberry
16. Hollyhock
17. Horehound
18. Hyssop
19. Juniper
20. Lavender
21. Lemon Balm
22. Linden Tree (European Basswood)
23. Mullein
24. Oregano
25. Oxeye Daisy
26. Parsley
27. Peppermint
28. Plantain
29. Raspberry
30. Red Clover
31. Rosemary
32. Rugosa Rose
33. Sage
34. Spearmint
35. Sunflower
36. Thyme
37. Violet

This means I only have 64 more plants/trees/shrubs to propigate.  (Chuckle) This also means I get to create more beds to plant all these wonderful and beautiful plants.  There's nothing like edible landscape, incorporate all these wonderful plants into your landscape and make them your 'flower' beds.  We will discuss two plants a week.


BASIL - Bet you thought this was just a culinary herb.  Not so!  Basil is an excellent digestive system support herb.  Basil enjoys full sun and well drained soil.  It loves to be next to any kind of peppers and tomatoes and often is said to enhance their flavor when Basil is nearby.



BLACK EYED SUSAN - These beautiful, happy flowers do well in full sun and will grow in just about any soil type.  It is said to repel insect when planted with feverfew, licorice, or hyssop.  Black-eyes Susans attract birds of many kinds into the garden.  Roots may be dug in spring or fall.  Leaves may be gathered by handpicking or with snips any time.  Used mainly as a herbal diuretic so should NOT be used in pregnancy.  It is also used occasionally to support heart health and for women's health concerns.  It is used as an Infusion or a traditional tincture.

BEWARE:  This plant can be toxic to your pets!



Grain Free Brownies

I'm going to send you to a different blog for my new favorite recipe for brownies.  Hubby says they actually taste like brownies.....really chocolatey.  Espresso Fudge Brownies

Monday's This & That

Let's Talk About Give-Aways

We've watched as many bloggers scurry to get the best things to give away then race to see who can get to 100 or 500 or 1000 or more followers or 'Likes'.  There are certain bennies for me if I get to that many followers and the kudos is amazing for the self esteem but frankly I don't have time to even enter all these give-aways.  I entered one the other day and it took me over a half an hour just to jump through all the hoops that I had to jump through to get all the entry done.  Then if I do give aways there's all the letters to send out trying to find sponsors for this give-away and that give away.  WOW. 

I'm just a grandma.  I sew for my grandchildren, grow my own food and pretty soon the baby goats will be coming.  I spend hours a week still trying to learn to be Celiac and making sure that I feed us good, healthy, nutrient dense foods. I've got an empty nest after 30+ years of marriage and frankly my husband and I need to learn to reconnect with each other when we don't have children's needs pressing on us.  I need time for him and for us.  I started this blog because I wanted to share with you, from almost 60 years of life, some things I happen to know about, and that I am passionate about. 

If you want to follow me.....I'm honored.  I hope that you will learn something and in turn you'll comment and I can learn from you.  I'd love it if you'd share my BLOG and my Facebook page with your friends so we can all learn together but I'm NOT going to thrust 5 different give-aways on you every day just so I can get 1,000 fans.  I not only hope you understand but I hope that, like me, you'll appreciate the fact that you won't be getting a gazillion messages asking you to sign up for this or that.  I hope you'll enjoy our fellowship time together.  Now, that said, I will probably do 4-6 give-aways a year and one of them is coming up.  Most of all I hope you'll find the information I gather for you helpful.

Having Trouble figuring out how to get everything done?  Cooking Traditional foods seem overwhelming to you?

Feel like you don’t have enough time for everything?

Interested in time saving tips and tricks for your traditional foods kitchen? Want to get more done — not less — for once?

Boy, can we help! Come to a free webinar to learn our best tips for working smarter — not harder — in your traditional foods kitchen.

I've attended one of them Webinars and it was great.  Now you can attend this Webinar FREE!

http://gnowfglins.com/ecourse/webinars/traditional-food-time-savers-free-webinar

Friday, April 15th at 1 pm eastern time.


Have You Noticed?

Have you noticed the cute header and buttons on my BLOG for Grandma Farmer?  They were made by a very talented LISA of www.thesweettalkshop.com.  Visit her site!

Gardening Tips

Get your sheets and blankets out to cover tender things tonight as we are in for a frost!

Wow this has been a weird spring.  It's way to warm and things are growing a popping out at least a month to early.  Now the next several days we are running the risk of frosts that might harm or even kill our plants, especially if you've gone ahead and put out tender perinnials.

Below is a link that should help you to know when the average last frost is in the spring and the first frost is in the fall.  None of these days are absolutely accurate to the day but they will give you an idea of when to expect them on the average.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Keep this link handy.

PLANNING THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Every year I take my calendar and the Hardzone dates and plan my planting schedule.  I carefully count the days or weeks that I can safely plant seeds and set plants in the ground.  I schedule sucession planting and even some late summer plantings so I can harvest before that expected first hard freeze.  You can do this too, easy as pie.

KEEPING A GARDEN JOURNAL

I also like to keep a garden journal.  In this journal I'll record the temperatures, cloudiness and rain amounts each day.  I'll record when and where I plant seeds and/or plants.  I will especially record names of the varieties that I have planted.  By doing all this I'll be able to note which varieties grew best for me and which ones tasted the best so I can track my favorites.  I can recognize that some plants prefer certain areas of the garden and remember to plant them there again next year, if I can.

Scrappy Fridays!

In the coming weeks we'll be sharing ideas on how to use your stash of fabric candy or your stash of fabric Scraps in quick projects.  CLICK HERE to find out how you can join in.  Best of all....IT'S FREE

Grandma Farmers Garden

Grandma Farmers Garden is the garden of a happy gardener, who grew up following her mother and Great Aunt to the garden as a toddler and preschooler and who was 'forced' to weed the garden as a child, but who loved to raid the garden then also. As a young adult she filled one city backyard with raised beds and taught her children to put their hands in the dirt. When given the opportunity to work with acres Grandma Farmer and her family 'gardened' 3 acres from which they shared their produce at local farmers markets for many years.

Dubbed 'Grandma Farmer' by her grandchildren; Danny and Jenny

 

Grandma and Grandpa Farmer moved off the farm 2.5 years ago and located on 10 acres near a couple of small towns in southeast Nebraska. This year Grandma Farmer has retired from market gardening and now just sells her 'extra' produce, or shares with those who help, as it is available. What she wishes to do now, more than anything, is to help others to create gardens in whatever space they have available.

Because they still raise a beef calf every year or two.............

 

 

milk around four outstanding Nubian Dairy Goats.................

have about 25 laying hens...........

 

and raise about 25 chickens annually for their use..............

Danny and Jenny still feel they should be called Grandma and Grandpa Farmer.

Danny and Jenny love to come to the "The Farm", after all, their horses live here too.

Visit us for a tour of 'The Garden'............................and often to watch it grow!

I COME TO THE GARDEN ALONE

Creating Next Weeks Menu

Creating a menu for one or two people is a challenge. Some of us are elderly, some are single and loving it, some have empty nests after cooking for 4, 6, 8 or more.

For me I meet a couple of those criteria. We had a large family that hung around for quite some time and suddenly left kind of all at the same time. Additionally I took care of three of my grandchildren for a time which cushioned the blow.

As you know cooking for one or two can be..........well...........rather uneventful. There is just something different about sitting down to a table a happy, busy voices all trying to tell tales of their day all at once to the small section of the table alone or with one other person. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband and I love having him with me. I want to please him with my meals and yet deal with my issue of being gluten-intollerant at the same time.

At any rate, I want to share with you how I go about creating meals for the two of us when we

• Don't want a ton of left-overs (I swear we could eat for a week on some recipes)
• Don't want to throw away a lot of food because you just don't use the whole bag of veggies, etc
• Do want to create healthy yet taste foods that makes a person want to eat
• Can't afford to always eat out or buy convience food

We do work with leftovers...........

When cooking for one or two there is aways left-overs. What can you do to work with those creatively? We purchased some glass one serving dishes with lids. I have an issue with using to much plastic but not only for the planet. I just don't think using a lot of plastic is good for a person, especially if you heat up things in a microwave. The plastic has to get into the food. So I prefer the glass.

If I cooking a meal that I know I'm going to have left-overs I'll have the bowls ready. I will put one serving the the bowl, label the top with what is in it and rewarming directions and put it in the freezer or refrigerator. My husband works 4 days a week. He takes four of these bowls to work with him every week and uses them for lunches. I will keep some of them for my lunches and we're set. Neither of us will get caught missing a meal because we didn't have time to go buy lunch or just didn't want to round something up for one person.

This plan also works well if you are caring for elderly parents. Do you have parents living alone or just the two of them and you notice they aren't eating well? Why not make this plan, label each meal with day, etc. Create a written plan for them to follow and check up with them to make sure they are following the plan.

How I plan my menus...................

I have studied alternative medicine, our food as medicine and more for a good many years. This gives me a head start and I plan to start sharing some of this with you in the weeks ahead so that you can make informed choices for your families. My peditrican appreciated my approach of family self care until and when he was needed for things that were above and beyond my ability. He actually was a wonderful physician who spoiled me for others who didn't/don't understand and/or appreciate my approach. Actually what I had learned was the ebb and flow of the old paths and I followed them well.

When I approach my meal plan there are several things I will take in account.

I can't afford to eat entirely organic on our limited budget. When I can garden it is a big help and grow all my produce orgnically. We raise our own beef, goat (chevon and milk) and chicken (meat and eggs) using organic grains only when necessary preferring grass for feed. This is a luxoury that we can count on for now but know there will come a time when that won't be available to us. I'm hoping by then, since I've been proving food for my children and their families from our excess that some of them will, in turn, provide that for us when we are no longer capable.

When I can't raise something myself I choose which items that I know would be the worst as far as the amount of pesticides and herbicides used on the product and purchase the worst offending to buy organic. This means that all root crops will be purchased organic, as well as greens and cole crops plus apples and a few others like citrus fruits that I'm going to be using the peel on.

PORTION SIZES

We have learned that we eat to large of portions. Actually, what needs to be learned is to scale the portion sizes to the age of the person and the amount of exercise that he/she does. When we worked harder as we gardened a four acre market garden, cared for a herd of goats, dairy cows, beef cows, and a moderate flock of sheep we needed larger portions and even then I think we ate to much as evidenced buy our extra pounds. Now that we've scaled back on physical labor we've scaled way back on portion sizes and have be shedding those extra pounds.

Additionally we eat much to large portions of meat compared to vegetables and then finally fruits. If our plates are comprised of primarily a highly nutritious form of protein (about 3 ounces) and about twice that amount of some good vegetables (low in carbohydrates as potatoes and starch) our meal is fairly complete. We reserve fruits to snacks and desserts.

Planning Meals Wisely.................

My primary plan for wise meal planning is choosing main dishes and sides that use some of the same ingredients so I'm being a good steward of the Lord God's provisions. Do I have to buy a bag of Organic Baby Spinach that I know I won't use up if I'm only planning one dish for the whole bag? No I plan on other dishes that I will make so that the bag is completely used up.

I plan parishable vegetables wisely also. I buy some celery and chop it up and freeze it. Same with peppers, onions and even mushrooms. That way I'm not throwing away a bunch of vegetables for going bad (although my laying hens do enjoy that). I have found that if I take my menu that is carefully planned on Friday, do my shopping and then do my meal prep for all those meals on Saturday that I not only save time on daily meal preperations but reduce my food budget at the same time.

One last thing that is very important. We take advantage of seasonal produce. More on that later.

Now it's time to share this next weeks menu, I'll share more basics as the weeks go on........

Saturday:  Grilled Pork Chops, Potato Salad, Spicy Carrot Coins (some of the kids are coming and they'll bring other things.

Sunday: Spinach Mushroom Pasta, Steak, L/O Spicy Carrot Coins

Monday: Grilled Chicken, Pear Salsa, Asparagus, Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday: Spinach Pasta Pie, Peas & Carrots

Wednesday: Bourbon Chicken, Coconut Baked Brown Rice, Snap Peas

Thursday: Asparagus Pasta n Salmon, Roasted Zuchinni, Carrots and Brocolli

Friday: Hamburgers (Mike will have a bun and I will not), Sweet Potato Fries for me and regular fries for Mike (I bake these from scratch), Super Salad

Monday This and That

Kitchen Quick tip - Need room temperature butter but forgot to set it out to soften? Grate the butter with a cheese grater, let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature and you're ready to go!

Daylilies

Heads up!  We will be selling almost all our Daylily plants.  We have four huge beds of Daylilies and they all have to be moved out of these beds.  This is your chance to purchase some beautiful Daylilies for just $1 a fan.  Yes you saw it right!  We will be having a Garage Sale April 13-14 from 9-3 each day and will dig lilies from the beds hoping to get the right colors for you as they are not in bloom right now.  I have posted the colors from the bed so watch make your color choices.  First Come First Serve.

NOTE: I will also be selling bundles of 5 fans for $6 through www.Nebraskafood.org on their next cycle that starts next Sunday.

Lemon Mania

I was sorting through my late grandmothers recipe files and I ran across an OLD FASHIONED LEMONADE SYRUP BASE that you can keep in your refrigerator to make glasses of lemonade.  I've added that recipe below.

One important point I want to make about lemons and all citrus fruits for that matter.  If you are going to be zesting the outside of the citrus fruit YOU MUST PURCHASE ORGANIC FRUIT.  The reason for this is the all the pesticides that have been sprayed on that fruit can be found on and in the skin.  It cannot be washed off.

Health Tip:  A healthy body is an alkaline body system, Cancer loves an Acidic body system.  What is curious is that Apple Juice and Lemonade, being acidic products, actually convert to Alkaline within the body.

I did a little search for lemons and found this awesome site you are sure to want to spend some time on:  http://lemonmania.com/

LEMONADE SYRUP BASE

1 1/2 cups sugar  (Substitute 1 cup Coconut Sugar or 3/4 cup mild honey)
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon fresh grated ORGANIC lemon peel
1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed ORGANIC lemon juice

• Dissolve sugar in boiling water.
• Add Lemon peel and juice
• Store in covered containe in refrigerator
• Makes 2 2/3 cups base

Lemonade by the glass for one 8-oz serving

• In a large glass, combine 1/4-1/3 cup lemonade syrup base and 3/4 cup cold water; stir well.
• Add Ice Cubes

Lemonade by the pitcher for nine 8-oz servings

• In large pitcher combine 2 2/3 cups lemonade syrup base and 6 cups cold water; stir well
• Add Ice Cuber

Why I Hang My Clothes on the Line

1.  I love the fresh smell of the clothes when they are hung on the line.

2.  It is easier on the clothing.  Ever wonder where the lint comes from in dryer?

3.  Depending on how many are in your family, it saves lots of money by not using the clothes dryer.

This Weeks Raffle.......Enter today

Click Here to go to the Entry Page

Monday's This and That

Welcome to Newsie Monday! 

Two 'winter' tornados hit North Platte, Nebraska last night destroying homes, knocking trains off the tracks and injuring at least two people.

Please, Please pray for all the people affected by the storms!

I'm sure people are walking around numb this morning and the real damage will not be seen until it gets light out today.



Tomorrow is the first official day of spring.  It seems that we've had a little taste of early summer in the last couple of weeks.  I hope we are not going to get hit by late frosts.  I planted like a crazy woman this weekend.  Got all my potatoes in, some green onions, lettuce, Kale, Chard, Mesclin Mix, Turnips and more.  This morning I'm going to run out and plant the Beets I didn't get in yet....it's suppose to rain off and on all week.  Perfect timing!

I was thinking quilting on Saturday when I was planting and I planted one of my 4x8 foot beds in Quilt fashion!  I can't wait until it comes up so I can show you what I did......I can't wait until I see what I did.  LOL

My Harvest Moon Over the Mountain quilt blocks have been started.  I was inspired by our last Prayers & Quilts meeting so I picked up the material.  Of course, what I wanted wasn't in 'the stash'.  I've got to work on my Mystery Quilt for my Nebraska City guild this week also so it will be a quilting party all week long.  I'll post pictures on the Facebook page as we go along so if you haven't liked Grandma Farmer on facebook, you better do it today or you'll miss out.

We are getting a new buckling tomorrow.  Making the trip to Topeka to pick him up.  His mother is an OUTSTANDING milker and we are very thankful to Goddard Farms for sharing him with us.

His name will be Goddard Farms Jared  and will be the proud pappa of most of our 2013 kids.  He is one of the brown kids pictured.

We have Boer Meat Goat kids due to be on the ground in May and ready for processing in March 2013.  Order early as we already have two reserved.

We will have Fresh, Raw Goat Milk available June through December.  Supplies might be limited so get your spot soon!  Milk will be $3.50 a half gallon.


Visit FOOTSTEPS BEHIND ME soon and see if I'm researching any of your (our) family sir names!

I've been building this blog and expect to begin blogging on it by the end of the week.  It's been difficult to get all the pages complete so I can share with you what directions we are going with these first 5 generations to be compliled in a book with the above name and published (hopefully) in 2015.

The picture posted here is of Aquilla Hall, a popular Stella, Nebraska figure in the 1800's.  Aquilla love young people and worked with and for them.  He was also popular among the adults and served in public office in Nemaha County.

Aquilla, is a handsome dude with crystal blue eyes.  He is Mike's 4th Great Maternal Grandfather.

WINNER!!!!

We are excited to announce that Erin S.  is the winner of our last give-away!  She gets a free $15 gadget from PLEASANT HILL GRAIN.  Congrat's Erin!  Special thanks for Pleasant Hill Grain of Aurora, Nebraska for participating in our kick-off give-away!  No give away's this week but watch for special announcements and a new give-away next week!

As usual watch this week for some new and marvelous Gluten-Free Recipes from

Grandma's Kitchen!

Ramblings on Gardens and Flower Beds

Today I'm going sit down with some lovely Orchid Oolong tea and ramble a bit about life with Grandma Farmer in her gardens an flower beds.

I don't know if you noticed but I've been off my game for a while.  Last year I had two knees replaced and it wiped out my immune system.  The last 4-5 weeks I've been sick with one thing or the other and ended up totally dehydrated.  I'm finally feeling better.  I've also decided to start a totally seperate BLOG for my geneology studies and I'm consumed with getting it up and going.  Lot's of organizing of the site to get up (top pages) before I can start the blogging on that site.  www.FootstepsBehindMe.blogspot.com


The ground was to cold the other day to plant anything.  The weather is exceptional and I really want to garden!!!  We've been working on the beds.  A couple of years ago I set out an awesome raised bed system for my garden.  We purchased a large roll of greenhouse fabric and rolled it out, pinned it down and then set the beds out on it.  We did open the areas below the beds and then filled the beds with organic soil, compost, and manure.  The beds have settled a bit so I'm adding more manure and dirt to some of them.

I am going to take my trusty soil thermometer out today and see just what temperature the soil is.  I have potatoes ready for planting and some onion sets plus I still want to plant my greens!!!!  Surely it will be time soon with the warm temps.  In the meantime, I'm sowing seeds indoors in my flats.  Brocolli, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers and flowers........tons and tons of flowers...flowers for cutting and bringing indoors.  Some of the extra goodies will be sold off the farm and through www.nebraskafood.org again this year.

My goal is to finish filling in the flower beds in the front of the property.  Across the front road we set a fence.  On the outside of the fence we've planted lilac bushes.  On the inside we've set Iris and Peonies with a large group of Rhubarb in the center.  As fill I will be planting annuals and perenials.

I moved the Roses to behind the house last fall.  Between them I've planted all my garlic and moved all my chives.  I will also be adding some Perinal plants to these beds......mostly herbs and the like since it's by the back door and closer to my kitchen.  This bed will be backed with a white picket fence this year.

The Poppy/Daisy bed was established around our light pole and some Mock Orange Bushes last fall and I'm excited to see it bloom this year.  As I child I remember the poppy bed my Aunt Lovenia had around her propane tank.  Beautiful!  And, I've always loved daisies!

I'm expanding my Echnicea (purple cone flower) bed to the full length of the fence row in front of the Chicken house this year.  Actually some of the Echnicea will be ready to dig and make medicinals from the roots this year.  My Blackberries are on the back side of this row.  We love eating the berries and making tea from the leaves.

The bed on the north side of the house is being removed and I hope to finish that this year and get the Ferns and Lily of the Valley established.  The people before us put a raised bed up past the siding on the house.....an invitation for termites.  The South House shade bed needs to be finished this year also.

The old fashioned Spirea bushes I planted around the front porch are growing nicely and will be beautiful once they are big and the rails are installed around the front porch of the house.

Lots to do and can't wait to get it all established.  My friend, Yolanda, is picking me up today and we are going to Menards in Lincoln.  I'm hoping to pick up a gate kit for my picket fence.  Can't start the fence until I see how the gate fits in it, right?  LOL

I'll post these same pictures later when everything is pretty!

Tomatoes - Determinate vs Indeterminate

I think one of the most confusing things for me when I seriously started gardening was figuring out the different between determinate and indeterminate.  It's kind of like when you are a kid (or later) and you have to remember which is your left and and which is your right.  LOL

Like remembering which hand is which, knowing the difference in tomatoes will help you emensly in choosing the right tomato for different applications.  The difference in these plants has nothing to do with flavor but it does have everything to do with choosing the right plant for the right location and the length of growing and producing times.

Determinate tomatoes are perfect for container gardening because they tend to grow as a bush.  Take a careful look at the length of these tomatoes growing time.  Reason?  They will give you a burst of tomatoes during a given period of time and then they will be done.  For this reason it's a good idea to choose several different varieties for early, mid and late season tomatoes or actually plant in succession.  These plants do well in the upside down method of growing or, as I said before, in containers.

If you want a plant this will give you tomatoes all season long and you want to just depend on this fellow then choose an indetermanite tomato variety.  Be prepare to stake or cage this fellow because he will continue to grow and vine all over the place.  These guys can be rather unruly.  When tying them to your supports remember to attach them loosely as the vines also grow wider as they grow older and you don't want to choke the vine off.

When you purchas your tomatoes Determinate tomatoes will often be marked DET and Indeterminate with INDET.  Most heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate but I was fortunate to find some heirloom seeds that were actually determinate for my hanging tomato pole this year.  My dear hubby kindly moved my pole closer to the house so I can water them more frequently.

So you see, anyone can grow a tomato plant whether in a regular garden or a container.  They like LOTS of sun and now you can choose the variety of tomato that will best suit your application.

Happy Growing!

Young Hens Starting to Lay

We raise our own laying hens.  Why?  Have you ever sat and listened to a bunch of happy hens as they sing?  They tell you when they are happy.  They are silent when they are not.  No cages for our little red girls.  They run in their 15 x 20 foot house, all 15 of them.  We hope to add some Aracanas soon too.  The red girls lay some beautiful brown eggs.  The Aracanas are a weird breed.  They are all different colors and lay shades of green.  Either way these ladies lay  some beautiful eggs that stand up in the pan and make my baked goods stand up better than anything you can buy from the store, organic or not.

Speaking of organic.  We feed our girls the best.  They get nothing but organic or transional grains.  Why?  NO GMO for us, but that's another article.  They have the free run of their house and the enclosed run that's as big as their house.  Why a run?  Well these are young girls and they don't know about the nasty preditors that live around our house.  A racoon, skunk, fox or even a possom or black snake would love free access to these little girls and their eggs.  We do let them out when they are older to run around and eat bugs for a few hours every day.  That's what chickens to best, eat grasshoppers and other bugs and scratch around in the manure piles moving them around and eating the worms that are busily composting that manure so I can add it to the garden once it's spent a couple of years cooling off.  These girls love running after any bug that dares show himself and scratch in the grass too!

Right now our girls are just starting to lay little pullet eggs.  These eggs are just the cutest little things and oh are they tastee!

Understanding the Lingo:

“Free Range,” “Cage Free,” “Organic”…what does it all mean? Marketing labels are perhaps the most confusing part of this whole “eating healthy” game. So what do the various terms you see on the packages mean?

• Conventional (i.e., no special label) – Typically less than half a square foot of space per hen, giving not even enough room to spread their wings.
• Cage Free – As it says, the hens are able to move about inside a barn without being confined to cages. A better life, but not optimal as parts of beaks are often burned to prevent pecking at themselves and others (a sign of distress, by the way).
• Free Range – Implies chickens on lush green pastures. Actually is not a regulated term for eggs so this can be used by absolutely anyone. Really all that’s needed is a door to the outside that gives the chickens “access” to an outdoor area, whether they actually use it or not. This is a meaningless term.
• Organic – This means the hens were fed organic feed, whatever that feed consists of. I think it also means no animal by-products in the feed.
• Vegetarian – The hen is fed a vegetarian feed. I only mention this to point out that chickens are omnivores, not vegetarians, and will naturally eat bugs, grubs, etc. This term is used to imply “healthier” in our anti-meat culture.

Understanding the difference between organic, free range eggs vs traditional eggs:

I was passed two articles from Mother Earth News regarding the nutrition of truly pastured eggs versus the eggs the USDA uses for its tests. Care to see what the results were?

• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene
• 4 to 6 times as much vitamin D

How did they get this info?  Mother Earth News says, "These amazing results come from 14 flocks around the country that range freely on pasture or are housed in moveable pens that are rotated frequently to maximize access to fresh pasture and protect the birds from predators. We had six eggs from each of the 14 pastured flocks tested by an accredited laboratory in Portland, Ore."

Right now we don't have enough of these 'incredible eggs' to let you purchase some from us.  It won't be long though before we have more than the two of us can eat, then we'll have some available to our neighbors and friends.  My guess is that we are looking at $3.50 a dozen for REALLY FRESH, organic, free-range eggs.  DELISH!

Getting Ready to Garden - To CSA or Not to CSA, that is the question!

I'm anxious to get into the garden!  The geese have been flying north already in small groups. 

The only catch is that I haven't taken the time to get those seeds started.  Sooooo today I started some Brocolli, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Peppers and some Parsley.  I'm only a couple of weeks late so hopefully it won't be to big of an issue.  I'll be starting some other herbs and flowers in the coming weeks.

There is still snow on the ground from one of the only two or three snows we've had this year so the garden is still fast asleep.  The last one was a good amount of snow and has hung around a bit inspite of the fact that we've had days in the 40's.  Today we are suppose to get thundershowers so that will probably remove any remaining snow on the ground.

I'm thinking about doing a small CSA garden.  Most of the CSA's have already been started so I need to make that decision soon!  Sooner the better!  What's a CSA garden?  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  Usually a CSA is formed by a farmer and the customers sign up and pay for the ability to receive a box of produce weekly from the farmer during the growing season.  The upfront fee supports the farmer early in the season so that he can buy seeds, etc to get the garden going and helps him to know just how much and what to grow.

The garlic I grew last year did really well and I am still using, what I didn't replant, for cooking.  My rose bushes were moved last fall and the garlic was planted in large numbers in the three feet I left between the plants.

Sleeping in the garden are thousands of Daylilies plus some Asparagus, Grapes, Strawberries, Currants, Aronia, Blackberries, Sage, Thyme, Oregano, Chives, Mint and other herbs including some Echnicea that will be old enough to harvest a few roots this year.

As usual I've set up my calendar for the planting of the rest of the vegetables that will grow in Grandma Farmers garden this year.  I schedule on my calendar when to plant seeds and when to set the plants I'm growing inside to give them a chance to provide me with a bountiful harvest.  The first of the seeds, onion sets and potatoes go in just after St Patricks day.  Sometimes that's a little early and I wait a few days but, I have a feeling we're in for an early spring this year so I'll push that envelope.

Greens will be planted around the 19th of March: Argula, Spinach, Kale and bok choy.  I'll also plant some carrots and radish.  I don't plant to many carrots but I did experiment with them last year and what I planted in my new raised bed system did well.

Come back and watch our garden grow!  We'll update you on what we plant, harvest and have available for sale. 

Anyone can garden so we'll be giving you ideas on how to grow your own garden and show you some things we are trying this year.

How To Plant Your Garden

How To Plant Your Garden
First, you Come to the garden alone,
while the dew is still on the roses.
FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING ,
(How To Plant a Rose Garden)

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS :

1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

(How to Grow Organic Peas)






PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness











PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:

1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another








NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:

1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another







TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN YOU MUST HAVE THYME:

1. Thyme for God
2. Thyme for each other
3. Thyme for family
4. Thyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.