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.

Taking Stock - What's In Your Pantry?

When creating menus I tend to get on certain tracks and get lost on them. Things happen and sometimes a couple of meals a week get changed. All this often creates an overstock in my pantry. That's why occasionally I take stock of what is in the pantry and create meals directly from there.

Cleaning and organizing your pantry is important to do whether you do it monthly, quarterly or just annually. If you are buying in bulk it's even more important to do.

Where is your pantry?  Your pantry could be in your cupboards, your freezer, a seperate room on shelves or even in containers stacked in a corner or under your bed.  Your pantry(ies) is/are where ever you store your food in the living space you reside in. 

Great care should be taken to understand the proper ways to store your food and the conditions needed to preserve it so that it is not wasted. A person is prudent to understand what containers are best to use in the storage of your food.  If you are a person who has a great understanding of the nutritional content of your foods and choose to purchase the most nutrient dense foods possible this is even more important.  It's a shame to spend the extra money to purchase nutrient dense and/or organic foods and then store them in containers that will contaminate them in some other way, i.e. plastics.

As you place items on your pantry shelf be sure that you write the date that you placed them there.  This will help you to use the oldest items first.  This week when I go through the shelves, take things, down, wipe and shelves and put them back I'll also write down on a master list just what I have on those shelves, how much and the date the items went on the shelf.

Because it is 'cleaning and organizing' week for the pantries I'll take my master list and create my weekly menu from what is already available there.  I will continue to make my meal plans for the week from these master lists until I have used up any and all items that I've had on the shelf for more than three months.  Then I can start over!

I hope this idea has been a blessing to you!

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

Not All Eggs Are Created Equal

Do the eggs you buy have bright yellow yolks and stand up tall in the frying pan or are they pale and runny?



Here's the difference:


Commercial Eggs are kept in small cages stacked on top of each other all their lives.  They lay their eggs on the wire and the egg rolls out the bottom and onto a conveyer or other contraption to gather the eggs.  Workers go through several times a day and remove the dead chickens who normally have very short life spans.  They are fed the cheapest grains possible that also contain antiobotics and chemicals like arsinec so that they stay awake longer and keep laying.


On the small farm a free-range hen is allowed some outside time to roam, eat bugs and dig in the dirt/grass.  Cage-Free means that they do not spend their lives in a tiny cage 24/7.  Many small farms have a variety of methods of allowing their hens to spend time out doors and to live a more 'normal' chicken life.  This all depends a great deal on the preditor situation the farmer may have on his farm.

So why are these eggs more expensive?

• First of all, they lay fewer eggs because they are not stimulated to lay more than God originally created them to lay.  They also tend to lay the eggs everywhere so they are sometimes harder to find.
• They are probably fed some outstanding organic and/or transitional grains like here on our farm.  Organic grains are not cheap but they are higher in nutritional value and are not Genetically Modified like all the grain in a commercial feed.

Don't be fooled, however, by the words 'free-range' or 'cage free' when found on your grocers shelf.  Since there is no regulations on these two words, unfortunately, some large eggs factories will push the envelope and cheat the system any way they can to get the most profit possible even though their defination of those words are far from the definition understood by discerning food buyers. 


This is why Grandma Farmer encourages you to purchase as much of your food as possible from local farmers that you know and trust.


So why bother driving further to buy a dozen eggs for $3 plus when you can purchase them for $.95?  Primarily you'll know that your eggs are fresh.  Most farmers will label their eggs with a 'gathering' date.  Eggs in stores are generally 2-4 weeks old when you purchase them.  Thus, the buzz word, "farm fresh".  Here are some additional reasons:

• GMO (Genetically Modified Grain and Foods) are dangerous and not the healthy alternative Monsanto is pushing on you.  Read my recent post on the issue! There are plenty of books and articles on the net on this issue.  Become aware and push for Labeling of GMO foods like other countries and don't eat GMO foods.  Many countries now refuse to purchase food from the US because of the GMO issue.  They don't allow Monsanto to shove their seeds down their throats and have banned them from their countries (i.e. Peru and other countries).
• Recently, Mother Earth News did an egg study comparing free-range eggs to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs. The findings showed that free-range chicken eggs produced the following results:
  • 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
• Free-range eggs contain 70% more vitamin B12 and 50% more folic acid (British Journal of Nutrition, 1974).
• Greek free-range eggs contain 13 times more omega-3s than U.S. commercial eggs (Simopoulos, The Omega Diet, 1988).
• Pasteurized eggs are higher in vitamin E and omega-3s than those obtained from battery-cage hens (Animal Feed Science and Technology, 1998).
• Free-range eggs are 10% lower in fat, 34% lower in cholesterol, contain 40% more vitamin A, and are 4 times higher in omega-3s than standard U.S. battery-cage eggs, and free-range chicken meat has 21% less fat, 30% less saturated fat, and 50% more vitamin A than that of caged chickens (Gorski, Pennsylvania State University, 1999).
• Free-range eggs have three times more omega-3s and are 220% higher in vitamin E and 62% higher in vitamin A than eggs obtained from battery cage hens (Karsten, Pennsylvania State University, 2003).
• Many bakers will use strictly Farm Fresh Free-Range Eggs because they will get more rise in their batters than their commercial counter part

Whether you have to pay $3 or $4 for a nutrient dense dozen of eggs, you can see it is well worth the effort.  Even at these prices it is still a healthy, reasonably priced protein for your family.  Additionally, you help to keep the small farm alive!

Monday This 'n That

Available this week at Grandma Farmers Garden
Grandma Farmer uses all organic pratices but is not a certified farm near Nebraska City, Nebraska.

Farm Fresh Eggs, fed Organic Grains, Kelp, Alfalfa Leaves. Cage Free, plenty of outdoor exercise.  Picked up at the farm $3.00 a dozen

Picking This Week: Baby Turnip Greens 4-oz $2, Rhubarb $3 a pound, Chives (regular or garlic), Oregano, Sage, Cilantro, Mint and Lemon Balm all $2 an ounce, Lettuce Blend 4-oz $2.75, Arugula 4-oz $2.75, Spinach 4 oz $2.75
Red Russian Kale 4-oz for $2.75
Now available: Clumps of 5-6 fans Daylilies $6 a clump.

CONTACT ME for pick-up. We drive to Omaha every day so meeting at the Bellevue Medards or Walmart is possible.

Planting This Week In Grandma Farmers Garden

We have set the tomatoes and peppers in the garden and massive mulching occured this weeked and will continue this week to conserve moisture.  We had a very large order from the folks at www.nebraskafood.org this week that will move some of the produce out.  All the green onions were/are pulled.  A new group of green onions have been planted.  We are also experimenting with seeding green onions directly into the garden.  More lettuce, Argula, spinch, beets, cucumbers and two beds of green beans have been planted. 



We are working on the Rose bed that also has our kitchen herbs and garlic planting in the beds.  This keeps me from running all the way to the garden while I'm cooking and the garlic keeps bad bugs on the roses a bay.

Sautéed Chicken & Asparagus

We are concentrating on the healthiest low carb, gluten-free dishes I can find using ingredients as they come out of the garden, for two people.  This week is probably the last week we'll be picking asparagus.  The asparagus came out of the garden a month early like everything else this year.  This was great grain free, but a Quiona Pilaf would have been a great combo. Stir Fried Chicken with Asparagus alone just 275 calories.

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced medium thick 3 medium cloves garlic, pressed 1 teaspoon coconut oil 1 tablespoon chicken broth 1  tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces 1/2 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups when cut) 1/2 large red pepper, juliened 2  tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce 1  tablespoon gluten-free rice vinegar pinch red chili flakes salt and white pepper to taste

1. Cut onion and mince garlic and let both sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon broth and oil in a 12-inch stainless steel skillet. Sauté onion in broth for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
3. Add ginger, garlic, chicken, and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add asparagus, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, and red chili flakes. Stir together and cover. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. This may have to cook for an extra couple minutes if the asparagus is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste

This Weeks Bible Reading

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 11:27-33, 2 Cor 6, Psalms 101, 1 Samuel 15-16
Tuesday: Mark 12:1-12, 2 Cor 7, Psalms 102, 1 Samuel 17-18
Wednesday: Mark 12:13-27, 2 Cor 8, Psalms 103, 1 Samuel 19-20
Thursday: Mark 12:28-34, 2 Cor 9, Psalms 104, 1 Samuel 21-23
Friday: Mark 12;35-44, 2 Cor 10, Psalms 105, 1 Samuel 24-25
Saturday: Mark 13:1-13, 2 Cor 11:1-15, Psalms 106:1-23, 1 Samuel 26-28
Sunday: Mark 13:14-31, 2 Cor 11:16-33, Psalms 106:24-48, 1 Samuel 29-31

We also like to read a Proverb a Day corresponding to the day of the month.  This month I am memorizing Psalms 32

You Decide...........

  Sprinkling Splenda on an ant hill is a great way to kill ants and now I know why!

"The researchers who developed sucralose, also known as Splenda, originally started out in an attempt to create an insecticide. An assistant (obviously a genius) who was asked to test the compound mistakenly thought he was being asked to taste it. The rest, as they say, is food-industry history." - Gedgaudas

Make This Cheap, Nontoxic Herbal Floor Cleaner!

Mix 1 cup pure apple cider vinegar (the real stuff) and a few drops essential oil (lavender or rosemary work well) into 1 gallon warm water.  Apply with a mop or washrag, and rinse off with clean water.  If floors need extra cleaning, try adding 1/2 cup borax or baking soda to the recipe.

Russian Kale

This year we planted Russian Kale. 

Russian Kale is yet another Brassica, but one whose leaves, rather than flower buds, are eaten. It has a broad flat deckle-edged leaf which is softer, thinner and more tender than the leaf of Scots Kale. The flavor is a bit darker than that of Scots Kale, with stronger earth and hints of smoke.

Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.  Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss.  Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.  Kale is also a good source of carotenoids .

Kale almost always must be cooked, and cooked rather a long time. The exception might be using a bit of very finely chiffonaded Russian Kale in a salad, with the proviso that some diners may end up uncomfortable. The other exception is in juicing, where Kale mixes well with, whatever you want to put into a juicer.

The basic rule for preparing Kale is 'discard the stems'. Here again, there are two exceptions, first, if the stems are on the tender side, they may be finely chiffonaded along with the leaf they run through, and, second, stems might be useful in making a vegetable broth. One of the nice things about Kale in general is that the leaves themselves will make a nice broth in the cooking liquid, so that if you're making a vegetable soup some Kale, helped by onion and garlic, will make the broth as you cook the soup, and, as we've mentioned before, it's difficult to overcook Kale, so it remains recognizable even after prolonged soup making.

You needn't confine it to soups, though: it makes a nice vegetable side steamed, and mixes well with root vegetables and with other greens such as Dandelion. It's a nice accompaniement with tomato and onion to beans (pinto, cannelini). It's one of the few vegetables I can think of that's easy to dry. Dried Russian Kale does a very good invegification of certain dried edible seaweeds.
Russian Kale is generally available in two varieties, Red, as you'd expect, and Green. The green variety has some red (or purple) coloring. I notice there is also a White Russian variety, perhaps for historical balance.

Breakfast Squares
(Makes 2 servings)

1-1 1/2 cup  Russian Kale, chopped, or use any other variety of kale
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced (1/2 tsp. teaspoon minced garlic)
1/8 tsp. olive oil
1/3 tsp. gluten-free soy sauce
1/3 C grated Pizza or Italian cheese blend

1 tablespoon gluten-free bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten well

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut off kale stems and discard, then wash kale leaves and dry well. (I used a salad spinner.) Pile kale leaves up on top of each other and cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide, then turn cutting board the other way and cut again so you have squares just under an inch square. Chop onion into pieces about 1/2 inch.

Heat olive oil in large heavy frying pan, then add onions and saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute about 2 more minutes, then add kale, turning over as it wilts and sauteeing about 5 minutes, or until kale is significantly wilted and softened.

Put sauteed vegetables into large bowl and add Tamari, cheese, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, and Spike seasoning. Stir gently until ingredients are well distributed. Spray pen with olive oil or nonstick spray and pour in egg mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes until eggs are well set and the top is lightly browned. Serve hot. This is good with low-fat sour cream or salsa.

Kale Gratin with Pancetta or Bacon

(serves 4)

• 1 bunch of kale stems stripped and chopped
• Salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 lb pancetta or bacon
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1 cup cream
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• Black pepper
• 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet bring a few inches of water to a boil and add the kale and salt, and cook for 5-6 minutes; drain the greens. Return the skillet to the stove and heat 1 tbsp oil and bacon or pancetta. Crisp the meat and add the cream and garlic. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the cooked greens to the cream and stir to coat evenly. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish. Toss the breadcrumbs with remaining olive oil and add the cheese and some salt and pepper. Place under broiler for 5 minutes.

Why Grass-Fed Is Best

From the lowly cow we get two things,  great red meat full of vitamins and minerals not found in any other source and milk.  The problem in the last 100 years has been what man has done to these poor creatures that have resulted in diseases in not only the cows themselves but in the people who consume the products.


It Doesn't Have to Be That Way

Most people say that meat is meat, so why should I pay more for meat from grass-fed animals (chickens, lamb, goat, pork and beef)?  Another question is, "What do you mean by nutrient dense?"

Something rather serious has occured in the last hundred years that has changed meat in a dramatic way.  Farmers started giving grain to cows and sheep and shutting these animals plus chickens and pigs up in small pens or buildings.  While it's okay to give chickens grain because they have a gizzard to grind it up, for the other animals grain is not natural.

Many years ago I had a friend who was one of the officers of the Nebraska Beef Board. We were discussing the high incidence of E-Coli in beef.  I shared with her that I believed that the problem was primarily because farmers were feeding and/or finishing their beef with high grain diets.  She confided with me that the USDA Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska actually did a study that no one on the Beef Board wanted to publish.  It seems that when the Research Center withdrew grain from beef for the last 90 days before processing that the incidence of E-coli found in the meat was almost non-exhistant.

Why is that?  Well, I believe, that because God created Cows, Goats, Sheep and Pigs with multiple stomachs, they were to primarily eat grass.  What happens when they are fed grain?  They gain extra fat for one thing, but primarily it messes up their digestive system.  When the animal gains lots of fat it means more money in the farmers pocket.  Now I'm a farmer and I could personally use more money in my pocket but I don't think it should be at the expense of my animals or the consumer.

What concerns me most is how it messes with the animals body systems.  As humans we have a stomach to mush up the food, a small intestine to remove all the nutrients it can get out of the food and a large intestine to push out the unused portion along with any toxins the body has removed from whatever we've eaten or come into contact with.  If something goes out of wack with this system we get sick. Sometimes this system gets so sick that it actually will leak toxins back into the body and we get even sicker.

This is the same thing that happens when a rudimentary animal eats grain.  It messes up his system so that he gets sick, thus toxins remain in his system and actually can leak toxins into the muscles and other parts of his body.  I feel like it is of primary importance to warn you now that the liver of any animal that is NOT grass fed should NEVER be eaten because of the high toxic load in that liver.

Equally important is the nutrient dense issue. The difference between grass-fed and grain-fed is dramatic. 

Grass-fed meats tend to be much lower in total fat than grain-fed meats.  A perfect example:  Take a sirloin steak from a grass-fed beef.  It has about one-half to one-third the amount of fat as the same cut from a grain-fed animal.  When meat is this lean it can actually lower your LDL Cholesterol levels. 

The bonus is that because grass-fed meat is so lean, it is also lower in calories.  Fat typically has 9 calories per gram, compared with 4 calories of protein and carbohydrates.  Of course, the more fat contained in the meat means a greater number of calories.  Thus, a 6-oz grass-fed steak has almost 100 fewer calories than the same size steak from a grain-fed animal.

Jo Johnson of Rain Crow Ranch says, "If you eat a typical amount of beef (66.5 pounds a year), switching to grassfed beef will save you 17,733 calories a year—without requiring any willpower or change in eating habits. If everything else in your diet remains constant, you'll lose about six pounds a year. If all Americans switched to grassfed meat, our national epidemic of obesity would begin to diminish."

There are several bonus' to discuss.  We've already discussed that grass-fed beef is low in the 'bad' fats but did you know that it give you 2-6 times more of the good fat called "omega-3 fatty acids."    When a person has good amonts of omega-3's in their diet they tend to have lower blood pressure, are less likely to have serious heart attacks, be afflicted with depression, ADD or Alzheimer's.  Omega-3's can also reduce your risk of cancer.  Reason?  Omega-3's are formed in the green leaves of plants.  Sixty percent of the omega-3 found in grass is called alpha-linlenic or LNA.

Jo Johnson proclaims, "Switching our livestock from their natural diet of grass to large amounts of grain is one of the reasons our modern diet is deficient in these essential fats. It has been estimated that only 40 percent of Americans consume a sufficient supply of these nutrients. Twenty percent have levels so low that they cannot be detected.   Switching to grassfed animal products is one way to restore this vital nutrient to your diet. 

The meat and milk from grassfed ruminants are the richest known source of another type of good fat called "conjugated linoleic acid" or CLA. When ruminants are raised on fresh pasture alone, their milk and meat contain as much as five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets.¹²

CLA may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer.

In laboratory animals, a very small percentage of CLA --- a mere 0.1 percent of total calories ---greatly reduced tumor growth.¹³ Researcher Tilak Dhiman from Utah State University estimates that you may be able to lower your risk of cancer simply by eating the following grassfed products each day: one glass of whole milk, one ounce of cheese, and one serving of meat. You would have to eat five times that amount of grainfed meat and dairy products to get the same level of protection. 

      There is new evidence suggesting that CLA does reduce cancer risk in humans.

In a Finnish study, women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diet, had a 60 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest levels of CLA.

Switching from grainfed to grassfed meat and dairy products places women in this lowest risk category. Vitamin E In addition to being higher in omega-3s and CLA, meat from grassfed animals is higher in vitamin E.  In humans, vitamin E is linked with a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. This potent antioxidant may also have anti-aging properties. Most Americans are deficient in vitamin E."

So when we say nutrient dense, that is exactly what we mean.  You will find more nutrients per ounce in products from a grass-fed animal than their factory produced counter parts.

I know a lot of you have complained about the higher cost of grass-fed vs grain-fed and I hope now you understand more why it is better for you to pay the extra to purchase products from animals that are healthy and can actually make you healthier.

The NY Times best selling author, Jo Robinson, has an informative book "Why Grassfed is Best!" on the benefits of grassfed beef.  She has done a great service educating America about this healthy beef and her book is a "must have" in your library of health books. Please visit her web site at www.eatwild.com to purchase the book and learn more about this healthy beef.

We will discuss Nutrient Dense Eggs next week.

    

Preping Food Like a Chef

We've been running a series on Menu Planning that I am hoping has been a blessing to you.  Our first article Planning Next Weeks Meals, talked about the basics of meal planning.  Then we talked about setting up your Menu and preparing your grocery list in the article, You've Created a Menu, Now What?  the final article will come next week in Planned Left-overs.

When you are a Chef in a restaurant you don't chop vegetables, etc for each meal as the orders come in.  Chefs go in early in the day and dice vegetables and prepare other things for the possible meals that will be served according to what is on the menu.

I have found that if I take this hint from the Chef and do some prep work right after I've brought groceries home for the week I will not only save time but I will save money.

How many times have you thrown some vegetable away because you forgot it was there, changed a menu item at the last minute, etc?  There are certain foods that you purchase that can not only be prepped for the week ahead but can be frozen to hold their freshness.  Another good resource is to have a list of items that are located in your freezer in case you loose something in there.

One tool I like to use is Ice Cube Trays.  Ice cube trays can be used for single serving baby foods, small amounts of condensed broth/stocks and so much more.  Once frozen they can be put in a container and placed in the freezer.



Onions - Any chopped/diced/sliced onion that you will be needing in your menu for the next week.  Not only that, but if you get a good price on some great onions, you can prep, package and freeze them for later use.  What I do is Chop/Dice the onions, spread them on a cookie sheet and freeze.  Once frozen I place them in a labeled container (with date) and you have individually frozen onions to use later in whatever amounts is needed for the recipe.

Celery -  Celery is another thing that is a time saver to have in your freezer, plus if you have trouble using it up before it goes bad you'll be saving $$$$ in the long run. Celery can be prepared like onions. Dice and freeze on baking sheet, then bag and freeze. Be sure you are freezing flat so your items will stack well and keep your freezer organized. The only thing I do differently here is that I freeze the tiny inner stalks and all the leaves for making bone broths seperately

Carrots - Another one of those ingredients that holds well for prepping.  Slice/Dice or do whatever your menu calls for, package and refrigerate.  You can also dice, slice, etc carrots and freeze as you did the onions or celery.

Bread Crumbs - This is another thing I like to have on hand.  Do you have some wonderful whole grain bread or gluten-free bread that is a few days old and threating to get fuzzy? Simply dice the bread and spread evening on a cookie sheet (one layer please). Place the cookie sheet in a 170 degree oven and bake until dry. The cubes can be processed in a blender for crumbs (Panko) or left in cubes. I like to keep them in sealed bags or containers in the freezer.

GARDEN BOUNTY

Nothing is better than freezing the bounty of the garden or protecting the purchases of organic veggies and fruits. Freezing takes minutes, but don't forget to freeze and label properly. 

We have lots of asparagus right now. Organic and wonderful for you! Don't loose it! Freeze it now for Creamy Asparagus Soup or Quiche later. Cut asparagus in 1 inch pieces. Bring water to boil in 2 quart sauce pan. Place 2 cups asparagus pieces in the boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Prepare a bowl of water with ice in it. At the end of the blanching time remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water until sufficently cold. Remove from water onto a kitchen towel and blot dry. Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen place in zipper bag, lay flat on a cookie sheet and freeze in your freezer. Once frozen the flat packages will stack well in your freezer.

Take Time To Smell The Roses

I woke up again in the middle of the night last night.  These sleepless hours in the night are 'normal' as we get older.....so I've been told.  As I worked on sleep I noticed my hands were clenched again.  Can you say STRESS?

I come from Pioneer and Immigrant stock.  The generations before me had to work hard and work hard they did.  I taught my children to work hard and often burned the candle at both ends and sometimes in the middle.  Chiropractors and Doctors all told me that I needed to relax a bit or I'd be shaving years off my life.  Listen?  No!  Of our children, one Bio son is exactly like me and one not so much.  One of my adopted daughters didn't get the message at all and the last one totally got the message inspite of it not coming naturally for her.  They say we should learn from each other and especially allow God to teach us through our children.

The son I need to learn the most from in this area is my second son.  Chris (a State Trooper) always felt we worked to hard.  Don't get me wrong, he's a hard worker and well sought after because of it, however he's learned the value of setting back and relaxing or just having a good time.

Now is the time to face the facts! I need to get some regular sleep!

While Quilting and Sewing can be relaxing I always take it to the level of stress by trying to be Super Woman and make more than I need to in an alloted time and turning it into a pressure situation.  Same with Gardening, Knitting or whatever I'm doing.  Not an easy thing for myself. 

I always think I can do more than I can.  Are you a list maker?  Have you seen my lists?  I can never get them done in a day and then I'm hard on myself for not getting it done.  SHEESH!  Relax Woman!

So I'm going to try to learn to relax......my family and friends have permission to remind me...............like it might do any good............but remind me anyway.  If you have any ideas for how I can accomplish this task I'll sure take a look at it.

Here's some of my thoughts:

• 20 minutes a day or more with God, my Father, in the Bible and Prayer
• 20 minutes a day or more in some kind of book (they say you should have two or three books going at a time)
• Going for a 20 minute walk every day
• 20 minutes a day just talking with my Husband

This is just under an hour and a half a day.  I'll keep you posted.  Maybe I'll be able to stop taking that high blood pressure medication, eh?

Monday This & That

Angel Food Cupcakes Again

If you saw my Thursdays Tea post you found three delicious Gluten Free recipes.  One was for Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes which was featured on Gluten-Free Wednesdays BLOG last week.  I had never thought that it would be possible to make Angel Food cake into cupcakes but it worked wonderfully and this was the best Gluten-Free Angel Food cake I've made yet.

With just the two of us at home there was plenty of cupcakes to go around and then some so I got some strawberries and sliced them up and served them over the cupcakes which made the perfect round two desert from this batch of cupcakes.

I served it up in my vintage Syracuse China bowls.  This china company makes dishes used by restaurants.  Anyone remember the year(s) this pattern was vogue?



Gluten-Free Lemon Poppyseed Madeleines

2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon grated fresh, organic lemon peel
Pinch salt
1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour mix (plus 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if needed)
1 3/4 cup melted butter, slightly cooled
Powdered sugar to dust Madeleines

Preheat oven o 375 degrees F

1. Generouly grease 2 standard madeleine pans with butter
2. Combine eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With electric mixer beat on high until creamy for about 4 minutes
3. Add vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon peel and salt, beat to combine.
4. Gradually add gluten-free flour mix and beat just unil combined.
5. Slowly drizzle melted butter into the mixture while beaing until combined.
6. Spoon batter into prepared Madeleine molds until almost to the top.
7. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until tops are puffed and golden brown.
8. Invert he pans ono wire ricks and give them a hard tap to remove the cookies/cakes from the molds.
9. Serve warm dusted with a bit of confecioners' sugar.

Welcome to the Avoiding April Showers Giveaway Event. This event is hosted by Put A Little Umbrella In Your Drink, My Mommy's World, Taking Time For Mommy and And The Little Ones Too.
The Avoiding April Showers Giveaway Event is now live!  A ton of great things to win!!!  Click this Link to see what Grandma Farmer is giving away!

Food Recalls
A Grandma Farmer Editorial

I thought it was about time for me to take a look at the recent food recalls.  I found it very interesting that of the 15 food related recalls by the FDA so far in 2012 10 of them were for misbranding or mislabeling of product ingredients especially of not informing consumers of Allergy ingredients.  A Chicken Sausage product was recalled because there were foriegn objects in the meat.  Interesting, I wonder what that was.  Three products were actually recalled because they contained ingredients that had not been submitted for inspection.  Several of the products were 'ready-to-eat' products and there were beef, chicken and egg products recalled for Listeria, E-coli and Samonella.

It was the most recent recall that interested me the most.  It was for pink slime.  Yep, the 'meat' with the pink fat filler that has been soaked in Ammonia so that it doesn't get contaminated with bad stuff.  Well, guess what?  April 11th there was a recall of this product, dubbed Pink Slime, due to..........drum roll...........E-Coli.

I went to Wikipedia and looked up Ammonia.  A long and scientifically complicated article ensued.  Skimming past the formulas I picked out information on how Ammonia is a gas, it gives us a streak free shine, can be combined with other chemicals for various effects including the possibility of explosion.  Finally I read that if a person consumes to much Ammonia or has to much Ammonia build up in their system that it can cause Liver Dysfunction among other things.  I also found that, "Ammonia even at dilute concentrations is highly toxic to aquatic animals, and for this reason it is classified as dangerous for the environment.

I just wonder why then the FDA thinks it's okay to approve the use of Ammonia in food........


  The Sweet Shop Talk

Now here's a place to spend some time, especially on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday...... when lots of creative BLOGGERS post their craft ideas.
http://www.thesweettalkshop.com/2012/04/sweettalkin-sunday-link-party-14.html

Actually it looks like Lisa has a virtual Craft Party just about every day of the week.  I could just spend hours there!!!

Not only is LISA creative with crafts she's the one who created my header on my blog and the two buttons I have.

Genealogy 101
Grandma Farmer is researching and writing a series for her new blog www.footstepsbehindme.blogspot.com.  If you are interested in Genealogy but don't know where to start or have done some genealogy but are stagnent OR just want to put some fun challenges into your hobby join us at FOOTSTEPS.  You don't have to be 'family' to have fun o this site.

Visit us:

Mondays:  Genealogy 101
Tuesdays:  Family Trivia Day
Wednesdays:  Picture Wednesday
Thurdays:  Coming --  Tombstone Thursday
Fridays:  Genealogy Challenge Day


COOKING SPRAY -  Possible Source of Gluten Contamination

My DIL @ http://ForHimandMyFamily.blogspot.com first posted this for my eyes.  Homemade Cooking Spray: In a spray bottle combine 1 part oil (I like grapeseed) and 5 parts water. Shake before sraying. Thank you @Nature's Nurture! http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/04/03/tiny-tip-tuesday-homemade-cooking-spray

  PLEASE make sure the bottle you use is food grade, we have enough of all those nasty plactic chemicals in our bodies.  Or better yet go here and purchase a container meant for this type of application.

Buy a bottle designed for this application here:
https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/3321/

Azure Standard is a GREAT company set up like a Food Coop!  We've been purchasing food and other things from them for well over a year.

Spending Time with God

"Many servants set out to serve God with great courage and with the right motives. But with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, they are soon defeated." Oswald Chambers

 

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
(2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)

"In the progression of the Christian life, that's the way it is. We are transformed into the likeness of Jesus by the Spirit of God. Sometimes we fall back into the rut of trying to change ourselves, and we end up frustrated. We forget that we can't change ourselves. You see, in the same way we submitted to the Lord in our initial salvation experience, we must daily submit to God. He will change us, and He will stretch us. Interestingly enough, we will never get to the point where God stops stretching us. In this life we'll never come to a place where we have finally arrived, where we can "retire" as Christians, and just kick back. The only true retirement plan God has for us is heaven!

We'll never be perfect until we get to heaven. But that's still our goal. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10-14:

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death...Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

So then, we must be changed on a daily basis. It may sound overly simplistic, but continuing change in the Christian life comes from spending time with God." excerpt from the booklet Spending Time With God, written by Pastor Danny Hodges of Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg in Florida

Can you not pray with me one hour?  Jesus was admonishing his disciples who had fallen asleep while He prayed.  Can we not read God's word (The Bible) and pray for just 20 minutes a day?

"I'm reminded of the story of a battleship cruising the Atlantic off the northern coast of Maine one stormy evening. The commander of the battleship was notified: "Sir, there's a light ahead. Oncoming vessel."

"Signal oncoming vessel," the commander responded, "Change your course ten degrees to the west."

The message was sent, but a light flashed back, "Change your course ten degrees to the east."

The commander barked, "Signal again. ‘Change your course ten degrees to the west. I am an admiral.'"

The light flashed back, "Change your course ten degrees to the east. I'm a seaman third class."

By this time the admiral was incensed as he thundered, "Signal again. ‘Change your course ten degrees to the west. I am a battleship.' "

And the message came back, "Change your course ten degrees to the east. I am a lighthouse!"

Someone once said that a fool is a person who keeps doing the same things, expecting different results. Unless we change our course in life, the results will be the same. God doesn't want us to run aground. He calls to us, "Come on! Change your course!"

Will you make it a priority to spend time with God? I pray He becomes a lighthouse in your life.

In closing, I believe these words I mentioned earlier bear repeating. I came across them years ago in my devotional reading, and they have never left me. Though the source of the quote now eludes me, the truth of its message has impacted and inspired me deeply.

"Fellowship with God
is the privilege of all,
and the unceasing experience
of but a few."
--Author Unknown

I long to be one of the few; I pray you do as well."
excerpt from the booklet Spending Time With God, written by Pastor Danny Hodges of Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg in Florida

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