"A Handcrafted Experience"

In my last post I told you about a wonderful homestead video collection that I have been watching.  I hope that you will take the time to visit this site take a look at their new E-magazine.
I want to post a picture of their drying rack.  Since we are trying to cut our experiences where ever we can, like using the dryer less.  I have been wanting a cloths line and have not got one and don't really have a good place to put one.  But this nice drying rack would fit nicely out on our back patio or in the laundry room in the winter.  What I like about it is that it seems so much more sturdy then some of the the other racks that I have seen.

 

"A Handcrafted Experience"

The Difference:
These drying racks are handcrafted to last a life time.
The Homestead Drying Rack is more expensive than most drying racks -
but when you understand the difference in the way it's built you'll understand why.
 Our drying racks provide optimal air-flow. 
The "V" design allows for this as does the sheer room for clothes.
Unlike the accordion style drying racks, our drying racks allow a person to dry extra large loads, sheets, blankets, rugs, and any other drying needs you have.
 See laundry drying racks

I ordered one and will let you know how I like it.
 My son has been really sick with the flu and I am really worried about Sarah getting sick with it but after talking to my NP they told me that she won't get it if she is on elderberry.  We will see!  I have had her on it all winter and she has not even gotten a cold I hope that it will work as well for the flu... Needless to say I rushed right up to the herb cabinet and took a good dose of elderberry myself!  I hate being sick after all what mom has time for that!  I really want to make sure I harvest a lot of elderberry this fall so I can make my own syrup. 

Canning Rhubarb

I am so proud of myself, I canned rhubarb yesterday!  I have canned in the past but it has always scared me you hear stories about families dying from eating food that had not been cooked properly.  So I would always try the food first before letting my family try it.  But my mom canned for years and her mom canned and we always ate good and enjoyed the wonderful bounty that mom worked so hard to lay aside.  If you have not watched the videos called "Homesteading for Beginners" This lady has inspired me to be brave and start canning... She cans everything and it is so much fun to watch her make a quick meal for her family with everything she has canned. I would encourage get these videos.  I bought mine off amazon.com but you can also get them from Homestead Drying Racks - Homestead Store There is also a lot of other helpful hints and ideas on this site.
I picked my rhubarb yesterday morning and got back to the house and cleaned it but did not have any idea on how to can it.  So after sometime spent on Google I was able to find instructions on how to can my rhubarb and some very yummy recipes to follow.  Sense this was my first batch I decided to use the recipe that I found at Sense of Home Kitchen  The recipe looked simple and that is what I needed for my first time.  Rhubarb calls for lots of sugar and we are trying to get away from that so again I went back to Google and found this wonderful site that converted the use of sugar to other products such as honey, Agave, Stevia and Splenda.Canning with Sweetners Other then Sugar Canning with Sweetenrs Other then Sugar and Canning Homemade.  I decided to use the Agave Nectar.  After cooking the rhubarb down and adding the cinnamon I had to test it out before I put it in the jars to can.  Mmmmm I have never had cinnamon in my rhubarb before and it was good the Agave worked great.  I went to bed last night listening to the pop, pop of the lids on my first of the season garden produce.  I smiled to myself thinking about how much my family will enjoy the fruits of my labor this winter.

Toilet Paper Rolls for Seed Starting... How they worked

Sorry I have not posted in awhile but with the end of school coming up things have gotten way to busy.  I am still trying to work on simplifying but.... Here we go again I just have a terrible time saying no to things and just stay way to busy outside my simplifying project.
I started some of my seeds in the recycled cardboard toilet paper rolls.  (See: Do It Yourself) It was a little time consuming getting them ready but this is something that I should plan on doing as I get a few rolls and then just store them already finished with the bottoms folded in. I really liked how they worked, I filled each roll with a mixture of peat moss and worm castings and placed the rolls in a plastic garden seed starting tray.  The card board did a nice job wicking up the water keeping the soil nice and moist. When I was ready to plant them I just unfolded the bottom so that the little roots could go out the bottom.  I have since found another way of doing it that would be less work and might try it next time see the video (Starting seeds using toilet paper rolls).  The only thing that I am not sure would work with doing them they way she shows is that I use worm castings with peat moss and I don't know how well it would stay in the roll with out the bottom.
I have bought a couple very helpful videos on homesteading that I want to share with you later when I have some time to give you a review.
Until next time,
K.I.S.S.
 Keep it simple sisters