Chanterelle Mushrooms

Don't come home empty handed this hunting season. If you can't bring home a deer. Why not bring home some Chanterelles? Once you find a spot you'll know where to go the following year. Carefully cultivated they will grow back. Take a pocket knife and a plastic grocery sack. Cut the stem off at the ground.

There are several edible mushrooms native to our area. I am only familiar with the Chanterelle. My uncle told me the rule of thumb is to check the gills. Chanterelle's are open gilled, and orange/golden colored. There is another mushroom of the same color. It is closed gill however.

                    Cleaning Chanterelle Mushrooms

It is recommend to gently brush them clean.

I do however rinse them under cold running water.

    Methods of Storing them

I have seen my mother both freeze Chanterelles and dry them. They can also be canned and pickled.

1. Freezing~    It is as simple as placing them in ziplock bags and writing the date on it.  After cleaning, and slicing up the larger mushrooms blanch for roughly three-four minutes. After blanching place under cold running water. Then set out to drain and chill in the refridgerator. I prefer overnight. After draining they can be put into ziplock bags, or vacuum packed. I store 1 cup servings.
2. Canning~    After cleaning the mushrooms place into boiling water. Boil for five minutes. Pack hot mushrooms into hot jars. Add 1/4 tsp. of salt to each half pint jar. Pour boiling water over mushrooms leaving 1 inch head space. Place lids and rings on jars and process for 45 minutes at 10 pounds in a pressure cooker. This is according to the Blue Book.
3. Drying~     We use a food dehydrator. Dehydrate for roughly 12 hours. Store in a container with a lid.

Garden attempt number one

Have to say I got off to a great start on a garden this year. Honey rototilled me up a spot 30X50, and fenced it in to keep those larger, hairier, horned pest out. There isn't anything more sweet than a doe and fawn, but they sure wreck havoc on the attempts of the gardener. The warm February threw me off. The weakness of a green horn; over anxious. Oh, I worked my tail off hoeing, raking, and planting those Peas, Carrots, Green onions, Radishes, and I think lettuce. It was early Spring only to find that Mother Nature had something else in the works. The gosh darn coldest May, June, and July. Oh, I almost forgot August! Well, I might as well say the coldest gosh darn spring and summer I think ever recorded. I didn't hardly get a carrot worth eating. Didn't get a dang pea worth bragging about. Wouldn't have dared entered one of those pathetic green beans in the big ol' Pacific County fair. Seriously, I am rather embarrassed to even blog my garden attempt. I also planted my green beans to find that Mother Nature had bounds of rain, and cool weather planned. Needless to say they rotted. I had to replant. But all in all I have a better understatement of what I need to do for next year.

                                                                   Preparing my Garden

After reading, researching, and talking to those that have a little dirt in their sleeve. I decided to go for wide row planting rather than the more commonly seen row planting. Can't say if it was better or not cause I really didn't get anything to brag up.

Here are a few reasons that I found wide row planting attractive:

• 
  
  Less time weeding and cultivating. This is because the plants are spaced closer together
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  Saves time planting. Seeds don't have to be exactly placed. You can scatter them and thin later once they come up.
• 
  
  Water less. The plants keep more shade on the ground which in return means more moisture is retained.
• 
  
  Saves space. Example: If you planted a 30 foot row of carrots you can get the same amount of carrots from a 10 foot row 1 foot wide, or a 5 foot row 2 feet wide.

I used Heirloom open-pollinated seeds in hope that I may be able to save some for planting next year.

Here are a few basics I learned about seeds.

Heirloom: genetically diverse seeds passed on from generations. They also offer many different varieties compared to only a few that hybrid seeds offer. They are suited to grow organically and can meet natural environmental demands more suitable than hybrids. Even though they not produce the yields of the hybrids they are more likely to grow in a natural setting. These seeds are preserved by gardeners and can be planted the following year, and so on. If properly managed a backyard gardener wouldn't even have to buy seeds.

Hybrid: Were developed and engineered for high yields and to create the standard practice of buying seeds each season. They are mainly sterile. They have increased the use of herbicides because they require more management. They are not as adaptable to drought thus for require more watering. They are often treated as well.

I definitely agree that it takes more planning that what I realized. We couldn't take all the proper steps in preparing our garden plot because this was our first year here on the property. Honey removed the sod before rototilling to keep the grass from taking over. However, that may have also compromised soil nutrients. The grass can be rototilled in. This in turn adds nutrients into the soil.

Now that the gardening year is coming to a close for myself. I don't have the time this year with my days busy tending to three kiddos two and under to replant a second crop. It is possible to have two grow seasons of lettuce, carrots, and peas. Also Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts can grow through a winter I hear. I am going to continue my studies for next spring in natural pest control, mulching, crop covers, low tunnels, and cold frames. Ultimately I believe a green house to be the best option for our short Western Washington grow season. 

 I can't simply do everything in a year.This has been the most tiresome lesson of all with a new homestead. I have this vision, but don't have any damn patients. Everything takes time, but I hate waiting.

This fall I will prepare for a better fertilized start come this spring.

Though I have interest in planting a cover crop I think I am going to go with the trusted advice of my Honey's 97 year old Great-Aunt. She told me to fertilize the hell out of it this fall, then cover it with any old hay, or straw. Then come this spring rototill everything under.

Cover Crop: Is also referred to as green manure. It is an ancient practice that is coming back. Alfalfa is loaded with nitrogen. It makes an excellent cover crop. It is said that alfalfa can provide 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre. You would have to spread 1 ton of commercial fertilizer to have the same result. It can also be cut come spring to be used as mulch for a different part of the garden. Maybe for Potatoes? Rye Grass is also noted as a great cover crop.

Though I would rather fart in public than to say my garden was a success this year. We did enjoy some things. We have been eating zucchini like crazy, had more lettuce than we could eat, I have a few pumpkins, a couple ornamental squash, potatoes, and I have ears of corn maturing now. Most of all I can say it is something I love to do. I can remember loving it as a child and even as a teenager. I remember caring about these things when other's of the same age thought of it as weird, or boring. That is one advantage of growing old. The older you get the less you care what other's think about you. That's the thing I love about gardening. You have never learned it all. You are constantly learning new things and improving. A reflection of life.

                                 If one loses the passion to learn one might as well be dead.

The garden in June.

Gave up waiting for the rain to stop. Started corn under the fluorescent counter lights. Also in phto is pepper starts.

progress in mid July.

Iz watering onions. She really is a great help. She really enjoyed planting seeds and watering. I think she might take after her momma. She also really loves animals.

I don't have any photos of August. August got crazy for me, and I misplaced my camera in the diaper bag.





Screw you Suzie Homemaker

It ain't easy trying to be all domestic. I'll tell you a day don't go by that I don't burn something. I am giving it my best shot. This cooking thing. But it ain't always worth eating. And after all the effort put into it and to have it all go up into smoke right before your eyes is devastating. Last night I forgot and left the mashed potatoes on low. Burnt the pan. Today I made stroganoff to only do the same thing. I quickly scraped it out of the pan and put it in a nice serving dish. Thought my Honey might not notice as I filled the pan with soapy water that I  yet burnt another pan.

 I want to know how these women do it? You know the ones that even know how to set a table properly . Well, in my defense I do have an awful lot of distractions. Having to change a diaper, get one a snack, wipe up spilt milk, clean-up the cat food my toddler is eating, all the while nursing my clingy infant is in fact distracting. Not like I ever wanted my own cooking show anyway!

Healthier Meat Choices

Raising cows to butcher has been a part of my childhood. I never realized that someday I would come to appreciate it so much. I know what goes into my meat and in return we eat 100 % percent grass-fed beef that's all natural. There are many benefits to eating grass-fed beef. The meat is leaner, has more nutrients such as vitamin E, beta-carotene, and good fats such as omega-3.

The butchering of our cows generally take place in early fall after they have fattened up through the spring and summer. Just because you don't have the space to raise your own cow doesn't mean you can't get the end result, a freezer full of all natural goodness. Look into Locker beef.

Local Farmers sell cows all the time. All you have to do is start asking around. You can also find local farmers on Craigslist or in the newspaper classifieds. Even a city dweller can find a nearby suburban farm. You can go into halves with another family and purchase a cow ready to butcher. In that case your next step would be to contact a butcher. They will come and slaughter the cow and cut and wrap it. All you have to do is pick it up. There will be options as of how you want your cow cut up.  More roasts, steaks, stew meats, etc. Another option is to purchase locker beef from a local butcher.

A few cons of purchasing a locker package directly from a butcher: 

• You may not always know where the beef comes from
• You may not know the farm's practices (whether they are vaccinated, injected with hormones, cleanliness, etc.)
• It usually cost a few more pennies

Pros of purchasing a locker beef package:

• Less steps. You go to the butcher shop pick out the locker package that fits your needs
• Most butchers also provide the choice of 100% grass-fed or grain-fed

Also some farms offer locker packages themselves. Some do the butchering while others may simply eliminate the step for the customer. All you have to do is place your order with them, and pick it up.

Where to start your look:

Word of mouth

Newspaper

                   Local store bulletin boards

Craigslist

You will find that most folk around here have a well stashed freezer. Much of that is also obtained by hunting. Hunting is a huge part of small town life. It isn't uncommon that at least half the kids in third and  fourth grade have taken the gun safety course and hunt right along the side of mom and dad. That's right. Most moms around here hunt as well. To go out hunting is a date for the Honey and I. It is something we really enjoy doing together. However, I have never killed anything more than a grouse. And, I am not so sure I want to. Elk and deer meat, widely referred to as venison, is VERY lean and of course it is as natural as you can get. I have eaten elk and deer my entire life but didn't even know what venison was until like five years ago.


*My next post will have the cost details

Deciding Dirty Diapers, and Dishes were for me

Planning to be a stay at home mother for me was a four to five year process. When my oldest child was a year I quit my lumber mill job to be a stay at home momma. Honey and I both worked nights, and that wasn't working out. First attempt was a sad one.  We couldn't make it, and I couldn't stand it! I also felt I had to ask Honey for money. We were newly weds then. Ask me now about how I feel about spending OUR money... If you wanted a real honest answer ask my Honey.

                                                        In the Beginning
1. Give yourself enough time. Don't decide that within 2 months I am going to be a stay at home mom, and expect to have an unreasonable amount of things accomplished in that time. Be generous. If you don't have children yet, plan them. If you already have a child/children accept that it will take some sacrifice and hard work to get there.

2. Set your financial goals ( buy a home, car, boat, computer, etc.)
 Make sure you either save up for it and pay in full, or set out a plan to have it paid off by the time of your transition. Get the toys now. This way they will be paid for when your income is cut in half.

3. Don't ever pay interest. There are zero percent financing on almost everything these days. (unfortunately mortgages haven't jumped onto this boat just yet) If you have any balances transfer them to a zero percent card. You will be amazed as of how fast a debt gets paid off when you don't pay interest.
Weigh out the difference of buying used or new with no interest. Sometimes the new item will be less in the long run. However buying used is always the best deal when paying cash. A used vehicle is almost always ten grand less than the new one! Also if paying cash look at buying it in Oregon. NO TAX! This is an easy way of saving hundreds of dollars.

4. Refinance. Keep an eye on interest rates. A 30 yr. mortgage on 120,000.00 home at 5.875 percent interest has a monthly payment of 709.00, while a 30 yr. mortgage on a 120,000.00 home at 4.875 percent interest has a monthly payment of 635.00. A savings of 74.00 a month. That is enough to pay for a utility bill. Maybe your bi-monthly water bill, your cellphone??? And 74.00 a month savings at the end of a 30 yr. mortgage would save you 26,640.00.

5. What you buy be happy with it. You just can't keep upgrading things. When you buy it plan on keeping it. You will also have to learn to be okay with the idea of "not being able to afford it." Decide what you can live without, or look for it used, find a place that charges less, or try trading services. For example if you spend every three months 85.00 getting a haircut and highlights, decide if this is something you could live without. Even if you decide you still want to be a hot momma, a kit costs around 20.00 and a friend could do the highlights. Another option is to check into beauty schools. Some do haircuts for as little as 8.00.

These are a few ideas that I found useful. Cutting your income in half is pretty scary! But the reality of it is that it only affects your material life.


"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
~Henry David Thoreau

Momma Put on Yur' Overalls~ INTRODUCTION

That's me. A hardworking mom on a new adventure of being a stay at home momma. In today's world becoming a stay at home mom isn't easy. We are living in a time where the costs of everything is absurd. Newly married couples find that Lover's Lane comes with strings attached. Yep, that pretty little nest has a hefty mortgage. Becoming a stay at home mom isn't something one can do on a whim. It took some planning. But it is my dream to raise my family. When my husband and I decided to have children I accepted the role to become fully responsible for another human being. From that moment on, now as a mother, it is my job to take care of these little kidos. It is my job to grab a hold of motherhood, open up my arms to nature, and nurture my family with the branches of life. To teach them that life is of that which is real. Life is raw and we are meant to join it rather than fight it. Society goes against the laws of nature much, and I tell ya that flow of energy is an uphill climb. Let's let life be our teacher. When we follow the laws of nature we are in harmony. It's time to simplify.


"Be true to your work, your word, your friend." "It is never to late to give up your prejudices." Our life is full of detail. Simplify! Simplify! ~ Henry David Thoreau