Fabric Balls

We’ve had a lot of fun with these simple fabric balls.  I orignially made them when expecting our second baby…soft balls my son could roll to his baby sister.  Of couse, he and my husband immediately saw their potential as dodge balls!  So, in other words, they’re fun for all ages with multiple uses, easy to grab, don’t hurt when they hit you, and are a great way to use up little odds and ends of fabric.  The tutorial I found at The Purl Bee includes templates for 3 sizes and easy-to-follow directions (including  adding circles on the ends like beach balls.)

Storing Milk

We are a family of milk lovers, and though someday we’d love to own (or co-own) a dairy cow, until then we needed to address our need for milk (and yogurt) in our long term food storage.  I found an excellent comparison of various powdered milk products on the market at Food Storage and Survival and selected two products for purchase.  I bought a #10 can of each to try out before we bought a large quantity:

1) Nestle Nido, a powdered whole milk available in many Hispanic groceries and on Amazon.  At $14.84 for 3.52 lb container, it made 3 1/2 gallons at $4.24 a gallon.

2)  Provident Pantry’s Instant Nonfat Fortified Milk available at Emergency Essentials.  At $14.00 for a 2.65 lb container, making 3 gallons, it costs $4.67 a gallon plus shipping.

We also plan to purchase a brand of powdered milk available in our grocery stores at a lower cost.  Since we’re still able to purchase milk for less than $3.00/gallon (last year I only bought it when it was $2.00 or less), we will not be replacing our regular milk, but will pull these products into the rotation occasionally.  (We do also freeze milk–removing a little from each jug–when it can be bought a very good price.)

I purchased a FoodSaver last year through Craigslist, but was reluctant to purchase a jar sealer to go with it because the descriptions and photos made it unclear whether the sealer used regular canning lids or if one sealer was needed for each jar.  I’m very pleased to report that the vacuum sealer utilized regular canning lids, which can be opened and resealed repeatedly as long as they’re gently removed.  This allowed me to open and sample the powered milk, repackaging and sealing the contents in smaller portions for future use.  The Provident Pantry milk has not yet come in the mail, so I will update this post with a taste comparison at a later date.

What are your solutions for long-term milk storage?  Any tips to share or products to recommend?

This post was shared as part of Homestead Revival’s Preparedness Challenge.  Follow the link for many more ideas about becoming more prepared.

Craftoire

Clyde made this amazing craft cupboard (which we named the craftoire) during our first years of marriage.  It has its own light and work surface with space for tons of supplies at my fingertips.  I keep my sewing machine in the bottom drawer, which also has a suspened filing system.  There is also a shelf directly below the work surface for my portfolio, cutting mat, and larger paper.

Nature Hike

It’s amazing the number of educational objectives across the entire curriculum that can be addressed during a nature hike.  Not only is it a wonderful way to bond, relax, exercise, and enjoy the outdoors, but a myriad of concepts can be introduced, explored and reinforced through this daily routine.

To more intentionally incorporate learning opportunities into our hikes,  I made a list of early childhood objectives from our state’s Model Curriculum that could clearly be included during this time.  Sometimes we head out with a specific objective in mind, and other times I look for ways to weave in the content spontaneously.  Check out our list here:   Nature Hike Indicators

Make Your Own Board Books

I found these awesome blank board books at Romp and immediately had a million ideas for them.  One fun and simple project was a counting book starring my little guy.  I rounded up 10 sets of items, set up a couple of posing areas, and we were off.  After our photoshoot I added numbers and cropped the photos and printed them on photo paper.  I trimmed the photos, glued them to the book pages, and covered them with press-on lamination film.

Since then we’ve made a color book using favorite items and a bedtime routine book.  Now that my daughter is a toddler, I think I’ll pull together a book about all of her family members, and another featuring pictures of her, maybe a version of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. 

Elderberry Syrup

Every year I say I’m going to do it, but this year I finally made my own elderberry syrup!  I’ve long heard about the benefits of elderberries (otherwise known as sambucus) for boosting the immune system, treating the flu, even fighting cancer.*  Last winter we gave the kids store-bought syrup to support systems during cold and flu season.  This summer I finally went for it and made my own.

There are several elderberry shrubs growing near our home and they are ready around the same time as the blackberries.  I thought they would be difficult to harvest because they’re so small, but it turns out to be a fairly easy job:  just pick off them off by the cluster, then comb your fingers through the clusters and most will fall off easily.  Remove any stems, unripe or overripe berries and you’re ready to go.

Eaten raw they’re pretty bitter, but both of my kids had quite a few tastes as we were processing them.  However, I’ve read that eating too many raw elderberries can cause an upset stomach, so we didn’t let them overdo it.

I followed a recipe by Rosemary Gladstar that I found at 5 Orange Potatoes.  Basically you boil then simmer the berries, press, strain and add honey (check out the link for the full recipe).  The berries smell amazing as they’re cooking-sort of like blackberries but with a slight floral scent.  I tried using half the honey and the flavor/sweetness already seemed strong enough to me.  Some recipes call for sugar but white sugar is supposed to suppress the immune system, so that seemed counter-productive.  I was able to get 2 cups from the recipe for the cost of a half-cup of honey (the store brand of elderberry syrup sells 1 cup for about $13.00.)  I wouldn’t consider this syrup recipe to be something I’d want to pour over pancakes, but my kids and I would gladly take it in small amounts as a supplement.  I froze the syrup in 1/4 pint jars.

I’d like to try my hand at elderberry jam as another way to preserve and consume the berries during the winter months.  I’d also like to try combining elderberry juice with grape juice as a sweetener.  I think it might be a better complement for the berry flavor.  Anybody have a favorite elderberry recipe to share?

*Disclaimer:  I am not a health care professional or trained herbalist and am not qualified to give medical advice.

Plantain Cubes

Plantain is one of those highly-useful herbs commonly considered a weed.  Once I learned to recognize it, I started seeing it everywhere, which is great because it is SO useful.  The leaves can be chewed or otherwise pulvarized and applied to all manner of stings, bites and rashes.

So far this summer, I’ve applied it to my daughter’s wasp sting, my husband’s snake bite, and my nettle welts.  We were all amazed at how quickly and effectively it eased pain and reduced inflamation.  (Disclaimer:  I am not a medical professional, trained herbalist or in any way qualified to provide medical advice.  To learn more about plantain, visit Bulk Herb Store.)

Our backyard happens to be full of plantain.  We had gotten behind on our mowing and so I decided it was a perfect time to harvest some leaves to try out an idea I had:  plantain ice cubes.  It seemed like a great soothing combination and something I could quickly try until I had the time and ingredients to make plantain into a salve or tincture.  Here’s what we did:

First we picked a quantity of nice, healthy leaves and washed them.  Then we packed them in our blender with just enough water to blend.

We poured this mixture into ice cube trays, filling them about halfway full (you don’t usually need that much a time.)  Once frozen, we popped them into freezer bags for storage.  I’m thinking that once they’ve melted the plantain can be used to make a poultice if extended treatment is needed.

Anybody ever tried this before?  Do you a great plantain salve or tincture recipe to share?  What are your favorite go-to herbs?

This link is part of the Homestead Barn Hop at Homestead Revival.  Follow this link for more great homesteady inspiration!

Pantry-Building Resources

There seem to be two main camps when it comes to long-term food storage.  One approach involves setting aside a quantity of food and supplies for emergency purposes and leaving it untouched for a year or more.  Wendy DeWitt offers a plan for this approach in her book Everything Under the Sun.  In the other approach, supplies are rotated through regular use, a method I first learned about from Donna Miller at Grain Storehouse who describes it as a long-term workable pantry.  While there are advantages to the first method (more cut-and-dry, less regular inventory to worry about) and there are times that I do implement this method (emergency car kits and bug-out bags) I’ve found the second to be a better fit for my preferences and purposes.

Advantages of the Long-Term Workable Pantry
- fresher ingredients due to more frequent rotation
- greater familiarity preparing and eating pantry items
- more compatible with the use of real foods with less preservatives

Helpful Sites  Here are some of the many excellent websites that have helped me in developing my long-term workable pantry:
- Kitchen Stewardship
- Miller’s Grainhouse
- Simply Living Smart

Podcasts  I find audio is easier to integrate into my day than lots of hours in front of the computer, so for me podcasts have been even more helpful as I’ve been trying to assimilate information about building a long-term workable pantry.   The podcasts below can all be found on iTunes and many also cover other subjects of interest to preppers and homesteaders:
- Nature’s Harmony Farm
- New Life on a Homestead
- Preparedness Radio Network (especially “Your Preparation Station” program)
- Stumbling Homestead
- Harvest Eating
- Survival Podcast

Our Preparedness Journey

What’s prepping?  Although we’ve long had an interest in many of the skills and topics  that fall under the category of prepping (gardening, hunting, cooking from scratch, etc.), it’s been less than a year since my husband and I were introduced to the term and set out to intentionally develop skills and accumulate supplies that would help us become more self-reliant and better prepared.

Prepared for what?  What first came to mind when I thought about “emergency preparedness” were large-scale events like hurricanes, pandemics or terrorist attacks.  While  natural and man-made crises are definitely important reasons to be prepared, I’ve learned that more personal concerns like job loss, sickness, local power outages, and even positive events (like the birth of a child) can also create a need for preparation .  I’ve also found that being more prepared makes everyday life run more smoothly.  It’s always helpful to have a house stocked with groceries and essentials, and buying items in bulk or stockpiling with coupons means that we are always getting our groceries at the best possible prices. Developing the skills of preparedness–cooking from scratch, first aid training, fishing, hunting, herbal medicine, wildcrafting, gardening, etc–is very empowering, has helped us live a healthier lifestyle, and has given our family a lot of fun experiences and mutual interests.

Where to begin?  Actually setting about to get prepared can be a daunting task.  I immediately had dozens of to-do, to-buy, and to-learn lists in my mind, and I continue to feel overwhelmed at times.  Of course, nobody can ever be completely prepared for every possible situation, and there are some situations for which we can’t prepare at all.  I guess it’s just important to remember that it’s a journey so I’m trying to set small goals and keep working away at it.

What’s my motivation?  One important thing I keep coming back to is the heart and purpose behind my prepping.  I can easily be motived by fear of the potential dangers and uncertainties in this world.   Fear can prompt me to be controlling, attempting to manage my life and family in such a way as to prevent any bad thing from ever happening.  Although fear can have value in getting my attention and moving me to take action, I don’t want it to be the reason for what I do.  I know that fear (and the related desire to take control) are indicators that I need to call on God, rest in His provision and protection, and seek His leading.  I believe that God is leading our family to be prepared, and that that leading is part of His provision.  I believe that He intends our preparations to be part of the resposbilities He gave us in managing our household well, and that He intends us to use this part of our life as a ministry–to encourage and assists others in their preparations, and to offer help and hope in times of need.

The journey continues!  I look forward to sharing our preparedness journey through this blog and hope that I can offer some helpful resources and ideas for others in the process.  I also look forward to learning from all of you who are on this journey as well!

E’s Birth Story

MY JOURNEY TO HOMEBIRTH

I was seven months pregnant and had cumulatively spent less than three hours thinking about giving birth.  In my first trimester I’d perused some of the last chapters of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, read some troubling snippets about epidurals, episiotomies and enemas, and decided to focus my attention on “lighter” subjects like fetal development and nursery themes.

Several months later I sat across from my friend B in the same home where I’d witnessed the incredible birth of her son less than a year before.  She was asking me some pretty direct questions regarding my feelings and plans about birth, and I really didn’t have much to say.  She reminded me, “Mendy, you ARE going to have this baby, you know.”

I cried all the way home.  Thoughts of childbirth only filled me with dread.  B’s serene home birth had been one of the most incredible events I’d ever witnessed.  Why would I not want the same thing for my baby?  I had chosen to have a hospital birth with a certified nurse midwife thinking it would be the best of both worlds, but I just couldn’t feel peaceful about it.  I remembered how instantly comfortable I had felt with B’s midwife, K, and how impressed I’d been by the way she interacted with B as she labored.  I knew they had a special relationship and lengthy appointments leading up to the birth.  Though my experiences at the women’s health center had been positive, I’d probably seen my midwife a whole 20 minutes.

I decided to get busy working on my birth plan.  As B had pointed out, having a hospital birth would mean that I would need to be assertive and stand up for what I wanted in terms of procedures and interventions—especially in a hospital with a 25% cesarean rate.  Up to this time, I hadn’t really even bothered to learn about these choices and possibilities.  I found some sample birth plans online and as I began to go through the options a pattern began to emerge:  basically, I wanted to turn down just about every procedure the hospital had to offer while at the same time, requesting accommodations that might not be permitted.  As I learned about the comfort measures that promoted natural childbirth—and how important it was to be in a place where I’d feel safe and relaxed—it became obvious that a home birth was definitely the best choice for me.  I shared what I’d learned with my husband, Clyde, who let me know that he’d support whatever choice I made.  I contacted K and was overjoyed to learn that she would be able to be our midwife!

We met with K and her apprentice and we began to prepare for our home birth.  They spent so much time with us, answering our questions, giving guidance about nutrition and fitness, monitoring my health and the baby’s progress.  It was obvious that they really cared and were invested in us.

They recommended that Clyde and I take a childbirth class geared specifically for homebirthers.  This was a wonderful experience, especially for Clyde.  Although I’d been sharing highlights from books I’d been reading, this class really helped him know what to expect and how he could help, even how to catch the baby himself, if needed or desired.  I was encouraged and empowered as we learned about the stages of labor and birth and the different strategies that could help throughout the process.

THE BIG DAY

My water broke around 3 in the morning.  I took a shower and tried to follow the early labor advice I’d received from my childbirth class—try to ignore labor as long as you can and GO TO BED!  I slept until around 5 when I woke Clyde to tell him I didn’t think he’d be going to work that morning.  Amidst mild contractions we remade the bed and started hauling out supplies.  I called our birth team while Clyde made me a comfy spot on the couch and started putting the birth tub together.   K reminded me to “think marathon” (first-time moms often have lengthy labors) and encouraged me to rest.  By 6 the contractions began requiring my full attention.  I tried lying on my side on the couch, then all fours on the floor, leaning over an exercise ball, but about the only thing that seemed to bring relief was Clyde massaging and putting pressure on my lower back.  This was a challenge because he was also busy filling up the tub (we’d opted for a water birth) and had discovered that we’d already maxed out the hot water tank.  While Clyde continued boiling water and rubbing my back, I called for reinforcements and my dad came by to take over water hauling duties.

My contractions were feeling pretty intense and though I knew their frequency and duration was speeding up, I was afraid that I still had a long way to go and hoped I’d be able to handle it.  I was a noisy laborer, and when K’s apprentice called to check on us the intensity of my moans in the background let her know she’d better come on over.  When she arrived around 9 I was 7 cm dilated and was finally able to get in the tub.  The warm water felt great on my back and I felt more relief as I was able to move my hips more easily with the water supporting me.

B and K arrived soon afterward.  B made sure I kept hydrated and began praying for and coaching me to help my breathing and moaning relaxed and productive.  K and her apprentice prepared the supplies for the birth and monitored my progress and the baby’s heart rate.  I must have been pretty encouraged by the arrival of our wonderful support team, because I don’t really remember going through a dramatic transition experience.  I got out of the water so that K could check me, but was glad to get back in quickly because it definitely was making a difference in my perception of pain.  Clyde got in with me and continued to put pressure on my back.  Around 10:30 I was able to begin pushing.  I’m not sure what I had thought “pushing” meant, but was somehow surprised to find out that it really meant PUSHING!  (I think I thought my body would do it for me in some involuntary way, but it turns out that it really means “bear down so hard you see stars.”)  It was hard work, but I knew that I was the only one who could push my baby out, so I PUSHED (with no tearing even though he was born with his hand up beside his face)!  In less than 2 ½ hours, we held our beautiful baby boy in our arms.

Clyde and I were able to take all of the time we needed to just be amazed by this little person—to meet and touch and make eye contact and hold him close, while K almost imperceptibly assisted and monitored as needed.  He was alert and calm and a champion eater from the start.  It was great to enjoy our first moments and days with our son in the privacy and comfort of our own home surrounded by close friends and family.

I am thankful for the journey to homebirth that required me to take personal responsibility for my family in a much deeper way and for the opportunity to have a natural birth.  Both of these experiences have been invaluable in preparing and empowering me for the many challenges, decisions and responsibilities of motherhood.  Our choice to birth at home required much more from Clyde as well and my love, respect and connection with him deepened through this experience.  I am unspeakably grateful for the beautiful and peaceful way in which we were able to welcome our son into the world.  It’s wonderful to be able to personally testify that birth can truly be a serene and sacred event.