Keeping it Real

Sometimes people assume that we are hard-core homesteaders.  Maybe because I write about gardening, livestock, simple living, food preservation and such.  We do have many interests and maybe could be considered modern-day homesteaders to some degree.  But honestly we are just as dependent of modern day technologies,  supermarkets &  grain stores as the neighbors.

Even though the gardens were not what they usually are we were still able to eat from them all summer long.  I picked the beans a few times before they grew as big as carrots, then the chickens & goats enjoyed them.  Maine Man made salads from his greens I think just about every day he worked for lunch.    Preserving was just not one of my priorities this summer.  Knowing that my time was limited I set small goals that I was able to maintain.

• I froze a couple gallons of spaghetti sauce & canned 20 quarts
• I froze a bunch of beets
• I have several heads of cabbage, I may attempt making sauerkraut
• I froze 20 lbs of blueberries that I picked up from a local gentleman
• We did put up some maple syrup this past Spring
• We have garlic for eating and for planting asap
• We have some onions, several squash & some pumpkins (not nearly as much as usual) for cold storage
• I dried a few herbs
• Goats milk I froze for winter soap making
• I have plans to freeze and/or can lots of apple cider and we are going to try making apple wine
• Eggs….I generally have no issues with supply unless swiper the fox pays a visit.
• By fall our freezers will be replenished with meat that we’ve raised or gathered.  We have Cornish Rock chicks that are a couple weeks old.  I’m hoping that my kids will each shoot a  deer (we are so close to running out of beef- we gave too much of it away ), pork we have plenty except ham & bacon which will also be restocked next month.
• Turkeys & honey  ….. I have a barter deal happening with that.  Some of my bees swarmed this Spring so once again, NO honey from my hive.
• Rabbit….just bartered some Muscovy ducks for a  4 lb rabbit and some tasty coffee.  We also have a couple meat rabbits around here we could eat if I can talk Flower Girl into it.  Have I mentioned lately, I LOVE to barter!

My point ….I have many things I am passionate about but I cannot do all of them all the time.  There are also many things I aspire to do:  quilt, pottery, trail run, write a book, travel,  but I constantly remind myself of my priorities at the present time.   I can only do what I can do….just keeping it real!