Can you eat cauliflower leaves? Are broccoli leaves edible? These are questions I found myself asking a friend. I knew you *could* eat a cauliflower leaf but did it really taste good? I’m sure I’m not the only one who wonders these things. Whenever my friend from Kenya comes over she reminds me of how many …
This year Esther and I are reading The Little House series for her main school curriculum. I’ve read through the series twice with the older children and I’m excited to share these rich books with Esther. What I don’t remember from my readings a few years ago is being so affected by Ma Inglalls – …
For the past few weeks there have been a lot whisperings and shutting doors in our home. It happens every year as we realize that if we’re going to make the handmade gifts we’ve been “thinking” about all year, we’d better get on it. Every year we say we’re going to start our gift making during …
Earlier this year I wrote a post about how I struggle with the excess of our society and how our decision to live a simple lifestyle has enabled us to be able to give to those who are in need, both locally and internationally. This is an ongoing struggle for me and probably will always …
A few years ago we tried to make bath bombs and let’s just say they were one of my more epic DIY fails. We had fun, but they didn’t work the way Martha said they would. The problem was you had to add water to them to get them to stick together and the water …
When my big kids were little we used to use something we called “nose medicine” when we were stuffy, most people call it Vicks® Vapor Rub. It works great, but we decided to stop using it for a several reasons. Now, I make homemade vapor rub salve for our family using essential oils, carrier oils, …
Have I ever mentioned that I have a son who doesn’t eat sugar? Well, I do and it’s a good thing….usually. He will eat fruit and will put honey in his oatmeal and have maple syrup or dewberry preserves on his pancakes but for the most part he’s sugar free. Occasionally though it throws this …
I was first introduced to foraging (finding wild edible plants) by my husband who happens to be an Eagle Scout. Early in our marriage he found a an empty field that used to have a nursery on it and it was full of blackberry brambles. Carl loves to explore and every where we have lived …
In fusing herbs in oils is such a great way to add flavor, scent, color and health benefits to oils. I’ve been making infused oils for quite some time and thought I’d share with you my no-fuss way of infusing the oil. But first let’s chat about why you would even want to infuse oil. …
Seed tape is fantastic for direct sowing small seeds into the garden. Of course, you can buy seed tape but it’s much more expensive than just a packet of regular seeds. Fortunately, it’s super easy to make your own seed tape at home. The best part is, you probably already have all the things you …
It is almost apple season and my family is so excited. While I will buy apples out of season for eating fresh, I won’t buy them out of season for anything else. Apples make a great snack on the go or to pack in a lunch so I buy the year round. I like preserving apples …
Water bath canning is used to preserve high acid foods by putting filled jars in a “bath” of boiling water. It’s a fantastic way to fill your pantry with jams, jellies, pickles and condiments. Hot water bath canning is usually the first canning someone does, and for good reason. With water bath canning you don’t …
My family loves trail mix but it can be super pricey. And while it is certainly a better snack than most packaged foods I know I can make it healthier and cheaper than anything I can buy already made. For my older kids, I like to add dark chocolate espresso beans to the mix. Here’s …
We got seven peaches off our peach tree this year. Oh my, they were so very good! But obviously, with only seven we just ate them and didn’t even think about preserving them. So, I did what I do every year. I purchased peaches so I could actually preserve peaches for the rest of the …
I know, who can think of soups, especially heavy soups like chili in this heat? I do. In fact, every summer I spend a couple of days canning chili con carne and beef (or venison) stew for the winter. Why? Because it helps me feed the family home cooked meals even during the busy school …
Last week Esther and I spend some time making body powder for our family. It was such a fun project and we wrote up the recipe and shared it here. But what’s body powder without powder puffs? So, we made some powder puffs. This is a great beginning sewing project. It took us less than an …
Goodness, it’s hot around these parts! Probably not any hotter than any other June but since we’ve switched from antiperspirant to deodorant I notice the effects of the heat much more. So, Esther and I decided that everyone needed some body powder to help keep us all feeling fresh. So, we made some. I’ve made …
Pressure canning is how you can stock your pantry with shelf stable low acid foods, such as vegetables, meats, legumes and even meals in jars. While it can seem intimidating at first, learning how to use a pressure canner is actually quite easy. It’s funny how when people find out that you pressure can food, …
Yep, I’m aware that those are NOT dandelions on the strawberry dandelion cake. Dandelions are hard to find around here so we decorated with nasturtiums instead. But the flavored syrup is made with dandelions. This cake is bursting with strawberry flavor and the subtle honey-like sweetness of dandelion syrup. This is a no-too-sweet cake which …
Simple living is all the rage right now. Of course, everyone’s definition of simple living is a little different as it should be but one common thread I often hear, is how living simply can change the world. I honestly don’t think that my choice to live a simple life impacts people outside my family…unless …