Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Buy it Bulk....

This year I have tried to eat more locally grown food. Farmer markets' is part of our Saturday morning routine, only stopping during the winter months. Leaving us eager for spring. I try to plan through out the spring, summer and fall to stock up and can food to eat during the winter months.

On my quest to be local, I wanted to do something big.... I baked all the time and started baking loaves of bread every other weekend, freezing one of the loaves for the following week. So of course the searching for local flour would be ideal. I found some online, but didn't want to have to pay for shipping. 



Luckily, we have a sweet gem of a store called "The Root Cellar". This store sells produce, dairy, meats and grains from surrounding areas. You can visit their website at www.louisvillerootcellar.com. And after searching through their site, I discovered a FLOUR. They sell flour in small bags, but what caught my eye was the 25 Pound Bag!!




This bag of Kentucky Proud flour costs me $16.00, divide that our each pound of flour cost .64 cents. Now how can you beat that..... So I'm sure the first thing popping in your mind is where can I keep all that flour. I personally use a bucket for HomeDepot. After trial and error, I now put the flour in to a garbage bag in the bucket. This keeps the flour from drying out the lid.

Now depending on the baking needs for the family a 25 pound bag will last me about 2 months. Here lately only a month, thanks to the holiday goodness. I use this flour for everything from pizza dough to cookies to white bread. And this weekend it included Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread. Yummy!!



So I would like to encourage everyone to shop and eat local. And don't be afraid of the big bag of flour.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Extending my season...... green house


I have also got and constructed a greenhouse, which we located on our back deck. It is 6’ x 4’ by 7’ tall, there is a shelving unit on one side while the other side is left open. 

I spend one evening gathering all of my pots, getting them filled with dirt and placed inside. The following evening I went out and planted my seeds, including the following: lettuce, spinach, broccoli and potatoes. I move my current planter of celery and carrots in there to continue their growth.

Celery and carrots

Every day you can see the moisture built up on the walls. My little one likes zipping the zippers up and down on the door and running around the outside. It’d been about a month now and the plants inside are doing well. Only time will time if the plants will grow and produce a harvest.


I have great hope for my broccoli plants.

lettuce

spinach
Lettuce and spinach seemed like a great fit for growing in pots. I also attempted to grow potatoes.


The above potato plants seemed to do well and seen above, however as temperatures dropped they all died. So lesson learned, stick to potatoes in the spring through fall. With the death of these plants, I decided to dig them out and plant something new. So I planted more lettuce and spinach because who wouldn't love a fresh salad in the middle of winter.... I know I would. Now lets see how my plants will grow.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Extending my growing season.... Hoop Houses


Mid September, I was busy pulling the last of tomato and pepper plants. Clearing the area for the fall garden to be planted. This year I’m planting green beans, broccoli, carrots, greens, spinach, and lettuce.


Greens 
Garlic for next year

Broccoli


collard greens

lettuce

Rabbits have been an issue, so I’ve covered the plants with chicken wire.

As the first projected frost was anticipated, I need to get the hoop house constructed. We bought some tubing from the hardware store and 6mil plastic. Since my raised beds are not very wide, I was also able to use hula hoops. Hoops and tubing was cut in half, then my hubby screwed them into the inner corner of the raised beds. Then we cut the plastic long enough to cover the beds with excess to close off the ends. Then we simply placed bricks, rocks and broken stepping stones we have around on our property.







On one strip of three beds we cut one long piece of plastic. JP then partially screwed in screws and the top of the tube and into the top of the two corners. Now we can use these to slip the plastic on and off as needed.

Now I can easily uncover the raised beds for watering and warm days. Then fairly quickly get them covered and kept from frost during the night.

I leave you with my evening harvest of lettuce for a dinner salad tonight.



Monday, November 26, 2012

My Fairy Tale Weekend


My future bakers' in the making



**Floured**


Black Friday Brunch with Family


Tree Decorated with ornaments old and new


Stocking hung with care
Advent Calendar


Playing with numbered bean bags



Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Foraging....


The act of looking or searching from food or provisions (noun)
To wander in search of food or previsions (verb)

I did a little foraging this fall; we have black walnut trees on our property. Every fall as the leaves slowly drift to the ground, you hear a soft boom. And green sphere, about the size of a tennis ball, hits the ground.

Last year I attempted to collect and harvest the walnuts out of the hull, but I got part of the way then forgot all about them. This year my parents asked me to collect them several grocery plastic bags full for them. They have retired and have the time to carry out the process. So I collected and collected, surprised how many there were with squirrels all around. After I collected their bags, I kept collecting and asked with they would mind harvesting some for me. In their agreement, I started to collect more about three bags for me. As I passed off the last of the bags, my mom looked back and said it be about a month. I replied, “no problem. I’ve got time.”


A little over a month later, my mom delivered about a ½ a pound of walnuts. And then a few weeks later I got  another bag, this time about a pound. Now I just need to think of all the things to make and use them up. Until then they will sit chilling in the fridge until I’m ready.


Pears, a yummy fall fruit…..but what makes them better is when they are free.


My parents in passing mentioned that in their neighborhood was a couple who had pear trees, but never collected the fruit. They would pass by on their walk and see all the pears laying on the ground, left to rot. So I asked if they would mind asking it they would take some pears. A few days later I get a text saying that they would drop off the pears they collected. When I got home a robust bag of pears sat on the front porch.

That weekend, pears with peeled and cored. The first of the pears were sliced and laid on a rack where then spent the whole day dehydrating.
 
The others were peeled, chopped and cooked in water along with second hand apples from the farmers market.
 
Together they blended into my pearapplesauce….very yummy. Seasoned with honey, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then poured into hot jars to be canned, waiting on the shelf during the cold months ahead.
 
The dried pears are the best, sweet little natural candies. I split the bag with my parents. They are fantastic on granola cereal!!!

Monday, November 19, 2012

My Fairy Tale Weekend

Trying the Hedge Apple at the door to keep spiders out.....we'll see.


Cinnimon rolls in waffle maker....yum

Crazy after nap hair




A hula hoop contest




Playing with pots and pans