December 28, 2018

Good Afternoon:

My Turkey Stock pressure canned yesterday afternoon turned out beautifully!  Look at the gorgeous, rich colour! 

Pressure Canned Turkey Stock

One of the things that Papa & I love so much about homesteading is producing our own food.  We grow our own beef, chickens [for meat as well as eggs] have 2 large gardens, a greenhouse and 2 orchards ~ one being the trees along our driveway.  We have always dreamed of living a self-sustaining lifestyle and are pleased with our efforts so far.  I still purchase baking items like flour, sugar, yeast, etc as well as our dairy.  We have talked about getting a cow, but we just wouldn't be able to consume the milk produced or the products made from the milk.  We have considered getting a nanny goat as this would be a more reasonable amount for us, but we still couldn't make butter or hard cheese from the goat's milk.  I would, however, love to be able to purchase raw milk to make my own butter, cream, soft cheeses and yogourt from, but this is not something that is available to us in Alberta.  If I want it fresh and raw, we are going to have to produce our own.  Perhaps this may become an opportunity in the future at some point.  Papa has a source for wheat that I mill into my own whole wheat flour to bake with.  It makes the lightest, most divine Honey Whole Wheat Bread.

Our Farm grown chicken, veggies and herbs.  Yum.

Wheat before and after milling into flour.

Farm Fresh Eggs and Preserves

To us, it is quite enjoyable and very satisfying knowing that 85% of what we consume comes from our land and our hands.  Very fulfilling, indeed.  We know it is not for everyone, but we prefer puttering away at home over pretty much everything else.  It is very long and hard work for 3-4 months, but for the rest of the year, meals are pretty simple.  I either grab something from the freezer, the root cellar or a jar of something from the cold cellar.  We don't have much in the way of fresh veggies in the winter, but to be very honest, we don't actually like what is available for purchase.  After eating a just picked tomato or cucumber or peas, pulling a fresh carrot or digging up a beet or potato, really ruins you for "fresh" veggies when you have to purchase them.  I can hardly stand the taste and texture of lettuce from the grocery store, tomatoes have no taste and half the time the cucumbers and peppers are already old tasting by the time I bring them home. So, we have decided that we won't waste our time and effort to get "fresh" produce when my canned and frozen is superior.  We eat so much fresh produce from April to November that we are okay with waiting until the spring so we can have our own again.  This also goes for meat.  We so prefer our own product, that we will do without before we purchase something over the counter.  I guess we have become very accustom to how things are "supposed to taste" that we can't be bothered with commercially grown or prepared food!  Who would have ever guessed that we would become Foodies!?!  But we don't mind the work and are willing to wait for the results.

In the winter, I get to spend quite a bit of time out in my studio, reading, looking at patterns, designing, creating, quilting.  I love to come out here to watch YouTube videos, listen to CBC Tempo and work on my writing.  I find it a lovely change of pace.  In the evening, if we are in the house, I am often knitting or hand quilting something.  Last winter I hand quilted a King Sized Double Wool Batted quilt for our bed.  It was warm and cozy to work under.  This year I am knitting lots and lots of wool socks!  It takes a few evenings to make a pair, but it is a relaxing pastime.  And I really love the results.  They are soft and cozy and wear and last so well.  

Hand knit cozy wool socks

105" x 105" hand quilted with a double wool batting 

Enjoy your day!  Thanks for stopping by.

Warmest Regards,

Gremlynn