The Front Porch - At Home with Kris - we want to hear from you!

Feb. 1, 2008

At Home with Kris - we want to hear from you!

Morning Everybody!

It's been a bit traumatic in our household so far today as one of our cats decided to join my daughter on the treadmill (he was trying to walk across it or something - we still aren't sure) and he got his back foot stuck. Luckily, after a few minutes of panicking (I probably would NEVER make it as a true homesteader - LOL!), we got this metal cutting tool my husband has and cut into the plastic piece that was making his foot stuck and he jumped out and ran upstairs. We have taken him to the vet for x-rays as he doesn't want to put any pressure on that back foot much, although he was walking around on it afterwards. We're pretty sure he's ok, but will know more this afternoon.

So, now that things have calmed down a bit, it's time to post this entry. First off, I'd like to say a big WELCOME! to all of the new bloggers who have joined us in January. Almost 150 new bloggers have opened up blogs here - WOW! I really do try to welcome everyone and I am a bit behind on that as I haven't checked the blogs this week. So, from now on, I'm going to post the links to the new blogs here each Friday so MANY of us can hop on over and welcome them to our community. EVERYONE is welcome to blog here, whether you have a large farm, a couple of acres or just a desire to live a simpler lifestyle. But, until next Friday when I can post the links to the new bloggers, check out the Memberlist, sort it by sign-up date and welcome some of our new friends!

There is such a variety of blogs here in this community and the Front Porch Team would like to know what topics you would like to discuss here on the Porch. Several of us have thought about posting a "question of the week." I have seen lots of posts lately about people getting ready to get their gardens going. I have NEVER had a vegetable garden and was hoping to have one this year, but I think that I'm already behind! I have several books here on the topic, but it's always nice to hear from people first-hand.

So, my question for the week is ... What are the steps your family takes to get your vegetable garden going? Please leave a comment and let us know what works for your family.

Also, if you have a question that you'd like to see posted here for everyone to respond to, leave that in a comment, too, or email your question to me. We'd love to help you get some answers to your most pressing question!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ JOIN IN THE FUN! ++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'd like to let you all know that Kitty @ Kitty's Kountry Kitchen (http://www.homesteadblogger.com/kitskorner) will be hosting this week's upcoming Homesteading Carnival! The carnival is really getting out there, on an average opening day for the carnival we get at least 200 hits. Please consider submitting something as we would really appreciate it. It's really easy and all you have to do is enter the URL into the BlogCarnival form and it will add all your info in. All you have to do is push SEND!

Thanks!
Jocelyn, THC Staff
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/HomesteadingCarnival

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FREEBIES +++++++++++++++++++++++++

From the Friday Freebies Newsletter and The Homeschool Minute from TOS is the following:

It is time for a new FREE E-Book from the Schoolhouse Store! This month we are offering The Play Book from Art of Eloquence. This E-Book is designed to help parents foster communication skills in young children.

Children love to play and play is how the Lord intended young children to learn. It is through play that children learn best. The more fun and entertaining something is, the more a child will be willing to learn and the more the child will retain. This E-Book includes games that will help you encourage your children to strengthen their communication skills through play. You will find the free E-Book HERE.

Speaking of play...here is another free E-Book to keep your kids playing! A Little Taste of "Games for Fun, Fitness and Learning" contains over 50 games for kids! These are active games for letting off steam and for physical fitness. You can download your free copy HERE.

Next, we have another free E-Book for you! The Authors of Elkan the book are now offering a free study guide. While the study is designed to go with the book it can also be completed separately. You will find the free study guide to download HERE.

Now for a contest! Make sure to stop by the Company Porch and check out the BIG contest going on. Grammar Key now has their book, The Grammar Key, available on CD and is giving away 25 copies! You can learn all about it HERE.

Lastly, not something free, but a way to make money! If you want to work from home for 25 hours a week, talk to Mari in our sales department. You can learn more about this job opportunity by clicking HERE.

Here are some ideas to keep you busy until spring has sprung!

learn4good.com offers some online games to keep kids busy and having fun!

kidsmc.com connects kids from 181 countries with international pen pals! Kids communicate through the website and no personal information is exchanged. My kids have done this in the past and it is a lot of fun!

Free Three Snow Bears Lapbook - This lapbook is based on the book Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett. This is a fun, wintry, re-telling of The Three Bears. There are also links to fun printables that go along with the book from Jan Brett's website.

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Until next week ....

Kris Price
Senior Editor, HomesteadBlogger.com
www.homesteadblogger.com/hsbfrontporch
www.homesteadblogger.com/athomewithkris

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Comments

Feb. 1, 2008 - Gardens..

Posted by wstoller

Well I used to garden a lot before children - then we had to let it go - now I'm creeping back into it! :0) I used to start my seeds in the basement with a timer light (this year my mom said she'd do it for me). Then on St. patties day we'd plan the peas!!!! woo hoo - now we just have a teesy garden. But there was such satisfaction in tilling up the garden, working in the dirt and planting seeds. My favorite times were planting time (and watching them sprout) and harvesting! I will admit I do not like to weed.... sigh... I must confess I've had weeds in my garden taller than I! But when you harvest a wheelbarrow full of potatoes, and can bags of green beans, pick bounties of tomatoes, there is great satisfaction! Now I purchase other's bounties, but we'll slowly add some in our little allotment type garden.

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Feb. 1, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by CatherineAnn

It's never too late to start a garden LOL! Start out with one small area. 4x4 done the Square Foot Garden way would be a good way to ease into gardening. Another book that I love for ideas and inspiration is Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces. You can grow all sorts of things in pots, containers, and even the front flower beds :) .
We will be moving sometime within the next 4 weeks or so, and I haven't even had a chance to check out the soil; so I am ordering seeds for small varieties that can be container grown if need be!
Great question :) !
Blessings,
Catherine

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Feb. 1, 2008 - Gardening

Posted by Marseeya

We have had gardens before but will be expanding this year and trying a lot of new things! We have horrible clay soil here so I am opting for the Squarefoot Gardening method with growing tomatoes upside down from hanging buckets. We are gathering scrap lumber from contruction sites to build our frames. We will begin indoor seed starting mid to late February. I want to get things in the ground as soon as frost allows.

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Feb. 1, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by OklahomaJamie

I try to break the ground with my tiller as soon as the soil will let me in the spring. I like to get it good and fine before planting time. It also helps to till it a few times a week or 2 apart before planting in order to kill the small weeds that are trying to take over. Tilling will expose the roots of the tiny weeds and kill them. I decide what I'm going to plant, and decide when to plant going on the last frost date for my area, and when the packet says to plant. Things that are hard to grow and take along time, such as tomatoes, peppers & onions, I buy as a plant or a set (onions come in sets or bulbs). If you planted them from seed, you'd have to do that very early in the season.

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Feb. 2, 2008 - KRIS

Posted by southernbelle

I get all excited when someone posts pictures of their home. Sometimes folks will give a "tour" of their place. I've done the same before and others really liked it. I just think that is so fun!
I also love to read about money saving ideas, gardening, chickens, putting food by, recipes!!!, green cleaners that work well, health news and show and tell.
BTW, I love all the new activity going on now on the Front Porch. I look forward to every post. I sure hope your poor kitty gets back to normal quick. You're doing a great job!

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Feb. 2, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by GrandmaRosie

I start getting my garden ready in the fall. I can usually plant root crops by now. But we have had a lot colder weather this year. It's been crazy, really high winds, cold and no rain. I will be getting started with my onion sets this week if it stays warm. I really need to plant my beets and turnips, it gets hot so quick here, no time to drag my feet even if it is in the high 20's out !

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Feb. 3, 2008 - Gardening

Posted by albaymom

my dh runs the tiller through it early in March (Provided the ground is not still frozen if it is he does it when the soil is no longer frozen!) I start planning the end of February as to what to plant and noting what did not work last year. I plant some things from seed and some from plants from our local store. I have no room to get things started from seed like tomatoes and cukes, we live in a small 900sq ft house with no basement and the garge is large but unheated. We have a large garden and it will get larger this year too! Dh has a maple tree that he has to take down this year it is leaning toward the house and we do not want to take a chance with it any longer after that comes down then the garden will be laid out for me to knwo the exact size (last year it was 19ft long by 8ft wide and then the other garden was 12ft by 4ft smaller but perfect for peas and green beans! I have found things that grow great for us and things that do not (like corn and eggplants the squirrels steal them!) This year I will trying a few new things too just not sure what yet, time to dig out the catalogs and get planning!

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