I should blog more often...

My blog needs updated!

I am in the process of updating my blog and I hope to write on a more regular basis.

I hope that all of my dear friends are well and blessed!

I'm Lousy at Blogging!

I just can't keep up with it.  :)

If you want to find out more about the

New Harvest Homestead newsletter

Please visit my website

You are also invited to join the NHH Yahoo email group.  The best place on the web to get answers to your homesteading questions!  :)

The sign up button is located on the sidebar to the right.

Blessings!

Lisa

Cranberries 101

HOLIDAYS ON THE HOMESTEAD!

The November/December 2007 issue of New Harvest Homestead is now available!

Here's a little taste of the great things you'll find in this issue:

THANKFUL! - NHH readers share what they are most thankful for

Cranberries 101 - A little history and interesting information about this versatile holiday fruit, plus mouth-watering cranberry recipes!

In the Holiday Homestead Kitchen - Christmas cookies and favorite pot-luck take-alongs

Whole Wheat Dough Variations - The Urban Homemaker  shares the many ways to use her whole wheat dough recipe for lots of holiday treats

Last Minute Gifts & Holiday Projects - Be ready to give from the heart with these easy-to-make gifts

And LOTS more!  Don't miss this issue.  Visit my website to find out how to subscribe - www.newharvesthomestead.com

From now until Christmas buy a two-year subscription and receive a third FREE!  See the details on my website or write to me at newharvest@gotsky.com

Christmas Blessings!

Lisa

He is Everything

Please check out the short video clip I have added to my sidebar on the right (under "Recent Entries").  My 16-year-old daughter shared this with me and I cannot put into words how much this short musical skit touched my heart.  Guy and I were in youth ministry for many years before we had our own children and we still have a great concern for the young people we know.  This presentation is very powerful and has the potential to reach young people when other methods might fail. I feel like it tells my own story as a youth.  I urge you to share it with family and friends.  Here is the link on GodTube (the Christian alternative to YouTube):

Lifehouse Everything Skit

The other reason I find this so moving is the lyrics to the song, "Everything".  These young men found the perfect words to express how I feel about the Lord Jesus.

Find me here, speak to me

I want to feel You, I need to hear You

You are the light, that is leading me

To the place where I find peace...again

You are the strength that keeps me walking

You are the hope that keeps me trusting

You are the life to my soul

You are my purpose, You are everything

And how can I stand here with You

and not be moved by You?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

You calm the storms, You give me rest

You hold me in Your hands, You won't let me fall

You still my heart and You take my breath away

Would you take me in?  Would you take me deeper now?

'Cause You're all I want, You're all I need

You're everything, everything

You're all I want, You're all I need

You're everything, everything

Words & Music by Jason Wade

Canning Pumpkin and Yams

Every year about this time I like to re-visit the instructions for canning pumpkin and/or yams, since it is a question that tends to come up in the fall season when these items are plentiful. 

The latest research by Dept. of Ag experts has determined that it is not safe to puree pumpkin and/or yams for canning.  Being vegetables, both yams and pumpkins must be pressure canned.  The temperature of the food in the jar must get hot enough all the way through.  Since pureed pumpkin and yams are so dense, research has shown that even after a very long processing time, the internal temperatures do not reach safe levels for a long enough period to insure that all bacterias, molds, etc. have been killed or neutralized.  The food toward the outside of the jar would be woefully overprocessed by the time the food at the core was properly done.

But, don't despair - you can still safely can pumpkins and yams.  You just need to pack them in chunks instead of pureeing them. 

Pumpkin

Wash, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut pumpkin up into hunks that will fit in your jar.  Remove the skin, cover with water and boil for two minutes.  Drain, reserving hot liquid, and pack cubes into hot jars (wide mouth pint or quart), leaving 1/2" headspace.  Bring cooking water back to a boil and fill jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.  Apply the lids and rims.  Process at 10 lbs. pressure - 55 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts.

Yams

Boil yams just long enough to get skins to slip off (about 20 minutes).  Remove skins, cut away bad spots and cut into manageable hunks lengthwise.  Pack hot into hot jars (reheat them if necessary after handling) leaving 1" of headspace.  Add boiling water, leaving 1" of headspace.  Apply lids and rims.  Process at 10 lbs. pressure - 65 minutes for pints, 90 minutes for quarts.

You are welcome to write to me with any questions.  Be sure to check out my website and request your free introductory issue of my newsletter - New Harvest Homestead!

Lisa

The Signs of Autumn

Wow - can you believe it's already October?  It truly seems like yesterday I was putting in the garden and praying for the summer harvest to come.  And, it surely did!  We were abundantly blessed with green beans, tomatoes, spinach, peas - glory to God - what a wonderful gardening season this was.  Now, as I look out over our acreage I can see the corn stalks beginning to brown, the green beans are putting out the last few precious flowers and the orange of my pie pumpkins stand out against the dying vines.  The evening air is crisp, my hens are moulting - all the signs that we are well into autumn.

But, I love this changing of the seasons.  I turn my eyes from the outdoor activities to the warmth of home.  I am planning on my first quilting project over the coming months.  A simple rag quilt inspired by one of my NHH readers.  We must decide on what we will be making for Christmas gifts and get started on that.  The kids are looking forward to the first rainy days so they can have hot chocolate in the morning before they begin their schoolwork.  Our apple trees didn't fare so well this year - it seems like each year one type of fruit tree just "takes the year off" and this year it was the apples.  However, my July bearing Lodi produced loads of apples, most of which I sliced and froze for winter pies.  Here is my favorite apple pie recipe (it came in 5th out of 13 entries in our local apple pie contest one year!):

Lisa's Apple Pie

One pie crust (recipe follows)

8 cups sliced apples (Lodi, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, etc.)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/3 to 1/2 cup light honey

Salt

Mix together flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Add sliced apples and toss until apples are coated with flour mixture.  Put apple mixture into crust.  Drizzle honey over the apples and shake a little salt over all.

Crumb topping:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick) cut into chunks

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Process above ingredients together in a food processor (or blend with pastry blender) until crumbly.  Sprinkle over the top of pie apple mixture.  Bake 45 to 50 minutes.  If crumb topping starts to brown too much, cover it with foil during the last 10 or 20 minutes of baking.

Easy Pie Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks

Put all ingredients into a food processor and begin to process.  Add 1 TBS. cold water at a time until the dough forms a ball on top of the processor blade.  Place dough on a lightly floured bread board and form into a ball.  Roll out.  Start from the middle and roll out into every direction, working clockwise, until you have a nice circle.  Roll dough up on to your roller and hold over greased pie plate.  Unroll over the pie plate, press in and trim.  Keep it in the fridge until you are ready to fill it.

We Finally Have High Speed!!

I have been so neglectful of this blog for so long.  It was just too time consuming with my old SSSLLOOOWWW dial-up connection.  But, we now have satellite internet.  YAY!  I will try to add to my blog on a regular basis again.  For the time being, please visits my website:

www.newharvesthomestead.com

...for an update on the current September/October issue of New Harvest Homestead!  It's a GREAT issue!  How to find  and buy rural land, handcrafted soap, homemade Christmas gifts, crock-pot recipes and harvest feasts, plus tons more!  I'll be back soon!

Blessings,

Lisa

For Brenda.....Candied or Crystallized Flowers Recipe

Brenda over at thecfarm was looking for a recipe for candied flowers. This was too long to post under her comments, so I'm posting it here. Brenda, I hope this is what you are looking for. This is the recipe that I've always used. It works well with violets, pansies and Johnny-jump-ups.

Candied or Crystallized Flowers Recipe

From Texas A&M Horticulture