Faith Farm

I found this and thought it was interesting-if anyone has done this before I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment and tell me how well it worked. I just thought it might come in handy. Blessings>faithfarm

1                qt. fresh peach leaves, chemical free, clean, pest

free -- unpacked
   3               C water
   3               baked potaotes -- medium size
   1/2            C yellow corn meal
   3               Tbl. sugar
   2               tsp. salt

Bring water to rolling boil and steep peach leaves in it for 15
minutes.
Drain liquid and add enough water to make 3 full cups again. This
ill
have a rather unappetizing green color but don't worry! It will
disappear during the fermentation process. Peel hot baked potatoes and
put through a food mill or sieve. Scald 1/2 cup corn meal in 1 cup of
the liquid until it reaches boiling point and thickens. Stir
constantly
so that it will not become lumpy. Now combine all ingredients in large

mixing bowl (do not us metal or plastic). Cover with cheesecloth and
set
in warm place (about 80-85 degrees F.) until well fermented.
In warm humid weather this will take about 24 hours. In cool dry
weather a few more hours may be required for mixture to become active
throughout. Stir every few hours during the process. When it is
ready,
pour into a large glass jar (I use a 2 Quart glass pickle jar with
porcelain-lined zinc lid). Store in refrigerator at about 38 degrees.
If necessary stir down a time or two until it stops foaming. It is
ready to use when about 1/2 inch of clear liquid has risen to the top.
This will take about 2 days. Stir well each time before using.
When
this starter has been used down to about 1 cupful, add 3 cups water, 3
medium-sized baked potatoes, 1/2 cup corn meal scalded in 1 cup of the
water, 3 tablespoons sugar
and 2 teaspoons salt prepared as for the first time( the peach leaves
are not needed after the first time). Set in warm place until it
becomes very active in about 6-8 hours. Store in the refrigerator and
it
will be ready for use the next day. A properly renewed starter
improves
with age and
once one become accustomed to taking care of it, it all becomes
automatic. When, for some reason, it cannot be used about twice a week

stir it thoroughly every few days and add 1 tsp sugar. Each time it is

renewed, empty the jar, was and scald jar and lid before filling with
the new mixture.

PEACH LEAF DRY YEAST
Follow directions for making Peach Leaf Starter until it is ready to
store in refrigerator. Sterilize about 2 quarts of corn meal for 1
hour
in oven, at low temperature so that it will not brown. Stir often.
After it has cooled stir as much of this into the fermented mixture as
it will absorb. Spread 1/2 inch thick in flat pans. when it has set
enough, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Separate and lay on clean towels
or absorbent paper to dry. do not place in the sun. Be careful that
insects do not have access to it during the drying process. When
completely dry and hard, wrap each cake in small squares of cellophane
and seal with tape. Store in refrigerator in moistureproof container.
This will keep for a year or more.
     Only a portion of the starter mixture may be taken to make a small

number of cakes if desired. Then only a proportionate amount of corn
meal need be sterilized.

A Starter from Dry Yeast

When few peach leaves are not available, a starter can be made by
combining 1 cake Peach Leaf Dry Yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, 1/2 teaspoon

ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar in glass bowl. Cover with cheesecloth and
let stand in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until a white film covers

the top of
the water. This will only take overnight in warm, humid weather, a
little longer in cool weather. Add 1/2 cup water (room temperature),
1/2 cup white flour and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir well, cover and let
stand until foamy. Again add 1/2 cup water (room temperature), 1 cup
white flour and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand until foaming actively.
Stir often. Pour into glass fruit jar and store in refrigerator with
lid loose until foaming has stopped. as soon as about 1/2 inch of clear

liquid has risen to the top the starter
has ripened enough to use.

Troubled Times

As I was sitting here this morning looking through the days headlines I began to think about what a troubled time we are living in. Food, Fuel, and energy cost are sky-rocketing---Economy and Job markets are declining rapidly--It seems like there is a new threat everyday to our freedoms and way of life--It is enough to make anyone nervous and question our future. Where is the security in this world that we have come so accustomed to? It all seems to be falling away. Our faith in our finances and financial structures, our faith in our politicians and laws, our faith in our security.........hmmmm...could it be that this might be a good thing? Why is it that we feel safe and secure in these human controlled things (especially when all is going well)? Why is it so easy to have Faith when all is good and so hard to have Faith when things are hard? Age old question. If I have learned one thing in my life it is that periods of spiritual growth often come with growing pains. I learn best by failures unfortunately. Faith and Trust-----Do I really trust that the Lord will provide? Do I really have enough Faith to believe all is possible with God? I'd like to think so. My sister told me this weekend.....Faith begins where fear stops. It made me stop and think----Why am I worried about the price of fuel, food, work,economy? Fear. Lack of Faith--misplaced faith. Ouch---hit home hard. You can't plan enough or prepare enough to replace fear without Faith. I do believe there are times in my life where I have had to have "blind faith" but for the most part I think you must have Faith with works. Put your hands to work doing what you believe is God's Will in your life and Trust Him. Easier said than done, I know. I fought God's Will for my life a long time....its only been in the last few years that I have done what I felt was His Will.....Honestly....at the time I just couldn't see how it would work, but I was wrong. We put our hands to work and one blessing after another made it possible. Now I have to learn to trust and have faith in what God has in store for us. I pray that we all find the faith and trust to have the peace that is in God's Love. Blessings>faithfarm

James 22:2 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

Bread Starter - Sourdough

Bread Starter - friendship

Difference between Knowledge & Wisdom

Good morning! I hope this morning finds everyone in good health. I've been thinking about the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is based on facts...things we learn..it has a source...a book, teacher, internet.....all are sources of knowledge. Wisdom is experience...it is how we use knowledge...it is gained with time. We gain wisdom from the mistakes we make, life experiences...some of the best wisdom I have gained is from great failures and successes...trusting in the knowledge that I have-learning how to use it. There are no shortcuts to wisdom. It has great value. Wisdom teaches you that sometimes the facts (knowledge) isn't always right. *smile*

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2:10
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

Proverbs 8:12
"I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.

Proverbs 9:10
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 14:6
The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

Daniel 2:21
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

1 Corinthians 12:8
To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,

Sunshine Salad

2 package lemon flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup ice water
2 9-ounce cans crushed pineapple with juice (cannot use fresh pineapple)
1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar
Pinch salt
2 cups grated carrots

1 Empty gelatin into a small mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cup of boiling water. Stir thoroughly until the gelatin has dissolved.

2 Stir in 1 cup ice water, one can of crushed pineapple with its juice, lemon juice (or vinegar), and a pinch of salt. (Make sure you use canned pineapple. Fresh pineapple has an enzyme that will prevent the gelatin from jelling.)

3 Chill in refrigerator until the gelatin starts to thicken. Then gently fold in the grated carrots until well mixed.

4 Add mixture to a jello mold. Set in the refrigerator until firm, several hours. To unmold, dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for about 5 seconds. Invert onto a serving platter, and shake firmly to release. Slice to serve.

Helpful canning websites

Here is a few good starter web sites for anyone wanting to learn more about home canning. I hope this is helpful>Blessings>

10 great uses for Baking Soda

1. Clean cast-iron cookware * You can remove even the toughest burned-on food remnants in your iron pots by boiling 1 quart (1 liter) water with 2 tablespoons baking soda for five minutes. Pour off most of the liquid, then lightly scrub it with a plastic scrub pad. Rinse well, dry, and season with a few drops of oil.

2. Boost potency of dishwashing liquid *To make a more powerful dishwashing liquid add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the usual amount of liquid you use, and watch it cut through grease like a hot knife!

3. Fluffy omelets *the secret to making fluffier omelets! For every three eggs used, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

4. Clean bathtubs and sinks *Get the gunk off old enameled bathtubs and sinks by applying a paste of 2 parts baking soda and 1 part hydrogen peroxide. Let the paste set for about half an hour. Then give it a good scrubbing and rinse well; the paste will also sweeten your drain.

5. Get yellow stains off piano keys * Remove age stains on your keys by mixing a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart (1 liter) warm water. Apply to each key with a dampened cloth, place a thin piece of card-board between the keys to avoid seepage. Wipe again with a cloth dampened with plain water, and then buff dry.

6. Clean battery terminals *Eliminate the corrosive buildup on your car's battery terminals. Scrub them clean using an old toothbrush and a mixture of 3 tablespoons baking soda and 1 tablespoon warm water. Wipe them off with a wet towel and dry with another towel. Once the terminals have completely dried, apply a bit of petroleum jelly around each terminal to deter future corrosive buildup.

7. Wash mildewed shower curtains *To clean your mildewed plastic shower curtain. Try cleaning it in your washing machine with two bath towels on the gentle setting. Add 1/2 cup baking soda to your detergent during the wash cycle and 1/2 cup vinegar during the rinse cycle. Let it drip-dry.

8. Make a salve for bee stings *Take the pain out of that bee sting -- fast. Make a paste of 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with several drops of cool water, and let it dry on the afflicted area.

9. Goat health * Make sure to offer baking soda free choice so the goats can regulate their rumens on their own. Baking soda aids in balancing the pH level in the rumen and helps to keep the digestive processes in tune.

10. Deodorize shoes and sneakers *A smelly shoe or sneaker is no match for the power of baking soda. Liberally sprinkle soda in the shoe and let it sit overnight. Dump out the powder in the morning.

One of my family favorite recipes

This is one of my favorite things to make for dessert or a pot-luck dinner. We haven't made it in a while so I made it last night and It was a hit!

Add pineapple juice to water to equal 2 cups; heat and add gelatin,(use half the water the pkg. calls for so gelatin is firm) chill until set. Whip cream cheese until smooth (tip: add a little powdered sugar if fruit is really sour); stir in cool whip. Add pineapple, oranges, pecans, peaches, and cream cheese mixture to the firm gelatin. Fold together well. Chill for 30 min to 1 hour and serve. Yummy! Makes a lot and goes along way.

Looking for homemade laundry soap

Does anyone have directions to make homemade laundry soap with products that I can find here in Oklahoma? I have seen a couple on the blogs but I can't find the ingredients to make it. I would prefer to have liquid soap if possible. My Grandmother used lye soap shavings that she put in boiling water.....do I have other choices? Anyone have any secrets they want to share? Thanks for any help you can give.

The art of gravy

There are as many ways to make gravy as there is cooks in this world-but I have had many tell me that they they just can't make gravy-so here is my way of making gravy-simple and yummy-the way I was taught to make it--a long time ago-lol.

Get your skillet hot (best if cast iron) and a big spoon of shortening...when it is melted sprinkle flour until it makes a thin paste. Stirring it with a whisk. Let it cook until it is golden brown in color...don't stop stirring! This will be the most important part of making a good batch of gravy. As soon as it is the right color pour in the milk. Lots of it. Fill your skillet leaving enough room to stir. Add salt and black pepper to taste. (lot's of pepper) Continue to boil until it thickens. If the gravy thickens real fast then add a bit more milk and cook until right consistancy. If you make it a bit thinner than you like and cook it down you will have a creamier gravy. Eat hot over biscuits, scrambled eggs, fried potato's, what ever you like.....I personally like gravy and biscuits with scrambled eggs, a slice of fresh tomato and red onion on the side. yep-its country-but man-oh-man-it doesn't come better than that!

Interesting egg info

As many of you who read this blog know-I've had egg trouble this year....so it got me thinking. If I depended on these not so dependable chicken's to produce enough eggs year round for baking, I'm in trouble. I'm going to have to learn how to preserve eggs. Now there is alot of ol' time solutions to this problem. I'll share the most interesting with you and some misc egg info I found.

Modern way of preserving eggs. In the high laying season, break fresh eggs into an ice cube tray. Freeze and place in air tight bag. I have done this and the results are ok...not like fresh but still baking quality. Each egg cube is equal to one egg.

Some ol' time secrets: To Preserve Two Years.—In a wooden barrel or bucket, add 1 pint freshly slacked lime and 1 pt. of common salt; mix well. Fill your barrel half full with fluid of this strength; put your eggs down in it any time after June, and they will keep two years if desired. Method 2: Whatever excludes the air prevents the decay of the egg. Place a small quantity of salt butter in the palm of the left hand and turn the egg around in it, so that every pore of the shell is closed; then dry a sufficient quantity of bran or oats in an oven (be sure you have the bran/oats well dried). Then pack them with the small ends down in a layer of bran or oats and another of eggs until your box is full; then place in a cold, dry place. If done when newly-laid, they will retain the sweet milk and curd of a new laid egg for at least 8 or 10 months. Any oil will do, but salt butter never becomes rancid, and a very small quantity of butter will do a very large ,quantity of eggs. To insure freshness, rub them when gathered in from the nests; then pack when there is a sufficient quantity. WARNING! I have not tried these previous methods-I don't know if it is safe or not-always use caution and your judgment!

Eggs—To Determine the Sex of—Tested.—In "Navin's Work on Poultry" he gives a test made by A. T. Newell, of Philadelphia, Pa., who says: " Pullet eggs, or those which will produce pullets, are smooth on the ends; while those which produce the roosters have a zig-zag mark or quirl on one end. In selecting 200 for roosters, only 1 produced a pullet; and out of 50 for pullets he got 50 pullets."

Can't remember if an egg is fresh or hard boiled? Just spin the egg. If it wobbles, it's raw. If it spins easily, it's hard boiled. A fresh egg will sink in water, a stale one will float. Eggs contain all the essential protein, minerals and vitamins, except Vitamin C. But egg yolks are one of few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D. The colour of the egg shell is not related to quality, nutrients, flavour, or cooking characteristics. White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. Bown egg layers usually are slightly larger and require more food, thus brown eggs usually cost more than white eggs. An egg shell has as many as 17,000 pores over its surface.

I found a family -fun web site about eggs @ http://www.aeb.org/KidsAndFamily/table_of_contents.htm -Lots of interesting egg facts with a question and answer sheet perfect for a short study on eggs. I couldn't get the part of 'Which came first the chicken or the egg' downloaded but .....In my opinion God created the chicken 1st! lol Have a blessed day!

You gotta try this!

For those of you who greatfully fill their freezer with deer meat in the winter-I gotta new secret. First let me say that I am glad to get the meat that hunting season provided-I have found ways to cook venisen that are appealing to the family. I am probably the most picky out of us-I don't like game/wild flavor in any meat of any kind...so I have always had a problem with ground deer....until now. We completely boned and processed as usual except this time I put all the meat in an icechest filled with water,ice, salt, and LEMON JUICE. I let it stay really chilled for 18 hours. Then we cut the steaks and roasts. The rest gets ground. I cannot begin to tell you how wonderfully surprised I was when I got the first package out of the fridge and cooked it for dinner....It is like the leanest ground beef you can buy...mild flavor...perfect! Even my husband said "are you sure you didn't mix up the packages?"....It had to be the lemon juice and salt in the cold-cold for 18 hours that made all the difference. I've ate alot of good deer-but this takes the prize. I'm so happy! You won't here me complain about the hunting trips again! Blessings to you!

Cast Iron cookware

To me cast iron cookware is the only way. Alot of people won't use cast iron because they think it is hard to take care of. It is actually pretty simple once you know how to do it. Some of my skillets are at least 50 years old..some are brand new. I love them all. Cast Iron doesn't require soap to clean. I usually use plain water and a teflon sponge or dish cloth. If something is really stuck or burnt on I use a lil baking soda to remove it. Now the secret to a well seasoned skillet is everytime you wash your pan, dry it with a cloth and put it on the stovetop. Heat the skillet hot and rub shortening all in the inside. Turn the fire off and let it cool. When it is completely cool wipe out any excess shortening. It is ready for use again. I would put my ol' skillet to the test with any teflon coated pan any day. Have fun cooking with your cast iron and notice how wonderful it cooks a roast. Blessings to you!

Books and wisdom

I "dropped in" on a friend of mine yesterday (sorry Jan!)

and she gave me a couple of books to read this weekend.....wow-what a treasure! The first one is Back to Basics Reader's Digest and the other is Handbook of Rural Skills and Technology. Both books are out of print( I believe) but you can still get them if you look hard enough. Now I realize I am a bit of a resource nut--but I just love these two books. Everything from building - to weaving wheels are in these two books. Well worth the time to find and add to your collection of how-to books.

There is an entry in the front of the Back to Basics book I would like to share with you-

Americans are a contradictory people. No nation has ever moved father from the harsh realities of wilderness existence. Yet, paradoxically, no nation has clung more tenaciously to its earlier ideals--to the concept of personal independence, to the mystique of the frontier, to the early pioneers' sense of rugged self-reliance. It is as if somewhere, deep in the American spirit, there has always lurked a distrust of the very technology that we, more than any other people, have spawned. Perhaps this distrust was an accident, but perhaps it was fate; for in the light of recent events that have called into question our easy dependence on modern technology, it seems to have been prophetic. Americans have yearned for a return to basics; now, suddenly, it has become a necessity.

Now-I don't know about anyone else, but it seems to me that returning to the ways of our grandparents is just wisdom. Plain and simple. Call it what you may--but living simple--within our means, providing for our families, having peace in a world of conflict, striving for independence and not dependence is what we are supposed to do. I don't know where we took a wrong turn.....but I do know that there are many out there that are trying to direct it in the right direction again. In balance and peace. So to all of you out there--thank you for sharing your stories-thank you for letting others know that they are not alone in this great desire....you are a comfort to many.

Here's an idea

There is so much information out there to help. My problem is remembering it or where I found it. So last night my husband came up with an idea on how to solve this problem. Get a three ring binder and a bunch of sheet protectors and start putting all these tid-bits together in one place. Sounds simple huh? For some of you - this may be a no-brainer-but for some of us, well lets just say-I thought it was a great idea. If power goes out-all my handy computer files are not available. So today I start my "Things our Grandmothers were taught and we forgot" binder. As I run across things that might be helpful...I'll share. Hopefully the simplicity of this idea will be useful to someone.

Have a blessed day!

Milk Cellars

Milk Cellar

A Milk Cellar was a cool cellar dedicated to storing dairy products.

Some were made with dome-shaped roofs rising out of the ground; some would have a room constructed for living space on top. Some were more than just simple cellars: cool water drawn up from underground by a wind mill, for other uses on the farm and in the house, would pass through the milk cellar to help cool it. How big the milk cellar was would depend on how much milk the farm produced and needed to store. Ideally, the temperature of a Milk Cellar would be around 58 F (14 C).

A Milk Cellar was always different from a root cellar -- you wouldn't want the smell of your turnips, onions or apples passing into your milk. Really prosperous farms would have a milk cellar, a root cellar and sometimes even a separate apple cellar. As government laws started to come into effect governing milk that farmers sold to dairies, laws often required a place separate from the barn, such as a milk cellar, where the milk handling was conducted. It also gave you a place separate from the dust and muck of the barn to handle your milk and make your dairy products in.

In the Milk Cellar, you'd also make your dairy products in there, separate out the cream, etc. You'd pour out a pan of milk, and set it in out in the Milk Cellar overnight or for a day, to keep it cool while allowing the cream time to rise to the top.

In a Milk Cellar you would also find shelving, pans for leaving milk out to separate into milk and cream, cheese presses, and jars of butter. During the summer, you could store butter in there, though for long storage, the butter still needed to be salted. A Milk Cellar allowed salted butter to be stored until it was more scarce in the fall and winter, at which time it could be sold for a better price.

The cellar could also be used as a "fridge" to store leftover food in that wasn't strong smelling. Canned goods (i.e. food stuffs preserved in glass bottles) could be stored in there to improve their storage life, as no smell would escape from the bottles.

Milk Cellars were found in North America and in Europe, mostly in northern parts, such as Northern Europe, Canada, and the northern parts of the United States. In warmer climates, a Milk Cellar still wasn't often enough to do the trick, and so people just didn't bother trying to store dairy at all in that way.

In the 1930s, Milk Cellars were displaced by above-ground buildings as electricity became common and along with it electrical cooling.

The things our Grandmothers were taught-and we forgot!

It occured to me a couple of weeks ago that all the things that I am striving so hard to learn are the very same things my Grandmother practiced in her everyday life. We as a nation have become so dependent on gadgets working and ready-made products available at the market. If I had to do it all now without those lil' helpers...could I do it? The answer now is maybe....but it would be difficult. The difference between my Grandmother and I is that she had it all down to a fine art. She knew all the secrets. These are the things that I want to strive to learn this year. What do you do if you run out of baking powder? What is the best way to do laundry without the washing machine? Many, many common practices in our everyday life that could be done easier if you just had the knowledge. I want to work smarter...take full advantage of the time I have...not just maintain ---not just fall in bed exhausted---I want to love the abilities to provide a home for my family...go to sleep with peace and a feeling of acomplishment of a job well done. I do that now--Could I do that without all my gadgets? We will see.

Here is a tid-bit that someone might find useful. When I find other interesting things I will share. Please feel free to share with me! lol...... Have a blessed day!

Substitutes
1 tsp single-acting Baking Powder = 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar + 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp single-acting Baking Powder = 1/4 tsp Baking Soda plus 1/2 cup (4 oz) sour milk / buttermilk swapped in for another liquid

Metric
1 tsp single-acting Baking Powder = 2.5g Cream of Tartar + 1.25g Baking Soda
1 tsp single-acting Baking Powder = 2.5g Baking Soda plus 120 ml sour milk / buttermilk / yoghurt swapped in for another liquid

For any of the above substitutes, treat them as "single-acting"; get the batter in the oven or the pan right away.