Muddy Boots
Featured Blogger ~ Rosie from Rosie's Country Home
This week's Featured Blogger was also nominated by her fellow bloggers. Please stop by Rosie's Country Home and congratulate her for being this week's Featured Blogger!
While you are there, be certain to check out her delicious sounding recipes like: Teriyaki Steak & Quinoa and No Yeast Whole Wheat Bread.
Congratulations Rosie!
Please help me choose the next Featured Blogger. If you have a blogger you'd like to nominate as our Featured Blogger of the Week, send me an email at senioreditor@homesteadblogger.com . Keep in mind that Featured Bloggers must be at least 18 years of age and their blog must be encouraging, uplifting, and/or inspiring.
Who knows, you may be our next featured blogger 
!
A Pretty Day....
It is so pretty today!!! We are trying to get our school work finished so we can spend sometime out doors:)
We planted onions, lettuce, brocolli, and cabbage last night. We have our potatoes so we can now plant them anytime. We bought 50 pounds so we hope to get a few potatoes this fall:) We also have our tomatoes growing under lights we have now transplanted them the first time...we might have to do this at least one more time. They are looking healthy:) We are also looking into getting a few cherry trees:) Our fruit trees are doing so well.
I have been getting a little spring cleaning done...I have cleaned all the windows it is good to be able to look outside with out finger prints everywhere:) We are working on our downstairs living area too! We have decided to build some built in book cases...we are getting wood for that this weekend. I don't think we are going to make an extra bedroom now...we just want to get the room finished and painted that might get done at a later date.
I took a lot of great pictures of the chickens yesterday I hope to post them soon...they are also glad things are greening up....we gave them some green grass yesterday they look like they were jumping for joy:) I will be glad when we can get them back out into the chicken tractor. They have been such a joy to have in our little homestead..how very blessed we are!!! I am still wanting to get rabbits but we are now just getting used to having the chickens. I was surprised that winter wasn't as hard as I thought....it only got to freezing a few days. I know rabbits need to be kept warmer I think? Always something to learn:)
Many Blessings,
Renee
Chicken Cordon Blue
This is a yummy dinner, with a little "wow" value, but so simple to make.
First, you are going to need to set up some "dipping stations" with three small dishes.
In the first, you will beat together 2 eggs and 1/3 cup of milk.
In the next bowl, you will add 1/2 cup of flour and in the third bowl, you will combine 1 1/2 c dry bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp dry thyme leaves and 1/3 c parmesan cheese.
To make dry bread crumbs, just pop a couple slices of bread in the toaster, and toast. let the slices of toast cool, then tear into pieces, and give a buzz in a food processor. Instant bread crumbs. If you need fresh crumbs, skip the toasting step.
Now, you need one package of the thin-sliced, boneless chicken breasts. Depending on how many slices are in your package, that will determine how much of the other ingredients you need. I had 6 slices, so I need 6 slices of ham, 6 sticks of swiss cheese (about 1/2 inch thick, 3 inches long), and 6 toothpicks.
Now take one slice of chicken, layer on one slice of ham, and a stick of cheese.
Roll them up, and secure by sticking a toothpick straight through it. Repeat with all.
Now you are going to start dipping. Take the first roll, and dip it into the egg wash, coating all over.
Second, dip it into the flour.
Next...go BACK to the egg wash, and dip again.
And last, roll it around in the crumb mixture, coating all over.
Place on a baking stone/sheet. Repeat with all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. The cheese will ooze and get crispy in the edges, and the outside will be brown and crunchy.
Enjoy!
Printable Version:
2 eggs
1/3 c milk
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c dry bread crumbs
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 c parmesan cheese
1 package thinly sliced chicken breasts
sliced deli ham (1 slice per chicken slice)
sticks of swiss cheese (on stick per chicken slice)
toothpicks
In a small dish, beat eggs and milk.
In a second dish, add flour.
In a third dish, combine bread crumbs, garlic powder, herbs and parmesan cheese.
Layer a ham slice onto a chicken slice. Place a stick of swiss cheese on top, and roll up, securing with a toothpick. Repeat with all.
Coat one chicken roll in egg, then flour, then egg again, and finally crumb coating.
Place on a baking stone/sheet. Repeat with all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
Enjoy!
* * *
Conni is an army wife and homeschooling mom of three, living in North Carolina. You can find out more about her on her blog: MamaHen
Simple Homestead Blessings: Share Yours!
Spring...are you ready? I sure am!
As we spoke of Spring plans, my family and I decided to write a list of some of the "Homesteading Blessings" we enjoy during this season. I thought we would share them with you, and maybe you could add a few of your own to the list!
Our homestead! Small though it may be, it is home!
Spring flowers that burst forth in the reminder of God's perfect plan for renewal of this Earth!
Laughter, and the funny antics our animals do everyday. Ever seen a chicken who thought she was a dog? We have two!
Fresh grass for the livestock.
A cup of tea shared on the veranda.
Outdoor grilling that mean no kitchen clean-ups, LOL!
The old swimming hole that becons as the weather warms.
Children playing on the lawn.
Church picnics that warm us with fellowship and joy.
Easter! The glorious celebration of the resurection of our Lord and Saviour!
Cool evenings that are just right for a brisk walk.
Gardening!
Love shared, and sorrows halved.
Early morning and breakfast served in the wonderful Spring air!
So many more, were I to write them all, I might never finish!
Share yours, won't you?
Until we meet again, may the Lord bless you GOOD!
Bev
Bev resides deep in the woodlands of South Carolina. Surrounded by her loving husband, children, family and friends, she thrives on her love of God, family, and the land.
"Homesteading is more than just a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle of Hope and Heart!"
Green Spring Clean!
I love this time of year! Days are slowly getting longer; the sun is warmer (when it does come around), and everything is ’springing’ to life. It’s time to fling open some windows, let some fresh air in and get down to spring cleaning and organizing!
In order to get down to cleaning, I need to have things organized, first. As a homeschool family, I believe we are extra challenged to keep clutter at bay! All those projects, papers, supplies, books, and wait - why is there a clay canoe in my bathroom sink? (As my youngest daughter admitted, “I wanted to see if it would float”. Hmm, well…okay, she IS learning, I tell myself!) If you are a homeschool parent, you may know exactly what I am talking about!
As much as I love all of my children’s beautiful writings, projects, creations, copy work verses, math lessons, craft projects….I know you’re nodding your head right now… reality though is that I just can’t keep it all, keep my sanity and keep our home organized! Keeping our homeschool projects and such organized can be a challenge. So, as we go about our learning we keep record and memory of projects and such by taking pictures. This works for us! Don’t get me wrong, we keep some special things such as a poem, special story, etc. in a scrapbook that we have for each child, along with pictures of what they’ve done as well. Not only does this serve as a very special ‘Memory Book’ of sorts, but it keeps things organized in a manageable way that is very simple.
Once the clutter of paperwork is cleaned out, we go through our curriculum. This is a great time to take stock of what we have on hand for next year! What worked? (What didn’t?) What will need to be purchased? What is my oldest child done with that I can reuse with a younger child? What needs to be tossed?
We do the same with clothing; winter clothing gets tucked away for next year and out comes spring/summer clothing. Things that need to be passed down to the next child get moved, things that need repair go into the sewing area, and things that are beyond repair go in the ‘rag bag’ for use in cleaning if they have no other use. I like to have 3 boxes or large plastic containers available when I start this process. I use one for things to donate, one for things to sell (or give away) and one for things that need to be tossed, along with a large canvas type bag or ’stuff sack’ I use as the ‘rag bag’. These come with me through the house as I embark on this process. I go to each room or area until all has been gone through. When I do my Spring Cleaning, I get brutal and toss, toss, toss! Once I’ve combed through each room, it’s time to get down to cleaning!
A Few “Green Spring Clean” Recipes:
Although it seems we clean all the time, this time of year we deep clean! Everything gets dusted, wiped down, and cleaned off. It’s just amazing how many dust bunnies can accumulate in such short order!
I use natural, homemade, non toxic cleaners for everything. Not only are these ‘green’ but they are a huge money saver! I use a variety of recipes depending on what I have on hand. I love to use essential oils — not only their pure fragrances but also for their anti-bacterial properties! But if you don’t have essential oils in your home at this time, you can simply make up your own natural cleaners without them.
Here is a short list of supplies to gather, right from your kitchen and laundry room:
Vinegar
Baking Soda
Lemons
Salt
Borax
Olive Oil
Now gather up some old sour cream containers (or used glass canning jars with lids), a couple of empty sprayer bottles, some of those old articles of clothing that are in the rag bag, and maybe a green ’scratchie pad’.
In just a few minutes you can have basic, frugal, non-toxic cleaners that WORK to clean your home. Let’s get these items all together and get going on a “Green Spring Clean”!
Surface Cleaner
This works great on counter tops; I use it on the kitchen floor for spills and such too! Take one of your empty sprayer bottles, and add 2 cups of warm water, 2 TBS of Vinegar, 1TBS Borax, and 1TBS Lemon Juice. Shake it up well and voila; you have a multipurpose spray cleaner that is a great surface cleaner!
Bathroom Scrub
Grab another one of your old containers. Add in a 1/2 cup of both Baking Soda and Borax, 1TBS of Salt and sprinkle in drops of Lemon Juice (about a TBS full will do the job). Now, I say “sprinkle in” because you don’t want your liquid caking in to one big clump with your dry ingredients! Mix this slowly; as you add your lemon juice a drop or so at a time. Once you have it all in the container, put the lid on tightly and shake it up to mix a bit more and you have a great non-toxic scrub for your toilets, showers and tubs! Now with some elbow grease and one of those green scratchie pads and/or toilet brush, you’ll have sparkling clean tubs and toilets!
Carpet Cleaner
Grab one of those handy empty sprayer bottles! Pour in 2 cups of hot water & 2 TBS baking soda. Shake well and spray over the carpets lightly, let it sit for awhile and vacuum up. This freshens up the carpeting without those toxic, dusty powders or those terribly toxic carpet cleaners! I like to add essential oils to this mixture to kill germs and add a nice scent too! 20 drops of Lavender essential oil will do the job (or any essential oil you like that has anti bacterial properties that you like).
Now that we have a few basic cleaners made up, how about a wonderful Spring/Summer Potpourri blend to bring a little ’spring’ into the home? I love to have our home smell nice and inviting, and here is a potpourri blend that you can easily make up and set out in a pretty dish, or toss a cup into a simmering pot of water! You can even take a handful and put it into those single, old socks that you can never find the match for… tie the end in a knot and you have the most frugal sachets around! Tuck them into dresser drawers and closets for lovely fragrance throughout the home! (No one will ever see them and they use those mystery single socks that you’d just toss anyway!)
Spring & Summer Potpourri Blend
1 Cup Dried Lavender Buds/Flowers
1 Cup Dried Rose Petals
½ Cup Dried Rose Buds
1 TBS Whole Cloves
½ Cup Dried Chamomile Flowers
½ Cup Dried Calendula Flowers
Place all ingredients in a wide bowl, mix together well; you can also drizzle 20 drops of Lavender essential oil and 20 drops Geranium essential oil over the mixture and mix well. The remainder you can leave sealed in a container or Ziploc type bag for about a week, shaking up and tossing around the ingredients every few days. I store in Ziploc type bag and replace as needed. This also works beautifully in homemade, hand sewn pretty sachets!
If you’re looking for more natural cleaning recipes, come on over to our website and check out our Homestead Simplicity: Natural Clean EBook. It’s LOADED with naturally clean recipes!
As you can see, with just some simple organizing, basic ingredients and elbow grease you can have a ‘green spring clean’ too!
Joyfully Home keeping,
Lisa
“She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 10:27, NASB
Straw Bale Happenings......Shopping for Windows!
Hello to all our homesteading friends! We hope all is well in your little corner of the world today.Fred and I have been asked to blog about our straw bale home building project. As many of you may know, we are building a house made of straw bales! We're doing quite a bit of the work ourselves to eliminate the high cost and a 30 year mortgage. We're hoping in the end to have a low mortgage for about 5 years. We do not want a mortgage payment when we retire or the high costs of heating and maintaining our home! Our first plan was to have NO mortgage payment. But that would have been very difficult to do. Maybe if we were younger and had more time? So I encourage you younger folks to think about getting out of debt and building debt free now....while you are young. It's such a good feeling!
There are a few reasons we are building a straw bale home.
1.) The "R" value is high........35 - 50! That's good. Average is 25 in a standard home.
2.) It conserves energy and saves you a lot of $. It lowers the heating and cooling utility bill big time.
3.) Anyone can do it! It's tedious work......plastering those bales of straw, but even a child can help build a straw bale house.
We're at the point where we are doing some of the work ourselves and doing some pricing around.
This past weekend, Fred and I visited a unique store in downtown Syracuse run by Habitat for Humanity. They recycle surplus building materials that are donated for new building projects on a budget... maybe some low cost materials for our construction project! We would like to find good windows at a bargain price. We also checked out the kitchen cupboards and interior doors. It was time well spent. I think we may go back and buy some picture windows for the sun porch when the time comes.
Click for Habitat For Humanity Store Photos
Thank you for joining us in our adventure! We will strive to keep you up to date on what we are doing. Some weeks may be more interesting than others.....depending on where we are at and what we are doing.
Fred & Teresa and family live in central N.Y in a rural farming community. They enjoy living the country life on their 1 acre homestead "Red Maple Roost!" Our goal is to one day be "off the grid." We strive to live a more self sustaining lifestyle on a shoe string. Blessings one and all!
Homestead Quote of the Day...
Sweet Sixteen- So Happy Together
My beloved is mine and I am his!
~ Song of Solomon 2:16a
On Friday Mr. Steady and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary.
It never ceases to amaze the two of us that our love continues to grow each year. God has blessed us immeasurably.
We have been together for almost 20 years- meaning I have spent more of my life with him than without him.
In honor of 16 years of marital bliss…
I have revamped a previous post from my archives.
I am what he has made me.
My husband enjoys telling me I’m beautiful. He takes great delight in it. I must admit that when we were first married, I didn’t handle his compliments well and would too often off-handedly say things like, “Oh, no I’m not.” Or “I’m too fat.” Or “Did you not see the big zit on my nose?!” or “You’re just saying that because you want something.” Or “Are you blind?” …. Often I would mean it in a sarcastic way and other times I simply meant what I said. Besides my family, Mr. Steady was the first and only boy to tell me I was beautiful. Oh, I’d been told I was cute, I was pretty and such… but not beautiful. Beautiful has a whole different meaning. I never felt it…
When I was about 13, a very pretty and sharply dressed lady from my church said to me, “Amy, you’re such a pretty girl. Too bad you walk like a cow.” Ouch doesn’t even begin to cover it- to this day that comment haunts me. I allowed it to affect me in a very deep way. I thought to myself that I could be a pretty girl but I’d never be more than that because I walk funny.
Needless to say, it was very difficult for me to even begin to believe I was beautiful… until I took the time to really look into my husband’s eyes and see me in a whole new way. In my husband’s eyes, I am beautiful even when I’ve got a zit on the end of my nose or am retaining water or feeling blah… because he looks at me with his heart- He sees me as a whole package- both inside and out and what he sees is beautiful to him. So when I would rebuff his compliments or make sarcastic retorts I was, in a sense, telling my husband his love for me isn’t enough. I was telling him I didn’t want it or believe in it. With those thoughts I had a shift in perspective.
I am reminded of an article in a magazine I read a few years ago, the article started with a story about a group of men who were sharing pictures of their families and one man didn’t want to show a picture of his wife. When asked why, his response was “My wife isn’t pretty anymore.” After a moment of awkward silence an older man came up, put his arm around the other man and said, “She is what you made her.”
I finished reading the article but I can’t really tell you what the rest of it said as I focused on that line- She is what you made her. Wow. That explains it! My husband says I grow more beautiful the longer we are married and now I know the secret. I am what he makes me. Besides God, my husband is the most important and influential person in my life. What he says and how he treats me has a lot to do with what I think of myself. He thinks I’m smart and beautiful- so I am. I know that I am only getting a glimmering glimpse of what I am to him- if I could really see the me I am in his eyes I am sure that I would be shocked and totally humbled. Much more so than I am now.
Because of his love for me and how he treats me and shows me that love I am a better person- I want to be a better person. I want to shower him with love and affection to show how much he means to me. I desire to be beautiful for him!
If a mean man can demean his wife and tell her she’s ugly/fat/dumb after years of this she will, with all probability, begin to believe it to be true. She will undoubtedly begin to look/act the way he has portrayed her. So shouldn’t it work the opposite way? If our loving husbands tell us we are beautiful, lovely, smart, and sexy shouldn’t we begin to believe it?! Shouldn’t we hold our heads high with confidence and begin to look the part?! A smile alone will add to our face value!
On our anniversary, he made sure to tell me more than once that he loves me more today than he did when we were married 16 years ago. He remarked on how our love has grown and improved over the years. And yes, many times, he told me how very beautiful I am.
… After almost 20 years together, he still makes me blush when he says it.
I am what he has made me.
Beautiful.
Whey, Cheesemaking, & the Real Food Challenge Update
Whey is such a good helper in your kitchen. It has a lot of minerals. One tablespoon of whey in a little water will help digestion. It is a remedy that will keep your muscles young. It will keep your joints moveable and ligaments elastic. When age wants to bend your back, take whey ... ~ Hannah Kroeger Ageless Remedies from Mother's Kitchen (taken from Nourishing Traditions)
I think I should definitely start including more whey into my diet; young muscles, moveable joints and elasticity of ligaments will come in handy! 
I purchased goat's milk and organic non-homogenized cow's milk yesterday for cheese and yogurt making, so now I'll be able to have some good quality whey, as well. I'd rather have raw milk; but you do the best you can, and at the moment, this is the best quality milk I can get.
Now, to decide what to make with my milk, suggestions anyone? I will definitely make a quart of yogurt from the cow's milk, probably some buttermilk, and I was thinking of trying one of the soft cheeses ... I saw a recipe for lemon cheese in Home Cheesemaking that sounded very interesting, and I already have the ingredients for that one. Those of you who make goat's milk cheese, please tell me what type of soft cheeses are simple to make and the tastiest. Recipes would be most welcome, of course!
I know I neglected to post the last update on the Real Food Challenge; but as only a couple of people seemed to be participating, and I didn't do so well with the last weeks of the challenge I decided to skip it. Let's just say that I keep my food as real as is practical, and still have plenty of room for improvement 
! Val, and anyone else who participated, feel free to comment and share how you fared in the last week of the challenge.
I'll be waiting for your cheesemaking suggestions!
Blessings,
Magnificent Mulch/Fantastic Fertilizer
Organic gardening has become all the rage, and for good reason. Organic means the practice of natural growing techniques, non-chemical fertilizers, and pesticides, and that means healthier plants, and in the mix, a healthier You!
When planting gardens, there are many things to consider, from soil alkalinity, to rainfall. One of the best ways to solve difficulty in both of these areas is to mulch. Mulch provides a way to cushion the soil from harsh sun, drought, and keep it more aerable. Mulches ranges from rubber and plastic, to living. All offer the benefits of weed control. Some prefer to use an organic mulch of leaves, straw and hay. But, only one offers the chance to "treat and eat," and that is "living" mulch. So, what exactly is a living mulch?
A living mulch is using under-story, and companion planting, to form a canopy that blocks the sun from reaching those pesky little weeds that are trying to invade your garden plot. And, it is edible!
I call living mulch "magnificent mulch," because it is one of the least expensenive, and easiet ways to shelter the soil, while providing the added benefits of more food on the table.
How do you create a living mulch?
First, it is important to find what plants grow well together, because like companion planting, you need to know which benefit each other. Living mulches must contribute to the growth habit of those plants it understories.
The following is an example of a garden plan that shows a list of plants, and their living mulch counterparts. You will notice that some of the living mulch plants are harvested quickly and might require a second sowing, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.
Tomato with Basil as an understory
Bush Beans with cumcumbers or squash
Cabbages with dill or sage. Sage helps deter cabbage butterfly.
Eggplants with lettuces
Potato with onions
Brussel sprouts with spinach
Beans with oregano
Sunflowers with melons'
Sage with carrots
Jalepeno and hot peppers understoried with cilantro, or sweet basil
Kohlrabi with mint
Mustard with cauliflower
Corn with tansy or summer savory.
Borage with your strawberries will help deter predatory insects. On the downside, it can also deter honeybees.
Radishes with turnips
On a different note, but equally important is pest control. Natural pest deterrants can be found in many flowers and herbs. For example Geraniums, help prevent infestations of Japanese beatles, (abundant down here in the South). They are good companion plantings for Peppers and tomatos. Marigolds help deter the dreaded nematodes, and beet leaf hoppers. The dwarf varieties thrive as underplants for cukes, squash, and kale.
The list goes on and on! The main thing to remember is that as in anything, perserverance is the key!
Fantastic Fertilizer:
The single greatest natural fertilizer you can have is a good compost amended directly to the soil, and compost tea. The benefits of this range from modifying and maintaining soil ph to moisture balance. There are so many different thoughts on what makes good compost, so rather than listing them all, I am simply going to share my favorite compost recipe, :).
You will need a good sized bin, (follow this link COMPOST BIN PLANS to simple and easy plans to build one) a hoe, and a thermometer that will measure to 150 degrees Farenheit. You can use leaves, alfala meal, straw, hay, dehydrated cow, chicken or turkey manure, rabbit pellets, egg shells, vegetable scraps, cardboard and paper, to start your compost pile. An important note, be careful about adding fresh manure or hay, because both contain active weed seeds, and once you spread the compost, you spread the weeds! Also, paper can be added, but with caution. Never add those that are printed with inks or dyes, because that will also go into the soil. Oh, and don't let the smell throw you! It is actually supposed to be rather stinky!
Allow the mixture to sit covered for one week, and then mix well, leaving it loose, not packed down, and recover. Good circulation is a must. Continue to add to the pile, and use a long-handle hoe, or similar instrument to stir weekly, or bi-weekly, until the mixture reaches between 140, and 150 degrees F. Allow it to sit for another 15 to 20 days, stirring weekly, keeping the pile in those temp varients as closely as possible. It should then be ready to use as a coarse compost, or to make compost tea.
Compost Tea:
There are also as many different ways to make compost tea as there are recipes for it. This is the easiest way I have found.
You will need:
2 Five gallon buckets with handle, and lid
One yard Cheesecloth or unbleached muslin
Two gallons of non-chloronated water
Non-dyed kite string or something similar
Patience, LOL! This tea takes some time, but it is worth it.
Fill the bucket two thirds full of the darkest, richest compost, and pour water over it, sealing tightly with the lid. Allow it to sit in a sunny location for two days. Place the cheescloth or muslin tightly over the five gallon bucket, and secure well with string. It should be fairly taut. Slowly drain the "tea" into a clean container. Seal, and sit in a sunny location for about 4 to 5 hours. The tea will be rather warm. Cool to about 70 to 80 degrees before applying to the base of your plants. You can use this tea two to three times a week, and it will give you great results!
Happy gardening HSB friends, and until we meet again, may the Lord bless you GOOD!
Bev resides deep in the woodlands of South Carolina. Surrounded by her loving husband, children, family and friends, she thrives on her love of God, family, and the land.
"Homesteading is more than just a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle of Hope and Heart!"
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