Queen's Edge Farm: What I learned...

Thursday, May 10, 2007

What I learned...

I learned on Monday that I am not as prepared for a natural disaster as I thought I was. After a severe storm with 100 mph straight line winds, I needed to use the chain saw to get rid of some fallen branches. The only thing...I don't know how to use the chain saw.

During the storm, I also learned I need more candles, and I need some sort of food items on hand that can be eaten without cooking them. My family is extremely picky when it comes to food, and I have realized that in the event of a REAL emergency (nuclear war, hurricane, etc.) that my family will.....DIE. They are too "good" for trail mix, cold cereal or peanut butter crackers. Suffice it to say, they went hungry. I did offer to heat water on a sterno to make grits and/or oatmeal, but I got the LOOK. (The one that says mom is crazy, and looking for a reason to act like Laura Ingalls. Not that Laura had access to a sterno, but it was the "without power" concept.)

I learned that my "bug out bag" was not ready, and neither was my son's.

I learned I was out of ammunition for my 9mm. (Note to self - buy more ammo)

I learned, as did others who shall remain nameless, that we need a generator in the not so distant future. Two trees fell into the transformer behind our house, and sent showers of sparks popping and sizzling through the air to land in the back yard.

I learned that I need flashlights or another battery operated lantern. I would prefer the hand pump or crank flashlights that don't use batteries. Kids carrying candles will make your heart stop.

I learned that I need a car charger for my laptop, or to keep my laptop charged so that we could watch a DVD to while away the time.

I learned that when you stare at someone by candlelight for a while you can tell they need a haircut.

I learned that I need to up my food preps. I don't have as much food as I thought I did, at least ready to eat. Flour to make bread or biscuits, sugar too, but way too much cream of chicken soup, and not enough soup to really eat.

So, ultimately I learned that I need to be prepared, and not procrastinate in being prepared. I mean what is a hand crank radio, and a first aid kit when you are going to die of starvation. (Okay, I exaggerate, but man I was out of cookies!)

2 comments:

Homekeeper Mom said...: I have a lot to learn from you.......I know even less!! I would gladly have settled for peanut butter crackers for breakfast.....I guess I am simple! That is what you get for treating them so well all these years, lol!! They don't realize how good they have it.

Love in Christ,
~Candi (Homekeeper at Heart); May 10, 2007 at 9:28 AM
Peggy said...: Makes you thankful for the power outage just so you know what you need in a real disaster; May 10, 2007 at 5:17 PM

Grandma's Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

2 pkgs active dry yeast or 5 tsps if using bulk yeast
1/2 cup warm water (not too hot)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening, butter, margarine
2 tsps salt
2 cups milk, scalded
1 1/2 cups cold water
10 to 12 cups flour (white or whole wheat)

Yield: 4 loaves

Soften yeast in warm water, springkle in a tsp of the sugar
In LARGE mixing bowl blend sugar, shortening, salt and milk until shortening is melted. Add cold water, cool to luke-warm. Stir in yeast. Gradually add flour to form a stiff dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and satiny, 5 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover with foil or damp towel. Let rise in warm place (85 to 90 deg) until light and doubled in volume about two hours. Punch dough down by plunging fist in center. Knead dough for about 5 minutes.

Roll out one fourth of dough to a 16 X 12 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 TBSP of melted butter. Combine 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (or more to taste). Sprinkle mixture over dough. Starting with 16 inch side, roll jellyroll fashion. Either cut into 16 1 inch slices or leave as a whole loaf. Place on a greased pan, cover and let rise in warm place until light, about 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Mix one box 10X sugar with 2 tbsps water. If too stiff, add more water until icing consistency, add a drop of vanilla too. Spread on baked bread while bread is still warm.

2010 Homestead Stats

Laundry Soap

Homemade Laundry Soap:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above
½ cup washing soda
½ cup borax powder
~You will also need a small washpan or bowl that holds about 2 gallons.

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the washpan. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Transfer soap (using a funnel if necessary) into empty plastic laundry holders, milk containers (I use my empty glass milk bottles and old Fab containers) Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

Wild Mustang Grape Jelly

Wild Mustang Grape Jelly

5 cups grape juice (about 3 1/2 pounds of ripe grapes)1 (1 3/4 ounce) box of sure-jel pectin7 cups sugarBefore getting started it is best to clean the entire kitchen, making sure the sink is empty. Bleach the sink and all utensils used in making jelly (I do this as I sell my grape jelly as part of my homesteading business.)

Wash the canning jars in warm soapy water, and rinse well. Set off to side.

Place a large pan of water on the stove to heat. Once it starts steaming, place lids and rings in the bottom, and 2-3 jars (depending on if you use actual jelly jars or pints) to sterilize.

Next make the grape juice using clean washed grapes (make sure you use rubber gloves when picking or washing wild grapes)To 3 1/2 pounds of clean grapes (6 cups of grapes) add 1 1/2 cups water.Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes.Strain and squeeze out all of the juice with cheese cloth (see paragraph below)
I didn't have cheese cloth, so I poured the grape mixture into a large spaghetti strainer with a large pan underneath. I had to stir it around some as the skins and seeds would sink to the bottom, and clog the colander up. Stirring allowed the liquid to drain out. I then used a large metal spoon and squished it some to get more of the juice out.

In a very big pan, put 5 cups of the juice (it’s okay to add no more than ½ cup water to even out amount)Add the fruit pectin to the juice.Mix well.On high heat, bring to a full rolling boil, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.Stir in sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil, again boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Remove jelly from heat, skim off foam
Use a large spoon inserted inside the jar to lift CAREFULLY out of the water. DO NOT TOUCH THE INSIDE OF THE JAR OR THE RIM WITH YOUR HANDS.
Ladle jelly into hot jars, place a lid and ring onto jar (do not tighten yet).
Set jars to the side. After a while you should start hearing “pings” as the jar seals.
When jars are completely cool, tighten rings and store on pantry shelf.**SIDE NOTE: Wild Mustang Grapes are normally ready the end of June, so be prepared. Keep an eye open for vines on the side of the road, or any that friends and family may have growing in their yard. Many people just let them grow and don’t do anything with them, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a good supply. Also, the more you pick off the vine, the more the vine produces new grapes, so you probably won’t EVER run out of grapes to use until the vine dies or you get sick of making jelly. Good luck and feel free to contact me at queensedgefarm@yahoo.com for questions.