Queen's Edge Farm: Ouch!

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Ouch!

Today we drove over to see Candi at their hotel a couple of towns over. We had lunch and went swimming. Lauren wore a Tshirt and I put sunscreen on her face, she has a slight burn on her face. Hannah, I kept getting her out of the water, drying her off, and applying sunscreen, but OUCH! she has a MAJOR sunburn. I applied alove vera gel when we got home, and at bed time I gave her a bath in vinegar, as it is supposed to stop the sunburn from hurting. Applied more aloe vera, gave her Motrin and put her to bed. She fell right asleep, poor baby!

We didn't get home until about 4:30 p.m. (Candi's eldest son Kyle came to spend the night with Taylor. Taylor is 6 years older than Kyle, but they seem to get along great.) The girls were hungry and ate dinner around 5:00 p.m. (pizza and ravioli the peasants). I made steaks, baked potatoes, and corn for everyone else. I then made a chocolate cake in my cast iron skillet (I've always wanted to do that....) the kids wouldn't even wait until it cooled for me to ice it so they could eat it....

We all went for a walk around 8 pm. I am trying to teach Muffin how to walk on a leash. She is doing pretty good. It was only her second time on a leash. I was very happy.

I washed a few dishes, but stopped when the dish drainer was full, I was getting burned out on washing. The house is starting to get a little clutter after a full week. I made laundry soap around 9 pm and filled all four containers. And washed a load. I need to put them in the dryer before I go to bed, I don't want them to get yucky.

Tomorrow is town day, and I will be heading into town to pay bills, and to pick up a red oak and an avocado tree for the yard. I found the trees on craigslist, and the prices are reasonable compared to the local landscape/nursery.

I noticed a lime/lemon tree around the corner from me, and thought I'd stop and ask the owner if I could pick them for him, and get half. I also would like to call Mrs. Stewart down the street and ask about her pears. The people on the corner have an orange tree (I want one!)

I was thinking tonight of what more I can do to enhance my homemaking/homesteading skills. I am hoping that with using the Prairie Primer this fall I will be able to pick up and practice my skills. I really wish I could turn off the electricity, I get by with only using it for the fans, and the TV, with the occasional use of the stove/oven. I know I could do what I need with the car and inverter like Tammy and would love to try. I also want to learn to knit and make candles this fall. We'll see how the money situation plays out...I am getting stressed on a couple of bills and need to catch up. Once that is done, I will be able to breathe a little easier.

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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.