Queen's Edge Farm: Tuesday

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Tuesday

My normal schedule is blown to pieces this semester. With getting up every morning and running my son into town for college it totally throws off the pace.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are the worst days, as once I leave the house I don't end up back here until late. His first class is only an hour long, so I wait to save gas. Then I run him over to the golf course, and wait for him to finish. The girls have been working on their school work in the car, until I discovered the nice air conditioned pro shop within walking distance of water and a bathroom. Two things little girls seemd to need a lot of. I bet I have checked out every restroom between home and town...twice.

Trying to get my house in order, and going over things in my mind. I really need to get some of this stuff out of my house. Will talk to my sisters regarding when they think they can come get it, or if I can give it away or sell it. I am tired of tripping over furniture, boxes, etc.

If I could get the back porch completed for Taylor's bedroom, I'd have a spare room to set up as a guest room/sewing room. Which would alleviate many of my problems. My sewing stuff is stacked in the corner of the dining room. If I had a room to put it in, it would solve a big problem. If I had my way, the back porch/apartment would be a self contained guest room, but I have already told Taylor he can move out there once it is complete.

Sunday after church we headed for the river for a couple of hours. The water was down, and the girls could actually get in to swim. It was very nice. I was actually the "relief team" for the guys. They had left earlier in the day to float down the river from further up, and fish. They floated for 5 hours! They are so dumb..no food, water, sunscreen, or hats. They lost their hats 30 minutes into the trip, and broke their poles when the tubes turned over going down a small water fall. By the time they made it to the get out point they were sick...the big dummies. I had brought bottles of water in the ice chest, cookies that I had made, and fried chicken. They were so glad to see me. That's because I am the smart one. I think I am making them each a fanny pack with granola bars, jerky, sunscreen, and a small bottle of water. At least it will be something to help the dummies survive.

Monday was my 19th wedding anniversary. The past few years not something I normally commemorate, but this year I am at least on pleasant terms (for now) with my husband, and he offered to take me to dinner and a movie. Not one to turn up a kid free night, we went to eat at the Alamo Draft house. It is a movie theater that serves dinner while you watch the movie. It was a different experience, and somewhere around midnight last night I was sick. I know it was food poisoning.

Today I feel much better, so no lasting effects, though my stomach does feel strange still.
Cleaning the house when I get home this afternoon, as I will be having company tomorrow for the first time. I like inviting people over, as it motivates me to really clean and throw things away. It is my normal baking day today, so I need to think about what to make....probably cookies and a coffee cake for the morning.

Well, off to get ready to take Taylor to school. Hope everyone has a great day.

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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.