Queen's Edge Farm: Jericho

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Jericho

Bonnie from Jericho

Okay, I have been hooked on this show since last year. It is extremely good! It is also controversial, and while I know that it is only t.v., I believe it displays a good view of what could happen. This isn't science fiction. In today's world of terrorism, at home and abroad, it is a good glimpse of possible life during situations that could alter the world as we know it. If you haven't seen it I suggest you go to http://www.cbs.com/primetime/jericho

Watch it from the beginning of the series, they have them on the CBS website for viewing. Watch out, you will probably get hooked if you view with an open mind. I have had one person tell me it is depressing! Depressing!? I was totally shocked at this viewpoint. I understand not liking survivalist type movies like Red Dawn, etc., but depressing! I find this show extremely thought provoking and EXCITING! It is definitely not like the rest of the junk on tv. I used to only watch one show on tv and that was the Stargate series on the Sci-Fi channel, now I have added Jericho to my short list. It comes on here in TEXAS at 9 p.m., Tuesdays on CBS.

Many of us live in different parts of the country. My mother lives in FL and is of course hurricane prone. Here in South TEXAS we get flooding, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, power outages, toxic waste spills via the railroad (this is frequent). (One of my reasons for moving away from a railroad when we bought our new site. Now I can see the train from my front porch.)

So, to encourage everyone to prepare for the disasters that typically hit your area I am supplying the link to the FEMA web page (I don't normally support FEMA, but for "newbies" it is a good place to start. Most people feel comfortable with the "government's" ideas instead of someone often viewed as crazy LOL!) I figure if the government is asking all citizens to be prepared for three days, I can't be all that crazy. I just take it further and am prepared for longer, because I absolutely don't want to be in a FEMA shelter (you don't either).

http://www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm

Having a case of water in your pantry isn't enough. Thing the top three: 1) Food 2) Water and 3) Shelter. What would you do if you had to leave your home at the last minute? Do you have all your important papers in one place that you could just grab? Where would you stay? Do you have enough cash on hand to get out of the area, for food, lodging, etc.? Keep in mind many others may be evacuating with you, and as evidenced during Hurricane Katrina and Rita in TEXAS you can be trapped on the highway for over 8 hours with no bathroom, no food, no fuel. Keep an eye on the weather and leave BEFORE it hits please, or be prepared to buckle down where you are to wait it out, if possible.

Severe storm season is just beginning here in South TEXAS, and I believe hurricane season starts in June. Now is the time to get prepared before all those "last minute" shoppers. You want to be safe and secure in your home, instead of running around with all the other crazies clearing the shelves off at Wal-Mart.

I have been preparing since Hurricane Katrina, so may have a lead time on many of you, so feel free to send me an email and ask me a question. My email address is queensedgefarm@yahoo.com

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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.