Queen's Edge Farm

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Picture of dream kitchen again ;-)

This weekend was pretty normal. We spent most of the day at the land moving more boxes out of the storage container (will try and refer to it as our cabin from now on). I need to get my blue tarp to spread over the top of my cardboard boxes, just in case the barn roof leaks, plus buy some rat poison to set out.

All that is left in the container is furniture, two beds, two book cases, a buffet, 4 chairs and my great grandmother's dining room table.

Rodney was able to put a window in the end opposite the double doors. This allows for a very nice breeze, which blows from North to South on a constant basis out at the land. Much cooler! This picture shows the back view...the double doors are visible through the window, and the truck is parked in front. We will be sanding off the rust, and painting the container a tan color, inside and out. Right under this window will be my bed, then to the left with be a small bath, just tub and toilet. The girls beds are next along the left wall, then the galley kitchen will be in the middle, with the living room area at the far end by the double doors. We plan to close the double doors, and install the wood stove in the far end, right side.

I spent last night going through craigslist looking for a variety of items:

-paint (designed for metal) - found what we need for $50.00 for 10 gallons-great deal, one gallon is around $30 here.
-a steel or solid wood front door-found one for $40.00 and $80.00, need to decide which I want.
- a bathtub (1920 cast iron tub) for $75.00
- more windows
- solar items

This weekend we are planning to spend the night in the cabin, cleaning up and getting ready to paint on Saturday. I will work on setting up what furniture we are going to use and keep, hanging up a curtain, and marking off where I want the girls bunk to go, the galley kitchen, and the living room area and wood stove.

Next on my list is to find a small shed to put behind the storage container, that way I can put some of my pantry goods in there, along with the washer and dryer.

I will be looking for a home for the following items/maybe selling them:

couch
coffee table
entertainment center
large screen TV
two double beds/mattresses
Lauren's hutch (that may go into the barn)
two dressers
LOTS of odds and ends

Today was church, and Brittany's baby shower. We had fun laughing with all the other women, and looking through all the baby stuff Brittany received.

The girls and I left to pick up Rodney and head out to the land to feed and water the chickens/dogs. We ate dinner in the storage container, sitting at the table. It was very peaceful and nice. I don't care that people think I am weird for wanting to live in the storage container. I am excited about the idea, looking forward to living more simply, and with less expense. I wonder why I am the strange one, when everyone else is rushing around to their jobs and activities, paying outrageous mortgage and car payments, and never spending enough time together as a family. It's kind of sad really, they are so busy with life, they aren't getting to enjoy their life or family. Rush, rush, rush. What kind of life is that?

We put the wagon, 4 wheeler, and log splitter back in the barn, as it was looking like it was going to rain. It was pretty dark, windy and was getting quite chilly.

As a side note, I need to take the following things to the land on Friday, so we can spend the night in comfort.

sheets
blankets
pillows
tv/dvd player
ice chest/ice
curtain for window
porta potty (clean and put in cabin)
table cloth
lamps (kerosene or battery operated)
furniture polish
rags
window cleaner

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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.