Queen's Edge Farm

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

I know I have said this before, but I love the nights out here. Tonight the moon, the clouds and I think it is Saturn look beautiful in the sky. I went out to lock the goats in their pen. It will keep the coyotes out, probably not the mountain lion in the area, if it chooses to come this way.

I totally forgot about the mountain lion roaming the area, and went out last night to take my laundry off the line, in the dark, at midnight. It was supposed to rain in the early a.m., and I had forgotten to take the clothes off earlier. Nex time I'll let the clothes get wet.

We have had a few drops today, and right now it is threatening to rain. Thunder and lightening are really bad right now. Time to shut down the lap top and head to bed I guess, before the internet goes down.

I finally made my laundry soap, and have a pile of clothing to wash and hang up to dry. I lit a fire in the wood stove the other night, it was chilly, plus it would help dry the clothes hanging on the rack.

Tomorrow I am doing some ironing for a neighbor, plus I start my new part time job at the small, local bookstore/internet cafe.

The chickens are laying so many eggs, I gave away four dozen at church yesterday.

Lauren's birthday party was fun, and we went shopping tonight with her birthday money and gift cards. She bought three shirts (one a Miley Cyrus one, really cute, it's tan with a black microphone swirled on it), she also bought a leather like bomber jacket and two Moxie dolls (kind of like a Barbie/Bratz doll).

In my never ending quest to make a few dollars, I will start giving tennis lessons in town. So far, I have four interested in attending, plus my two girls make six. I am not charging much, just $10.00 per person per week. It'll give me gas and/or feed money I hope.

This week the pastor charged us with reading one verse a week out of the Bible and to truly meditate on it and think about what is saying to us. I am looking forward to working on it this week.

I am also resolved to be more positive. I have had a rough couple of years, and these past few months haven't been easy, I feel I am drowning in negativity. I feel happy most of the times but then I think about my dad, my poor goaties, and my ending marriage and I get down. I don't want people to start running from me, so I am endeavoring to not talk about the bad stuff. I hope I remember ;-)

3 comments:

Bob Westbrook said...: It's not bad to talk about bad stuff. Sometimes it's healthier to do so than to hold it in. In fact I think you need to have someone to share these things with in private. On my blog I share what happens good and bad, just the truth of the day.
You ought to find regular buyers of the eggs. Shouldn't be hard to do. Free range eggs sell for $4 to $5 bucks at the farmers market here.; September 29, 2009 at 7:43 AM
Amy E said...: Thanks Bob! That is what I felt i was doing. My goal wasn't to come across as complaining but just to share with family and friends what my day is like. I am getting negative feedback.

I firmly believe that i am a happy person. I feel happy the majority of the time, but then something negative happens, or a Negative Ned/Nellie waltzes into my day and pukes all over it.; September 29, 2009 at 10:16 PM
Loretta said...: Hi...I've been lurking for awhile after finding you at Bob's blog. I think you're doing a wonderful job of taking care of your little family. You are doing what few women could. I really enjoy reading about your life. Take care.

Loretta; September 30, 2009 at 11:25 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.