making the best of what we've got
The book that started us on the road to self reliance and desire to build a simple farm life is “The Backyard Homestead” by Carleen Madigan. The best price (outside of second hand books) is Amazon.com. During the summer of 2011, Paul and I were in North Bend hoping to pick blueberries at our favorite…
A couple of days after canning our soups, we canned bratwurst and chicken breast. I only filled the bratwurst jars up halfway with water, so after canning, there is a thick layer of fat, with brats sticking through it. Due to their appearance and unknown spiciness, Lina made me the taster. They were great! The…
For Christmas this year we decided to give my parents something practical. My Dad has been ill for the past few months, and my Mom has been trying to take care of him, while working a full time job. She has a hard time getting all the chores done around the house, let alone getting…
It has taken longer than it probably should have, but our site is finally up and running. We are a family living in suburban Pacific Northwest, interested in gardening, food preservation, self reliance and everything in between. We are looking forward to making this site a rich resource for everyone. Please visit us again soon!…