LIVING OFF THE PHAT OF THE LAND

Living life as simply as possible...

Dilly Beans

Early Garden

LIVING LIFE AS SIMPLY AS POSSIBLE...

Today I would like to tell you about the way we live on the small acreage.

We live a life that most Americans would consider as LOW INCOME, but I say we live life to the fullest. As we have no mortgage, no credit cards, no outstanding bills and if we don't have the money to buy something today, then we save until we do. No More No Less.

We eat well because of the garden. I eat vegetables and seafood, but my husband and son eat meat. He says when he dies he will have a steak in his mouth, not a bologna sandwich.

I raise chickens and ducks, I have a rabbit and considering raising them as well. I plan on getting some pigeons too. In Europe they are considered a delicacy, but here they are called rats with with wings, go figure.

Food is the the life force, so it is very important around here.

I cook most meals from scratch so very little in the way of preservatives. We drink little colas or sugar drinks. Mostly water, tea and milk, then coffee and homemade wine, with plans of brewing beer and Meade.

Other Stuff...

My husband has a shop here on the property. He paints motorcycles and some jet skis. Rarely a car will slip in, but motorcycles are the bread and butter.

He is a collector, junker, pack rat, what ever suits your fancy, he never gets rid of anything.

I guess I am safe and going no where anytime soon...

He has strange hours for a paint shop. Most of his customers come by after work so, he is up all night and sleeps all day. Everyone that knows him, knows not to bother before 2:00 PM.

Speaking of collecting...He recently bought 6 old un-used coffins, with the plans of building a RAT-ROD and the others to make pull behind trailers for motorcycles.

Well to make a long story short we had a new customer come by and he happened to see the coffins under the shed. My husband the jokester that he is tells him that a cemetery was moving and since the coffins had only been used once he got a great deal. Needless to say the guys eyes nearly popped out of his head, before hubby explained the little details.

Speaking of little details, he drives an old hearse to haul motorcycle parts in. He tells folks it's quiet and he is never alone...BOO!!!

Back to the living...

Today I plan on putting up some fencing to keep the ducks on the property. I would like to get some goats, but hubby REFUSES to let me have GOATS, because he can just see them standing on the roof of something, BLA BLA BLA...

I guess that is all for today, I have to get busssy........

MINI FARMING

Today I searched the net for ideas to start a mini farm.

I learned a few things about sustainability.

I have 3.5 acres and only use about 1.5 and the rest is over grown with junk trees and briers.

I have decided to do some cleaning.

I will have to do some land . I will start this when it starts to cool off abit. I plan to mulch much of the clearing debre.

It will take a while to get this accomplished

HERE IS MY TO DO LIST....

1. I will have to clear about .5 acre of scrub trees and briers.

But in the end I will have a very good space for some fruit trees to go along with my grape and blackberries. I have already tried my hand at making blackberry wine.

Since I will be working on a shoestring, it will be a slow job. But I feel I can handle it.

This year I started new garden area plus my old area of 12 by 20 ft

2. I plan to add more this fall as well as getting this years beds ready for the coming spring.

3.I have a package of asparagus seeds to start now so to transplant this fall as well.

4.I built a chicken house for my 6 new chickens. I am in the process of aquiring some ducks locally that will be good bug catchers.

5.I have a large stand of bamboo that I think I can utilize.

6.I need to get some fruit baring shrubs, such as blueberry and raspberries to go along with the apple trees that I will plant next year.

I will add to my list later. I think this will be enough to keep me busy for 365 days...

Here is a recipe I plan to try from my own fig trees.

Fig Bars Adapted from “Baking Unplugged” by Nicole Rees

Crust & Streusel:

*Ingredients*

1 1/3 cups unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm

1 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large egg yolks

¾ teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

Dough has been scored and is on its way to the fridge, before oven time. (Kim O'Donnel)

Method Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil (KOD: I used parchment paper), allowing ends to create an overhanging edge for easy removal.

In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and ¾ cup of the brown sugar until just combined.

Stir in egg yolks and salt until smooth.

Stir in flour to make a stiff dough (KOD: but it will be buttery, which will help).

Total yield: a scant three cups.
Transfer about 2 cups of the dough to the prepared pan.

With your hands, press mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Prick dough all over with a fork.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or freeze 5-7 minutes) until dough is firm.
Meanwhile, make the fig filling.

*Fig Filling: Ingredients*

2 cups dried Mission figs, finely chopped

1 cup orange juice

½ teaspoon grated orange zest (equivalent of one orange)

¼ cup honey

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons dark rum, Cognac or whiskey

*Method*

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat with enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer mixture, covered, until tender (KOD: I found that the figs softened more quickly when uncovered), up to 30 minutes, adding more water as necessary.

When figs are soft, mash into a rough puree using a wooden spoon or potato masher.

Use immediately or refrigerate for up to two weeks.

If you do make mixture in advance, you may need to add a few tablespoons of lukewarm water to make mixture spreadable.

*For the streusel*

combine remaining ¼ cup brown sugar with reserved dough until crumbly.

Mixture should hold together when pressed but readily break into small crumbs. (KOD: this did not happen for me, but all ended well and streusel-y.)

Set aside.
When ready to bake:Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Bake crust for 20 minutes, until crust begins to set but is not brown at all on the edges (center will not be firm yet).

Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread fig filling evenly over hot crust.

Crumble streusel over filling.
Bake near top of oven, 20-25 minutes, until streusel is golden and set. Allow pan to cool, 1-2 hours.

When bottom of pan is cool, carefully lift from pan using overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Slip lining away from bars by lifting with a metal spatula.

Cut into 2-inch squares.

Doesn't that sound delicious!

THE DAY AFTER THE FOURTH

I want to tell you about the fourth of July. We mostly just laid low until about 6:00 and then loaded up Hoochy and headed for town.

I decided not to pack a supper in lou of eating at the local Jack's instead. We ate supper, set and talked and laughed for a while and then decided to get 3 shakes. It took a while to decide if we wanted on of each, a chocolate, a vanilla or a strawberry. After much discussion we decided on 3 chocolates. After spooning them down we decided to leave as it was getting pretty crowded.

After going to the car to get the fold out chairs we headed to the green area of the Jack's parking lot.
Folks were already starting to set up camp... Some had chairs, others had quilts or blankets and one little miss had her pink bean bag chair to set on.
It was really nice. We were a family surrounded by families.

By the time it started at 9:00 (we left home at 6:30) there were people in every nook and cranny for a mile strech, from the local funeral home to the Piggly Wiggly.

Boy did we luck out...We sat were you see the fireworks come up from the ground and it looked like the were coming at you like 3-D. You could feel it in your chest. Way cool...It lasted a total 17 minutes, but it was worth it...
It took a while to get through traffic, PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE....

After getting home my son set up the XBOX 36o and we played with and talked to people from all over the world. It was a good day.

Got up to rain today....
We needed it very much for the garden and yard. Walked around to see if anything new was going on and picked some fresh veggies for supper.
After checking on the chickens and rabbit I went in to whip up a cherry cobbler for dessert.
Later on for supper we had beer bratworst as hotdogs with pinto beans and fries. Along with some fresh goodies from the garden, it was a good meal. I am a vegetarian, but do occasionally eat seafood.
Fixing to try that cherry cobbler!

The Day After the Fourth

Last evening we loaded up Hoochy and went to town. We decided to eat at the local JACK'S. We sat at the table for a while and decided to get a milk shake. After discussing whether to get one of each choices or just 3 chocolates, we decided on the 3 chocolates. After spooning down our shakes, we decided to leave as it was starting to get pretty crowded. We went to the car and unloaded the chairs and went out on the green area in the parking lot and enjoyed each others company.

We brought 3 fold out chairs but one had disintegrated so our son ended up setting on the ground for a while.

There where people everywhere. Folks setting around us were setting in chairs or on quilts and blankets. One little girl brought her pink bean bag to set on. Some brought their on food from home as a picnic, but most went into Jack's to load up on fast food like we did. By the time it started at 9:00 (we left the house at 6:30) People were parked in the field, at the funeral home, at the put put golf, at the high school, at the Kmart and every other empty place for a good mile stretch.

We lucked out too! Where we were setting you could actually see the fireworks coming up from the ground. I mean it felt like the rockets were coming toward us almost like 3-D. It was really COOL...

I could kick myself, I had planned to bring my camera to show all, but I forgot!!!

It lasted a total of 17 minutes.......But it was worth it, we were there as a family surrounded by families. It was really nice.

It took awhile to get out of the traffic. People,People,People....

After leaving there we went to the grocery store for a few things. As I went through the doors, I asked 2 guys when they closed, he looked at the clock and said 10 minutes. WHEW!!! We were on the run, LOL.

By the time we got out one of the guys had to manually open the doors to let us out. I made the comment about being locked in and he laughed and said I was free to go.

After making it home, put up the groceries, my son set up the XBOX 360 and the three of us played with people from all over the world. It was a very cool day.

Got up to rain this morning, of which I needed very much for the garden and yard. Walked around to see if anything new was going on and picked some zucchinis, an eggplant, some green beans and cucumbers. Checked on the chickens and rabbit and came back in and whipped up a cherry cobbler for supper.

I decided on Beer Bratworst to be grilled and made into hotdogs, some fries along with pinto beans.

Sliced onion, fresh yellow tomatoes and radishes from the garden, along with some sliced cucumbers that had been salted and peppered with vinegar and water. I am a vegiterian but I do eat cold water sea food occacionlly.

We go to town, eat a light supper, try to find a good spot, get out the chairs, eat ice cream and wait on the fireworks.



Since we are usually in the most radical ride around we get a lot of attention in hubbies newest creation.



When my son was very small my husband had a motorcycle with a side car. He put in seat belts for my son. We put him in the car seat belted him in. I got on the back and off we went to town to watch the fireworks. Needless to say we got alot of attention that year.



This morning I went out to look at the garden to see what had changed since yesterday... Looks like a few more flower petals have fall. This is my banny rooster. He follows me around the yard when I am out.

I will load a current photo of my vegetable garden on my next visit.
I try as best I can to be organic in my garden practices. I mulch and add shredded newspaper as well as wheat straw to my garden. This year I tried something new. I made raised bed using the laz..y method.

Down the road here is a small family owned cabinetry shop and they have lots of sawdust. I called and was graciously given permission to get all I wanted of the old rotted black sawdust.
So I started with cardboard that a friend gave me. He works at a local big box plant and hardware store and can get me the really big size of cardboard. He also brought me several 'D' grade 2x4's used in shipping. I created 8 2ft x 8ft beds.

I started with the sawdust which had been burned so there was some wood ash in it as well. Next I added bought peat moss in a thin layer, shredded newspaper, sawdust, peat moss, fresh grass clippings and continued in fashion until the beds were 8 inches thick. As it rotted down I started planting some seedlings I had started in the cold frame.

We got way too much rain this spring so I had to replant a few things. But as things started to take off I added more shredded newspaper and covered it all with wheat straw. I have been getting beans, zucchini,eggplant,lettuce,radish,broccoli and cucumber as well as a few tomatoes.
I am using heirloom seeds this year so I am able to save for next years seeds. I have noticed a difference in the plant sizes.

Today is the Fourth of July 2009 and this is my first post.

We usually don't do anything at home on this day, we usually load up in what ever vehicle my husband has created that year and go to town.

This year we are going to town in a 1976 Linclon and I call her HOOCHY.