Homestead Happenings

 

Welcome to Homestead Happenings,

where we share what's going on 

here on our Piedmont homestead.

We've had some gorgeous weather lately,

with temperatures ranging from the 50's to the 70's 

and more than a few beautiful sunsets.

Autumn is my favorite time of year and I am

relishing every precious moment.

It was a busy caterpillar season,

with around 40 Monarchs performing their magic

on our property.

This never gets old, seeing the transformation

and watching them graduate as butterflies

to continue on their life's path.

We feel fortunate to witness this amazing event,

and wish them all well on their way.

This was an exceptional year for the cats,

and we hope it continues for years to come.

Among other garden tasks,

drying and shelling beans remains on the agenda.

This is one of my favorite activities to do,

as I sit in our new (to us) rockers

and watch the clouds roll by.

It's the simple things.

Thanks to a couple of fabulous rainstorms,

the garden is growing by leaps and bounds.

The kale, lettuce and turnip greens

are appreciative of the consistent moisture.

The chooks love being hand-fed

the turnip greens whenever they are ranging.

All the Birdie's beds have now been filled with transplants.

Broccoli, cabbage, kale and lettuce will 

continue to grow for months in our mild climate.

The covers on the beds will remain

so that crops don't start disappearing

thanks to our chooks and other visiting critters.

(The covers were removed for the photo.)

sedum

Some reading here may know that I went

gluten-free a couple of years ago.

Due to eczema that was fairly debilitating,

gluten was taken out of my diet

to see if it was the culprit, with mixed results.

Being of European heritage,

bread has always been a huge part of my life,

and I have been in mourning for real bread for two years.

It is the ultimate comfort food for me.

I recently learned about folks who mill their own flour,

using whole grains and I am going to give it a go.

The problem with gluten in our country,

is most likely the process of stripping the nutrients

out of the original grain.

It just makes sense that using whole grains

and milling them fresh would retain the nutrients.

After watching this video,

I knew I had to 

try this for myself.

Our health challenges are not the same,

but if Jennifer could heal from her gut issues,

it would be worth it for me to explore. 

I have a good feeling about this...

The grain mill arrived just yesterday,

and I am reading everything I can about

milling and the different whole grains and their uses.

It is very exciting to me that I may be able

to eat REAL bread again.

There is a lot of information out there

about the benefits of eating whole grain bread,

including the supportive nature to one's health.

I'm looking forward to the journey.

goldenrod

Matilda foraging

I hope October brings you loved ones near,

peace in your heart,

and a multitude of wonderful memories.