tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47571019716531001012024-03-12T21:02:21.735-07:00Homestead RevivalKate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comBlogger893125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-56508230034292801342019-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:002019-01-19T07:00:03.755-08:00Hello, Homestead Revival Friends!It's been a while, I know. Too long in fact. Thank you to everyone who still reads and references Homestead Revival's archives.<br />
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The nearly 3+ year absence has been needed to re-establish our homestead in a new location. I took a full time job (and I do mean FULL time at 8-10 hours a day) when my husband went on disability, and it's taken some time to get to a place where I can think about writing again.<br />
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And, a new season of life gives me an opportunity to write about something new. Therefore, I've started a new website to focus on a particular niche that I enjoy - planning, organization, and productivity at <a href="https://theorderlyplace.com/" target="_blank">The Orderly Place</a>. If you want to take a look, please stop by. As of January 2019, the pages are still a bit empty, but Lord willing, they will fill out little by little.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://theorderlyplace.com/" target="_blank">theorderlyplace.com</a></td></tr>
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You can also follow along on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theorderlyplace/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheOrderlyPlace" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.<br />
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I look forward to seeing some familiar names in the comments section!<br />
Blessings,<br />
Amy<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13150580844689686724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-48360689482761577842015-08-15T19:04:00.000-07:002015-08-15T19:18:48.788-07:00Pie Safe Love!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On my last post I showed you MOST of the dining area... but not all of it. There was one wall that was in progress. Since moving in 3 months ago, I moved several different pieces of furniture from around the house into that spot trying to find just the right thing.</span><br />
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I thought I had figured it out, but when I had an opportunity to trade a piece of furniture I owned for a pie safe I had admired for literally YEARS, I jumped on the opportunity! My cohort-in-swap is just as happy with her end of the bargain, so it was a sweet day for all. Take a look...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once we move into the new digs, this will hopefully have ship-lap siding behind it and the wire shelving will be in the laundry room. {{Sighhhhh...}} I'm in pie safe love!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you, W! </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-56225460083795648282015-07-26T18:41:00.000-07:002015-07-26T18:41:11.989-07:00No Pantry? No Problem.So I created one...<br />
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BTW... as you scroll through the photos you need to know that editing them takes a ton of time. So in keeping with simplifying my life, I'm using my iPhone, making only a few minor adjustments so you can see what is in the photo (light v. dark; shadows removed), and that's about it. And that folks, is as good as it's going to get. :-)<br />
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Don't you just love my folding chairs? I know... I'm quite the trend setter! Truth is, we sold the big farmhouse table and chairs. And until I find what I want, these work just fine. I did pick up two wicker chair that I love! Not sure if I'll keep them at the table, but so far I like it.<br />
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The dining table has been in the family since the late 1800's. I grew up eating all my meals on it. This one stays.<br />
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And the light fixture? It's a rental. Some things just have to stay as they are. If we were living here long term, I'd swap it out temporarily and replace it before leaving, but probably won't do that this time around.<br />
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On the plus side... I adore all these windows!! It's like having a sunroom. Morning light pours through and this is where I drink my coffee and read my bible each morning unless I'm soaking it in on the back patio.<br />
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Anyway, back to the pantry and the reason for the post. In the last house, I had a HUGE walk in pantry... about 20' x 8'? I can't tell you how much stuff was in there, but a LOT.<br />
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Part of our goal for selling the big house was to downsize and simplify our lifestyle. It's easy to become a slave to your house and it was swallowing us up. The rental has no pantry space at all and it's likely our new home won't either (still working on the plans in case we build). So something had to give.<br />
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I sorted everything from the pantry, kitchen, and dining area that was in the big house and kept only what I LOVED or USED regularly. Some of it actually fit in our rental kitchen, but what didn't had to fit in the dining room on these new wire shelving racks (we opted for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/TRINITY-EcoStorage-5-Tier-Shelving-72-Inch/dp/B007HOQ9YI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1437247078&sr=8-3&keywords=trinity+wire+shelving" target="_blank">Trinity Brand EcoStorage</a> with free Prime shipping after LOTS of research). I purchased an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y6A3NC/ref=sr_ph_1?m=A23UJZHAQMPA52&ie=UTF8&qid=1437247078&sr=1&keywords=trinity+wire+shelving" target="_blank">extra shelf</a> for each and a wire basket that slides out for one of the racks. And ladies, I put one together by myself, so you can do it, too!<br />
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Baskets hide things that are necessities, but aren't so lovely to look at... like pot lids, paper goods, stainless steel and glass water bottles, zip lock bags, and empty egg cartons.<br />
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Hooks on the end hold pots, aprons, baskets, hats, etc. LOVE this feature!<br />
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I would like to report that keeping food in bulk worked well... just in case we had an emergency. We just couldn't rotate it fast enough to keep it from spoiling, despite freezing extra grains, using every method possible for long term storage, etc. So I decided to reduce the amount of food storage.<br />
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Since I already was using the large Anchor Hocking jars for grains, I just decided that whatever they hold will be my limit unless I can squeeze some in the freezer. Each of the 2 gallon jars holds roughly 10 lbs. of wheat, flour, rice, oats, etc. I have more in the kitchen, but I keep a couple on the shelves.<br />
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While wire shelving isn't traditional, antique, or even rustic, it does have that industrial look that's so popular right not. When I travel to the Big City, one of my favorite places to shop is Sur La Table and once I was fortunate to shop at a Dean & Deluca! Now when I walk in my dining room, I feel like I'm right back in one of those gourmet cooking stores.<br />
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I made one additional purchase that I had research for a LONG time. I invested in a quality bread box. With all the money I made selling the big farmhouse furniture, I was able to splurge a bit without dipping into our monthly budget. This <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00083HPIE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00" target="_blank">Wesco bread box</a> is a dream! I had debated off and on about buying a vintage granite enamel ware bread box, but my OCD tendency kept kicking in when I thought of storing my bread in a box that I had no clue as to it's prior use. I love my antiques, but a new bread box for me, please. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWXUZfrPXDotowT-GpQQd474m2Z8K73EU9S0pjCH0xKaib1F8ldwXBrWhYdCRN2ULhLlFv0AkM-imOMsTRclU87PX8dUvJ7hPxjtQfSil_jpD_mAS5BxZ0zWcM5-E0O1XqNFcSE1pMVU/s1600/IMG_4340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWXUZfrPXDotowT-GpQQd474m2Z8K73EU9S0pjCH0xKaib1F8ldwXBrWhYdCRN2ULhLlFv0AkM-imOMsTRclU87PX8dUvJ7hPxjtQfSil_jpD_mAS5BxZ0zWcM5-E0O1XqNFcSE1pMVU/s640/IMG_4340.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here are a few other reasons I like the open wire shelving: </div>
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• I can see all the things I love. Like in <u>The Sound of Music</u> when Julie Andrews sings "These are a few of my favorite things...", these are my things that are my favorites. No more hiding behind cupboard doors or in a hidden pantry. It's truly out in the open. But it means I had to put a bit more thought into the arranging. Could I get more on these shelves? Of course. But why look at all the regular pantry/can goods when I can look at my pretty things? All that other stuff now fits into a couple of kitchen cabinets or in jars on the counter. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF3swPOqDfNl3TAi_cCXB97CufaevAK9fJxiZkvP49j3b8urNErqbVHgVODwCU0P5o5cK0EVIHjAGAf2R7IOVGC3yJuCXK8Sa-OWfNal0IbAL6cg2-OQ5nnbsnFrUPeoagN4mMtTD40M/s1600/IMG_4341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF3swPOqDfNl3TAi_cCXB97CufaevAK9fJxiZkvP49j3b8urNErqbVHgVODwCU0P5o5cK0EVIHjAGAf2R7IOVGC3yJuCXK8Sa-OWfNal0IbAL6cg2-OQ5nnbsnFrUPeoagN4mMtTD40M/s640/IMG_4341.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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• Second, it's dry here in the southwest and that means dust. More than most of you can ever imagine! It gets EVERYWHERE and FAST! I've thought of Sarah, Abraham's wife many a time and reminded myself that I COULD be living in a tent in the dirt and sand all my life. It helps me stay content with my own dust! Wire shelving collects very little dust. Almost none in fact. I do have to dust the items on it, but it's MUCH easier to manage. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLWoP-Ho8piYMkB7qaPlmDDsom7TsRtbCzdHYjWyo4YmrRUEnRlaqQahyphenhyphendoXsbXJ0rgiAFmx_u4VTtlHVGb_JXNQG0rgOSYUivxNMbUIAb0mfCvOwHTytPoMypVFNvELb3Uzrw6tu5Mk/s1600/IMG_4338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLWoP-Ho8piYMkB7qaPlmDDsom7TsRtbCzdHYjWyo4YmrRUEnRlaqQahyphenhyphendoXsbXJ0rgiAFmx_u4VTtlHVGb_JXNQG0rgOSYUivxNMbUIAb0mfCvOwHTytPoMypVFNvELb3Uzrw6tu5Mk/s640/IMG_4338.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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• Easy access... everything is within reach and a breeze to put back. I LOVE this about my wire shelving!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5gNKS1YemRP11o8gFVGFH86dlfHztcPhMJ-8reZBNmScfNjG8x1laZe57VzYkyUt08fyXcJmoNuBVBAdZNgxhfmx3VfkCD4jM42i11-q0UTBoCORRfLMlybMm-ZH3GRaYpSzFZN98ps/s1600/IMG_4342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5gNKS1YemRP11o8gFVGFH86dlfHztcPhMJ-8reZBNmScfNjG8x1laZe57VzYkyUt08fyXcJmoNuBVBAdZNgxhfmx3VfkCD4jM42i11-q0UTBoCORRfLMlybMm-ZH3GRaYpSzFZN98ps/s640/IMG_4342.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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• They're portable and easy to move. I can move my shelves to mop under them and I can take them with me to the next house. Piece of cake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjTNdJyXbBLmyUQshj7MRgx7q8TNzDlJL5y7-w6j2A76QAp7q2WK3XRi8ROxJnkjT74WORpXHHilC6uwbLyr4Njewig-gbBWntQx3w1Ui8Thkz6FTQrCtH8c-8dG5xBBEgAyBUMPPI1U/s1600/IMG_4343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjTNdJyXbBLmyUQshj7MRgx7q8TNzDlJL5y7-w6j2A76QAp7q2WK3XRi8ROxJnkjT74WORpXHHilC6uwbLyr4Njewig-gbBWntQx3w1Ui8Thkz6FTQrCtH8c-8dG5xBBEgAyBUMPPI1U/s640/IMG_4343.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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• If I ever want to go back to a traditional hutch or other furniture, these wire racks can easily be repurchased for storing items long term in the garage, Costco extras, craft supplies, you name it! These won't make it to Craigslist anytime soon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEmJG9xnW9PWyCBTcKySPM5xM4TUKnS7Tl0wUZB6_oBpXz2rAfX6aAKsY198st6JBsIb4hDqfmo6nd0fcJrj-qIybVBI9lx07vBlMVWdhLKcGUR98IPlUyx0V0sc0Xgqnxws_neHo8zU/s1600/IMG_4345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEmJG9xnW9PWyCBTcKySPM5xM4TUKnS7Tl0wUZB6_oBpXz2rAfX6aAKsY198st6JBsIb4hDqfmo6nd0fcJrj-qIybVBI9lx07vBlMVWdhLKcGUR98IPlUyx0V0sc0Xgqnxws_neHo8zU/s640/IMG_4345.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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• Modest pricing makes these affordable. Buying one a month is so much cheaper than a piece of furniture! And this stuff is industrial quality. I think every shelf holds something like 50# (don't quote me!).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAK6oWTFGX4TgfFy18X501JASTEzN2vldoPfwoiymWc_NPYWjwk0WZwERVkqbrZX2N8Nq9uR7nwiwHKV-_NGmwe1pow1b_O6CGnxgW8VnE1B9zZNgO_ctUGHPvPIWoBiiuLtJmoHfGU0A/s1600/IMG_4347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAK6oWTFGX4TgfFy18X501JASTEzN2vldoPfwoiymWc_NPYWjwk0WZwERVkqbrZX2N8Nq9uR7nwiwHKV-_NGmwe1pow1b_O6CGnxgW8VnE1B9zZNgO_ctUGHPvPIWoBiiuLtJmoHfGU0A/s640/IMG_4347.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNRWgRki9ljPFk9mHXweCYXRlZqiFvJzgxeQm6nsi6A7cPuOIAIJSPfpIYESHLxm4bbG9cvm_f7EPnAdGSkhY_xqJzptepWuI1PCFcW1EYOXDxJ5A5YQAHXW8oLiVr3XrTMmSOV3wxi0/s1600/IMG_4348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNRWgRki9ljPFk9mHXweCYXRlZqiFvJzgxeQm6nsi6A7cPuOIAIJSPfpIYESHLxm4bbG9cvm_f7EPnAdGSkhY_xqJzptepWuI1PCFcW1EYOXDxJ5A5YQAHXW8oLiVr3XrTMmSOV3wxi0/s640/IMG_4348.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OhKAPkJjXRGba6CrMmS0wuTHxevpgVkxy63i__6z8RmFx3AkOJ59lzifQ3eRS78tKMn0ha3pbky-rUxqctoCigacjy9dl019VgsD2roJLSZjYfxO9fVznE7rcdfK8zpwmGGcgeJF8EU/s1600/IMG_4350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OhKAPkJjXRGba6CrMmS0wuTHxevpgVkxy63i__6z8RmFx3AkOJ59lzifQ3eRS78tKMn0ha3pbky-rUxqctoCigacjy9dl019VgsD2roJLSZjYfxO9fVznE7rcdfK8zpwmGGcgeJF8EU/s640/IMG_4350.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So there you have it. A pantry in the dining room. In the next post, I'll try to show you where all the REAL "pantry items" are housed. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-52111610988510387862015-07-11T09:21:00.000-07:002015-07-11T09:21:45.175-07:00A New Homestead JourneyI did not expect to find myself on this path.<br />
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Just a little over a year ago, I was a SAHM living in a big farmhouse and homeschooling. My husband had full time employment and we were planning a wedding for our oldest daughter. On the negative side, we had a growing medical debt, the "farm" was weighing us down, and stress was growing within the family.<br />
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How much can life change in 1.5 years? Quite a lot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyneUXO38xWwza0VlOeya7xSykPK9dogYspuF4stEdzNi7lxhe6dFLzO3M8E4SjsYtX38fwEyDiGfRTzxaD-kFlcolDWtSbJZ8groA1bd17tH-gcDdPBKQ715tJEL_OygH7h796jBo1ls/s1600/SOLD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyneUXO38xWwza0VlOeya7xSykPK9dogYspuF4stEdzNi7lxhe6dFLzO3M8E4SjsYtX38fwEyDiGfRTzxaD-kFlcolDWtSbJZ8groA1bd17tH-gcDdPBKQ715tJEL_OygH7h796jBo1ls/s640/SOLD.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We no longer have the big farmhouse, but a much smaller rental with half the amount of land and even less useable land space (and lots of cash in the bank!). No debt. Husband retired. Girls went back to a small private school. I went back to work full time. And the farm is now "La Petite Farm" (that should explain a lot, but will follow up with details in a future post).<br />
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Thankfully, the stress has been greatly reduced and we are starting to find our stride in our new lifestyle. Our first grand baby is due any day (it's a boy!) and I while we have some general plans, nothing is set in stone as to what we will do next.<br />
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However, I do know we are on a different homestead journey than before. No promises here, but if I can squeeze in a minute or two once or twice a week to journal about it here, then I'll give it a whirl. One thing is for sure, any blogging I do will be short and sweet, comments turned off, and no link ups, etc. Just one woman's quiet little corner of the world on the world wide web.<br />
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So if you read Homestead Revival before and thought 1) I wish I had her life!, 2) I could never do that because I don't have the option to stay-at-home, 3) I can't afford a house and farm like that, 4) I rent, so I can't do any farming, 5) or any other 'ol thing that comes to mind.... just stay tuned. It looks a lot different around here and the posts on this blog will too!<br />
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About the comments turned off... I love to read what people say! It's so gratifying to hear someone loves my blog or they got a great tip. But the truth is... it puffs up. And it takes up a lot of extra time I just don't have right now. So if you want to give Homestead Revival a shout out, thank you! Just share the blog with a friend and say a little prayer for us. Enough said on that.<br />
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So... here's to a new journey! Let the story begin.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-23804177091128332042014-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-15T13:16:47.728-08:00Understanding Companion Planting<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From bacteria in yogurt making to the Amazon anywhere something grows there is an ecosystem. As homesteaders our goal is to cultivate the perfect ecosystem for plants and repelling the pests that would destroy it. Companion planting is more than not planting cabbage where you planted tomatoes. It is giving your garden a healthy environment from soil acidity to </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">succession planting. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVnSTymj1KD4QweCBJ_BhoZpeIIToZBjnWYyhdjJ7pJJ47EJOqE0Tc9mLFdf2I9QdY2WAsaBmr7BpuOqljbxdKiMqKZ-XVbK5k9RQRFkc5kOx3pgY9JXU8zkxopUE6I34_GiGOI9xVZxY/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-04+14.55.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVnSTymj1KD4QweCBJ_BhoZpeIIToZBjnWYyhdjJ7pJJ47EJOqE0Tc9mLFdf2I9QdY2WAsaBmr7BpuOqljbxdKiMqKZ-XVbK5k9RQRFkc5kOx3pgY9JXU8zkxopUE6I34_GiGOI9xVZxY/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-04+14.55.03.png" height="640" width="488" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Ecosystems and Monocultures</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">An ecosystem is a biological community of different organisms and their physical environment. Like the human body any ecosystem needs to maintain a careful balance. Too much of anything could harm it irreparably. In traditional agriculture monocultures are developed that skew the balance and cause pest and disease to take over. The pesticides kill the good with the bad and as the diseases become more virulent they use stronger pesticides. <a href="http://nature.berkeley.edu/~miguel-alt/modern_agriculture.html">Studies</a> have shown the effects of different waves of environmental damage from monocultures. This is an extreme example of how important maintaining balance is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwnsVhGatKF9CC7kog-wJAkBYF-bfamlmzZ9BzW2HiR3e3PkLplcOJDMER_9FgaCsQH8wJ8ncrTUMtm5VTJIxb5qOclWlpK7yYhZUEbEH0ipmaDpqJNzTRDsWZIscm7PNUb5PzqO8Z7ss/s1600/Allium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwnsVhGatKF9CC7kog-wJAkBYF-bfamlmzZ9BzW2HiR3e3PkLplcOJDMER_9FgaCsQH8wJ8ncrTUMtm5VTJIxb5qOclWlpK7yYhZUEbEH0ipmaDpqJNzTRDsWZIscm7PNUb5PzqO8Z7ss/s1600/Allium.jpg" height="640" width="470" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">What is Companion Planting? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are complicated charts and whole books about what should be planted where. Each plant has its own preferences and needs which are provided by others. Taking the time to plan garden styles and placement all comedown to the details of plant placement. Taller plants can shelter shorter ones, space can be used more efficiently, pests can be repelled, and pollinators can be attracted. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Know the Main Plant Families</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Allium family is made up of onions, leeks, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives, and scallions. Brassicas include cabbage, Brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, and cauliflower. Some of the more well known Legumes are lentils, pole and green beans, and peanuts. Nightshades include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers. Each of these families are very large and include many more fruits and vegetables. The Gourd family includes cucumber, melons, squash, and your handy dandy luffa sponge. There are always exceptions, but here is the general rule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH15kI4uJumf3VrfmrWjvZ5W8iNhNEO-OnTeJ8fxYdnv1XM0RDANKRop2xm8YhoOUxuvim9b3ujc8hPj08lqIqVxImHM5LpXwPT-7jzjATuFqhyphenhyphenaNRlX4cGyjzI0HRI_D56Am8bj8PGXfP/s1600/Brassicas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH15kI4uJumf3VrfmrWjvZ5W8iNhNEO-OnTeJ8fxYdnv1XM0RDANKRop2xm8YhoOUxuvim9b3ujc8hPj08lqIqVxImHM5LpXwPT-7jzjATuFqhyphenhyphenaNRlX4cGyjzI0HRI_D56Am8bj8PGXfP/s1600/Brassicas.jpg" height="640" width="470" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Alliums like Brassica and Solanum, but dislike Legumes</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Brassicas like Alliums, but dislike Nightshades</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Nightshades like Alliums, but dislike Brassicas and Legumes</span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Legumes like Nightshades and Brassicas, but dislike Alliums </span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Gourds like Legumes and Alliums, but dislike Nightshades</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of these are so repellent you can’t plant them in the same ground like Brassicas and Nightshades. Others, like Legumes, are more selective for example bush beans like Brassicas less than they like Nightshades. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8EacAK1ffPfbSPcmmemyvnIvNdNl5KfhQPn5Aki0AykzW53YL0GwvQH7ZrplEJL5t01Zix9jAC8KR0FUNvqDyndsdgJZAPgP_CHtocgNa6PkJggYfYmmI5h8uuRBh3LYC5i40vxjCfAX/s1600/Gourds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8EacAK1ffPfbSPcmmemyvnIvNdNl5KfhQPn5Aki0AykzW53YL0GwvQH7ZrplEJL5t01Zix9jAC8KR0FUNvqDyndsdgJZAPgP_CHtocgNa6PkJggYfYmmI5h8uuRBh3LYC5i40vxjCfAX/s1600/Gourds.jpg" height="640" width="468" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">2. Carrots and Beets</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carrots and beets are from different families, but both families are difficult to just plant by family. Carrots are from the Apiaceae family which also includes parsley and celery. Alliums like Carrots, but hate Parsley. The similarity is the division. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Beta vulgaris, the family that contains chard and beets, like bush beans, but dislikes pole beans. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhafb282EnXzb1_58FHKaHVR6c0hkrOWHTlS-e-dEna5Sfd5NxNYkzxk3K5e9rWaJqnG86XDpa5OUmScISlLTgwr8_lcYs-0pDf8t9FqZoSYl3ck6LCo-l0t1KOAFny5zKf9fJCMBlLSxjA/s1600/Legumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhafb282EnXzb1_58FHKaHVR6c0hkrOWHTlS-e-dEna5Sfd5NxNYkzxk3K5e9rWaJqnG86XDpa5OUmScISlLTgwr8_lcYs-0pDf8t9FqZoSYl3ck6LCo-l0t1KOAFny5zKf9fJCMBlLSxjA/s1600/Legumes.jpg" height="640" width="470" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">3. Radishes Drive Off Pests!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Planting radishes near Gourds, Legumes, Brassicas, and Nightshades will drive off many types of beetles. It is best to let some radish go to seed to drive off the pests through the growing season. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many plants drive off pests and discourage other infestation. Potatoes drive off the Mexican Bean Beetle and Beans do the same for the Potato Beetle. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJh3GQY8Ud0mZ1Kmz67blOYhtBhKFcy7b2kLQRwi18pPqdzdHSZNjwoYLOOGz4MzMeVd51oiZBzQOrZb5GCF_yRlKPEsU0TH6xIpxcwrxx-dZOejtz4oycvwlirBURGPXsbf2kyP7GcAt/s1600/Nightshades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJh3GQY8Ud0mZ1Kmz67blOYhtBhKFcy7b2kLQRwi18pPqdzdHSZNjwoYLOOGz4MzMeVd51oiZBzQOrZb5GCF_yRlKPEsU0TH6xIpxcwrxx-dZOejtz4oycvwlirBURGPXsbf2kyP7GcAt/s1600/Nightshades.jpg" height="640" width="470" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">4. Always use Marigolds</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not only do they drive off beetles, nematodes, and flies, but their roots excrete a strong natural pesticide </span></div>
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This is the end of our Early Garden Planning series, so we will be looking at future series and other posts after Christmas. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumih-FfBQYH5fv2SfvmJpDm77QvaC5pObV6bmGGw8ItopyQx6jGYMnyEFQI2cklpvQGnePylzUigcAWYPOS9bFCjPB86XHOYB0U5-Hd2SkRvOyn04AX1fWtXYlRk4FeP7vGOCFf3sRbYT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-09+18.59.18.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumih-FfBQYH5fv2SfvmJpDm77QvaC5pObV6bmGGw8ItopyQx6jGYMnyEFQI2cklpvQGnePylzUigcAWYPOS9bFCjPB86XHOYB0U5-Hd2SkRvOyn04AX1fWtXYlRk4FeP7vGOCFf3sRbYT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-09+18.59.18.png" /></a></div>
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-51064213544738632262014-12-03T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-03T00:00:06.749-08:00Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook! There are so many wonderful ways to communicate and we want to start giving you more opportunities to connect with us! Connect with us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/homesteadrevival">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/hrevival/">Pinterest</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/kateshomestead">Twitter</a>! Homestead Revival is more than a blog, it is a community of like minded people and we want to hear from you!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">On Facebook...</span><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcuN6gCrL_P_MMNfVUrGCAzok0Qekghp-Q_5hcW4csTW6N363E9tQBqnfSE1-qD5VB1gq8qkiLjhNYvN6ArCO4jNcfy6cXO8qFUlhI0Pdxi3PU6Kcbgav1R693zipblgNWXgOWP8HUuhw/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-02+12.18.53.png" height="274" width="640" /></div>
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This is where we announce all of our posts and find out what you are interested in. You can message us, post on our wall, and talk about our posts with other homesteaders. Here it is easy to share your favorite posts with your friends and tell us what you want to read about!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> On Pinterest...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTT41AhvibGKDcrRjL2yM5Ua8YmAY091cLv0h3eSeFP8FBJ6kcZQsmp-QCiq7ID4dOOBbf6LSxXUI8UxFlkOzsCfYQuluzTC7QJZt20Sku7vwkcPqhWWofG8PhR_o2iyZKJ0CHClgLXJd/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-02+12.16.09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTT41AhvibGKDcrRjL2yM5Ua8YmAY091cLv0h3eSeFP8FBJ6kcZQsmp-QCiq7ID4dOOBbf6LSxXUI8UxFlkOzsCfYQuluzTC7QJZt20Sku7vwkcPqhWWofG8PhR_o2iyZKJ0CHClgLXJd/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-02+12.16.09.png" height="292" width="640" /></a></div>
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We have almost a thousand posts and it is easy for useful and helpful content to be buried under years of material. Pinterest's simple beautiful format enabled us to link about two hundred posts by category. Every category and label we have used has its own board. Enjoy browsing through our posts on beekeeping, goats, chickens, and home tours!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrnrQ_A5wp2QNTr5KG62rONeZfV0Gu7gen0t2GwCpxWhSQk5rfsnGRLgSszM9JQcNc3hyv0Ri72CyvJ5Nbke78tO07zd4DnfAliPerYKLioJ91LUUcpmsjR6ylLJAZu1LpOU-irT1FuzZ/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-02+12.15.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrnrQ_A5wp2QNTr5KG62rONeZfV0Gu7gen0t2GwCpxWhSQk5rfsnGRLgSszM9JQcNc3hyv0Ri72CyvJ5Nbke78tO07zd4DnfAliPerYKLioJ91LUUcpmsjR6ylLJAZu1LpOU-irT1FuzZ/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-02+12.15.27.png" height="290" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> On Twitter...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQzFvbop1wfWQ8a7948-yZkAOp6Be2y6W60gkWjeHOpqVSwS3YmI3EP3359kMuDYjv-FmvgPvSo9QOzSOTej4GpnEpIuWArzxrMBSK24DfIq6PefU80d5_B0HnkpFlfmsGBIsKERU6-sa/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-02+12.16.52.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQzFvbop1wfWQ8a7948-yZkAOp6Be2y6W60gkWjeHOpqVSwS3YmI3EP3359kMuDYjv-FmvgPvSo9QOzSOTej4GpnEpIuWArzxrMBSK24DfIq6PefU80d5_B0HnkpFlfmsGBIsKERU6-sa/s1600/Screenshot+2014-12-02+12.16.52.png" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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We have had a Twitter account for a while, but I have started my own page to share my apartment homestead. Because tweets are so fast I will be able to talk about everything from blog post prep to my current projects. These will inspire future blog posts and be the most interactive of all of our pages. This is where I want to hear from you and see your plans. </div>
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We can't wait to see how our community grows!</div>
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<a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" data-size="large" href="https://twitter.com/kateshomestead">Follow @kateshomestead</a></div>
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<br />Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-87282750462062550752014-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-02T12:09:13.547-08:00Square Foot Gardening vs. French Intensive<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70K5D2-a3yI90aaVlRadsIubcig5ZIfEp23UdKHy-RtXfQNMdlq7FadVcAPbA8CRRgjYSi9UlzZDOHRbFKGKAQ78L6q6RF7Nuk11EjVbUrwbfkkYFzmRhEN_NO7-Af0q5KNa9VnpTahLT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-30+18.17.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70K5D2-a3yI90aaVlRadsIubcig5ZIfEp23UdKHy-RtXfQNMdlq7FadVcAPbA8CRRgjYSi9UlzZDOHRbFKGKAQ78L6q6RF7Nuk11EjVbUrwbfkkYFzmRhEN_NO7-Af0q5KNa9VnpTahLT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-30+18.17.27.png" height="640" width="488" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />While there are many alternative methods we will discuss in future posts like straw bale gardening, today we are focusing on the main ones, Square Foot Gardening and the French Intensive Method. Each system is a tool that gives something to your garden like time management, companion planting options, and food production. They also leave something wanting whether it is water use or space.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In my first garden we used <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2011/03/benefits-and-construction-of-raised.html">raised beds </a>to grow tomatoes and sunflowers at the bottom of a revine behind our house. The hill was steep and I remember long hikes up and down the hill to bring water and haul produce. Even then we had our garden far away from our house. Raised beds are a staple in a high dry mountain town like ours. The dirt is hard and rocky for the most part and it takes years to rebuild topsoil eroded away. The only thing that does love the dirt are the gophers whose holes turn the ankles of unobservant adventurers.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCjlSAAbF1_mispdpqkwjcSj12cikZwNZapXCbEUEGWYU8UIcV6oI22bsqzxseD_j9qzy08T90pikkHOmanOY-txsMv-J274w2_2zH9Wze5NQREKUY61RwFjX9x9IpCwr2WCikHgFswe5/s1600/IMGP3541-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCjlSAAbF1_mispdpqkwjcSj12cikZwNZapXCbEUEGWYU8UIcV6oI22bsqzxseD_j9qzy08T90pikkHOmanOY-txsMv-J274w2_2zH9Wze5NQREKUY61RwFjX9x9IpCwr2WCikHgFswe5/s1600/IMGP3541-1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Raised beds at their simplest are a sturdy wood box with gopher wire on the bottom filled with clean dirt. The soil is in good condition, it drains well, and is easy to work with. Season extending is made easier in both spring and winter by warmer soil and easily contained areas. Dormant weeds aren't a problem and the loose dirt makes new weeds easy to handle. The only draw back is the investment and periodic replacement. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Square Foot Gardening</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have used wood scraps to build a small raised bed in my front yard for my cold weather crops with Square Foot Gardening. The Square Foot Method is a way of using the raised bed space as efficiently as possible. We have a 4'x4' square box with twine dividing each square foot off. The best way to divide the box up is to use a <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2011/05/square-foot-gardening-template.html">simple wooden grid</a> as seen in Amy's garden below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each square can be divided even further for plants with closer spacing like radishes and carrots. Bigger plants like squash or cabbage take a full square while smaller produce is planted close together to create a mulch like covering for the soil preventing weed growth. Mel Bartholomew, the author of <i>The All-New Square Foot Gardening Book, </i>also uses a soil mix of one third peat moss, compost, and vermiculite. He says you should switch it out every year in order to reduce weeds and ensure enough nutrient for the next crop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are drawbacks to Square Foot Gardening. Like raised beds there are start up and maintenance costs. Not only the materials for the raised beds, but also the soil, a.k.a. Mel's Mix, which runs eight dollars per cubic foot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The biggest issue with square foot gardening is that it does not give back to the land around and it drains the nutrients from the raised bed with no long term return. While cover crops are suggested, the emphasis is to continue bringing in the best, use it, and ditch it. This does make gardening prep easy, but it is not very responsible. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">The French Intensive Method</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The French Intensive Method is incredibly detail oriented. I like this one because it uses the land and feeds it with loads of compost and aeration. It is very water conscious and also very productive. It is not related to the raised bed methods and requires more patience as well. Like the Square Foot Method the plants are spaced so that the mature leaves barely touch leaving a vegetable mulch on top of the compost soil. Double digging came from this method where they turned over 24 inches of dirt for deep aeration. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A clever combination of raised beds and the French Intensive Method was developed by Alan Chadwick called the <a href="http://www.alan-chadwick.org/html%20pages/techniques.html">Biodynamic French Intensive System</a>. He includes beds planted north to south for maximum sunlight, careful cultivation of a luxurious green house layer, management of water so the plants receive just enough. Like the Square Foot Method beds are planted to be comfortable to reach into and everything planted closely together. Slim walkways only inches wide allow the beds to keep the right temperature and foster a warm environment. Of all of the methods this one is the most labor intensive involving double dug beds slightly raised for good drainage and, most difficult of all, the ability to straddle and squat over your beds while planting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each system we have looked at has a unique purpose and goal. Square foot gardening is made to be easy on the gardener while French Intensive gives back to the land a lot more. I agree with Alan Chadwick that there is something worthwhile in both of these methods. At my house we double dig and then mix all of our dirt with peat moss, worm castings, and compost. The compost is from horse, goat and chicken manure and kitchen scraps. There are Square Foot Gardening years and French Intensive years. The most important thing is to keep growing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In our next post in the series we'll be talking about companion planting!</span><br />
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Did I mention they have a <a href="http://www.plantoeat.com/blog/" target="_blank">fantastic food blog</a>?<br />
Happy eating!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-89398002689170698192014-11-27T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-27T00:00:01.143-08:00It's Thursday....<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(174, 25, 22); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #ae1916; font-family: Didot; font-size: 41px; text-align: center;">
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<b>Happy Thanksgiving!</b></div>
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-37625870852395536652014-11-24T11:28:00.003-08:002014-12-04T21:56:47.644-08:00A Couple Things I'm Thankful For This year has been a year of firsts, so I wanted to take the time for the small things I'm thankful for.<br />
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-80017818635036082212014-11-23T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-23T00:00:06.444-08:00It's Sunday...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">"</span><span class="text 1Cor-5-7" id="en-ESV-28445" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;">For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.</span><span class="text 1Cor-5-8" id="en-ESV-28446" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>Let us therefore celebrate the festival, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28446L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28446L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>not with the old leaven, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28446M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28446M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."</span></span></div>
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<span class="text 1Cor-5-8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">- 1 Corinthians 5: 7-8</span></span></div>
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-68926123626231357782014-11-21T00:00:00.001-08:002014-11-21T00:00:04.237-08:00Do You Have Extra Space?For the last ten years my family has lived on 4.6 acres, raising animals and food. Our beautiful home is at the foot of our property and the garden is set back into the mountainside. Nearly a decade later there are a few things that would have worked better and some we got right.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><b>1) Location, Location, Location!!!</b></span><br />
No matter how much space you have, keep your garden somewhere you will see it from your living room. There is no greater inspiration than the possibility of the local homesteading group seeing your untrellised tomatoes and eggplant sprawling together in a weed patch.<br />
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Our garden is almost out of site of the house. It is set back into the far corner of the fenced area and that is probably our biggest regret. Proximity is important. <b>Out of sight, out of mind.</b> When life got busy, we didn't have wilty plants reminding us to check drippers and fallen onions in full view.<br />
It made it difficult to just go out to the garden for a little bit and in time the work would pile up until it was one big bramble. Basil would bolt and squash would get too big to use.<br />
<i>Ideally, the garden would be right outside the house, making it easy to maintain and use produce in the kitchen.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">2) Start Small </span></b></span><br />
Different seasons in life determine how much you can do. As you plan and develop your garden start small the first year and figure out the basics: compost, water, and sunlight. Once you have these things in place expanding will become more natural and sustainable. Finding what works for you could mean growing an orchard, vineyard, or multiple raised beds.<br />
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Take the time to learn about your land. What are the pests? Are you able to use water catchment or is there a natural spring? What natural pollinators are there? Are there any local varieties to try? Meet your neighbors and learn about their gardens. Learn to do a few things really well.<br />
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Small spaces force you to get the most out of every inch of your garden. <b>Using space well is a learned skill</b> and another reason to start small. No matter how large your garden is, if it is poorly maintained or difficult to access, you will not get the full yield. Using a space well goes beyond weeding, it is using planting methods, companion planting, and sustainable systems. (These things will all have their own post, so stay tuned to learn more!)<br />
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Each of these things gives back more than it takes. Planting methods bring out superior yield. Companion planting uses different vegetables to drive off pests and increase pollination. Each tool overlaps into the others to create a system. For example, if you plant radishes by a cucumber it will make the soil too hot for the cucumber beetle. In Square Foot gardening you might plant one foot of radishes next to a trellised cucumber. All of this together creates a tiny system that keeps beetles away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pPyYdO36h2oaxgxS_Zfjk3XVX-fgq68eXPNwu9VUnnd-Gqd_ioSE9jdqoNN6VQb42178kYrDv7CSjUnfNVFcwU2QNU9S7z473pYeE0l-PiXbyR3X0ebI2ETtjcrJiY62naQcLnDzeeMk/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pPyYdO36h2oaxgxS_Zfjk3XVX-fgq68eXPNwu9VUnnd-Gqd_ioSE9jdqoNN6VQb42178kYrDv7CSjUnfNVFcwU2QNU9S7z473pYeE0l-PiXbyR3X0ebI2ETtjcrJiY62naQcLnDzeeMk/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" height="320" width="213" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><b>3) Dry Farming</b></span><br />
Currently, many gardeners will testify to the value of stressing crops to make them sweeter and now in California a larger market for dry farmed produce is growing. In Europe most of their wine grapes are dry farmed. Water is a big issue in California and most of the United States. Just a couple years ago, the water table was so low in Georgia the residents had to limit their showers. When it did rain, the pavement filled state flooded and the ground eroded. With plentiful accessible water, more people have filled there land with grass, landscaping, and food. Before this Indians in the Southwest used dry farming methods in areas with low precipitation.<br />
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In his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/086571553X/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=43692671066&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15945136523815453564&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5qf0u1kzug_b">Gardening When It Counts</a>, Steve Solomon says that before modern water methods developed farmers needed large portions of land to spread out there crops. The orchards and fields were spread out so that the roots could feed off of the ground water. This developed smaller, intensely flavored fruits and vegetables.<br />
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This system is directly opposite of most gardening methods. The intensive methods require large amounts of water and high maintenance. Putting large amounts of food in one area drains the soil of nutrients and requires large amounts of amendment and compost.<br />
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Will you consider taking this route?<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><b>4) Please, Don't Plant A Lawn</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/06/04/the-problem-of-lawns/">40 Million</a> acres are currently covered in turf grass.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">17 Million gallons of oil are spilled trying to maintain it <a href="http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8554.html">per year.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/wildones/handbk/wo8.html">700,000, 000 dollars</a> are spent on pesticides for lawns (This is about<a href="http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/06/04/the-problem-of-lawns/"> ten times</a> the amount of pesticides per acre on farms)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5 billion dollars is spent on fossil fuel derived fertilizers per year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">30-60 percent of potable water is used on lawns. (It varies by the city)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is <a href="http://scienceline.org/2011/07/lawns-vs-crops-in-the-continental-u-s/">60 million acre-feet</a> of water per year. That is enough water to cover 60,000,000 acres in one foot of water. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=30">40-50 Million Americans</a> have allergies related to grass, but they still spend water and money keeping it alive!</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">A</span>ccording to the <a href="http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/water-cooperation/en/">UN Water Cooperation Project</a>, "<span style="line-height: 21px;">783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">We can use our resources better. Our land is dry and people around us need food and water. Let's take the time to be thankful for what we have and ask for the wisdom to do what is best with it. If you would like to donate to help a few great water projects, check out <a href="http://water.org/">water.org</a> or <a href="http://www.waterislife.com/media/videos">WaterisLife</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Our next post in this series will be publish the Monday after Thanksgiving. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; line-height: 21px;"><b>Happy Thanksgiving to all!</b></span><br />
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<br />Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-35415363853120624902014-11-19T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-19T00:00:02.719-08:00Books To Read With Your Girls<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Books were my very first love. As a young girl, my mom gave me Little House on the Prairie, Little Women, Caddie Woodlawn, and Elsie Dinsmore which led me to love literature and the ideas the authors took the time to embed in their works. I still read compulsively, but the ideas my mom taught me through the books she gave me laid the groundwork for the worldview I embraced. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">In the Age of Technology many things have been lost like reading together as a family. This is something I want to keep alive. Even now I read with my husband and hope to share Narnia and Middle Earth with my children. There were so many books we read together as a family, and here are three of them I hope will inspire conversations in your home. They are filled with the stories of real women who had wisdom, godliness, and strength and a biblical understanding of femininity. </span><span class="s1"></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">1) Beautiful Girlhood</span></b><br />
In 1922 Mabel Hale wrote thirty three lessons ranging from word choices and honesty to cultivating a pure heart and consecrated life. This woman has compiled a guideline for living that is both charming and filled with truth. The book starts at the beginning of a girl’s awakening comparing her to a rosebud blossoming and encourage girls not to blossom too quickly. As the book progresses character development is encouraged at all stages of blooming. Adolescence, romance, Christianity, life work, purpose, and their progress through womanhood and motherhood are explained and the struggles at each stage are discussed.<br />
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<span class="s1"> My mom read this book to me when I was younger, my best friend and I read it together when we wanted to hold each other accountable, and now my sisters are listening and talking about it. Mrs Hale helps to give each reader a sense of true beauty in proper care, virtue, and purpose. She encourages care for others and the proper nurturing of every relationship. She carefully differentiates between character and attributes that have come to pass as character like cutting remarks passing as frankness and sincerity. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"> I’ve had so many adventures with this book. When I was eleven I remember crawling up in a tree to read about my favorite women, those I wanted to be like, and those who I knew would be my best friends. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"> This book has the biographies of seventy five other women who lived well, whose lives honored God and who we should try to emulate. While Lady Jane is the woman I would most like to know and befriend, there are wives, mothers, princesses, queens, peasants, writers, and first ladies who go above and beyond what anyone would expect of them. My other favorites are Catherine Von Bora, Edith of Scotland, Queen Victoria, Mrs Merrill, and Mrs Parker. The last two were Pioneer women who fought Indians for their families and forged through the wilderness to keep them alive. This book does not finish a story, but encourages the reader to live lives that are honoring to God, faithful in all things, and true to the purpose God has for them. Every story encouraged me to look deeper into the lives of the women who lived them and sparked part of my love of history and biography. </span><br />
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<span class="s1"> It reminds us that our lives are stories as well and will be told someday before God.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Bob Schultz, the author, understands the purpose of God’s creation. He taught faithfulness through carpentry, excellence through winterizing, endurance through logging, and watchfulness through his sheepdog. While it is written for young men, it applies to every one. The application is in the heart and this man turns our hearts towards God and his goodness. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I still remember my dad reading the last chapter around the same time of the last Presidential election. The final thought was that we are responsible for the work that is given to us and God will take care of the rest. It is difficult to trust Him, but part of the work we are given is to be faithful to the task at hand and not be anxious about those things God has other people handling. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">These three books communicate simply what it is to be a woman through timeless principles. In the words of Mrs Hale, “We are all provided with means by which we may become acquainted with those who have moved earth’s masses most, whose lives have influenced most people for good, knowing the very motives and desires of their hearts, and learning exactly what their opinions were or are. The medium for all this wonderful knowledge is the printed page.”</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-85090144360038621442014-11-17T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-20T12:31:11.463-08:00 Small Space Gardening!<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">Earlier this year I moved into a second story two bedroom apartment. It is perfect for my husband and I with plenty of room for books, a good kitchen, and lots of beautiful views. The only drawback is the garden space - a small deck space for potted plants and start thistle everywhere else. It was clear that we would have to get creative if we wanted anything besides African Violets in the window sill. I had to start thinking about gardening differently and it has made all of the difference.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">A small space doesn’t mean you can’t have a garden. Many people who have hundred of acres are unable to use what they have well. The best part of having a small space is learning to make the most of every nook. <i>The old addage of "Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do with out" rings true here! </i>We have used wall and ceiling space, culled out the extra bits, and enjoyed living a simpler, clutter free life. </span>When it came to gardening, I was ready to rewrite my opinions on what had to be a certain way. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>When you plant anything and care for it you have a garden. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You don't have to have rows, grow the right plants, or even have it all outside! When looking for a good gardening apartment, keep an eye out for lots of windows and southern exposure. That will help out in the winter when most growing grinds to a halt. Small apartments are perfect for live-in green houses. With lots of light and a little extra warmth you can keep harvest all through the cold dark winter months. Nothing like green growing things to push the winter blues away. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9q27EARij0wqZv5I-OV0JHGEGcEqOoHsivVtEMFsNnQUtx_Ss2rZ1C3hH-QqaBDa9QjTrJJVaGcOnWUCkTsTx1H4Vcf1pxt7kmXG1bUH4cRWUsCc9u02XH6Ea1z0lQiAaoOLswrkDead/s1600/IMG_1648-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9q27EARij0wqZv5I-OV0JHGEGcEqOoHsivVtEMFsNnQUtx_Ss2rZ1C3hH-QqaBDa9QjTrJJVaGcOnWUCkTsTx1H4Vcf1pxt7kmXG1bUH4cRWUsCc9u02XH6Ea1z0lQiAaoOLswrkDead/s1600/IMG_1648-1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We started with shallow rooted greens in our windowsills and after some trial and error figured out a few simple changes to the traditional garden methods.</span> We are using as many alternative methods as we can - containers, pallets, raised beds, and straw bales. As Anne Shirley would say we have been given a lot of scope for the imagination. Each of these methods has pros and cons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>We mix the plants we want to the <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2012/05/great-tomato-experiment.html">method</a> that fits.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i>Pallets can hold trailing plants like strawberries and squash as well as containers of shallow rooted veggies. Straw bales are good in case you have to move and raised beds can double as cold frames. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">1. Container Gardening</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Terra cotta pots are beautiful and porous which makes them good for both sunken clay watering vessels and lettuce greens. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Recently my husband repurposed a wood pallet into a pot rack to hold my next flat of seedlings. The best part is that as the pots drain they will 'rain' on each other keeping the greens moist and lovely. Different sized pots can hold anything from lettuce and brussel sprouts to beets and onions. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Also, I grow herbs in containers in my kitchen. I am going to try leeks this year by planting them at the bottom of a big pot and hill them every few weeks, until the pot is full. You can use them indoors or outdoors and with a dish underneath save water by using creating a small reservoir. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit;"><b>Container gardening gives you so much freedom - to create, to move, and to give your porch some curb appeal! </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit;"> My kitchen doesn't have a lot of drawer space, so we hung up all of our utensils and dishes on pegboard or a ceiling rack. There are so many ways to hang herbs on the wall or strawberries from the ceiling. I use a cute herb rack from Home Goods for instant fresh flavors.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit;">This doesn't just apply to the full grown plants. I grow my seedlings in a bookshelf with grow lights hanging from the shelf above. So far I have everything from kale and chard to St. John's Wort popping up. Don't negect the higher spots in your apartment. Hot air rises and if you have enough clearance, the top of bookshelves, extra dresser space and hanging baskets are perfect for those warm weather veggies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">3. Communicate</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"> Just recently I got permission to put a raised bed in below our apartment! We also have a compost pile and a worm hive. I am hoping to turn our raised bed into a cold frame for winter crops, but all of this would have been impossible if I hadn't picked up the phone and asked. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"> Gardens give a property more value and purpose. They look good and that is an asset to your land lord. We keep everything cleaned up and make sure nothing smells funny. By fostering our relationship with our realtors (and giving them seasonal goods) we are opening more oportunities to expand on the property and maybe get chickens!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"> This summer we are going to use straw bales and five gallon buckets to grow corn, tomatoes, eggplant, and more of summer's bounty!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit;"> We have talked about <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2010/08/complete-compost-gardening-guide.html">composting</a> on Homestead Revival before. Right now I compost in two different places. We buried a rubermaid container about six months ago and inside we started a worm hive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> By having two at the same time, I can mix vermiculite and compressed compost with a little peat moss to make a good seedling mix. In our raised bed we have horse manure and seasoned goat and chicken manure. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit;">Our goal is to rebuild the soil where ever we live, so double digging and mixing in the good stuff is worth the extra effort. We won't live here for long, but we will leave it better than when we came. This next year I want to cover our raised bed area with newspaper, straw, and wood chips, so it composts into beautiful dirt and defeat the star thistle. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: inherit;"><b>Small spaces have so much potential!</b> <i>Enjoy the space you have and fill it with as much beauty as you can. </i>On Friday we will talk about using larger spaces well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumih-FfBQYH5fv2SfvmJpDm77QvaC5pObV6bmGGw8ItopyQx6jGYMnyEFQI2cklpvQGnePylzUigcAWYPOS9bFCjPB86XHOYB0U5-Hd2SkRvOyn04AX1fWtXYlRk4FeP7vGOCFf3sRbYT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-09+18.59.18.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumih-FfBQYH5fv2SfvmJpDm77QvaC5pObV6bmGGw8ItopyQx6jGYMnyEFQI2cklpvQGnePylzUigcAWYPOS9bFCjPB86XHOYB0U5-Hd2SkRvOyn04AX1fWtXYlRk4FeP7vGOCFf3sRbYT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-09+18.59.18.png" /></span></a></div>
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-44663061639091188312014-11-16T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-20T12:38:00.216-08:00Soul Filled Sabbath<div class="poetry" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Lets take a moment to prepare our hearts </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">as we enter into the season of celebration and thanksgiving!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyH8ybeSLglm2-eowb3P_C1pr36mH6_r0Ac9zjc0UM-2Z3FlSTK6m36GWJAhb2o3_wfqFb2XLwrcRMb55mt9Sbj3UmueSTSMNbZVWCyA8W0ceJ4wYYjJ6_sZw2lfVrTh0v_veGvccE-pN/s1600/IMG_4100-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyH8ybeSLglm2-eowb3P_C1pr36mH6_r0Ac9zjc0UM-2Z3FlSTK6m36GWJAhb2o3_wfqFb2XLwrcRMb55mt9Sbj3UmueSTSMNbZVWCyA8W0ceJ4wYYjJ6_sZw2lfVrTh0v_veGvccE-pN/s1600/IMG_4100-1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Make a joyful noise to the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 24px;">Lord</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, all the earth!</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15511C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15511C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Serve the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 24px;">Lord</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> with gladness!</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-100-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;"><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15511D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15511D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Come into his presence with singing!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Know that </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15512E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15512E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 24px;">Lord</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, he is God!</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-100-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">It is he who <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15512F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15512F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>made us, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15512G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15512G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>we are his;<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-15512a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-15512a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+100&version=ESV#fen-ESV-15512a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-100-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">we are his <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15512H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15512H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>people, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15512I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15512I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the sheep of his pasture.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCWYOKJYrcwwffwrLOkFxbTFA0MFlW7e6nl2lo6DiaeG3aKje3U6OPEMwzY6toJheSsasLLXDCpj8jmfaFE4HNQfNA42yq5C9NruIwoLbhlGuEVXzxkQ0rxnI8GvctAX9Rpvha2o061b8/s1600/IMG_6488-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCWYOKJYrcwwffwrLOkFxbTFA0MFlW7e6nl2lo6DiaeG3aKje3U6OPEMwzY6toJheSsasLLXDCpj8jmfaFE4HNQfNA42yq5C9NruIwoLbhlGuEVXzxkQ0rxnI8GvctAX9Rpvha2o061b8/s1600/IMG_6488-1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Enter his gates with thanksgiving,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-100-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">and his <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15513K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15513K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>courts with praise!</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-100-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">Give thanks to him; <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15513L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15513L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>bless his name!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">For the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 24px;">Lord</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> is good;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-100-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">his steadfast love endures forever,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-100-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">and his <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-15514N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-15514N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>faithfulness to all generations."</span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-100-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; position: relative;">- Psalm 100 </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumih-FfBQYH5fv2SfvmJpDm77QvaC5pObV6bmGGw8ItopyQx6jGYMnyEFQI2cklpvQGnePylzUigcAWYPOS9bFCjPB86XHOYB0U5-Hd2SkRvOyn04AX1fWtXYlRk4FeP7vGOCFf3sRbYT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-09+18.59.18.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumih-FfBQYH5fv2SfvmJpDm77QvaC5pObV6bmGGw8ItopyQx6jGYMnyEFQI2cklpvQGnePylzUigcAWYPOS9bFCjPB86XHOYB0U5-Hd2SkRvOyn04AX1fWtXYlRk4FeP7vGOCFf3sRbYT/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-09+18.59.18.png" /></a></div>
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-65385832192270349522014-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-15T17:42:50.199-08:00Early Season Garden Planning: Reading Seed Catalogs<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 16px;">
Seed catalogs are a love language of their own, filled with tiny time capsules promising me purple speckled pole beans and peppers that will make my husband finally admit their is a hot sauce too hot. In a perfect world I would buy one of everything and find out what I like through trial and error. Alas! Budgets, time, and my small apartment scheme against me. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">While I still buy a large amount of seeds every year, I have learned some of what to look for.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7I8HwiYjjlqWwtxgGGtrMOv3QT4Ik6vQdv7JdJXt78Nrij_Oty3F_SJqcs3unAmBTP4p-rOR3pKCOJymGgT9Pd7p6Fo548vlsDAa2gTdDo5pcHUN39FBjqFZxduR7PItRLDBcIBskgYf/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-12+15.25.40.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7I8HwiYjjlqWwtxgGGtrMOv3QT4Ik6vQdv7JdJXt78Nrij_Oty3F_SJqcs3unAmBTP4p-rOR3pKCOJymGgT9Pd7p6Fo548vlsDAa2gTdDo5pcHUN39FBjqFZxduR7PItRLDBcIBskgYf/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-12+15.25.40.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdlxEke7AGFDy8xEDr9IXsNo_Ixyd8aFgpa4gHUt-x9V4kq1HPx7_mYYC0JDHhxM6Igu_c6V2XiKlRY_TfrRSXOAIpvrq1trdhGoz9CkJHsQmlYD7WwiJVNLrqbJG6Z4o0NLyR7L6OEvQ/s1600/Screenshot+2014-11-12+15.33.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdlxEke7AGFDy8xEDr9IXsNo_Ixyd8aFgpa4gHUt-x9V4kq1HPx7_mYYC0JDHhxM6Igu_c6V2XiKlRY_TfrRSXOAIpvrq1trdhGoz9CkJHsQmlYD7WwiJVNLrqbJG6Z4o0NLyR7L6OEvQ/s200/Screenshot+2014-11-12+15.33.03.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> Between the pictures of purple carrots and multicolored tomatoes its easy to look for the strangest and most stunning pictures and skip the print, but there are a few things to know.</span></div>
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<i>Open Pollination</i></div>
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These seeds are pollenated by anything, the wind, bees, and people. They are able to develop characteristics that fit their environment better and adapt over time into a unique heirloom. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu_teYr8AFMqDtWK0QUAOLrHSd7Cppr4qX3Gk0FKcCq2A6LwZpO4FVtRRVydn_u9fapU7jRCKuUdLGykK2xlh-pImW2602g8mRatrniBKdQNhiI7v2yFbXDa7gGnKZBNHUrAu0B4M2P6M/s1600/IMG_4091-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu_teYr8AFMqDtWK0QUAOLrHSd7Cppr4qX3Gk0FKcCq2A6LwZpO4FVtRRVydn_u9fapU7jRCKuUdLGykK2xlh-pImW2602g8mRatrniBKdQNhiI7v2yFbXDa7gGnKZBNHUrAu0B4M2P6M/s640/IMG_4091-1.jpg" width="481" /></a></div>
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Open pollinators give you a little more control over pollination and are what you need for seed saving. Left to themselves different varieties of the same species will cross polinate, but there are different ways to manage this without having to buy seeds every year. For example, there are four species of squash and if you’re letting nature take its course you can only plant one of each. The <i>Pepo </i>species has many of my favorites from Patty Pan to Black Beauty Zuchinni. If you want to save the seeds, it is easy to rub the male flowers of each plant into the female ones and cover them with a brown bag until the fruit forms. </div>
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<i>Heirloom</i></div>
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An heirloom variety is an open pollenated plant that has developed particular traits which makes it unique and desirable. All heirlooms are open pollinators, but not all open pollinators are heirloom varieties. </div>
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One of my goals is to develop varieties particularly suited to my area. All of the heirlooms I love were bred especially for their area whether it was planned or accidental. We are losing varieties all across the nation as corporations plant mono crops that slowly ween out the unique attributes of local seed. </div>
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These are different variety of a species that have been bred together to develop a particular trait like higher yields or larger plants. In a catalog it will be described as F1 Hybrid. The seed from hybrids will not grow true to the original product. Gardeners who use them have to buy seed every year. </div>
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There is no one size fits all form for choosing varieties. When you are reading the catalog, think about what problems you usually have. In my parent’s garden, they don’t get enough sunlight to fully ripen tomatoes, so my mom looked for varieties known for early maturity. The most commonly known variety is Early Girl which is an F1 Hybrid. The patent for the genetic strains behind this beautiful fruit are owned by Seminis, a seed house purchased by Monsanto. According to <a href="http://capayvalleyfarmshop.com/blog/farmnews/where-have-all-the-early-girls-gone/">farmers</a> who work with Seminis they were unable to provide untreated organic seed to the farmers which means we will have to start looking at other varieties to get tomatoes in June. Baker Creek and Seed Savers earliest varieties are beautiful and tasty. I am growing Black Cherry Tomatoes which mature at 65 - 70 days from their transplanting date. </div>
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Other characteristics are dwarf, long season varieties, and great producers. </div>
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Another good option is to look for varieties that come from your area or an area similar. I live in a wide valley that has long hot summers with full sunlight for twelve to seventeen hours in the summer. I have chosen varieties from Iraq and the south west. There are micro climates in every area, so get to know the extremes and use them as assets. I am so excited about my Iraqi variety!</div>
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I bargain shop for everything, but when it came to seeds I was ready to just buy from the place that had what I wanted. The thought of trying to do anything else gave me a headache. </div>
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I researched all my varieties individually to look for reviews and more information about growing them in my area. While some were only sold by one company, most websites had a close variety. This year I have planned my garden from two companies, Seed Savers Exchange and Baker Creek Seeds. For the most part their prices were comparable, but each seed house had a vegetable that they grew more and sold for less. </div>
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I am still checking out local seed companies for late season crops and can’t wait to discover new favorites. Exploring new catalogs is exciting and familiar and the first step of a year of adventure!</div>
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In a previous <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2011/06/gardening-like-my-life-depended-on-it.html"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 46, 238); color: #551a8b;">post</span></a>, we talked about gardening like your life depended on it. While many of us have option of buying from the store, it is not one I like to use. Whether the reasons are ethical, nutritional, or economic, the most important thing is to do as much as you can. I love to grow things and watch life spring up under my care. My goal is to have a continuous garden next year and grow enough to provide for my family.</div>
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Even though I hope to save my seed, I will never be done with catalogs. There will always be a new variety to try or back up seeds to buy. Seed catalogs are full of potential and challenge; they inspire me to try new things and keep trying until I find the plant that works the best for me. Producing pitch black tomatoes and turnips the size of an ostrich egg doesn't hurt. </div>
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Next time we will look at where we plant our gardens. </div>
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-63383625017654962332014-11-10T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-10T08:01:48.073-08:00Early Season Garden Planning: Why Plan Early<br />
After the winter crop is in, it’s time to pull out the garden journal, seed catalogues, and notebooks to prepare for the next season! While some people wait for January and February to start planning, I choose the brisk and beautiful month of October. The first frost on spinach leaves fills me with anticipation for sweet leafy greens and a new year of planting. With a hot cup of tea I get down to business concocting new ways to grow food for two in our two bedroom apartment.<br />
It is easy to let the months drift by until all of the sudden plants need to be in the ground and all you have are the seeds you didn't really like from the year before. I have done this too many times to get caught again. Early planning starts out every season well and prepares both the garden and the gardener for the work ahead.<br />
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Every year seed catalogs are sent out in January and February just as the winter blues set in. As a seed catalog enthusiast, I order early copies and keep the previous year's religiously. Favored varieties like Amish Snap Peas and non-genetically modified Early Girl Tomatoes are snapped up by gardening ninjas leaving those who savor each catalog description in the dust.<br />
Seed availability depends upon where and when you order. Larger companies, like Johnny's have a larger store of seed, but there is a trade off. Some of their seeds are genetically modified and Johnny's is <strike>owned by Monsanto</strike> involved with Seminis, a seed house owned by Monsanto (9/10/14). I prefer to support smaller companies that cultivate dying varieties, both unmodified and rarely hybridized. My current favorites are <a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/">Seed Savers Exchange</a> and <a href="http://www.rareseeds.com/">Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds</a>. Orders late in the season long after the spring blitz are less likely to have unavailable varieties.<br />
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When I plan my garden and order my seeds early, I know right away if I need to change a variety or plan a second order for late winter. After my seeds arrives, I can have an order form or online cart for any last minute needs. This gives me extra time to double check my plan and make sure I have every seed I need before the seedlings need to be planted. This year I realized after two different seed orders I hadn't ordered any Patty Pan squash and my favorite variety of snap pea wouldn't be available until next year. Fortunately, I am planning in October for what I need in January and there is still plenty of time to find the best plants.<br />
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I am a dirt nerd and have been known to romanticize long days of canning, weeding, or hauling prickly dead squash plants. I like to focus on what is going right whether it is germination rates or bumper crops of tomatillos. While these things are great, in order to improve my skills and grow better food I need to be closer to the hard moments. It is also easy to cloak an entire year in failure because tomatoes rotted, the corn had worms, and for every weed you pulled five more came up.<br />
The longer we wait to plan for the next year, the more rose colored (or bleak) the previous year becomes. Gardening is hard work!<br />
I keep a detailed garden journal of every plant from germination to yields to avoid letting my memory color the reality of the season. Every year as the garden becomes more consuming the journal gets less legible. By planning early, I can still remember what most of my notes meant.<br />
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Whether you garden year round, use season extenders, or enjoy summer's bounty there is always a cycle to get the most from the ground. It needs rest, feeding, seeding, weeding, and harvesting. All of these things find their natural place in the cycle of the seasons. In order to get the most out of their garden, summer gardeners need to compost and mulch in the winter, prep seedlings through out the spring and summer while they plant, maintain, and harvest during the summer and fall. The more seasons you work, the more of these things you will be doing at any given time.<br />
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The longer you give yourself to plan, the better the product will be. There is a ton to manage every year from compost to companion planting. I can prepare in case things go wrong. I have had mice eat all my peas, tomatoes freeze because we planted too early, and whole flats of seedling die unplanted. Nothing ever goes perfectly, but I have learned to plant lots of extra seedlings and have seeds in reserve. Planning gives me more room to recover. From a sustainable approach early garden planning prevents me from having to use potentially harmful products and helps to work on my longterm goals to steward the land around me. This creates a natural flow to my garden from season to season in order to reach its full potential.<br />
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By late fall saved seeds and stored food are ready to be assessed for the coming year. The cans of sauces, jams, pickles, and ferments have started coming off the shelves for fall meals and winter gifts. As each can is used we can determine how much time and work went into it and what we got out of it. A quart of tomato sauce from a pound of tomatoes made with a couple dozen others on a sixteen hour work day in July will be gone in an hour or two, barring leftovers. Every family will value different things. What do you miss? What was gone before the jar lids had time to seal? Will you have enough applesauce to make it to the next autumn? You can buy more or less seeds depending upon how you answer these questions. Also, you can determine whether it was a better use of time to make your own or buy from a local provider. I usually reassess every couple months and adjust the next season's plan accordingly.<br />
It is time to do germination tests on the new seeds. Seeds from open pollinated plants will develop characteristics suited to your area. However if the germination rates are on the low side, it is good to buy a few back up packets.<br />
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When Homestead Revival began, I lived in a chilly zone 4 microclimate where we grew seedlings in February or March to plant short season varieties in late May, but we could still get snow in June. We could grow broccoli year round. Now I live in zone 8b with roughly four months of frost threat. This week marks eighteen weeks before the Last Frost Date, so I have seeded all of my brassicas for next year and hope to get broccoli and cabbage before it is too hot for either.<br />
Zones are usually discussed in landscaping, but it is a huge factor in food crops. Extreme weather causes buds not to set and limits which foods will thrive. If I waited until March to plant, none of my early season crops could survive. In my zone I can plant an early spring garden, plan two summer harvests, a fall crop, and greens all year.<br />
Early planning helps me get the most out of my zone, avoid prime pest and disease times, and ensure that my plants will set seed at different times, so I can save them for the following year.<br />
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Early planning is key to the success of any garden. Knowing what I need to do to feed my family reduces stress and increases my productivity. After the months of hard work it is tempting to take a break. I would encourage you to take a little time each day to plan and prepare to reach your next garden goals.<br />
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In my next post we will be looking at seed orders and how to determine what is best for your garden.<br />
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Kate Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17999210956813041135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-55772272984673037522014-11-07T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-07T07:50:17.444-08:00Announcing... Early Season Garden Planning: The SeriesThis year has been filled with celebrations and change. We weren't sure where Homestead Revival was headed since our lives have changed so significantly this year with new family, homes, and jobs. Today, I am starting a new series - Early Season Garden Planning. We are going to talk about knowing how much to plant, wading through seed catalogues, and when to start seedlings. I am looking forward to talking about non-traditional garden planning depending on where and how you live. Check in on Monday and Fridays for the next part in the series. The first post will come out next Monday!<br />
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I am looking forward to talking about non-traditional garden planning depending on where and how you live. Check in on Monday and Fridays for the next part in the series. The first post will come out next Monday!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-57085691732117224832014-11-04T00:00:00.000-08:002014-11-04T00:00:09.276-08:00Wedding Post... Dinner Reception<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">We are continuing to recap my wedding from earlier this year, mostly in photos taken by </span><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #419941; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Misty Dameron Photography</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">With hundreds of people at our wedding there was no way Eric and I were going to be able to see or talk to those who travelled to see us get married. At our smaller reception we were able to take a deep breath and say thank you to all of our family. The details my mother and mother-in-law slaved over shone out. The best part was all of the hints at our honeymoon that I never picked up until now. There were post cards to national parks that we used as our guest book and books open to Yellowstone and Zion, where we spent the next week and a half. It was a surprise. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9EScOWb4VUxflaQtnz1UoGk86Qm-UNkeKj7bgFjDFg5vs9bD4xmPkEQZkEZPSG1CGJ1UPdhmvdyNhH5KPPaYN4hSQsjmDLo3hJa4-n62Ea9enXGeeu3kd9rZht2W9tnDEQ5Bp2x1Fk4/s1600/584+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyI1EgqViOwFY94mbneH9dnmlykzE6owycj7UaV2e_jW_-_zjL-8acS6otXv5eAdA3ORzHCljqoU0VVDxUcWpRbDQ66fkpj99v3rtcA5-vaI6WkMhBqW9tmIYPIy1PLSGqs1OOAbN2qzc/s1600/594+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhF7bggOXi22fjkM7LZ8EJ7Myib3do2xRw1i1X-sSoKa2eeAkXbktKgkp4kxMVad9bMtXfEt6CilN2BhUUsnUWDtpD58Ku_dDqFmurZvy6igp0Sw41Z7ckK9PFQ1CKxhdJiyOo2OWQog/s1600/598+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzc2nJBy4-dOtjPjbMh57vSBibyTyEmBucG1fmmiJR3JpRCnFz_sEzFG9Kh79fkLfntSIVf5y41zftr0GKKdJDFUZF-YmSMwsZlyHoCSsHofiKUnFnC0US2iSiTPHOETrqzChXUjc6c4/s1600/607+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
After such a long day some of our younger family members were a little antsy, so we gave them plenty to do.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs-iSo74QJy1Ky-ul6oh_FVY1Czs-XIPxRvEzwd6J3Yvb_W8aO1BiNi5FjYEqclDG245hBMVKfPRckhXn2qgqKHPfcb3OQ1n5YArE0zlSqmJhhGyPaX0NjQLDrPO6IbZxc69vFOlSRks/s1600/616+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a>My father-in-law cut, aged, and branded all of the centerpieces. Eric and I kept some for chargers or centerpieces. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-l8LJZRc2eiHMn6_uTysdDe6_64V2Vx1YW1eaNFTsYqe1Y0wXNoEs48vVuuTVYzGGJ5bV5RmNrEg99VqK7UtP8xfinWLJltHlbVCo2TsYAXaEq0LGNyjjn9ExGAQIkbM0N3v-RNIg38/s1600/586+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Mom and I designed the menu card. Friends form church helped make the food. My bridesmaids and I spent the days before the wedding candying walnuts and making gallons of chimichurrie. Eric ate many pieces of cheesecake while I perfected the presentation. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaDES5N8LD94mFSJ0ez_6klnXXnxbFOsKchsT8wZpmOmLohz8Pr1LN_GmpxJQnGLiAMnUbXe3NzwyOz_MtSr2s3n8LU5vN3fWV8Cttmyf1nB3hxXcf7fPS7KsyAjbF8yid0XGGj62aUg/s1600/590+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_VwWXCBSZR2qAXTVEhBZMFnr09eO_7XsqLVlC5dqEzzTumb87oCfyb2dRFHSSrzxVDLO3YjZqxv3POr0LYk8tQ3sRHyjW_O2hiY3RsEsiJkh4WVwQaWf-3YFijg_AwiecG39KXoPXbY/s1600/615+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXJ_ucBmCJlur0PK3QPg5rmw1LcbB6XDDEPJtveqfSsvRvVNLeVTfWou1nyFPXlQL8bxXql3Iar7QnJHXIdHf5BW5xoLurNVQVFQMtcjjUNF57UyMvYMyj6wyykg2RHrb1L41E-S-WrA/s1600/657+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a>Eric and I had our own table and to enjoy the dinner, so our wedding party could sit with their families. My dad built the backdrop we used at both the wedding and reception. While we were on our honeymoon, he and my father-in-law took off the sides and made it into a headboard. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZNmpnOgrmWAoiSbxi5ilwYiDwpxsCWmlh10G2ElBLctRLrIqaJl6dfnLAH9QU8FjQag0B3E523k2v86uf-ca04q8CioS4rjKeLc_QPkcX_dmEJ-3CQAVY0UF7nG6UfTZL0n9tJtNorA/s1600/593+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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My mother-in-law arranged fire pits and smores to draw everyone outside to dance and chat.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Instead of champagne or sparkling cider we used Henry Weinhard's Root Beer, another nod to Eric and I. We toasted...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_sLC6Ox6f3WyxbU27W7sRyZq-O5VDru3PSTzti8Sg_E9hh7a-iqUh71m07ndfCD8dg9SSPPccS5cys893Bct0-U0WGq5CTYiordC_3IIVx5XE1qT-5neqiPvL7pEGJ7PeFK6S_frD4s/s1600/631+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gKBW1rcHugkPtfpP_KD19Bd5p7FomoESA_KT0V7iQu1eHMi_J1p0-96CfksWBiOhCLOLr5eWz2SPABXiBnp1Gxgv-EKRRjOwljJLDGN3eEgMgFI5VXJDxLSjJ2IAEClqnFz81lvGt5A/s1600/639+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HevbXLp52oEexPWhaFMWlCu1GnoptgoOYXtRIj2RXora7vGHRiOOeQYZpiH7R-oaOIxkQt6dSYsT_SCVctGitmKZRjlicPfRsmrS8dCuSZ16hfJl91R1dJL_eJEG8FSv6pxMO7GBwYg/s1600/651+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">We danced...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuERfEl0azs99QUUbzOMHykKJwV8Z8rej2GRyKcd0l4g-tL4XTHp96KhJuhkKzqHZfbqxmcIeuD_dVbsZbi4jf7QpGDAej_QUe6O39m3VQRGUdk05UM_lGiMd7ew0geaF83op_YcXQDz8/s1600/673+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzsGm7KDe2ITNLXvDptxaq_7C0BY2fvL4eeHV8q9aeucG7dEB3eZBlAetxAY34jsRhHr3K-rmEkkTuaDXWjUP5YQo79bmwa6E1e1BwQnuTxmWHk6aw-5Wh3kJ-S10JsRpoeN8lFgMzQU/s1600/682+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bhRRTxGW1lvJxncrxCziObfptP7EOQoesXKuCaIu8bW0X8Bsnko4hbWbeHz5khMqjMupB9zfdH0sY2JOGJZFMWTBQC5LiuI3uDCZdC1T9V10m0eJolSNXJGi9Ww_5203mafgXm1QRlQ/s1600/688+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">And our guests lit sparklers as we made our grand exit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBBzcrXVsw5rQCaWhkquk7b9CFUJgqx2L38hLLwjQsjql9J1gDH5QFDJG-N-NxWqeHrkuNVr27tW7BDhiJrETNhid3wSZ9ojVTgQlvX5wSUaLPJkYlSHTqA7Zd5TKKno-MoPuayD-rec/s1600/732+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3qGauihytL84ST-Op8ynVYO90sZAWX1IfsNxUBsLlybcYo5nMlbnW7WEQusNHBIwLJqjjuSOwYdrSymJDRbzOUHmbtqGUL4CouCxvdQe5kz6MuhWGSvQPYmCGylPFN80Q6Is7xh7BLs/s1600/738+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/p/about-kate.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG65R8oE7FlfEZPDmJFgXiMnEeQeLiGUwHb1q3fJZtdbaNoM2raaq3e_zfpR3qIcizWmBYOoqcq5HF7DN9inQAlypGSsYfTaqiEY6ix2rBUbit83i7sVKr8K2KN4dR7V3aUf_ISz9M5Jo/s1600/Kate's-Signature.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-16635039258568879262014-11-03T00:30:00.000-08:002014-11-03T00:30:08.291-08:00Wedding Day... The Reception<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">We are continuing to recap my wedding from earlier this year, mostly in photos taken by </span><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #419941; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Misty Dameron Photography</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">Now for the detail shots you are all waiting for. My mother is a detail oriented creative Pinterester. All of the lovely touches that made this day unique and special started in the twelve hour drive back from Omaha when she realized we would have two months and three weeks to plan the wedding. She spent late nights hand writing chalkboards and lining up milk crates.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8oFFR6E0UjJzLlxgAaRxbQbGmcsZwxvkuFhyphenhyphenQkViZ8q7N_4OGn0x58e1I2GVndINTcEUhilryyhT93LydKc-UARXNOfsnE1hQ0WiMdJzk37iGfNlOFihemEMzUL9_zTgP8bBOWdpvIjA/s1600/400+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>Eric and I are hot chocolate and root beer snobs, so we planned a Hot Cocoa bar with all the mix ins manned by friends who kept an eye on eager younguns running around.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ92I3AuxaGNUxhxi8GSHBLxqXWKKz6ErnK4ogFWWjX0xKrjPAG4uVpuAxBW05liHt3zPjZXkUYAfXG5JUQepC9c-oaQVPpWhXCb9-592gVLzADbItXBdBCXrz6_AM7E0AZ5A4bhS6_E/s1600/402+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYu0e0an_PGvBhub3ED6VkOUz_V2rLlaycDtAY8jSPy5frUdYiAeaT96LqalNXy4OeUG7YSLRka98dw2K_cHGsaeDku6tdN_8LmZl6jiS5cvGOjZsvSaXLPstWB75xnJ3LGf4IPyhUiu8/s1600/407+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>Because we had such a large wedding, we used cupcakes so we wouldn't need to cut cake. These were made by a friend and her daughter. I am still blown away by the generosity and love shown by so many in their gifts of time and resources.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMStaOhkxvQKxpX_4APr6bDqLGIuN1HDfcf53nr_tC6FqIba2bx6FYMd8qPtu00Vrxt0Olgo7jghMxc7F0T3xMtIpLyULfTmB8vx7DYpNJE00-7PzY1hveQUO1FQrSGBNsAEgOhPUoLBc/s1600/406+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWNb2h6nUOAPbROeEzjC2Uhh6XmDCMzgrs_cm0xopvbwz7T1d601iLItD_TO55DYdziHfF5avZZzylmVLcvWnrurKHZ7jGgAlMqEmupRdnWBOYHbEFenx_UxsdLyMyHUVGWd9xJjnL88/s1600/408+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LSJZCtZD-BcdzdVJeNiY-EAS47Vqk-MYzq_1D9H3Q11wfAhalqnJJVN-PnLQEob04ANcKuYlxPEwvLxljO-v5LBLkDqEzsZ8GZnPd-Rp1i28H4Mt-l32zaccpOZsuNNXEVVieeyvHoY/s1600/410+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp40IlRLubIUIA-OSVyRCoo4J46F7iXUnkBL7w2YPWxZgSpfGjW4xKeCO0byBKT4mcB6xiXHapabUTmMafdZD2GCLGozKFutZtIH9NVvyoqkCQsryBIT3F7f4dWAdTOqtZ6OuymLJftws/s1600/414+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ck4NFYYB9oMEwdG5eGdZq2Dys6IDhUCxpnVnAtXpRVdfPlydtS1oLA5GG3V4B0VsOSInpl_Fo_Uz6mNGzhj-b0clgoHPq8_Xt9vWWeY4jrxwo5133yTNkDU_w9tyt78rsRf1e6RZZTk/s1600/416+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk14ddE0tYm-DWGVlOmXNBj-KjAnVN_kqcCeOOiRczcBcmFFEpgzldc4EHNY0pwF5R6PcCYMyg63vd7g9aD3fcQyPBrfoN3F4t43qlywuNz-0r1z9qEJ8ySyd9TuDlL8m-iZh-daOu_54/s1600/502+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVcWHOmbRd0NgYGHk4rZ1QtEFGwSgStrQnLFkH08fcpUImeIXXx3OjZ-GbWKRsdWRRBzcQ7I-Pu2XkTXBF8LN93iuWDMcr3s2qEwdDVGhzdzACRFtzVn5X2Qo2OoU6DtFRmTGi70mJTY/s1600/513+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
Because I am gluten intolerant no one wanted to risk making me sick on my wedding day, so I baked the cake in advance. Another friend assembled it and added the finishing touches.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaR6KKQ5rq6PEPxPgfgMFZhKRhCM1A-IAE9QkVkUykCNPLVSlkRIuCdUUx5BYLgAOoIW_4kcDuMtyKx-ZOt0Ii_wC16ub2pNAZeqQd57LnoBRjHlQThr3ZVjgjdmi4O3hcfyDA7NKNsU/s1600/570+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And I smooshed it on his face.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmVoaBma9taX46pAa1APLE4MFiJDeAcu2D-UdRLWTg7d4uZ0N-PaWYX5wMpO5AUmnZj1Oncp_cop4j7YiK1LlsZo7fRpa81hSuoNf4Y_DZQp5mTbrN4Yu4NihZKngp5g9gCDPT-Q_yGM/s1600/567+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41lVgGuTSwtfOZZFkm6ClPAUONf91ZyZS_JTmcqPj5yCQqzGb0YXN32abIqPtJuzpKukDRh4zBmWGQVsBOX7KJqT7qeqHh06dfTxNxzeOw5iqiO4OXCj-seCd-tHqxFD3vyC4hPtkFX0/s1600/569+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">We ended this reception in prayer and we left in a limo to our family dinner reception. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFX_I8HAYL40_N7Ou0J271xmqX3UH0Y0IJ8AAlKtGhlIljA6PJjv8ExzzI5elKocGxgpUGRnhXc84pyGAg0RCmKWY4zewZ9HRz4rRT3dubM4kQbx0TWN3ZlXXgyBuNg7TuELm3qxRANg/s1600/572+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkqV3teMyuoV7NGXT6KvBnCgdZr1Fzfl6KK-N2G0ZGlW5z7B7HJyCPikOuloAJfW2qIE2CCSPko3YHtaho7O2vCzwgijRAXhSFbbRt3OB0X4P4kXoSBI-JfR1RHVj8z4tdxrTLboextk/s1600/574+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GhXjbabzu7od84AQ4A6X35wa4uu61Lp6cmzHvZvlcBii1uHDEB5UR-FI9EEi6KBTt7mcYSUb0PL_gSJ9Z7DIpnpkgQVrMf8tbOBuVuhq0-b6fkzGujHLVv2DZ2tlY2w5vSvNamyy09c/s1600/580+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdydswpH6j3R5gZq5KoFnwCT2SzP0CdRyxo2cT76VQX8KZ2j8950BDFV7W7Upp1yAS3EzjetCFltf7mYBfDrvfuhYrnr_qCAR_szTW07EAHuQKQeXVHLfqOHyxboPpuls6OOQULWi_Mvw/s1600/577+Eric+Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdydswpH6j3R5gZq5KoFnwCT2SzP0CdRyxo2cT76VQX8KZ2j8950BDFV7W7Upp1yAS3EzjetCFltf7mYBfDrvfuhYrnr_qCAR_szTW07EAHuQKQeXVHLfqOHyxboPpuls6OOQULWi_Mvw/s1600/577+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/p/about-kate.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG65R8oE7FlfEZPDmJFgXiMnEeQeLiGUwHb1q3fJZtdbaNoM2raaq3e_zfpR3qIcizWmBYOoqcq5HF7DN9inQAlypGSsYfTaqiEY6ix2rBUbit83i7sVKr8K2KN4dR7V3aUf_ISz9M5Jo/s1600/Kate's-Signature.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-8619960350237294092014-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:002014-10-31T00:00:08.801-07:00Wedding Day... The Ceremony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">We are continuing to recap my wedding from earlier this year, mostly in photos taken by </span><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #419941; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Misty Dameron Photography</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;">The ceremony took place at the church where my dad pastors. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #343931; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.6399993896484px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFwp9AZdVsYlISMm65oYZ_Cr3QHGkOxPD6v-ZC4D1Cc72DUn9Rb7bu9ccYuxTCTbb9L5L9VrVIlCXTNmJWjZ8FNtoWeQ_qgrLDXiv0OifHqh3FAyMgEqrffFrASn_rGcUzQebOGN_K-I/s1600/296+Eric+Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFwp9AZdVsYlISMm65oYZ_Cr3QHGkOxPD6v-ZC4D1Cc72DUn9Rb7bu9ccYuxTCTbb9L5L9VrVIlCXTNmJWjZ8FNtoWeQ_qgrLDXiv0OifHqh3FAyMgEqrffFrASn_rGcUzQebOGN_K-I/s1600/296+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqP3imp04RmG7o2HXRyKnGazD82wBDStupumBAfIdysl1uz0T5Mwo1n4DBIzkQuv7v7IqTMV1Ir2p6VYaFJ6yMYlvCVJhPw3w4cUoGGGkKszgZjIE8P_KQil36PqOiX6AlcaNnl5KXQ1U/s1600/302+Eric+Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqP3imp04RmG7o2HXRyKnGazD82wBDStupumBAfIdysl1uz0T5Mwo1n4DBIzkQuv7v7IqTMV1Ir2p6VYaFJ6yMYlvCVJhPw3w4cUoGGGkKszgZjIE8P_KQil36PqOiX6AlcaNnl5KXQ1U/s1600/302+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AVgH-USuhsjbmX9WF9qY1KyNnlzKzzQQmZ5CNeIE6aJvrJ5dYWBYCKYzZcBMH0GP3VBaFNwHVhwZaEDjACczZCMnp8ciBh2EvTzB438zjRSSYJsN0qbxgWqw5gmz8o8vQw653WZDnfk/s1600/328+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">We forgot to get bread and wine for communion, so we prayed instead...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKLyBeMB48jxuphUi-0Is536F2VOOYDE8wBiQN_29AL5neoslmnhcjf8j3E1SQe1DCWJr8J09S4s7XReyLlqaEf2EqywOWOunzoGdPw5buuKerN2bOLF_0aaoyrPj5GH5XCB3BJkqF-Y/s1600/359+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_shAH1AmBSZOw6u2qvSr8sDc7NQ8_yHFG6ahB3r5oYRM3beBz8XofdJT1tw90lJjQ30AuiEQ3I76H92pK8fCcvlQS1DuZc8UGGABooAsxg9AUOb46lrizJPt3vTGtmr6VOqDPKHAne4/s1600/376+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZj62bGEBMOpVaEo8jGPd-gtpHxgw4xjKf6HU8Rm5u9uNt1jn5dPRWpodH7AMrxlWHWL0vgEEeafV487CkhFI9hBVvldrTK6lTOdMAwPwlsWr6ye-sYBhfzQ4b2swC4snQivm6mFT46xY/s1600/382+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">We tied the knot... literally. Reminding ourselves for years to come that we are bound together in faith and the sight of God. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-aLdaaRWK_Pq4LHsp8yUFYCJ8CGYSuwh1Sdc8sphgeED7khGKmJWI9ZdxFaAdHHqYCqJsRy2gYVZjvxOt9whHp5geYkb1361gA_uNk9qCirMQN4aSyjZrrzyzkc4mgotAm-8f3iMR5U/s1600/394+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirU-k6V8JeyP4IX2iAiYOrsxzgbcfUH1DryX1GIHrbR4TRz6FP_2mgBd39af87vDhN_HIhGrqyq6wSGrZwcHjfPSVSrl0txZcElbXpn50TLkaCDw5LtbuNzrnv2nFOYWMevZ0wgPJtSZQ/s1600/397+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/p/about-kate.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG65R8oE7FlfEZPDmJFgXiMnEeQeLiGUwHb1q3fJZtdbaNoM2raaq3e_zfpR3qIcizWmBYOoqcq5HF7DN9inQAlypGSsYfTaqiEY6ix2rBUbit83i7sVKr8K2KN4dR7V3aUf_ISz9M5Jo/s1600/Kate's-Signature.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-75469144648007798042014-10-30T06:30:00.001-07:002014-10-30T08:47:20.939-07:00Wedding Day... First Look<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are continuing to recap my wedding from earlier this year, mostly in photos taken by <a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" target="_blank">Misty Dameron Photography</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We chose to do a first look after talking to many fellow brides, photographers, much research, and discussion. This is a trend I hope is here to stay. Some of my favorite pictures from our day came from the special moments we shared here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eric and I are explorers and adventurers which is why we got married and are growing homesteaders! Weeks before we had been hiking and found an enchanted forest, green in the early days of winter. Barring the snow we secretly hoped for, it would be a perfect meeting place. On the day of, I got lost with the photographers and barely made it in time, but my love waited the extra hour and a half.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> It was worth it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://http//www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjKNLk54OS9IRe4oXvGewpXmj8G6ob5lFJNOZbZBQ5KNRUgfuO_nkKTHawHYK72dxgL_0uQaJxgR_ltcdZq1o7ptx5TZUO0OUnDMgiobFM5Z2cNsfRTWPcs3WLzH3OhKoAmYlmoxS7hk/s1600/147+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://http//www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPSrsUd_ASIsqbLeAWu7_Mihv8keu3q1vKYzuMgMqi9f2Ymi7F9mXkMIT46WfrELNCtqHG_BU9vWU-SjhOfFxT22jySbqsPdoC3zgTzuKRnmRJgGxlBEA9dYQz_xJEuhxb575ddH32oU/s1600/150+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUeUBfAe0nbqxhE8j72Dhen6ouaBguffF7FuYgqgG7fsQvsbh3Mv-eLWqTSNAIRzHTMRhvx5bUlKYXf2yM3dk-tUYQm0oHdIq76d1j7X5wPR1N1IKJ4Ja61pzA7grWYPdVch6jV0n0q5A/s1600/153+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eric and I are traditionalists, but we are also more reserved in front of the many people we knew would be at our wedding. Our first choice was a small family wedding, but that wasn't an option, so we chose to share a few private moments before the wedding and two receptions. It was perfect. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2pSRj478eWYmsLY3C3_V1c-0KATLof6UocBLRR2L_GpFwn5aOz5qJpfP9OINV7Th9LXO64m4E37Mo0wswvYOzwJBkzAbx_w1KU8OB3G_mPI-ayFWrVYYTl-ETDh8GBMgrKqxQ4gVpmE/s1600/157+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictQsAqIDLWMqP6E1fUruTLMb2RlxWu531BYj8Nr3toCcJh-otc4HeQus_5F3wChc123jkwEhNHm7U_ggFqoExJ-spezQ2Tbb56UgkWGGx144AXdl-5BLYv3BOn-bK3m-3IZy7rOikiQM/s1600/159+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://http//www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJ2vn-_CaRO_r0PmKTR-kQX22xYiEnKAeWJ6jyLtlzIjxwI4v95UlAVKdq0FAI4Hke3bQDWuD4Y2wPfAcd5nqpPSbnJZ6qdx_2qzZikOvsZiRarG7jHeI7o06y5KGtapDs1sxBAVbZsc/s1600/167+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzy4Kxx45eRurxkH7aPzZFtxzAAtARHRMj0TXC2Te0bY5piyK263zjnYa52AYST2DfKEzlp1idO0mezUge030orfw2W5Nd7Y3qT8_WAz0IDJczd9hf_8-5Md0SFW_SCHOzKsMUoItcSEY/s1600/173+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1KcvAc8v_u0Rd6DazZVw3XgAWFVzaEicnSADKDT_0YgOizXRrP9UvxjhlTOKQWzTLYQ1VDBPG7R4l51l7Q2l4wGL5XcOpRLLMuiV_gbrihPDQ0LVx9lpVZOXhhFG-SiXfn7FbWM-RXA/s1600/212+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
We met the wedding party and took a few pictures before heading to the wedding.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7y6djgl99QCAs5LJ6BOv7isk5D5G2j3iOhTuetrxzWlkG6mMt_KX-6RjcMEV-7c6t57ji_ula-R0RvhJb_ltAZymkWldXPZU9DMPCv76Y8qqbd9H2O7qbyU_3g3DGOEuVHh-l9PdACc/s1600/249+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mistydameron.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQQWeGWxwTl7rMCOJEhboa1yqpyHd_cTnIZaMQZIg9Moq5V8SOs41J5Kf6gTrVT97OPsmxW8OWxeJU4MO4KAzSP76FmlXzZoEfJnLSWxH2CdVXG9MnDwZHKkP30QZoacoMO6eDm5QYGw/s1600/258+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapmHvIIbhAcT20ShKHm5xlyJnpVexF2cxCqULHTw9w8ddWcmf3qgvYuMKJ7OhS20oh9TDjxZhsbOQJ1FySPRcYVRQcGIaKcuwPyEg3iVxbhFArBAR5mA0h6xgq4KGsa-v2PVJB86zCs4/s1600/281+Eric+Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapmHvIIbhAcT20ShKHm5xlyJnpVexF2cxCqULHTw9w8ddWcmf3qgvYuMKJ7OhS20oh9TDjxZhsbOQJ1FySPRcYVRQcGIaKcuwPyEg3iVxbhFArBAR5mA0h6xgq4KGsa-v2PVJB86zCs4/s1600/281+Eric+Kate.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/p/about-kate.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG65R8oE7FlfEZPDmJFgXiMnEeQeLiGUwHb1q3fJZtdbaNoM2raaq3e_zfpR3qIcizWmBYOoqcq5HF7DN9inQAlypGSsYfTaqiEY6ix2rBUbit83i7sVKr8K2KN4dR7V3aUf_ISz9M5Jo/s1600/Kate's-Signature.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-69770217785029308792014-10-29T12:10:00.000-07:002014-10-30T08:46:56.928-07:00Wedding Day... The Bride & Her Maids Get Ready!I thought I'd recap the wedding in a few posts, mostly of photos, so you can see what kept me away from writing for 8 months. Besides, it's fun for me to go back and look at all these and journal a bit about the big event.<br />
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This particular post is all about the bride and bridesmaids. We had a LOT of fun making their morning special as they pampered themselves a bit and prepared to look gorgeous... which they did!<br />
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One of our bedrooms was converted into a dressing suite... complete with matching monogrammed dressing robes! These were packaged in black bags that looked like chalkboard and then were hand decorated with white chalk ink pens.<br />
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On the big day the girls filled up the room with laughter and anticipation.<br />
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Recipe can be found <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/marilyn-batalis-blackberry-pie">HERE</a>. I substituted some arrowroot for the flour to thicken it up just a wee bit.</div>
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Amy</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564840073358020600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4757101971653100101.post-74255836453513318722014-05-11T14:58:00.001-07:002014-05-11T14:58:23.317-07:00Brite Tap Chicken WatererI've waited quite some time to write a review of the <a href="http://www.chickenwaterer.com/default.asp">Brite Tap Chicken Waterer</a> because I wanted to really give it a spin and "kick-the-tires" so to speak. It's one thing to try something once or twice or for a day or two... it's an entirely different matter to use it for an extended period of time and still be happy with the product.<br />
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I couldn't be more pleased!!<br />
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My family has tried just about every imaginable chicken waterer on the market and not one of them has kept the water clean, nor have they been low maintenance. Honestly, we had resorted to a feed bucket filled to the brim for the hens because at least we could quickly dump it on a plant, wipe it out, and refill it. All the other waterers meant taking them apart, scrubbing the tray AND the reservoir, trying not to drop it while we carried it back, etc. Even if it had a reservoir, because it was gravity fed into a tray, muck seemed to get in there and contaminate the water. Totally frustrated, we assumed a basic bucket was as good as it was going to get.<br />
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Then I came across the <a href="http://www.chickenwaterer.com/default.asp">Brite Tap</a>. Reading about the design, I thought it HAD to be an improvement over what we were using. And theoretically, it might actually be a home run. So I contacted Mark, the designer and owner of Brite Tap and got ahold of his product and whisked it out to the chicken coop.<br />
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I introduced it to the adult "girls" first to see how they like it...<br />
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Too excited to hang it or do anything fancy, I just stuck it on whatever surface was available... an extra nesting box. Within a minute they had to investigate. No coaching needed, these gals knew this produced the good stuff... cool clean water. They were lining up for a turn at the water cooler.<br />
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The height seemed just about right at 22 inches off the floor.<br />
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Right now several of you may be thinking "yeah, I tried using nipples on a bucket but the water got horribly dirty on the surface, almost like mold, due to dust in the coop and other debris". I know... happened to me time and time again. Plus, I had a terrible time refilling those buckets with the nipples on the bottom because you couldn't set them down ANYWHERE or you would ruin the nipples.<br />
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Mark solved that with the <a href="http://www.chickenwaterer.com/default.asp">Brite Tap</a>. The nipples are attached to a little enclosed mini-tank that is attached to the front (not the bottom) of your container.<br />
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And just in case it gets dirty for some weird reason, those red plugs on the side come out so you can get in there and give it a gentle scrubbing. Oh, and since it's clear, you can see if there's water in the cooler or not, but I find that by lifting it a bit, I can judge if it's getting low on water or not. Seems like we refill ours about ever 3 days for 5 hens - give or take depending on heat, etc.<br />
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After filling the cooler, you just pop open the vent (see photo below) and tilt it forward so the water runs into the clear mini-tank and fills it up. Then hang or set it on a surface with the mini-tank and nipples extended beyond the edge.<br />
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Next I tried the <a href="http://www.chickenwaterer.com/default.asp">Brite Tap</a> with our new chicks. Sorry I don't have a photo of that, but trust me... it took them only seconds to figure out the system. I set it up on a cement cinder block for now, but as they grow, we'll raise it up to fit their needs. Let me just say it again... It's SO CLEAN!!!!<br />
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Most of the time, we just use a watering pail to fill the tank, but after about a month, it gets dusty on the outside so I'll just give the whole thing a quick hose down, rinse it out good, and start again. No scrubbing, just the blast from the hose takes care of it (they've yet to climb on it and poop on the cooler... hope it stays that way!).<br />
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Just a few other side notes...<br />
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• You can find out more about Brite Tap Chicken Waterers, including care instructs, set up videos, cleaning supplies, and FAQs, right <a href="http://www.chickenwaterer.com/default.asp">HERE</a>.<br />
• Brite Tap is sold with or without the cooler, so if you have your own, you can possibly retro-fit it with the waterer.<br />
• Mark has a great chicken blog <a href="http://blog.chickenwaterer.com/">HERE</a> and has a new app for both iPhone and Android (see <a href="http://www.chickenwaterer.com/category-s/1845.htm">HERE</a>).<br />
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This is a 5 STAR product friends! No fudging... it does what it says. I'm saving my dollars to buy a second one because I often keep my flock in two separate groups. Now if I can just get Mark to design a goat waterer that works as well as this one, I'd be the happiest homesteader both sides of the Mississippi!<br />
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