Vegetable Gardener's Handbook

Update 4/9/13: I have added photos that I neglected to include when I originally posted this yesterday.

I have FINALLY found a gardening journal that I can recommend wholeheartedly!

It's not really a journal first and foremost, although it does have space to record your notes. What it focuses on are lots of VERY WELL ORGANIZED tips and guides for WHAT TO DO and WHEN TO DO IT... no matter where you live or what your gardening zone might be. (Note: some adjustments must be made for southern climates, but it is feasible to do so and make a few personal notations of exceptions.)

I do love organization and yet for some reason, I've had a terrible time trying to remember what to plant when. I'm finally getting the hang of the big picture and a general idea of what to do when and I understand the concept of working from the first and last frost dates, but... remembering the specifics? Now that's another story. I've used charts, sliding things (similar to wheels you turn and line up with a date), on-line programs... you name it, I've tried it.

So you're probably wondering how the Vegetable Gardener's Handbook makes it so much easier? I'm glad you asked.

• You Insert Your Own Dates. The "chapters" or sections in this handbook are broken up into the various weeks based on how far out they are from the last frost. For example, if the top of the page says "20-19 weeks before average date of last frost", I would insert Jan. 6-19 on the line that reads "MY DATE: _______" since my last frost is usually around May 31. (A few read something like "17 weeks after average date of last frost".) I went through the entire handbook and inserted all the correct dates so that it was ready to go for the whole year. Now all I do is look for the matching date and I can read what I need to be doing for THAT particular week.

* NOTE: If you live in a warmer climate, I suggest you fill in your dates a bit differently. The darker colored pages include a side label for the season, such as "early summer", "mid-summer", or "late summer". I would fill in your dates so that the weeks coincide with the correct time of year or season. (See pages 22-23 in the handbook for more information on how to fill in your own dates). It would be nice to see an actual "southern" version of this book in the future.

• Seed Starting. Each week of the year, seed starting guides are given depending how far out you are from the last frost. One would think there isn't much to this, but the authors have something for almost every single week of the year! Herbs, succession plantings, what to direct sow, what to sow indoors, what should be sown in peat pots for easier transplanting... they've thought of it all!

• Planting. This weekly section includes items you should be planting directly in the garden as whole plants. It may include things like asparagus crowns, but it could also include your seed starts or even cover crops.

• Maintenance. Ever forget to do the small things that make a big difference? You won't forget anymore. The handbook has this covered, from soil to dead heading plants.

• Harvest. You may think you won't forget to harvest the produce, but think again... ever find one of those great big gigantic zucchinis in the garden? And what about how you'll put it up for later? The handbook makes suggestions to keep you eating all year long. Oh, and it tells you when to know something is ready... I could use help with that! A section in the back discusses the various methods in brief as well.

• Tips and ideas. Interspersed among all the weekly "to-do" lists, you'll find an enormous wealth of tips conveniently inserted during the time of year you need to know! This is HUGE! How many times have you seen a great book with ideas, but totally forgot to implement any of the things you learned? I like to highlight my favorites I plan to try.

• Journal. This page, inserted about every 3-4 weeks, allows you to record what you accomplished for a 3 year period. It's helpful to know the following year what worked or didn't work specifically for you.

The handbook doesn't include colored photographs, but rather very nice line drawings that I enjoy coloring in... my thinking time. As I color each in, I think about what I want to do, based upon what is being suggested. (And I just like to color!)

At $14.95 ($10.67 at Amazon), this handbook will certainly give you a large return for your investment. I suspect it will pay for itself many times over at my house! And did I mention that everything is based on organic gardening? Yes... I'm definitely smitten with this book. I think I'll love it even more after 3 years of coloring, notes, tags, inspiration, and perhaps some incredibly bountiful harvests!

Give Away: Thy Hand Hath Provided COOKBOOK!

As I type this post, I've just finished a wonderful dish of Coconut Curry Lentils over rice (p. 53). Thanks to Jane at Thy Hand Hath Provided, I now have a recipe that totally satisfies my curry craving whenever I want! My husband said at least twice tonight "It's a keeper", meaning he really likes the dish and definitely wants it again - a high compliment as he is quite the foodie!

I've admired cookbook author Jane Bryan and her culinary skills for some time now. She grows most of her own food and is an avid canner. What makes her stand out is the fact that she actually uses all the food she puts up (in either the pantry or the freezer) in recipes all year long. It doesn't just sit on the shelf looking pretty. Wasting it would not fit her philosophy of food nor giving (read more about her family's journey to Eating Simply In Order to Give).

While many like the idea of the farm to table fad, this is truly how Jane's family lives... it sustains them; nourishing while warming the soul with most meals having traveled only as far as the garden to the table, only a few yards away. 

Another thing I learned from Jane is how to think in multiples. For example, she has a very nice pie crust recipe (p. 86) which she makes in large batches and freezes. By doing this, she is able to make a quick meal or dessert without having to stop and make the crust. I like that the recipe incorporates whole wheat flour along with the white and it's actually written out in the cookbook to make 9-11 pie crusts for both sweet and savory dishes. 

Pie Crusts (p. 86)

Table of Contents

Preface
Breakfast & Brunch
breads, Muffins, & Rolls
Salads & Dressings
Soups, Stew, Chowder, & Chili
Vegetarian Main Dishes
Main Dishes
All Kinds of Sides
Pies
Cakes & the Like
Bars & Cookies
More Sweets
Drinks & Sauces
Preserving: Canning Help
Preserving: Canning Recipes
Preserving: Freezing
Resources
Index
Equivalents & Substitutions

What You Won't Find

These recipes are almost entirely "from scratch", so you won't see a bunch of "can of _______" or "cream of ________ soup" unless it's a canning jar holding something from the garden or a slightly more exotic ingredient such as coconut milk. Occasionally there is a box of Jello or a prepackaged cornbread mix, but these can easily be substituted for those who wish to avoid using anything from a box. There are a few recipes that occasionally call for shortening (something I personally do not use much, but again, substitutions may be made). 

Summer & Fall Pesto Pasta Salad (p. 44)

You also won't find ultra difficult recipes that require the home chef to have a culinary arts degree. For example, the Coconut Curry Lentils was an easy dish that required only two pots with an additional pot for the rice. Cleanup was very modest. On the other hand, the flavor was 5 STAR! I felt like I got a LOT of bang for my buck with this dish (so to speak).

There are plenty of basic dishes as well, but mostly in the canning section, where you WANT basics in order to use them in other recipes later on. But make no mistake about it, there are plenty of twists on old favorites such as Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 126). WOW! Sounds good, doesn't it!

Please note this book is chock full of recipes, not photos. However, Jane does have an extensive list of recipes on her blog with many great pictures. The advantage to having the cookbook is:

a) so many recipes in one location
b) something to carry around the kitchen while you're cooking (computers aren't so handy at that)
c) a resource for making notes in the margins
d) her canning & preserving notes
e) great material for curling up in bed and planning future meals!

Blueberry Crumb Bars

(please note, this recipe is on her blog, not the cookbook)

What You Will Find

If you've followed Jane's blog, you know she is a rare jewel. This gal walks the talk. And these recipes reflect how her family eats every day. Based on this cookbook, I'd say they're eating well and enjoying some great meals and lovely treats!

Because Jane consistently puts food up in jars or the freezer, she has included a section for each with foods her family preserves. For those getting started or wanting to know her particular methods, these pages will be an welcome addition.

Basic Tomato Sauce (p. 160)

Update 2/23/13: For clarification, please note that some recipes contain refined sugar and white flour. In most cases, easy substitutions may be made such as sucanat for sugar, soft white wheat (for pastries) or hard white wheat for other recipes.

I confess, my favorite thing about Jane's cookbook... her pasta and pizza recipes. Spring is right around the corner and as soon as asparagus is in season, I'm making this dish...

Pasta with Asparagus, White Beans, & Mint (p. 43)

Meet Jane...

Jane Bryan is a Christian (Mennonite) stay at home and homeschooling mom of three and wife to "pharmer" Jamey (gardener/pharmacist).  As a family, their goal is to bring glory to God by living simply in order to give while striving to eat food in it's purer forms - without pesticides, chemicals, and the necessity of miles and miles of transportation.

"The bounty of all good food available to us is overwhelming in a world where so many are hungry." ~ Jane Bryan

If you'd like to know more about Jane of Thy Hand Hath Provided, please visit her blog to find out "Why We Do What We Do" or read her interview with me on the Homestead Tour from August 2010.

Enter To Win a Cookbook!

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of the Thy Hand Hath Provided Recipes & Preserving Cookbook, all you have to do is click on the options below. Jane is hosting 2 copies so at the end of next week, Punch Tab will randomly select 2 different winners!

UPDATE 2/25/13: Jane has graciously offered to give away a THIRD cookbook! Why not order one for yourself and if you win, give one as a gift to a fellow homesteader, a new bride, or someone struggling to cook from scratch? Spread the blessings...

No Time to Read?

As busy moms and homesteaders, reading isn't a luxury we typically get to indulge in unless it's late in the evening. And by that time, who can keep their eyes open very long? Regardless, I always have a stack on my nightstand.

But then again, I also keep a book in the bathroom. (Too much information? Sorry, but it's true... I try to read every moment I can!).

I take a book of some kind with me almost every time I go to town. After all, you never know when you might get stuck... waiting... and waiting. I've found I get a lot less irritated that I'm "wasting my time" if I have a something to read (and I typically require the children to bring a book as well).

But, what I really want to share is a few sources for books on line that are FREE! And it gets even better...

they're AUDIO BOOKS!

In fact, I just deep cleaned the entire pantry today and managed to get through a good portion of Barbara Kingsolver's best seller, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle at the same time! (Don't you just love multitasking!) Although I'd read it before, her book has been just as good the second time through (and I highly recommend it!).

A couple of weeks ago, I listened to Michael Pollen's book, In Defense of Food. Now I've had that book for almost two years, but it never seemed to make it to the top of my reading list. Something else always edged it out. Then I found it on line... SCORE!

So, what's my source?

My local library. {cheers, clapping, whoorah!}

Many libraries subscribe to a service called One Click Digital where you set up an account through your local library and then down load free books on your computer, phone, or other device, typically for a period of 10 days, after which they expire. You can always recheck them if necessary, but I find listening is much faster than reading. (Well {blush}, at least for me.) Just contact your local library and ask if they have this service or one similar.

You can also get classic books for free through LibriVox. Each book is read by volunteers, so often you get some really fun readers with terrific accents. However, I did get one very precocious French girl whom I had difficulty understanding, but that was the exception, not the rule. (She sounded darling though!)

And finally, there is Lit2Go, another source for classic works that can be accessed through your iTunes store.

So when I need to do something less than pleasant or shall we say, something I've been avoiding, like dusting the ceiling fans, vacuuming the baseboards, or walking that extra mile for exercise... I now have something to treat myself to at the same time. No longer am I procrastinating and dreading the inevitable... no, no. I just plug into a good book and savor the moment!

Gotta run... I think the living room has some cob webs that need tending to.

Interview With Author Naomi Dathan

As you may already know, Vyrso is offering a lovely give-away for 3 eBooks, right here at Homestead Revival. So today, I'm very excited to welcome Naomi Dathan, author of Whither Thou Goest I Will Go, a homesteading book that is sure to please anyone who ever liked Laura Ingalls Wilder and couldn't get enough! (That would be me!) Let's not waste time, shall we?


Hi Naomi! So glad to have you here. I'm sure everyone would like to know where you got your idea for Whither Thou Goest I Will Go? Why a book in the 1800's about homesteading?

My infatuation with pioneer days began when my teacher Mrs. Mayhew read Little House on The Prairie to our third grade class.  I love history, so I always intended to put myself somewhere in the past in my writing.  But Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go began to take shape in my mind after I read David Laskin’s The Children’s Blizzard.  Something about that brilliantly written history captivated me.  After several times through my dog-eared copy of the book, Jem started to whisper her story in my ear.

Have you always had an interest in homesteading? Do you consider yourself a homesteader in any way? Any pets, a garden, etc.?

I have and do.  Some of my earliest memories are of my grandmother bent over her huge garden and my mother’s canned strawberry preserves lined up on the kitchen counter.  Even in her teens, my sister sewed clothes and breathtakingly beautiful quilts.  I think I always had the expectation that I would be at least a hobby farmer. I even used to check out library books on gardening and keeping livestock. I still feel a yearning when I drive past long acres of green fields, white rail fences and peaceful horses and cows. 

But here I am in a small city, living on a lot that is measured in feet not acres, in an area of town not zoned for chickens.  Still, I have a homesteading heart. My “back forty” is actually about forty square feet of yard behind the garage, but I’ve tucked a revolving clothes pole and a compost pile back there. In summers, I run the length of my fence with my “crops” – tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and squash. And, now that I’ve watched one too many videos about factory farmed chickens, I’ve decided that I will probably disobey zoning laws so I can have guilt-free eggs. I’m mostly vegetarian, so at least my neighbors will be spared having a black Angus steer peering accusingly over the fence at them during their cookouts.

Good for you! I love that you are making the most of your current homestead! Speaking of which, your description of Jem and Seth's sod house was anything but glamorous! What kind of research did you have to do to write a book so rich in homesteading details?

I adore doing research – sometimes more than the actual writing --  so I happily absorbed myself into old journals, historical websites and books.   After a while I felt like I was living more in Nebraska in 1888 than in my real life.  I’m so glad you found it rich in detail, because I felt like I went through culture shock when I finally re-emerged into present-day Ohio.

Your main character, Jem, starts out as a very pampered young lady, but deep down inside she’s a really strong woman. Did you have someone in mind when you created her?

Myself, I’m afraid.  Yes, I can be that bratty.  And when I’m not, I usually want to be.  Her spiritual journey is very much mine, as my husband’s disability and chronic illness forced me to become a dramatically better person than anyone would have guessed I could become.  

On the one hand, I thank God with all my heart for everything that happened to me.   As hard as it was, it was necessary in order for me to become the me I am right now.  I wouldn’t want to give that up.  On the other hand, I like to remind God that now that I’ve reached this stage of maturity, strength and wisdom . . . there’s no need for any more hard times.  I'm satisfied with the work He's done, and I hope he doesn't intend to refine me anymore in the near future!

Let's talk about Seth a minute... I was really surprised that Jem’s husband started out like “the perfect spouse,” wise and of strong character, but through various trials his own weaknesses were exposed. What were your thoughts (or message to readers) when you wrote his responses to adversity?


In my younger days I read maybe thousands of romance novels.  I know the deal:  the woman is in distress, being held captive or in imminent peril of losing her home/farm/child/life.  The man, commonly referred to as the hero, sweeps in, solves her problems, changes her life, protects her.  By the end of the story, she knows that he will never fail her, will be with her until the day she dies, and intuitively understands her emotional and physical needs. 

Fast forward to real marriage, where I acquired one of my very first pieces of actual wisdom:

The hero who rides up on the white steed and provides for all your needs?  That’s God.

The guy you marry?  That’s another human, just like you.  He will cry, lose his temper, be weak at the wrong moment and sometimes fail you.

So I guess that’s my message:  that marriage, real marriage, is a union of two fallible humans.  If you have an idealized expectation of marriage, you will be disappointed.

The danger of romance novels (and the fairy tales they’re based on) is that we, as women, are constantly being tempted with the idea that someone else is responsible for our lives and happiness.   Jem certainly thought that at the beginning of the book.  But, like most of us, she was force to accept that she had accidentally married a human instead of a hero.   Seth, whether at his best or his worst, was one of many factors impacting Jem’s life, but ultimately she was responsible for who she was and how her life played out. That is true for all of us.


Well said, Naomi! And thank you for writing your book that way! I know that every woman ever married will be able to relate to that and those that are yet to be married, need to understand this before they enter a marriage!


The title of the book tells us that Jem must learn to follow her "human" husband, which is basically saying she had to learn to submit even when she didn't want to... something that women have struggled with since the time of Eve! Would you agree? And have you struggled with submission at any time in your life?

Awesome.  You’re not afraid to ask the tough questions, are you?

About five years into my marriage, I was listening to a Christian radio station at work and I heard a discussion of wifely submission.  This was the first I’d ever heard of it.  I wasn’t a Christian growing up and had studied feminist literature in college, so it took some processing.

Finally, I broached the topic with my husband, explained the idea to him, and announced, in true submissive-wife fashion, that this was how things were going to work in our marriage from now on.

I will say two things about it:
(1)     It worked for us.  My husband was very respectful of the concept, and only exerted the husband authority when he felt genuinely led by God.  He never, not once, resorted to petty abuse of authority.  We communicated very well, so we were careful to define when we were invoking the authority thing and when we were just being argumentative, grouchy or intentionally annoying.  When he did invoke it, I went with it.  And even if I hated it at the time, I was always glad later.  God's fingerprints were all over it. 

My husband had frequent, life-threatening infections, which meant he wasn't always able to take the leadership role.  There was often a point when either he or I would have to transfer the authority from him to me, and I became the decision-maker.  We communicated, and it was never an issue for either of us. 

(2)    If I ever remarry, I’m not going to do it again. I’m 45, almost 46, years old.  I kept a dying man alive for many years in spite of all odds and medical predictions while running a house, caring for my children and writing three books.  I wrote another book the month after he died, and I’m writing the sequel to Whither now, while still running my house, paying my bills and caring for two children who are nearly paralyzed with grief.   I know who I am, what God created me to do, and what I need to do next.   I feel completely qualified to run my life.  The only submission I intend to exhibit is the Christian submission that is expected of all followers of Christ, be they male or female.

I’m aware that between these two conflicting statements, I’ve probably managed to draw the indignation of virtually all of your readers.  I can only say, this is my most honest answer at this moment. 

I do appreciate your honesty, Naomi! In truth, if we are submissive to Christ in ALL THINGS, I think submission to our husbands would be a non-issue, right? Lord, make that true of me!!


I understand that you started writing while caring for your terminally ill husband. How did writing help you through that period of your life?

I don’t know if I can explain how it helped me.  It was just necessary. 

To be strictly accurate, I started writing when I was twelve.  Whither was my third book (to be written, not sold), and I’ve been keeping journals since I could write.  If I could find all the stray scraps of journals, notebooks and files (some on floppy disks), I’d have an exhaustive and incredibly boring record of every emotion I’ve experienced since I was about nine.  There is no need to impose that kind of legacy on my heirs though, so hopefully I’ll be able to resist the impulse.

As my husband’s illness progressed, my anguish made its way relentlessly into my fiction.  Although I didn’t plan it this way, all of my books have recurring medical motifs.  You can almost track the progression of my husband’s illness through the stories. 

In Whither, there is a moment when Jem awakens from sitting by Seth’s bedside after his illness, and she is convinced, absolutely sure, that Seth has died.  That is the truest moment in the book for me.  How often did I check my husband’s breathing during the long nights?  How often did I feel the cool of his skin outside the blanket and think he was gone?   

Why was it critical to write that scene?  I don’t know, but I know that every time I go back to it, I feel how essential it was.  How essential it is.
 
Jem grows quite a lot in her faith and trust, as well as her understanding of God as she endures her first year homesteading in Nebraska. How did your faith and trust in God grow during your own trial? And was there a particular scripture passage that spoke to you during that time?

Jem did better than I did.  Her year-long growth spurt took me closer to fifteen years.   My head is even harder than hers, I’m afraid.  But I did learn.  I learned that God loves me . . . and that I don’t understand an awful lot of what He does. 

So, yeah.  It took me fifteen years to learn that.  Imagine what kind of incredible theology I’ll be able to expound on after another fifteen years of trauma!

But those thoughts, as tiny as they are, define me.  He loves me.  I’m a hot mess of selfishness, rebelliousness, irritability and distractibility.  But He loves me.  He wants to hear from me, craves for me to reach for him the way I craved for my babies to reach for me.

So, in the worst of times, and even in the better times (when it’s sometimes harder to remember to seek God), I cling to Philippians 4:6-7:  “Do not worry about anything, but in everything , by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”


Thank you, Naomi! What a pleasure! We don't often get to hear from an author and gain insite into his or her personal life story. I think we just assume they dream up books in the middle of the night! But without a doubt, I can certainly see your heart woven through each chapter of Whither now that I've gotten to know you a bit. Which makes me even more excited to read the next book!!


And Homestead Revival readers, you might also enjoy the bonus content on Naomi's site including a discussion of Seth's failings ("Seth . . . Oh, Seth.  You disappoint.") and the popular quiz, "Are you a Born Homesteader?".  You'll also find an excerpt of Whither on her site if you would like to check out her eBook for free.


Don't forget Vyrso is hosting a give-away for three copies of her eBook right now on Homestead Revival. Just click HERE to enter! The drawing ends Saturday, so don't wait too long!

Give Away: Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go

I read a lot of "how-to" non-fiction, but once in a while it's really refreshing to read something from a different genre. After a long hard week, it's so relaxing to curl up by the fire or in bed with a good story!

About Vyrso 

Recently I was asked to review an eBook from Vyrso. Now I had not heard of Vyrso, or so I thought, until my contact told me that it was an arm of Logos Software. I was able to easily add a free Vyrso app to my iPhone and download a book in just minutes (maybe seconds!). It can also be added to an Android or iPad.

This was my first book to read in it's entirety on an electronic device. I'm typically a "hold the book in my hands and smell it" kind of a gal. I like pages and pictures (if it's a reference book) as well as the front cover. But I must admit, I loved having the eBook with me whenever I had a few minutes to spare; while waiting at the doctor's office, in line at the drive through bank, etc. Much easier than hauling around a book!

I really can't compare the Vyrso app to a Kindle (or similar device) since I haven't used the Kindle much. My husband has one, but it really didn't inspire me to pick it up and use it. The Vyrso app was different. I found I didn't mind reading on it for the most part. But I confess... I do love my iPhone and that may have made a bit of a difference as well. Being able to adjust things like the size of the font, the color of the background, and a few other things, made it so I could customize it form my preferences. When you close the app, your place is bookmarked so you don't have to hunt down where you left off, but if you need to go the Table of Contents or skip to a chapter, a small icon made it easy to navigate.

About The eBook

Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go, by Naomi Dathan, is THE ultimate homesteading fiction book. If you've ever thought you might like to live off-grid, you were born in the wrong era, or you just wonder what it would have been like to homestead in Nebraska during the 1800's, then this is the book for you! But get ready... you'll experience every emotion you can imagine as you enter Jem Perkins world.

I told my contact that I'm a slow reader and it would take me a while to get through the book. However, I found that I couldn't put my iPhone down once I started reading and a couple of nights, I was up way past my bed time so I could read just one more chapter! It was that good!

Imagine you were raised with every comfort during your time, a bit spoiled (to say the least), and suddenly, your husband says, "Honey, pack the bags. We're moving and going totally off-grid in the back country." I realize some of you would be jumping up and down for joy, but remember... Jem Perkins thinks roughing it is doing without a new dress for a special event!

But Jem doesn't give up so easily. She's got spirit and spunk, even if it is misplaced at times! God works in her heart throughout the story as He uses trials, the hardships of settling an untamed land, and learning to submit both to God and her husband as well as to teach her what's really important in life. Just when you think she's figured it out, her greatest challenge comes with the Children's Blizzard of 1888.

That's all I'm going to tell you... what fun would it be if I told you everything? If you want to read some more reviews, check out the Good Reads! And if you find that you like this... she's working on a sequel!

Update: “Download Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go for Vyrso, Kindle, Nook, or Kobo, and start reading!”


Meet Naomi Dathan

Be sure to come back on Thursday as I will be hosting an interview with the author herself! I've been reading up on her and this is one amazing woman! Before being published, Naomi spent 5 years as a caretaker for her chronically-ill husband. To help pay for medical expenses, she took editing jobs, writing assignments, and wrote five novels at her husband's bedside. Despite her efforts, it was Naomi's hope in Christ and the generosity of her community that kept her family afloat.

Last spring, her dreams came true and three of her novels were picked up by publishers. Six months later, her husband passed away, just one month before the launch of her first book, Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go. The hardships of prairie life in the 1800's are not unlike her own. In a way, Naomi's book is a reflection of her own life story; one filled with hope, tragedy, and the assurance that God's story continues, even through the storms.

Enter The Give-Away
I'm going to try something different for this give-away. Since most of you entering will probably be a bit "tech-savvy" (since you probably have an iPhone, iPad, or Droid), I want to try using Punch tab for entries. Just click on the links in the box and you should be good to go. I'd love to hear what you think of Punch tab in the comments section of this post so I can decide if I want to use it in the future.

Your Custom Homestead

I have good news for those of you who are overwhelmed with the idea of homesteading and your not sure where to begin. Urbanites and rural folks alike should take note...

My friend Jill Winger of The Prairie Homestead has just released her new eBook Your Custom Homestead! Homesteading is as unique as each individual who has a dream for his or her home, but that can also make it hard to know where to begin! There's so many things one could do! This is not a "how to" book, but rather a 21 day challenge to work through organizing your thoughts and dreams for your own land whether it's in the middle of an urban center or way out in the country. For example, she'll show you how to:



• Create a homesteading binder to keep your operation running smoothly
• Formulate a homestead mission statement and set goals.
• Follow your homesteading ambitions, even if you live in an area with restrictive homeowner’s associations and covenants.
• Embrace your current location, no matter how “unlikely” it may be.
• Expand your knowledge base and acquire new skills.
• Begin planning for homestead animals and growing seasons.
• And much, much more!


If you're new to homesteading and don't know where to begin, this book will help point you in the right direction so you can determine exactly what you want to achieve given your current situation. If you're an urbanite and think that moving to the country would solve it all, remember, no place is perfect. Each homestead will have it's own pros and cons to deal with. Jill's personal story is woven throughout to give you an idea of her own limitations that she's had to work with, yet she was able to find a solution that worked for her.

You can find out more on Jill's blog AND receive a discount code for 20% off now through February 24th! And if you're still not sure, you can read a chapter now before you buy. So why wait?

DVD Review: Alternatives To Dentists

Alternatives To Dentists is a new eye opening DVD being offered from Marjory Wildcraft of Grow Your Own Groceries (a.k.a. Backyard Food Productions). When I first heard about this DVD, I didn't think it was for me. I mean, it just wasn't a top 10 priority at this point in my life or in my homesteading. But teeth are one of those things we take for granted until the moment of crisis when we get a toothache. Seriously, doesn't the world come to a halt at that point?

No, I'm not suggesting that you ditch your family dentist! And neither does herbalist Doug Simons, who is the featured lecturer on Alternatives To Dentists. He does show you what to do in case you can't get to a dentist, which in and of itself is really helpful, but what I really liked about this DVD were the things I learned to help build up the health of my teeth so I wouldn't need extra emergency care or invasive dental work.

I have about the worst teeth of anyone I know. I don't know how it happened, but the only thing good I can say is that I still have them (well, not all of them, but enough!). I think part of my demise was growing up during a time when preventative measures were few and when they decided to fill a tooth, the removed way too much of the healthy tooth and filled it with a large mercury amalgam filling. It didn't help that I knocked out my front teeth 3 times - my top two front teeth twice! Once my baby teeth and then my permanent tooth on the right front side. Add to that over 14 years of braces on and off and then on again and off (a total of 5 times) and you can imagine my teeth are a bit discolored now. And a lot of enamel is worn off. I've been brushing with toothpaste for sensitive teeth for years! Add to that a couple of root canals, an implant, and a spin through splints for TMJ and I'm the poster child for bad teeth!

So along comes Doug Simons' DVD and he talks about tips for actually building up enamel on your teeth using herbs! It sounds almost too good to be true! I'm sure it will take time, but I have little to loose at this point. As soon as I can find the items I need, I'm going to give his "recipe" a whirl.

Other topics Simons covers includes:

• dental hygiene without brushes, paste, or floss
• how to make your own tooth powder
• healing cavities with herbs
• treating abscesses with herbs and poultices
• treating cracked and chipped teeth
• reversing receding gums and gum disease
• information on root canals
• floride, is it good or bad for you?

I'm not a practitioner and again, I'm not recommending you stop seeing your dentist. But if this DVD can help you in advance or when you can't get to a dentist, then I'm all ears. And if nationalized health care really does materialize, then we may be needing more information like this to treat ourselves in the future! At the very least, Doug explains a lot about teeth so that you can make a better decision even when you do go to the dentist. It's just good stewardship to do the best you can with your body in terms of being responsible, proactive, and preventative. And I could do better at this! But, I just didn't realize it was really possible until I watched his lecture.

One caveat I must include regarding this Alternatives To Dentists. Simons does not teach his material from a Biblical worldview and includes some information about talking to the plants as you are harvesting material from them. He has traveled and learned a lot about herbs and healing practices from Native American Indian tribes and some of their world view comes through in one particular teaching scene. That aside, I believe he has some good knowledge that many can benefit from. You just need to be aware in advance that this appears in the DVD.  

What do you think? Share a bit about something you'd like to learn in order to improve the health of your teeth or something natural you are already doing for your pearly whites!

I received a copy of Alternatives To Dentists to review, but I have not been paid for this endorsement. My views are strictly my own.

Loving The Little Years

If Rachel Jankovic had a blog, I'd read it every day. Oh, but wait... she does blog! Over at Femina along with the rest of the Wilson women, just not every single day. As the mother of five toddlers and another on the way, she would be insane to attempt such a thing! But can you believe she managed to write a book filled with some very powerful vignettes on motherhood... and survive? (To my knowledge the children and the husband did, too.)

Rachel has honed her writing skills to be sure, but it's immediately clear that she also has a natural talent along with plenty of wit to communicate in such a way that you feel like she's hanging out with the girls talking face to face. I love that.

Loving the Little Years, could only be written after spending time "in the trenches" herself. She masterfully teaches without being preachy, throws in some natural humor (that could only come from someone who has learned to laugh at herself once in a while), and leaves you with a nugget of wisdom to take with you as you re-enter the trenches of your own home.

Each chapter is short enough that you can read it in the bathroom when you get a 2-3 minute break. Seriously, I'm a slow reader, but I could read one of her 20 chapters in the amount of time that it takes to go to the bathroom and no one need ever know! But don't think that just because this book is smaller than most that it's thin on substance. You'd be grossly mistaken. Those nuggets I mentioned are meaty... something you can chew on for a while and put into practice.

It would have been great to have had this book a few years earlier! My girls would've really appreciated it (once they were older). I think I'll be buying this in multiples and tucking them in baby gifts - for the moms, of course!

I received a copy of this book to preview, but I have not been compensated in any other way. My views about this book are strictly my own.

Family Devotions: Children's Commentary

Since we have children ranging from 9-18 years of age, finding a good book for family devotions that everyone can truly benefit from and feel challenged by is hard to track down. But once in a while my husband or I find a gem that's worth the hunt. Recently, he brought home just such a commentary on Genesis for our breakfast devotions.


Nancy Ganz's Herein Is Love series is a commentary for children but it's certainly not in the "light weight" category! Nancy artfully weaves heavy theological truth with words that even an 8 year old can understand. Older audiences will quickly realize her use of alliteration is specifically designed to snag the attention of the younger crowd, but it's easy to overlook her slight overuse of repetitive sounds because Nancy is such a master at connecting the dots throughout scripture, leading the reader to see how God has had an eternal plan from the beginning of time and fulfilled much of it through Christ's life, death, resurrection, and second coming. By bringing in scriptures from throughout the entire Bible, Nancy helps the reader to see the relationship of events from Genesis all the way to Revelation.

And she's quite the storyteller! Her ability to retell the events in Genesis are interesting, but in no way would I say she was dumbing down the lesson or making it seem contrived. Her insights are wonderful, and I confess that I've learned a new thing or two myself at the breakfast table!


I should mention that we have not finished the commentary at this point, but only once can I recall something that was incorrect and I suspect was actually a misprint. And she does take a few liberties in talking about how various Bible characters must have been feeling, but nothing has been out of line by going too far; at least in my opinion and my husband's. He has enjoyed it immensely and more than once, moved to tears!


If you'd like to know more about this book and the rest of the series, you can find out more at Shepherd Press. Also, you can read the introduction and first two lessons to get an idea if it might be a good fit for your family. Finally, there is a Teacher's Guide to help you expand the lesson to include scripture memory, visual aids, crafts, field trip ideas, prayer, review questions, and singing which is based on the Psalter "The Book of Psalms for Singing" (published by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, 1973). At this point, she has completed Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. I only wish she could do the entire Bible!

I'd love to hear feedback from anyone else regarding her commentaries!

Making Herbs Simple

I just finished viewing Making Herbs Simple Volumes 1 and 2 by Shoshanna Pearl Easling and what a treasure! I've wanted to learn some herbal medicinal recipes for a while and I just wasn't very confident on how to go about it. Tinctures, poultices, and other such things were a complete mystery to me.

Photo Credit

Having a visual demonstration makes all the difference in the world! I liked Shoshanna's fun and cheerful personality, but what I found even more helpful was her clear explanations. She takes nothing for granted and yet doesn't talk down to the viewer. The only negative thing I could say is that there's not a volume 3 and 4! 

Thanks to Abby Jo at Forgotten Way Farms who offers these DVDs for sale, I decided to give them a try... and I'm so glad I did! Even though Shoshanna doesn't cover every single herb out there, I felt like I learned enough basics to venture out a bit further. For example, knowing what a tinture is and how it is basically made, I feel like I could now read a recipe for another herbal tincture and make it successfully. 

I liked this series so much, I started researching Shoshanna's Bulk Herb Store and found other things that were helpful such as her weekly YouTube lessons - 40 episodes so far! I'm looking forward to working my way through these. 


If Obama Care really comes to pass, I suspect we'll all be finding ways to cure at least simple issues on our own. Perhaps it's a good idea we get started.

This post has been linked to Raising Homemakers.

Fruitless Fall

I really don't know how to condense all the wonderful information I've gleaned from Rowan Jacobson's book Fruitless Fall into one blog post. And just so you know right off the bat, we're talking bees here; colony collapse disorder (CCD) and the bees themselves. I've learned more from Jacobson's book than I have from classes and the internet combined!

Fruitless Fall actually reads more like a mystery novel than a science book, so it's easy to take in all the facts. I guess it helps that I'm interested in the subject, but each chapter has you on the edge of your seat like a regular "who done it" thriller. The only negative thing I can say is that Jacobson is clearly an evolutionist (which I'm not - no surprise there) and I find it highly ironic that he details the life of a bee in such depth that only a hands-on Creator could have designed such a magnificent insect; he glosses right over that and talks about the evolution of the bee (John 12:37-40). But if you are confident in your Biblical Worldview, I highly recommend this book.


Reading Fruitless Fall will give you a detailed look into the life of a bee that even most 'how-to' books skim over. That alone would make this worth the read. But add to it the carefully researched look into the demise of bees as a result of CCD and you'll gain a better grasp of what bees are up against in order to survive. It's truly amazing that they still exist! Even more amazing are the parallel's Jacobson draws between the life of bees and that of humans in relation to the food they consume. 


So, I know you're on the edge of your seat wondering what actually causes the dreaded CCD in bees. Should I really tell? I hate to spoil it for you. Okay, here's what I'll do. You get the book and read it, which you can get from your local library or purchase a copy by clicking my link or from my right side bar under "Books I ♥" (thank you very much!), and I'll slowly trickle out information here at Homestead Revival™. Really, I don't want to spoil a good thriller for you and there is so much to say on this issue, one post would be way too long. It's still cold outside and a great time for a good book! And for those who are not intending to become beekeepers, you need to read this, too! It's an excellent book for everyone who enjoys food of any kind, because bees are part of the work force that bring you those tasty almonds. And you won't believe what's going on! Think of this as the "sweet" food version of Food, Inc.


What do you think causes Colony Collapse Disorder? Have you read Fruitless Fall?

Learning To Keep Goats

When you go to the fair or visit a friend, it's all too easy to fall in love with goats and jump right in and get one with little preparation. But if you do, I can almost guarantee your time with them will be short! If you really think you want to keep goats (or any animal for that matter), you'll be doing yourself and the goat a favor by researching and preparing before you bring them home!

{Photo Credit: Tambako the Jaguar}

I highly recommend finding a mentor who will be your on-going "go to" person when you have questions or need help. A good "goat friend" will let you work alongside him or her to help you become familiar with the animal and it's needs, find out how to care for it, and all the little idiosyncrasies of the breed. I've been blessed to have such a friend in Lori, my own goat mentor, who has graciously spent hours teaching me and my girls how to trim hooves, milk, feed, house, and shelter these four-legged escape artists!


Whether or not you can find a mentor, a few good books on the subject are an essential for your home library. While the internet is a great source for quick information, you'll need something to have on hand at all times (including during electrical outages), to curl up in bed and read, or to drag out to the barn with you. Just be sure to keep it away from curious nibblers!

Two resources I recommend are Storey's Guide To Raising Dairy Goats by Jerry Belanger and Living With Goats by Margaret Hathaway. Both have easily kept my attention, but the first is a bit more technical while the second reads more like a journal with great tips along the way. Margaret has been transparent enough to tell you about some of the mistakes she's made along the way and how she's learned from them. This kind of information is priceless! Jerry, has included a lot of statistics and facts, but not so much that I was bored. 

Reading two different books gives you options. There isn't just one set way to do things and getting counsel from more than once source is important because everyone will have something unique about their own adventure with goats that must be addressed. Geography, climate, breeds, resources, needs, goals... all these issues will determine how you raise your own animals. 


It would be nice to just whip out a step-by-step "how to" guide with a simple check list, but it just isn't that easy. You can learn if you're willing to take the time. And even though you can't learn everything before you bring home your new milk source, you'll at least have a basic working knowledge and hopefully a mentor to get you through any rough patches. Just remember, you're re-pioneering an ability that is quickly becoming a lost skill. This is a real homestead revival!