Octogenarian Joyce

Today my family will celebrate my Grandma Joyce's 80th birthday. I've mentioned her before as the originator of the family fascination with gingersnaps, creator of the rhubarb crunch recipe, and a very clever lady.

Grandma Joyce is often in my thoughts as I work through chores. Her farm was where I first collected a chicken egg fresh from the hen as a young girl. I fondly think of her rows of glass jars holding home-dried fruit and egg noodles as I fill my own.

Grandma grew up making everything by hand and, thanks to tight economic circumstances, she never fell prey to the lure of meals in a box. Because she's done it all, she understands the real work involved in growing, harvesting, and preserving real food. She appreciates practical handiwork more than expensive baubles - a trait we most definitely share.

If there's a way to shave time off a chore, Grandma knows it. She doesn't rush through tasks but she never wastes a movement. When she says "why don't you just XYZ", her suggestion always makes more sense than what I was doing.

In another time and place, Grandma might have been an executive or tech guru. As it is, she's the most computer-savvy eighty-year-old I know, the only one of my grandparents who will read and likely comment on this blog post. Grandma instills in her three children, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter that reading and learning are important life-long pursuits.

Grandma loves to travel. She took two obnoxious boys and their little sister on long family car vacations as a young adult. Now, she enables our fifteen-member extended family to travel together, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Happy birthday, Grandma. We love you.

Pumpkin Moonshines {Wordless Wednesday}

Tonight we carved jack o lanterns, also called Pumpkin Moonshines according to a sweet picture book of the same name. Our kitty Moonshine was not impressed.

Happy Halloween!

When Zombies Attack - Practical Disaster Preparations

In one week, ghouls, witches, and zombies will roam the streets. Are you ready? Do you have food for several days and a way too cook? Are you able to collect and/or sanitize water? What will you do if one of those zombies injures you or someone you love?

I can hear you saying that the zombies aren't real. They're just kids dressed up for Halloween. The only preparation needed is a stockpile of candy.

You are right. We don't believe zombies are real either. But we do talk about "when zombies attack." It's our joke code scenario for disaster preparations.

Disasters - wind storms, blizzards, flooding, black outs - are scary and unlike a zombie outbreak, they're real. In our twelve years of being homeowners, we've encountered a hurricane (when we lived in Virginia), two blizzards, and a derecho that wiped out power and access to resources.

Those who are ready for anything are also usually hoarding years' worth of processed food and water that will rarely be consumed - we don't fall in that camp. Rather, we aim for general preparations that will help us survive a big storm but can still be used in our daily lives. Many of our preparations come from our regular habits of cooking from scratch, canning year-round and enjoying camping and backpacking.

Minimalist Preparations

So what does one need to be prepared for when zombies attack, or when there's a long-term power outage or weather problem? We focus on the basic needs first:

Shelter - Our home is a two story concrete block monolith that even the home inspector said "could probably withstand a tornado on the second floor". Beyond that, we have two small, weather tight, tents and sub-zero sleeping bags for everyone which could allow us to sleep outside if necessary.

Food - We grow some of our own food and save seeds to replant without resupply. We practice foraging and keep chickens which could provide several meals if needed. We can fruits and vegetables, keep roots and fruit in the cellar, have at least ten pounds of bulk grain on hand at any given time, and practice charcuterie. Alex hunts. We might not eat perfectly balanced meals, but I'm certain we could feed ourselves for at least a week with what's in the house and we have the skills to create food from what's around us for many more meals.

Water - We keep three different ways to sanitize water: a backpacking pump water filter, iodine tablets, and bleach. We used to rely on rain barrels as a temporary source of water that could be sanitized but we haven't installed any since the move. We know we need to remedy that ASAP.

Heat - Our woodstove and wood piles are a potential source of warmth and cooking if gas or electric service are interrupted. In addition we have several varieties of backpacking stoves, grills, and a propane burner with a reasonable supply of their various fuels.

Clothing - We invest in waterproof breathable rain jackets, wool socks, and walking shoes so that each member of the family can be outside for extended periods of time in all types of weather if necessary.

When Zombies Attack

We aim to be self-sufficient for more complicated disasters too. Here's how:

Medicine - We keep a well-stocked first aid kit including burn, splint, cut, pain, and infection supplies. The first aid kit includes matches and alcohol wipes for sanitation. Alex and I have both taken CPR and First Aid courses. We practice using herbal remedies, including foraged ones, when appropriate.

Communication - Alex went through a ham radio kick a few years ago. Though I still think ham radio is a relic of a bygone era, we do keep the radios if cell communications.

Back-up Systems - After the wind storm of 2012, we vowed to not suffer through another summer power outage without fans and a way to run the chest freezer of meat. We invested in a propane generator that can power essential electric appliances. A more ideal system would involve battery backups and/or solar power but we need to save more before we invest in those.

Flight - We don't know how to fly, but we are prepared with cash and current passports to leave the country if we ever should need to. This isn't just a good practice in the case of disaster but allows us the chance to travel at will for pleasure.

Your Best Defense Against Zombies

The very best defense against zombies, which is also what they would be after if they were real, is BRAINS. All the 'stuff' in the world will not save you if you don't know how to use it. We use the tools we have on hand for disasters in everyday homesteading tasks. We cook by intuition. We start fires, butcher animals, and know where to find wild food.

You can train your brains too. Start by camping outside a few nights without electricity or challenge yourself to make meals with just what you have on hand.  Map out potential resources and how you will access them in the case of a power outage or blocked roadways. Practice a new skill or learn a new wild edible each month.

How do you prepare? I don't want to lose any of you to zombies!

It's Squash Season - Grab a Grapefruit Spoon! {One Great Tool}

Today I'm introducing a new series, One Great Tool. In each post, I'll highlight one hand tool that is indispensable to our daily cooking and gardening activities. We hope that by sharing our favorites with you, we can encourage more efficient and fun homesteading.

The first step to cooking any winter squash or making a jack-o-lantern is to remove the seeds and stringy flesh from the inside. Pulling them out by hand is one way, but it always reminds me of the 'cold bowl of spaghetti masquerading as pig guts' trick. It feels icky and rarely removes all of the seed material.

Instead, we go right for a grapefruit spoon. The row of metal teeth is meant to perfectly separate sour grapefruit segments from thin, bitter membrane. More frequently in our house, the teeth scrape the insides of harvest orange winter squash.

With a few simple scrapes using the spoon, all the gooey bits of the squash separate from the flesh which can then be roasted whole, roasted in chunks for soup or boiled. We save the seeds for roasting or replanting.

We reach our hands, clutching a grapefruit spoon, into the middle of jack-o-lantern pumpkins too. The spoons cleanly remove the bits of membrane that might otherwise catch on fire when you light the candle. I've even used it to remove the seedy middle from halved zucchini and summer squash.

We don't eat grapefruit very often because it isn't grown in Ohio and some people experience a negative interaction with a medicine Alex takes. But we do use our grapefruit spoons for squash frequently, especially in the fall.

Life - And End Of Life - Is Messy

Devie is dying. We all are, of course, but our thirteen-year-old dog is very near to the end of life. She's lost eight pounds in the last six months and she sleeps most of the time. Her kidneys aren't processing food well anymore and she exhibits cognitive dysfunction. All of this adds up to one thing: she makes messes all the time.

Dev finds new food-like items to tear into, like the box of bulk spices she never disturbed before. She no longer signals to go outside, so we clean up puddles inside nearly every day. We started crating her when we're gone and sometimes she messes in there. If doggy nursing homes existed, Devie would be a resident.

Meanwhile, the federal government is shut down. Alex, a federal government worker who was just furloughed this summer, will be paid for an uncomfortably vague 'twenty to sixty days'. Other friends are already furloughed.

If adulthood has taught me anything, it's that people are at least as messy as old dogs. We stick to insignificant points instead of compromising. We are greedy for what should be shared. We make mistakes, like the local school district that left my friend's kids stranded on a bus for three hours. We complicate life into a huge ugly tangle.

In both cases, my aged dog and messed up human systems, I want to hide my head in a hoop house and opt out. I feel powerless in the face of all this mess, yet it surrounds me.

So I will dig my cares away this afternoon. I'll dirty my hands in nature's mess while planting garlic. Chaos in nature, the only kind of nature, is beautiful to me.

I will stare at the birds and warm in the sun and remember there are much more important things in life than a bunch of people arguing in Washington. Important things need my care: growing nourishing food, protecting the wonder of nature, and providing comfort to the aged.

How do you react to overwhelming mess?

Seasonal Snaps {Autumn Equinox 2013}

  This big oak may look like nothing much has changed since the Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, and Summer Solstice snaps, but it did have an exciting moment. During a thunderstorm in July, lightning arched off the ground and struck her trunk, sizzling a family of squirrels and leaving a scar across the bark.

Joseph of Swainway Urban Farm grew six rows of vegetables in the tree's shadow which unfortunately were flooded during the same storm. Their growth remained stunted through the summer and yielded primarily produce for our two families.

Sorghum is the last remnant of a failed squash and grain garden in the front. Squash bugs and weeds decimated the squash plant; we're making do with an alternate harvest of corn.  

Plantings close to the house include Lil's flower garden, the apothecary with plants like the Toothache plant, and several fig trees. The blueberries that flank the walk suffered from lack of water in the spring but hopefully will make it through to next year.

The orchard trees are looking a little bigger than before. Comfrey and brambles are filling out in between the rows. Alex and Lil are sizing up the existing apple tree in this picture.  

Finally, the view where most of the action is - you can see tall sunflowers and rows of vegetables (albeit gone-by plants) that were just barely planted in the summer.  

Inside the hoop house, we're hanging on to a couple tomato plants that are still yielding ripe fruit for fresh eating. Ever-bearing strawberries are remarkably still producing fruit, a couple a day. The rest is planted with fall root and leafy green vegetables.

We will write a wrap-up of the season's successes and failures in the garden and the hoop house soon.

How is your garden looking this first day of fall?

How To Choose A Kitchen Appliance {Sponsored}

We've made no bones about the fact that we strongly dislike our current kitchen. We're slowly planning a complete renovation to make the kitchen more attractive, comfortable, and functional.

Kitchen renovation is nothing new to us - we've done it from the floor up twice before. In fact, if I'm counting correctly, we've purchased six new kitchen appliances in the last ten years and are searching for round three. We loved some of our appliances and quickly found fault with others.

What Makes An Ideal Kitchen Appliance?

1. Efficient Use of Space - In our last house, we bought a refrigerator with a bottom freezer that we placed against a wall. Even with several inches of clearance on the wall side, the cheese drawer could never fully open and we had to stretch to reach the back of some shelves. My parents' fridge, a french door side-by-side, cannot fit a cookie sheet in the freezer. This is a must for us for freezing sausage, berries, and more. Some dishwashers are able to hold many more dishes just by smart design.

The ideal appliance will take every opportunity to maximize usable space. The Electrolux French Door Refrigerator, pictured above, has adjustable shelves that make sense - they allow you to store extra-large platters or tall pitchers easily. In a fridge, space efficiency is especially important as fuller fridges use less energy. Which brings us to...

2. Energy Efficiency - We only buy Energy Star rated appliances, meaning they are 15% minimum more efficient than the bottom-performing appliances. This saves us money in electric and gas bills and protects the environment. Among Energy Star rated appliances, we read the yellow tag to compare energy usage, choosing the lowest possible for our needs.

3. Classic Appearance - We are far from design snobs, but we do appreciate timeless aesthetics. A green glass covered fridge (yep, I actually saw one in a design article) might look cool today but will soon be dated. Smudge-free stainless seems to be an updated classic here to stay. We like clean lines that will be ageless, despite the current trend.

4. Special Features - Alex is a bit of a gadget geek and likes innovative technology. Discerning controls, child proofing features, and professional-level upgrades are hailed as the next great thing. We like to wade past the lingo and find elements that are actually needed and function as intended.

5. Functionality - Finally, and most importantly, an appliance must function as we need it to. Our cooktop has to be able to bring a large pressure canner up to temperature and hold it there. (Ahem, not our current under-powered glass-topped electric.) A good oven heats evenly. The Electrolux French Door Refrigerator has several Perfect Temp features including a drawer with a customizable temperature zone ranging from 28 - 42 degrees and humidity controlled Crisper Drawers. A fridge must keep foods cool but not frozen.

What Do You Look For In A Major Appliance?

Are you pining for a new fridge? Now through August 22, visit www.livelovelux.com and enter the Electrolux Perfect Temp Sweepstakes daily for a chance to win your own Electrolux French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator and a trip to a climate with a perfect temp - the sunny Abaco Islands in The Islands Of The Bahamas. For every entry and share, Electrolux will donate $1 to Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) with the goal of reaching $125,000.

In the meantime, practice for beach-drinking with this recipe for a zephyr.

Summertime Zephyr Serves 1 by Kelly Ripa

"One of my favorite warm-weather beverages is a Summertime Zephyr. The combination of cucumber and mint are the absolute epitome of refreshment.

• Muddle two pieces of cucumber, two sprigs of sage, two sprigs of mint and one sugar cube together • Once all ingredients are muddled, add in one ounce of gin and mix together • Add a few ice cubes and top off with a splash of soda • If I decide to make a pitcher for a larger crew, the versatile Luxury-Design Lift Off Shelves in my Electrolux refrigerator allow me to customize the space so my pitcher has a safe, designated area and the designer LED Lighting provides full visibility, even when the refrigerator is full of other party treats."

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Cradling Chaos

Let's review the last week, shall we? Monday - Rachel worked 12 hours shepherding 86 Japanese exchangees from the airport to a hotel in two batches. Alex and Lil ran errands and maintained the home front.

Tuesday - Rachel worked another 12 hours orienting said exchangees to the ways of American life. Alex and Lil visited to meet the college student, Yukari, who would be staying with us after Alex teleworked a full day from home.

Wednesday - Rachel spent 8 hours getting Japanese students on their way to host families around the state. Meanwhile, our friend Uncle Leonard and his partner Gina arrived and began construction on a new mud room with Alex. In the afternoon, Rachel and Yukari came home, relieved the house of the 'Mess When Mom's Not Home', went to the grocery store, and made a from-the-garden from-scratch dinner.

Thursday - Alex and Len continued work on the porch all day while Alex simultaneously smoked pork shoulder and bacon. Rachel seeded fall vegetables and fed the crowd lunch and dinner from scratch. Later, she and Yukari went to a budget meeting with staff of the School For Young Children (SYC). On the way home, they picked up Jeni's Ice Cream for a pre-birthday celebration.

Friday - Alex's working birthday! Rachel, Lil, and Yukari toured SYC in the morning while Alex and Len worked madly to finish the roof of the mud room before expected rains Friday night and Saturday. When Rachel and the girls returned home, they cooked lunch and then mac and cheese and shredded cabbage for the following day. In the late afternoon, Rachel, Yukari, Lil, and Gina caravanned with Rachel's sisters to Legend Hills Orchard for some peach and apple picking on the way to help their cousin move. They returned home at 9:30 after moving and eating dinner with extended family.

Saturday - Rachel sold magnificent mushrooms (locally foraged chanterelles, people!) for Swainway Urban Farm while it rained for hours. Meanwhile, Alex baked 72 buns from Dave's perfect bun recipe. When Rachel returned, they braved drizzles to clean up the construction debris. Rachel's parents arrived as the rain stopped to set up tents, chairs, and tables. Rachel finished cooking, showered, and then the family welcomed 70 friends and family to a summer shindig with a local and from-scratch meal of pulled pork sandwiches, homemade bbq sauce, home-grown coleslaw, homemade macaroni and cheese, creamy cheese tarts with Berryfield blueberries, house whiskey punch, and homebrew.

Sunday - Everyone slept in. Along with the rest of central Ohio, Rachel, Alex, Lil, and Yukari went to the state fair for Ohio 4-H International day. They left in time to eat dinner at Alex's parents.

Monday - Rachel squashed squash bug eggs, pulled weeds, and harvested ten pounds of split tomatoes for stewing. Yukari and Rachel began preparing peaches for peach jam. Alex and Len installed the last windows, walls, and a door to the mud room. In the afternoon, the ladies completed an epic souvenir shopping trip. After a dinner of backyard chicken, mashed potatoes, and salad, Yukari and Rachel went to City Folk's Farm Shop for the Home Ec potluck.

Chaos Is Our Way Of Life

In these heady days of summer when fruit is ripe, weeds are prolific, and projects beg for completion before cooler weather, our day-to-day feels like a string of never-ending madness. There's fun mixed in with the chores, though, and garden-fresh flavors reward our work. Our muscles are sore, minds racing with new ideas, and hearts full of love for the land and people we interact with.

We cradle the chaos. Like a tiny newborn who grows so quickly, we recognize that this busy season will draw to a close soon enough. We can rest later. Until then, we'll let produce and projects full the long sunny days.