Darlene

Yeah it would be very interesting and a real eye opener to see the details of individual price increases. All I know is that when I pick up some things it’s never under $50 and is close or over $100 and that is for very little. There are some things I’ve habitually purchased and can gauge the $2-$3 increase for each piece which blows my mind. The fact that these individual items are frequently sold out say to me that people are still buying them even at those inflated prices. The pain of the cash register is certainly hitting everyone and makes me sometimes wonder what their thoughts are and game plan is for the days ahead. And I sometimes wonder if the little bubble we live in here at MrsS will expand (probably more so face to face vs the online written word). I fear though that the panic and available resources will diminish greatly by that point and am unsure what counsel will be available to be offered outside of gardening and who knows what.

This put a huge smile on my face. I LOVE your reminiscings

I know this post was written 6 weeks ago but I’ve not seen where food here is still cheap for a while. If this is just the beginning of across the board inflation, I can’t imagine how painful it will be over the next year and beyond.

Been there done that lol. It’s a lot of work but I’m sure if cheese would not be available, I’d reorganize my priorities and that would raise to the top.

Yeah, I would rather store real cheese but the consequences of freezing it are just not something I like. My neighbor was telling me that they buy the big blocks of cheese, cut it into chunks and then vacuum seal the chunks. They said it dramatically increases the shelf life in the fridge so I’m going to try that and see if that might be a longer short term solution.

I went back and bought 20 more packs. It cost me $40 vs $103something without the sale.

I had to have oral surgery yesterday and once that was done, I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few easy to eat things...yogurt, Hawaiian rolls because they're super soft and a few other things. As I went down the dairy isle I saw that they had American cheese on sale. Normally it's $5something a pack, on sale for 2 for $5. Not only that, but affixed to each package of American cheese was a $1 coupon that was redeemable when you bought 2 packs. I bought 10 packs and saved alot of money because of the sale and the coupon and this morning I did a search on whether or not American cheese freezes well. Surprisingly, it appears that it does, so I think I'm going to go back to the grocery store and buy another (at least) 10 packs of American cheese and throw it in the freezer to use later down the road. Most cheeses don't freeze well but apparently American cheese does. I don't know if y'all knew that, but I never did

I'm struggling this year to finish getting my garden in. I'm not struggling as bad as I was last year, but I'm still struggling. I have a ton of plants that are begging to be put into the ground and I feel like I'm procrastinating. Right now, there are a thousand things that need attention on the farm, from grass cutting, weed whacking, rotating livestock around to different pastures, fencing, collecting wood from around the farm to split and stack for next winter. I have my full time job that I work at from home, litters of pups that I need to deliver, raise for 9-10 weeks and sell. Yesterday, I made myself go into the garden to start to plant the bean seeds. I got about 45 minutes into it before my neighbor arrived with a car full of produce I had asked him to pick up from the Amish market. I abandoned the garden and headed into the kitchen to make up a 2.5 batch of strawberry-rhubarb jam and pressure canned the beets I wanted to preserve. Obviously, that took hours and consequently the garden remained unplanted. My son did, however, till up the garden in the valley where the bulk of the plants that need to be planted, can go. I have 6' fencing around that area to keep out the deer and rabbits and will put the vegetables that they love to destroy, and then extend that garden out a ways to put the plants that they've don't seem to bother as much like tomatoes and potatoes, et al. It's easy to lay out all these plans in my mind..."I"m need to do this - I'm going to do that" and then the days fly by and I've done very little. I don't know if I'm the only one who is struggling like this or not, but all I can think of is the fact that not only will I have to finish planting all of this, but then I'll need to care for and harvest and preserve it on top of it. We have rain coming later today so it would really be nice if I could get myself motivated and go do that which needs to be done.

I'm trying to start preserving the harvest by starting early. My neighbor went up to TN to an Amish farmer's market yesterday. I had asked them to call me when they got there to pick up a few things. The Amish there have greenhouses so they are able to start a variety of produce much earlier than traditional ground planting allows. I was amazed by all they had and had my neighbor get a variety of things... Purple, yellow and white cauliflower 3 bunches of green onions 15 tomatoes 6 green peppers 6 heads of cabbage 4 bunches of rhubarb 4 quarts of strawberries 3 bunches of beets 3 huge heads of lettuce 4 bunches of fresh grown garlic that I'll dry myself 7 massive bunches of carrots - I plan on using them to can some soups There's probably a couple more things I can't remember at the moment All of that cost me $104, which I didn't think was bad considering it was fresh grown. I took the rhubarb and strawberries and made jam. I still have 2 quarts of strawberries left and haven't decided what to make with them, but the taste of these strawberries is so far beyond what you can get at the grocery store. I took the beets and canned them. We have a polish tradition of mixing finely shredded beets with horseradish for a side condiment and it's been getting harder and harder to find beets at the store that aren't pickled. I'll use the carrots to make some homemade chicken soup, split pea soup and navy bean soup that I'll pressure can. I'm going to take the green peppers and make stuffed green peppers today, and freeze half of it for an easy, home cooked meal down the road. I'm also going to take the cauliflower, blanch it and then vacuum seal it for the freezer. I feel like a little squirrel who knows that some level of famine is coming, so I'm trying to start the back breaking work a little earlier than usual. Normally, I wait till mid summer to do the blast of canning, but right now I think I'll just go up to the Amish market every few weeks and pick up various things that I either am not growing in my garden, or that I don't want to wait for, in order to get an earlier start on this area of prepping. It was interesting to hear my neighbor share how the place was packed and how people had gotten there early, waiting for the market to open. I don't know if most of the people are just buying their fresh produce there instead of the grocery stores, or if there are other anomalies like me who are trying to get a head start on preserving for the days ahead.

Here’s an article of a family who has been making homemade formula for a while. They got their recipe from the Weston Price foundation. https://drjockers.com/homemade-baby-formula/

Is there any way to preserve zucchini or yellow squash?

I know exactly what you mean. I'll never forget the first time my awareness of that smacked me flat in the face. I was up at by Kangal breeder's farm and had woken up really early in the morning. I had gone out on the front porch and in the deep dark night, before the sun began to rise, I heard roosters crowing, chickens clucking, goats noisily conversing between themselves. I was amazed as I realized I was surrounded by life. That was my exact thought, "Wow, I'm surrounded by life!" as I listened to those sounds and it etched itself on my heart forever. I had never experienced that kind of 'life' before and it stunned me. These days, I often sit on my front porch (as I am right now), working and listening to the sounds of life that surround me here. A little bit ago I heard my 5' wind chimes clanging in the winds of the storm that was moving in. The other night I was on the phone with a friend who asked, "what is that noise". It was the orchestra I have around my pond...the bull frogs and tree frogs and all kinds of creatures that sing to their hearts content about Lord knows what. I even have my beloved livestock guardian dogs, who upon hearing a siren or a pack of coyotes howling, will join their voices together and howl into the air for several minutes at a time. I even have it on video. Nature's orchestra. Nothing beats that for sure. I'm like that too. I've been wondering if there's something wrong with me because I enjoy interacting with people, especially face to face but the need to is not the same as it was years ago. Am I finally settled? I dunno but I like the balance I have living rural...the same stresses and pressures in life, but surrounded by a simplicity that brings a balance I never knew before the farm. If I want to venture out, I can and do, but I don't need to. I can't say I understand it, but it is what it is.

Dee, I have been insanely busy on the farm the past month or so, and like I've shared elsewhere, I've been too tired to think or talk and I have simply had nothing to say. But... As I go through my days dealing with this and that, I often find myself pondering these adorable videos you've shared so far. Why? This morning, as I have renewed my efforts to get on MrsS in the mornings before the winds of life steal me away for another day, I came to this post to catch up on your videos. As I watched the "Harry the rabbit" video, I found tears in my eyes, which sounds crazy I know, but tears none the less. What is going on with me, and why is this eliciting this type of response? As I listened to the videos I began to realize that is some respects, I have felt (and perhaps feel) very alone. It's not anything I've really thought about in this way before, but that thought just hit me this morning. Even though I'm insanely busy, and even though over the years I've made a few critical and cherished friends, I remain independent and the Queen of my little bubble I've built here on the farm. Most of my cherished friends here have lived this way of life their whole lives and I remain an anomaly..."how did a city person, much less a girl, end up in a place like this, living this kind of life?". My simple answer is that the Lord led me here, but just as important, is I don't think I've been able to vocalize the reasons that I did and have instead, shown by working just as hard, side by side, sharing the God given gifts that I alone have (that they often don't), persevering through all the highs and lows, never complaining and just dealing with the table He's set before me (and that I've often added to, right or wrong). Over the years, I've somehow gained their respect and acceptance, which has had more meaning because it was earned. It's nothing something anyone can expect or demand in this type of arena and it certainly is not given haphazardly. So, in spite of all that, I never really thought about the fact that MY journey, which has been so unique and different from anyone I personally know, has been a journey all alone with the Lord. It's easy to have nobody but Him when you make such a drastic change in life like I did. Yes, the friends are all there, whether they are local or far away and are very important to me. BUT! I think one of the reasons I found tears in my eyes this morning is because you have already walked the road I've been on in many ways, and to hear you reminisce has somehow in a way that is hard to put into words, caused me to #1 realize that I've been very much alone in this journey even though I'm surrounded by loving family and friends, and #2, that your stories cause me to realize that I am NOT so all alone, because many things you've done mirror the things I've done and/or am doing. If that makes sense. So, because I'm a brat I want you to know that even IF your videos are meant for the membership as a whole, they are definitely meant for me. They touch my heart and they cause me to feel not so all alone because I'm able to see that someone else took their own unique journey from the city to the country and did many of the crazy things I've done too. I have learned (in a weird way) how to become 2 different people. When I'm in the suburban/city arena, I don't talk much about my rural experiences because it's evident they think I'm crazy. When I'm in the rural arena, I don't talk much about my suburban/city experiences because they find much of that perspective as shallow and empty. Thank you for your videos, and please, please, please keep them coming. Perhaps I have a need for them as evidenced by my personal reaction in my little bubble here on the farm.

Or… Sourdough starters. Those can last for decades if taken care of.

I know the feeling lol

Hush you. lol

Yeah I know what you mean but we need the trailer for other things so it would be hard to make it more stationary. We do have a chute that we used for pigs years ago that is still in place. I could put the sheep in there and that would make it easier in the long run. And I agree with keeping them calm. Idiot was 'special' though and I didn't have any more energy to care about his feelings lol.

I picked up Idiot on Friday He wasn’t real big, 600lbs HW but good enough. I have really enjoyed the peacefulness of his absence. I am raising the next generation now to replace the one from November and Idiot in an attempt to keep the cycle going. I need to take a few sheep in and get a pig too. Sheep are difficult to load too. Not because of attitude problems but because they’re so flighty.

Thanks Annarchy. FYI, I wasn't able to access the site from my phone...I keep getting an error that says there's something technical going on. No rush...just wanted to let you know.

Good girl. Get what you need/want while you can. My concern is that prices will not be decreasing. It may hurt now but will save much $ in the days ahead.

Traditional cracked wheat is a staple in Mediterranean diets. Tabouli, bread etc. That cracked wheat (bulgar) is different from cracking our wheat berries. The bulgar type cracked what has been par boiled and dried which is why all you have to do is soak it in water for a few hours and it’s ready. I would assume you could crack wheat berries and par boil and dry if you wanted but I would practice with what you got first if it is the bulgar type cracked wheat.

Raise your own or hook up with someone local that raises

I'll have to see if my son can transfer it online. Then again, we had a ton of witnesses to that tragic day.

Our stories have never matched. lol But then again, I do have video of the infamous bungee jump. oooooops.

LS, it’s all good. The Mods are just being a little proactive now. Nobody is ever going to completely agree and no matter how hard I try, I’m sure I’ll inadvertently offend someone. But, I don’t want you to have hurt feelings or feel that your posts are controversial because nothing could be farther from the truth. We are just being extra careful in the hopes that the accidental offender and the perceived offensee, will walk past these bumps in the road and move onto the next important thing we need to talk about. I’m here if you need and I have yours, as well as the rest of the membership’s back (to the best of my ability).