Darlene

8 hours ago, Midnightmom said:

Ruben sammies use saurkraut. Got some???

Sure do!

No green here, but I do have a pot of corned beef, potatoes, carrots and eventually cabbage going on the stove.

What I'm really looking forward to are the Ruben sandwiches tomorrow lol

I freeze meals once in a while, usually when I've made too much and don't feel like leftovers. It's so awesome though when I'm able to pull something from the freezer and heat it up and it's a home cooked meal with MY recipe.

I don't keep much store bought flour either since I tend to grind my own grains into flour. I don't usually freeze the store bought stuff, although that's always a good thing to do too.

Dee, you need to start a "beef" thread because as I sit on the front porch, taking a break from the day, I'm watching Idiot (that's the name I gave to one steer who's destined for hamburger in a couple of weeks) strolling down the driveway, not a care in the world, going where HE wants to go, which ticks me off.

Off to the kubby to herd him back to the pasture. I'll be so glad when he's gone.

I cook everything from scratch, no matter what it is so depending on the type of meal I'm making, that will dictate how much time I spend there.

The Kitchen has always been my favorite room in the house and I have the equipment to back that up.

As well all know, there are times when the kitchen is literally lived in...canning sessions, holidays, etc. But overall, it's the main room in my house, other than the greenroom that I spend alot of time in with work.

I don't eat out much either...that sometimes feels like work too sometimes. Sometimes I'll order out and pick it up when the day has flown and I'm just not in the mood to cook. Last week I had the same thing over and over for 5 days only because I was craving it so that tends to dictate how much I cook too.

One of the most beautiful things I get to observe is my girls managing their own kitchens now, cooking from scratch like I've always done, and doing a pretty darn good job at it too. I still get the texts and phone calls for "how do I make this dish you always made? or "how. come my ???doesn't turn out like yours?", but I'm sure at some point in time, they will have collected all our family receipes over time, added a few of their home and will simply fly.

I am intentionally starting a new post that I'll pin here in the Daily Diary. The original "Whatcha Doing Today" is 410 pages long and 7 years old so I thought we could start fresh.

So, what am I doing today?

Working (trying to), I already fed the adult dogs and pups, along with the morning bottle for the calf. I'll re-feed the pups this evening with the calf's 2nd bottle for the day. I have to take a roll of hay out to the cows, change the sheets on my bed, and finish cooking the corned beef I have simmering for St Patty's day. I also need to run to the store and get a loaf of seeded rye, if it's not already sold out.

My youngest daughter is coming up for the weekend with her boyfriend so I'm going to try to get the house ready for their visit. I'm already tired just thinking about it.  

And THAT is a boring glimpse into my day today. It looks so simple of paper and yet never gets totally done.

You are proof positive, ANewMe, that the Lord is at work and He has a meaning and purpose for all of us here.

I'm so grateful to be able to discover what some of those things are with you.

1 hour ago, edensong said:

I need to apologize for not keeping up with you all. I've been engulfed with taking care of my elderly parents. Dad passed in 2018, but Mom is still with us at nearly 97. I'm tired and exhausted.

 

The only thing I disagree with in the newsletter is that there will be no political discussions! Nope, we HAVE to have such a room. Please, create a political discussion room! I'll be back when that room is created.

It's so awesome to see you again evensong! You're one of the original members at MrsS, even before I took her over so it's extra special to see you again

I know that real life has to always take priority, and I know that you've had far more important things with your family, and I'm sure it's meant the world to them that they had you to help. But the fact remains that over the years, the several attempts to allow political discussions blew up in MrsS's face. 

That was due to the irresponsibility of some of the posters, and the site and many members suffered the consequences from it. So, I'll have to give a hard pass on political discussions at MrsS. It's just not going to happen. It's not what we're about and Lord knows there's a million other things we have going on in our lives that are far more important, especially when we're so busy with our families.

Stay in touch and I hope you reconsider. It was such a nice and special surprise to see you post!

Hey Dee!

Is there a story you'd like to share about those turkeys perched in front of you bay window?

Inquiring minds want to know.

13 minutes ago, themartianchick said:

(This feels like a high school reunion!)

Doesn't it though? lolol

I'm loving it, getting ABSOLUTELY NO work done at my job or on the farm (I work from home), because I'm having too much fun at our reunion!

15 minutes ago, Cricket said:

I'm back, too, Thanks to Darlene's email this morning. It looks like it's been five years, but it doesn't seem like it when I already see so many folks I fondly remember and respect. 

Oh my gosh Cricket! It's so awesome to see you here.

We won't add up the years I was MIA. All that matters is that you're here once again.

2 minutes ago, themartianchick said:

Hello, Mother!!!!! 

I am definitely back!

*waving*

Welcome back!!!

wheezie, we are SO happy you're back! We're still in the process of overhauling everything so please be patient as we do, but it just makes it that much more special that you can join the journey with us.

As a side note, I, too, went through many changes over the past 15 years so I totally understand and you're in good and understanding company with that

4 minutes ago, Dee said:

I have a question, Darlene.  Where is Mt. Rider's blue couch?  She just might come home and find me already there.  It's scary when you start rearranging

She better NOT have taken it with her because that would be sooooo mean to the rest of you, especially when that dread fills your heart as you realize Darlene is here and she's going to change everything....

.

lol

If I could ONLY figure out how to change the color schemes, I would be happy. Never fear, I will somehow figure THAT out too  lol

They're already unfolding

I've been down in the Moderator's Bunker firing off posts left and right. I've written so many posts in the last 3 days that I noticed that I am the #2 post contributor for the week lol. 

Shocking. 

I'm writing this post right now to give everyone a heads up that changes are not only coming to MrsS, but they are unfolding. We would like to give y'all a heads up on the little steps we've taken thus far.

Under each forum title out on the main page, you'll start to see Moderator names being added. For example, Under the Streams in the Desert forum, it says "Moderator - Darlene". Not all of the Moderators have been assigned to each forum, but we've started so you'll be able to easily see, who is exactly responsible for that particular forum.

In the event that there's questions or issues, please direct any communication directly to the Moderator who is listed on that forum. They will be able to assist with anything anyone needs.

I figured I had better get started on these changes while Mt_Rider is away because she tends to want to hide behind that big ole blue couch anytime I start to do some work around here. The fun thing will be to see how long it takes her to find this post once she gets back because the first thing I'll expect is a post from here hiding behind that big ole blue couch lol.

Anyway, we will keep you apprised of the little things we will be doing. I have A LOT to say, and not enough time about a variety of things, so I'll probably break it down into bite sized pieces for now.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact us and we'll do our best to answer them.

8 minutes ago, Homesteader said:

I freeze plenty of yeast, but the sourdough sounded like extra insurance. And like Dar said, the bake goods are easier to digest.  

Same here. I have the frozen yeast but after watching that program, I like the potential freedom with the fermented too.

1 hour ago, Mother said:

 

Wheat bread, even good quality sourdough bread, contains gluten.  Gluten is the elastic component of wheat, barley, rye and some other grains that allows it to loft (rise). Some people with gluten intolerances or sensitivity can handle a natural sourdough raised bread.  Those who have gluten allergies or Celiac disease cannot.  However, it is possible to make gluten free sourdough bread.  

 

 

Yeah, that was one of the points/questions they made. While there are definitely, legitimate gluten intolerant people, the unknown is what percentage of those that are intolerant, are actually intolerant to the commercial processes we've used forever...and whether or not those that suffer from intolerance, would remain so if they ate the types of fermented breads that were more common 100+ years ago.

aka Sourdoughs

The other night I watched a series that went into an in depth analysis of various food preparation/preservation techniques. One of the episodes was on bread and some of the things they talked about really struck a chord with me.

As we head into increasingly unknown days ahead, and as I have assessed and reassessed my preps, one of the things that has always been at the core of my preps are grains. Whether they be the soft grains for various desserts or the hard grains for bread making, it's something I've been using for decades at this point.

Anyway, when I watched the episode on bread, it really got me thinking. A loaf of bread and ??? (fill in the blank), and we will be ok. With our European background, bread has always been high on our list for enjoyment but I took notes as I watched this episode because I really learned alot, which in turn, solidified my commitment to storing grains:

In a 1 kernel of wheat there’s everything to support a life. There’s carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, and it’s locked up real tight. If you take the seed and start chewing on them, there will be no benefit…it’s actually very difficult to digest. All grains need to be fermented, where you use a culture of bacterias

Bacterias are everywhere. Sourdough culture is a mixed ecosystem of bacteria and yeast that were used to ferment bread for millennia.  When you expose wet flour to air and stir it and you will get a sourdough culture that transforms the wheat into a very nutritious substance. This is how the ancient Egyptians 6000 years ago accidently learned how to leaven bread. 

Building a culture is like the art of baking and is where it becomes the skill of the orchestrator. Working with natural starters is difficult because it has a mind of its own. It changes all the time because it is a live process but is essential because if you don’t do it, you won’t get the nutrients out of the kernel of wheat.

Wheat, even in the form of milled flour, is hard for our bodies to digest. One of the advantages of the long sourdough fermentation is that it allows bacterial to fully break down the carbohydrates and the strong, stretchy gluten in the dough. It also releases the healthy minerals in the grain so that our bodies can more easily absorb them. The sourdough fermentation has all the variables of any natural system – far more than are manageable on a large scale. To simplify the process, food scientists came up with a reliable shortcut in the form of fast acting commercial yeast.

The yeast was isolated and then bred to get the biggest rise as fast as possible. This caused the rest of what was going on in a natural fermentation to be overlooked. As it turns out, that represents one of those simplifications of industrial food that had unintended consequences that we’re dealing with right now.

When yeast is used, you have no fermentation, no acidic breakdown. The bread becomes harder to digest and when things are harder to digest, it taxes the body’s system. There is currently a trend where there’s so much food sensitivity, whether it’s gluten or wheat. There are so many bad wheat products out there, so it is not surprising that people are not feeling well. The corporations promote eating more whole grains, so everyone gets on the bandwagon eating whole wheat macaroni, etc but they didn’t say fermented whole grain.

There needs to be a distinction of a properly fermented loaf of sourdough bread and all the other form in which we get gluten.

When you bake a loaf of bread, essentially the bread becomes a pressure cooker. This thoroughly cooks the starches in a way that makes them delicious and digestible.

When you take your first bite of a piece of sourdough bread, it will make you salivate. This process is essential to trigger digestion. If you chew a piece of yeasted bread, you typically need something to wash it down as it doesn’t make you salivate.

You start with wheat. If you smell wheat flour and after the whole process of fermentation, it doesn’t smell like wheat anymore. It smells like something new. 

Taking traditional foods and making them in traditional ways is important because those foods worked for a very long time and are the product of a kind of cultural evolution.

I have a sourdough starter that I've had for several years. Last week, however, I had made up some pizza dough. For some reason, I forgot to put it in the fridge after we were done making pizzas. Long story short, it sat on the kitchen counter, covered, for a week. It began to bubble and release that familiar sour dough smell which was quite pleasing.

I ended up making some pizza with the fermented dough and it was absolutely amazing. To the point where I want to make some sourdough bread in a similar fashion, just to experiment, without the aid of the refrigerated sourdough starter.

I don't know if that makes any sense, but the notes I shared above, sure made alot of sense to me and makes me want to play even more with sourdough breads.

16 hours ago, Littlesister said:

I was able to get both small and large mouth lids. Good score. But not the best of prices. But still not to bad either in this day and time.

I'm sure it's a 'supply and demand' thing too. Everything has gone up and continues to go up and in spite of all the increased prices across the board, I personally feel the need to get certain things while I can...before they are no where to be found or so cost prohibitive that I just can't afford it.

You're doing just fine. When I first moved rural, everything was 'boy this or girl that' lolol 

11 hours ago, Homesteader said:

 

Yes, you were a brat

SMACK

I am one who suffers from the 'seasonal disorder' primarily starting in January-February due to lack of sun and my allergies to cold weather :). It didn't start until I moved to the farm years ago, probably because I came from a tropical area where warmth and sunshine were in abundance and I was always outside for one reason or another. But after moving to the farm and living in an area that had more distinct 4 seasons, I started to emotionally tank after the first of the year.

I started taking Vitamin D to combat it and it immediately worked. I now standardly take Vitamin D year round, especially with the immune support it offers to be a part of keeping my body strong against Covid.

Yes, bees are a fascinating creature. Everyone has their unique way of doing things, but I opted to go a more organic and natural route without the aid of pesticides that are supposedly safe for bees that address the mites and other issues can can accompany beekeeping. Many years ago, the Lord crossed my path with a lady out of Michigan who had worked closely with an older man who had raised bees for decades and had discovered this organic, natural way to not only raise bees, but to also increase the amount of hives.

Beekeeping is NOT just about honey, although that is byproduct and blessing of keeping bee hives. There is a preservation aspect to it and a responsibility that is very fulfilling. If you just got the bees in August, there is no way you should extract any honey at this time because the bees will need all they can get to feed themselves over the winter.

Anyway, congratulations on your bees!

Pray, and follow the Lord's leading...whatever His plan is for your lives. Whether it is to get a cow for milk, or a goat, or both, or none.

As others have already reiterated, it is important that you and hubby follow God's plans for your lives, in spite of what other family members opinions may be. As you've mentioned, YOU will be the one who cares for the animal, and if that is something you are willing to do, then by all means, do it.

I have a long and colorful history of various family members thinking I'm crazy for doing one thing or another. From moving from the suburbs to the country, to getting my first goats, to the livestock I accumulated over time, to having a farm, on and on I could go. But I was not dissuaded and plunged forward. I made many poor decisions, I went through rough times for various reasons, but I also learned a lot, grew a lot, and have finally achieved some semblance of success with the various animals I now have. I've primarily kept to Jerseys for milk and Angus for beef. The Jerseys have the highest butterfat % in their milk which is why I chose them. You'll have to have a Jersey (or any cow for that matter) bred to get milk but I would strongly caution you to never, ever, ever get a Jersey bull. They are one of the most dangerous breeds of bulls you can ever get. If you can find someone to take your cow to in order to get bred, that would be best.

There are awesome milkers that make milking short work, but there is also a beauty to milking by hand alone. I would get into a 'zone', where a peacefulness would fill my heart where it would be just me and the cow, surrounded by silence except fo the swoosh sounds of milk as they traveled down the teats and the ring the milk would make as it began to fill the pot. I would often find myself feeling that 'all is right with the world in this moment', and for me, it was a beautiful experience to have.

While there are a zillion YouTube videos and info on the net, there is also a wealth of experience and knowledge from people here at MrsS who have already walked this road you are contemplating starting on. My counsel would be to 'go for it!' and if y'all change your mind down the road and decide this isn't right for you, you can always sell the cow and go in a different direction.

Regardless, I'm excited for you!

No.