Joyfilled

Thank you for all of this information!! I've made mozzarella before (buying rae milk from friends at the time), but haven't in a long time. We still want a cow....I'm trying to figure out how to pay for it, with everything else looming including a wedding!! I got some wax ordered and some bags to put into my crockpot to minimize the mess. Can't wait to get it going! I'll post pictures if anyone is interested! 😊

I heard that we should be expecting blackouts this summer (what that means exactly, I don't know for sure), so I'm trying to find ways to store food without refrigeration. Canning, dehydrating, and now, waxing cheese!! (not that I can or dehydrate cheese now, I only freeze it) Speaking of which....can cheese be dehydrated?

Thank you!! I've been watching videos all afternoon with a sleeping toddler on my lap. Never occurred to me to do this!! More questions, if you don't mind: Do you have a preferred wax, or something off of Amazon okay? I'm particularly interested in mozzarella. If I get a low moisture one, would that be okay or is it still too soft? Is this how you store your cheese? I'm trying to use our freezers less, and so far this is what I've come up with for cheese. Thanks again!!

Anyone done it? I'm thinking about buying blocks of cheese and wax and storing some that way instead of the freezer. I have a few questions: What kind of cheese can I store that way? I know cheddar....but can I do mozzarella? I'm assuming it's mostly hard cheeses? How long can I store them like that (in a cool, dark place)? How do I keep them safe from rodents? I'm guessing I can put them into plastic boxes (like shoe bins)? Thank you! I'm hoping to get into this soon!!

So....this isn't food, but it's still something I made that saves us money, so I'm telling you about it here: kids and I harvest (foraged?) roses and dandelions. I made over 2 quarts or rose water (it would have been $60 or so on Amazon!!!), and tomorrow I will dandelion oil to make salves. I'm hoping to get more roses to make some of rose petal oil, too. It's not food, but making it from our garden saved us a bunch of money!! 😊👍🏻👍🏻

I wish I could grow rosemary like that!!! 😊👍🏻

I'll pass the compliment to Mr. Joyfilled!

Here (finally) is our kitchen garden! This isn't the inside yet, or the main garden, this is what I'm kind of in charge of keeping alive. Hubby planted everything, and as you can see, we STILL have plants we haven't planted!! The area is still a bit messy, so I'm not taking overall pictures yet.

Thanks a bunch, Annarchy!! I'll check on it tomorrow. I just got home and I'm exhausted!

Is that rosemary, Little Sister? It's wonderful!!

Dee, I've never been able to grow carrots 🥕 at all!! Any advice, I'd really appreciate it!! (Maybe on a different thread)

Hi Pioneer Woman!!

Tonight we ate pizza boats with pizza sauce from our garden last year and fresh herbs (oregano, basil and thyme) from our garden now. Oh, my.....so very good. It's the first time this season eating the fresh herbs. I had missed it!! We have a long weekend, so I hope we can get more done in the garden and I'll get some pictures. My particular challenge is to keep the herbs and veggies in the bay window alive and thriving. I hope and pray it does well! Here is what I'm hoping to grow in small quantities, enough to just harvest for a meal at a time (the kitchen garden and bigger garden will have more for putting away for the winter): Cilantro (any tips? I always seem to kill it, or it bolts) Lettuces Oregano Thyme Basil Aloe Vera (I put it outside after being inside over the winter and it almost died, isn't that weird?) And....I would like to try my hand at broccoli and bean sprouts. I'll be picking y'alls brains about that!! I'm excited....I pray it's an abundant year for all of us!

Thanks for asking! Wellll.....most of the garden is in. I told DH about the challenge and he said "I suppose you want me to clean up the garden so you can take pictures for your friends?" Yesterday we bought some flower boxes for the porch that will replace the ones that fall easily. Those we will put inside in our bay window for lettuces and a few herbs. That's going to be the area that I want to see thrive (and our kitchen garden, too). Of course I want all of it to thrive....but the main garden has done well, but we have yet to master lettuces (go figure) and that would save us money....also, cilantro and onions. So I'm going to try!

That garden looks great, @Mother!! I'm so happy for you. I hope and pray it's abundant for you, and that God will bless your work!

That looks awesome, MM!! I look forward to seeing pictures as the garden grows. It's exciting and rewarding!

I honestly had no idea!! I thought I could only get it from a friend or make it myself. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Thanks a bunch for the info!!

So....forgive my ignorance. I thought Monkeypox was less....everything than Chickenpox. Why the panic?? I don't understand. Grant it, it doesn't look like fun, but I'm not sure I'd throw words like lock-down and quarantine around again. Been there, done that. What am I missing???

If I was to buy the starter, where would I buy it?

So....we would like to start making sourdough bread, but don't have access to the starter. Any ideas? I know I can make it, or at least think I can. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for that encouragement, Mother. So many women enjoy gardening....I just don't. I don't like the feel of dirt on my feet or hands, I don't like the sweaty hours spent out there, not to mention creepy crawlies. But I LOVE going out there in the early mornings or later evenings to harvest. I KNOW hubby has put in a lot of work for me to get to that point. And I absolutely love grabbing baskets upon baskets to bring in the produce that has grown, laying it all out and taking pictures. I love chopping, freezing, canning, dehydrating....and of course, cooking with it later on, too. Hubby? Well, he'll help if I need it, but not so much. I've always felt a little guilty that I'm not out there as much at the beginning of it....but I am usually inside getting meals ready, etc. for when they come back in. And....he's pretty good at asking me for help if he needs it. Also....the kids do help (speaking of our younger kids), every little bit helps!!

Awww, shucks, Jeepers....thank you!!

We're struggling, too. Well....hubby does most of the planting, and now my future son in love. I'm more on the end of harvesting and preserving.....but I can see that it's taking a while to get all the plants in. It's just....taking a while. Hopefully it will get done soon....rain is supposed to come tomorrow, and we are so very thankful for every drop we get!! I keep thinking....we do this now to live healthier, know where our food comes and practice. What happens when we are doing it because our lives will depend on it? I'm guessing we will have the motivation to do all of this? I certainly hope so....

Awww....thanks Annarchy! Nothing to forgive, really. Thanks for adding her! I think.

Can someone help her? Her application to join here is still pending, so she can't post anything. Is there is something else she's supposed to do?