This has been a year of nesting, growing our family, expanding the garden, sinking our roots deeper down into our homestead and savoring where we are at in life. Our tiny 700 square foot house is just the way we want it. Cozy, warm, and designed to fit our style. The garden just grows and grows by leaps and bounds with every season. Our winter
Archives for 2012
Protected Raised Beds
Vegetables and herbs grow all around the homestead, but a big portion of the harvest is grown in our four raised beds. They are as attractive as they are functional, but unfortunately we are not the only ones who feel that way. Neighbor cats and our backyard chickens also love the raised beds. The cats think it’s their communal litter box and the chickens would
Recipe: Apple Almond Tart
This fabulous apple almond tart recipe walked into my life recently a la All Recipes and has become a new favorite. I love it’s rustic appearance and understated sweetness. In a sea of decadent holiday desserts, this one won my heart with it’s restraint. You could use any combination of good cooking apples, although I used half Granny Smith and half Honey Crisp. The color
A Very Special Persimmon
Persimmon trees are valued as much for their brilliant fall color as they are for their delicious, flavorful fruit. They are said to be the most popular fruit in the world because they are the most popular fruit in China. In fact, persimmons are very popular in most countries outside the US. We planted a gorgeous persimmon tree about five years ago, just outside the
Plants for Winter Interest
I took a stroll through my local plant nursery recently and was impressed with their collection of plants for winter interest. It can be a dreary time of year, but the following plant jewels will make your garden still seem alive and kicking. A design key to keep in mind is the balance of color with green. In this gorgeous display above, they used some
Front Yard Design
It’s time to divide and conquer. Flowering bulbs and perennial shrubs are going to sleep for winter – the perfect time to split them apart and replant. With a couple sunny fall days this past weekend, I managed to divide and replant the entire front yard. Our front yard has always been the forgotten garden corner. My attention, and pocketbook, have always prioritized the private
Thanksgiving Menu
Oh boy – it’s time for one of my favorite holidays: Thanksgiving. A time for family, friends and absolutely amazing food. I prefer simple table settings and love the excuse to break out the fine china. A couple years ago we started our holiday meal out with a celery bisque. I know what you’re thinking – a whole course focused on celery sounds about as
Homestead Baby Care
Adding a baby to the homestead has presented new challenges in our quest to live simply. When it comes to baby care, I ask myself the same questions I ask about other homestead care: how can we create the least amount of waste, save some money and minimize our environmental impact? Here are some of our strategies for natural, simple baby care. Disclaimer: I’ll mention
November Harvest
How did it get to be November? The trees are looking half empty of their leaves and telling us it’s time to spend more time inside than out. Thankfully, my winter garden vegetables are ready to start harvesting. Arugula! I love this meaty salad green, especially in the colder months when we could use something thicker and more substantial in our salads. This veggie has
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