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Leaving the City for the Country

January 15, 2020 by Jackie Ritz Leave a Comment

More and more people are dissatisfied with their lives and are leaving the city for the country.

This is what I did 6 years ago. I had a deep longing for land of my own and a more slow-paced lifestyle.

My name is Jackie Ritz. I’m a mom, wife, blogger, farmer, herbalist, and author. Leaving the city for the country was a very difficult decision that my husband and I made in 2013…a decision that has transformed our lives and enriched us greatly.

We moved to this place, our farm, nestled away in the gorgeous region of Appalachia in North Carolina. When we started this homesteading lifestyle, we had no idea what we were doing! Through trial and error, this lifestyle has awakened something deep within me and brought out my creativity in many different ways.

I homeschool my children, write books, share content on my website, and craft various things from the materials our land and animals give me.

I’ve learned so much from this land, but most of all, I am incredibly grateful for all the I have. I have no other desires than to live out my life right here with my family, my farm animals, and my gardens.

As I crossed over into 2020, I really started to wonder how I could share this beautiful farm, my animals, and my lifestyle with the world in a more meaningful way.

And my thoughts kept coming back to YouTube. I could type all the descriptive words to share with you how beautiful my life is, but seeing it, is completely different.

So, here is my first relaunch video. I’ll be releasing a new video every week and I would love for you to share this journey with me. Next week I’ll be publishing a How to Make Elderberry Syrup video so make sure you are subscribed to see it!

Filed Under: Homesteading Tagged With: homesteading

How to Ditch the City and Start a Farm

March 27, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 130 Comments

Well, it’s been nearly 8 months since we gave up our big city-living and moved to the backwoods of Western North Carolina. My husband and I were both raised in large cities, so raising our children the same way just felt normal.

However there always was this itch and this itch just started to grow and grow. It would be in small ways at first…like me traveling hours to visit small farms to let my kids play with the animals or to pick blueberries. Then it grew much bigger…we started searching for homes in the suburbs that allowed chickens and possibly goats. Our realtor thought we were crazy and didn’t understand us.  We hit roadblock after roadblock and after *almost* buying a very expensive house on ONE acre (which we thought was a lot of land), because that was all there was, we felt like our dreams of homesteading were crushed.

What If

I remember the first time we played the “what if” game. My husband said to me one night, “what if we moved somewhere else.” At first, I was caught off guard that he was entertaining the same thought I was. Then I played “devil’s advocate” and said that we were raised in Orlando, this is where our families live, this is where we *should* live……….right?

This went on for months and we started going deeper with our feelings. My husband asked me where I always dreamed of living…he knew my answer but it’s just a dream….right? I mean, it’s just a game you play, like MASH as a little girl. You don’t really go and live in your dream place. You just dream about it...right?

Ok, so you get the drift of how confusing of a time this was for us. We both loved Western North Carolina. We loved visiting it and we even rented a cute little cabin near Asheville one year. We finally agreed that WNC was our dream place to live and we finally entertained the thought that we had the choice to move there *one day*. Sigh….one day….there it is again.

And then I said it. I said, “Why one day?” And my husband looked at me and felt the same way. Let’s do this NOW! Life is too short to not live and do what you dream of doing! And that was how it all began!

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How We Ditched the City and Started Farming

1) We Found a Job

This is much harder for some people…I know that. But, it’s worth trying, right? So, we drew a 100 mile radius around our dream city, Asheville, NC on a map and my husband applied at all the jobs in that radius that fit his career. We heard back from a few and we chose one! We came and visited the nearby city and we fell in, complete, love with the place. Actually how it really happened when we sealed the deal was like this: we went to a nearby vineyard and sat down and looked out at the beautiful mountains. I looked over at my husband and said, “let’s do it“!

2) We Found a Rental Home

We still weren’t ready to buy. We have been aggressively paying off debt for a year now following the Dave Ramsey plan. So, we knew that we needed to find a rental home that allowed us to start doing our homestead dreams. We found a perfect home on Craigslist that had 4 acres of land, a barn, a huge chicken coop, and a beautiful fenced pasture. We plan on staying in this home for a few more months till we are ready to buy.

3) We Said Our Goodbyes & Sold a Ton of Stuff

This was the hardest part of the move. It’s hard to leave your family, but it’s so rewarding to follow your dreams. So, we downsized and sold a lot of stuff to make the move easier. We sold our king set (we just sleep on a mattress on the floor now!), dining room table, and all our large furniture. This isn’t necessary but we wanted a fresh start and we needed the money for the move. In fact, we are just now (8 months later) starting to buy furniture again! We waited till we were 100% out of debt, which we are now!

4) We Ordered Chickens!

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Seriously, I had the chicks ordered and planned for delivery before we were even in the state! I was so excited to start homesteading and couldn’t wait for my own pastured eggs! Chickens are the best way to start homesteading. They are the easiest animals to care for. It takes about 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at night to care for my chickens. As chicks, you need a few things, like a brooder area (we use stacks of straw for this), a heating lamp, and food and water bowls. Start-up costs is under $100 and that is including ordering the chicks online and paying shipping. You usually can find chicks local at a feed store for pretty cheap too!

5) I Found My Goats

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I had my goats planned, as well, before we even were in North Carolina. I knew I wanted fresh, raw, goat milk. Goats are MUCH easier to keep than cows and I am more keen on goat’s milk than cow milk. I found a lady on Craigslist who was selling a goat-in-milk and her doeling. I arranged for us to pick them up about a week after we moved. It actually is a hilarious story if you would like to go read about it! I watched You Tube videos on how to milk a goat for hours but it did NO good. You have to just learn it hands-on and it does take a little practice! However, it’s so worth it. My goat has been giving us nearly a half gallon a day for the past 8 months that we have had her. Sadly, I’m drying her off right now because she is pregnant (and so is her baby!) and needs a little break before her babies come in the early summer.

6) We Started Composting

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There is a local furniture store near us that gives away pallets and these large pallet containers. We grabbed them and started using it to hold our compost in. We definitely planned on a spring/summer vegetable garden so we started composting right away. We throw most our vegetable and fruit scraps to the chickens but we compost everything else! Composting is so easy.

7) We Started Raising Meat Rabbits

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I don’t even know how we started doing this but it has become my husband’s favorite thing so far. We have 3 does (the moms) and 2 bucks (the boys) and we breed them every other month or so. Actually they are due any minute now for this round! The benefit of meat rabbits is that they reproduce a ton and have short pregnancies. Their meat is like chicken too! One set of meat rabbits (one buck and one girl) can give you 400lbs of meat a year! We pasture the offspring before they are ready to be butchered, that way they are living as natural as possible and eating lots of fresh grass.

8) We Slowed Down & Relish Our Life

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This has been THE HARDEST thing for me to do since we have moved away from our city life. You never would have thought that slowing down would be so difficult, but it really is…especially if you are used to hurry, hurry, hurry everywhere you go. The drivers here drive me crazy…they are so pokey! It’s all a mindset and just truly realizing that being rushed is pointless. It doesn’t’ get you anywhere any faster. It just stresses you out and causes anxiety.

Conclusion

How to Ditch the City and Start a Farm | www.thepaleomama.com .001

We couldn’t be happier with our decision to ditch the city and start a farm. Our kids absolutely adore their new life here. They miss their family, of course, but we are our own family now and it’s important to us to do what is best for them. The city was scaring me more-and-more and the thought of raising my kids there just kept me up at night.

Now they are able to cherish simple things like the joy of collection eggs, and planting seeds and watching them grow, and watching animals give birth! It is amazing to see how they thrive in this environment.

Books I Recommend: Raising Dairy Goats | Raising Chickens for Dummies | The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It | Back to Basics | Let it Rot | Storey’s Guide to Raising Meat Rabbits

Websites I Recommend: The Prairie Homestead | Weed em’ & Reap | The Elliott Homestead | Blue Yurt Farms

 

Have you ever thought about ditching your city life and starting a homestead or a farm? Leave a comment and tell me about it! I’d love to connect with you!

Filed Under: Budget, Homesteading, Living Sustainably, Natural Living, Paleo Baby, Paleo Toddler, Shopping Local Tagged With: backyard chickens, eggs, farming, goats, homesteading, paleo, raw milk

10 Healing Herbs to Grow in Your Survival Garden

March 21, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 19 Comments

For many, the time has come to plan our summer gardens.   My interest is a bit self-serving in that I am in the process of rethinking my own garden and while I grow an abundance of rosemary, lavender and peppermint, this year will be an ideal time to replace some tired shrubs with plants that will work for me.  Healing herbs will fit the bill quote nicely.

Herbs have been used for centuries to sooth and to heal.  According to Wikipedia:

 Herbs have long been used as the basis of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, with usage dating as far back as the first century CE and before. Medicinal use of herbs in Western cultures has its roots in the Hippocratic (Greek) elemental healing system, based on a quaternary elemental healing metaphor.

With such a long history of use it makes perfect sense that you would want to include a selection of herbs in the survival garden.

Healing Herbs for the Healing Garden 

Basil:  People don’t usually think of basil as a healing herb and yet traditionally, it is called the “king of herbs”.  It is used medicinally as a natural anti-inflammatory and is thought to have mild antiseptic functions. Some healing uses are for flatulence, lack off appetite, nausea and cuts and scrapes.
It is also superb on spaghetti and in pesto but then you already knew that.  Basil is an annual plant so you will have to start anew each year.

German Chamomile:  Chamomile is one of the most popular herbs in the Western world.  Its flower heads are commonly used for infusions, teas and salves.  These in turn can be used to treat indigestion, anxiety and skin inflammations.  As a tea, it serves as a mild sedative to help with sleep.

Feverfew:  This perennial is a member of the sunflower family and has been used for centuries in European folk medicine as a remedy for headaches, arthritis, and fevers. The name feverfew comes from a Latin word meaning “fever reducer.”

Its  many uses include easing headache pains – especially migraines.  This is done by chewing on the leaves.  A tea made from the leaves and flowers is said to relieve the symptoms of arthritis.

Lemon Balm:  Lemon balm is a member of the mint family.  Considered a calming herb, it has been used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion.  Even before the Middle Ages, lemon balm was steeped in wine to lift the spirits, help heal wounds, and treat venomous insect bites and stings.

As with many other herbs in your healing garden, lemon balm promotes relaxation and a sense of calm.

Parsley:  While not one of my favorites, there is nothing like a sprig of parsley to take away bad breath.  It is no wonder that this biennial (meaning it lives for two years) is used to decorate and garnish plates in the fanciest of restaurants.

10 Healing Herbs to Grow in Your Survival Garden | www.thepaleomama.com .001

When brewed as a tea, parsley can help supplement iron in a person’s diet, particularly for those who are anemic. Drinking parsley tea also boosts energy and overall circulation of the body, and helps battle fatigue from lack of iron.  Other uses?  Parsley tea  fights gas and flatulence in the belly, kidney infections, and bladder infections.  It can also be an effective diuretic.

Sage:  Did you know that the genus name for sage is “salvia” which means “to heal”? In the first century C.E. Greek physician Dioscorides reported that sage stopped bleeding of wounds and cleaned ulcers and sores. He also recommended sage juice in warm water for hoarseness and cough. In modern times, a sage tea is used to sooth mouth, throat and gum inflammations.  This is because sage has excellent antibacterial and astringent properties.

Thyme:  Back during medieval times, thyme was given to knights before going in to battle.  The purpose was to infuse this manly man with vigor and courage.

These days, thyme used to relieve coughs, congestion, indigestion and gas.  This perennial is rich in thymol, a strong antiseptic, making thyme highly desirable in the treatment of wounds and even fungus infections.  Thyme is a perennial that does well, even in cooler, Pacific Northwest climates.

Rosemary:  Long ago, rosemary was known as ‘the herb of remembrance.’ Even today, in places like Australia and New Zealand, it is used as a symbol of remembrance since it is known to help sharpen mental clarity and stimulate brain function. You might recall that many statues of the ancient Greeks and Romans show men wearing sprigs of rosemary on their heads – signifying mental acuity.

The needles of the delightfully fragrant rosemary plant can be used in a tea to treat digestive problems.  The same tea can also be used as an expectorant and as a relaxing beverage that is helpful for headaches.  Other healing uses include improving memory, relieving muscle pain and spasms, stimulating hair growth, and supporting the circulatory and nervous systems.

Peppermint: Peppermint has a long tradition of medicinal use. Archaeological evidence places its use far back as ten thousand years ago. It is commonly used to soothe or treat symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, irritable bowel, and bloating and more.
The leaves and stems contain menthol which in addition to use medicinally, is used as a flavoring in food, and a fragrance in cosmetics.  The plant is prolific, growing well in moist, shaded areas as well as in sunnier locations.  The roots emit runners that can quickly overtake the garden so most gardeners prefer to plant peppermint in pots.

The easiest way to acquire a peppermint plant?  Find a friend or neighbor that is growing peppermint to break off a stem.  Place it is a glass of water and in a very short period of times, roots will form an you will have your own peppermint start.

Lavender:  I saved my personal favorite for last. Of course it helps that I have an abundant amount of fragrant lavender in my yard.

A tea made from lavender has many uses with one of the foremost being it’s ability to have a calming effect on a person’s mind and body. To that end, lavender can promote a sense of well-being and alleviate stress. It is also useful for dealing with various gastrointestinal issues such as upset stomachs and flatulence.

Because it is a strong antiseptic, lavender tea, when applied topically, can help heal cuts, wounds and sores. It can also be used to mitigate bad breath.

How Do I Get Started?

With so many to herbs to choose from, where do you start?  A lot will depend on the amount of space you have, the climate, and the availability of seeds, starts, or cuttings.  My recommendation is that you start with three or four herbs that appeal to you from a healing perspective.  Many can be grown in pots on a porch or deck so if space is a problem, you can start modestly.

How to Make an Herbal Tea

The process of making a pot of herbal tea is in itself healing.  Perhaps that has something to do with the proactive effort involved in doing something positive for one’s own self and well-being.  And luckily, brewing an herbal tea is easy.

The Healing Garden: 10 Herbs To Grow in the Survival Garden Backdoor Survival
To make an herbal tea, first bring some cool water to a boil.  While waiting for the water to boil, fetch a non-mental container that will be used to brew the tea.  A quart mason jar works nicely for this purpose.  You do not want to use a metal container since the metal may interfere with the purity and taste of the tea.

Add 2 tablespoons of fresh (or 1 tablespoon of dried herb or crushed seed) to the empty pot or jar for each cup of water.  Then, and this is the important part, add an extra 2 tablespoons of fresh (or 1 tablespoon of dried) herbs “for the pot.”  So, for example, if you are making 2 cups of hot tea, you would use 6 tablespoons of fresh herbs or 3 tablespoons of dried herbs.

Pour the boiling water over the herbs and let them steep, covered, for about 5 minutes give or take.  There is no  exact time since everyone’s strength preference is difference.  When ready, strain the herbs and pour the tea into a cup.  At this point you may want to garnish your heavenly – and healing – cup of tea with honey, citrus fruits or addition herb sprigs.

For iced tea, increase the quantity of herbs in the basic recipe by 1 1/2 to allow for dilution from the melting ice.

The Final Word

In reading about these herbs, you may have noticed that many are reputed to have the same or similar healing qualities.  Do they work?  I can personally vouch for Rosemary and Lavender which I have used as both a tea and as an essential oil.

One thing that is true is that with a little time and for a nominal cost, you can grow the makings for healing teas, infusions and balms in your own garden. Add a dose of sun and some rich potting soil and you will be set to go.  Just keep in mind that while perennial plants will flourish over the winter and will be there for you the following spring, annual plants must be reseeded or restarted every year.

If you would like to learn more about the healing properties of various herbs, the University of Maryland Medical Center has an excellent web site with a lot of useful information about herbs and other alternative medicine topics.  Click on “herbs” then scroll down to the particular herb you would like to learn about.

 

Original Source: Natural Blaze

Filed Under: Budget, Homesteading, Living Sustainably, Natural Living, Nutrition Tagged With: gardening, healing, herbs, homesteading, natural living

City Girl to Farm Girl: The Transformation Within

October 30, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 9 Comments

Picnic basket in one hand, my son’s hand in the other, we open the rusty gate and head out to find a perfect spot to lay our blanket. The autumn leaves crunch beneath my farm boots – I still snicker when I look down and see rubber boots instead of polished, tan toes that compliment my $1 Old Navy flip-flops. Paleo farm girl runs ahead of us and asks to let the chickens out. Her wavy hair dances in the mountain air and sings a song as the sun flickers off her fading summer highlights.

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Paleo son giggles when the chickens break free from their coop – their eyes eager to find a juicy bug outside the coop walls. Do I know that feeling! Paleo farm girl picks up her favorite chicken, Susie Sunshine, so delicately and gently. This is the second Susie Sunshine. The first Susie Sunshine met her unfortunate fate when Paleo farm girl accidentally stepped on her. I felt the crush and blow with her and we held her fading body as she slipped away from this world. This was our first hard lesson of farm life but we knew the pain of death already.

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My son slips from my hand and brings me back to this moment. I watch as he runs ahead and I know where he is going. He is fascinated with “wish flowers” and they cover our pasture. He counts to three and blows and I watch the white florets surround my son and I watch as his eyes follow the florets up in the air above him. The moment is perfect and I thank God that I am here in it. I remember my life when it was crushed, stepped on…like the first Susie Sunshine. My life was fading away and I felt like I couldn’t breath. My bones were broken and I couldn’t hold my head up. My spirit barely was holding on and I could not get past the pain my body had felt._MG_7785_MG_7798_MG_7788

I stood in the hallway broken and crying out for help, I felt it. I felt someone pick me up and over time He began to, every-so-carefully, put me back together. I watch my children in our new life and think of how my life has so, drastically, changed. But it didn’t happen all at once…it was piece by piece…by piece. And now I walk hand-in-hand with my child whose birth painfully reminds me of the death of my sister. My life has been a life of parallels; plagued with celebrating the life of my son, but burdened, at the same time, with grieving the death of my younger sister. It’s been two years and I’ve walked these parallels and I’ve been burdened with grief and guilt. I’ve been screaming into a pillow and felt trapped in this life. I thought this is how it would feel forever…but here I am…I’m watching the wish flowers surround my son and fly up into the mountain breeze. I’m looking at the mountains that surround us and admiring the way the sun forms shadows on in the crevices of the distant peaks.

I hit my knees and a wave of peace comes over me. I don’t feel God anymore so I don’t know if that is what this is…but it is something so close that it leaves me believing that I will feel Him again. I reach my hand up to grab my sister’s necklace and, for once, I know it’s ok. My sister led me here because I know I wouldn’t be here…in the middle of the mountains of North Carolina…if it wasn’t for what happened. My life wouldn’t have gone through such trauma. I wouldn’t feel like I do now. I wouldn’t be this alive.

Cause now I feel things. I see things I never saw…

like how beautiful the florets of the wish flower are.

Or how my daughter’s hair dances in the air.

Or how beautiful the leaves are as they are changing from green to their autumn color.

I wouldn’t feel peace because to truly feel peace, you have to know what war is. 

I pull the checkered blanket from our picnic basket and we sit down to enjoy this day that was given to us. My daughter says a prayer and thanks the Lord for her chicken. My son throws his little arms in the air and screams, “AMEN.” We break bread together, as a little family that has been through a tough few years but has come out of the storm. I had a feeling this place would help me continue to heal and I’m thankful that it has held up to that expectation.

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My heart has always had a calling for more than what a city could offer me and living in it was like a prison.

I’m thankful to be set free.

I’m blessed to be able to treasure this moment.

…because now I know how fast life is.

…now I know that I can be broken…and happy…and it’s ok.

This crushed and broken city-girl is gone. A vibrant and peaceful farm girl has arrived. 

My soul is…

quenched.

 

Filed Under: About Me, Homesteading, Thoughts Tagged With: chickens, children, city girl to farm girl, death, farm, goats, grief, homesteading, loss, transformation

Friday Book Love: Natural Homestead 40+ Recipes for Natural Critters & Crops

October 25, 2013 by Jackie Ritz Leave a Comment

I have been drooling over this digital book coming out and it is finally here! The Prairie Homestead has put together a incredible resource of over 40 recipes for homemade chicken feed and treats, natural pesticides, herbal supplements, non-toxic barn cleaners, herbal salves, DIY fly sprays, and TONS MORE!

As soon as I downloaded this book I printed the WHOLE thing out. I’ve been so confused as to what to use on my chickens, what to feed my goats, how to care for my barn, and what is safe to use in my garden. I want to have a natural homestead but there is NOT ONE book on all this. Now there is!

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This book is perfect if you are:

  • Tired of feeding commercial feed to your chickens that contain GMOs, antibiotics, and processed by-products like feather meal
  • Struggling to create a natural environment for your cooped-up flock
  • Battling pests on your homestead because you refuse to purchase chemical pesticides that contain toxic
  • Feeling discouraged because chemical dewormers are no longer working
  • Wishing you had some home remedies on hand for when your critters get cuts or scrapes
  • Giving yourself a headache when you try to disinfect your coop or barn with bleach
  • Want to utilize essential oil in your homestead

 Why a Natural Homestead is Important:

I personally have felt terrible because I’ve been so focused on creating a natural environment in my house that I have neglected to create a natural environment in my homestead. My chickens and goats shouldn’t have to eat crappy commercial feed while my family and I are eating locally grown organic food. That’s just not right!

Did you know that:

  • Parasite resistance is a very real problem as many chemical deworming products are simply no longer effective due to overuse???
  • Not only do some bagged chicken feeds contain bizarre ingredients and even added antibiotics to the feed???
  • That the popular herbicide that everyone has sitting in their garage has been linked to tumors in animals, DNA damage, cancer, endocrine disruption, and physiological disorders in crops???

What I Loved Learning from this Book:

  • I learned how to put a natural supply cabinet together with stuff I can find at the feed store.
  • I learned how awesome diatomaceious earth is.
  • I learned that that pumpkin seeds, garlic, baking soda, vinegar, and kelp are more than just old wives’ tales but they are very beneficial to a natural homestead.

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  • I learned that essential oils (I use these) are extremely important to a homestead and can be used countless ways around your farm or house and even directly on your animals.

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  • I learned how to mix up grain-free, corn-free, and soy-free feeds for my flock!
  • I, also, learned how to battle bugs without using toxic chemicals on my garden.

See how much I loved this book…I printed it out and have highlighted and tabbed it all up!

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Wanna see a free preview? Click here! 

 click here to purchase!!!!

 

Some Chicken Recipes You Will Love:

FOUR different chicken feed recipes including a grain-free option, and a corn-free and soy-free feed for both layers and broilers

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Deworming Cookies

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Bordom Buster Block

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Some Recipes for Your Girls in Milk:

Udder Balm

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Teat Dip

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Other Pest and Garden Recipes You Will Love:

Bug Be-Gone Garden Spray

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Fly Spray

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Get these and so many more when you order this digital book TODAY! 

Still not convinced you NEED this book? The Prairie Homestead gave me permission to share a recipe with you! Think of this recipe as a giant granola bar for your chickens. This block is a wonderful way to alleviate boredom in your flock!

Boredom Buster Block

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups scratch grains
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup wheat germ
  • 1/2 cup raisins or cranberries
  • 1/2 cup crushed egg shells or oyster shells
  • 4 eggs + shells, crushed
  • 3/4 cup blackstrap molasses
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, tallow, or lard

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Mix the eggs, molasses, and coconut oil in a separate bowl.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
  4. Pour your mixture into greased pans
  5. Bake for thirty to forty-five minutes at 400 degrees. You may need to bake slightly longer if you are using a deeper pan. The block is ready when the edges have become dark and the middle is firm.
  6. Allow to completely cool. Serve it to your chickens.

NOTES:

  • I was able to fit this entire recipe in one eight-inch round pan. But you could also divide it between two pans to help it bake more quickly, or use 2 nine-by-five inch loaf pans.
  • This is not meant to be a substitute to your flock’s regular ration
  • Feel free to play around with the ingredients to see what your birds like best.

 click here to purchase!!!! 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Book Love, Homesteading, Natural Living Tagged With: book, chickens, cows, goats, holistic livestock care, homesteading, natural chicken feed, natural homesteading, natural teat dip, natural udder balm, urban farming

5 Ways to Start Homesteading (No Matter Where You Live)

October 2, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 3 Comments

Today I’m excited to share this guest post from Colleen of Five Little Homesteaders!  I love her blog for it’s encouragement of self-reliance, DIY posts, and great homesteading ideas! Please head over to check out her amazing blog and don’t forget to follow Five LIttle Homesteaders on Facebook!  Please welcome, Colleen! -Jackie @ The Paleo Mama! 

Greetings! I’m so excited to be guest posting over on The Paleo Mama today. My family and I are currently living the homesteading lifestyle in Phoenix, Arizona. I blog about our trials and successes on my blog Five Little Homesteaders. I love reading about Jackie’s homesteading adventures and I especially loved her recent post on goat-milking.

We don’t have goats on our little homestead but we do have chickens – six of them. And you might be surprised to hear that when I say little homestead, I mean LITTLE. We currently live on a .15 acre lot near downtown Phoenix.

You see, we’re urban homesteaders and we make the most of the little bit of land that we have – gardening and raising our small flock of chickens. I’m here today to assure you that you CAN homestead. You may think your lot is too small and that you don’t have enough time, but after reading this post, I hope you’ll feel like there is something you can do to get yourself a little closer to the land, no matter how small that piece of land is.

5 Ways to Start Homesteading (No Matter Where You Live):

1.  Build a raised bed.

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Building a raised bed garden in your back (or front) yard doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming.  My husband has built us all manor of raised beds but one of my favorites is incredibly easy and cheap, costing just $30!  Raised beds are great for the beginning gardener because they allow you to control the soil quality more easily and don’t require any tilling or special knowledge.

2.  Get a good scratch-cooking cookbook.

Cooking from scratch is a habit that many homesteaders embrace.  Start with getting a good cookbook and quality ingredients. (I realize many/most of you who read this blog follow the Paleo diet and probably already cook most of your own food from scratch, so there you go!  You’re on your way to being a homesteader!)

3.  Start a compost pile.

Rather than throwing out your food waste or grass clippings, toss them into a pile in your backyard (preferably in a compost bin) and start a compost pile.  It is pretty simple to do and you can use the compost to enrich your garden each season.

4.  Learn to preserve your surplus. 

Once you start your garden, you’ll find that you quickly begin getting more of certain crops than you know what to do with.  This is the perfect time to learn to preserve.  It can be as simple as freezing produce properly or as complicated as learning to pressure can.  Start simple and ask for help.  I learned to water bath can by having my mom over one morning and she walked me through it.  Now I’ve got it down and actually really enjoy doing it!

5.  Get chickens!

Not every city allows them but more and more cities are opening up to the idea. Check local ordinances and if you are allowed, get a couple of chickens. Eggs that you raise in your backyard cannot be beat.  In Phoenix we are allowed to have up to 20(!) chickens.  We currently have 6, but I’m hoping to raise that to 10 this spring.  Start small and don’t be intimidated.  At the end of the day, my chickens are easier to care for than our family dog.

In the past several years my family and I have become increasingly more self-sufficient – living off our land more and more.  It has been incredibly rewarding for us and educational for our children.  I think you’ll agree, if you give it a try!

You can continue to follow homesteading endeavors on my Facebook page and my blog! 

Headshot - CAnderson

 

Colleen is a special education teacher turned stay-at-home mom to three little ones – ages 4, 2, and 1. Her days are filled with laughing and tears, joys and frustrations, toddlers and babies.  The basics of gardening were gifted to her by her mother and father starting at a very young age.  Through their homesteading adventures, she hopes to lead her family down the path of leading a more sustainable, intentional, and full life.

 

 

Shared on The Prairie Homestead

Filed Under: Living Sustainably, Natural Living Tagged With: canning, chickens, compost, gluten-free, homesteading, paleo, primal, urban homesteading

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Hi, I'm Jackie Ritz and welcome to The Paleo Mama! I'm a published author, certified herbalist, and voracious researcher of natural medicine and nutrition. I'm glad you're here and I hope you stick around for awhile!

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