As I sit down to write after nearly two years of absence, I’m reflecting on the reasons behind my sudden departure from this space. It’s true that it seems most people don’t take the time to read blog posts anymore. I know I don’t. I’d much rather listen to a podcast while multi-tasking. I don’t […]
When I first started growing garlic years ago, I did so with little expectation. I’d taken a single bulb of garlic from our local whole foods co-op which consisted of 9 cloves, dug a trench and planted them in the fall. The following spring, it was so exciting to see the little green spears emerging […]
If there is one thing that I was taught well in my childhood, it is that you should work hard. I always had chores- whether it be taking care of the chickens or helping to haul in firewood to washing dishes and cleaning the house. We didn’t get paid for these things, but we were […]
I love me a good seed catalog. Flipping through pages of colorful vegetables, berries, fruits, and flowers of all kinds. New and exciting varieties. Squirrel effect comes on in full force. “Oooh…look at that. Dragonfruit. I want dragonfruit.” But wait a second- dragonfruit is, like, Zone 100. Erin, you’re zone 3. “But it’s sooo pretty! […]
There’s something about a hoard of potatoes that makes me feel safe. Let me explain. As someone who raises and grows food with the intent of feeding the family year-round, I find myself focusing on those foods that can be grown in large quantities and that store well- long past their harvest date. Root crops […]
It may sound surprising, but I make most of my jam during the winter months. Primarily due to two reasons: (1) Berries freeze extremely well. And since you have to mash the berries to make jam, the freezing process makes that part significantly easier. (2) From the time the snow melts until it falls once […]
If colorful jars full of home grown food is what your dreams are made of, my-oh-my do I get you. My fascination with old food, old ways, and even old mason jars goes way back to my childhood. Hands-down my most favorite home we ever had was the 100-year old single room log cabin with […]
![Kitchen Convictions [How to Identify Your Deal Breakers]](https://i0.wp.com/www.yellowbirchhobbyfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/DSCN0959.jpg?resize=300%2C168&ssl=1 "Kitchen Convictions [How to Identify Your Deal Breakers]")
I’d like to think that I’m the opposite of a snob. I’m not ashamed to only own one pair of jeans- my “going out” pants. The rest of the time you can find me in comfy stuff. I have no idea what is in style. My favorite shoes are my duct taped camouflage Muck […]
I was not always on board with processing my own animals. Not that I ever felt that somewhere other than home or someone else other than us would be better for the job. Not that at all. But I didn’t always have the heart. You see, growing up, my most favorite pets on the planet […]
Winter canning is probably my favorite canning because it is in the off season. It means I have more time. It means I have a cold house that needs heating up (totally the opposite case during peak canning season, amiright?). It means I am choosing a canning project not based on the prevention of overripe […]
