Final update on the 2nd 101 list!

Back in September, right before our 4th Annual "really Local" Farm Festival, my 2nd round of the 101 in 1001 days came due.  We were so swamped with "the getting ready" that I haven't said much about the Round Up. ( I haven't said much about anything have I??) I am about to do another "round" of 101 starting on January 1st 2018, so I figure, I better get this one "in the books".  (Wow, lots of "quotes" going on...LOL!)

As the numbers go, I worked on most everything on the list.  If it's blue it was worked on.  If it's crossed out, I finished it!!  The numbers behind the statement is times accomplished out of the goal.  Most of those I actually got really close to being done.  I've already gotten the majority of the new 101 list ready.  Some of the things I didn't even start were completely dropped of the new list, some I still want to accomplish, so they were relisted.  Some of the traveling ones, I still REALLY want to do, but there are some major changes coming up and that's going to keep us close to home, so they are being held back until the 4th list in 2020. 

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Spiritual

1. Read through the Bible again (with a pen!)
2. Journal / Draw in prayer art journal 24/33
3. Start Concordance (and Finish it!)
4. Complete 5 Bible Studies
1. Red Hot Faith
2. WOTT
5. Read 5 Books to Encourage or Enlighten (4/5)

Financial

1. Get out of debt (again)
2. Rebuild emergency fund to $2500
3. Fund Black Friday account to $450 each year
4. Complete Photo Inventory
5. Do two Month-of-Nothings per year (5/5)
6. Have our Wills Written
7. Sell $500 on Craigslist or eBay ($500/$500)

Extended Family & Friends

1. Send 5 care packages (3/5)
2. Send all birthday cards
3. Do 12 Days of Christmas for a friend (Two completed Christmas 2015, one completed 2016, two in 2017)
4. Spend one on one time with a friend each month (20/33)
5. Go to Maryland (to see 'colie) 1/29/16
6. Go to Tennessee (to see 'brina)
7. Rudolph Day each month on the 25th

Self

1. Read 1 for fun fiction each month (36/33)
2. Lose another 25 pounds (0/35)
3. Make and Keep a well woman visit
4. Have a mani/pedi
5. Do the Race to Save Face
6. Do the 30 day Water Challenge
7. Do a 30 raw milk fast
8. Use one essential oil each month

Scrapbooking

1. 143 Scrapbook Pages Done (122/143)
2. 143 Page Kits Made and Ready (95/143)
3. Do the "Tiffany" Challenge once a year (3/3)
4. Have 10 crops with a friend(s) (4/10)
5. Hold Faithbooking study crop 6x a year (0/15)
6. Do a ROY B GIV photo day
7. Refinish Scrapbook table
8. Scrap weekend with 'colie 1/29/16

Boy

1. Make t-shirt quilt
2. Go letterboxing
3. 5 field trips (5/5)
4. Go Bowling
5. Find and go to a Hot Air Balloon Festival
6. Start (and Finish) mom journal
7. Make "If I'm not Here" Scrapbook
8. Take a family train trip
9. Arizona Trip

Blogging

1. Participate in a Blog Hop each month (2/33)
2. Comment on 33 new blogs (6/33)
3. Have a Blog-versary giveaway
4. Double Readership (8/50)

House

1. Reorganize 1 room/area each month
2. Paint/Update Zachary's Room DONE!!
3. Paint a cabinet in laundry room with dry erase paint(changed to magnetic dry erase calendars
4. Revive Flower gardens by the front walk (3/3)

Food

1. Can 33 things I've never canned before (33/33)
2. Make 3 more homemade ice creams (2/3)
3. Crockpot once a month (33/33)
4. Write and use a menu plan 85% of the time (687/850)
5. Organize recipes
6. Make marshmallows
7. Hunt Morel mushrooms
8. Have a backwards dinner
9. Rotate and use long term storage (and replenish)
10. Can 500 jars(1233/500)
11. Use the pressure cooker/canner each month (0/33)
12. Go to the Shrimp Festival

Other Crafts

1. Make 3 kinds of soap (0/3)
2. Make card line for Local Farm Fair (0/5)
3. Create Page Kits to Sell and put on etsy (or eBay) (4/15)
4. Milly
5. Finish green scarf
6. Create 4 things to sell at Farm Market (3/4)
7. Do 20 pins from my Pinterest boards (24/20)

Farm

Financial

1. Find and use better production and Income Tracking
2. Look for and apply for a farm grant
3. Start a "you pick" or on the Farm Stand
4. Hold field trips for homeschool groups again

Construction /Infrastructure

1. Put in Pond
2. Work on Fence Plan
3. Build a bigger greenhouse

Plants

1. Plant Pine Trees - 10 per year (0/30)
2. Plant more fruit trees
3. Better records of tree placement
4. Plant soft fruit orchard
5. Grow a wheat plot
6. Grow a Rose garden
7. Plant a u-pick pumpkin patch for the field trips

Animals

1. Raise 2 pigs
2. Raise 2 steer
3. Rehive bees
4. Pull honey
5. Restart worm farm (rewormed on 1/17/15)
6. Raise 2 batches of chickens each year (19/60)
7. Raise a flock of Turkeys
8. Put up a Bat house
9. Have all three cows AI'd

Other

1. Consistent Blogging (104/429)
2. Increase Facebook "Likes" to 150 (198/150)
3. Create Wallace Homestead Pinterest Page and have 50 followers (0/50)
4. Hold a monthly class
5. Have the "Really Local Farm Market" 1x per year (3/3)
6. Use a chainsaw

ROY B GIV!

I've wanted to do a "photo" day finding all the colors of the rainbow (ROY B GIV)  Some colors were easy-easy, others...not so much.  All the pictures were taken either on our farm or along the route that we are traveling almost daily to take the boy to "Real School".

And if that wasn't fun enough...in the evening as I was getting ready to upload the pictures, a storm came through and from our back yard we had a full rainbow!! From end to end! 

(Of course, I couldn't get it all in one frame!)

 

And that would be One-Oh-Done!!

"The Milk Cure"

I'm sick and tired or being sick an tired!! you too?  I hear ya! I made it the whole winter, only to get sidelined on the second day of spring!

 I am on my third week now of being sick.  It started as a cold with a cough that wouldn't go away.  I started to feel better, worked extra hard around the farm for just one nice day, and bam! strep throat!  So now I'm on antibiotics  A few more days and I'll be done with that.

Meanwhile, even though I haven't had much as far as colds/flus go through the winter...my TN has been a bear.  I try not to say much about it.  It's like a toddler misbehaving for attention, if you don't acknowledge the bad behavior  and "reward" it, it'll go away...right?  Right?!? OK, so maybe I'm somewhat delusional.  HA! 

Today I have re-read many of the articles I had saved to my computer about using a Raw Milk Fast to bring about better health. I read them a few years ago and was so impressed then that I added doing a raw milk fast to my 101 in 1001 list.  

The most informative of them was an article called the "Milk Cure"  it tells of two doctors that ran a sanatorium around the 1905 and the amazing results from so many different diseases and ailments just by having their patients only drinking raw milk. https://www.realmilk.com/health/milk-cure/

Raw unpasteurized milk is a whole food with all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes that the body needs. Many of those same vitamins, minerals and enzymes are either destroyed or compromised so that the body can't absorb it. Raw milk is high in antioxidants, vitamins (including B-12), all 22 essential amino acids, natural enzymes (including lactase), natural probiotics, and good fatty acids.

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.com/raw-milk-benefits/>

I'm amazed to read (but not too much cause we have an AWESOME all-knowing God!) how the vitamins we need have to have certain minerals in order to be absorbed, and TA-DA!  Raw milk has exactly the right amount of each to make it the perfect food!

Back to 1905 doctors, they used the raw milk cure for everything from tuberculosis, the high blood pressure and renal failure to NERVOUS SYSTEM Disorders.  Also there is a mention of numerous patience with failure of the thyroid having function completely resolved!  (you should really read this article https://www.realmilk.com/health/milk-cure/ and see all the different ailments they addressed!)

The doctor even made an interesting point about milk is equal to "sweet sound blood" that the only difference is the color in the restorative properties.

I found another blog post about a lady with Lyme's disease that tried it, and though she is not cured of Lyme's, has had many of her secondary infections addressed. 

http://curingchronic.com/curing-chronic-lyme-disease-the-raw-milk-diet/

Now, I have had many "cures" suggested to me for my TN.  And have tried or at least considered most of them.  Many folks swear by essential oils.  Others with diet.  Salt caves.  Moving to Arizona...etc.  And I have used the heavy duty drugs to find relief as well (much more often than I like!)  Recently I have found myself actually considering the brain surgery that has about a 50% success rate.

I am in the perfect position to try this.  I milk my two Jersey cows every morning.  They are over producing so I have extra milk just hanging out in my fridge....I've tried most everything else.  So...As I finish my antibiotics, I am going to embark on this for a month and see if it helps.  It sure can't hurt!!

I've had various folks close to me express dismay and trepidation of me doing this. (Not my hubby tho..)  The unknown is scary!  It may be a "waste of time" but I won't know if I don't try.  And if I find that it works for me, what a huge blessing! 

What might be my stumbling blocks....1/ I am totally addicted to caffeine in the form of my favorite diet soda pop, so not having that may be tough. 2/ I love cooking (and eating!)  3/ I love the stuff my guys cook too! (Hello, homemade beef sticks and home cured Canadian Bacon...not to mention RIBS!!  Plus, my boy has made dinner every night this past week!)  

HOWEVER, I'm not giving up food forever...I'm not doing this on a whim, really. I want to see if it will help my TN.  And the other health issues that have been creeping up as I age could be arrested as well-They've seen good results with insulin resistance! 

THEREFORE, as scary as it is to put this out there...I am going to do the month milk fast. With only a few modifications.  They recommend bed rest...I unfortunately can't do that as I need to milk the cows to get the raw milk!

  

I will be starting tomorrow.  

Pastured Beef Page is FINALLY up!

Go Check it out HERE

Or there is a tab for it too!

That convicting moment...

One of my 101 goals is to FINALLY get my Faithbooking concordance put together in a form that can be published.  In "getting ready" to do that, I went to a blog that I used to get inspiration from frequently back when I was originally putting the concordance together back in 2004 (yes, that's right, it's been on my list for ahem 13 years).

I read her "recent" posts and became re involved in her life only to realize that she hasn't posted since 2013 and I'm again lost in wondering where this person went.  And what they are up to, and no, I don't know her personally.  Her blog led me to another of a family whose husband was fighting cancer and oddly enough ended up they were right here in our city.  Only to see that the last post was in 2009 and the 3 year old that I was praying for would now be 14.   (No I don't know them either)

And it made me wonder, does anyone read our little farm blog and then wonder why I disappear for months at a time.  Or could I just stop and that would be fine because my handful of readers "know me" either through facebook, or In Real Life?  Should I keep telling my silly little stories for some person that might run across my blog in 8 years because they are curious about cows and craziness??

And I feel a bit convicted, that maybe I'm letting someone down by not being "here"

So here's where I've been:

• My TN has been in an awful flare period and I've been "playing" with various medicines trying to get it to give me a break without turning me into a zombie (So far, haven't found the right combo)
• enjoying the beautiful "spring" we are having this winter and wondering when the 3 feet of snow will hit: April or May??
• Trying to decide if I want to do spring festivals with my jam.
• Making jam from the last of the reserve berries in my freezers and counting the days until the bushes will be full again.
• I have actually been scrapbooking again!!  I went to a one day crop and did 7 pages and to a weekend one with my cousin in PA and finished 70 pages!!
• I got a fitbit from my mom for my birthday and have been playing with my "steps"
• Wishing I was actually getting "stuff" done that was on my lists!!

So  Anyone reading?  

This face!!

I know I am biased....but this face!  He looks more and more like his Daddy,

and is such a handsome young man!  

After our visit to the tv station in November, we went to place Christmas wreaths on my grandparents' and sister's graves.  While at the cemetery, they closes the exit that I usually go out and we became lost in one of our city's largest and oldest cemeteries!  As we drove around, we saw this old ornate bridge and had to stop and get some pictures!

I'm SO glad we got lost and took the time to not be stresses out but to take the time!

My little boy is not so little.  And my goodness, he is so handsome.  Someday soon I will have to share him with some VERY lucky young lady, but for now....

lots of yearly goals

Here it is the beginning of 2017.

After spending hours combing through the 101 list with Colie during our Christmas visit I have tried to come up with a plan to finish off our "101 in 1001" strong. So here's the plan:

• I need to blog consistently and that means every day and even on more than one blog so be looking for more blog posts. Wallace Homestead and also be sure to check out scrap-tastrophe Studio for at least one blog post a week.
• I will be working on the Concordance so that it is ready by July oops August, okay by the festival.
• We're going to have classes on the homestead and Faithbooking classes and crops on a monthly basis the schedule will be posted soon.,  the crops and the faith booking information will be posted on the scrap-tastrophe Studio blog.
• And getting finances under control we're doing a month of nothing for January, March and June.
• To get more readers over here to Wallace Homestead I'll be participating in a blog hop almost every week this year.
• Other crafts are going to be worked on including Milly, my scarf and a new craft to be added to the Fall Festival!

So much to do...now time to get on it!

January-Month of Nothing!

Just like last year we are doing a "Month-of-Nothing" otherwise known as a no-spend month to give the bank account a break after all the spending of December.  It's hard because I LIKE to shop!  And January is such a dreary month!

Here is a recap from last year's post...

If you've been reading here long, you know that at least twice a year, I attempt a Month-of-Nothing.  In fact, it is actually part of my 101 in 1001 goals. I'm at about 50%  half the time I do a great job, the other half...not-so-much. 

 After the "spending" of November (I am a big fan of Black Friday) and December, it's time to have a "Fiscal Fast" for January.  

Want to join me?

Leave a comment, so I can be an encouragement. 

Fiscal Fast requires you to not only stop shopping, but mainly, use what you have for 31 days.

Here's the "rules"

– For 31 days, Don't buy anything . If it isn’t food or medicine, you don’t buy it. And as far as food goes, we make our food budget (for the 3 of us) $100 or less. For the MONTH ($25 a week)

Go through the freezer, use up the cans of veggies, the dried pasta and the non-perishables that are collecting dust and doomed to expire. You can still spend money on fresh fruits and veggies, but ONLY if they are needed to complete a recipe with existing foods that you find in the cupboard.  Food this month is focused on using up, not creating magazine worthy meals but that’s OK- it’s just a month and you’re using up those random cans and boxes you would have wasted otherwise.

We also greatly reduce our auto fuel budget during the month-of-nothing, so we reduce trips and combine trip.  Honestly, most of my "excess" driving is to go to the grocery just because I'm "bored" and like wandering the grocery store!  And knowing that we live "OUT" it is too many extra miles!

– For 31 days, you should declutter, donate and reuse.   

Instead of going out to shop, focus on making space in your life.  Donate what you don’t use, fix what you can, or pitch it. Go through your closets and shelves..  

– For 31 days, you should make do with whatever you have in the house. 

Use up those travels soaps and shampoos that are sitting around.  What can you bake from scratch? Use the stuff you received for Christmas instead of saving it for "good". 

– For 31 days, you will focus on finishing those annoying unfinished projects.

 Your half finished scrapbook will finally get done.  That empty recipe book should finally get filled.  Fill up the free time you’d normally spend on shopping, spending money out or entertaining yourself with things that need to get DONE. (and that's a whole 'nother goal list and chart :) )

– Before A "Month-of-Nothing" do NOT Stockpile.  

As much as it seems like you should stock up to "get ready" to go a month without shopping, don't.  You are going 31 days without shopping in order to make do with what you have, reduce waste, make it last or, alas- go without.

 If 31 days sounds too hard- start with 7 days.  One week of NO shopping...not even groceries (except the truly essential perishables or medicine.)  You have a small budget for that.

My boy is UNIQUE!

Most teenagers I know won't go out unless they look "just right".  

My kid definitely is so secure in himself that he can laugh at himself and do very brave things (braver than I was at that age!!)

The teen group had a Christmas party with an ugly sweater contest....He went all out for it!

Yes, those are lit up lights on the hat!

Don't miss the blue snoopy snow socks!!

For the same party, we decided the morning of that we would participate in the cookie exchange too.

Only 10 dozen cookies needed in a few hours!  Luckily I always have ingredients on hand for my Mama's Buckaroons (Secret Recipe) which are kinda like Macaroons but with oatmeal instead of coconut.  So like a sugar cookie with oatmeal. (that's the most info I will give!)

Winter sunsets....

It's no secret that winter is my least favorite season....the days are short.  The air is brittle and hurts my face.  Everything is harder to do...

But there are some bright spots...I love my pink coveralls, and even with the sun going down TOO early, there are some amazing sunsets....

Current list of on hand Jams

Since the program this morning , I've been asked quite a few times what jams I currently have on hand, so below is the list as of right now. 

 (I do have a church bazaar in town this Saturday) so the list will likely change.  (Also, note, that some of the flavors are the last until next summer-namely Black Raspberry.  We were able to freeze quite a bit of Blackberry, Strawberry and Red Raspberry)

• Apple Cider
• Black Raspberry
• Blackberry
• Carrot Cake
• Cherry 
• Christmas Jam
• Clementine Marmalade
• Corn Cob
• Dandelion *
• Elderberry*
• Lilac Jelly *
• Lilac Syrup *
• Monkey Butter
• Peach
• Peach Vanilla
• Pink Lemonade
• Pumpkin Spice
• Razzleberry
• Red Raspberry
• Strawberry
• Strawberry Lime Margarita *
• Sunshine Jam
• Sweet Tea with Lemon
• Sweet Confetti Pepper
• Sweet Red Pepper
• Tomato Basil
• Violet *
• Watermelon
• Carmelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Jam
• Cowboy Candy
• Salsa
• Pepperonici

There are about 12 Flavors currently "out-of-stock". * items (flower jellies and "adult" jams) are slightly higher in price

Fast & Easy Appetizers with JAM! Intro!

As you know, earlier today I was on a local morning news show highlighting quick and easy appetizers that you can make with jam.  It was suggested that I post the recipes.  So these are mostly so fast & easy that there isn't really a recipe, but I did try to take pictures to show how to make them.

Now, you also know, I am a farmer, Not so much a food blogger, so some of my pictures may not be as spiffy as those who professionally (or semi-professionally) do this kind of thing...

All of these are somewhat picture heavy so I will do multiple posts, one for each of the dishes shown this morning.

Thanks for tuning in, and here is a link to the segment.

http://myfox28columbus.com/good-day-columbus/quick-easy-holiday-appetizers

Fast & Easy Appetizers (Part 5) - Other Fun with Jam!

Jams make great hostess gifts, or even "clutter-free" Christmas gifts.

4 Jams in a Basket

2 Jams in a Basket

 

Hostess Jam in a gift bag

We even have a "Jam of the Month" club if you can't decide which flavor you want to try (That way you or your loved one can try them ALL!)

Be sure to go like our Facebook Page, and PLEASE feel free to subscribe to the Blog so you don't miss out on any of the farm action!

Thank you for supporting your little local home businesses!

Fast & Easy Appetizers (Part 4) - Carmelized Onion & Balsamic Vinegar Dip

No, NO this is the easiest one!!

This is so easy, I didn't even take pictures! 

You need sour cream and a jar of our Carmelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Jam

Put Sour cream in the bowl, pour some of the Jam over it.  Stir.

Add a bit more Jam over the top as a garnish.

Serve with Tortilla Chips or Crackers.

As a side note, the Carmelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Jam is mostly savory but also does have a sweet taste to it.  It is also great used over meatloaf, or over the top of a roast cooked in a crockpot.  

Our Tomato Basil is also a sweet/savory that we refer to as "grown up ketchup" it is great over pasta, fish, chicken and veggies.

Also, if you would like to order some of the Onion Jam or any of our Jams, Jellies, and Savories  contact me through the "about me" or Like "Cackleberry Hollow" on Facebook and message me there!

Fast & Easy Appetizers (Part 3) - Pepper Trees

This is quite possibly one of the easiest appetizers!

All you need is cream cheese, a Jam or two, and crackers!

I like to use our Pepper Jams and Cowboy Candy.

the pepper jams are sweet (and made with sweet bell peppers) so it isn't hot, but does have a pepper taste.

The Cowboy Candy, on the other hand, is sneaky hot!!  It is sweet the moment you put it in your mouth, but then the jalapenos come back and kick ya.  The cream cheese does calm it down some.

You can just put out a square block of cheese and then dump the jam or peppers over it, or...

You can be fancy!

Cut it on the diagonal...

Then place them together.

Wet your fingers to smooth the line between the two blocks. 

Then put the peppers over the cheese and serve with crackers (Triskets hold up better than Ritz type of crackers, but your choice.)

Finished picture will be posted after the broadcast.

Also, if you would like to order some of the Pepper Jams or Cowboy Candy, contact me through the "about me" or Like "Cackleberry Hollow" on Facebook and message me there!

Fast & Easy Appetizers (Part 2) - A different kind of Cheese Ball

Like the title says, this is a different kind of Cheese Ball.

It's warm and ooey and gooey!

And easy. 

There are a few different cheeses that work well in this recipe.  

You can use a Brie Round,or Queso Fresco, but I prefer Queso Chihuahua, which is also quesadilla cheese. (I think motzerella would work too, but haven't tried it!)

Also needed is a package of crescent rolls (or you can use puff pastry) and Jam.

I use our Christmas Jam, which is Cranberries, Strawberries (from off the farm), Oranges and spices.

Roll out your crescent rolls so the cuts are closed. I'm pretty sure you can also buy it with out the cuts.  In that case, no rolling is needed.  

Spread jam on the rolls

 (about 3 Tablespoons--I you figured out that I don't much measure!)

Enough so it's the same size as the cheese.

Place the cheese in the jam, and then slather some more jam on top (which will actually end up being the bottom of the cheese ball.)

Fold the pastry/crescent rolls up around the cheese and jam.  Pinch so it's all covered up.

Flip it over and place it on a sprayed cooking sheet.

(I used some extra dough to try to make holly)

Then brush the whole thing with an egg wash.

Place in a 350* oven for about 13-15 minutes (until golden and brown like crescent rolls get)

When it comes out of the oven it will look like this:

Let it rest for about 5-10 minutes before moving off of the baking sheet.

Plate it and serve with crackers or pretzel chips.  It can also sliced and eaten with a fork.

Or standing over the kitchen sink!  LOL!

(Plated picture will be added after the broadcast.)

Also, if you would like to order some of theChristmas Jam, contact me through the "about me" or Like "Cackleberry Hollow" on Facebook and message me there!