What have these You Tubers gotten me into!?!

Let me let you in on a secret...

These You Tubers are such a bad influence on me. Watching them is like watching late nigh television. You know with all the ads for things you need to make your life so much easier, better, more for-filled... You get the picture!

Let me start with Roots and Refuge Farm. Jess, I love you girl.... But stop influencing me!! 😜

See she talked about her Berkey. I have wanted one for forever! Well, once the stimulus money came in I had to order it. I mean if it's good enough for Jess, Miah and the kids.... Then by golly, it's good enough for me and mine! 

We can't forget the potatoes! Jess got them started and I said that I need to make sure we have some food security. I'm waiting on 72 to be shipped from Burgess Seed and Plant Company. They include Yukon, Kennebec, Red Pontiac and of course I can't forget Centennial Sweet Potatoes. Plus a few extra things that jumped into my cart while shopping.

Ope, and Hudson Valley Seed Company. Jess was talking about them and I was interested in the sunflowers she was talking about. Once I was there I found out that they had the HONEYNUT SQUASH seeds.... Sorry to yell but they are the absolutely best squash I have ever eaten and I only got 2 last year. I expected to be able to back and get more before the season was over. So I didn't save the seeds from the yet unknown to me love of my life!!!! 😁

As you can see the packaging is so beautiful. I just had to have them. Don't mind the mess we were in the middle of multiple projects at once.

Now let me tell you about the next Bad Influence on my list.

It's Off Grid with Doug and Stacy. I love watching both of you and going down the rabbit hole to the next video!

You all know I have dabbled with fermentation on and off for years. With the last couple years not so much. Well, in that time I have developed a thyroid condition. So I have kicked around the idea of getting back into it. Well, along comes Doug and Stacy. Making it all seem so easy and delicious looking.

So since I can't find my pickle pipes that I bought years ago and never used. I went with Stacy's recommendation to check out Masontops. I did and bought the Complete fermentation kit and of course 4 pickle pipes just wasn't going to be enough. I had to order 8 more. Then I want to make sauerkraut again after watching Stacy. I didn't have any gallon jars so I had to order them. Luckily when Stacy recommended a book, I was smart enough to check the bookshelf... Whew.... I didn't have to spend any more money cause it was already on the shelf!

Please don't mind the white leg.... I haven't gotten any good sun to tan up yet!

Next up is Living Traditions Homestead. Kevin and Sarah, you both are fabulous to watch!

Let's just say I have 2 books on bunnies and the parts to fix my pressure canner on they way. These items are still on the way so no pictures of them!

And as soon as we relocate out of the city. I want Idaho Pasture Pigs. Watching your girls and piglets has been a joy. Charlie, definitely is a big boy but he doesn't appear to be mean at all. We will also be building chicken and rabbit tractors following your designs. 

All I can truly say is I hope they continue being a bad influence on me. They have helped to get me motivated once again to getting my life back in order. I'm sad it has taken me this long to get my butt back in gear. Now that it is though, there is no stopping me!

Smile Loudly

&

Live Blessed

Yart

Causualty of Canning

The sweet potatoes are officially done... 30 quarts, would have been 31 but as you can see one just didn't want to make it.... So it gave up the ghost! 56 jars done for this year so far. And only 1 broken.... The odds aren't to bad. I just hate seeing all that food wasted. I don't think I will end up with as many jars next year.... As I will be able to use my chopper to make the pieces smaller.... Couldn't use it this year because it made way to much noise and Grim is sleeping during the day. 

I will however be using for the white potatoes that still need to be done. I have 1 bag for baking that will stay in the basement and the other I need to finish canning.... The problem is that they are great potatoes and I am such a potato eater in the fall..... that the bag is starting to dwindle.... Guess we'll have to go and get another big bag.

I still haven't started on the sauerkraut.... Time just hasn't been on my side. I did manage to get my crook and cutter out of the basement.... I need to get them cleaned and as long as all monsters go to school I will start in the morning. Honestly, I think I had better finish.....

This weekend is turning out to be more active then I normally like. Saturday starts off with me taking Band monster to practice, home to get Mouthy, off to get the chicken an hour away, hope to be home by 2 as I have a hair repair / tame the unruly locks, back home by 4:30-5 to possibly see lawyer to sign papers, then to church (long story for another time), pickup Band monster from school after competition, finally get home to fall into bed around 11. Sunday really is no better.............. When can I sleep in?!?

I really shouldn't complain to much Band is done and over with the first weekend in November and I get a whole month off before Varsity Bowling starts. I should take a picture of my calendar ...October is so full I can't write another thing and November barely has anything.

Yart

Another Busy Weekend

Here are some of the sweet potatoes that I was able to can up. I would have gotten a ton more done this weekend...... BUT!

You know how much I hate BUT..... 

Well, let me tell you how my weekend went.

I took Band monster to practice Saturday morning. I got home and thought I needed to spend some time on the computer before we had to go to bowling.... Not a bad plan, huh?

I'm at the computer for about 10 minutes when I hear a car door slam.... I think nothing of it as my neighbors are out of town and have a friend checking on the house. Then I'm scared out of my chair by..... BANG, BANG, BANG on the front door.

I get up and go to the door and when I open it my first words are what did they call on me for now? The ordinance officer is on my porch.... This is a man that I have dealt with several times over the last few years.... So from my greeting he says I'm sorry I have to bother you, BUT.... here it is again.... BUT I need to give you this warning about your trailer.... It has to be moved. It hangs over the sidewalk and even though you were smart enough to paint it a bright yellow so everyone can see it.... Someone riding a bicycle in the wee hours of the morning almost hit it and then called me. So I said jokingly, if they almost hit then they know its there now and they can avoid it.... LOL! He laughed! After about a half hours talking he left with my word that the trailer would be moved.

With my warning in hand.... I called my brother to help get the thing out of here and over to my mom's!

We didn't get it moved until Sunday but it is now safe and secure and not hanging on the sidewalk.... 

Needless to say I didn't get what I wanted to get done this weekend because I had to deal with that.... Sooooooo, tonight we will be making sauerkraut! Over the summer I found a large cabbage shredder at a yard sale for $10.... I can't wait to use it.... I have in the past used my mandolin, though I didn't really like the size of the cut cabbage, I made it work. I need to get it and the crook up here so I can scrub them both down... Don't want any bad bacteria forming.... That would just be gross!

Well, I'm off to find something to do.... like that should hard..... LOL!

Hugs,

Yart