Getting Off The Grid - The Last Days Of August

The last days of August is when we have the worst heat of the summer here in central Alabama. Things get "crispy!"

This week we have had temps soar up to 102° fahrenheit with no rain, anything left living in the garden had to be tough or die.

Some died.

The Homestead :

Life has been slow around here, the homestead is ready for the changing of season, the garden that is.

I still need to cut back bushes and small trees, I had to neglect them because of going away from home to work for pay.

I was given some really nice but used 8 x 2 x 10`s that was taken from a house, they were the floor joists, so those will be a new floor for the little house that will be built on the property in a few weeks. 

The flower beds/ herbs beds / vegetable beds are being cleaned one at a time.

From The Garden :

I finally got it done! I used a push mower to clean off the tomato patch that was more or less nothing but grass, next I got on the riding mower and cut it even shorter, as close to the dirt as I could get it.

I did not stop there, I mowed down the cucumber patch and the squash patch, they were spent, nothing more coming.

The garden got tilled over and is now ready for the kale seed and other greens I bought 10 days ago.

I get okra a couple times a week and a couple bell peppers here and there.

I am drying basil and sage.

The may pops are getting riper each day ( Passion flower fruits)

The stockpile :

The only food I am stocking is the okra, that is all I have left!

With that being said I did home can mushrooms I bought.

I also love beans, all kinds of beans so I home can me a few types for quick go to meals when I am to busy to stay in and cook all day. This week the bean is green baby Lima`s. I got six half pints so that is six meals for me.

I have yet to make it to the farmers market, its an hour drive and I need cash in hand when I do make it there. Much easier to buy when people see the money in your hand.

The Learning :

The last ten days has been a roller coaster ride! 

I am old school but living in a new world, so I will learn how to do things now but not forget my roots and ways to live free as possible. After all if there is an easier way to do something I want to know.

Building and running an online store, making the products and shipping. Its a whole new world. I have to be professional, I can`t use the words ain`t, fix`in to do that, or any of the other Alabama sayings. Plus I have to watch my spelling. 

But I won`t stray to far off, I need simple and I make simple. I do not want all that store bought stuff filled with preservatives, dyes and additives when its not necessary at all. I package simple and I handwrite the labels. People pay for the products, they want fancy packaging? ? Fancy packaging costs money, speaking for myself I want more product and pay for less packaging.

I am learning to live off the land, learn what I want in and on my body. Its still the old way, just in a new tech world that is stepping back to some old ways in the process of all this technology advancement. 

How is life on your homestead? 

For more information about the new online store click here : Sunshine`s Homestead Creations

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid - Its Stalling

August is the month that you either harvest or it dries up, typical Alabama weather makes sure of it. Its hot and dry. 

This year was not the best year for the vegetable garden but was good for the wild things I eat like the mushrooms, honeysuckle and roses, wild berries like blackberry. 

God provides us with what we need each year.

The solar seems further off but yet closer than ever, does that make sense? The well water? Even closer! 

The Homestead :

One constant for sure this summer is the grass, its an endless job, I am sure I could mow daily!

I have cactus to plant when I pick the perfect spot. I need to make sure its not close to were we go often.

I also received from a wonderful online friend a cutting of Rhubarb and I potted it up but I will clean out a flower bed and make it a home there. 

The rain finally came today, with sun and then more rain and on and on. 

From The Garden :

Since the tomatoes did not get very big we just ate from them all summer. They have about played out so soon I will take the cages up and clean up their spot.

The cucumbers have all died now and I have cleaned off that area. 

The squash did not do well at all and those plants died. 

I still have bell peppers and I get a few regular.

BUT I do have okra. Its time for the okra, its a late summer food and will give me food till the freeze.

Last week I did go into the next town over to the co-op and I got green seed. Kale, mustard, turnip and collard greens. Hopefully those will be planted within the next couple of weeks. 

I am still getting figs so I am eating these since I have enough canned.

The stockpile :

Since canning all the figs I have slacked and I have not canned anything. However, I have been chopping and freezing the okra weekly. I will give a mess away and keep a mess, I do this over and over. I hope with the rain it will grow plenty more for everyone!

I bought six clam shells of baby bella mushrooms at Aldi for .99 each so I intend to home can those for later.

The Learning :

I remind myself all the time to keep learning, do not get left behind by not knowing things. But I am going back in time when things were simple and were made on the homestead and not bought. 

I have been making products at home and using them, if they seem to do the job I add those to the new store, if not I toss that idea and product in the trash and start again and fix what I felt was the problem. 

This weekend it was washing liquid and washing powder, both work so both are for sell. To see more click here : Homemade Washing Powder 

Soon, I hope, I will be making quilts. What screams homestead more than homemade quilts? Sell them? Sure! why not?

What is going on at your homestead?

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid - Named The Homestead

Now you know what I have been up to! However, I did tell you about a new store coming soon.

The Homestead :

I named the homestead because as you all know I want off the power grid and I want well water. I want to quit working and live off the land.

 It can be done and has been done but I have to be the different one and do it my way. I want some technology like a computer and t.v., I want a refrigerator and hot water too. 

So, I had to think out of the box, think of what I would give up or how to make money to pay things that are inescapable, taxes for one. I can give up shopping because I do have enough but how to make the money?

That is when I decided to open up a business I can from from the homestead, I needed a name but I did not really wanna use my name for the homestead so I went to nick names. When I was very young I was called sunshine so why not? Now its "Sunshine`s homestead" and what better to name the new business but Sunshine`s homestead creations."

Till the building is delivered I am online only. Check me out at Sunshine`s homestead creations I am still working on the site but I add something new every few days. For the most part I will make when ordered so its always fresh!

From The Garden :

Last week it was all about figs. This week its all about okra! I am now picking every other day and getting a nice basket full. I have shared a couple, three times, but I know charity begins at home so I am chopping it and freezing for the winter also. I do plan to pickle a few jars for myself too.

The tomatoes are so little, disappointed in the size but grateful to God for any tomatoes.

The bell peppers have slowed down but all this rain may help.

The squash was just about non existent anyways but I did not mow it down yet.

The cucumber played out, during that week of no rain they died, so that patch got mowed down.

Soon it`ll be time to plant kale and I will be so glad!

The stockpile :

Besides making a gallon plus a pint of sweet fridge pickles I have not canned anything.

But I have been chopping okra as I pick. I actually have a bag waiting for me to slice.

The Learning :

Its been years since I had to sell anything. So this week I got out and began to promote my no scent added products, I do have other nice smells but people need no scent also. I handed out cards and price lists, samples and handshakes. 

But as I see it if the new business does not make it, I have learned to make body and hair products on the homestead so its a win win situation, although I do believe the business will thrive.

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid - All About Figs

                      

This year time has just about gotten away from me, July is the time for many fruits to ripen and are ready to home can, so that we may "slide" through the winter with delicious foods from our labor in the heat of the year passed.

The Homestead :

The rain stopped and the grass mowing slowed down, however, so did the growing vegetables. 

Rain is back in the forecast and I have to say I want it. I know it slows me down on away from the homestead work but I need it for the crops. I actually had to water the garden and I don`t like using city water but I had to save them plants

From The Garden :

Since I plant my garden early I also have an early harvest. One planting of tomatoes are ready, meaning most of them are turning red all at the same time, I have another crop of Roma tomatoes just now blooming and growing babies.

Bell peppers are coming in but I pick and use those just about as fast as they are ready to pick.

The cucumbers have slowed down, I am not getting a couple a week, just to eat. I did home can what I needed this year.

The okra! I have one row that is baring and one row that is not, due to planting weeks apart. 

The figs. I have picked a couple times and I am home canning as I go.

The stockpile :

It is that time of the year and yes I have began to stock the pantry and freezer.

This year I did not need dill pickles so I made what I am out of, sweet pickle relish. Besides having cucumbers just about daily fresh and raw I have made eleven pint jars of sweet pickle relish, one pint and one quart of sliced fridge pickles with the left over liquid mix. I now have plenty of sweet pickle relish.

I have sliced up, I don`t even recall how many quarts, okra. I know I should keep count! I also gave my sister a small bag and another couple a bag full. 

Tonight I plan to process some tomatoes, I will sauce them again this year since they have been small.

And now to figs! I picked off my tree and made 4 half pints of Fig spread. 

Then a neighbor called for us to come get figs they had picked for us, I sent a jar of honeysuckle jelly and a sack of okra as a trade. I made 9 half pints of sweetened with Splenda preserves for the diabetics, and 13 preserves and 5 fig paste

That should restock me with plenty of fig products.

I really need to make more soups for the winter, that will be on my to do list.

The Learning :

I am always learning something new, from kids or old people and all ages in between. 

I have been working hard on the new store stuff. I am getting nearer to a grand opening but it will always be a work in progress because of the products that I will offer can and will be made to order. Grand opening soon!

~~~~~

Now what is going on around your homestead?

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry