From Scratch magazine Fall 2015

From Scratch FALL 2015

Thanksgiving

on the Homestead

8 herbs for your indoor winter garden

get your chicken coop ready for winter

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Scratch and Peck Feeds • • • • • • •

Organic Chicken Feed Organic Turkey Feed Organic Pig Feed Organic Goat Feed Organic Grains Supplements Non-GMO Meat & Eggs

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Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don’t unravel.

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FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE: Contributors

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Contributors

CHRIS MCLAUGHLIN ASSOCIATE EDITOR LAUGHING CROW COMPANY

JANET GARMAN CHICKEN COLUMNIST TIMBER CREEK FARM

ANNELIESE MARVEL ASSOCIATE EDITOR

STEVEN AND MELISSA JONES, CO-FOUNDERS

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Letter from the Editor (going organic is not for the faint of heart) he griped, moaned and groaned.

In addition, he lagged and dragged all around the quarteracre.

Like his mother, he has no problem telling me exactly what the thinks.

Every chance we got, we drove out to that field and hoed and cursed and sweated and bled and cried a little bit (well, I cried, but he’s a bit too manly for that.

He merely, only occasionally, sufA couple years ago, when my fered a mild allergy attack and family and I decided to do the “got something in his eye”). stupidest thing ever and take up Finally, at the middle of summer, farming, I joined an incubator we had a bumper crop of Green farm program here in North Caro- Griller Squash come in (I cannot lina. recommend this variety enough, It was, by my reckoning, a pretty NE Seeds sells it and it’s fantastic). great start.

We pulled hundreds of pounds of My 15 year old son did not — squash out of that quarter acre. emphatically so — believe that Hundreds. the decision to take up farming While I was still learning the propwas a good one. er time to pick the squash — and Of course, he was chief farm hand some of it was barely usable — it on my little, poorly managed was still an unqualified success. quarter-acre plot.

That boy -- young man, I should All through Spring and Sumsay -- lit up like a Christmas tree. mer as we fought a failing battle Every time we pulled squash, he against the weeds and the insects was just thrilled with the process.

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“Farming should be like this all the time!”

Honestly, though he’d be loathe to admit it, I think he kind of fell in love with the concept of growing food.

It was like a magic trick -- a really difficult, time consuming magic trick, but a magic trick nonetheless.

You put seed in the ground, add water, sunlight, time and you get food.

Good, wholesome, very-good-toeat food.

While it’s not mid-summer, it’s still the end of the harvest season -the fun part.

This is when you get your last harvests and your last gasp of sunshine before the long winter sets in.

This is when we all get to look back on the previous year and count our successes.

Sure, we all have failures and setbacks and those are important too.

But just for a bit, while the days start getting shorter and the leaves start changing colors, just try to remember this is the fun part of the year.

Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family (check out our recipes for the holiday in this issue)!

Enjoy an extended get together FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

with your family and can some veggies!

Go apple picking!

You’ll have plenty of time to review the items in your lose column when the nights are cold and long, while you wait for the first breath of Spring.

We’re going to take this time to learn a few things.

We attended the Sustainable Agriculture Conference in November and we’re going to the first Cultivating Profits with Small Scale Farming (check out both stories on website later).

We’re going to enjoy the Fall harvest season and we hope you do too!

PS-While we’re at it, we’d like to welcome our newest Editor, Anneliese Marvel.

Find out more about this wonderful woman in our profile of her on our blog.

We’re absolutely proud to have her and tickled pink to be working with her.

Check out her blog and let her know how welcome she is!

Steven Jones

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the homesteaders’ gift guide coming soon!

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IN THIS ISSUE

Self-Sustainable Breweries

Thanksgiving on the Homestead

school days with oak meadow

el rancho: farmer profile FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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my big fat green life

8 herbs for your indoor winter garden Palletfest

get your coop ready for winter FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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READER PHOTOS

First chick hatched

by Roberta Augustini

Goodness knows we love receiving photos from our readers!

Look what your fellow homesteaders are up to.

Anna Nemeth sent us this photo of heirloom tomato varieties.

Rebecca Hedlund of Veblen, SD, sent us this beautiful picture of a butterfly in Veblen, South Dakota.

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This turkey is a proud resident of George Washington’s Plantation in Mount Vernon. Photo by Anna Nemeth.

SEND YOUR HOMESTEADING PHOTOS TO

INFO@FROMSCRATCHMAG.COM

Merrijo Cabanaugh sent us this photo of her pig getting in on the chicken’s dinner.

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Thank

on theH

by: Anneli

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ksgiving

Homestead

iese Marvel

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Thanksgiving is just around the corner!

We love the holiday here, as it’s an excellent excuse to stuff yourself silly.

It’s also a great chance to get some great food — locally, sustainably produced food, if possible — and start cooking. We’ve collected our favorite recipes for you.

Try them out and then take some pictures and send them our way.

We’d love to feature them in the next issue of the magazine.

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Turkey CHOOSING THE PERFECT TURKEY Ideally, you ordered your turkey long ahead of time from your local turkey farmer, and it’ll be delivered fresh to you just days before Thanksgiving.

If not, that’s okay! Try to choose the most natural bird you can for the best flavor.

We recommend birds that have been humanely raised and whose meat has not been flavor-injected. You’ll need a pound of meat per person on larger birds and up to two pounds on smaller birds, so whip out your calculator early to ensure you have enough to go around!

Timing

The perfect turkey, unfortunately, does not lend itself to spontaneity. Take a few minutes to figure out how much time you’ll need to thaw and then season your bird.

Depending on the method, it could take you up to 5 days before Thanksgiving to properly prepare, so make sure you have enough space in the fridge! If you’re planning a big meal with lots of guests, it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra cooler and ice available for last-minute storage.

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Thawing If you’ve purchased a frozen turkey, it should be completely thawed by the time you season it, let alone stick it in the oven.

running water (leave the tap at a little more than a drip), which may still take up to 7 hours for a 15-20 pound turkey.

You’ll need to give a frozen turkey 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 5 lbs of bird: a twelve pound bird will need more than two whole days to thaw in the fridge, so plan accordingly!

Note that a fresh, never-frozen bird will take about 15 minutes to cook per pound at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and a defrosted turkey will take about 20 minutes per pound.

You can speed up this process by thawing your bird under cold

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Again, calculator time!

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Preparing Brining, wet or dry, is my preferred method of preparing a turkey. It’s not necessary, so you can skip these steps, but I find it a worry-proof way to ensure a tasty, well-done bird.

Wet Brine Wet-brining has become a popular method of ensuring a moist, perfectly seasoned tur-

key and involves submerging a thawed turkey into a sweet and salty herb solution for several days before roasting. The main drawback to brining is that it takes a lot of space in the refrigerator to accommodate a bird and a container large enough to immerse it. Some work-arounds include turning a drawer from your fridge into a turkey bath for wet brining or using a cooler filled with brine and ice. PS: Don’t brine a kosher turkey, which has been pre-salted, or a turkey with any seasoning pre-added.

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Wet Brine

A good brine, wet or dry, lends itself to creativity, riffing off the basic components of liquid, sugar, salt and spices. Here’s a basic guide for a 12-14 pound turkey:

Dry Brine Dry brining has the advantage of not taking up quite as much space in the fridge, but it requires up to three days for the process to really produce flavorful results.

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 7 quarts cold water • 2 cups salt • ½ cup brown sugar • 1 quart of cider or 1 bottle of white wine • 6 cloves of garlic • 1 tbs peppercorns • 1 tbs dried rosemary • ½ tbs dried sage • 6 bay leaves

• 3 tbs kosher salt • 1 tbs brown sugar • 1 tsp dried rosemary • 1 tsp dried sage • ½ tsp dried thyme • 2 tsp ground black pepper Instructions

Remove giblets and rinse turkey.

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Pat turkey dry with paper Instructions towels, then rub thoroughly with salt mixture. Place on a sheet Remove giblets and rinse turkey. Combine ingredients pan and loosely cover with cling and stir until salt and sugar are wrap. Allow to sit for 1-3 days in the refrigerator. dissolved. Immerse thawed turkey in this mixture in a stock pot or brining bag and refrigerate for 2-3 days.

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Mashed Potatoes

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Basting or Stuffing?

To baste or not to baste? Frankly, I don’t fancy a face full of steam and sputtering turkey juices. A properly prepared bird will yield tasty breast meat without basting.

Basting also makes your oven work extra hard to recover lost heat and delays the cooking process.

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my cup of tea. I prefer to bake my stuffing separately and then drown it in gravy.

The Turkey INSTRUCTIONS • Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before roasting. Double-check that you’ve removed the neck and giblets.

• Lay in the roasting pan breast side up.

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• Tent the breast with aluminum foil.

• Preheat the oven to 450F.

defrosted) and start checking the temperature halfway through the cooking period.

• If you haven’t brined or • Check every 45 minutes after otherwise prepped your bird, the halfway point to avoid now’s the time to rub it with overcooking. a little salt, pepper, and butter.

• Your bird should be cooked • Add 2 cups of water or broth to 165F for safe serving. to the roasting pan.

• When it reaches the correct • Stick it in the oven and turn temperature, remove from the heat down to 350F. the oven and let the meat rest for 30 minutes!

• Plan on about 15 minutes per pound (more if your bird is • Carve it up and enjoy!

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Gravy To yield 8 cups of gravy, follow this formula:

Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds potatoes • ½ cup fat (turkey fat from (we love Yukon Gold, roasting, butter, or a but russet are great too!) combination of both) • 1 tablespoon salt, • ½ cup flour (white, unbleached) plus more to taste • 8 cups liquid (turkey broth, • 1 cup milk, buttermilk or cream juices from cooking turkey, • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or milk) • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper In a large sauce pan, whisk together fat and flour.

Peel and rinse your potatoes, then slice into 1 inch pieces.

Turn heat to medium and bring Place in a medium saucepan the mixture to a boil. Allow to with 1 tbs salt and cold water; bubble for about 4 minutes, until bring to a boil and reduce to a golden brown, before whisking simmer over medium heat until in 1 cup of liquid. potatoes are fork tender.

When potatoes are fork tender, Continue to whisk in liquid remove them from the stove cup by cup until all 8 cups are and drain potatoes through incorporated, then bring to a colander. Return to the hot a boil over medium heat, saucepan and, with the heat off whisking occasionally. but on the hot stovetop, allow the potatoes to release excess Boil for 3 minutes before moisture through steam for 3-5 removing from heat. minutes.

In a small sauce pan, heat

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milk (or cream or buttermilk) over medium heat with butter until steaming.

Whether using an electric mixer or hand-mashing, slowly add the milk-butter mixture and be sure to scrape the sides. Mash or mix until smooth, but don’t overdo it!

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Cornbread Pudding Don’t feel up to pie this year? Don’t fear!

There are lots of easy, delicious desserts out there that don’t require a marble rolling pin.

If you’ve got extra cornbread leftover from making your dressing, turn it into dessert with this cornbread pudding recipe!

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, plus more for serving • 4 large eggs • 3 cups half-and-half • 1 1/2 pounds homemade or store-bought cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes (10 to 12 cups) • 1/4 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 300F. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, liquids, and salt.

Stir in the cubed cornbread until it’s broken down in small pieces and thoroughly moist. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Pour into a greased 8-inch baking pan and use a spoon or spatula to smooth into corners.

Bake for one hour, up to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Serve with maple syrup and/or vanilla ice cream.

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Cornbread Stuffing

• 1⁄2 cup butter • 1⁄2 cup celery, chopped • 1⁄2 cup onion, chopped • 6 cups cornbread, crumbled (approximately) • 1 teaspoon sage • 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper • ¾ c vegetable or turkey broth • 2 eggs, beaten Preheat oven to 450.

In a medium sized skillet, melt the butter and cook the onions and celery until the onions are clear. Add the broth and allow to simmer for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Roasted Pumpkin Puree

• 1 small pumpkin or 1/4 large pumpkin • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 tsp sea salt • ¼ tsp ground clove • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar • 2 tbs butter • 2 tbs milk (or more to taste)

Preheat oven to 400F. Using a large, sharp knife, slice pumpkin in half and scoop out seeds and extra pumpkin goop.

In a large mixing bowl, combine Cut pumpkin into 1-inch slices. cornbread, salt, pepper, and Rub each slice with a little olive herbs and toss gently to mix. oil before laying them out in one Add the eggs and the brothlayer on baking sheets. celery-onion mixture ¼ cup at In a small bowl, mix spices, salt, a time, folding to moisten but and sugar. Sprinkle the pumpkin not drench the corn bread. Pour slices with spice mixture. into a greased 9x11 inch baking Roast until tender, about 20-25 sheet and bake 20-30 minutes, minutes. until dressing is set and golden Remove from heat and allow to brown. cool for 30 minutes.

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School Days with Oak Meadow

Where the learning never stops

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f you’re like us, back to homeschool is in full swing. And while you may be a couple of months into the new school year (or like us, never really stopped), the good people at Oak Meadow are always around to help out with building your curriculum. We had a chance to talk, via e mail, to Deborah Holman, the Director of Communications at Oak FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Meadow. She’s been at the publisher for four years of the company’s 40 years of operation, and in that time she said she’s seen huge growth in the company.

And she knows her stuff, too.

Before coming to work at Oak Meadow she was the director of communications at a co-ed board school in Massachusetts.

Find out what she had to say

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about the company below:

WHAT IS OAK MEADOW?

rience for their children. It is used worldwide by thousands of families, with over 600 students enrolled in our accredited distance learning school each year.​

​ Oak Meadow is publisher of homeschooling curriculum and COULD YOU GIVE US distance learning school for A BRIEF HISTORY OF grades K-12. Our curriculum is THE COMPANY? flexible, creative, and experiential, allowing families to create a O ​ ak Meadow began as a small personalized educational expeFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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independent school in 1975, founded by Lawrence and Bonnie Williams when they were looking for an educational alternative for their own children.

WHAT MAKES OAK MEADOW AND ITS PRODUCTS UNIQUE?

The day school closed a few years later, and Oak Meadow School was reborn as a distance learning school when Lawrence and Bonnie began writing curriculum and making it available to other families. They believed strongly in supporting parents who wanted to homeschool their children and they wanted to offer an imaginative, secular, and comprehensive educational experience at an affordable price ​(more here).

Frequently, we hear from parents how much they are enjoying the curriculum and that they wish they had learned using Oak Meadow themselves

​​ One of the things that makes The school, which blended Oak Meadow unique is that it’s nature-based and Waldorf- fun! inspired learning, had a simple educational philosophy: Learning should be approached Children are sensitive and intel- as an exciting journey of disligent, learning should be enjoy- covery, and that’s how the curable, and education should be riculum is designed. It’s active, artistic, and experiential. integrated into life.

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We know that homeschooling is a learning experience for the whole family, and even as students advance through the grades and become more independent learners, the assignments and projects often involve family members, friends, or community involvement. Nurturing this network of relationships is another unique and essential element of Oak Meadow learning. At Oak Meadow, we believe that education should not solely

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focus on the intellect: social, emotional, artistic, and physical development are all part of, and enhance, the learning experience.

WITH THE CONSTANT INCREASE IN ONLINE LEARNING SERVICES, HAS OAK MEADOW HAD TO ADJUST THE WAY IT PRESENTS ITS INFORMATION AND MATERIALS?

For those who choose to use it, technology is incorporated as a relevant tool for creativity, communication, and collaboration, rather than a platform to disseminate content.

Our enrolled students can submit work, receive teacher feedback, and share ideas with other students on an online educational platform.

At the same time, we also are committed to finding ways to broaden access to our curriculum for families around the world, s​ o we offer a non-interacAligned with our mission to sup- tive digitally-delivered K-8 curport experiential learning is our riculum as a convenience option. belief in the power of print, that reading on paper encourages This digital option was created more effective reading and com- in response to feedback from prehension skills than reading families who travel, live remoteon a digital screen (more here). ly, or for whom high shipping Our print-based curriculum is carefully, thoughtfully supplemented with online tools and resources, but is can be done entirely offline and using printed books. This is to account for those students and families who either choose to avoid digital media or do not have regular access to it.

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costs and long delivery times inhibit purchase of print materials. It is a replication of our high-quality print products and comparably priced. ​

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WHAT NEW ADDITIONS DOES OAK MEADOW HAVE TO ITS CURRICULUM THIS YEAR?

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE HOMESCHOOLERS FACE?

​ Although the homeschooling ​We’re very excited about recent population in the U.S. is growcurriculum revisions​in our K-8 ing rapidly, homeschooling famprogram. While maintaining ilies continue to face long-held the scope of the content and myths about homeschooling: our teaching philosophy, we’ve their kids won’t be socialized, added assignment checklists, the average parent isn’t qualiplanners, materials lists, and fied to teach, colleges won’t learning assessment rubrics to accept homeschoolers (or that track student progress. We also homeschoolers won’t be predeveloped a K-3 Enrichment pared for public school or colPackage with suggested sup- lege), everyone hangs around in plements for home teachers​their pajamas all day (well, that to use in conjunction with the one may be true on occasion!) curriculum. It includes Healthy and so on. But families learn Living From the Start, a won- how to manage those notions. derful health curriculum for chil- What may be perhaps most dren in grades K-3 that explores challenging for families today is a wide range of topics related finding and choosing the right to health and wellness. In addi- curriculum in a field that’s seetion to our newly revised K-8 ing more and more “diploma courses, we have some excel- mill” style businesses popping . It can be hard to know lent new high school courses up​ such as Media Literacy and a how to differentiate between pilot online discussion course a company with a slick website on social justice. More new high whose materials and support school courses are in the pipe- services lack substance, and a high quality, comprehensive line for 2016!

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curriculum that will deliver an engaging learning experience.

This ties into another challenge that faces new homeschoolers in particular: believing that you can homeschool successfully.

Finding the right fit curriculumwise will go a long way toward supporting homeschooling success. If you don’t find the right fit the first time, try something else. Every student and every family is different.

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SHARE WITH OUR READERS? ​ We’re celebrating our 40th anniversary this year, and we just hosted a gala event for all our Brattleboro, VT community partners. At that event we announced our recent accreditation by the oldest accrediting agency in the country, the prestigious New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Oak Meadow is the first distance school to ever receive this distinction. And as I write this, a delegation from

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Oak Meadow (Executive Director Michelle Siegel, High School Director Alan Fortescue, School Liaison Steve Lorenz) is visiting Kunming, China and Taiwan for a 10-day educational exchange and visit to area schools and learning centers​. They were invited to ​ provide thought leadership around the most effective relationship between children, learning, technology, and nature.

Our international market is growing and we have plans to visit other schools and learning centers around the world to assist with teacher training using our newly developed Foundations in

Independent Learning course.​

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO MENTION? ​​ We always encourage people to check our website or get on our mailing list for the most recent updates on new materials, events, and courses. For instance, we will be releasing a brand new Student Planner and Homeschool Parent Planner in the near future. Stay tuned— there’s always something new happening at Oak Meadow!

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My Big Fat Green Life

Blogger Profile FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

M

y Big Fat Green Life is our blogger of the month. Poppy Richards of Michigan began the blog in about 2009.

Since then, she’s written about food, homesteading, veggies, and more. She’s an avid knitter (despite my belief that crochet is the superior fiber art) and claims the title of “International Champion of the Worst Greek Person Ever“ when it comes to Greek food. In Between doing all that and blogging, Poppy’s day job is as a physician scheduling coordinator for about 100 different doctors while her husband is a truck driver. We recently got a chance to talk to Poppy (via email) and this is what she told us:

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BLOG?

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load wasn’t enough excitement for me. I called it My Big Fat Green Life because I am Greek, it was early in the morning when inspiration struck. Plus I have no imagination without a gallon of coffee.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POST AND WHY? Oh this one is tough because I have two. But the one that reminds me of all of the wondrous blessings in our lives is the story of us finding and instantly falling in love with our homestead. It has been a long and winding journey with plenty of stops and starts, which I guess is to be expected when you buy a farmhouse that was built when Abraham Lincoln was President!

I’ve been (sporadically) blog- WHAT DO YOU HOPE ging and promising to be bet- TO ACCOMPLISH IN ter about it since 2009. I started THE FUTURE WITH blogging because I had decided to go back to school to YOUR BLOG? get a degree in Environmental Sciences. For some reason hav- I hope to start blogging more! ing a full time job and a full class By sharing my triumphs maybe someone will be inspired to try FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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or do something that I’ve done, because if I can do it then surely they can too! And by sharing my tragedies hopefully they can learn from my mistakes!

HOW DO YOU DEFINE HOMESTEADING?

to homestead when you buy a farmhouse with a 155 year old dairy barn, a chicken coop/run and orchard already there!

WHAT KIND OF ANIMALS DO YOU HAVE? We currently have fourteen chickens, three house cats and approximately 30,000 bees. I’ve worn my beloved husband down and he has agreed to goats and ducks come spring!

It is definitely a state of mind.

When my husband and I first got married we lived in a condominium in a suburb of Detroit. We grew veggies, fruit and herbs in pots on the back deck, we preserved food by freezing, drying I BELIEVE CROCHET and canning; we even set up a drying rack which the asso- IS SUPERIOR TO ciation made sure I took down KNITTING. DO YOU after each use. I think it’s a need AGREE OR DISAGREE that you feel to do it for yourself, whatever it is: Chickens, sewing, AND WHY? beekeeping, knitting, canning -I believe that you are wrong. do all the things!

Mainly because I can knit and, my Yiayia would be ashamed, HOW LONG I crochet poorly. With knitting HAVE YOU BEEN you can knit very flat things, crochet is all bumpy. Or is that just HOMESTEADING? me?

We bought our first house, the condo, in 2008 and the farmhouse in 2013. It’s hard NOT FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO GROW AND WHY?

house, plus stray sewing needles in the carpet from that one time I thought I would hand quilt (what was I thinking?). A Halloween wall hanging? We’ve Active participation - pumpkins! got that too.

I love making pumpkin pie and pumpkin everything else from I am the Intercontinental fresh pumpkins.

Champion of the Worst Greek Passive participation - the fruit Person Ever when it comes to trees in the orchard. We have Greek food. I find feta barely tolapple, cherry, quince, pear trees. erable, I strongly dislike mousWe just planted peach, nectar- saka, and no olives are getting ine, plum and mulberry, more past these lips. I hear tell that apple and cherry!

I make a very good spanakopita (spinach pie) -- even making my own phyllo. But I’ve never TELL US ABOUT tried it and the so-trendy-youYOURSELF: can-barely-find-any-other-kind Greek yogurt is unpleasant!

Well, it’s just my husband and My Yiayia used to make yogurt I -- we don’t have any children. when she would come during I work full-time as a physician the summer and stay with us. My scheduling coordinator for a Yoplait loving teenage palate group of 100 physicians and my just couldn’t handle the yogurt husband is a truck driver. she made. I want to like Greek I love reading and am usually yogurt, I have tried liking Greek reading 3 books at once; an yogurt, but I just can’t. audiobook for my long commute, a paper book for when I’m We have recently acquired sitting still, and a kindle book. I two tractors and I can drive very much enjoy knitting and them! We have an International I’m really great at being distract- Harvester Cub Lo Boy and a ed by my Next Most Awesome Farmall Cub (which is my favorProject, leaving WIP’s (works- ite) to go along with our lawn in- progress) laying around the FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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tractor, a John Deere which I jokingly call my Johnny popper -- and a shiny new Husqvarna garden tractor. which The garden tractor is just a beefy lawn mower that have attachments like plows with, which I cannot believe I know! A few years ago I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the difference between a FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Farmall and a John Deere (we are a IH/Farmall family). We go to tractor shows and tractor pulls and we belong to a tractor club. and I am in love with it all!

Links: http://www.mybigfatgreenlife.net/2013/01/a-tale-abouthouse.html

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The Herbal

Natural Solutions for you

visit www.theherbalhomestead.com for information on how natural solutions can change your life.

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Homestead

i

ur Health, Mind and Spirit.

Download the free Essential Oil Guide FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Crazy about Copper

Old Dutch Solid Copper Hammered Teakettle Amazon - $51.17

Copper Fire Pit Front Gate - $399 Steel Ash Bucket Amazon - $39.95 FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Moscow Mule 100% Solid Pure Copper Unlined Mug /Cup Amazon - $44.99

Copper Hanging Baskets Amazon - $10.99

Copper Birkenstock Amazon - $99.95

Copper Flatware Amazon - $59.49 FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Gratitude can transfo thanksgivings, turn rou change ordinary oppo

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orm common days into utine jobs into joy, and ortunities into blessings.

- William Arthur Ward

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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven Fall is my favorite season. The cool days, the beautiful changing colors of the leaves, the hot drinks, the smell of cinnamon and spice.

Nothing makes my heart happier then putting on a warm sweater and sitting down with a good book and an amazing cup of coffee in front of a warm fire. With the changing of each season it seems to bring about a new mood. For me autumn is a time of reflection. A time of comfort. A season of gratitude. The hard work and heat of summer in the past and the enjoyment of seeing the harvest in our pantry. So take some time to enjoy nature’s beauty and let this be a season to be thankful.

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6 Fall Chicken Coop Preparations to Make Right Now By: Janet Garman FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Fall is in the air. Finally! Chickens love fall too. They enjoy all of the end of season produce and pumpkin is a favorite treat in our coop. Don’t forget to grab an extra pumpkin or two to give to your feathered friends during the winter. Pumpkins have a long shelf life if kept in a cool, dry storage area.

Well, for one, in many areas of the country the weather is much wetter and colder . There are areas of the country that don’t see bare earth after the snow begins to fall in late October or sometimes earlier!

But don’t despair. I narrowed the list down to just a few key items to focus on while preEven though fall around here paring your chickens for winter is absolutely the most beauti- weather. ful season for weather, it is also the time to gather supplies for winter.

1. Start the season

Last year, for example, we were going about our business enjoying the beautiful fall season in the mid-Atlantic area and BAM! A cold front moved in suddenly and we all scrambled to get the water heaters hooked up, the tarps secured, and plenty of hay and straw stocked to get through an early season nor’Easter.

Why go through that two years in a row? This year I will get my winter preparations done earlier.

What makes winter different than any other time of the year?

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with a clean coop

Clean out the coop completely.

Start by emptying all the nest boxes, bedding, and whatever you use to cover the coop floor.

When your coop is completely swept out, walk around the outside and look for areas where rodents might be entering the coop. If you can enter the coop, do the same thing on the inside.

If you can’t fit into the coop to inspect, use a flashlight to look for structure damage and holes.

If you notice any holes or openings, repair them. If the holes are in the floor or lower por-

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tion of the wall I recommend using some cement to plug the holes. Roost bars should be cleaned and dusted with diatomaceous earth to remove any mites. Allow the bars to sit in the sun for more help with insect control and disinfecting.

Remember: Clean and dry surfaces are healthy surfaces.

While you are in the cleaning mode, pick up any debris that may have accumulated around the coop. Weeds, sticks and trash give rodents a place to hide. If the area is cleaned up, the rodents are more exposed and may not try to mooch dinner from the chickens.

2. Check the

coop’s ventilation

Dust off the ceiling of the coop and make sure the roof ventilation is not blocked by debris, dust, or leaves. Ventilation is just as important to a healthy coop atmosphere in the winter as in the summer. Without adequate ventilation, moisture will collect in the coop. Moisture

during cold temperatures can lead to frostbite on combs, wattles and feet. It will also contribute to unhealthy accumulation of ammonia in the air making your chickens more susceptible to respiratory illness.

3. Inspect

the Roof

Next, check the roof itself. Make sure the shingles are in good repair and still firmly attached to the roof. Make the repairs now while the weather is fine. It is no fun at all to be repairing the coop roof during a heavy rainstorm.

4. Check the lights (for you, not the chickens)

Check the cords for any light you may depend on to brighten the coop once daylight savings time is over. Sometimes extension cords stop working. They may have shorted out or been damaged somehow. While I FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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don’t recommend extending daylight in the coop for the chickens to lay more eggs, I do appreciate being able to turn on a light when feeding in the fall. When daylight savings time ends, darkness comes so early!

5. Check on the Water

Check your water system. If you use a hose to get water to the coop area, check that it is in good shape. Does it have holes in it? Where do you hang the hose when not in use so that water doesn’t freeze inside of it?

6. Grab a Little

more Feed

Now is the time to stock a little bit more feed than you normally stock during the warm summer months. Using this method you will not run out of feed during a winter storm. Summer storms seem to be shorter in duration than winter storms. And afterward the chickens can go back FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

to foraging for weed, greens, and insects. During the winter storms may dump large amounts of snow. Afterwards your chickens will need to be fed grain and may need to be kept inside for an extended time. Be ready for this possibility by having chicken feed on hand beyond what you normally use. What do I do?

We normally use 100 lbs of feed per week, give or take. During the winter I like to have 2 or 3 bags of feed in the feed room at all times. This way, if I can’t get to the store, or the store does not get it’s delivery of feed, I can easily wait. Of course your amount will be whatever works for your flock. I just don’t recommend playing it too close to empty during the winter.

Chickens are rather cold hardy beings and have built in insulation with the thick feathers that come in after molt each year.

Keep the coop draft free, well ventilated,dry, and have plenty of grain to keep them fed along with fresh water. Your chickens won’t mind winter one bit.

Janet Garman blogs at Timber Creek Farm. She’s also the writer of Chickens From Scratch: Raising Your Own Chickens from Hatch to Egg Laying and Beyond.

Find out more about her book here.

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Click here to read now! read it

The ultimate guide to raising chickens FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Palletfest upcycling in colorado by: steven jones

I

f you were in Colorado this past summer, you may have been witness to one of the biggest upcycling events in the United States: Palletfest.

If not, then you may have a couple questions: “What’s upcycling?” and “Palletfest?”

Upcycling, for the uninitiated, FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

is the act of taking refuse and turning it into something better. In this case: Pallets.

Pallets are the often unused packing material discarded by stores, warehouses and any mass shipping operation.

Pallets (which are unsung heroes of our modern global

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economy) are usually made of wood (although sometimes plastic) and are accessible to anyone, anywhere.

Most of the time they can be procured free of charge, which means anyone who wants to make something out of pallets has an almost non-existent budget for materials.

The wood is many times mostly untreated and is most commonly made of pine or oak, which lends them to all sorts of different uses (if you don’t think so, google “pallet” and see what comes up).

Palletfest is the brainchild of Kenny Fischer, the founder of FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Upcycle events and Palletfest.

Fischer told us that he started the festival -- an arts and upcycling festival -- two years ago.

“Palletfest is the ultimate upcycling event,” Fischer said.

“Our real focus is the upcycling itself. We’re really just trying to introduce this cause to the masses. In order to take it (upcycling) from a movement to the next green industry, we felt we needed a face and that’s what Palletfest is.”

attendees to palletfest can once a year in Denver and learn all about these fascinating objects and what can be done with them.

“Palletfest is meant to show people alternatives to trashing things,” Fischer said.

The first year the event was held, it drew more than 5,000 visitors. This year, Palletfest brought in 8,000.

“People are coming and So, for the last couple of years, they’re coming with very little FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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expectations,” Fischer said.

“They leave with a spark, a little bit of inspiration.”

Fischer and his family practice what they preach. Years ago, he and his family moved out of the Denver area to start homestead in the San Luis Valley. His wife has a Masters in Sustainable Business and Fischer has been a certified permaculturalist for years.

The idea for Palletfest started on his homestead.

The family began using pallets for building with a simple project: A chicken coop.

After that, while doing some research on alternative housing, he found a plan for a home built with pallets.

“It was that moment, that I realized “Wow! Upcycling can address real world issues, it’s about solving problems,” he said.

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So, he started Palletfest.

But, really, why pallets? Why not trying to upcycle old tires?

“Pallets are like Legos for adults,” Fischer said. “You can take a pallet and make a wine rack, you can make a table or a house … why not an entire festival?”

And despite focusing on palFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

lets for the festival, Fischer’s still on a mission.

“Our focus is still … around upcycling itself,” he said. “The no brainer is it (upcycling) keeps items out of the landfill.

If someone needs a table, they don’t have to send their money overseas and have a table shipped back to us. Plus, we’re keeping our money local …

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working with our hands again.

In order to reach more people, Fischer decided to make the event free. Palletfest is entirely sponsor supported and he’s planning to turn the enterprise into a non profit.

joined on knowing there was nothing in it for them. People believe in what we’re trying to do.”

Fischer said there’s no limit to what can be achieved with Palletfest.

“This event can be duplicated “What’s been really motivating is the partnerships,” Fischer globally,” he said. said. “A lot of these people FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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PALLET BUILDING TIPS you go. This has the benefits

of saving time -- as you don’t need to take pallets apart and Kenny Fischer gave us some great tips for building with pal- they have mass, which means they don’t need much to keep lets: them in place. Pallets are made to stack, after all.

YOU COULD JUST

STACK THEM

Instead of deconstructing -and then reconstructing -- pallets, you could always just stack the pallets into whatever you needed them to be, attaching them together with fasteners as FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

CHECK THE MARKINGS On each pallet, if you look, you can find markings on the side.

Usually those markings are the initials US -- indicating the pallets were made in the United

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States. That’s usually followed by a number, which is the number of the facility the pallet was made in. Fischer said to look for the letters “HT,” which means the pallet was heat treated. That means it was built without chemical treatment and it won’t off-gas harmful chemicals over the life of whatever you’re building. Avoid “MT” or “C,” Fischer said, as that indicates the pallet was treated with chemicals.

BREAK OUT THE RECIPROCATING SAW A reciprocating saw is probably going to be the best way to disassemble pallets. You can try other ways, but you’ll go through a lot of prying (and from my personal experience, cursing). Pallets are made to last, Fischer said -- most of them get reused through their lifetime. Because of this, the pallets are going to be difficult to pry apart, which means FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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it’s easier to use a reciprocating saw to simply cut the nails off between the boards. There is a specialized tool, however, that Fischer swears by: The Pallet Pal. It’s basically a stand up crowbar, specifically designed to take apart pallets.

“I was shocked at how well it worked,” Fischer said.

STAKE IT DOWN

If you don’t want to take your pallets apart and then build with the material, you can always assemble them into different constructions as single units -- “Legos for adults” as FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Fischer said. Essentially, you fasten the pallets together at the sides -- adding plates to the to the top and bottom to fasten them there (there’s lot’s of tutorials online to learn how). This has the advantage of saving the intrepid pallet builder labor, it does, however, require a bit more skill. Also, the pallets have to be of similar -- nearly identical -- dimensions. Fischer said if you do decide to take this route, make sure to add stakes at the bottom of the structure to anchor it to the ground. This adds a lot of much needed stability to the overall structure.

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8 herbs for your indoor winter garden By: Lady Lee

T

here is nothing like picking fresh mint for your honey sweetened tea from your indoor herb garden on a freezing morning in the dead of winter. Or maybe a few stems of rosemary and thyme to flavor your dinner.

Growing herbs indoor during the winter might be easier than you think. There is no need for special growing lights, oversized pots, or intensive care. Herbs will do just fine in a 6’’ pot on a sunny windowsill.

There are many kinds of herbs that can grow indoors. I choose the eight bellow because they are easy to grow and have endless culinary and medicinal uses.

8 Herbs for Your Indoor Winter Garden 1. Cilantro/Coriander

Cilantro is an annual herb. If you let cilantro go to seed, you’ll get two herbs from one plant; the leaves, and the seeds that are called coriander. Cilantro leaves So, even though the growing are soft, thin and very flavorful. season is coming to an end, Both cilantro and coriander are herb gardening is simply mov- commonly used in Mexican and ing indoors.

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cilantro/coriander

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rosemary FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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e parsley

as many others. been shown to suppress formaCilantro is rich in antioxidants tion of tumors. It is high in vitaand vitamin A, C, and K. min K, C, and A and is a good source of folic acid (promotes healthy heart).

2. Parsley There are two main groups of parsley: curly leaf and flat (Italian) leaf. A third kind of parsley is less known and is grown mainly for its root (leaves are edible too). Italian parsley is used more commonly for cooking and fresh in salads because of it’s stronger flavor while curly leaf parsley is used more for decorative garnish.

3. Rosemary

Rosemary is a fragrant, evergreen perennial that will most likely not survive a harsh winter.

If cared for, it can grow many years and reach a substantial bush size of up to 3 feet tall.

Rosemary is used to flavor foods, and bunches of rosemary are used for their fragrance and decoration. Rosemary can also Parsley is a biennial herb that be used as pest repellent in the prefers cool weather. It will grow garden. a flower stalk in the second year.

Parsley contains a volatile oil Rosemary is a source of iron, named Myristicin, which has calcium, and vitamin B6.

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chives

4. Chives Chives are perennial herbs that grow in dense clusters, 12-20 inches tall. They are the smallest species of the onion family and has hollow leaves and purple flowers that are also edible (preferably before they open).

Chives are used in the kitchen just like green onions; to flavor soups, salads, fish, potatoes and many other dishes.

Chives contain trace amounts of sulfur and are rich in vitamins A and C. They are also rich in calcium and iron. They have the FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

same medical properties of garlic but are much weaker.

5. Thyme Thyme is a perennial that thrives in warm, dry weather. In the South, it usually survives the winter, however, on a northern homestead it might need some protection. There are more than 300 verities of thyme.

Thyme has many culinary uses and pairs tastefully with lemon and garlic. Thyme essential oil is used as a therapeutic oil as well as in soaps, lotions, and even candles.

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6. Oregano

You can use mint in teas, salads, and desserts.

Mint promotes healthy digestion, can relieve nausea and headaches, and is very helpful with respiratory disorders.

Oregano is a perennial that will most likely survive a cold winter.

However, it’s most comfortable in hot, dry claimants. Oregano will spread vigorously through the garden; therefore, it might be smart to grow it in pots even 8. Lemon Balm outdoors.

Lemon balm is a perennial that grows in clumps and will spread Oregano is an inseparable part vigorously. During the summer, of almost any Italian or Greek small white flowers will appear. dish. Oregano is used to fla- Those flowers are full of nectar vor meat, fish, vegetables, and and will attract bees. sauces.

Lemon balm is mostly used for tea and sometimes to flavor ice It is rich in antioxidants and cream. is antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory.

Oregano Lemon balm is rich in antioxiessential oil is used to support dants and is antiviral and antithe digestive system and relieve bacterial. It will help support joint pain among many other your immune system. Lemon uses. balm can help reduce redness and itching from eczema and infections. It will also help with 7. Mint insomnia and tension.

Mint is a perennial herb that likes to grow close to pools of So now that we know a little bit water or in misty areas. It likes about each of the herbs for the lower temperatures and partial indoor winter garden let’s see shade. Mint will send runners how we get this garden going‌ and take over the garden if left alone.

Mint will deter the bad bugs while attracting the good bugs.

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Where Can I Get Herbs?

Seeds – you can start all those herbs from seed. Some are

easier than others to start. If you want to start from seeds, you will have to start thyme, rosemary, oregano, chives, mint and lemon balm during the growing season, when the days are longer, and there is more available light. You can start them outdoors in spring, and then move the pots indoors in fall.

You should start parsley and cilantro from seed. You can start seeds spring or in Fall since both cilantro and parsley like cool temperatures. Let me suggest a very cool product here: Johnny’s Selected Seeds seed discs for parsley and cilantro.

Those are 4” round fabric disks that will fit in a 6” pot. They have some seeds inside them that are pre-spaced. The discs are very easy to plant, and you can find other seed disks on their site.

Cutting

– you can start rosemary, mint, oregano, lemon balm, and thyme from cutting.

With scissors or a sharp knife cut a 3-4 inch stem of new growth from a healthy plant, preferably one that is growing outdoors.

Clean the leaves from the bottom 1 1/2’’, and place the stem in a jar of water. The water should reach the lower leaves. Place the jar on your windowsill or in another place with plenty of natural light, but not direct sun. Change the water daily. Every herb is different, you can see roots after two days or three weeks. When roots are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, it’s time to plant the stems in soil.

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Division – you can divide chives, lemon balm, and mint, and you might be able to divide oregano as well.

This job is better done on an overcast, damp day in the spring.

You will need a shovel, a pair of pruning clippers and a healthy plant that grows outdoors. Dig around the area of the plant that you want to divide. Try to go 10 to 15 inches deep. Then, place your shovel in the center of the plant (or off center, depending on how big of a section you want to divide), and push down on the shovel to cut and divide the plant. You might need the help of the clippers to cut some roots.

Plant the divided piece in a pot with plenty of compost and good potting soil and water thoroughly.

Nursery

– Your local plant nursery, home and garden supply store or even your local supermarket should have rosemary, mint, oregano, lemon balm, and thyme in small pots for sale.

They might have seeds for cilantro and parsley as well.

It will be a small investment to purchase your herbs this way, however, except cilantro and parsley, you won’t have to buy them ever again assuming you care for them properly.

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How should I plant my herbs?

of the way full with a mixture of compost and potting soil. Plant your herb in the center and add some more potting mix/comHere are a few points to post around it. Water well and consider… keep away from direct sun but Used good potting soil, prefer- in a location with plenty of light. ably organic.

Where should I place the Use a lot of compost. I use pots?

my homemade compost or my A sunroom will work best. If you worm castings. don’t have a sunroom, choose a sunny window. A south facing Choose a pot that allow for window will work great during good drainage. the winter. Your herbs will do good with 5-7 hours of light a You might want to plant one day. herb per pot. You should plant oregano, lemon balm, mint and chives in a separate pot since How should I care for my indoor herbs? those herbs spread.

Even if you have enough room in your house, your herbs will appreciate spending time outdoors once spring arrives. So make sure you plant your herbs in pots that you can easily transfer outdoor in spring.

There is so little to do!

Water your plants when the top layer of the soil is dry, once or twice a week. If you want to give your plants a bit of a boost, you can water with compost tea. Then, rotate the pots every 4-5 days to promote You’ll find instructions for plant- even growth since plants tend ing seeds on the back of the to grow towards the light. That’s pack. If you are planting a nurs- it! ery plant, a divided plant or a rooting stem, fill your pot 3/4 FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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How and when should I make ten times tastier, and your hot tea much more relaxing and harvest my herbs?

With annuals (cilantro and parsley), you can start harvest as soon as the plant has established.

You should cut the springs a couple of inches from the soil.

Harvesting will stimulate new growth assuming your plant is getting enough light and nutrients from good compost.

You should go easy on the perennials (thyme, rosemary. oregano, chives, mint and lemon balm) during the first year. Allow them to establish and put on enough growth. When you harvest, make sure not to cut the stems too close to the soil, leave at least 1/3 of the plant height intact.

Once the plant has established, you can harvest as much as you want. Harvesting will stimulate new growth. Just make sure to always leave some leafy growth on the plant.

So go get a few herbs, pots, soil, and compost and start your indoor herb garden! Those herbs will make any dinner you FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

soothing. They will help you strengthen your immune system during the cold months of winter and make your house smell better.

Best of all, the little garden will scratch the winter gardening itch! You can even stick your fingers in the soil when times get too hard.

Lady Lee is a wife and a mother with a soul of a farmer and a passion for homegrown and homemade everything. She lives in NC but was born in Israel and raised in a small agricultural community where everything was grown, made and shared. At ladyleeshome.com she blogs about vegetables and herb gardening, food, and shares DIY projects.

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the herbal academy of new england answers your questions

Q: I HAVE HEARD OF ADAPTOGENS BUT I DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE OR WHY I WOULD TAKE ONE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN? A: Adaptogens are herbs that work to restore balance to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), which when out of balance contributes to depression of the immune system, hormonal imbalances, and issues with the nervous system such as anxiety, depression and irritability (Winston, 2004).

Unfortunately, the chronic long term stress people experiFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

ence which is so rampant in our culture today can result in an imbalance to the HPA axis by causing this system to be chronically stimulated. Because adaptogens assist in restoring balance to the HPA axis, these herbs help the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems handle stress better, easing the overall effect of stress on the body.

Adaptogens are helpful when there has been prolonged stress that has left the body overtaxed as well as during times of great stress, such as starting a new job, moving to a new home, or pend-

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ing work deadlines. Adaptogens tend to either regulate or stimulate the immune system and so can be helpful for people suffering with recurrent colds that are so common during times of stress (Winston, 2007). Regular use of adaptogenic herbs also helps to promote longevity.

If you are experiencing the effects of long term stress, you may have symptoms such as sleep issues and morning

fatigue, feeling overwhelmed with low stress tolerance, issues with concentration and racing thoughts, frequent infections with prolonged healing time, premenstrual syndrome, insulin resistance, and accompanying abdominal weight gain (Romm, 2014). These signs indicate that an adaptogen may help you rebalance your response to stress and feel better.

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HERBAL Q&A WITH HANE Q: I AM INTERESTED IN TAKING AN ADAPTOGEN AND HAVE HEARD THAT ASHWAGANDHA IS A USEFUL ADAPTOGEN. HOW WOULD I KNOW IF IT IS A GOOD HERB CHOICE FOR ME?

and fatigue as well as to help increase stamina and strength.

Ashwagandha is an antidepressant that helps to rejuvenate and uplift the spirits (Jones, 2000). Whereas many adaptogens tend to be stimulating, ashwagandha is a calming adaptogen that helps to relax the mind and is generA: Understanding the specific ally helpful for people who are benefits of an herb can help you decide if it is a good fit for over-stressed. It also enhances you. Here is some information memory and the learning proabout ashwagandha that might cess (Jones, 2000). help you in your decision.

However, if you are still unsure, Ashwagandha stimulates the please consult an herbalist or a thyroid gland, so it may be naturopath. Always notify your useful for people dealing with doctor of herbal supplements, hypothyroidism (Winston, 2007).

Typical of adaptogens, ashwawhich may interact with pregandha is a wonderful immunoscribed medications. modulator that helps to regulate the immune system and may be ASHWAGANDHA (Withania helpful for those experiencing somnifera) has a long history frequent infections. Its traditionof use in India particularly as al use indicates ashwagandha is a longevity and reproductive a beneficial reproductive tonic tonic as well as a nourishing for both men and women that food when mixed with milk helps to stimulate the sex drive.

(Winston, 2007). Herbalists use ashwagandha to regenerThe potential benefits of ashwaate the nervous system while gandha can be summed up as help easing insomnia, stress, FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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follows: • CALMS AND RELAXES THE MIND • HELPS WITH MEMORY • ANTIDEPRESSANT THAT LIFTS THE SPIRITS • REGULATES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM • HELPS WITH INSOMNIA • BENEFICIAL FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM • A REPRODUCTIVE TONIC THAT STIMULATES THE SEX DRIVE Although ashwagandha is generally considered to be a safe herb, there are some cautions to consider. It is not recommended during pregnancy or for people who are sensitive to plants in the nightshade family.

Q: THE HOLIDAY SEASON TENDS TO BE VERY STRESSFUL FOR ME. ARE THERE ANY HERBS THAT WOULD HELP ME HANDLE THE STRESS BETTER?

egorized by herbalists as nervines can be used when needed throughout the holiday season to nourish and calm the nervous system. Herbs such as chamomile, lemon balm, St. John’s wort, rose, and skullcap act as nervines that can help reduce anxiety and take the edge off when things get stressful. These herbs are especially lovely as teas - after all, taking some time to sit calmly and sip a cup of tea is a stress relieving act in itself.

If insomnia is an issue, relaxing nervines such as passionflower, valerian, California poppy, and catnip can be taken as a tincture before bed to help encourage restful sleep. For support throughout the holiday season, adaptogens can be of use.

Taken daily over a period of time such as weeks or months, these herbs help the body to better deal with stress. Ashwagandha, Eleuthero, holy basil, and rhodiola are popular adaptogen choices.

For more information about healthy ways to deal with stress A: The good news is that herbs herbalist Rosemary Gladstar can be very helpful when life offers us a wonderful book Herbs gets stressful. Herbs that are cat- for Stress & Anxiety: How to Make FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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e ashwagandha

and Use Herbal Remedies to Strengthen the Nervous System.

Herbalist David Hoffman’s book An Herbal Guide to Stress Relief: Gentle Remedies and Techniques for Healing and Calming the Nervous System is another helpful resource. And for an in-depth look at adaptogens, David Winston and Steven Maimes book, Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief is extremely helpful.

References: Gladstar, Rosemary. (2014).

Herbs for Stress & Anxiety: How to Make and Use Herbal Remedies to Strengthen the Nervous System. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

Jones, Feather. (2000). Personal FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Communication.

Rocky Mountain Center Of Botanical Studies. Boulder, CO. Romm, Aviva.

(2014).

Adaptogens: Herbs for Beating Stress, Fighting Fatigue & Banishing Cravings. Retrieved on 9/9/15 from http://avivaromm.com/adaptogens-beating-stress Winston, David, and Maimes, Steven. (2007). Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.

Winston, David. (2004). Harmony Remedies: An Overview of Adaptogens. Retrieved on 8/27/15 from https://www.herbalstudies.net/_media/resources/library/HarmonyRemedies(1). pdf

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Farmer Profile:

El Rancho

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very issue, From Scratch magazine profiles farms from all over the world. This week, we spoke with Laura del Valle, the head of El Rancho, an organic farm part of the Mar de Jade, a retreat and vacation resort on the tropical Pacific Coast. El Rancho is an organic farm where food is grown for the resort and a kids program run by Mar de Jade for the local community, in the town of Las Varas. The farm also serves as a model for the local farm community, which, according to the website, is dependent on monoculture processes, including the industrial farm practices that comes with that.

Check out the interview with Ms. Laura below:

WHERE IS EL RANCHO? The Farm is located east off highway 200 about 15 minutes from Mar de Jade.

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WHAT IS MAR DE JADE? Mar de Jade can be described as a Socially Responsible “Wellness Center”. Mar de Jade has become a well known internationally for attending to groups and individuals that are focused on wellness, collaboration and progressive values in general. It offers a lively, yet low key, cozy atmosphere for people to be able to step back and reconnect to inner peace, happiness and compassion.

This settling into oneself is easily inspired by the exquisite beauty of our natural surroundings. Perhaps the serenity runs deep due to thirty five years of including social justice in our purpose and way of life thus creating significance and balance to the resort experience .

CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF HISTORY OF EL RANCHO? The “Rancho” was acquired

by Mar de Jade in 2008. It is seven hectares and the only productive crop at the time we FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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bought it was a mango grove.

The majority of our groups practice yoga and/or meditation. Eating healthy and delicious food while participating in a week long intensive retreat was a natural priority. There are no organic farms in our region so we decided to learn how to got back to basic sustainable farming that was the way of life in rural Mexico just a few of generations back in before the advent of mono-cultures commercial farming.

flowers that attract bees, lady bugs; curing with neem, garlic, chile. I am not familiar with the methods used in the US, so I cannot compare.

ARE THERE ANY UNIQUE SYSTEMS OR METHODS USED AT EL RANCHO THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO LOCAL CULTURE? We pretty much plant and take care of the annual crops (native corn, beans, alfalfa, peanuts, jamaica, pineapples, mangos) as they have been planted and harvested traditionally on small farms in Mexico before the advent of commercial farming.

YOUR WEBSITE STATES THE FARM IS ORGANIC. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN “ORGANIC” FARM IN MEXICO, VERSUS ONE IN THE UNITED YOUR WEBSITE STATES THE FARM PROVIDES STATES, IF ANY? FOR A KIDS PROGRAM. We don’t use chemicals for pest WHAT IS THAT control or fertilizers. We pretPROGRAM AND ty much follow bio-intensive methods of farming by making HOW IS THE FARM our own compost, and using ASSOCIATED WITH IT? raised vegetables beds that have great biodiversity such herbs that repel insects, using FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Mar de Jade has founded two programs for the children of

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rural Mexican farm families: one is an after school program, Club de Amigos, that helps low income kids who are having behavioral or learning problems at school. This program has been in existence 20 years.

We feed, help with homework, teach art, computers, games. and provide a psychologist for the kids and a mothers group that deals with “teaching with love rather than teaching with fear� The other is a Montessori/Waldorf pre kinder and primary school incorporated to the state education program for children in the fishing village of Chacala. Profit from Mar de jade guest income funds these programs.

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At the farm we are preparing to start a pilot project for low income adolescents who have dropped out of school called Youth Village (Aldea de Jovenes) where youth from 15 to 25 will learn life skills that include: organic farming, organic egg production, bee keeping and other trades such as carpentry, food processing of local organic products. The other components are finishing their formal educations ( math and literacy), arts, sports, and emotional intelligence/mindfulness Buddhist practices for team building and democratic participation in community life.

Find out more about El Rancho here. Also, watch our blog for an extended interview,

coming soon!

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Click here for more info

Happy Hen Treats Premium Treats for Chickens Visit us online to find a dealer near you!

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SelfSustainable Breweries FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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With seasons changing and the holidays around the corner, nothing is better then enjoying a nice cold beer to set the mood.

Better yet, a beer from a self-sustainable brewery! Part of homesteading is supporting others who also live a homegrown lifestyle.

So, why not look into buying your beer from a self-sustainable brewery? There are so many in the U.S. that one may be near you!

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New Belgium Brewing Fort Collins, CO Asheville, NC This brewery is employee owned and loves to give back to

different charities such as environmental education and a local grant program. They take pride in many bicycle advocacy projects. There is another one of their breweries in Asheville, NC. Their seasonal Pumkpkick Ale tastes exactly like pumpkin with a surprising cranberry juice addition.

Sierra Nevada Chico, CA Sierra Nevada is one of many breweries is another that

reuse the brew grains and give them back to local farms for animal feed. They are also solar-operated and use natural lighting to illuminate the inside, which helps keep down on energy. Sierra Nevada also holds another brewery in Mills River, NC. Their seasonal beer, Oktoberfest, is in collaboration with Brauhaus Riegele, Augsburg.

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Great Lakes Brewing Cleveland, OH Great lakes brewery is one of many that sends their

grain to local farms, but also reuses the grains for their in house baked goods. The best part about this brewery is that the have their own gardens to grow their ingredients for beer, food, and herbs. They take great pride in their German heritage and came out with their own Oktoberfest, which is offered July-October.

Brewery VivantGrand Rapids, M.I They were the first brewery in the U.S to be LEED

Certified, which means Leadership in energy and environmental design framework. They do their own in house recycling and also buy all their ingredients locally.

Check out their Pumpkin Tart. The smell of nutmeg, ginger, and pumpkin definitely gives the beer a pumpkin pie taste.

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Yards BrewingPhiladelphia, PA Yards Brewing is a very self sufficient brewery!

First off, they use cardboard for all their packaging and handling. They also reuse water and hold a wind-powered brewery. The company planted 20,000 bee gardens over the past year to help keep their own surroundings green. They explain that Bees help pollinate agriculture, but usually get killed off from pesticides that are used all over the world. Yards Brewing provides an organic area to grow the ingredients that their beer needs. Try their DRYNKPYNK. This cherry & raspberry flavored beer is said to be refreshingly dry. The company donates 1 dollar from every case to breast cancer awareness!

Alaskan BrewingJuneau, AK This brewery uses a carbon dioxide reclamation system. The

system allows 1 million pounds less of carbon dioxide to enter the air each year. They call their environmentally friendly ways, beer powered beer. They also use a mash filter press that allows them to reuse the hops, water, and malt. The press uses nearly 2 million fewer gallons of water in the year. Their Pumpkin Ale is said to have a smooth twist on 2014’s pumpkin porter!

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20 Things to Love about Fall from the Lone Star State by: Cheryl Aker (a proud Texan)

1. Pumpkins.

2. Cooler weather.

Okay, who am I kidding here? It’s still bloody hot here in Texas.

We go from hotter than H-E-double toothpicks to what would pass for fall everywhere else around December.

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Fall is Cheryl’s favorite time of the year. It may be because she was a fall baby. But really, what’s not to love about fall?

3. Cool weather crops in the garden.

At least one benefit of all that heat is our super long growing season.

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Fall in Texas

4. Holidays.

Texas, we are no New England. And we’re From September on, real proud of our Live there’s a holiday every Oak trees because they month for at least six stay green all year. months.

But we have a few trees that get fall 5. Leaves color. Okay, maybe changing color. about three.

Let’s face it, here in In the whole state.

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6. Football, football, football!

Professional, college and high school (Friday Night Lights anyone? We LOVE our football in Texas).

7. Pumpkins.

8. Piles of leaves

10. Turkey Day. 11. Beautiful sunsets.

I don’t know if it’s just here, but we seem to have the most amazing sunsets in the fall.

12. Pumpkins.

in the yard for jumping in.

And for compost!

Have I mentioned those yet?

9. Sweaters.

closer to Christmas!

Who am I kidding?

See Number 2.

13. It’s that much 14. Mums.

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15. Baking. I love vicariously through

anyone living north of the Red River.

Maybe I can find a 16. Apples (speak- fireplace screensaver. ing of baking). to bake in the fall and winter.

19. Halloween

17. Warm, earthy candy! colors.

20. State and local 18. The scent and fairs. State and

coziness of a fire local fairs. crackling in the fireplace. Oh wait, 21. Pumpkins. Ah, please see Number come on. A girl 2. I’ll have to live can never have too many pumpkins!

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Click Here to Order Your Copy!

You don’t have to have a degree in chemistry to create your own natural dyes. It just takes a garden plot and a kitchen.

Many of these plants may already be in our cutting, cottage or food gardens, ready for double duty.

A Garden to Dye For shows how super-simple it is to plant and grow a dyer’s garden and create beautiful dyes.

This is the book that bridges the topic of plant dyes to mainstream gardeners, the folks who enjoy growing the plants as much as using them in craft projects.

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From Scratch 131

the magazine for the modern homesteader follow us here

The Homesteaders’ gift guide coming soon NEXT ISSUE DEC 2015 / JAN 2016

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