Whiteley Creek Homestead

LIFE AT THE END OF A DIRT ROAD IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA

organically grown triticale in our field
canoeing in our wetlands
raspberries growing wild on our property
our back porch fieldstone fireplace

about

  • recipe card holder and granola pie crust

    When you are cooking/baking, do you ever wonder where to set your recipe and then can't remember where you set it? Well, here's a simple solution that I ran across in a magazine… maybe Real Simple or Body + Soul, using a clip you've probably already got sitting around. Position a clip on your counter like the yellow one in my photo. Simply slip in a recipe as shown with the orange clip. (As an example of how to use it, I chose my 92 year-old mother's rhubarb pie recipe that she made several times each spring when I was growing up with stalks from our garden. It's written in her own handwriting… priceless.)  

    Recipe card holder and granola pie crust

    My mother made her oh-so-flaky crusts the old-fashioned way with lard. Today, I spied a Heartland brand ready-made granola crust in the health food section of my local grocery store that appeared worthy of trying. Click on the label's photo so you can read the ingredients. I'll update you on how I end up using it.

    Heartland granola pie crust  

    Mar. 25, 2009

    Today's mileage: 4-mile walk

    Total monthly mileage for March: 57.75 miles

    Bible reading? Yes. 

  • and the winner is….

    This morning, Dick blindly selected Kim from Wabasha, Minnesota as the winning entry in my free giveaway drawing. Congrats, Kim! I will mail the plantable calendar off to you in tomorrow's mail. The calendar pages are printed with such adorable artwork and the anticipatory fun waiting to see what flower varieties will sprout forth from the seeds embedded in each month's page… well, that is just priceless. Thank you to all who participated in the giveaway. Stay tuned… there are sure to be future giveaways.

    Mar. 24, 2009

    Today's mileage: 0

    Total monthly mileage for March: 53.75 miles (Same as yesterday.)  

    Bible reading? Yes. 

  • plantable calendar giveaway ends tonight

    The opportunity to enter my free giveaway drawing for a plantable calendar ends tonight at 8 p.m. Central Time. Tomorrow morning, Dick will anonymously select a name from those who submitted a comment on the post.  Good luck to all participants! You will love the calendar!

    Plantable calendar Jan and Feb    

    These are 2 1/2 week-old wildflower seedlings that I planted on March 5, 2009 by laying my January and February calendar pages imbedded with seeds into potting soil then watered to keep the soil consistently moist. It's fun anticipating what the mature plants' blossoms will look like. 

    Mar. 23, 2009

    Today's mileage: 2-mile walk 

    Total monthly mileage for March: 53.75 miles  

    Bible reading? Yes. 

     

  • homemade seed strips/mats

    Springtime brings a surge of energy and excitement to get outdoors and plant in old and new plots, begin construction projects that have been conceived over the winter months such as cold frames, arbors and trellises, and "fairy habitats", and the list goes on. Quickly, frustration sets in  when, despite longer daylight hours, there is never enough time to fit it all in. This is when my wise neighbor Danny's voice reverberates in my head reminding me to "work smarter… not harder". So I am doing just that… by making homemade "seed strips" to speed my spring planting.  

    Seed strips homemade 

    However, since I plant using the "Square Foot Gardening" Method, whereby I plant in 1 ft x 1 ft squares, I made seed squares rather than seed strips. This is how it works, according to two articles I discovered in the Portland Oregonian Newspaper. For seed strips, cut pages of black and white newsprint (avoid color pages) into 1-inch wide strips. Lay a strip next to a yard stick and mark off evenly spaced intervals according to the spacing recommended on the seed packet. For example, radishes are spaced 2 inches apart, beets 4 inches, etc. Mix some flour and water to make a paste the consistency of heavy white sauce. Either dab it onto your newspaper markings with a toothpick or dispense from a squeeze bottle like I chose to do. (I used an agave nectar bottle.) Place a seed on each drop of glue and allow to dry. Store strips in a bag or box where they will be in a dry and dark environment until time to plant. When the ground warms sufficiently, set seed strip in ground, cover with soil, and water. The newspaper will decompose and the seed will germinate. 

    I adapted the seed strip directions by cutting 12-inch squares to use for the Square Foot Gardening Planting Method. For photo purposes, I made my markings with a permanent marker so the lines would be visible. However, I began by using a pencil to mark off my squares then quickly transitioned to folding several sheets of 12×12 newspaper simultaneously to eliminate the measuring and marking step. For example, for carrots, according to the Square Foot Gardening Method, you plant 16 seeds in one 12-inch square. (You'll have carrots 3 inches apart which is the recommended distance after thinning.) So, I folded the 12×12 square in half then half again, turned the paper 1/4 turn, then folded it in half then half again so that when I unfolded it I had 16 squares. A drop of glue in the center of each of the 16 squares with one seed plopped on top of each and it was done. So fast and so comfortable sitting at the kitchen table in an upright position rather than hunched over in the garden.

    Mar. 14, 2009

    Today's mileage: 4 mile bike ride

    Total monthly mileage for March: 37.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes.

     

    Mar. 15, 2009

    Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

    Total monthly mileage for March: 39.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes.

     

    Mar. 16, 2009

    Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

    Total monthly mileage for March: 41.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes.

     

    Mar. 17, 2009

    Today's mileage: 0

    Total monthly mileage for March: 41.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

    Bible reading? No.

     

    Mar. 18, 2009

    Today's mileage: 0

    Total monthly mileage for March: 41.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

    Bible reading? No.

     

    Mar. 19, 2009

    Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

    Total monthly mileage for March: 43.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes.

     

    Mar. 20, 2009

    Today's mileage: 4-mile walk

    Total monthly mileage for March: 47.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes.

     

    Mar. 21, 2009

    Today's mileage: 0

    Total monthly mileage for March: 47.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

    Bible reading? Yes.

     

    Mar. 22, 2009

    Today's mileage: 4.5 mile bike ride 

    Total monthly mileage for March: 51.75 miles  

    Bible reading? Yes. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • It’s a Wonderful World

    As I walked my two miles today tuned into a jazz radio station on my headset, I listened to a 1999 Kenny G digital duet rendition (on his album Classics in the Key of G) of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World that was first recorded in 1967 and released as a single in 1968.

    I see trees of green, red roses too
    I see them bloom for me and you
    And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

    I see skies of blue and clouds of white
    The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
    And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

    The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
    Are also on the faces of people going by
    I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
    They're really saying I love you.

    I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
    They'll learn much more than I'll never know
    And I think to myself what a wonderful world
    Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world. 

    You need to but take a walk and gaze at the beauty all around to understand the emotion this song evoked as I strutted along. If the present economic "downturn", coupled with the political and social strife around the world, causes a somewhat fogged image of a "wonderful world", I suggest tuning in to the NBC Nightly News "Making a Difference" Segment with Brian Williams to be reminded of the good that has surfaced… random or regular acts of kindness… helping those who have less. For example, in Georgia a barber is offering free haircuts for those preparing to go for interviews. In Denver, a couple opened the "Same Cafe" so "all may eat". The menu has no prices. Patrons give what they can or, in lieu of payment, they do dishes, sweep the floor, etc. Those with jobs and money are coming for the made-from-scratch nutritious meals and many times pay double or triple what they would normally pay at typical restaurant. In Coon Rapids, Minnesota a woman retold her experience standing in a grocery store line as an envelope was passed from person to person. When the envelope reached her, she read the note scrawled on the outside of the envelope. "There is $50.00 in this envelope for groceries. Take it if you need it or pass it on." It passed on down the line as some even added additional money to it. A Clearwater, Florida business owner, rather than laying off workers or reducing their hours, sends them out to work at full pay in soup kitchens and homeless shelters "on his dime". In Michigan, an apartment complex owner allowed residents, who struggled to pay their rent, to pay half their monthly rent in exchange for volunteering at a nonprofit organization. The amazing stories go on and on… I guarantee that the nightly "Making a Difference" feature on the NBC Evening News will build hope and optimism and it may even spur you on to "pay it forward" in your corner of this "wonderful world" we live in.     

    Mar. 13, 2009

    Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

    Total monthly mileage for March: 33.25 miles 

    Bible reading? Yes. 

  • rain barrels, compost bins, living green expo

    My March 2009 Do It Green! E-Newsletter featured a compost bin and rain barrel sale. You can place your order for either or both then pick them up at the Living Green Expo May 2-3, 2009 at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds in St. Paul.

                Compost bin wire cage  

    Rain barrel complete  

    Compost Bin Reg. Price: $79.99 Sale Price: $ 47.00
    Rain Barrel Reg Price $115.00 Sale Price: $ 65.00  

    Instead of a wire cage, as in the photo above, to enclose compostable materials, I have two ComposTumblers. One is on loan from friends until we can transport it to Florida where they live. The other one I purchased from a friend in Brainerd. The price tag for each one was $50.00, so check Craig's list, yard sales, newspaper ads, etc. before you pay full price. All of our kitchen veggie and fruit scraps, that aren't our hens' favorites, go into our tumbler along with chicken manure, a little topsoil, grass clippings, and fall leaves. A few rotations of the bin when you pass by and the addition of water, if rainfall isn't plentiful, is all it takes.

    Compost tumbler compact 

    What I dislike about the "compact"-size tumblers that I have is that you must scoop the decomposed material out of the bin and into your wheelbarrow. Whereas, the "original"-size tumbler can accommodate a wheelbarrow underneath, so all you need to do is rotate the tumbler until the door is positioned over the wheelbarrow and it will fall in.

    Compost tumbler original  

    We're going to make our own stand, patterned after the one that this larger size sits on, so that I can fit my wheelbarrow underneath. (Photos courtesy of ComposTumbler)  

    If you're not familiar with rain barrels, their purpose is to collect rainwater. To maximize collection, you position them at the end of an eave gutter under a shortened downspout. We made our rain two barrels out of former plastic pickle barrels (similar to the one in the photo above), drilled a hole, and attached a spigot. A screen placed over the top opening keeps debris and critters out. The collected rainwater will make your garden plants very happy.  

    Mar. 12, 2009

    Today's mileage: 0 miles 

    Total monthly mileage for March: 31.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

    Bible reading? Yes. 

        

  • pineapple alfalfa drink

    Dick was zapped by the cold bug, so I thought this would be a perfect day to ease him back to health with an alfalfa sprout concoction. I have set out to expand my use of sprouts, that are bursting forth in three jars on my kitchen counter, beyond a sandwich and salad topping. With this beverage, I have crossed the starting line. What a tasty way to enjoy nutrition at its peak!  

    Pineapple alfalfa drink 

    Pineapple Alfalfa Drink from The Complete Sprouting Cookbook

    by Karen Cross Whyte Copyright 1973

    2 cups pineapple juice, chilled

    1 cup alfalfa sprouts

    1 tbsp honey

    1 frozen banana, sliced

    Put all ingredients in blender and whirl for 10 seconds.

    Makes 2 large or 4 small juice glass servings.

    Note: I added a few additional sprouts on top for garnish, but the entire 1 cup in the recipe is blended in. This is not meant to have a smooth texture, so don't overblend.

     

    Mar. 11, 2009

    Today's mileage: 2-mile walk 

    Total monthly mileage for March: 31.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes. 

  • coupon, org farmers, and mag subscription

    Here's a win-win all around…  Click on the image below to enlarge it to get the details.

    Natures Path Org Valley Offer 

    I sent mine off yesterday with a UPC barcode from Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Multibran Cereal and Organic Valley Cottage Cheese. There's no form needed, just a 3×5 card. To get you started, I received a link a few weeks back through my EatingWell e-newsletter for a "Buy any 2, get $2.00 off any Organic Valley product" coupon that you can print off. The coupon expires 4/30/09. 

    Mar. 10, 2009

    Today's mileage: 2-mile walk 

    Total monthly mileage for March: 29.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes. 

     

      

  • starburst smoothie

    I learned a new trick today that I am extremely excited to share. You know that bitter taste you've experienced when you add kiwi to a smoothie? Well, no more… Prepare it in a food processor instead of a blender to prevent crushing the kiwi seeds and you'll have no bitter taste. This Starburst Smoothie is a testament that it really works!  

    Starburst smoothie 

    Starburst Smoothie from Smoothies 50 Recipes for High-Energy Refreshment by Mary Corpening Barber, Sara Corpening, and Lori Lyn Narlock

    Serves 4 (1/2 c juice glass size servings)

    ¾ cup apple juice (raw unfiltered)

    1 cup peeled and diced fresh kiwi (approx 2)

    1 cup frozen strawberries

    2 bananas, frozen and sliced

    Place all ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth. Note: Prepare in a food processor, rather than in a blender, to avoid crushing the kiwi seeds, which causes them to be bitter.

     

    Mar. 9, 2009

    Today's mileage: 0

    Total monthly mileage for March: 27.25 miles (same as yesterday)

    Bible reading? Yes. 

     

  • cashew milk

    While my oatmeal cooked this morning, I made some cashew milk to pour over top. Just toss 1 cup raw (unroasted) cashews in the blender with 4 cups water and whirl. Optional: 2 tbsp maple syrup (the real deal… not Aunt Jemima's) or honey (preferably raw/uncooked and unfiltered) may be added. No presoaking of the cashews is required. It's that fast.

    Cashew milk 

    I found this recipe for cashew milk in Sproutman's Kitchen Garden Cookbook by Steve Meyerowitz. 

    Mar. 8, 2009

    Today's mileage: 13.25 mile bike ride

    Total monthly mileage for March: 27.25 miles

    Bible reading? Yes.