Some of my favorite posts from the other blog . . .

Here are a few of my favorite posts from my other blog.
I've blogged about 750 posts on "you and your oil thing"
since March of 2007. Here's a look back over the last
year:

March 07:
Bad dog
Bad dog, bad sheep

April 07
Huh?

May 07
The last time we had grass was before the drought.

June 07
Maine . . .
My favorite pic

September 07
Ahhh Saturday

October 07
Plastic pumpkins!

An unlikely snack . . .

 

I used to spend a lot of money
each week on popsicles which
are loaded with sugar. Then
one day, the younger kid asked
me to buy her some frozen
strawberries. She started eating
them that way, frozen, straight
out of the bag. Right now, it's
the only fruit she'll eat.

Then hubby started eating them
that way. Now I go through 4 or
5 bags per week. They don't add
whipped cream or sugar. I tried
them and didn't like them.
But it's worth a try if you have
strange or picky eaters at your
house.

Michelle

Of Seeds and Salsa (and a few book reviews)

(A cute picture of my younger daughter eating salsa was
supposed to go here, but she was late getting up for
school this morning.)

This is the time of year that seed catalogs fill the
mailbox. Actually mine have been arriving since early
December. Totally Tomatoes TM gave me the idea for a
salsa garden. So I figured, why not a salsa inspired
issue of ye olde blogazine? I decided to review some
seed catalogs, in case other gardeners (or wannabees
like myself) had missed a great company. Feel free
to add your favorites. I didn't review nurseries as
much because I've reviewed a few in the past.

If you have time check out the Salsa Store. I couldn't
get the fancy multi-book widget to work, so please
click on the link if interested. There's even a
story called Chickens and Chips that I may get my
niece for her next birthday.

Happy dreaming/gardening . . .

Michelle

Book Review: The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It

 

This is the second book that I ordered
from the LATOC bookstore, just before
Christmas. It's an update of an old
classic by the same name, and written
by John Seymour.

I didn't realize how big the book was.
It's also hard cover, and of very
good quality. It feels like it would
last a few generations. This is
important because you'll want it
too. It covers so much knowledge
on so many different subjects.
Granted, it doesn't go in depth
on many things like horse training,
which is difficult to learn from
a book anyways. But if you wanted
just one book to pass down to
your kids that covered most
skills learned and then
forgotten in the last few
centuries, than this is the
book for you.

Gardening covers everything
from the urban garden to a
five acre farm. It also includes
a section on how to grow
vegetables during all four
seasons. The picture illustrations
are amazing.

The Self Sufficient Life also
touches on clearing land and harvesting
cereals, hunting, storing the harvest,
dairying, brewing beer, and the slaughter
of critters, including sheep. There
are bits that must be cut off first
to keep the meat from getting rancid.

There's a chapter on saving energy,
solar/wind/water power and "dry toilets".
I'm not done yet. There's a section
called crafts and skills that touches
on everything from spinning wool,
making bricks, tanning, scything (I
have one!) and thatching.

With this great book, the possibilities
are endless. I highly recommend it.

~Michelle

Salsa recipes

Linda's Salsa (Yes the Ozarker chickee):

I made salsa this summer to use up some of my extra veggies.

2 large tomatoes (peeled)
1 jalapeno, halved and seeded (more if you like it hot)
1 green pepper, halved an seeded
1/2 onion or 4 green onions
1 clove garlic
1 med. cucumber - crisp (or 1 small sprig cilantro)
1- 1 1/2 T oil (this is probably optional)
2 T white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Throw everything but the tomatoes into your blender and chop to taste,
adding tomatoes last. This makes about 1/2 - 1 C salsa. I used
cucumber because I don't like the taste of raw cilantro. It gives a
very mild, but slightly hot salsa. I make it in big batches - 4-6
tomatoes at a time. Drain the juice off in a colander and save.
Freeze the salsa in 1/2 to 1C batches and save the juice for
breakfast. Makes a nice, slightly hot V8 type juice. You could
probably leave out the oil if you want to save the juice although I
didn't notice it when I drank it.

Linda



Homesteader Squirrel's Chipolte Salsa:

I think I've cracked the code on Chipolte's mild salsa, though. It
seems to simply be fresh vine ripened tomatoes, red onion, and fresh
cilantro. Just mix it up, don't cook it. (If it gets canned, it'll
get cooked anyway.)



Ms. Squirrel's Salsa and fish:

As for a recipe using salsa...
Take some fish (any type, even panfish will do), pour salsa over it
and sprinkle with cheese. Cook in 350 or 375 oven (or dutch oven over
a fire) until the fish flakes easily. Serve with beans and rice and a
dollup of sour cream, and you have a little twist on traditional
Mexican. Even my picky eater liked it.



And for something a little weird, but
actually quite yummy:

Salsa on salad instead of salad dressing.
I saw a chick eat a salad like this once and
it left me salivating. I'm sure it's also
much lower in fat.


~Michelle

Catalog Review: Bountiful Gardens

 

This organization is part seed
company and part "ecology action"
group. They teach, and sell booklets
about "bio intensive gardening" and
"sustainable mini-farming". This
is the only catalog that mentions
"Peak Oil, Peak Food, and Peak Water"
and tries to do something about it.
They sell heirloom varieties of
vegetables, herbs and grains.
Two hooves up!

Pictures: A few black and white
photos.

Layout: Very informative.

Products: Worth a try.

Prices: Good.

Special features: Great
book and pamphlet section.
Good karma.

www.bountifulgardens.org

~Michelle

Catalog Review: Burnt Ridge Nursery & Orchards

This is a nice little catalog.
It provides lots of ideas
for planting an edible
landscape. Small shrubs,
trees and bushes may
provide a big supplement
to our diet in the future.
This company's prices are
very reasonable, and they
provide information on
what plants need to be
cross pollinated. There
are also handy charts
that show which plants
are suitable for various
climates. Two hooves up!

Pictures: None.

Layout: Excellent.

Products: Worth a try.

Prices: Good.

Special features:
Charts for plant
suitability by region
and climate.

www.burtridgenursery.com

~Michelle