My personal family posts have been a little lacking these days in favor of informational posts, I have gained a whole new slew of readers (readership has tripled in fact) but for those who have been around a long while...I thought I would update on the personal side of things.

This is me last week, we are just 6-1/2 weeks shy of meeting our new little farm hand at this point, I sure am feeling the slow down.  One might laugh as I give puppy dog eyes to each of my children when there is something lying on the floor and I ask for help as bending...my body doubling in half these days is a bit more of a challenge.

We are again planning another homebirth, you can read about our previous experience here. (No worries it is NOT graphic at all).

Currently our newest batch of chickens has started to lay, though even with over 30 hens we are only averaging about 5-6 eggs a day, some of them are slower than others I guess, they are just now 6 months old.  My boys love to pick up and love on the Chickens, and roosters too, so far there is only one rooster that won't allow it.  The picture below of my 4 y/o with the gray silkie, well thats a roo and he has to be the nicest one yet.  This same 4 y/o has not figured out that he is not supposed to enter the chicken coop that way yet!

Thanks for stopping by, I will try to update the personal side of things a bit more often in the coming months, do give me grace though, life is going to get even busier around here when our newbie arrives!

According to Merriam Webster:


 The Word "Elixir" has roots in the practice of alchemy; it was used in the Middle Ages as the word for a substance believed able to alter base metals into gold. Its later use for a drug purported to prolong one’s life led to its use in the names of medicines of mostly questionable effectiveness. Today, it is often used generally for anything thought capable of remedying all ills or difficulties, be they physical or otherwise. The word came to us via Middle English and Medieval Latin from Arabic al-iksīr; it probably ultimately derives from a Greek word meaning "desiccative powder."

​
Interestingly you can see that from a history of the word, it does have its roots in some crazy ideas, some might even argue that the roots of the word are a bit dark and foreboding.  Live forever, turn metals to gold and love potion elixirs were all very popular beliefs associated with the term during Medieval times.

Just as we have come a long way in our understanding of medicine since those times we have also cast of ideas of turning random metals to gold and attempting to live forever.  In modern times the word “Elixir” refers to a medicinal concoction or a sweetened liquid usually containing some form of alcohol that is used in medication as a flavoring or for its medicinal compounds.

Typically today one can find elixirs in the cough and cold section of your local pharmacy and interestingly enough if you take a stroll down the beauty aisle you will still see the word thrown about on a variety of anti-aging lotions and serums marketed to the woman who wants to look forever youthful.

I do want to stick a warning in here, I am a Christian and therefore careful where I source my information, I say this because there are many in the realm of witchcraft who also practice the use of homeopathic medicine and herbalism.  I do not give any credence to earth worship or potion power but do recognize that God created everything on this earth, some plants he created with medicinal properties for humans to use.  That being said often when you search the internet for recipes of herbal elixirs, the sites that come up have an undertone, if not outright declaration of association to some realm of earth worship or witchcraft.  Just be careful is the warning, I only share information as it relates to keeping you and your family healthy in a natural manner and I choose to avoid sites like the ones I have mentioned.

So, how do you make an elixir as it relates to homeopathic medicine?  If you read my previous post on Tinctures you have a base idea already.  A tincture is made by extracting the medicinal properties of a plant or herb through the use of alcohol distillation.  A basic elixir is similar to a tincture but with the addition of a sweetener, in herbal medicine most often honey.  Many Elixir recipes also add water (distilled) to do a bit of dilution to the mix.  The honey can often act as a stabilizer in your elixir and can sweeten things up a bit making an elixir a bit easier for children to stomach. I think of Mary Poppin’s song here..,”Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down...”  

​Do know that some Elixirs can cross over into cordials, I often think of the scene from Anne of Green Gables where Ann and her friend, Diana were to be drinking a non-alcoholic version of Raspberry Cordial but mistakenly consumed Mariella’s currant wine.  

A true cordial is however made with berries, sugar and alcohol...little medicinal value really but you can see that a natural substance (berry), an alcohol preservative, and a sweetener (sugar) are similar to an elixir.  There are also modern versions popping up as elixir recipes and many of these are just honey infused combinations of herbs with medicinal properties, though useful they do not seem to stay true to the definition of an elixir but rather rely more heavily on the idea that elixirs are mixtures of anything beneficial or seemingly healing agents.

Back to Elixirs.  One can make an elixir with a simple syrup recipe by adding alcohol as a stabilizer or one can make an elixir by adding honey to a tincture.  (Typical ratio of tincture to honey is 2:1 in favor of honey. Either is fine really as long as you are not heating the alcohol as that destroys some of its components that make it a good preservative for your herbs.  I could easily adapt my Echinacea Elderberry Cold & Cough Syrup into an elixir simply through the addition of alcohol to stabilize the mixture.  (I would then not have to keep it in the refrigerator and could instead keep it in the cabinet) However, I choose to make mine a syrup more often than not as I use it with my very young children.

On to how to make an elixir...

​Here is one for a winter immunity booster elixir

Here is a list of medicinal syrups and elixirs.

​

Now that you know about the basics, alcohol as a preservative, honey as a sweetener
​and a variety of herbs or flowers selected for their medicinal purposes, have at it!  Leave a comment and let me know which you intend to try making first, or if you have a tried and true recipe, leave that as well.
​

NOTE: I am not a doctor.  I am not suggesting medical advice for any of your specific ailments so please use common sense and research whatever you choose to make for yourself or your family.



​

If you have to purchase your herbs online, consider using my affiliate link to bulk herb store, it doesn't cost you a thing but helps me maintain this website.  Thanks!

Related Posts:  What is a Tincture? Elderberry & Echinacea Syrup Recipe

This is the month of apples here where our little piece of heaven resides.  We love em’ and purchase them by the bushel.  I have a local apple farm not 2 miles away where I am able to buy “seconds” at $15 per bushel.  Seconds basically means that the apple, though perfectly fine to eat, may be just slightly less than beautiful.  It might not be the biggest baseball sized apple, it may have a slight scuff or other imperfection which renders it unable to be sold for the $10 a ½ peck that the orchard can demand from its perfect cousins. 

I will share a secret with you though, if money is super tight, or if you are not fortunate enough to have an orchard down the road, HERE is a post on how to score some free organic produce.

What I get for my $15 is usually around 40lbs of apples, we eat them fresh, store some in the refrigerator, and as time goes on and they may start to get a little old, we start using them up for things like:

Applesauce

Apple dumplings

Apple Pie Filling

Apple Fritters

Frozen Apples

Dried Apples

You get the picture.  I will say that all of this apple love does require a bit of homesteading know how and a few good tools.  Hence, the Homesteader must haves for October.  I have been blessed that my mother has often shared tools with me that she has owned and is no longer using, or ones that she has found a fantastic deal on and given to me. 

My mom loves to encourage my love of canning, food preparation and homesteading nature.  As time goes on I think sometimes she really enjoys seeing me become excited about some of the things she first loved about the country, even though I was once quoted as saying, “I will NEVER live in the country.”  Yes, I have eaten those words many, many times over now.

So what does a farmgirl need for all these apples?  Lets get started

(Note: I am an amazon affiliate, the pictures do link to Amazon's site and if you decide you NEED one of these products as much as I do, well then I get a small commission from Amazon because you saw it here and clicked through, by the way...thank you.  The small commission helps with the cost of running this blog site).

​

ITEM #1- THE APPLE PEELER

My favorite tool, and my children’s, is the apple peeler, corer, slicer gadget.  I LOVE this beauty.  I have had mine for about 10 years now and it still works perfectly.  The kids love it for fresh eating because as it peels, slices and cores, it makes what they call “apple spaghetti.”  Never one to have peeled apples for my little ones, they get to eat the peels this way, and they find it super fun because it is different.  This is also the tool I use for making apple pies and chunky applesauce and it works for potatoes too (think curly fries).

ITEM #2- THE FOOD MILL

​The homesteader must have for perfect applesauce is a food mill.  I have tried a number of them, but this is hands down my favorite one.  I use this for applesauce, tomato sauce, tomato juice, salsa, baby food, and really any other need I have to remove seeds, stems, peels, etc.  This tool allows me to make apple sauce by doing nothing more than washing fresh apples, cutting them in half and tossing them into a large stainless steel pot with some added water.  I cook it for 4-6 hours (seeds, stems, peels and all) then when all of the apple mush is…well mushy, I run it all through the food mill and I am rewarded with perfect applesauce that often does not even need much added sugar and is now ready to be canned.

I do find Amazon's stock photo of their applesauce kind of funny, you can't put fresh, uncooked apples through a food mill like the picture shows, trust me, it doesn't work, you have to cook them till they are mushy first.

ITEM #3- THE DEHYDRATOR

Another super healthy snack that my kiddos love is fruit leather or dehydrated apples.  I have to admit that though these are quite loved around here, they never make it long enough to really savor because I have to be careful to keep my children’s hands out of the dehydrator (they sneak the tasty morsels of apples as they are drying).  I just can’t dehydrate them fast enough!  Not just for apples either, I might add, you can dehydrate any veggie or fruit, we use it for all kinds of other things too.

ITEM #4- THE CANNER'S BIBLE

​Lastly, if you don’t already own a copy of the “canning bible” from Ball, this is a must have.  It was my most referred to treasure for the first several years I began preserving food and not much has changed, with the exception that now my copy is tattered and worn from many years of love and use.

There you have it, 4 MUST HAVES for the homesteader during October, if you don't already own these products, they make life simpler while preserving your food and they will hold up for years to come.  I own all of these and have had each one for over 10 years, I would say I got my money's worth so far!

What do you think, is there one I missed for October?  Leave me a comment

​In the world of Herbalism and natural medicine there are a number of terms that you need to learn if you want to really understand how natural medicine works.  I know I was often confused by terms like “Tincture, Elixer, Extract and Infusion.”  They all sounded a bit daunting to me but as I have been interested in making some of our own backyard medicine, I have done quite a bit of research so that I can understand it all a bit better. This will be a weekly series for a bit here, so that you too can learn some of this great terminology as well as how to make your own medicinal products at home. 

 Let’s remove some of the mystery and get down to business, herbalist style.

What is a Tincture?

                A tincture is an herbal preparation made by using some form of consumable alcohol as a solvent and preservative. In the modern world think of things like cough syrups that have a base of alcohol to stabalize and preserve the synthetic drug for a longer shelf life in your local pharmacy.

  In our homes however, a tincture would be made by finely chopping up a dried or fresh organic herb and steeping it in alcohol (only consumable alcohol).  A tincture is generally recognized as 1 part herb to 3 parts alcohol when the preparation is made.  The alcohol percentage used for most tinctures should be between 40% to 70%.  There is a great table from Mountain Rose Herbs Blog that shows us how this should best be used:

Alcohol Percentages
40% – 50% (80-90 proof vodka)
• "Standard" percentage range for tinctures.
• Good for most dried herbs and fresh herbs that are not super juicy.
• Good for extraction of water soluble properties.

67.5% – 70% (½ 80 proof vodka + ½ 190 proof grain alcohol)
• Extracts the most volatile aromatic properties.
• Good for fresh high-moisture herbs like lemon balm, berries, and aromatic roots.
• The higher alcohol percentage will draw out more of the plant juices.

85% – 95% (190 proof grain alcohol)
• Good for dissolving gums and resins – but not necessary for most plant material.  
• Extracts the aromatics and essential oils bound in a plant that do not dissipate easily.
• The alcohol strength can produce a tincture that is not easy to take. Stronger is not always better!
• Often used for drop dosage medicines.
• Will totally dehydrate herbs.

The process of making a tincture is not one to be completed in an afternoon on a whim, you need to steep your herb in the alcohol for 6-8 weeks and remember to shake often and check for evaporation (you don’t want your herbs exposed to air, they need to remain submerged).  At the end of the process you need to use a cheesecloth to strain the herbal bits out and the colored liqud you are left with is your tincture.

Keep in mind that the medicinal herbs that you have extracted with the alcohol are now in a very strong base.  I do not consume alcohol at all, with the exception of in a medicinal dose, so I must share that the doses of tinctures are not meant to be consumed as cordials, they are often used in dropper or teaspoon form strictly for their medicinal value.  Think about it like this, the vanilla you use in your kitchen is actually a tincture, it is made by steeping vanilla beans in alcohol and is used to add the flavor of vanilla to your food, you wouldn’t drink this straight up though.

What kind of tinctures would you want to make and what can you treat with tinctures?

Here is a recipe for Chamomile Tincture  that can be helpful for headaches, toothaches, stomach upset and colic symptoms as well as teething.

​Valerian Tincture recipe for restful sleep and calming.

Echinacea Tincture for boosting immunity during the winter months when cold and flu season is in full swing.

Hawthorne Berry tincture to promote healthy blood pressure.

Migrane tincture made with feverfew, lemonbalm and peppermint.

Have you made a tincture and want to share the recipe?  Leave it in the comment section and come back next week for part two (Elixers).

Update: Related post What is an Elixer and How Do I Make One? and Best Ever Elderberry Syrup Recipe (with Echinacea & Slippery Elm)

This post was shared on the following blog hops, come over and check them out!

​ I have shared with you all that we are expecting our 6th baby.  It was with baby #4 that I began looking into using a midwife but it wasn't until baby #5 that I was able to convince hubby to get on board with a home birth.  In my state (as in many in the country) this can be a bit tricky.  Where I live if you hold professional certification of any sort you cannot attend a homebirth as a midwife.  What that means for me is that I have to locate a midwife who is skilled in her trade, has medical training, clinical skills and is flying under the radar.  Other states are different and for a mom planning a homebirth it requires a bit of self-education.  

When an expectant mama is new to this whole realm she is often confused about who to ask for advice, how to interview a midwife and what to ask.  I have been there myself and it was a sheer stroke of luck that I found an amazing midwife with my first interview.  If I had been in the position of having to interview a few different ones, it might have been trickier.  There are questions you should definitely know the answers to, there are things you should be observing, all of this comes with experience but I am going to attempt to take some of the mystery out of it.

First and foremost you need to identify your own philosophy on birth.  Do you want someone who takes control while you ride shotgun and tells you what to do and how to do it?  This is typically the stance of most OB/GYN professionals so you may be perfectly comfortable seeking out an OB who practices with midwives in a birthing center type of environment.

Do you want a midwife who walks alongside you offering suggestions but allowing you to hold the reins?

Do you want a very hands off midwife or one who is more hands on?

Do you want a midwife who performs physical exams (I am not referring to your belly girls) or one who does not?

Do you want a midwife who welcomes the assistant of a doula, or one who works alone?

There are so many things to consider so the first step might be brainstorming what your perfect birth would look like for you and then ensuring that you discuss that when you are interviewing a midwife.

Once you have located a midwife (or a few) to interview pay close attention to how she makes you feel.  

Do you feel warm and safe in her presence? 

 Is this the kind of person you could imagine being friends with?

How does she respond to your other family members and what kind of a sense do they get about her?

You also need to be asking what her hospital transfer rate is and what types of situations she feels would necessitate a transfer.

In addition, there are some pretty standard things that most midwives avoid you need to think about how you feel about them also.  This might include things like onset of labor prior to 37 weeks, certain high risk factors for your health (I’m old, that’s a “risk factor” in typical OB practices, but that is not what I am referring to).  Multiple prior C- sections, etc.

Cost is of course also a factor you should be asking about as well as post natal care.  In addition to these questions, you will have some of your own to ask, I even pulled together a quick printable sheet  you can use to really help stay organized.  Use it to record notes, feelings and interview a few midwives before you settle on the one you want to attend your birth.

Where do you find these midwives?  Start with a Google search of Midwives in....(whatever state you live in).  Look on facebook, there are HUGE homebirth groups you can join with members all over the US and abroad.  I like this one on facebook called "Homebirth & Waterbirth." ask around and ask moms why they liked a particular midwife.

Now that you are well versed in what to ask, go get organized and start interviewing.  Want a great resource to use?  I've pulled together a great interview sheet for you to use, it is totally free for you to print when you subscribe to blog updates (you know all the crunchy mama stuff).  This is a 3 page printable with space for notes and midwife specific information.  Simply use a binder, hole punch and you are organized!  For a copy of the free printable just sign up here:
​

Related Posts:
CHOICES IN CHILDBIRTH,
5 WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF A NATURAL CHILDBIRTH
​5 REASONS TO CHOOSE A MIDWIFE OVER A TRADITIONAL OB

This post was shared on the following blog hops, come on over and check them out!

Soap Making is one of those skills that I had been wanting to learn for a VERY long time but I was always so intimidated by the process.  This was the year of learning new things, thanks to my friend over at MyshireFarm.  I am such a hands on learner that I needed some encouragement.

 I have made a few batches of soap now and I honestly feel a lot more confident in the process (it wasn't nearly as scary and difficult as I had thought).  So, here is a roundup of some great tutorials and recipes out there, I know what I will be busy doing all winter!
 
Let's talk vocabulary first, there are two MAIN types of soap making:

COLD PROCESS: Cold Process soapmaking is the act of mixing fixed oils (common oils include Olive, Coconut and Palm) with an alkali (Sodium Hydroxide or Lye). The result is a chemical process called saponification, where the composition of the oils change with the help of the lye to create a bar of soap
 
HOT PROCESS:  Hot Process soapmaking is very similar, however, it is called hot because during the saponification process heat is added, usually in the form of a crockpot or double broiler.  There really is no one way that is better, it is simply a matter of preference and also based on the type of recipe you use.

If you feel still a little lost when looking at soap recipes, this Glossary of terms may prove helpful to you. (though it is admittedly pretty technical).

What do you even need to begin?  Here is a great tutorial post from Oak Hill Homestead on just that.

LET'S Begin....  

Starting here with a FREE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO SOAP MAKING

Oh, and just in case you need some supplies before you get started, here are a few to consider. (yes there are affiliate links in here)

There, now that you have some amazing recipes to try, are you the scientific type, want to know more about the science behind the soap?  Check this out:  
The Science of Soap

If you thought that there were only a few ways to make soap, boy were you wrong, here is a post on 23 ways to make soap!  Who knew???

If you are scenting your soaps, you should also check this out:
How to prevent the scent from fading in your soaps

Still concerned about using lye?  You really shouldn't be, but just in case, here is a post for you: How to make lye free soap

Lastly, here are some great free resources for printing labels for your newly found hobby.  FREE  FREE FREE, I love that word.  Free Printable labels:

#1 Here
#2 Here
#3 Here
#4 Here

Do you feel sufficiently educated yet?  Will you try at least one?  Remember my post on the Lost Art of Homemaking Skills?  Soapmaking was one of those skills.  Also, if you have a recipe to share, leave me a comment with the link and maybe I will add it in too!

This post was shared on the following AWESOME blog hops!

Canning Season is winding to a close, save for the bushel or so of apples I still need to put up before winter.  My shelves are lined, my winter prepared for, but if you are like me and have some empty jars lying around, they should be put to good use.  Mason jars work as EXCELLENT storage receptacles.  Everything from lining your counter with your flour, sugar and oats to packing lunches with a plastic alternative container for condiments and dressings. 

I have learned, through much trial and error, that when not sealed with a pressure canner or hot water bath those lovely 2 piece ring and lids don’t secure tightly enough for the rough and tumble some storage requires (think laying a jar of liquid on its side in your refrigerator only to find homemade syrup spilled all over the shelves).  Enter in Mason jar accessories.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the plastic white caps for sealing up everything from salad dressing in a jar to chicken salad in a lunchbox.  I always have plenty of mason jars in all manner of sizes so they are a perfect accoutrement to stored food, even if not long term storage.  I use the mason jars to store rice, beans, and all manner of dry goods as well.  The best part about the lids?  They are SUPER cheap and durable too.

Unfortunately, I found that there are not only mason jar screw top lids but so many other accessories you can purchase to repurpose your mason jars, oh boy.  There are screen type lids for straining, there are wire lids for flower arranging, there are hole top lids for drinking, you name it and someone has thought of it!

I bet our grandmothers would have loved some of these handy gadgets to use.  I also find that when I break the seal on a much love labored jar of my home-canned goods and the entire jar is not used (applesauce for example) using the plastic lids seals the air out better which means longer storage life in the refrigerator.  I write directly on the plastic lid with a black sharpie so that I can have the date handy that the item was opened and subsequently stored in the refrigerator, this is so much easier than dealing with peel and stick labels and the best part?  The sharpie washes off when you are ready and the lids are all dishwasher safe!
​
Alrighty, get to storin’ (just don’t forget to get yourself both wide mouth and regular sized lids so that you can use all your jars for storage!)

This post was shared on these AWESOME blog hops:

            I must admit that my children are starting to tell me I am old, I remember doing this same thing to my mom, she probably did it to her mom as well.  In some ways, yes I guess I am getting older.  I have an affinity for the less than new, and picture books are no different.  I was one of the lucky children who had people reading to me all of the time and then once I could read myself, I was hooked.  What is funny is that I remember so vividly some of the illustrations in my favorite children’s books.  I could get lost with my imagination while looking at those pictures.  There are some great stories that have come out in recent years, I have a few of those that are fast becoming timeless treasures for my children and I, but nothing will beat the picture books from my youth, the ones my grandmother read to me over and over, the ones my mom would let me curl up next to her and look at, those books.  You need to read those books to your children, here is my list of favorites, they are oldies, but oh so good!

Harry the Dirty Dog… all about a dog who goes to extremes to avoid a bath

Eighteen Cousins…19 young children and a lot of farm animals, made for laughs!
​

Miss Suzy…A lovely squirrel who loves being a homemaker, until…
​

Devin and Goliath…A curious boy, a large turtle and some fantastic illustrations
​

Blueberries for Sal…A little girl picking blueberries and a bear cub.
​

The Story About Ping…a duck with an amazing adventure, luckily he makes it back in time.
​

Make Way For Ducklings…A very protective mother duck makes sure her babies are safe.
​

The Snowy Day… A boy, the snow and nothing else.
​

The Giving Tree…makes me cry EVERY time.
​

Are you my mother?...The poor bird looks high and low and everywhere in between.
​

Where the Wild Things Are…Let the wild rumpus begin!
​

Corduroy…If only he could find his lost button someone would want to take him home.
​

See, I'm showing my age here.  My grandmother had most of these books in the library of the preschool she ran for over 20 years.  I believe though that anyone born in the late 70's to 80's and beyond may be familiar with at least a few of these titles, they are the best!
​

This post contains affiliate links which costs you nothing but helps with the operations of this blog when you purchase books through clicking on my site.