Picking blackberries on the farm in the middle of summer is one of my favorite things to do. There’s just something super satisfying about watching the bucket fill with blackberries that are going to be turned into homemade muffins, cobblers, and jellies. But there’s more to picking blackberries than just the berries. This post includes…
It may be the middle of the summer, but there are some Christmas gifts that need to be prepared right now to help make sure you are ready for December. Planning ahead for these Christmas ideas will not only save you money but will also guarantee that you have a one of a kind gift…
I love to can, freeze and preserve my summer garden vegetables. I am definitely no expert but I have been canning for several years and have learned a few things along the way. Whether you are looking for the best tips for canning tomatoes or want to make honeysuckle jelly, I’ve got some great tips…
I love finding easy ways to make our recipes just a tad bit closer to the real food product. So when Kroger had the 5-pound bag of potatoes on sale for $1.97, I decided this was the perfect time to try dehydrating potatoes. I learned a few things and was successful in creating the perfect…
During the winter months, I love spending time each day out in my small plastic walk-in greenhouse. For the past few years, I have successfully grown pansies and lettuce throughout the cold days of January and February. But now that the temperatures are rising, it’s really too hot to grow anything inside my greenhouse. This…
I love getting outside and hiking through the woods or working in my flower gardens but unfortunately, I often get into poison ivy. It’s just one of the hazards of working out in the yard in rural Kentucky. I typically turn to an OTC anti-itch cream to treat the rash but a few years ago…
Earlier this week we were out enjoying the spring-like temperatures in Kentucky and noticed all the wild violets growing in the yard. I know some people think they are a weed, but these little purple flowers are beautiful and after some research, we discovered that they are edible! Did you know you can make violet…
I love drinking cranberry juice but hate paying full price for store-bought juice that has extra sugar. I have made homemade cranberry juice in the past by extracting the juice and then canning it but I wanted to try to can it a little easier way. You simply add the cranberries, sugar, and water and…
Over the past few years, I have really come to enjoy the process of picking wildflowers, herbs, and flowers so that I can create tea, salves, and sprays. There’s just something so satisfying about picking something out of the backyard or from the farm and looking for ways to improve my life. If you are…