Sugar is sweet

Posted by: Tammy

I have flurries here this morning. I’m boiling down the remainder of this year’s sap and working the garden. I’m working sweet maple syrup and sweet sugar snap peas! It’s during this time of year that the seasons seem to cross: maple sugaring season and gardening season. I finished another 7 pints of maple syrup [...]

Backyard Sugaring Time!

Posted by: Tammy

After a rather jiggy start, I’m out straight with backyard sugaring time! The snow finally melted enough to afford me access to a few more of my maple trees so those were tapped. I’ve been collecting as much as I boil every day and the other day I actually collected 9 gallons but only boiled [...]

Spring? Maybe?

Posted by: Tammy

It was like elixir for my soul. The smell of smoke, the first wisps of steam off my evaporation pan, the sound of sap boiling down, birds singing in the trees and the warm sun on my face. It’s maple sugaring season and I so desperately needed to be outside. This winter’s harsh and continuous [...]

Our snowed in garden

Posted by: Tammy

I miss my garden. As I’ve looked through my photos, I have almost forgotten what my homestead looks like without snow. Here is my garden now: My world is white, like a blank canvas and we’re all waiting for God to begin His spring painting. My five foot high vertical fences are almost gone from [...]

God’s Winter Artwork

Posted by: Tammy

It’s been a long winter here in Connecticut. We’ve been in a very bad pattern which has brought storm after storm, week after week to us. We had record snowfall for January and we could easily surpass the all time snowfall record of 115″ that was set during the 95/96 winter season. I remember that [...]

Easy Artisan Bread

Posted by: Tammy

Easy, no-knead artisan bread has been all the rage. Mother Earth News and other magazines have touted the nearly effortless, tasty results. I was intrigued. I already make our bread but it tends to be a traditional white sandwich style bread. My boys have recently begun to enjoy the tasty, chewy, rustic type artisan breaks [...]

Little House Christmas

Posted by: Tammy

Boy, it’s been too long. Sorry. My last post was on the cold frame. I have tiny seedlings coming in but unfortunately, the frame got built late in the season and the manure and soil I put in was partially frozen. The cold frame was warmed up during the cold days but I think all [...]

Cold Frame Construction

Posted by: Tammy

Last year, I experimented with cold frame construction. My first cold frame was VERY simple with straw bales and two recycled slider doors (from a friend’s house remodel). It was a big success, giving me lettuce, spinach and radishes well into winter! In the early spring, the apparently dormant spinach and lettuce began to take [...]

Thanksgiving Leftover Makeover

Posted by: Tammy

I love Thanksgiving leftovers. I cook extra just for the leftovers but the family does like me making over the leftovers. Here are a few of my fast, easy Thanksgiving leftover makeovers. Turkey Tacos Just take diced/shredded turkey and use it in place of hamburger. You can use store bought taco seasoning or make your [...]

Prepping the homestead for winter

Posted by: Tammy

Well, tonight’s forecast has a four-letter word in it! SNOW!!!!! You know it’s coming, sooner or later but the first time you hear it for the season, you cringe, just a bit. Then your head begins to race through the “to-do” list. I know I ran through mine this morning and got an early start [...]