Tag: homestead

  • Huckleberries: Purple Gold of the Northwest

    Huckleberries: Purple Gold of the Northwest

    Since our very first trip to Idaho back in 2017 I have been absolutely hooked on hucks. I’m convinced there’s nothing that can’t be made better with huckleberries! Ice cream, milk shakes, turnovers, scones, pancakes, jams and jellies, you name it! My husband even had chicken and waffles with huckleberry syrup at a restaurant downtown.

  • Four Different Seed Starting Methods

    Four Different Seed Starting Methods

    If you’ve found me via the rabbit hole of seed starting, welcome! A cursory internet search will turn up an overwhelming amount of advice, and I’m glad you’re here to check out mine. Through all my research and personal experience I’ve come up with the four most popular methods of seed starting and I want…

  • Harvest Grains Artisan Bread – Recipes

    Harvest Grains Artisan Bread – Recipes

    I love a good piece of artisan harvest grains bread. A dear friend of mine, my fiddle instructor and my knitting buddy for many years, showed me her favorite snack when I was a teenager spending my summers weekending at her tiny cabin: a thick-sliced piece of whole grain bread, crusty and hearty, with a…

  • Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies – Recipe

    Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies – Recipe

    One of my favorite winter cookies, these will dazzle friends and family! They make a great addition to a gift basket or potluck. Feel free to substitute other types of dried fruit or even add chopped nuts.

  • Nifty Notions: See What’s in My Knit & Crochet Accessory Pouch

    Nifty Notions: See What’s in My Knit & Crochet Accessory Pouch

    states and through many households in various bags ranging from purses to diaper bags. So after nearly 20 years of crafting (and trying every notion out there) I thought I would share the must-have tools that I keep in my knitting bag.

  • 10 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Began Seed Starting

    10 Things I Wish I Had Known When I Began Seed Starting

    Let me preface this post by stating that I am in no way an expert gardener. It takes many years of research and experience to gain such an illustrious title, and although this will be my fourth year gardening at the homestead I still have so much to discover. Nonetheless I have learned enough in…

  • Squashta Salad – Recipe

    Squashta Salad – Recipe

    Enjoy the fruits of your labor with this delicious garden-fresh salad that comes together in less than half an hour. You could even tie a copy to this recipe to the zucchini you’ll throw at unsuspecting friends and neighbors all summer long!

  • My Favorite Cookbooks

    My Favorite Cookbooks

    Over the years I have amassed an impressive selection of cookbooks (not as impressive as my grandma’s, but I’m working on it.) I keep most of them on our bookshelf upstairs but a select few make the rotation on my butcher block. Here’s a list of the most-used, best-loved cookbooks from my collection: these contain…

  • What to Grow in an Heirloom Children’s Garden

    What to Grow in an Heirloom Children’s Garden

    During the 2021 season I was able to grow a few veggies in my son’s play yard that he enjoyed immensely. Can you say instant snack? This year I’m enlarging his garden area and I’m even installing a few small raised beds for us to play in now that he is a little older. These…

  • How Many Plants For Your Family? Vegetable Planting Chart

    How Many Plants For Your Family? Vegetable Planting Chart

    feed your family through the summer? What about for your home canning needs? Depending on what type of fruit and veg your loved ones eat the most, it can be more than you think. I’ve compiled this handy chart to help you plan your seed starting or plant shopping, and below you’ll find tips on…

  • How To Shop For Nursery Seedlings

    How To Shop For Nursery Seedlings

    veggie starts may look herculean compared to humble home-grown seedlings, looks can be absolutely deceiving. Read on for my best tips on how to shop for nursery-grown plant starts.

  • 3 Reasons Why You Should Be Saving Your Own Garden Seeds

    3 Reasons Why You Should Be Saving Your Own Garden Seeds

    Did you know that with proper selection and care you can grow your own seed stock right in your home garden? Planting heirloom fruits, vegetables, and herbs can provide you with an unlimited supply of garden seeds for generations to come. Read on for my top reasons why you should start saving seeds this season.

  • How to Shop for Garden Seeds Like a Pro

    How to Shop for Garden Seeds Like a Pro

    Hybrid, heirloom, non-GMO? Oh my! What do all these things mean for a gardener when shopping for seeds? I’ll tell all in this lengthy post and I’ll also share some of my favorite vendors (and coupon codes!) with y’all. If you’re ready to dive into my best practices for seed shopping, grab a hot drink…

  • The Top 5 Reasons to Start Your Garden From Seed This Year

    The Top 5 Reasons to Start Your Garden From Seed This Year

    Whether you’re growing herbs, vegetables or flowers, the benefits of starting plants from seed are many! It may seem like a daunting task especially for beginner gardeners who haven’t grown into their green thumb yet. What you probably haven’t considered is that growing from seed can be easier than buying department store plants! Read on…

  • How to Refill a Bona Mop

    How to Refill a Bona Mop

    My Bona mop is something I use every single day and couldn’t possibly live without! Aside from having a huge mop pad one of my favorite features is that it is meant to be refillable, so no expensive refills or plastic waste (ahem, Swiffer.) After scouring the internet for kid- and pet-friendly floor mop recipes…

  • Huckleberry Cream Cheese Turnovers – Recipe

    Huckleberry Cream Cheese Turnovers – Recipe

    Since we live in Idaho I just had to make my turnovers with huckleberries. My mom and I both have a few handfuls of the juicy purple jewels left from last year’s harvest so I’ve been trying to think of new ways to use them up. These tasty turnovers were perfect for the cause!

  • Chocolate Chip Pancakes – Recipe

    Chocolate Chip Pancakes – Recipe

    Don’t let the name fool you – these pancakes are anything but ordinary! One secret ingredient takes this classic breakfast comfort food to a whole new level. If you don’t have any plain Greek yogurt laying around, sour cream can be used in a pinch. Use any kind of chocolate chips you like or have…

  • Advice from a Novice Packer

    Advice from a Novice Packer

    After I published my post about our visit to Shorty Peak Lookout I realized I had finally gotten to a point where I was actually happy with what I had packed for the trip. I’ve been backpacking about a dozen times now, and I’m sure if you’re a novice packer like me, every trip you…

  • Aaron’s Favorite Tapioca – Recipe

    Aaron’s Favorite Tapioca – Recipe

    Until this past year I hadn’t fully understood the importance of tapioca pudding in my life. It’s something my husband used to buy for his weekday lunch. Little plastic, foil-topped pudding cups full of corn syrup, food coloring, added flavors and saturated fats… Ew! But since visiting his grandmother’s house this year and discovering her…

  • Crystal Lake

    Crystal Lake

    I didn’t know how many Crystal Lakes there were in the PNW until I tried to Google our destination just south of Cataldo, ID. If you instead search for Crystal Lake Wilderness Study Area you’ll get a better idea of where you’re going.