Homesteading
Valentine’s Day for Homesteaders
Valentine's Day is next Tuesday. You usually get one of two responses to this celebration. You either get someone who just loves it and is looking forward to doing something special for those he/she loves. Or, you get a groan accompanied with resentment for a day where he/she feels obligated... »
Encouraging the Writer, Part 2
First I want to thank everyone for privately emailing me about sources for local, raw honey. I have found some and am making arrangements to fill up my five gallon bucket for a reasonable price. I want to gather these referrals for honey and post them in the near future for your benefit. Also, I made an error in my... »
Baking Bread on SCD
Completing our tenth month on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) protocol has been challenging. One of the important aspects of the diet is to live grain-free. We have lived well without relying on breads and other starches to satisfy our appetites. However, I grew adventurous early this week and decided to try my hand at baking bread with almond flour. As... »
Fake Honey?
I read a disturbing article last week that sent me digging for more information for the last few days. Unfortunately I cannot find anything to refute the information. Instead, I find article after article supporting the findings of the first. Unbelievable! Dr. Mercola put out an article entitled, "The Honey You Should Never Buy-It May Be Tainted with Lead and Antibiotics." ... »
Orchards and Vineyards
If you have ever dreamed of having an orchard or vineyard on your property, now is the time to act on it in Southeast Texas. Not only are farmers planting early spring crops or getting ready to do so, but this is also the time to plant trees and vines. The nurseries and feed stores in my area have many... »
A Great Check-Up
I am for the most part a healthy woman. Luckily, I have no real health issues. For the past five years, I have struggled with adrenal and thyroid fatigue. In addition, my doctor would find that my gut was over-grown with yeast and that I was deficient in essential fatty acids (EFAs). Despite taking the recommended supplements, these findings never... »
As Serious as a Heart Attack
I did not write on Friday as planned because we had a little scare in our family. I went up to the hospital to visit one of my relatives, who was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. Thankfully, she did not suffer a heart attack and was released after days of tests. However, it made me seriously think about the... »
Early Spring Gardening
Our fall garden was a big disappointment. Our goats got out of their fenced-in area and devoured my vegetable plants. They stripped the broccoli leaves, ate the cabbage to the roots, etc. The only things they left alone were bunching onions. I guess they didn't want onion breath. The spinach was resilient and is almost ready to beginning giving us leaves... »
Treasures of the Heart
Both Isaac and Andrew were surprised Christmas morning with brand-new bicycles. Isaac, being a bit older, had outgrown his other bike, but this was Andrew's first one. They both beamed with joy and excitement. As we continued to open presents, we realized that all of the toys were intended to be played with outdoors. And here on Christmas Day, it was... »
Honey Cured Ham
One of my daughter’s favorite foods, ham, has been off limits to us these past nine months on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). It is not because it is pork; it has been a no-no due to the sugar used in the curing process. We are only allowed to... »
A Productive Vacation
I hope that everyone had a great holiday season. My family had a great time celebrating Christmas and the New Year. We had the absolute pleasure of spending New Year's Day with my brother's family. The exciting part was that Baby Adriana is home! She did not get to spend Christmas there, but she got to start the new... »
Merry Christmas 2011
Ahhhhhh! It feels good to sit down at the computer. For days, I have been running around here like a chicken with its head cut off. My home has transformed into Santa's Workshop and Christmas Factory. My hands have been busy creating, making, and baking. God sure did bless... »
A Christmas Cleaning Crisis
Panic begins to set in. You keep looking at the clock. Your company will be here in mere hours. You have worked so hard for about a week now. You have planned the menu, gone grocery shopping, set the table, baked goodies, and seasoned the meat. You have scrubbed toilets, oiled the furniture, mopped and vacuumed the floors. Your family... »
Christmas Breakfast Recipes
Christmas morning will be here before I am ready. Already my kids are counting down the days. I love to have a set breakfast on that special day. In the past, I made pigs-in-a-blanket and fruit, but with our diet restrictions I have to look for different ideas. The good news is that I have several options this year. First, let... »
12 Days of Eating at the DeHaven Household
My husband loves to make chili, which is a welcome dinner at our house in the wintertime. His chili is delicious and he has even won several friendly chili cook-offs. Anyway, I made his recipe the other day with four pounds of meat and one pound of kidney beans. I fixed everyone's bowl and then filled mine. I grew absorbed... »
