Homesteading
Save My Garden
In all my years of gardening, I have never seen anything like my fall garden. Because of the drought, I decided to plant in a row without raising the soil and making furrows. I placed stakes on each end of the straight line so that we could tell where the vegetables would grow. I watered every night for about two... »
Our Sixth Month Anniversary
My family had a reason to celebrate Saturday. It was our sixth month anniversary on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). We are half way to our goal! Being on this diet has definitely had its challenges. Friday I was so busy in the kitchen that I did not have time to write an article for Texas Homesteader. My daughter was getting... »
A Note to My Readers
Dear Reader, Thank you so much for your prayers for my niece, Adriana. Doctors warned us that the life with a preemie is a roller coaster ride. They were not lying. It is not my place to go into specifics of her condition, but I will say that the prayers are working. Just as we are flying down the roller coaster... »
Busy Hands
Crocheting is one way I keep my hands busy during down times, especially late in the evening. I seriously taught myself using YouTube videos. I can knit as well, but I personally prefer crochet. When I... »
Kids in the Kitchen
Moms have so much on their plate whether they stay-at-home or work for a paycheck. Because time is so precious, we look for time-saving techniques and devices. One of the easiest things to do as a mom is to not include your children in your daily work. It takes much less time to do the chores alone. There is less hassle. ... »
SCD Cookbooks
I sat with my family expectantly waiting for Think Natural to begin yesterday morning at 11 a.m. The opening credits began rolling. And then.... it was not our episode. It was the re-run of his first episode of the season. I contacted Dr. Bond and he apologized. He gave me the wrong date. Our episode is actually being Closed Captioned and... »
Television Interview
Among the many hats that I wear throughout the day, one of my responsibilities is as the Business Manager of Cross Creek Cattle Company. It is a ranch owned by my father, Kenton Holliday. My husband is the Ranch Manager. A few years ago we made the transition from running a traditional ranching operation to a grass fed beef business. ... »
Gardening in a Drought
My family and I are trying to adapt to the incredibly dry conditions. We even considered not planting a fall garden, but while coming up with all the pros and cons, I convinced myself to go for it anyway. We finally finished planting everything Tuesday. I usually plant in raised rows. They are easy to see. Walkways are naturally created and... »
Incredible Icing
First I want to thank each and every one of you for praying, for sending me written out prayers, and/or for sending me encouraging words. Please continue praying. Baby Adriana is doing as well as expected; however, it is a trying time especially the stress on the family. I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. My family and I... »
Prayer Request
I have to wonder if hospitals have secret devices at the front entrances that suck out all of your energy. I have been so tired this week after spending Sunday and Monday at the Medical Center in Houston, Texas. My sweet sister-in-law went into preterm labor at only 26 weeks gestation. Sunday was a nerve-wracking day. We were so worried about... »
Accommodating Hosts
The fanatical adherence called for by the Specific Carbohydrate Diet overwhelms me at times. It is easier to stay home and prepare your own meals. However now that we are almost five months into the protocol, it is becoming difficult to turn down invitations to people's homes, parties, etc. Our family was not meant to be hermits. Jake was recently invited... »
To Garden or Not To Garden?
My favorite time to garden is the fall. Late August is the optimum time to begin a fall garden in my area of Texas. Here it is on the 24th and I am still trying to decide whether or not I will plant. Usually it is a no-brainer. Plant a garden. However, this is an extraordinary year. We are in the... »
How to Make Your Own Plucker
I have finally gotten my husband to sit down with me and describe the steps to making a homemade plucker. I first talked about it in the article, "Homemade Plucker." It made our life so easy while harvesting our Cornish Rock chickens. For relatively little money, my husband made a machine that effectively and efficiently removed feathers. [caption id="attachment_1943" align="alignright" width="300"... »
The Dyer Mill Fire: One Family’s Story
I want to share an amazing story with you today. When the Dyer Mill Wildfire was raging in Grimes County, my family was concerned for our safety as the fire came as close as four miles from our land. However, one of our biggest concerns was for the safety of the firefighters and... »
Meat Storage
In May I wrote an article called, "Food Storage Homesteading-Style." In this article, I describe my family's plan for building up our food stores while on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Since we cannot have... »
