Homemade Compost Tumbler

I wrestled with my five citrus trees last weekend. I have the scrapes to show for it, too! All together we have five citrus trees: a grapefruit, two tangerines and two oranges. I don't think they've been cared for in years, because I had a lot of trimming to do. It wasn't the right time to prune citrus- usually right after it fruits, in late winter is best- but when I get an idea to do something, I do it NOW.

You can see we have some fruit, but I am really uncertain of the quality. For quality citrus, you need quality fertilizer, and they are definitely not getting any of that! So, after picking the last thorn out of my skin I had an idea: why not make my own fertilizer?

We have lived on our 9 acres a very short while, so there is still a lot to clean up after the last owners abandoned it. In one of the out-buildings, I found a few 55 gallon drums that looked promising...

After finding a barrel that was empty and did not have any traces of anything potentially toxic, I got my husband's tools and went to work. First thing I did was to drill 1/2" holes all over it- the compost materials will need plenty of oxygen to decompose, so I put them everywhere and anywhere...

Then, I needed an axis for the barrel to spin on so I put a spare piece of galvanized conduit through the middle. I am going to mount the barrel to two posts in the ground later, so I left extra tubing extending from both ends.

I ended up putting two more conduit pieces through the barrel to help with flipping the compost material- otherwise, it would just slide around on the smooth surface. My husband cut a door out of one side of the barrel (I don't trust myself with a circular saw), and he picked me out some shiny, heavy-duty hardware for the latches and hinges.

Here's the finished door- The hardware will definitely keep anything from falling out while the tumbler is spinning! My hubby even installed a handle for easy access...

Well, here's the finished project! I dug 2.5Ft holes and placed my posts in a bed of concrete to keep them stable. This will give me plenty of room to park a wheel barrel underneath when I'm ready to harvest my rich, homemade soil!

From wrestling with citrus trees to building my own compost tumbler, I think this was one of my most productive projects yet!

This post was shared on Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist.

Chickens Are NOT Vegetarians, A Rant :)

After having observed our chickens for a month, and having seen them eat anything from kitchen scraps to snakes, I have come up with a pretty reasonable conclusion... chickens are definitely NOT vegetarians. My chickens are spoiled, all things considered. I let them out of their very safe and secure coop every morning to free-range all day long. They are cuddled by my children and given a large variety of treats, such as cherries, apples, coconut, and beef fat (which they LOVE). My chickens are happy! I can't help but feel sorry for the chickens who are kept by the commercial, high-producing, mega chicken farms.

While waiting for my chickens to start laying eggs, I have been forced to shop at the supermarket for them. Ugh. I can't tell you how disappointed I am in the lack of quality of store-bought eggs... even the organic kind! The 4-grain, all vegetarian diet eggs are my least favorite. Since chickens are naturally omnivores, a 4-grain diet would be like a human choosing 4 things to eat for the rest of his life! If you were only allowed to eat 4 grains, that would be a very bland, not to mention nutritionally deficient diet. If 4-grain eggs come from nutritionally-deficient chickens, how can they be healthy??

Solution: keep your own chickens, if you are able. If you can't keep your own, find a local farmer who lets his chickens eat the diet God intended them to eat! I have gotten eggs from a local farmer for as little as $2.00 per dozen... quite a discount from those inferior, organic eggs at the grocery store.

How to tell if an egg is of good quality:
1.The white of the egg should be clear, not cloudy.
2.The yolk of the egg should be yellow-orange, not a pasty light yellow.
3. The shell should be thick and hard to crack, not flimsy and fall-apart-in-your-hand.

If you can find an egg supplier who's eggs fit all of the above criteria, you have done your family a great service. Better nutrition and happier chickens definitely make higher-quality eggs that your family will love!

Homemade Beef Stock

This is not your typical grocery store stock! The stock that you find in the store will be loaded with MSG and other unwanted additives... and it will be watery with very little nutritional value.

On the other hand, homemade stock is loaded with nutrition. You control what goes in it (and what doesn't!). And, if you make it right, homemade stock is full of gelatin- just look at the picture. Gelatin is essential for joint health, and may reduce the risk of stomach ulcers.

For my homemade beef stock, I placed in my 7-qt. stock pot:

1 package marrow bones
1 package ox tails
1 package meaty ribs
1 package neck bones
2 calf hooves

I then covered the bones with water (just a couple inches below the lip of the pot), added about 2 T raw apple cider vinegar, and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Next, I brought it all to a boil and spooned out the foam that came to the top. After that, I added 1 med. onion (roughly chopped), a couple cloves of garlic, four carrots (roughly chopped), and about 1t pepper corns and 1t sea salt. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Now comes the waiting! Turn down the heat to a low simmer, cover your pot, and let the stock cook for 24-72 hours. The longer you let it cook, the stronger the flavor and the darker the color.

When the stock is done to your liking, strain off the chunky stuff and store in the fridge overnight. In the morning, spoon off the fat that has congealed on the surface. I fed the fat to my chickens and they loved it!

Now, the stock is ready for storage- it will keep for days in the fridge, or for months in the freezer. Since I always make large batches, I store mine in 2-cup containers in the freezer. Then, it is easy to take out and thaw when I need it! This stock makes great soups, sauces or can replace water in your favorite recipes (rice cooked in stock is delicious!).

Because of the calf's hooves, my stock is loaded with gelatin! My kids took turns twisting the bowl to watch it jiggle :) Enjoy!

Homemade Grahams

My family loves graham crackers... the only problem is, all the grahams at the store contain soy products and /or hydrogenated oils! The organic kinds cost double, so they are out of the question...

After searching the grocery store shelves for an affordable, healthy choice of grahams (and failing to find anything), I decided to make my own :)

This is a recipe that I formulated myself, after having viewed quite a few recipes online. My family thought they were really good, with just the right texture and sweetness!

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter
1/4 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c honey

1 t vanilla extract
2 c sprouted wheat flour
1 c unbleached flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 c milk

Directions:

Cream together the butter, sugar and honey. Stir in vanilla and milk.

Mix together the flours, baking powder and soda, and salt.

Combine the two mixtures until incorporated. I had to knead on a floured surface to get them into a nice dough.

Chill dough until firm (from 1-4 hours)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. and grease cookie sheets (I used coconut oil).

Roll dough out to 1/8" and cut into rectangles. I scored the dough to look more like store-bought grahams. Place grahams 1/2" apart on cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned on edges and crisp.*

*Before baking, you may sprinkle with a little cinnamon-sugar for a sweeter treat.

Enjoy ;)

This post was shared at Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist

Homemade Turkey Pot Pie

Even though it has been in the high 80's here lately, I still like a hot plate of food for dinner! Pot pies have been one of my favorite meals for years, and they are definitely hot- not to mention creamy, meaty, filling, etc. And, pot pies are the perfect way of bringing an entire meal to the table in one dish. Since I roasted a turkey for Easter dinner, I had enough left-over meat to fill two pies!





My favorite pie recipe calls for chicken, but turkey can substitute very well!

Filling:

3 cups cooked, diced chicken or turkey
1 1/2 c chicken, beef or turkey stock (preferably homemade!)
1 t dried basil
1 t dried rosemary
1 t dried thyme
3/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 c cubed potatoes
1 c chopped celery
1 c sliced carrots
1 med. onion, chopped
1/3 c butter
1/2 c flour
3/4 c raw cream
3/4 c raw milk

Pour stock into small saucepan with basil, rosemary, thyme and salt. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer while you prepare the rest of the filling (about 15 minutes).

Melt butter in deep skillet and saute potatoes for 5 minutes.

Add celery, carrots, and onions to potatoes and saute for 5 minutes.

Mix flour with veggies and stir over heat for one minute.

Strain the stock and add it to veggies, then add pepper, cream, and milk to mixture.

Cook until thick and bubbly.







Crust:

3 c flour
1 t salt
1 c coconut oil (solid, chilled)
1 large egg
1 T white vinegar
1/4 c water
1 egg + 1 T milk for crust browning

Mix flour with coconut oil and salt until crumbly.

Mix egg, vinegar and water in a separate cup, then sprinkle over flour mixture.

Use hands to form dough into ball (add water by sprinkles, if needed).

Roll out 2/3 dough to 1/8" to fit in bottom and sides of a 8"-round casserole. Press into corners.

Fill the casserole with the prepared filling, then roll out the remainder of dough to cover the top of the pie. You can weave strips of dough or cut out shapes in a solid top crust. Brush the top crust with 1 egg mixed well with 1 T milk.


Bake in a pre-heated 400 F oven for 35 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

I love this homemade hummus! It is great with crackers, melba toast or pita bread... the taste is mild, so you could really use this as an all-purpose dip :) I do not like the tartness of many store-bought brands, so I add a little raw honey to cut the tart flavor- but not enough to be overpoweringly sweet. Also, I buy my garbanzo beans dried, not in a can. This guarantees that the beans are soaked properly to neutralize their natural enzyme inhibitors!

What you need:

6 oz dried garbanzo beans (plus, 2 T whey or lemon juice)
1/2 c tahini paste
3 T olive oil, plus a drizzle for presentation
2 large cloves garlic
1 T raw honey
1/3 c lemon juice
1 t ground cumin
salt to taste

Soak beans overnight with enough water to cover them and 2 T whey or lemon juice.

Drain and rinse beans, then cover with water and boil until tender (up to 2 hours).

Drain beans, reserving bean broth.

Place beans in food processor and blend with garlic and oil (add enough broth to make a creamy paste).

Add rest of ingredients and blend until incorporated (add more broth until desired consistency).

For the presentation, put the hummus in a shallow bowl or plate and drizzle with olive oil. I also sprinkle mine with paprika! Enjoy.

Homemade Chai Tea Blend

I gave up having a daily cup of coffee a while back... but I still enjoy a hot, creamy beverage every once in a while :) One of my favorite hot drinks is chai tea- it's hot, spicy, creamy, and as sweet as I want to make it! Here's my version of this wonderful, tasty beverage that is sure to put a smile on your face:

Chai tea mix:

3/4 c black tea (or red rooibos, for a caffeine-free treat)
4 cinnamon sticks, chopped
1 organic orange peel, dried and broken in small pieces (in your oven: bake at 250 F for about 15-20 minutes, until crispy.)
1/4 t crushed black peppercorns
1/4 t crushed cloves
1 t fennel seeds
1/4 t cumin seeds
1 t dried, chopped ginger
bay leaves (about 1 per cup of water)

Mix all ingredients and keep stored in an airtight jar.

To make tea:

Heat 1T (heaping) chai mix (plus 1 bay leaf) with 1 cup water. When mix reaches boil, cover and remove from heat. Let steeep for 10-15 minutes.

While tea is steeping, steam/heat one cup milk + 2 t honey or brown sugar.

Mix equal amounts milk and strained tea in large mug and enjoy!

This post is shared on Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist.