Whiteley Creek Homestead

rain barrels, compost bins, living green expo

My March 2009 Do It Green! E-Newsletter featured a compost bin and rain barrel sale. You can place your order for either or both then pick them up at the Living Green Expo May 2-3, 2009 at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds in St. Paul.

              

 

Compost Bin Reg. Price: $79.99 Sale Price: $ 47.00
Rain Barrel Reg Price $115.00 Sale Price: $ 65.00  

Instead of a wire cage, as in the photo above, to enclose compostable materials, I have two ComposTumblers. One is on loan from friends until we can transport it to Florida where they live. The other one I purchased from a friend in Brainerd. The price tag for each one was $50.00, so check Craig's list, yard sales, newspaper ads, etc. before you pay full price. All of our kitchen veggie and fruit scraps, that aren't our hens' favorites, go into our tumbler along with chicken manure, a little topsoil, grass clippings, and fall leaves. A few rotations of the bin when you pass by and the addition of water, if rainfall isn't plentiful, is all it takes.

 

What I dislike about the "compact"-size tumblers that I have is that you must scoop the decomposed material out of the bin and into your wheelbarrow. Whereas, the "original"-size tumbler can accommodate a wheelbarrow underneath, so all you need to do is rotate the tumbler until the door is positioned over the wheelbarrow and it will fall in.

  

We're going to make our own stand, patterned after the one that this larger size sits on, so that I can fit my wheelbarrow underneath. (Photos courtesy of ComposTumbler)  

If you're not familiar with rain barrels, their purpose is to collect rainwater. To maximize collection, you position them at the end of an eave gutter under a shortened downspout. We made our rain two barrels out of former plastic pickle barrels (similar to the one in the photo above), drilled a hole, and attached a spigot. A screen placed over the top opening keeps debris and critters out. The collected rainwater will make your garden plants very happy.  

Mar. 12, 2009

Today's mileage: 0 miles 

Total monthly mileage for March: 31.25 miles (same as yesterday) 

Bible reading? Yes. 

    

pineapple alfalfa drink

Dick was zapped by the cold bug, so I thought this would be a perfect day to ease him back to health with an alfalfa sprout concoction. I have set out to expand my use of sprouts, that are bursting forth in three jars on my kitchen counter, beyond a sandwich and salad topping. With this beverage, I have crossed the starting line. What a tasty way to enjoy nutrition at its peak!  

 

Pineapple Alfalfa Drink from The Complete Sprouting Cookbook

by Karen Cross Whyte Copyright 1973

2 cups pineapple juice, chilled

1 cup alfalfa sprouts

1 tbsp honey

1 frozen banana, sliced

Put all ingredients in blender and whirl for 10 seconds.

Makes 2 large or 4 small juice glass servings.

Note: I added a few additional sprouts on top for garnish, but the entire 1 cup in the recipe is blended in. This is not meant to have a smooth texture, so don't overblend.

 

Mar. 11, 2009

Today's mileage: 2-mile walk 

Total monthly mileage for March: 31.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes. 

coupon, org farmers, and mag subscription

Here's a win-win all around...  Click on the image below to enlarge it to get the details.

 

I sent mine off yesterday with a UPC barcode from Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Multibran Cereal and Organic Valley Cottage Cheese. There's no form needed, just a 3x5 card. To get you started, I received a link a few weeks back through my EatingWell e-newsletter for a "Buy any 2, get $2.00 off any Organic Valley product" coupon that you can print off. The coupon expires 4/30/09. 

Mar. 10, 2009

Today's mileage: 2-mile walk 

Total monthly mileage for March: 29.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes. 

 

  

starburst smoothie

I learned a new trick today that I am extremely excited to share. You know that bitter taste you've experienced when you add kiwi to a smoothie? Well, no more... Prepare it in a food processor instead of a blender to prevent crushing the kiwi seeds and you'll have no bitter taste. This Starburst Smoothie is a testament that it really works!  

 

Starburst Smoothie from Smoothies 50 Recipes for High-Energy Refreshment by Mary Corpening Barber, Sara Corpening, and Lori Lyn Narlock

Serves 4 (1/2 c juice glass size servings)

¾ cup apple juice (raw unfiltered)

1 cup peeled and diced fresh kiwi (approx 2)

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 bananas, frozen and sliced

Place all ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth. Note: Prepare in a food processor, rather than in a blender, to avoid crushing the kiwi seeds, which causes them to be bitter.

 

Mar. 9, 2009

Today's mileage: 0

Total monthly mileage for March: 27.25 miles (same as yesterday)

Bible reading? Yes. 

 

cashew milk

While my oatmeal cooked this morning, I made some cashew milk to pour over top. Just toss 1 cup raw (unroasted) cashews in the blender with 4 cups water and whirl. Optional: 2 tbsp maple syrup (the real deal... not Aunt Jemima's) or honey (preferably raw/uncooked and unfiltered) may be added. No presoaking of the cashews is required. It's that fast.

 

I found this recipe for cashew milk in Sproutman's Kitchen Garden Cookbook by Steve Meyerowitz. 

Mar. 8, 2009

Today's mileage: 13.25 mile bike ride

Total monthly mileage for March: 27.25 miles

Bible reading? Yes. 

recycled t-shirts

Besides the plantable calendar that I gave my daughter Heather for her birthday, I gave her a book filled with patterns and directions for making a variety of projects using t-shirts. What a fun way to recycle!

 

If you're struggling for birthday, anniversary, baby, wedding, and other gift ideas, check out my daughter Jessica's new site: thegiftenchiridion.com. She has compiled gift suggestions, with web links, organized in 22 categories including  mom-on-the-go, creator, organizer, chef, baker, letter writer, bookworm, horticulturalist, environmentalist, traveler, handy person, techie, fashionista, new home, hostess, wedding, anniversary, bambino, toddler, pre-teen, teen, and collegiate. She will be adding new ideas at the beginning of each month, so check back frequently.

Mar. 7, 2009

Today's mileage: I did 1 hr of yardwork (raking leaves), but how does that translate into mileage?!!

Total monthly mileage for March: 14 miles (same as yesterday) 

Bible reading? Yes. 

So who is getting my 4 plantable calendars?

Yesterday's post highlighted my recent purchase of four desk calendars with wildflower seeds embedded in each of the 12 monthly pages to plant in soil at the conclusion of each month. A few days ago, when I placed my Olive Barn online order for four of them, it said that there was only one remaining in stock after they removed my four from their inventory. However, I didn't think much of it, because on etsy it says "1 in stock" when in reality many times there are more available if you want to order more. Such was not the case with these calendars. I later learned that they are sold out and aren't going to be restocked. There truly was only one left in stock when I placed my order. I feel fortunate to own four of them. So what do I have planned for my four calendars? Well, today I sent one of them to my oldest daughter, Heather, for part of her birthday gift. 

 

I wrapped the tin holding the calendar pages in pretty pink paper, wrapped a length of ribbon a few times around the package, then attached a flower to the top to add a fun splash of color. I made the flower by dismantling a lei that I received at a Hawaiian-themed wedding shower a year ago. I ran a knotted length of crochet thread through the center holes of four flower petals, tied a knot on the underside of the bottom flower, then taped the thread "tails" to the package. I thought it turned out so pretty and was a perfect recycle/reuse of an item in my craft room.

O.K., that's one of my four calendars down the road. A second one, I kept for myself to set beside my laptop computer as a happy reminder that spring planting season is approaching and to plant a page each month in anticipation of a different wildflower to transplant into my garden plot/flower bed. That leaves two left. One of the two is for my sister, Rita, for her birthday in April. That leaves only one. My final one I am offering up to you, my blog's readers, in a drawing. It will work the same as my drawing that took place after my food blog award contest. If you think the calendar is useful, ecofriendly, and fun, and you would like to have one, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by 8 p.m. Monday, March 23, 2009 when the drawing will close. Dick will anonymously draw a name from all of this post's commenters and I will announce the winner on Tuesday the 24th. So that I am able to contact the winner, be sure to supply your email address in the comment form. It will be invisible to other readers of my blog. If you haven't already done so, check out yesterday's post to see a detailed description of this prize being offered. 

Mar. 6, 2009

Today's mileage: 2-mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 14 miles 

Bible reading? Yes. 

plantable desk calendar

I ordered this 2009 desk calendar "made tree-free from recycled and renewable materials. Each month's page is embedded with one of 12 different wildflower seeds."

 

At the conclusion of the month, you place the page under a thin layer of soil, water thoroughly, and keep moist throughout the germination process. The tin that houses the calendar pages is even reusable. Wouldn't it be great if all products were designed and manufactured with a no waste end product?

 

I created a planting tray by hammering four nail holes for drainage in the bottom of an old very well-used cake pan that I purchased at a thrift shop then filled it with potting soil. After I shot this photo, I scattered a layer of soil over top of the calendar pages then spritzed with water. How fun to wait and see what kinds of wildflowers poke though the soil from January and February's plantable pages! 

I ordered and received four of these 2009 plantable calendars in yesterday's mail after seeing them in my Body + Soul Magazine. I was so excited to tell you about them so you could order your own. Sadly, upon just now going to Olive Barn to copy their link for you, I discovered  they have sold out and they won't be restocked. A silver lining is that I'm thinking maybe they'll carry them again in 2010, so check back with Olive Barn at the end of 2009. Also, a search may turn up the calendars on another site.    

Mar. 5, 2009

Today's mileage: 1-mile walk plus 5-mile bike ride

Total monthly mileage for March: 12 miles 

Bible reading? Yes. 

quick and easy spelt crunch

After reducing the amount of honey and eliminating the oil called for in this recipe, without sacrificing flavor, these spelt bars are a nutritious tasty snack or grab-n-go breakfast. 

  

Spelt Crunch from Body + Soul Magazine May 2008

Serves 8.

1 ¼ cups spelt flakes cereal (I used 2 1/2 cups instead.)

½ cup dried cherries (I have used dried cranberries, raisins, and a combo of the two)

¼ cup sprouted or *ground flaxseeds (See note at bottom of recipe.)

¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans (I used walnuts.)

2 tbsp pistachios (I used 2 tbsp raw sunnies + 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds… they are a green color and can be found in food co-ops and the health food section of your local market. Pine nuts would be good, too.)

¼ tsp salt (omit this or not… it’s up to you.)

½ ¼ cup honey (preferably raw and unfiltered)

¼ cup natural peanut butter

1 tbsp walnut oil

½ tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325°. Brush an 8x8 inch baking dish with oil, then line bottom and sides with a piece of parchment paper. (The oil makes the parchment paper adhere to the pan.) Brush paper with oil. In a bowl, combine spelt flakes, cherries, flaxseeds, pecans, pistachios, and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine honey, peanut butter, oil , and vanilla. Heat just until melted. Add to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until golden and edges pull away from pan, 20-25 minutes. Cool completely in pan. (Bars will become firm and crisper after cooling.) Using paper, lift bars out of pan. On a cutting board, cut into 8 pieces using a serrated knife. Note: I don't bother melting the honey and peanut butter or baking the mixture either. No need... there's nothing in the mix that needs to be cooked or baked and the cereal remains crispier in its unbaked form... and it simplifies the whole process.

* “Sproutman”, Steve Meyerowitz, doesn’t recommend sprouting flax for several reasons. He says, “Flaxseed is a wonderful seed with many health benefits. However flaxseed sprouts are very high in oxalic acid (which binds calcium) and, because of that, they have an extremely bitter taste. If that wasn’t discouragement enough, they are also gelatinous, which makes them hard to manage for most home sprouters. Also, one of the main benefits of flax, its soft fiber, which is great for soothing and cleansing the intestinal wall, disappears during germination. 

 

  

Ingredients: organic wholegrain spelt flakes, organic fruit juice concentrate (apple, pear or grape), sea salt, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and natural Vitamin E (to preserve freshness).

Mar. 4, 2009

Today's mileage: 0

Total monthly mileage for March: 6 miles (same as yesterday) 

Bible reading? Yes. 

brother P-touch labeler

I have been wanting a label maker for a number of years so, when this model went on sale at Staples, I moved on it. It is a Brother P-touch Model PT-2700. 

After installing the computer software included with the machine and flipping through some pages in the instruction book, I was anxious to get started. My first project was to label the jars that store my seeds for sprouting. I chose to add a border with tiny blossoms.

... and here are my seeds, labeled and ready to go.

 

Mar. 3, 2009

Today's mileage: 2 mile walk

Total monthly mileage for March: 6 miles 

Bible reading? Yes.