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Homesteading Myths and Tips for Success

by 23 Comments

There seems to be a myth that you have to have a big beautiful farmhouse, or barn, or acreage in order to homestead successfully. This is a complete myth! You can start homesteading wherever you are, at any time, on any size property (even an apartment). In this post, I'm sharing, or rather de-bunking, many homesteading myths you may think are true.

A woman standing in front of a red barn holding up a wire basket full of farm fresh eggs.

For full transcript and related links to this Pioneering Today Podcast (episode #306) click here.

It may be surprising to you, but my husband, two kids and I homestead in a double-wide. Sure, a manufactured home sounds nicer, but truth be told, it's a double-wide!

When my husband and I first started homesteading 21 years ago, we were renting and had very little space. We homesteaded our first 17 years without even owning a tractor! We certainly learned what to do when homesteading got tough and saw first-hand how homesteading helped when in the midst of a crisis.

And now, all these years later, we raise all our own meat animals and we still don't even have a barn! A lack of outbuildings or structures is not a prohibiting factor for homesteading.

If you can believe it, we don't even have a garage. We use things like steel-framed canopies and shipping containers because they're practical and affordable. Living by the motto of only buying what we can pay for with cash means we're not getting in over our heads, or going into debt to create an idyllic farm. (We've also learned many ways that homesteading can make us money!)

Truth be told, anyone can homestead. So a bonus tip before we even get started, is that there is no perfect time to start homesteading, so just start now with what you have.

6 Commonly Believed Myths About Homesteading

There are certainly a lot of myths going around, or at least, homesteaders who may be saying there's one “right” way to do things. But over the years, we've come up with many hacks to “make it all work” and in the video below, I'm sharing them with you while de-bunking 6 commonly believed myths about homesteading!

Myth #1 – You have to have a big beautiful farmhouse in order to homestead.

This is completely untrue. You don't even need a cute tiny farmhouse! As I mentioned before, a double-wide will do just fine. For that matter, I know many people who get started on a homestead in a camper trailer or a motor home. We just do what we can do, right?

A woman standing in front of a shipping container pointing to it.

Myth #2 – You have to have barns or outbuildings in order to homestead.

False! We don't have a single barn on our homestead, yet we raise a year's worth of meat, including grass-fed beef cattle, free-range meat chickens, and heritage pigs without any issues.

As long as you're providing shelter from the elements and adequate space and food, these animals are quite resilient, even without a cozy barn.

A woman holding seedlings in her hands, standing outside by a potting bench.

Myth #3 – Homesteading must be your full-time job in order for it to work.

Nope! My husband and I both have full-time day jobs which, up until a few years ago, meant we both left the house for work. I now run my online business from home (most days), but it's still very much a full-time job.

Now, if you're scared or opposed to hard work, you may not want to come home from work only to have chores waiting for you on the homestead, but that's all part of making it work! If this doesn't sound appealing, maybe homesteading isn't your jam.

Beef cattle eating hay in the field.

Myth #4 – You can't go on vacation if you have a homestead.

Wrong again! Though there are precautions and systems that will need to be set up ahead of time, having a homestead does not mean you can't leave your home to go on vacation.

2-3 day vacations are very easy to arrange. Anything longer than that is doable, but you'll want to make sure to have someone reliable that can either stay at your home or have a neighbor come and check on your livestock and garden every day or two.

Too many things can go wrong, even if you have enough food, water, shelter, etc. Having someone come check on your animals is best.

A woman squatting next to american guinea hogs.

Myth #5 – You can't raise livestock unless you have enough acreage.

This isn't true either. If you listened to my podcast about raising animals and growing a garden with minimal space, then you know there are options such as leasing land (or growing vertically) to make it all fit.

A woman standing on a portable chicken tractor holding a basket of farm fresh eggs.

Myth #6 – There IS a perfect setup for homesteading!

Nope! We homesteaders love to share what works for us, but that's all it is, what works for us! If there are some tips and tricks we can help pass along that will also work for your situation, then that's the best of both worlds!

This is your journey, and your homestead, you don't need to be measuring it by some rod of perfection that's been set up by someone else!

More Homesteading Posts:

Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe & Tutorial

by 153 Comments

A homemade apple pie is such a labor of love, but if you have this canned apple pie filling recipe sitting on your pantry shelf, you can have apple pie any day of the week in much less time than from scratch. The reason? All the labor-intensive work is done! Apples are peeled, cored, and sliced, the sauce is thickened and, as long as you have a pie crust ready to go, it's just minutes away from popping into the oven.

Jars of home canned apple pie filling sitting on a counter next to apples, cinnamon sticks and other spices.

I'm a sucker for pie season. Truth be told, I really don't think about pie much unless it's cold outside (OK, maybe I do think about my homemade hand pies – AKA pop tarts – when it's not cold!). There's something about the changing of the weather, the falling leaves, the heavy fog that rolls through the property. It all just beckons a pie baking in the oven.

Am I the only one who thinks this?

That's not to say I don't bake pies year-round, or at least I didn't used to until I started canning my own pie filling.

Learning how to can apple pie filling means you never have to buy apples out of season, when they cost an arm and a leg, and it also means you can have pie whenever you want. Which makes it one of my favorite pantry staples.

Nothing says fall like a good crisp apple. I love the way an apple fits perfectly in the palm of my hand. The way they perfume the air, promising delectable delights. And it means I get to can up a new batch of homemade apple pie filling in my pressure canner.

My father-in-law adores apple pie and it's my responsibility privilege to provide the apple pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

My favorite apple in pies and applesauce is the Gravenstein. I planted my own a couple of years back, so it's only producing enough for fresh eating. Thankfully, my parents have an ancient one in their field.

Why I Love This Recipe

  • Quick: If all I have to do is whip up a batch of my grandma's pie crust, which truly is the flakiest and most delicious pie crust recipe you'll ever try, then making a homemade apple pie is quick and simple. (Have you ever tried baking pie crust with home rendered lard you made yourself using my foolproof method? You'll never go back!)
  • Makes a great gift: Having a jar of apple pie filling sitting on the pantry shelf is not only a gift to yourself, but it makes a great Christmas or hostess gift. It's like a hug in a jar, just sitting there waiting for the right time to be opened and enjoyed!
  • You know all the ingredients: Sure, you could go buy a can of apple pie filling at the grocery store, but there's something about knowing that all the ingredients used in your food are healthy and the highest quality available.
  • Store it for up to a year: While fresh apples won't last an entire year, this canned apple pie filling will have no problem sitting on the shelf for a year. Actually, if you follow proper canning protocol, this would likely store longer than a year, but because you'll want to can up fresh with your apple harvest next year, only can how much you'll need for the year and for gifting.
Hands peeling an apple with a bowl filled with chopped apples next to it.

Best Apples for Apple Pie

I always get asked what the best kind of apples are for apple pie and, the truth is, it totally depends on your taste! Some people swear by Granny Smith apples, but I actually like my apple pie a bit sweeter, so I prefer a Gravenstein apple. This is a very old variety of apple.

Because my Gravenstein apple tree isn't very big, I don't usually get enough to make pies, so I'm using Honey Crisp. I also like to use Gala and Fuji, but the trick is harvesting them when they're ripe and still very firm.

You can always adjust the sugar content to your taste and the sweetness of your apples.

Picture of an apple hanging from a branch with sunshine streaming through the background. Text overlay says "5 Tips to Starting an Orchard and Growing Fruit on Your Homestead".

Harvesting the Right Apples

It's important to choose the right apples just at the peak of ripeness. If you're harvesting your apples or picking them from an orchard, you'll know the apples are ripe when a few apples have already fallen to the ground.

The other trick is if you grab an apple that's still on the tree and start twisting it, if it pops off within a couple of twists it's ripe. You don't want to harvest apples too early because they won't have their best flavor, but if you harvest them too late, they won't store as well and you'll be having to work around soft spots and other blemishes.

Likewise, when you get your apples inside and all rinsed off, you want to go through them and pick the very best looking apples.

Save the bruised apples for apple sauce, homemade apple pie jam, apple butter, raw apple cider vinegar, or these other 11 ways to preserve apples at home. But for apple pie, you want those slices beautiful!

Ingredients needed to make apple pie filling.

Cornstarch or ClearJell?

My original apple pie filling recipe used cornstarch, but the cornstarch does break down after time, and is no longer approved for canning due to safety issues. The jars I use for Christmas baking were fine, but by the time I hit spring, they were a mushy runny mess.  They still worked, but the crusts were a bit soggy in the pies.

I've now been using ClearJell® both because it's the only approved canning thickener and because it truly does create a superior end product! Plus, there's too much precious time and work to waste on a recipe that's not safe and doesn't hold up.

Want a canned apple pie filling recipe without ClearJell? Simply omit the ClearJell (follow instructions in the notes of the recipe if not using ClearJell due to headspace difference) and instead, when you open the jar to bake your pie , add a thickener of your choice to the pie filling just as if you were using fresh apples, bake, and enjoy!

Sliced apples in lemon water.

Preparing the Apples

Before you begin peeling and slicing your apples, have a large bowl filled with water and some lemon juice. This will keep the apples from turning brown.

There's nothing wrong with brown apples and it won't affect the flavor, it's just that they'll look prettier in your jars once you've canned them if they don't oxidize.

Peeling and coring the apples is much easier when using a hand cranked apple peeler and corer , but I actually prefer to hand peel and hand slice my apples because the hand-cranked kitchen gadget I have actually slices the apples too thin for apple pie.

In fact, I used to can my filling this way, but in my experience, the apples broke down too much and resulted in a mushy apple pie filling (no one wants mushy apples in their apple pie!). So save the peeler and corer for those apples that'll be turned into applesauce (and then used in these homemade pumpkin applesauce muffins!

Trust me, it's worth the extra work to do it by hand.

A woman dumping apples into a pot of boiling water on the stove.

Blanching Apples

Blanching your apples is an important step because apples have a lot of oxygen in them. When you can your apple pie filling, that air will want to escape and you'll end up with siphoning of your jars which can lead to seal failure.

Also, your apples will shrink as that oxygen escapes during the canning process so you'll have jars that aren't full. I've done both raw pack apple pie filling and hot pack apple pie filling, the hot pack method, though it takes an extra step, is worth every bit of effort.

Blanch your apples, six cups at a time, in boiling water for one minute. Once they're done you can remove them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

If you're blanching your apples in batches, you'll want to keep the apples warm, so place a lid over the bowl (or place a cookie sheet over the top like I do!).

Mason jars filled with apple pie filling sitting in a steam canner.

Prepare Your Canner

Most canners can only fit up to 7 quart jars at a time, but I usually like to can about 4 quarts at a time. This allows me to have enough filling for four pies, but it doesn't take up too much of my day.

While you're blanching your apples, go ahead and bring the water in your canner up to 180 degrees F. This is a hot-pack recipe, so you want all your ingredients and supplies hot when you start canning

Prepare Your Jars

Wide mouth quart jars work best for this recipe, but narrow mouth can be used as well.

Wash your jars with warm soapy water, then either keep them in a sink filled with hot water or if you're using a steam canner like I am, place them on the rack above the hot water to keep them warm.

Apple pie filling in a large pot.

Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe

(Adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving )

  1. With your prepared and blanched apples keeping warm in a bowl, add 3 & 3/4 cups water to a large stainless steel pot.
A woman removing blanched apples from a large pot on the stove.

2. Add in the sugar, spices, and ClearJel® and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (don't use a hard boil). Stirring constantly, cook until it thickens and bubbles. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute more, constantly stirring.

Apple pie filling in a large pot.

3. Remove from heat and fold in apples. Ladle apple pie filling into warm prepared jars, a canning funnel makes this way easier, let me tell you.

A woman ladling apple pie filling into a mason jar.

4. Leave 1-inch headspace, run a spatula down the inside of the jars to remove air bubbles. Wipe rim with a damp clean towel. Center lid and screw bands down until tight.

A woman's hand measuring the head space in a mason jar filled with apple pie filling.

5. Place jars filled with apple pie filling in a hot water bath for 25 minutes.

Mason jars filled with apple pie filling sitting in a steam canner.

6. Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.

7. Using a jar lifter, carefully remove hot jars to a towel and allow it to cool without moving overnight.

A jar lifter setting a jar of canned apple pie filling onto the counter.

8. Remove bands, check seals, wipe down outside of the jar, and store in the pantry, out of direct sunlight for up to 1 year.

Altitude adjustment: If you're 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes total), 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes (35 minutes total).

Apple Preserving & Use Mini Cookbook

Just put your name and email below and I'll shoot it straight to your inbox! ???

I have to confess, I licked the side of the syrup pot before washing. We have to taste test right? It was soooo good.

How to Bake Your Pie

When ready to bake your pie, pour one-quart apple pie filling into an 8 or 9-inch pie plate lined with pie pastry (don't forget to use my grandmother's flaky pastry recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to make).

Arrange the top crust over the pie filling and cut slits for steam to escape. Crimp the edges, and bake at 400 degrees F for 50 minutes.

Alternately, this filling works great for a homemade apple crisp! Just use your favorite crumble recipe and bake!

A jar of canned apple pie filling sitting in a cast iron skillet.

Apple Pie Filling FAQs

Can You Pressure Can Apple Pie Filling?

No. I used to pressure can my apple pie filling, but without being able to find an approved tested time for pressure canning, I only water bath process my pie filling now for safety.

Why Didn't My Recipe Make 4 Quarts?

Each apple variety (and even within the same variety) has a different water content, so once you've blanched your apples, you may end up with fewer apples. You haven't done anything wrong, this is just the way it goes when preserving your own food.

Can I Adjust the Sugar?

Yes, the sugar in this recipe is for flavor only and does not affect the canning process. You can scale the sugar up or down according to your preference

How do I Adjust for Altitude?

If you're 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes total), 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes (35 minutes total). All other steps remain the same.

Other Apple Preserving Recipes:

Jars of home canned apple pie filling sitting on a counter next to apples, cinnamon sticks and other spices.

Canned Apple Pie Filling

Melissa Norris
Follow this easy apple pie filling recipe and can it at home to have it ready and waiting on your shelf for a quick dessert anytime of the year.
4.5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Quarts
Calories 753 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 12 cups apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 2 3/4 cups raw sugar
  • 3/4 cup Clear Jel. See notes if omitting
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 3 3/4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Place peeled, cored, and sliced apples in boiling water for 1 minute, working 6 cups of apples at a time.
  • Remove apples with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Cover to keep warm.
  • In a large stainless steel pot, combing sugar, ClearJel®, spices, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (don't use a hard boil), stirring constantly, and cook until it thickens and bubbles.
  • Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute more, constantly stirring.
  • Remove from heat and fold in apples.
  • Ladle apple pie filling into warm prepared jars. Wide mouth jars work best for this recipe, but narrow can be used.
  • Leave 1 inch headspace, run a spatula down the inside of the jars to remove air bubbles.
  • Wipe rim with a damp clean towel. Center lid and screw bands down until tight.
  • Place jars filled with apple pie filling in  a hot water bath for 25 minutes.
  • Turn off heat, remove lid, and let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Using a jar lifter, carefully remove hot jars to a towel and allow to cool without moving over night.
  • The next day, check seals, remove bands, wipe down outside of jar and store in out the pantry of direct sunlight for up to 1 year.

Video

Notes

Altitude adjustment: If you're 1,000 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes (30 minutes total), 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10 minutes (35 minutes total).
Processing instructions WITHOUT ClearJel: To make this without ClearJel, omit, and fill jars to a 1/2 inch headspace and process for 30 minutes in a steam canner or hot water bath. At baking time, drain 1/3 cup of the liquid from the jar into a small saucepan, whisk in 3 Tablespoons cornstarch until combined. Add rest of jar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 1 minute. 

Nutrition

Calories: 753kcalCarbohydrates: 192gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 19mgPotassium: 473mgFiber: 9gSugar: 176gVitamin A: 203IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Keyword apple pie filling, how to can apple pie filling
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Salt Cured Ham: Old-Fashioned Preserving

by 79 Comments

How to salt cure ham at home has been on my homesteading bucket list for a few years now. Being able to preserve food with old-fashioned techniques, like salt curing pork, is a skill I find as fascinating as I do yummy. Bring me the bacon! And ham!

A ham roast in a salt cure.

When Lee from Tennessee Homestead offered to teach me and you how to salt cure a ham I got all kinds of excited. Lee, teach away!

What is Salt Curing?

Salt curing ham is an age-old tradition on our homestead.  We use a dry rub cure to make the best-tasting hams possible.  The salt/sugar mix adds color and flavor to the meat.  Additionally, some of our hams will also go into the smoker.  But, today I will discuss with you the first part of the process, how to cure pork with a salt dry rub.

Before reliable refrigeration, people would salt cure meat the old fashioned way because it was the best way to preserve pork.  Curing and smoking pulls the moisture from the ham to make it safe to store at room temperature.  We don’t cure for this purpose anymore, but rather to give the ham a great flavor and color.

Where can I buy a fresh ham to cure?

If you don’t have a fresh ham from your own hog you can find fresh ham at a meat market or packing house.  Remember the ham you buy at the grocery has already been cured and/or smoked.  A fresh ham is exactly that, a ham fresh from the hog.

You can also ask around in rural areas to see if you can find someone raising their own hogs. Many times families will raise extra hogs to sell in order to offset the cost of raising them.

Is Salt Curing the Same as Dry Curing a Ham?

Yes, salt curing is simply another term for dry curing. This is a process of coating the meat with a salt cure rub which draws out the moisture. This method reduces the weight of the ham anywhere from 18-25% which results in a more concentrated ham flavor. Many people prefer dry curing as opposed to injecting or immersing the ham with a curing solution. Once the ham is cured, it can be smoked, cooked or frozen for later cooking. Because dry hams are typically saltier than other products, they benefit from soaking in water for 1-12 hours (in the refrigerator) before cooking.

Supplies Needed for Dry Curing a Ham

  • Fresh Ham
  • Curing mix – you must use a curing salt to make this mix, not regular salt. (Salt used to cure meat has to be non-iodized.  If you use iodized salt it will make the meat have a metallic flavor.)
  • Plastic tray – to use during the curing process. (Do not use metal)
  • Sharp knife to cut in around joints
  • Refrigerator (preferably an old refrigerator that can be sacrificed to the salt curing process. The salt will ruin the metal parts inside of the unit including the gills that disperse the cool air.)
  • The Joy of Smoking and Salt Curing The Complete Guide to Smoking and Curing Meat, Fish, Game, and More (optional)

Homemade Salt Curing Mix

This dry rub mix recipe has been in my family and handed down for generations. It's a simple combination of four ingredients.

Does anyone else get giddy over these kinds of things? I may be a family recipe addict, it doesn't matter from whose family either. I know those recipes that get handed down are because they're just that good. ~Melissa

  • 2 cups Curing Salt
  • 1 Tbs Red pepper
  • 1 Tbs Black pepper
  • 1 cup Brown sugar

Most fresh hams will need a minimum of a triple batch, the recipe can be scaled up or down as needed, depending on size of the ham.

How to Salt Cure Ham at Home

  • For one ham start with 6-8 cups of mix.
  • The temperature will need to be between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fresh ham sitting on a cutting board.
  • Take a fresh ham with skin on, wash off in water and pat dry.
  • Put a layer of curing mix on the tray to act as a bed for the ham. This bed of curing mix should be ¼” – ½” deep.
  • Place the ham on top of the layer of mix.A man cutting into the joint of a fresh ham with a knife.
  • At each joint, cut slits down to the bone. These slits are needed because you have to pack extra salt around the joint so the fluid will draw out.  Otherwise, you could spoil the ham.  There are two joints, the H-bone (hip) and the hock.A man packing the joints of a fresh ham with a salt cure mix.
  • Pack the slits you made at the joints with the curing mix.
  • Rub and cover the rest of the ham with the curing mix.A fresh ham sitting in and covered in a salt cure rub.
  • Leave the tray in a cool place (such as a refrigerator or a cooler packed with ice) for 18 days at 36-40 degrees. If using a cooler, be sure to check your ice daily and replenish it as needed.
  • After 18 days check the ham.
  • If you are going to put this ham in the smoker it has to be firm to the touch. If not firm to the touch it is not ready to come out of the curing mix. (If it is not firm it is because there is still too much fluid left in the ham.)
  • If ham is ready to be smoked, thoroughly rinse off the salt and pat dry before smoking.
  • If you are freezing then firmness does not matter. You can go on to the next step.
  • If freezing, slice the ham and freeze or freeze whole.
  • If ready to eat, you can bake the whole ham. Alternatively, you can slice the ham, soak the ham slices in cold water for up to an hour, then cook. Or, simmer the ham slice in a little water in the frying pan and then remove the water and continue cooking.

Salt Cured Ham: Old-Fashioned Preserving

Lee Totten
Salt cured ham has been around for centuries as an old-fashioned preservation method. It's simple to cure your own ham at home with this easy recipe.
3.86 from 34 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 18 d
Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 1 ham
Calories 69.7 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups Curing Salt
  • 3 Tbs Red pepper
  • 3 Tbs Black pepper
  • 3 cup Brown sugar
  • 1 Fresh Ham

Instructions
 

  • Mix salt, red pepper, black pepper and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside, this is your curing mix.
  • With a ham that's between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, rinse in cold water and pat dry.
  • Put a layer of curing mix ¼” – ½” deep on a tray to act as a bed for the ham.
  • Place the ham on top of the layer of curing mix.
  • At the H-bone (hip) and the hock joints, cut slits down to the bone then pack with as much of the salt mixture as possible.
  • Rub and cover the rest of the ham with the curing mix.
  • Leave the tray in a cool place (such as a refrigerator or a cooler packed with ice) for 18 days at 36-40 degrees.
  • Cure for 18 days (or more – see recipe notes).
  • Once the ham is cured, rinse well with cool water then smoke it, cook it or freeze it for later (see recipe notes for cooking tips).

Notes

  • If using a cooler, be sure to check your ice daily and replenish it as needed.
  • If you are going to smoke your ham, it has to be firm to the touch. If it's not firm to the touch, continue curing and checking it daily.
  • If ham is ready to be smoked, thoroughly rinse off the salt and pat dry before smoking.
  • If you are freezing then firmness does not matter. Slice the ham and freeze or freeze whole.
  • When ready to eat, you can bake the whole ham.
  • If you'd like to serve the ham in slices, we recommend soaking the slices in cold water for an hour up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Then cook up in a frying pan. (You can also simmer the ham slice in a little water in the frying pan, remove the water, then continue cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1oz.Calories: 69.7kcalProtein: 5.2gFat: 5.3gSaturated Fat: 1.9gCholesterol: 15.9mgSodium: 364mg
Keyword Cured Ham, Dry Cured Ham, Salt Cured Ham
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Here on the homestead, cured hams are just one of the products we make from our own hogs. Other products include lard, bacon, ham, ham hocks, sausage and souse meat.  If you are unable to raise your own hog many local custom slaughterhouses can help you find a producer you can purchase a hog from so you too can have your own fresh pork and enjoy the process of curing your own meat.

Lee'sbiophoto

Lee is a writer/blogger who is also a self-reliance promoter.  They call her chicken “Mama” at home where she considers herself an expert pitchfork operator. For more self-reliance and homesteading tips from Lee go to Tennessee-Homestead.com

Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake without Jello & Homemade Cake Mix

by 20 Comments

Strawberry rhubarb dump cake is one of my favorite recipes, in fact, I started with this recipe when I was seven years old. A neighbor served this dish and the next day, I walked up the street to her log cabin and asked for the recipe. She graciously shared! (I take it as a compliment when someone asks for the recipe and always supply it upon request)

But as we started moving away from processed and boxed foods, I had a hard time making strawberry rhubarb dump cake because the original recipe called for both strawberry jello (hello food dye and artificial flavoring) and a boxed cake mix.

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake from Scratch

Since recovering my health and only using from scratch recipes in our kitchen, I struggled with giving up our beloved Strawberry Rhubarb dump cake or using the processed ingredients and cringing the entire time. I'm telling you, the dilemma is real people.

I'm not one to give up on our favorites, I was determined I could do this real food. Determined. It took a couple of goes, but I did it. This strawberry rhubarb dump cake from scratch now contains real strawberries, gelatin (totally a health food when sourced from grass fed cattle), and a homemade cake mix that is light and fluffy. Can I get an amen!!!

No more feeling guilty and it still tastes amazing.

So I did it, I came up with a completely real food version of our favorite. You're welcome!

If making things from scratch the old-fashioned way without chemicals and a ton of store-bought ingredients, including from-scratch cakes, biscuits, and more, grab Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living with over 100 recipes!

Keep rhubarb on hand all year-long

A great way to keep rhubarb for baking all year long is to chop it up and freeze it in a plastic freezer bag or freezable container.

The great thing about this strawberry rhubarb dump cake is you can use fresh or frozen fruit, so it can be served all year long.

Other easy delicious homemade dessert recipes

Close up image of a frosted chocolate cupcake on a white plate with a cake tray full of cupcakes in the background. Text overlay says, "Chocolate Mayo Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting".

Great-Grandma's Heavenly Easy Chocolate Mayo Cake

Easy Honey Banana Cake

Melt in Your Mouth Blueberry Cake

Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake without Jello

MelissaKNorris
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups diced rhubarb
  • 1 and 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar I use raw organic cane sugar
  • 1 scoop gelatin 2 and 1/2 teaspoons gelatin I use this brand of gelatin that's from grass fed cattle and no fillers
  • 1 cup cold water
  • Homemade Cake Mix
  • 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour we'll turn it into cake flour below
  • 3 Tablespoons organic non-GMO corn starch use 2 Tablespoons in the bottom of your cup, then spoon full with flour, use 1 Tablespoon for the 1/2 cup
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place rhubarb and sliced strawberries in pan, sprinkle sugar over it, then evenly sprinkle the gelatin over top.
  • Thoroughly mix your dry cake ingredients together and sprinkle evenly over rhubarb. Pour your 1 cup water over all of this and dot with 3 tablespoons chopped butter. Don’t stir!
  • Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve this warm by itself, or add a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. My husband says the rhubarb counts as a vegetable and eats it for breakfast, too.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

28 Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar

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Apple cider vinegar is one of the oldest foods and it's been in use for thousands of years. Not only is it easy to make at home, but apple cider vinegar is one of the most versatile tools you have in your home and medicine cabinet.

As a modern homesteader and natural living pioneer lifestyle loving junky, yep, I totally admit it, I absolutely adore having an item I can put to use in many different ways. Especially when said item is one I can make at home with ease.

Here's how to make easy homemade raw apple cider vinegar with just 2 ingredients and 2 steps!

Click here–>Easy Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe

26 ways to use apple cider vinegar in your medicine cabinet, your cleaning cupboard, and your cooking for a more natural and healthy home! One of our favorite things to use on the homestead. These are great old-fashioned tips for natural remedies with apple cider vinegar

What are the Components in Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is fermented apples. We're quickly learning that not only is fermentation of our food a way to preserve it (our ancestors knew this) but it also has many health benefits as well. Apple cider vinegar is taking apples and water and letting them ferment twice to create vinegar, which is high in acetic acid.

Apple cider vinegar also contains pectin, some B vitamins, folic acid, niacin, Vitamin C, minerals potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron, though not enough to be your multi-vitamin. *Source

Apple Cider Vinegar in Your Health

Apple cider vinegar is thought to help with many areas in our health, and recently science is showing this to have real promise as well.

Keep in mind, not all apple cider vinegar is created equal. Look closely, some apple cider vinegar on the store shelves is really colored and flavored to look like apple cider vinegar. Read the fine print on the label.

If you're not making it at home (trust me, it's one of the easiest things you'll ever make in the fermenting world) then look for one with the mother, it's that kind of cloudy, stringy, cob webby thing floating inside the vinegar. And because apples have such a high pesticide load, go for organic.

Health Concerns with Apple Cider Vinegar, it's important to note that too much apple cider vinegar can cause a reduction in potassium levels and in bone density.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor and this is not providing any kind of diagnosis or treatment. This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only.

With apple cider vinegar, a little bit goes a long ways. It's best thought to start with 1 to 2 teaspoons and always diluted with water or liquid if drinking it, some people work up to 1 to 2 Tablespoons, but it's not recommended to go over this amount.

  1. Apple cider vinegar with diabetes and blood sugar, showing to help improve insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients. In this study, people drank 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in water 2 minutes before eating a high carbohydrate meal. They then tested their blood sugar levels at different intervals and showed overall improvement. *Source/study data
    H    owever, before adding in any changes to your regular diet/protocol, if you have any health conditions check with your doctor and pharmacist first.
  2. Apple cider vinegar with blood pressure. Keep in mind, this study was done on rats, not on humans, but there was some promise. It showed that the rats blood pressure and renin activity were reduced. *Source/study data
  3. Apple cider vinegar with cholesterol. Again, this study was conducted on rats and not on people, but it does show promise in helping aid the body to maintain a healthier cholesterol level. The study showed some levels of cholesterol were lowered, but not all. *Source/study data
  4. Apple cider vinegar for weight loss. This was pretty minimal in overall weight loss, but in a study done in Japan with 175 people those who used apple cider vinegar lost 1 to 2 more pounds over 3 months.  *Source/study data
  5.  Indigestion or stomach acid. If you have stomach acid issues, sometimes its caused by an imbalance of the ph levels in your stomach. Some people swear by drinking a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water helps with indigestion or stomach acid issues. Again, consult with your doctor if you have health issues or concerns.

Using Apple Cider Vinegar for Your Skin Care

Apple cider vinegar should always be diluted before being used topically. Start with a 25% vinegar to 75% water ratio first to see how your skin reacts.

6. Facial Toner/acne. Apple cider vinegar is acidic and has anti-bacteria properties, making it a perfect skin toner. It helps with bacteria and the acetic acid in the vinegar helps maintain the ph balance of your skin, especially if you've used a cleaner with soap.
7. Hair rinse. Mix 1 cup of water with 2 to 4 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and rinse your hair with it. It helps removes any build up of product and also increases shine.
8. Scalp Treatment for Dandruff. Because apple cider vinegar is acidic and has anti-microbial properties, it can work wonders for  your scalp. Apply the above rinse to your scalp, working it into the roots of the hair, then rinse.
9. Under arm treatment. Many people want to use natural deodorants, but a lot of these deodorants use baking soda and a percentage of people break out from the alkalinity of the baking soda. Using a pre-rinse under the arms of diluted vinegar helps create a more natural ph level and allows some people to use the baking soda based deodorants without irritation.
10. Sun Burn many people swear by dabbing apple cider vinegar diluted with cold water onto a sun burn.
11. Athletes foot. Some people say soaking your feet in a diluted mixture of water and apple cider vinegar helps with athletes foot.
12. Bug bite.Many people like to use diluted apple cider vinegar as a treatment to help take away the itch from a bug bite.

Apple Cider Vinegar in the Cleaning Cupboard

13.Clogged drain cleaner. Take about 1/4 cup of baking soda and dump it down your drain, chase it with vinegar until it stops foaming. Wait about 15 minutes and then pour boiling water down your drain.
14. Multi-purpose cleaner. Use 1/4 to 1/2 apple cider vinegar and dilute with water. Use as a multi-purpose cleaner for windows, mirrors, counter tops, etc.
15. Laundry cleaner. Oh yes, place vinegar and water into the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine. It helps kill odor causing bacteria.
16. Faucet cleaner. You know that gunk around the handles of your sink faucet? Place a paper towel with vinegar around it, leave for a few minutes, then come back and wipe clean.
17. Floor cleaner. Instead of using soap to mop your floors (hello soap scum build up) add some vinegar to your warm water and mop the floor with it.
18. Fruit Fly Killer. Fruit flies drive me bonkers. Fill the bottom of a small glass jar or bowl with apple cider vinegar and add a couple of drops of dish soap. Fruit flies will come flocking, fall beneath the surface of the soap, and drown.

Apple Cider Vinegar in the Kitchen

19. Soak your beans. We all know beans can create a little bit of… ya know, gas. When soaking your dry beans, add a Tablespoon of vinegar to the water and soak for at least 8 hours to help decrease the gas.
20. Soak your grains. Vinegar helps break down the phytic acid in grains and flour, which helps many people digest it easier.
21. Flakier pie crust. Oh, yeah, melt in your mouth pie crust happens with vinegar. Here's my great-grandmother's flaky pie crust recipe with the secret ingredient- apple cider vinegar!
22. Better no-knead bread texture. Yes, add a couple of Tablespoons to your no knead bread recipes for a lighter texture, like this no-knead bread in 5 minutes a day recipe!
23. Quick buttermilk. Let me tell you, buttermilk makes the best breads and biscuits, but if you don't have buttermilk, don't despair, just add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup milk and let sit for 2 minutes.
24. Salad dressing. Make your own salad dressing with 3 parts oil of choice and 1 part vinegar and spices to flavor (I kind of like garlic myself).
25. Homemade Mayo. Whip up some homemade mayo!
26. Flavored Vinegar. Don't spend money on those flavored vinegars, make your own! Here's how to make blueberry basil thyme vinegar You can toss just about any fruit, berries or cherries work really well, let them sit in the vinegar to infuse it, then strain and store in the fridge until ready to eat it up!

Bonus! 2 Extra Ways to Use Vinegar

27. Produce Wash. Make a vinegar wash to clean your produce before putting it up in the fridge, use 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar, but of course, your sink needs to be clean before filling it with this mix to wash the veggies and fruits with. Let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes, rinse, dry and store in the fridge.
28. Wash your winter squash. When you bring in your pumpkins, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, butternut squash and other winter squashes, wipe off the outside of them with a towel dampened with vinegar. This will help kill any bacteria and remove any dirt on the surface to help them last longer while on the shelf.

I'm not a doctor. This post isn't meant as a diagnosis or a treatment plan for you, just so we're clear, it's for educational and entertainment purposes. I believe this to be true for modern and holistic/natural medicine, each person has to be responsible for what they use and do their own due diligence. I talk about treatment plans with my doctor, my naturopath, my pharmacist (who happens to also be my boss in my day job), and do further research online or in books. I recommend you do the same.

 

How to Can Pears + Spiced Pear Canning Recipe

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Learn how to can pears the easy way for delicious fruit all year long that's high on flavor with the options of cinnamon and ginger. You'll want to do several variations and best part, no peeling involved.

Okay, well technically, no peeling with a knife involved and you can peel a whole bunch of pears at once in 15 seconds.

Two jars of canned pears with two pears and three cinnamon sticks sitting on a wooden surface. Text overlay says, "How to Can Pears at Home + a Spiced Pear Recipe".

Are you ready for this?

This time of year is super busy with all of our canning on, but we depend upon our jars of home-canned goodness to feed us during the winter months when fresh fruit isn't just growing on the bush right outside my door.

However, that can make finding the time to fit in all the canning a bit hard to do. So when I find a trick that can speed things up, you can bet I'll share it with ya.

Depending upon the size of your pears, you'll want about 3 to 4 medium to fill a one-quart sized jar.

Some of the best pears for canning are Bartlett pears, but any pear will do, EXCEPT Asian pears. Asain pears are not acidic enough on their own to can. Add 1 Tablespoon of bottled lemon juice per pint or 2 Tablespoons of bottled lemon juice per quart jars in order to can Asian pears safely at home. Below is my canned pear halves recipes.

How to Can Pears at Home 

Remember that super duper easy trick on peeling I promised. Here it is. You can peel pears the exact same way as you peel tomatoes and peaches, by blanching them. Hello, I just rocked your pear loving world, didn't I?

easy way to peel pears without a knife
No knife peeling trick for canning pear halves

1.Take a big old pot of boiling water and submerge your pears for 15 seconds. With a slotted spoon, remove those bad boys into a bowl of warm water. (I toss my 1/4 cup of bottled lemon juice into the warm water and use it for storing the pears once peeled and cored as well). The lemon juice helps them from turning brown and is purely for looks in this instance.

2. Next, simply rub off the peel of the pear. Seriously, the skin slides off. No knife and no peeler needed. Way cool, huh? If you happen to not get a side of the pear in the boiling water, just take the back of a spoon and scrape it off.

Now the only time you need your knife is to cut the pear in half. Take a spoon and scoop out the seeds and core. Let the peeled and cored pear half go swimming back in the water with lemon juice while it waits for the rest of the pear family.

Prepare your water bath canner (fill with water deep enough to cover the jars, place the rack in it, and begin heating the water). Wash jars in hot soapy water, rinse, and place on a folded towel near the hot syrup and stovetop.

Pear Canning Liquid Options (and Canning Pears without Sugar) 

You may can pears in just water, unsweetened apple juice, or light or medium syrup. If you choose to can fruits with just water, you need to use a hot pack method. However, when canning pears, you want to use a hot pack method anyways to get the best quality end product. I don't know about you, but I want the best tasting food at the end, so taking the 5 minutes to do a hot pack and have amazing home canned pears is totally worth it.

I prefer to use a light syrup and or if you want, we can do canning pears with honey instead of sugar.

How to Can Pears – Spiced Pear Canning Recipe

how to can pears with honey

In a large stainless steel pot mix 5 and 3/4 cup water with 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved and heat over medium low heat to almost a boil. Place the pears into the hot syrup in a single layer and let heat through for about 5 minutes.

Fill your jar with 2 four-inch cinnamon sticks & spices if using (wide mouth is the easiest to use for packing) then fill with the hot pear using a slotted spoon to a generous 1/2 inch headspace. Then using a ladle and canning funnel, pour the hot syrup over the pears to a 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and double-check your head spaced, adding more syrup if needed.

how to water bath can pears

Wipe the rim of the jar clean and place on lid and band. Tighten down to fingertip tight and place the jar in the water bath canner.

When you've filled the canner, make sure the surface of the water is at least 1 to 2 inches over the top of the jars and bring to a hard boil. Start the processing time after the water has reached a full boil and process 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.*

*Note: if you're 1,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes.

When jars have processed, turn off the heat and remove canner lid and leave jars in the canner for 5 minutes. Then remove jars onto a folded towel in a draft-free area and let cool for 24 hours.

Enjoy this treat all winter long. Want a little bit of variety with your canned pears recipes? This next one is for you.

Cinnamon Spiced Pear Recipe

Now for a really fun treat, make these home-canned cinnamon pears! Oh, yes, we did.

Place two 4 inch cinnamon sticks in the bottom of each quart jar. You could also add a pinch of powdered ginger to the syrup if you so wanted.

Resources for Home Canned Cinnamon Pear Recipe

Ball Home Canning Utensil Kit– Seriously, this is one of the best investments I've ever made for canning supplies and it's only $10. The measuring and air bubble remover I use all the time, and no more burnt fingers with the jar lifter. Have I mentioned I'm kind of a messy cook/canner? The funnel helps keep me from spilling liquid all over the counter… well, mostly.

I actually use my pressure canner as a water bath canner when doing quarts because it's taller than my regular canner. You just use a regular tight fitting lid and the rack instead of the pressure canning lid.

Bulk Non-Irradiated Cinnamon Sticks These are much cheaper than I can buy at the store and I've got them on hand for all my fall and holiday projects, score!

Other Fruit Canning Recipes

How to Can Apricots or Peaches

How to Can Apple Pie Filling

129+ Best Canning Recipes to Make This Year

How to Can Pears + Spiced Pear Canning Recipe

MelissaKNorris
Easy pear canning recipe with low (or no sugar) but heavy on flavor with optional spices of cinnamon and ginger!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course fruit
Servings 4 quarts

Ingredients
  

  • Makes 4 quarts feel free to double
  • Approximately 12 pounds of peeled halved, and cored pears (about 3 to 4 pears per quart jar)
  • 5 and 3/4 cups water
  • 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
  • Two 4 inch cinnamon sticks per quart jar optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your water bath canner (fill with water deep enough to cover the jars, place the wrack in it, and begin heating the water). Wash jars in hot soapy water, rinse, and place on a folded towel near the hot syrup and stove top.
  • Peel pears by hand or using my super easy blanching method of 15 seconds in hot water, plunge into warm water, and peel. Keep peeled pears in a solution of lemon water (about 1/4 cup for a large bowl) to keep from turning brown.
  • In a large stainless steel pot mix 5 and 3/4 cup water with 1 and 1/2 cups sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved and heat over medium low heat to almost a boil. Place the pears into the hot syrup in a single layer and let heat through for about 5 minutes.
  • Fill your jar with 2 four inch cinnamon sticks & spices if using (wide mouth is the easiest to use for packing) then fill with the hot pear using a slotted spoon to a generous 1/2 inch head space. Then using a ladle and canning funnel, pour the hot syrup over the pears to a 1/2 inch head space. Remove air bubbles and double check your head spaced, adding more syrup if needed.
  • Wipe the rim of the jar clean and place on lid and band. Tighten down to finger tip tight and place jar in the water bath canner.
  • When you've filled the canner, make sure the surface of the water is at least 1 to 2 inches over the top of the jars and bring to a hard boil. Start the processing time after the water has reached a full boil and process 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.*
  • *Note: if you're 1,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5 minutes.
  • When jars have processed, turn off the heat and remove canner lid and leave jars in the canner for 5 minutes. Then remove jars onto a folded towel in a draft free area and let cool for 24 hours.
Keyword canning pears recipe, canning pears without sugar, How to can pears
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Collage of images for canning pears with text overlay, "How to Can Pears: Easy Recipe for Home Canning".

Now you know how to can pears, are you trying the spiced pear recipe or regular?

5 Frugal Tips from Ma Ingalls and the Pioneers

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Ma and Laura Ingalls didn't run to town to browse the shoe department or find just the right top for that weekend's barn raising. They didn't need to dedicate a day to their overflowing closet so they could declutter, donate and reorganize their clothing.

(Lest you think I'm being judgey, this is a confession sentence, but I did have a Ma Ingalls moment, keep reading, so it's a good thing) There was no need for shoe organizers.

Listen to this post (just push play below) and all our episodes of the Pioneering Today Podcast while you're on the go, scrubbing the house, cooking up dinner (can I get an invite?), or mucking out stalls! I post new episodes Friday mornings. You can subscribe via RSS and receive every episode for free.

Or subscribe via Itunes

Learn these 5 frugal tips from Ma Ingalls and the pioneers. I love tip number 3 and 4. Great way to save money and be more self-sufficient for anyone!

This post is sponsored by Little House on the Prairie® Andover Fabric Collections

The pioneers usually had two pairs of shoes at most. One every day pair, but during summer months, shoes were optional. Actually, most little feet never touched a shoe during the summer, except for Sunday service.

When I was young I could run bare foot over the rocks and not wince… is it a sign of old age when one can no longer do this? Or a sign of not going bare foot enough? I like the second one better.

We tend to be a society who has too much and throws away too much. Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but we're constantly on a treadmill of wanting more, but never really being satisfied with the more, which is why we have to make room for the more by throwing out what we have.

I realize this isn't everyone, but I've fallen into this. When I was little, we didn't have a very much money and my mother made most of my clothes. Of course, I wanted to fit in with the rest of the kids and that meant store bought clothes.

From the time I was fourteen-years-old I started working and bought most of my own clothes. Because I used the money I had earned, I became an expert clearance rack and thrift store fashionista. 

However, this still resulted in too many clothes. So back to the thrift store many of them would go, and I'd go in to find more.

The pioneers, Ma and Laura Ingalls, only had a few items of clothing. You had your Sunday best, which was only worn for Sunday or a very special occasion, maybe two day dresses, and usually one chore dress.

Learn these 5 frugal tips from Ma Ingalls and the pioneers. I love tip number 3 and 4. Great way to save money and be more self-sufficient for anyone!

While most of us aren't going to only have a total of four outfits, we can learn a lot from them and put it into practice.

5 Frugal Tips from Ma Ingalls and the Pioneers

  1. Only keep what you wear. Sounds too simple, right? Really go through your closet and keep only what you wear on a consistent basis. I have one dress that I've worn twice in three years. Twice. We have a free clothing giveaway at our church twice a year and I put it into the bag.
    Now, if you're like me and you have seasons, I do pack away my summer clothes and bring them back out when summer hits (usually July 5th here in the Pacific Northwest).
  2. Re-purpose the clothing. This is where a pioneer minded person's list will differ. For those of us who are frugal minded, we know there's a lot we can do with an item other than its intended use. Fabric is expensive. Ma Ingalls knew she could take her dress and cut it down into a dress for one of her girls or cut up the parts of the dress that weren't too worn and put them in her scrap bag. (You do have a scrap bag of material, right?) I know it's old-fashioned, but I've had one since I was eight years old…. yes, I just confirmed I'm an old soul.Could you take that dress and turn it into a skirt? How about making those pants into a purse? What about cutting that shirt down into a dress for your daughter?Recently, I took two old sweaters and turned them into a hat, fingerless gloves, an infinity cowl scarf, and two sets of boot socks for myself and my daughter. (Ya know I've got the how-to for you 6 DIY Old Sweater Projects You Have to Make)
  3. Learn some basic mending/sewing skills. I am not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination. But, I can sew a seam, gather fabric, and mend a hole. If you can sew a straight seam (confession: sometimes mine aren't all that straight, much to my mother's chagrin), you can do quite a bit.A straight basic stitch will allow you take hem a pair of pants or skirt. Are you  not wearing the item because it doesn't fit right? If you can gather fabric, you can bring in a waist line. Many times my kids will rip their pants on the seam and instead of tossing them out, I can sew it back up in a few minutes.
  4. Take quilting to a new level. Quilting is something the pioneers did because it allowed them to take smaller bits of fabric and turn into something both beautiful and useful. It was the original creativity outlet and artistry for the pioneer woman.She might not have been able to take art classes or decorate her home like we do now, but she could create practical beauty with her blankets.You might not have a lot of one pattern of fabric, but by piecing together different patterns, you can create a large piece.
    Learn these 5 frugal tips from Ma Ingalls and the pioneers. I love tip number 3 and 4. Great way to save money and be more self-sufficient for anyone!
    My mother helped me sew this dress for my daughter out of fat quarters I received for free from the new Little House on the Prairie® Andover Fabrics Collection.We pieced together the skirt by cutting strips from each quarter. We didn't have quite enough, so I went to my scrap bag (actually, it's a wicker basket) and found the bottom strip of fabric from my very first quilt project  when I was…. eight years old.You can use this same process to make a skirt,  a pillow, or of course, a quilt.
  5. Don't let fear or perfectionism stand in your way. I've had a a sweater and two shirts set aside to either re-purpose or alter for way longer than I care to admit (and see how I didn't actually admit to how many  months right there?) I was scared I'd totally mess it up.We only learn by doing.The seam ripper will be your friend! Apparently I thought my waist was way smaller than it is, because the first shirt I brought in wouldn't even button after I was done. So I got to rip out both seams and start over.That's okay! The second time, I measured wrong and my waist started an inch lower on one side. Third time was a charm.Usually, you can always take it out and start over. I leave plenty of extra fabric whenever I cut and don't trim it away until I know it's going to fit/look okay. I'm sure with time I'll get better at this, but we don't get better unless we're actually doing. 

Resources for 5 Frugal Tips from Ma Ingalls

Want your own  Little House on the Prairie® Andover Fabrics? Here's a store locator so you can find it near you –>http://www.andoverfabrics.com/LHOTP_Locator.php

While a sewing machine will allow you to sew faster and do more, just having a basic or beginners sewing kit will allow you to do quite a bit. Premium Beginners First Sewing Kit

Now, a sewing machine will let you do way more! It's why the pioneer women were so thrilled when the treadle machines first came out. This is an excellent brand. I have a forty-year-old used version of this. Brother's Sewing Machine, including quilting table and auto-sized buttonholes. 

Learn these 5 frugal tips from Ma Ingalls and the pioneers. I love tip number 3 and 4. Great way to save money and be more self-sufficient for anyone!

6 Things to Do for Fun When the Power is Out

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When the power goes out, how long can you go before boredom sets in? For most American households, the television or some form of electronics is the go to for something to do. But when the power is out, so is your t.v. and once the batteries die, there goes the electronics.

Tired of your families entertainment relying on television and electronics? These 6 activities are perfect for when the power goes out, but really, are things we should all be doing in every day life. Do you practice any of these regularly? Our great-grandparents might have been onto a few things we need to remember.

If your power is out for only a few hours, this isn't such a big deal, but when it's out for days or weeks, you'll come to realize how much you did rely on said television or computer for entertainment.

My father remembers when the first television came to the valley where he lives. Everyone piled into see it, but it was years before most families had one. In face, when I was growing up (which wasn't that long ago) we had a television, but there was no cable (still isn't) where we live. If you turned the antenna just right and there was snow on the mountain, and the wind wasn't blowing, you could get a fuzzy show on one channel and sound. No joke.

I never had a Nintendo or Atari (really going back now, aren't we?). Which might be why I love Laura Ingalls so much. I related to her and adored her stories.

If we look at generations past, we see how folks used to spend their leisure time.

6 Things to Do For Fun When the Power is Out

1. Reading. Big surprise, but books were a treasure. Many people only had one or two and they would reread these treasures over and over again. How spoiled we are today, where we have millions of books at our finger tips.

Though I do love my Kindle, it's not best to rely on during a prolonged power outage. Besides, there's nothing quite like the weight and feel of a physical book in one's hands. Because I know many of you are pioneer and homesteading fans like myself, I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite novels and you can do the same in the comments!

Christy by Catherine Marshall. I can't believe I just now read this wonderful story. My grandparents lived in the gaps and hollers of North Carolina's Appalachian mountains and I felt like I'd traveled back in time to my grandmother's youth.

Emma of Aurora by Jane Kirkpatrick. This trilogy is delightful-and the paperback of all 3 books is on sale! This story ranges from Missouri to Washington (which makes it a fun read for a native like myself) and shows the hardship of the time along with the beauty.

Cadence of Grace series by Joanne Bischof. This series is seriously one of my favorite ever. I cried with Lonnie and Gideon and my feet trudged up the mountain and down into the twists of the hollers with them. You'll be enchanted with the homespun setting and love the twists and turns that develop.

Ways to become more self-sufficient of course, The Made-From-Scratch Life, not only life changing information, recipes and how-to's, but true stories of hope and humor.

2. Board and card games. This is one of our favorites and we frequently bring out card games to play. One word, make sure you have a print out of different card games and the rules, because you might not be able to look them up online… or you'll end up making our own rules, which can be fun as well. We like to play Spoons with the cards as it's a game all of the kids can enjoy and understand.

3. Handwork. Quilting, embroidery, crocheting and knitting are all ways to not only pass the time, but also create both things of purpose and beauty. While I sew, I give my daughter a small piece of scrap fabric to practice on. I've gotten many a Christmas presents done when the power is out.

Again, make sure your patterns are printed out or you have a physical book, for crocheting and knitting.

4. Music. Playing an instrument or picking parties were a thing of many weekend nights back in the day. There's something about music that soothes the soul and it can do wonders when you've been without entertainment.

It shouldn't be saved just for emergency situations, but something enjoyed all the time. If you know how to play an instrument, make sure you take out and keep in practice, along with  maintenance care. If you don't know how to play, consider beginning lessons now. Life is too short to not have music.

My grandfather was an expert fiddle player. He actually played in Loretta Lynn's band and I miss listening to him make those strings sing! My mother plays guitar and I enjoy singing with her. I can play a little guitar, but I haven't kept up on my practicing, so I need to take my own advice there.

My husband is a sawyer for guitar tops and beings he cuts the tops for these, we're kind of partial to Taylor Guitars.  They do make a fine guitar, if I do say so myself.

I play the flute and you'll want to make sure you have sheet music, and perhaps a few new songs to learn to keep busy as well, unless you're one of those blessed people who can play by ear. If that's the case, I'll do my best not to be envious, because that's just not nice…

5. Go for a stroll. There's something to be said for meandering for pure enjoyment. Many times we're outside when we're exercising, working on chores, feeding animals, and not that we can't have or don't have enjoyment in that, but there is something wonderful about just strolling. Find a wooded path, or an open field, along a river bank or the curve of a stream. Even one a paved street and watch the way flowers and clover creep onto the pavement, a silent statement that no matter what us humans do, nature and God will gently and persistently still exist.

6. Visit with your family and neighbors. How often do you have your neighbors over for a meal and visit? Our ancestors probably did a better job at this than we do, even though you'd think we'd have more time with all of our modern conveniences. But I'm not sure that's really true. There is nothing like a good conversation spent in the company of friends. It's amazing how swiftly time passes when we're visiting up a storm.

Even though I intended this to be a guide for entertainment when the power is out, I really think it could and should be a guide for every day living. I think we'd all be happier if we did these a bit more often, how about you?

Grab our other posts in this series 10 Ways to Keep Warm When the Power is Out and 4 Things You Need When the Lights Are Out

4 Things You Need When the Lights Go Out

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The smallest amount of light can penetrate the heaviest dark. When the power goes out, there is nothing more reassuring than having a light source.

Make sure you're ready when the power goes out so you're not running around looking for supplies. These are great tips and suggestions for 4 things to have when the lights go out. Grab this now to make sure you're ready before you need to be.

It's funny, we humans have lived for centuries without power, but in just a little over a hundred years, most Americans shudder at the inconvenience of going without electricity for a few hours and get quite put out if it's over a day. Now, I'm not saying I don't enjoy my electricity. I certainly do. When we were without power for almost 2 weeks, I cheered when it finally came back on. Like full on jumped up and down and may have went through and flipped a few light switches on and off like a kid to make sure  it was really back on.

Life is easier with electricity for most of us, unless you've converted your home to complete off-grid or some sort of solar or wind generated energy. This is something we've look at, but haven't made the plunge just yet.

Because we do experience power outages, and because we're extremely rural with no businesses for miles around, we are last priority to the power company when there are large storms. We've learned to always be prepared for an outage.

Heat is the first thing you'll want during a power outage. We have our trusty wood stove as our main heat source and always have seasoned and dry wood stacked in the woodshed. For us, heat is not a concern.

For those who rely completely on electric heat, I'd encourage you to look into another heat source if at all possible. We'll go into other options in another post.

Second thing to the lights going out is finding away to provide yourself with light. If you can't see, you're not going to be able to get your food out, see how to cook, find your warmer clothes, or walk without stubbing your toe (yeah, done that one).

4 Things You Need When the Light's Go Out

1. For a quick solution, we love these little head lamps. We have one in our children's bedrooms just in case. My husband and I both use it when going out to the wood pile in the dark and feeding the animals in the winter when we get home from work after dark. They allow you to work hands free, which is golden. They're under ten dollars and a great tool.

2. A great solar option are these LuminAid lanterns. They're small and will stay lit off of one charge for 16 hours. They provide a decent amount of light and don't require batteries, just access to daylight to recharge. They're also water proof, so you can use them outdoors in the wet or if they're dropped in a puddle, you're good to go.

In the evening when the whole family is gathered in the kitchen or living room, you're going to want something that will provide a decent amount of light. I've found nighttime is the hardest without power as we're not as accustomed to rising and going to bed with the sun (most of society, that is). Though if you're without power for long, you'll begin to find yourself adjusting to that rhythm more readily.

3. Like a true pioneer of old, an oil lamp is your best bet. They give off a lot of light and can be adjusted by turning the wick for more or less light. My father grew up with kerosene lanterns and they always make me feel a bit nostalgic. I purchased this glass oil lamp to have when the power went out and it stays on the kitchen counter for emergencies and part of our decor.

Note: With any of your preparedness items, take them and know how to use them before it's an emergency.

A few things to remember is keep it on a stable place when lit where it can't be jostled or knocked over. Our kitchen goes into our living room and I usually leave it on the counter. Remember, the glass chimney will become hot, so be careful when moving it. If a wick is kept too long it will smoke more.

Obviously, you need oil in order to burn your lamp. Make sure you have at least a back up bottle or two. We purchased and have been burning this brand of oil in ours. We didn't notice any odor or smoke when using it in our living room and kitchen.

For over all efficiency, the oil lamp is my number one pick when the power is out. I can sew by it, read a book, the kids can color or play a game, and we aren't having to each hold a small light or get close to a candle flame.

4. The only thing more old-fashioned than a kerosene or oil lamp are candles. Candles will help light a room, but unless you have a lot of them, I don't recommend them as your main light source. But we will light a candle in bathroom of for light in another room of the house for short periods of time. Candle wicks should be kept trimmed short to avoid smoking. And I hate to state the obvious, but don't leave any kind of flame, be it a candle or lantern, burning unattended.

For us pioneer and homestead folks, you're going to love these candles. They're made form beeswax and lard and I have a full on DIY candle making tutorial so you can make your own to have on hand for preparedness. I kind of think they'd make an awesome gift as well.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions to add for lighting when the power is out?