October 28, 2010

Crafty Friday 10/29

Happy Friday!

I'm sorry I don't have anything for you this week, but we are off to a craft show this weekend with all of our goodies. Yarns, rovings, knitted alpaca items and lots of granola!

While we're gone, why don't you leave your link and socialize amongst yourselves. I look forward to reading all of your crafty posts as soon as we get back.

Do you have something to share? Let us know what you’re working on this week! It can be photos of a project, instructions, recipes, or anything else you feel is "crafty". If you have something to share with us on your blog, add your link to the current week's party. Just please be sure to:
  1. Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address in the Mister Linky form below (need help with finding the permalink? (click here to see a great post Darcy wrote on this!)
  2. Include in your blog entry a link back to the party post on this blog! so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is working on today and have an opportunity to contribute! You can use the code below to add the button to your posts or blog if you'd like.
  3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what makes a party fun!! You don't want to come to a party and have no one talk to you!!
  4. Let me know if you have any questions, problems or need help!

If you want to play along don't forget to grab a button to place at the top or bottom of your post to show you are participating in Crafty Fridays!
Simply copy the code below in the box and paste where you can edit the html in your blog post.

Home Sweet Farm






October 26, 2010

Wordless Wednesday - Can You Resist?

Can you resist this face?



For more Wordless Wednesday visit the home of Wordless Wednesday and A Beautiful Mess.

October 25, 2010

Recipe of the Week -- Halloween Punch

So much of our focus is always on the meal, but what about drinks to go with it? Normally I don't give much thought to what to drink with a meal. I go with the standards... milk, juice, and water.

This time of year though I do have a favorite drink I make. I even made it for a birthday party this past weekend. I call it Halloween punch, but it's nice orange color could make it good for any fall get-together.



Halloween Punch

1 quart orange sherbet
4 cups pineapple juice
4 cups lemon-lime soda

Mix sherbet and juice in a large punch bowl. Add soda just before serving.


For more great recipes visit Two For Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, What's Cooking Wednesday and Tuesdays at the Table.

Meet Peter Rabbit!

Our little farm just got a little more cute and cuddly this weekend. Instead of just raising alpacas for their awesome fiber, we've now added a second type of super soft and gorgeous fiber to our fiber crop.

Meet Peter the Angora Rabbit!


I swear he is the softest thing I have ever put my hands on and he snuggles! The alpacas may be cute and soft, but they definitely are not snuggly. I like a little furry creature I can pick up and carry to someone to pet.

I've been playing with angora fiber recently and even added some into a yarn I spun the other day. It's great to work with and compliments the alpaca really well. Now I have my own source of angora fiber! :o)


For now I'm stopping at just one, but we'll see how long that lasts. Hehe.

October 21, 2010

Crafty Friday 10/22 - Homemade Furniture Polish

Happy Friday!

What I'm going to share with you this week is not what I originally planned, but I came across something today that I just had to share!

I was in a cleaning mood today and decided the furniture needed to be dusted. I went to the cupboard and no polish! I've been slowly getting rid of all commercial cleaners as they get used up and replacing them with healthier greener versions (go vinegar!). It was time to find a furniture polish substitute.

I looked all over googleland and although there were lots of tips and recipes no one recipe stood out. They were all similar with just the same basic 2 ingredients, but everyone seemed to have a different idea of how much of each.

Homemade furniture polish is made up of olive oil and lemon juice (or vinegar if you prefer). Some said more oil less lemon while others said more lemon less oil. What to do??

I decided to just wing it and went with a mixture that was kind of half and half. I didn't even measure it. I wisked what looked like about 1/2 a cup of olive oil with a similar amount of lemon juice (from a bottle, fresh would have worked too). I left it in the bowl and dipped a rag into it to dust the furniture.

It worked great. I rubbed it on and used a dry cloth to wipe off the extra. The table and china cabinet look amazing! The kids thought they looked like new! I will never buy furniture polish at the store again.

This is one of those things though that you only make enough to use at one time. It does not keep well.

So what have you been up to this week?

Do you have something to share? Let us know what you’re working on this week! It can be photos of a project, instructions, recipes, or anything else you feel is "crafty". If you have something to share with us on your blog, add your link to the current week's party. Just please be sure to:
  1. Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address in the Mister Linky form below (need help with finding the permalink? (click here to see a great post Darcy wrote on this!)
  2. Include in your blog entry a link back to the party post on this blog! so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is working on today and have an opportunity to contribute! You can use the code below to add the button to your posts or blog if you'd like.
  3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what makes a party fun!! You don't want to come to a party and have no one talk to you!!
  4. Let me know if you have any questions, problems or need help!

If you want to play along don't forget to grab a button to place at the top or bottom of your post to show you are participating in Crafty Fridays!
Simply copy the code below in the box and paste where you can edit the html in your blog post.

Home Sweet Farm






October 19, 2010

Wordless Wednesday - A Rare Occurance

This doesn't happen often and I didn't make them pose. :o)


For more Wordless Wednesday visit the home of Wordless Wednesday and A Beautiful Mess.

The Only Chore the Kids Beg to do....

Raking leaves!! Do you remember how much fun it was to play in the leaves? Do you remember a time when you would look at all those leaves and think of something other than back breaking work?

Well, the kids have completely taken over leaf raking. They think it's the best thing ever! Nothing like work at all! Yeah for them, but I still think it's a chore. One I am very happy to pass off to them.

I do enjoy watching them enjoy themselves though. They make forts and tunnels and all sorts of other leafy creations before the big haul to the garden. (We compost them into the garden for their soily goodness).


This past weekend was absolutely beautiful to spend time outdoors. It was about 60*, sunny and just lightly breezy. Perfect fall weather!


The kiddos have been out there raking and playing in those leaves for 4 days in a row now, but I took these pics over the weekend.

October 18, 2010

Recipe of the Week -- Corn Chowder

The weather has turned this week and fall is in the air. For the first time this season the furnace is running and I'm wearing a nice cozy sweater. I love fall!!

My baked potato soup from last week was a huge hit and will even be the feature recipe at What's Cooking Wednesday this week (10/20). So in keeping with the cozy fall theme I have another soup recipe to share with you...Corn Chowder.

I love corn! It is my absolute fave veggie and I will eat it in practically anything, prepared any way. I really like it cold on a lettuce salad, but that's a recipe for another season.

This is a soul warming, tummy tempting recipe that is so easy to make it practically makes itself! It is made in the crockpot so it's a dump it in and forget about it recipe.

Oh it also freezes really well too!



Corn Chowder

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 can (15 oz.) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (14 3/4 oz.) cream style corn
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 cup cooked, cubed ham
1/2 cup shredded carrots (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper

Gently mix all ingredients in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

It really is that easy!! Enjoy!


For more great recipes visit Two For Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, What's Cooking Wednesday and Tuesdays at the Table.

October 16, 2010

4-H Nature Walk


What a great October we're having!! The weather is still nice and warm although it is really, really dry out from lack of rain. There is soooo much sunshine though that I just can't seem to get anything done inside. I feel the need to be out enjoying this sunshine because I know that before too long it will be a distant memory.

This past week was our monthly 4-H meeting and we had planned a nature walk. Our hosts gladly volunteered their land to let us explore.

It was a lot of fun and the kids found so many interesting things. I loved seeing what they thought was worth putting in their collection bags. What one kid thinks is cool the next thinks it's gross. :o)

Most of the kids were astonished to realize there were plants in the wild they could eat! The treat of the walk were the turnips found growing way in the back field. Of course none of the kids would actually try them, just the grown-ups.

I learned there is nothing more exciting to a bunch of kids than the discovery of a play fort (deer blind). They would have played there for hours if we'd let them, but it was supposed to be a nature walk not a nature play.

They all survived the walk and were happy to finally reach home again. I think we should do that more often!

October 14, 2010

Crafty Friday 10/15 - Laundry Detergent

Hello Friday!! How did you get here so fast? Doesn't matter, I'm just glad you're here!

This week I wanted to share with you something sorta crafty and very near to my frugally green heart....homemade laundry detergent.

I shared this post about a year ago, but that was before I met many of you. With everyone still having economic struggles and no real end in sight, this seemed like a good thing to share with you again.

The post is rather long so I am going to place it after the Crafty Friday Linky for those of you who would like to link up.

So what have you been up to this week?

Do you have something to share? Let us know what you’re working on this week! It can be photos of a project, instructions, recipes, or anything else you feel is "crafty". If you have something to share with us on your blog, add your link to the current week's party. Just please be sure to:
  1. Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address in the Mister Linky form below (need help with finding the permalink? (click here to see a great post Darcy wrote on this!)
  2. Include in your blog entry a link back to the party post on this blog! so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is working on today and have an opportunity to contribute! You can use the code below to add the button to your posts or blog if you'd like.
  3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what makes a party fun!! You don't want to come to a party and have no one talk to you!!
  4. Let me know if you have any questions, problems or need help!

If you want to play along don't forget to grab a button to place at the top or bottom of your post to show you are participating in Crafty Fridays!
Simply copy the code below in the box and paste where you can edit the html in your blog post.

Home Sweet Farm










I get such weird looks when I talk about making my own laundry detergent. I guess most people just don't understand, but it's easy, cheap, always on hand, and cleans well. It really doesn't take much work either. Just a few ingredients, a pot and a bucket. The best part is that it's practically impossible to screw up. It's not like baking, you don't have to be perfect.

It helps to have a few empty detergent bottles to fill with your new homemade detergent. Other plastic containers can work too, but I've found that the old detergent bottles hold up best to repeated use. If you don't have some, check with family or your local freecycle (that's where I got mine). You will need 3-4 bottles.

Laundry Detergent

1/2 of a bar of Fels Naptha Soap, grated
1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
Water

That's it and it will make about 3 gallons.

The Borax is pretty easy to find. Wal-mart, Meijer or just about any place that sells laundry items usually has it. At my local Wal-mart it sells for $2.98. The washing soda can be harder to find. I buy mine at my local Meijer. I found it on the very top shelf as far away from the commercial detergents as you could get in the laundry aisle. It was next to the Bluing if that helps. I think I paid $2.99.
The Fels Naptha can be the hardest to find. I have found it in most local grocery stores, but not with the laundry products. Most times it is with the bath bar soaps. It's normally priced around $1.40. If you are still having a tough time finding it, here is a site I have bought from. Quick shipping and reasonably priced, Soaps Gone Buy.


Now the instructions....

Start by grating your bar of soap. I will warn you, not the easiest job. This stuff is hard. I have an old food processor I use. Works great. You can use a cheese grater, but be prepared to use some elbow grease. Grate the entire bar at once and then divide it in half. I put one half in a ziploc baggy and save it for next time.

Now, get a large pot (8-quart is good) and a wooden spoon. This will need to be a pot and spoon you can use exclusively for soap. You are NOT going to want to use them to cook with after this. I found an old enameled pot at goodwill for less than a dollar and the spoon I got from my grandma.

Place the pot on the stove and add 4 quarts of water. Heat over medium heat until water starts to simmer. Add the Fels Naptha, Borax and washing soda.

Continue heating over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the soap has dissolved.

There is no need for perfection here. If you have a few stray pieces of soap floating around don't worry about it. Take the pot off the heat and set aside to cool; about 1 hour.

Now, you'll need a 5 gallon pail or other similar container. I have a HUGE pot (I think it was for water bath canning originally) that I got from my father-in-law. Too big for anything I do, so it's my soap pot now.

Fill the bucket with 2 to 2 1/2 gallons of HOT water. It has to be hot. If you have a big pot like me, you can heat it on the stove and save yourself transporting it to the bucket. Add the cooled soap mixture to the hot water. Stir well to mix it all together. You now have your detergent!

You'll want to let it cool a bit before filling your bottles.

I found a large funnel in the automotive section (for transmission fluid?). It works great for transferring the soap to the bottle. It's the perfect size for fitting into the top. You will want to do this either outside or in your bathtub. It's messy.

Carefully pour your soap into each bottle. Dry them off with a towel and set aside to finish cooling. When cool replace lid. You are now ready to use your laundry detergent. I use about 1/2 cup per load.

I'm not sure what the price per load is, but I do know that I spent about $10 on my initial ingredients. 1 box Borax, 1 box washing soda, and 3 bars fels naptha. They lasted me almost exactly a year to the day. No matter how you do the math, that is a significant savings. Each batch lasts about 2 months with our family of 5.

Micaela's excema had also nearly disappeared. I don't know if that is a coincidence or not, but I'll keep using my homemade laundry detergent.

Oh, and this can be used in HE washers.

October 11, 2010

Recipe of the Week -- Baked Potato Soup

My heart is really longing for cool, crisp fall days. This dang Michigan weather is just not cooperating though. Oh well, I'll settle for this yummy soup instead and hope that the temps finally catch up with the calendar.



Baked Potato Soup

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup flour
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
2 large unpeeled baking potatoes, baked or microwaved
Salt and pepper to taste
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tbls. sliced green onions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, cook, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour. Gradually whisk in broth and evaporated milk.

Scoop potato pulp from one potato into a small bowl and mash. Add pulp to broth mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture just comes to a boil.

Dice remaining potato; add to soup. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with bacon, cheese and green onions.


For more great recipes visit Two For Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, What's Cooking Wednesday and Tuesdays at the Table.

Our Newest Baby Alpaca - Wendy

We had one more little alpaca cria (baby) we were waiting for this month and although momma wasn't due for a couple weeks I was hoping she would decide to have her little one during this warm stretch of weather we've been having.

Well, as luck would have it, she choose this last Friday to introduce her wee one to the world. I couldn't have asked for better weather than 80's in October! This little one would have a super weekend to get used to the world.

I had barely gone back to the house after feeding the critters when the hubs yelled for me to come back. She must have waited until I wasn't looking because when I came back there was a head and legs sticking out. All of the other mommas knew what was happening, but they still had to check it out.


Within minutes there was the darkest alpaca I have ever seen! A complete solid black from the nose to the toes! A lot of times when a black alpaca is born, their fiber can look brown on the tips, but there is no brownish tints anywhere on this little one.

Oh, the best part of all......it's a girl!!! After having all boys last year and the first baby this year was a boy, 2 girls in a row is like a breath of fresh air.

A lot of times the babies don't get names for a few days because you want something that really fits them, but her name was a piece of cake. She's all black and born in the month of October. She's got to have a Halloweeny name, right?

Officially her name is Tomorrow's Bewitched, but to us she is Wendy (like the good witch). She is a spunky little thing and is already learning some independence from mom.

I tried to get a video of her walking around the first hour, but another one of babies decided he needed some air time too!



I did finally get a cute little video of Wendy so you can see just how adorable she is!!

October 10, 2010

A Walk Around the Farm today

I took a walk around the farm today. The weather is so beautiful and in typical Michigan fashion, it is completely not what you'd expect.

Today is the 10th of Oct. and it's nearly 80 degrees. I'm not complaining, but really, what's up with that?

Anywho, this is what I found on my walk....

October 07, 2010

Crafty Friday 10/8 - Socktoberfest

Happy Friday!! If only Friday meant as much to a farmer....hehe.

Have you heard about Socktoberfest? Are you a member of Ravelry?



Well, for those of you that don't know, Ravelry is the place for knitters and other fiber artists to hang out. It's a whole lot of fun and there are lots of great people there.

In Ravelry there are groups and one of those groups is celebrating Socktoberfest. Basically it's just a fun way to celebrate sock knitting and it just sounds cool when you say it. :o)

I'm working on my first pair of socks for Socktoberfest right now. I'm using this fun pattern I found in the book Knitting Socks with Handpainted Yarn. It's called Herringbone Rib socks. I'm using some of my own sock yarn to make them. I love this soft, squishy yarn. I'm using the colorway Mermaid Lagoon.


I've already got the pattern and yarn picked out for the next pair too. Now if only I could find more time to knit....

So what have you been up to this week?

Do you have something to share? Let us know what you’re working on this week! It can be photos of a project, instructions, recipes, or anything else you feel is "crafty". If you have something to share with us on your blog, add your link to the current week's party. Just please be sure to:
  1. Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address in the Mister Linky form below (need help with finding the permalink? (click here to see a great post Darcy wrote on this!)
  2. Include in your blog entry a link back to the party post on this blog! so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is working on today and have an opportunity to contribute! You can use the code below to add the button to your posts or blog if you'd like.
  3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what makes a party fun!! You don't want to come to a party and have no one talk to you!!
  4. Let me know if you have any questions, problems or need help!

If you want to play along don't forget to grab a button to place at the top or bottom of your post to show you are participating in Crafty Fridays!
Simply copy the code below in the box and paste where you can edit the html in your blog post.

Home Sweet Farm






Fiber Arts & Animal Festival

Sorry it's been so quiet here folks. I was so busy getting ready for this festival that everything else got pushed to the side. I'm back though and ready to tell you all about this past weekend at the Fiber Arts & Animal Festival.

Last week was a gorgeous week especially when you consider that it was the end of September. 70's in the end of September is an unusual occurrence, but a welcome one. It allowed me to get a bunch of dyeing done.

We spent last Friday packing everything up into 2 trucks and a trailer. It was sunny and warm with just a light breeze. What great weather!

We got up bright and early Saturday morning and all that wonderful weather had abandoned us. It was 40*, rainy and really breezy. Not the way to start an outdoor fiber festival. Off we went though hoping that the rain would end soon.

It took us an hour or so to set up and then we just sat there trying our best to stay warm. I'm not sure it ever even reached 50 that day and it rained and misted and then rained some more.


Despite all that, there was actually a good crowd that went through on Saturday. They were all excited to see our products and of course the alpacas were a huge hit. They were constantly surrounded by a crowd taking pictures and asking all sorts of questions to learn about these animals. Very curious people. I love that!

I was very happy that we had stocked up on socks, gloves and hats for the weekend because we were nearly sold out by Saturday afternoon. It seems no one really realized how cold it was and they were freezing at the festival. Nothing warms you up better than alpaca socks and gloves!



Next to us was a farm that had brought their llamas and an obstacle course for the kids. You would have thought my kids had never walked a llama before because they just had to do it. I guess it's more fun to walk someone else's animals than it is your own. :o)

Sunday was a better weather day overall even though it was still cold. At least the rain and clouds had left us. The kids stayed with Grandma that day so I was able to visit more of the vendors around us.

I fell completely in love with an angora rabbit that was there and bought some of it's fiber. I also bought some mohair to try.

Overall we had a great weekend and I will definitely go back again. The people were great and the location was awesome! I'll just hope that next year the weatherman cooperates.

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