From Scratch Magazine October November 2014

The Fall Issue

October/November 2014

Farm Aid Meal Planning for Busy Families Fodder: Homegrown Animal Feed

Sustainable Living

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Backyard Farming • Homestead Living • Animal Husbandry • Homeschooling

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR & PUBLISHER There are cycles in every healthy environment.

The natural cycles we know instinctively are easy to recognize: Raising children, caring for animals, planting, farming, gardening, harvesting.

But there are even cycles in the artificial environments we surround ourselves with. Some are as simple as laundry day, or doing the dishes before bed, or hitting the coffee maker at 3 p.m. at work. Others are more complicated (and sometimes stressful), like tax season or holiday shopping.

Sometimes the cycles lead to exubervance and joy: The birth of a child, blossoming Spring flowers, harvest time.

Other times they leave us in periods of rest and reflection, like this time of year always seems to do for us at From Scratch.

Running a magazine (and managing a tiny farm -- poorly) puts us in touch with cycles. There’s running around right before deadline, furiously typing in the middle of the night to get everything done, only to finish and mentally collapse for about a week before we can even consider doing it again.

Each time, we try to improve on our cycles and appreciate the times where it slows down just as much as the adrenaline rush we get from a hectic, demanding schedule.

Every time sweater weather rolls around and the leaves start to turn lovely colors, we get a little more homebound. We start spending more time cuddling with loved ones on FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

the couch. The trick to happiness, it seems, is learning to enjoy wherever you wind up in your personal life cycles.

It’s easy to forget (especially for our readers) sometimes that a period of quietude and contemplation is not only necessary, but just as meaningful as ticking a hundred and one items off a checklist.

So, as Autumn settles in on us in the Northern Hemisphere, we encourage everyone to take a little time to visit with family, get a few hours of rest and consume something pumpkin flavored I suggest pie, myself.

Right now is an in-between kind of season. It’s just before the holiday rush of gifts and cooking and shopping and decorating hits.

So take a little time, and get some rest and try to get ready.

We’ve got a great article from Katherine Benoit about meal planning this issue.

Don’t forget about your animals!

We’ve got an article about fodder systems, which could help keeping the furry and feathered things around the farmstead a little bit healthier through the upcoming Winter months.

And, if you’re sitting down with a hot beverage, check out our coverage of Farm Aid in Raleigh this year. We got a chance to see a very talented group of people, passionate about farming, spend a lot of time working to help family farms all over the country.

Enjoy!

Steven and Melissa

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4 FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE: In this Issue

IN THIS ISSUE Black Cohosh

Page 90

Meal Planning Farm Aid

Angora Rabbits

Page 66 Page 84 Page 52

Harvest Party on the Homestead

Page 18

Fruit Presses Lessons from the Breadbox Page 102

Page 76

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Fodder

Scratch and Peck Feeds 5

you are what your animals Organic Chicken Feed Locally Sourced GMO Free Soy Free

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7 FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE: Contributors

Cont r i b ut o rs ThankYou CHRIS MCLAUGHLIN Home-Ag/ Gardening Editor A Suburban Farmer

Steven Jones Editor

MARLENE ADELMANN Herbalist/ Herbal Academy of New England

CAROL J. ALEXANDER Homeschool Contributor Everything Home with Carol

Melissa Jones Publisher

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“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

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READER PHOTOS

Alissa Sanderson sent us a photo of her harvest.

Amy Lopez sent in photos of her first crop of wine camp mushrooms

Queen Anne’s Lace on A. Bean’s homestead

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Ailee Bean sent in a photo of her son’s treehouse

Berries from Ailee Bean’s homestead

Goats on the homestead from Ailee Bean FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Pumpkin Time

Vintage Woven Basket- TheThingsThatWere, $25

Hand felted slippers Golden Autumn jurgaZa, $69

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Porcelain Doll F1 Hybrid Pink PumpkinNESEED, $4.99

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Vintage Rustic Wood Storage Display Box - Handmade msjeannieology, $28

Orange Linen Pumpkin- Home Room BailiwickStudio, $16 Hand knitted fingerless gloves2knit2purl, $25.50 FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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Thankful

Stoneware sugar Jar with Cork Lid, - claylicious, $32

Thankful- Burlap Pillow- nextdoortoheaven, $35 FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Goats Milk SoapWindyWillowHomestead $5

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JUST THE FACTS:

PUMPKINS

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1. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the flesh, the seeds, the leaves and even the flowers.

2. Pumpkins are part of the cucurbit family of plants, related to squash, cucumbers, gourds and cantaloupe.

3. Pumpkin seeds are used in Russia to treat tapeworms.

4. The largest pumpkin pie ever, according to the Illinois Extension Service, was more than 5 feet wide and weighed more than 350 pounds. It was made with 80 pounds of pumpkin, 144 eggs and 36 pounds of sugar. It took six hours to cook.

5. Pumpkin carving goes back to an Irish tradition. In Irish folklore, a character called Stingy Jack tricks the devil to prevent going into hell. Unfortunately for Jack, he is too much of a sinner to go to heaven, so he is forced to roam the earth carrying a lantern made from a turnip (a lantern of Jack’s, aka Jack o’ Lantern). The Irish carved turnips for All Hallow’s Eve. Immigrants to America, however, found pumpkins to be easier to come by and easier to carve, leading to the custom we enjoy today.

6. 90 percent of the canned pumpkins eaten in the United States

are canned in Morton, Illinois. The town has held an annual pumpkin festival since 1963.

7. The top three pumpkin producing states in America are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.

8. The record for the world’s largest pumpkin was set in 2012. It weighed 2,009 pounds.

9. There are more than 50 pumpkin varieties, including Red Warty Thing, Pic A Pie and Jack Be Nimble.

10. Pumpkin seed oil is a traditional remedy in the Middle East for prostate problems.

11. A cup of cooked pumpkin contains about 30 calories. A pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks contains about 380 calories, according to the company website.

12. The pilgrims brewed beer with pumpkins. The recipe included hops, persimmons and maple sugar.

13. Wild pumpkins were eaten by native people in the Americas, but only the seeds. The flesh of wild pumpkins was too bitter. Archeologists say the pumpkin has been grown in the Americas for at least 6,000 years and is believed to be an older crop than corn.

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FARM AID 2014 BY: STEVEN JONES PHOTOGRAPHY: MELISSA JONES

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WILLIE NELSON

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D

espite an amazing lineup of some of the most amazing -- and in some cases -- legendary performers in music, maybe the best thing about Farm Aid 2014 is that from the beginning, it was all about farmers.

In his opening statement at a press conference Willie Nelson made it very clear.

clear it was about farmers.

Short films about North Carolina Farmers played in between sets for the audience.

“We used to say we’re trying to save the family farmer,” Willie Nelson said, “Now the family farmer is trying to save us all.”

Musicians constantly admonished the concert goers to action: Buy Local, Vote, Support Your Local Farmers, Vote, Pay Attention to Food Policy, Vote.

From then on, the concert, in between musicians playing fan favorites, like John Mellencamp doing “Jack and Diane” or Willie Nelson singing “Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” it was always

Every performer reminded everyone why they were there. (Jack White even made a point to tell people about “fresh produce” which was a little surreal).

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farmers on hand about their experiences and needs.

Those farmers, all from North Carolina, represented the old and new aspects of family farming in America. One farmer had her farm in the family for more than 200 years (the land was the result of a grant from an English king before North Carolina was a state).

Another farmer, a young man working with a cattle farmer in Bunn, N.C., was in college at NC State University, studying Agricultural Business and hoping to start his own farm when he graduated.

Even the concessions reflected an awareness of farming and food in America.

Provided by Homegrown Conces-

sions, the offerings on hand emphasized organic, farm raised foods.

“You can eat anything here,” concert-goer Karen Venema said. “It’s all organic.”

(It was the only concert I’ve ever been to where you could buy a vegan corndog).

And, while American favorites like Bud and Bud Lite were sold, it was refreshing to see Raleigh’s growing beer culture represented by the local micro-breweries selling locally crafted beers and ales.

None of it was lost on the members of the audience. Sure, anyone in their right mind would be thrilled with a chance to see any of the performers on stage, but everyone knew they were there to support FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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DELTA RAE

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LUKAS NELSON

GARY CLARK JR.

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DAVE MATTHEWS

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JOHN MELLENCAMP

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farmers. And North Carolina turned out in droves, selling out the Walnut Creek Amphitheatre.

It was, editorially speaking, refreshing and exhilarating: More than 20,000 people from all over the country turned out on Sept. 13 to support family farms and walked away thoroughly entertained and more educated than ever before about farming and food in America.

WHAT IS FARM AID ALL ABOUT?

all about corporate telling us what to do. It’s very basic.”

Young said that the problems family farmers were facing were problems faced by the country in dealing with out of control corporations.

“Monsanto is the worst of all these corporations,” Young said.

Scott Marlow, of the Rural Advancement Foundation International, put it into perspective.

“This is about the farmers right to exist,” he said.

Farm Aid was started 29 years ago Kay Doby and Craig Watts, the foras a way to help support small fam- mer a goat farmer and the latter a ily farms in America. contract poultry farmer, discussed the struggles small farmers face At the concert on Sept. 13, farmers, against faceless corporations. farm advocates and the board of Farm Aid -- John Mellencamp, Neil Doby started her farm, Hotshot Young, Willie Nelson and Dave Mat- Goat Farm, after being released thews -- explained why the started from her contract with a poultry Farm Aid and what their goals were. company.

“When we started in 1985, I didn’t know why the small towns I’d Just before losing her contract, grown up in were going out of busi- Doby said, she spoke in front of ness,” John Mellencamp said. “It Congress about unfair business was because the small family farm- practices poultry farmers face. ers were going thrown off their “I think I was cut off because I land.” spoke out,” Doby said in a short film recorded before the conferHe went on to explain that after ence. finding out more about what was happening to family farms, he disWatts, who is currently under concovered that what was happening tract with a poultry farmer, said was a “land grab.” he’s putting his livelihood at risk just by being on stage.

Neil Young went into more detail.

“All the things we’re talking about “A few companies control our food are all about power,” he said. “It’s supply,” he said. “$500,000 …

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NEIL YOUNG

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$600,000 worth of debt keeps a man pliable.”

Watts said its hard to be heard in Washington as a small farmer.

“When you go to DC and bring the truth and a thin wallet,” Watts said, “You’re not going to stay there long. We need the public to support changes. The end does not justify the means when you’re stepping on a farmer.”

Farm Aid organizers also took a chance to point out government culpability in farming problems.

They highlighted Dorothy and Phillip Barker, farmers from Oxford, NC and organizers of Operation Spring Plant.

The Parkers, as African American Farmers, discussed some of the unique problems they faced when dealing with banking and with the FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Farm Service Association.

The Parkers were part of a class action suit against the USDA to open up programs to low income and African American Farmers. It was the largest civil rights suit in United States History when it was won in the 90s.

Farm Aid organizers spent more than an hour advocating for and publicizing farmers and their issues.

In the end, however, maybe one of the most important things was said

by Dave Matthews.

“This is a revolution that has to be fought,” he said, seemingly a little uncomfortable with getting one of the last words in. He paused for a beat, kind of shrugging his shoulders “Anyway, support your local farmer’s market,” Matthews said.

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THE PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND

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he Preservation Hall Jazz Band has been part of music history since its formation in 1963.

The rollicking jazz band, led by director Ben Jaffe, seemed like an unusual choice for Farm Aid 2014.

While the band put on a spectacular show, it struck me as odd that a music style historically associated with urban scenes would be a part of a concert devoted to farming, traditionally considered a rural “art” form.

Jaffe helped put the seeming incongruity into focus however.

“It goes so far beyond farmers,” Jaffe said. “This is a human cause.

I’m for all human causes.”

He pointed out that the band is headquartered in New Orleans.

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“The things that grow in the region are the things we use in our food,” he said. “Both food and music serve an incredible cultural purpose (in New Orleans). They’re equally important to our city.”

Jaffe said the band was invited by Willie Nelson and that they’re also friends with Dave Matthews. So they were happy to help out.

“We believe in this community,” Jaffe said. “It’s such a blessing to be invited to be part of this family.”

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be touring all over the country through at least March of 2015.

Click here to find out more about the band and how to buy tickets to one of their many shows.

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JESSE LENAT

Jesse Lenat, a singer, songwriter and actor from Brooklyn, was one of the featured performers at Farm Aid this year.

Lenat has an interesting resume, part of which includes working with Stephen King and John Mellencamp on a musical “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County” in 2007.

Lenat so impressed Mellencamp he invited the singer to perform at that year’s Farm Aid in New York City at Randall’s Island.

Since then, Lenat has performed at three other Farm Aid concerts, including the show in Raleigh on Sept. 13.

“To be included in such an amazing lineup is a real honor,” Lenat said.

Lenat, like many other performers at the show, has farm experience, as well as musical experience.

He grew up in rural Pennsylvania on a cactus farm run by his father, where they grew succulents under about an acre of greenhouse glass.

Farm Aid’s mission resonates on a powerful level with Lenat.

“A bank came and foreclosed on my daddy’s property,” Lenat said, when he was a child. “I watched that happen on my tenth birthday.”

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makes it even more intense for me to be here (at Farm Aid),” Lenat said.

Lenat said farming and music have a lot in common. And, like other performers, farming and that lifestyle have influenced his creative life in deep, meaningful ways.

“They’re (farming and making music) are both creative; you got to have discipline; you have to do it in a humane and caring way; they both are community builders,” he said. “They’re both essential: You need farming for food and music to tell stories. Both of them … have that primal connection.”

And, if you get too big in either endeavor, you can lose that “primal connection.”

He said he hopes people attending Farm Aid take a little of that concept away with them and maybe get to know his music a little better in the process.

“I hope they (the audience) thinks I’m telling a worthwhile story that needs to be told,” he said. “I believe I’m coming from a truthful place.”

Lenat’s latest album, Son of a Cactus Farmer, comes out on Oct. 21.

Find out more about Lenat and his music, including where you can see him perform and buy his album, here.

CARLENE CARTER Carlene Carter (who just turned 59) was one of the many talented musicians at Farm Aid this year.

The daughter of June Carter, Carlene Carter is a talented musician with decades of experience.

Willie Nelson, who Carlene said she’s known for years, invited her to play at the show.

“When you’re invited, it’s an honor,” she said.

She considers the show an important part of her personal ideals and her upbringing.

“It’s been a big part of my heritage,” she said. “(Her family) all came from farming. I haven’t let go of that farm girl mentality. It’s important to keep that alive.”

She said she spent a lot of her childhood farming and gardening and even part of her adulthood.

“My grandmother taught me how to can and put a good garden out,” she said. “I fed my kids from my garden.”

She credits time spent farming with her family as part of learning about music as a child.

“We sang when we worked in the garden,” she said.

That time spent singing in the gar-

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den influenced her music and musical tastes for the rest of her life, she said.

“So many of these songs (found on her new album Carter Girl) I have found to have a flavor about that them,” she said. “They’re kind of floral.”

Carter Girl is an album of her family’s songs along with some other songs she wrote.

The album includes guest singers Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Kris Kristofferson and more.

Carter will spend the rest of the year and on into next summer performing all over the country.

Carlene Carter has a new album out. It can be purchased here. Find out more about Carlene Carter and her touring schedule here.

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FARM AID FARMERS HILLTOP FARM OF WILLOW SPRINGS

He’s one of the many farmers represented at Farm Aid 2014.

“I’m excited to be here,” he said.

Miller started farming about 15 Fred Miller, of Hilltop Farm of Willow years ago, rehabilitating about 45 Springs, is the only certified organic acres of his wife’s family’s tobacco farmer in Wake County NC, and has farm into organic production. been for 10 years.

This year was the first time he’d been to Farm Aid. His farm was one of the many represented at the concert and fundraiser.

Why organic?

“I believe its the right thing to do,” he said. “I also saw it as a marketing niche as well.”

His farm, a former tobacco farm, He’s thrilled to be part of Farm Aid. has been in his wife’s family for 250 “It’s huge to get this many people years. together and thinking about buying local food,” he said.

“It was actually a grant from the king of England,” he said.

Find out more about Hilltop Farm of Willow Springs here

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RAY FAMILY FARMS Chad Ray was one of many North Carolina farmers represented at Farm Aid on Sept. 13.

Ray said he hopes more young farmers like Newbold get involved in producing food.

“If you’d told me I’d see Willie Nelson before 10 in the morning, I wouldn’t have believed you,” he said.

“North Carolina is at a tipping point for local food,” Ray said.

Ray is the owner and operator of Ray Family Farms, of Bunn, NC. Ray has been a “lifestyle” farmer for most of his life. But he and his wife decided to turn their passion into a business about 5 years ago.

He said young farmers have unique challenges in the future, but they can be overcome.

“For a young person that wants to go into commodities,” Ray said, “How do you borrow millions? I don’t know.”

Now they raise cows and other meat animals on their property.

Farming is one of Ray’s two full time jobs. He and his wife also run a business building houses.

He said those young farmers, without a massive amount of start up capital can still get into farming, however, by looking into niche productions.

He incorporates both of those businesses together, helping the people he builds for getting into farming.

It’s been busy for Ray. So busy, he’s had to get help from outside the family. Jake Newbold, an Agricultural Business Student at North Carolina State, works on the farm with Ray.

“I think they’re all going to be niche farming,” Ray said.

“He’s been a phenomenal help for a year,” Ray said.

Newbold, who is a senior this year, hopes to start farming as soon as he graduates himself.

He said no matter what, it’s important that young people get into farming.

“What gets me up is the dream of feeding (my) family and feeding (my) community,” Ray said. “Anybody can do that.”

Find out more about Ray Family Farms here.

“Both my parents always farmed,” the Indiana native said. “It’s something I care a lot about.”

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FARM AID STAFF PROFILE

A

licia Harvie, Farm Aid’s Program Manager, feels like North Carolina was ready for Farm Aid this year.

“We think North Carolina is at an important crossroads,” she said.

“It’s in a time of transition.”

Which is one of the many reasons Farm Aid was held in Raleigh this year.

Harvie has been working with Farm Aid for years and she feels like the organization is in a unique position to help North Carolina and the rest of the country.

“There’s this amazing ability of music to cross boundaries,” she said.

“I really work on elevating issues.

This is near and dear to my heart.”

It’s pretty personal for Harvie, who spent a year on the East Coast interviewing farmers for her undergraduate thesis before going on to graduate school at Tufts Nutrition School.

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“Corporate agriculture has its thumb pressed on farmers in a very devastating way,” she said. “I feel very strongly their rights are being infringed on.”

To make sure Farm Aid meets the needs of farmers, Harvie works all the time to communicate with farmers and farming advocates all through the year.

“We really take our cue from farmers on the ground,” she said.

Part of Harvie’s job is working as the issues researcher and writer for Farm Aid, giving her unique insights into what farmers need.

She currently writes the Ask Farm Aid blog for the organization where she answers questions about everything from the Census results to how to get into farming.

Click here to find out more about Alicia Harvey, Farm Aid and the Ask Farm Aid blog.

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FRUIT PRESSES FOR THE HOMESTEAD BY: ROBIN FOLLETTE

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utumn. Crisp, dry, warm days followed by cool nights. The sky is clearer and the sun isn’t as harsh. The smell of wood smoke wafts through the air as early morning fires are lit to dry the damp chill from our homes.

And apples. Oh the apples this year.

They are plentiful thanks to Mother Nature’s gift of an unusually long, dry spell during the time fruit trees blossomed. Bees, hummingbirds, moths and other pollinators filled the trees with buzzing. And then, at just the right time, the rain came and now the branches sag under the weight of large apples. It’s been a perfect year for fruits.

Now, during the beautiful autumn weather, it’s time to press fresh apples and pears and the berries you’ve stored in the freezer to make juice, cider, wine, jelly and jam. It’s time to fill the last shelf in the pantry with juice, cider and preserves.

Homesteader’s Supply, based in Sparta, Tennessee has wonderful fruit presses manufactured by TSM. They offer modern technology without losing the charm and fun of pressing. They’re easy to move around the yard, orchard or even your home if you need to press indoors because of the weather. TSM presses dismantle easily for thorough clean up. I really like them.

These presses are offered by Homesteader’s Supply in three sizes. The 14 liter TSM Harvest Fruit & Wine Press is a table top model which can

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also be used on the ground. It is 27 ¼ inches high not counting the handle. Its stainless steel removable basket holds 3.7 gallons of fruit.

The basket doesn’t require a filter bag.

The next sizes are 18 and 30 liter TSM Harvest Fruit & Wine Press.

The 18 liter press holds 4.7 gallons of fruit. Its basket is made of American grown oak. It requires a straining bag to catch peels, seeds and pulp, and it’s included with the press. The two-ended handle (used with both hands) is made of cast iron and has grips on each end to help you have a stable hold while you turn. The grips are surprisingly comfortable. It’s a good size when pressing the fruit from a tree or two.

Both the 18 and 30 liter presses are best when mounted on solid wood to keep them secured easily in one place.

The 30 liter TSM Harvest Fruit & Wine Press holds eight gallons of fruit. It efficiently presses the five or six bushels of apples I pick at a time. Invite your friends over to join in the fun or press large quantities of your own fruit in one day with this model. This basket is also made of American grown oak wood and is very attractive. Modern technology looks nice in wood! You may choose between the two-ended handle and a ratchet handle on the 30 liter press. Like the 18 liter model, the straining bag and manual are included.

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HARVEST FRUIT PRESS Eight blocks are included with both larger models to allow you to press to the bottom of the basket.

With an extra straining bag or two you can invite the neighborhood in to press for a day’s worth of fun or take your press to school and make juice with the students. I’m a softie when it comes to working with children and teaching them now to be self-sufficient. The looks on their faces when they taste fresh pressed apple juice is priceless. If we don’t limit them to a cup of juice each as we press there wouldn’t be any juice making it into the classroom for lunch or recess. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are always looking for homesteading related activities and all of the kids are excited to pitch in to do the job with you.

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These presses are great for beginners like me who press once or twice a year or pros who know how to throw a little muscle into the process and get the job done day after day. They’re great for apples, cherries, pears, grapes, strawberries and other fruits.

Homesteader’s Supply offers the Apple & Fruit Crusher manufactured by Weston. You’ll need cut up or crush your hard fruits like apples and pears before they go into a press. The spout on the Apple & Fruit Crusher allows you to set your crusher on the table and feed the prepared fruit directly into the two larger presses. For the 14 liter press I find it easier to transfer the crushed fruits from a bowl into the

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HARVEST FRUIT & WINE PRESS press.

To keep the process simple for you they also sell the wooden hopper that keeps fruit flowing into the crusher instead of bouncing off the edge and onto the ground.

I was chatting with Jerri Bedell, the founder of Homesteader’s Supply one day when she asked if I’d ever thought of pressing soft fruits with The Ultimate Cheese Press. Really?

Hmmm…soft fruit in the cheese press. That an idea. The more I thought about the idea the more I liked it. It’s been a bumper year for blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. I prefer jelly over jam for these berries because of the seeds.

Why not? So I did. I pressed blackberries, raspberries and blueber-

ries with great results. The organic coconut oil that protects the wood on The Ultimate Cheese Press did a pretty good job of minimizing staining but I decided on the second and subsequent uses to cover the wooden parts with plastic wrap. Worked like a charm. I placed the press in a large cookie sheet to catch the juice and propped one end up an inch to keep the juices draining. If you’re not going to be nearby I’d use a deep baking sheet to be sure you don’t lose any juice.

The Ultimate Cheese Press has also worked well with applesauce when the apples are very juicy. Draining the juice cut down on the amount of time I spent cooking the apples and the amount of time I spent in the kitchen. I didn’t have to FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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HOME FRUIT PRESS watch the pot to be sure I didn’t scorch my sauce as long as I had in the past. Pretty clever if you ask me. I wonder how it would handle tomatoes before they’re sauced. This late in the season I have a few quarts at a time rather than the bushel or two the plants provide at once when they’re in peak production. I think I’ll try it.

This is my favorite time of year.

Making my homesteading working simpler, lighter and less time consuming is always welcome.

You can never have too much free time to enjoy autumn.

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Everything You Need for Your Homestead • Cultures and Supplies for Cheese Making • Canning Supplies • Butter & Yogurt Making • Dairy Milking • Livestock Care

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Hard Cheese Making Kit

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BLACK COHOSH A RELIEF FOR FEMALE COMPLAINTS BY: MARLENE ADELMANN

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THE HERBAL HOMESTEAD

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GENERATIONS OF WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED BLACK COHOSH AS A TONIC FOR THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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elief from female complaints.

These are the words that you would have read on a bottle of Lydia Pinkham’s elixir back in 1873. Lydia Pinkham became a household name when she began bottling and selling a concoction that she had previously made in her kitchen to treat her own painful menstrual periods.

The recipe she used for this herbal elixir, subsequently named “Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound,” is thought to have been won by her husband in a game of cards. The ingredients included pleurisy root, life root, fenugreek, unicorn root, black cohosh, and more alcohol than one would expect -- almost 20%! Remember this was the time of the Temperance Movement, of which Lydia was a member, and it was considered scandalous for women to drink alcohol.

Lydia’s husband, Isaac Pinkham, was a bit of a ne’er-do-well who lost all of his money in the panic of 1873. Lydia found herself and her young family in financial need, and it was during these hard times that Lydia decided to market the herbal concoction that she had previously shared with her women friends and neighbors. She became wildly successful and the remedy was famous amongst women who sought relief from “female complaints.”

Lydia was a smart business woman who brought the skills of a midwife, nurse, school teacher, and activist to the table.

Some people believe that Ms. Pinkham was toting her own brand of good cheer, and that it was the alcohol in the elixir that helped women with their discomforts and not the herbs she used. Well, pooh pooh if you must, but years and much clinical research later, it turns out that our dear Ms. Pinkham knew a thing or two about the medicinal benefits of the herbs in her formula.

Indeed, today black cohosh is still a primary herb for treating women’s issues around menstruation and menopause. Believe me, if you have ever experienced any of these agonizing symptoms and found relief from a strange, bitter, cocktailish liquid in a little brown bottle, you would be a true believer and follower of its creator. That is exactly what happened. Lydia became the guru of women’s health and well being. Women were encouraged to write to Ms. Pinkham with all of their mental, physical, and emotional problems, and Ms. Pinkham would address each and every letter with sound advice and a suggestion of what they might do to relieve their symptoms or burdens.

The herb that stands out in Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound is black cohosh. Not only do I suspect that black cohosh was responsible for much of the relief these women experienced, but it also withstands the test of time.

For over 40 years in Germany, women have been using a black cohosh formula approved by the GerFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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man Government as an effective, reliable preparation for treating symptoms of dysmenorrhea, menopause, and depression. I should mention here that a great deal of clinical research on herbs and their efficacy is done in Germany. Other countries rely heavily on the herbal scientific information from the German Commission E scientific advisory board of the “Bundesinstitut fur Arzneimittel und Mediprodukte.”

This commission was formed in 1978 and is the German equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Herbalists use black cohosh root to restore healthy menstruation and soothe irritation and congestion of the cervix, uterus, and vagina. It is also used to relieve the symptoms of menopause, such as mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety related to menopause, heart palpitations, vaginal atrophy (vaginal thinning), and vaginal dryness.

Black cohosh acts as a tonic for the female reproductive system. This tonic effect is attributed to phytoestrogens, which improve the blood flow to the female organs. Synthetic and natural estrogens can cause health risks, including promoting cancer, stroke, and heart attack, The botanical name for black cobut phytoestrogens have not been hosh is Actaea racemosa (L.), forassociated with these problems in merly Cimicifuga racemosa (L.). It most people. Animal studies do not is a member of the Ranunculaceae suggest any tumor-promoting activ(buttercup) family. The common ity. Phytoestrogens do exert weak name was given because the root estrogenic effects, but they balof this plant is very dark (cohosh is ance the body’s estrogen effects. In a general term for “herb”). It was other words, if the natural estrogen also known as squaw root, alluding levels are low, phytoestrogen will to its affinity for women. enhance the estrogen effects. If the natural estrogen levels are high, Black cohosh is native to the Eastphytoestrogens will reduce the esern United States and grows in trogen effects. Because of this balwooded areas from Georgia to Onancing action of phytoestrogens on tario and west to the Ohio River estrogen, black cohosh is used for Valley. It is an herbaceous perenconditions of estrogen excess such nial that grows from a large, dark, as PMS (premenstrual syndrome) gnarly root and it is the root that is as well as conditions of estrogen used in medicinal preparations. Like deficiency such as menopause. many roots, black cohosh root is harvested in the fall after the aerial Black cohosh also acts as a receptor parts have withered and the nutriblocker possibly acting on the hypoents and energy of the plant have thalamus in the brain to block the returned down into the root. release of LHRH (Luteinizing Hor-

ABOUT BLACK COHOSH

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You don’t have to have a degree in chemistry to create your own natural dyes. It just takes a garden plot and a kitchen.

A Garden to Dye For shows how super-simple it is to plant and grow a dyer’s garden and create beautiful dyes.

Many of these plants may already be in our cutting, cottage or food gardens, ready for double duty.

This is the book that bridges the topic of plant dyes to mainstream gardeners, the folks who enjoy growing the plants as much as using them in craft projects.

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mone Releasing Hormone), thereby qualified health practitioner it can lowering the production of LH (Lube used to induce labor. teinizing Hormone) by the pituitary gland. Hot flashes are associated REFERENCES: Ojeda, Linda, Ph.D. Menopause without Mediwith the level of LH. cine. Publishers Group West , Berkeley, CA Menopausal herbs are often used 2003 in combination since their actions are synergistic (they enhance each Northrup, Christine, M.D. the Wisdom of other). Key herbs are black cohosh, Menopause. Bantam Dell, New York, NY 2001 dong quai, chaste berry, and licorice Castleman, Michael. The Healing Herbs. root. Peony, hops, motherwort, and Rodale press, Emmaus, PA 1991 false unicorn root are also effective.

Murray, Michael, N.D. The Healing Power of (Black cohosh and false unicorn Herbs. Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA. 1995 root are considered at-risk plants

by United Plant Savers, so those Elliot, Doug. Wild Roots. Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vermount. 1995 seeking to use these herbs should ensure they have been cultivated Philips, Michael, Philips, Nancy. The Hernbalrather than wild-harvested.) ist’s Way. Charles Green Publishing Company, Counterindications: pregnant wom- White River Junction, VT. 2005 en should not take black cohosh University of Maryland. Black Cohosh http:// since it is a uterine stimulant and umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/blackcan cause loss of pregnancy. Incohosh. Retrieved September 10, 2014 deed, under the supervision of a FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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AUTUMN ROOT DECOCTION FOR MENOPAUSE RELIEF

The herbs included in this tea are used to help strengthen the immune system and support changing hormone levels. Roots are usually dug up in the fall, which makes this brew truly seasonal.

You may wish to add a bit of honey to offset some of the more bitter herbs in this formula!

INGREDIENTS: Astragalus root – 2 parts Black cohosh root – 1 part Burdock root – 2 parts Cinnamon bark – 1 part Dong Quai root – 1 part Licorice root – 1 part Vitex berries – 2 parts DIRECTIONS: Fill a saucepan with 4 quarts of water, bring to a boil and add the roots and berries, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

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THE ORIGINAL FORMULA FOR LYDIA PINKHAM’S VEGETABLE COMPOUND WAS: PLEURISY ROOT (Asciepias tuberose L.): antispasmodic, carminative, anti-inflammatory LIFE ROOT (Senecio aureus L.): uterine tonic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, emmenagogue FENUGREEK SEED (Trigonello foenumgraecum L.): vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, tonic, emmenagogue, hypotensive UNICORN ROOT (Aletris farinose L.): antiflatulent, anti-inflammatory, tonic, bitter, diuretic BLACK COHOSH (Actaea racemosa)

emmenagogue, antispasmodic, alterative, nervine, hypotensive

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ASK A HERBALIST

MANY HERBAL RECIPES CALL FOR DRIED HERBS, BUT I HARVEST FRESH HERBS FROM MY GARDENS AND FIELDS. DO I NEED TO DRY THEM BEFORE USING THEM? IS IT BETTER TO USE FRESH OR DRIED HERBS IN PREPARATIONS? - Annabel, Michigan The choice between fresh or dried herbs is influenced by several factors, including the biochemical and energetic properties of the plant, the plant part being used, the type of herbal preparation, and the inFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

tended medicinal use. As they say, it’s complicated!

Some plants can be used fresh or dried with similar outcomes. In general, using fresh herbs is ideal because plant properties begin to change as soon as they are picked.

If you are making medicine from plants high in volatile oils such as peppermint or lemon balm or want to harness the healing powers of the red oil in St. John’s Wort, fresh is best. That being said, dried herbs can be very effective if dried and stored properly, and a very few

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plants (Cascara sagrada, orris root) must be dried before use because the fresh root is toxic. Some herbs have different actions when fresh versus when dried. For example, fresh ginger stimulates circulation to reduce fever, while dried ginger is considered warming to the body.

And if you’re looking for an antiviral, fresh ginger is far superior than dried.

Also consider the type of preparation: for example, glycerin extracts constituents from fresh material much more effectively than dried, while alcohol is effective for both.

Just remember that dried herbs lack the moisture content of fresh plants, and are considered more concentrated, so adjust recipes accordingly.

CAN I GIVE HERBS TO MY CHILD AND AT WHAT DOSE? WHERE CAN I FIND SAFETY INFORMATION, GUIDELINES, AND OTHER RESOURCES ON HERBAL REMEDIES FOR KIDS? - Grace, Colorado Absolutely, many herbs can be used with kids! But you are wise to wonder about safety guidelines and reputable information because there are some herbs that children should never take, and as we all know, just because something is natural does not mean it is safe. A child’s inherent sensitivity calls for a bit of common sense and caution.

Each herb will be different, but in general the stature and physiology of a child call for decreased dosage.

There are a couple different ways

to adjust dosage for a child. One method, called Clark’s Rule, estimates a child’s dose by dividing his or her weight (in pounds) by 150.

So for example, if a child weighs 35 pounds, you would divide that by 150 for a result of roughly 1/4.

Using this rule, if an adult dose of an herb is 1 teaspoon four times a day, you would give the child 1/4 teaspoon 4 times a day. Another popular, age-old approach called Dr. Young’s method is based on the age of a child. You can find an adaptation of this approach in David Hoffman’s book, Medical Herbalism.

As for resources, the go-to book for information about herbs and children for many herbalists is Nature’s Children, by Juliette de Bairacle Levy. Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal is also a popular choice. We also recommend being forthright with your child’s medical practitioner about what herbs you are giving your child, and doing your own thorough research to verify the information you are reading.

MARLENE ADELMANN IS THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE HERBAL ACADEMY OF NEW ENGLAND. MARLENE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS STUDYING HERBS IN THE BOSTON AREA AND LEARNING UNDER SOME OF THE MOST REVERED MODERN HERBALISTS, INCLUDING ROSEMARY GLADSTAR AND SUSUN WEED. SHE CONTINUES TO PRACTICE PLANT MEDICINE THROUGH ONGOING CORRESPONDENCE COURSES AND TEACHING OTHERS. “LEARNING ABOUT HERBS AND THEIR HEALING POWER IS A LIFE LONG PURSUIT.”

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R

abbits are one of the best animals a homesteader can raise. They can be raised for meat, fur or fiber and as such can produce much needed calories for a homesteader or a much needed source of cash (or both).

In addition, their droppings make an excellent fertilizer

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and don’t require an aging period like other “hot” animal fertilizers (think chickens).

And while Chris McLaughlin’s article will tell you all you need to know about raising rabbits, here are some interesting facts you can bring up to impress all your homesteading friends the next chance you get.

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5 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT RABBITS 1. RABBITS ARE NOT RODENTS

While they may have a lot in common with rodents, rabbits actually belong to the order Lagomorpha. The order includes rabbits and hares (which aren’t the same thing!) and pikas. A pika looks like a cross between a rabbit and a mouse and is native to colder regions in North America, Asia and parts of Europe.

2. RABBIT TEETH NEVER STOP GROWING

Like rodents, rabbits have two sharp and surprisingly long incisors which don’t stop growing. In nature, they have access to all sorts of roughage and grazing materials which help keep their chompers filed down. If you’re raising rabbits, however, you’ll need to make sure they have something to chew on in their enclosures. And make sure they get plenty of hay. While pelletized feed normally sold for rabbits is considered by many rabbit keepers as a “complete” feed, making sure they have ready access to hay will help keep the soft little darlings’ teeth ground down. It’s also suggested to keep wood inside their enclosures to give them something to chew on, again, helping keep those teeth filed down. This isn’t just an issue of comfort or aesthetics: Rabbits with teeth that grow unchecked, or crooked can actually die from overgrown teeth.

The teeth will push out of their mouth, keeping them from eating properly or in extreme cases even peirce their skulls and kill them.

3. RABBITS HAVE TWO SETS OF EYELIDS

The external eyelids -- top and bottom -- function much like any other animals eyelid. Another, third eyelid, in between the external lid and the eyeball, The third eyelid helps clean and moisturize the eyeball.

4. RABBITS EAT THEIR OWN POOP, KIND OF…

Rabbits eat cecotropes, structures which look like rabbit poop but are actually undigested bits of food. The cecotropes exit the anus, just like poop, but aren’t fully digested. The rabbit eats them immediately, making all sorts of vitamins and trace nutrients available that wouldn’t be available without the animals participating in the admittedly gross activity.

5. RABBITS CAN’T THROW UP.

Rabbits don’t have stomach muscles strong enough to cause vomiting.

Anything that goes in has to come out the other side or not at all. (I cannot imagine how rabbitologist discovered this. Did they give bunnies bad food over and over again? Make them smell bad stuff? How long would you have to watch a rabbit before you can confidently say it can’t vomit?)

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ANGORA RABBITS: WOOLED MINI-LIVESTOCK BY: CHRIS MCLAUGHLIN If you’ve considered raising wool on your homestead but aren’t convinced that you want to take on livestock the size of sheep, goats, or alpacas, let me introduce you to the Angora rabbit. Once you’ve met a couple of these gentle softies in person, I think you’ll be as smitten as I am.

There are seven rabbit breeds acknowledged by the American Rabbit Breeders Association that produce wool. However, two of them, The American Fuzzy Lop and the Jersey Woolly aren’t major fiber producers.

While their wool is quite spin-able, they’re very small in stature and don’t produce the copious amounts of fiber that the other wooled breeds do.

The five Angora rabbit breeds that are commonly used for wool production are the French Angora, English Angora, Satin Angora, Giant Angora, and German Angora. These rabbits are primarily sought-after the most for their plush coats that have been touted as having “the softest fiber in FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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the world.”

Aside from growing a salable product, Angoras are calm-natured and make excellent pets. That said, daily care and regular grooming can be overwhelming and that part is best left in the hands of adults. But let the kids love on them -- both the rabbits and children will be happier for it.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT ANGORA RABBITS?

fiber can be kept for personal handspinning or sold for profit -- or both.

Angoras who are earning their keep by producing wool can also become a family venture. Show them at the local fair (perhaps a 4H project), rabbit shows, or for exhibit.

JUST LIKE SHEEP ONLY MUCH SMALLER...AND SOFTER

Angora is used for spinning, knitLet’s get into some specific benefits ting, crocheting, etc, just like of raising Angora rabbits. First of sheep, goat, alpaca, and llama fiball, there’s no need to worry about er. In fact, Europeans have raised how much (or lack of) acreage you Angoras for centuries while North have because “acreage” isn’t neces- America didn’t get their hands on sary. Even an apartment homestead this lofty fiber until 1920. Angora could house a couple and suburban is regarded as top drawer as far homesteaders can have a rabbitry as luxury fibers are concerned and without anyone even noticing. remains in high demand among the cottage fiber/hand-spinning/knitting Rabbits are also inexpensive to industries. feed compared to...well, just about any other livestock that you could Angora wool lacks lanolin or grease name. Breeding rabbits is just allowing it to be sold right off the about as simple as it gets and the rabbit (raw) without any further gestation period is short (about 31 preparation such as washing or days). If your Angoras are raised scouring. Of course, the price can solely for wool production, then go be adjusted higher if it’s spun into ahead and give them names and yarn or dyed before being placed up their own Christmas stocking befor sale. cause they’re a no-kill livestock. For some people, this can mean every- The incredibly soft fibers are “holthing. low” which gives them their airy and lofty trademark. Angora also Harvesting the wool takes some, retains heat and wicks away moisbut not much. In the case of Anture better than any other natural gora breeds where the wool comes wool. It’s been touted as seven off naturally (moult), harvesting is times warmer than sheep’s wool actually very relaxing. The Angora (perhaps not entirely accurate, but FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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you get the idea).

Angora is so fine and warm that that hand-spinners usually most often blended with other fibers such as sheep’s wool, silk, cashmere, alpaca, etc. A garment made of 100% Angora is considered too hot, so a yarn that has a good blend of Angora along with other fibers will added softness and produce that lovely “halo” effect.

Depending on the rabbit breed (and the lines within a breed), Angora wool is either shorn or plucked. For example, some lines in the English Angora breed naturally molt (or “blow their coat”) three to four times a year. Still other lines within the English breed have been specifically bred to hold that coat as long as possible and will need to be shorn.

bandry practices that are important to both fiber production, as well as for their health.

Angoras need a higher protein rabbit pellet for wool production and plenty of roughage to keep things moving through the intestines to help prevent wool block. They’re more prone to flystrike due to fluffy bums, so clean cages are mandatory in order to keep as many flies away from the rabbits as possible.

Skin can be torn from mats due to an unkempt coat. Coat maintenance can be fairy simple to fairly intense depending on the breed -but it’s always a requirement. Thorough research is vital. Family members with animal allergies should also be considered. The fur sticks like glue when you return from the rabbitry. Like magic glue.

Another good example is that before I owned French Angoras, I was told that they are natural moulters and that I would be plucking their coat. Apparently no one told that to my line of French, because it turns out that they have to be shorn every ninety days or they are stuck with that coat until I do.

If I haven’t scared you away from the venture and I’ve actually piqued your curiosity as much as I think I have, then check out The National Angora Rabbit Breeder’s Club (http://www.nationalangorarabbitbreeders.com) or International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders (http://iagarb.com).

BEFORE BRINGING HOME THE LITTLE EWOKS

Important Final Statement: Recently, PETA released a horrendous video showing a rabbit being abused as the wool was removed from its body. This is not the norm for most breeders and is unacceptable on every level.

Angoras really are some beautiful creatures making them nearly impossible to resist. But like all animals -- whether livestock or pets -- there are some considerations.

These rabbits require special husFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

Harvesting rabbit wool should never cause the rabbit any pain nor harm. Contact an Angora club and be sure to visit local breeders and ask them to show you how they harvest wool. You can feel confident in purchasing Angora wool or rabbits from reputable breeders.

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T

MEET THE ANGORA RABBIT BREEDS

here are several Angora breeds to choose from and each one has its merits.

I’ve owned a few different breeds and I enjoyed them for different reasons. Here at Laughing Crow & Company, we now have French Angoras.

I enjoy the coats of the French as they don’t become matted as easily as some of the others. I also like the feel of this wool as it has a generous amount of guard hairs (as opposed to more “cottony” coats).

Angota breed preference is personal preference; there’s an Angora breed to suit every fiber rabbit raiser.

With French Angora fiber, the guard hairs make up more of the coat instead of the downy undercoat, which makes them a good choice for novice Angora owners and a dream for hand-spinners.

Most of the color is in the guard hairs and gives the colors intensity.

The soft, wooly undercoat offers what is often considered the best halo effect on a garment. French Angoras weigh 7 ½ to 10 ½ lbs and produce up to one pound of fiber a year.

ENGLISH ANGORA

FRENCH ANGORA

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est of the angora breeds, but also the most popular for the show table because of its unique face and ear “furnishings” (tassels). I don’t think anyone would bother to argue the cuteness factor of this breed; little Ewoks, indeed.

hand-spin. Satin Angoras are 6 1/2 to 10 lbs and produce about 1/2 lb of wool per year.

GIANT ANGORA

Depending on the line with in the English breed, they seem to have the most “cottony” coat as they have more wool percentage than guard hairs. Therefore, my experience has been that they need the most consistent grooming in order to keep the coat free of mats. As adults, English Angoras weigh 5 to 7 ½ lbs and produce 10 ounces to 1 lb of fiber per year.

SATIN ANGORA

According to the ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association), Satin Angoras were created by crossing a French Angora and a Satin rabbit.

Satin Angoras don’t produce a large quantity, but their wool is dense with fabulous shine and easy to

Giant Angoras are one of the largest of the Angora rabbit breeds, as well as one of the highest fiber producers. Although they’re of German decent, Giants are often mistaken for the German Angora. It’s important to note that both are distinctly separate breeds.

Breeders crossed Germans with other rabbit breeds such as the Flemish Giant in order to create a larger wool-producing animal -- the Giant Angora. This is a breed that never naturally moults, so their wool is always harvested by shearing. Giant Angoras weigh at least 9 1/2 to 10 lbs and produce 1-2 pounds of wool per year.

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HARVEST CELEBRATION

The bountiful harvest and cooler weather is cause for celebration. With Flowers from the garden, dried corn, pumpkins and some colorful cloth enjoying a lovely fall tea party with friends and family is a wonderful way to spend a fall afternoon.

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Honestly, any of the fruits of the field make for a fantastic centerpiece. Grab some corn, winter squash and anything else you have (even forest Greenery) and you can put together a lovely centerpiece reminding all your guests of the importance of the harvest season.

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FALL PARTY

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Windy Willow Homestead “Bring something fancy to your farm”

Handmade Coiled Fabric Egg Baskets, Farmer’s Market Baskets and Home Décor Baskets Handmade Cold Process Soaps made with sustainable and organic oils Other handmade goods available and we welcome custom orders Please visit my shop and Facebook page www.windywillowhomestead.etsy.com www.Facebook.com/windywillowhomestead Take 10% off your order when you use the coupon code “FromScratch” at checkout FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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LESSONS FROM THE BREADBOX BY: CAROL J. ALEXANDER

S

ince a major aspect of homesteading involves producing our own food, we tend to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Whether it’s putting up the produce from our gardens or creating delicious meals with our own homegrown goodness, I frequently have days confined to the stove and apron.

Fortunately for the homeschooling homesteader, the kitchen provides many lessons. Recipes lend themFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

selves to mathematics, food preservation gives ample opportunity for science, and of course you can always find food in history, literature, and geography.

All year long, many homesteaders bake bread on a daily basis. Since bread making is so much a part of the homesteading/homemaking routine, I thought pulling the lessons found in the process would be a great place to start.

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If you do not already bake your own bread, find a good recipe using home ground flour. If your books do not include such a recipe, try the one in the sidebar.

the child’s mind. If you have more than one child, have one practice this skill using cup measures and the other child using spoons measuring salt or flax seed.

Take this opportunity to study fractions. Two one-half cups equal a whole cup, two one-quarter cups equal one-half cup, one cup minus two one-third cups equal one-third cup, and so forth. Proving these problems out by actually measuring the flour reinforces the concept in

Take this opportunity to teach measurement equivalents like three teaspoons equal one tablespoon, four cups equal a quart, or 16 tablespoons equal one cup.

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recipe calls for a pound of flour, practice the same fraction skills using pounds of flour and a scale.

Learn weight equivalents like 16 ounces equal a pound.

the egg, the larger the air pocket.

Put an egg in a bowl of water. If it sinks, there is no air pocket or it is very small, indicating the egg is fresh. If it floats, the air pocket is large enough and the egg old You can reinforce additional math enough to cause it to rise to the skills by doubling, tripling or halving surface, indicating it is bad. If it recipes. stands on end, you want to use it first. It is not bad, but it is not Wheat is talked about at length fresh, either. in The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Read the book out Make a naked egg. The shell of an loud together and discuss the imegg is made of calcium carbonate. portance placed on wheat in the By soaking an egg in vinegar, the story. This discussion could morph acetic acid in the vinegar will disinto a science lesson that studies solve the shell and leave your egg storing wheat and why it can last with just the inner two membranes thousands of years if stored propholding it intact. To do this, place erly, sprouting wheat and how the an egg in a jar and cover with vinsprouting process increases the nu- egar. Let it soak for 12-24 hours. tritional value, and the study of the You will notice the reaction between parts of the wheat kernel. the acid and the calcium evidenced by bubbles forming on the egg and Do you know why certain ingredirising to the surface of the liquid. ents are included in your recipe?

For instance, baking soda, bakSprout wheat berries. Sketch the ing powder, yeast, and eggs are all sprouts in your nature journal or leavening agents. Research how science lab notebook. Compare they each work, when you might wheat sprouts with sprouts from choose one over the other, or how other beans or grains. each are made. Do this for other ingredients, too.

Read the following books with your younger children and talk about the Research the history behind selling references to bread: The Little Red eggs by the dozen. Memorize your Hen by Paul Galdone, How to Make twelves multiplication tables, and an Apple Pie and See the World by the fact that 12 dozen is called a Marjorie Priceman, Tony’s Bread by gross.

Tomie dePaola, Everybody Bakes Bread by Norah Dooley, and Bread Test eggs for freshness. The lining is for Eating by David and Phillis of an egg shell will shrink and pull Gershator. away from the egg as it ages. This leaves a pocket of air. The older Choose a passage from any of the FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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books listed above for copy work or handwriting lessons. Another excellent selection appropriate for copy work or memorization is the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13 of The Holy Bible.

Several of the books listed mention different parts of the world. For a geography exercise, print a world map from a free map site like FreeWorldMaps.net. Color and label the different countries mentioned in the book. Look up some other interesting facts about each country using an almanac.

I could keep going, but I want you to use these lessons as a springboard to finding your own lessons in the breadbox. And while you’re

doing this study, don’t forget to bake some bread together and enjoy.

Carol J. Alexander is the author of Homestead Cooking with Carol: Bountiful Make-ahead Meals. She has been homeschooling her children for over 20 years and frequently pulls lessons from the homestead to supplement their curriculum.

For more Lessons from the Homestead, see her website http://EverythingHomeWithCarol.com.

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DAILY BREAD RECIPE

This will make two regular-sized loaves of bread or two dozen rolls.

Mix gently: 2 cups warm water 1 tablespoon yeast Add: 4 cups flour 1 tablespoon salt 2 tablespoons ground golden flax seed (optional) 1 egg 2 tablespoons honey (optional) 2 tablespoons olive oil Mix and knead as usual, adding up to two cups of additional flour.

After kneading, place the dough in a large greased bowl to rise. Set your timer for one hour.

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After the first rise, divide the dough, shape, and place into two greased loaf pans. Set them back into the oven to rise for 30 minutes.

When the timer goes off, turn on the oven to 350 degrees, leaving the dough in the oven. Set your timer again for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, check the sides for brownness. (Using glass pans makes this easier.) If your sides are under-done, the loaf will collapse.

If necessary, rotate the pans and bake a little longer.

When done, remove the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Rub a pat of butter on the top while still warm for a beautiful loaf.

Recipe from Homestead Cooking with Carol: Bountiful Make-ahead Meals

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MEAL PLANS ON THE HOMESTEAD BY: KATHERINE BENOIT

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A

s a busy wife, homesteader and homeschooling mother of a large family, getting heathly and nutrious meals on the table can be a little stressful.

In my first year of marriage I was blessed to become close friends with one of the coolest ladies I have ever known. I learned many things from her. One of the greatest things she taught me was to make a meal plan.

Over the years there have been FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

many months that I didn’t take the time to plan out our meals. I have discovered, a plan and a little prep work greatly reduces the stress of busy daily life and makes dinner time much easier.

In the beginning, as I would plan our meals, I found a tendency to stick to the same recipes. My desire was to provide my family with a widevariety of meals throughout the month and to utilize as much local, seasonal produce as possible, while

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MEAL PLAN CATEGORIES: - SOUPS - ONE POT/ CASSEROLES - MEATS - SALADS - VEGGIES - BREAKFAST - BREADS staying within our food budget.

Several years ago I wrote out a master list of all the meals I make.

My Master Meal List has been very helpful as I prepare our weekly or monthly meal plans.

My Master Meal List has several broad categories under which I can list the different foods my family enjoys. My main categories are somewhat basic but they work

great for me. Of course, you can make your own master list and label your categories in a way that best fits your familiy’s needs.

Under each catergory I list all the meals that fit that catertgory. For example under Soups I have included: tomato and carrot soup, chicken corn chowder, broccoli cheese soup, split pea soup (my family loves soup!!). From my Master Meal List I can easily plan the meals for FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

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two weeks or up to three months at a time.

My Master Meal List is an ongoing project. As you take time to sharpen your culinary skills, learn new recipes and adjust to your families tastes, prefernces and dietary needs you can add items to your list.

Once you have your Master Meal List complete you will need a couple of things to plan your weekly or monthly meals. You will need a calendar, I prefer to use a medium size desk style calendar and a list of all scheduled family activities for the month. For our family this includes our church bulletin. You may want to include sports activities, fellowship meals or anything that would take you away from home during meal prep time or anytime FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

you would need to take a meal with you. I use colored pencils and highlighters to mark special days such as birthdays and anniverseries.

Once I have all of the activites and special days on my calendar I begin adding meals, noting anything that I need to pay close attention too, such as taking chickens out of the freezer to thaw. I plan meals that I know will require more prep time on days when I do not need to be away from home. I schedule quick and easy dinners for days with lots of activies planned.

This also helps me to identify days when my schedule allows me prepare meals for the freezer. Having a few extra meals frozen in advance will help on those days when there is an unforseen change of plans or a need arises when you would like

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to bless someone else with a home- scratch. Limiting highly processed cooked meal. foods is healthier and helps keep our budget on track. For example I try to vary my meals, for examI do not use canned cream soups ple, I do not schedule pasta two from the store. They are fast and evenings in a row or burritos one easy to make. night and tacos the next. I also like to schedule at least one night of Planning your meals in advance the month to try a new recipe (if it helps you to see when you have is a hit, remember to add it to your days that you have more prep time Master Meal List!). Our family also and you can plan more elaborate likes to add theme nights, such as meals for those occasions. “meatless Mondays” or “Farmers’ Market dinner night”. Have fun and One of the other advantages of get the children involved! meal planning is that you can make extra meals to bless others.

Meal planning is an valuable tool for all busy mommies who want to There are many advantages of meal save time, money and their sanity. planing. You can make extra to bless others. Elderly, sick, expectI make most of our food from ing mothers. When spending time

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MEAT SOUPS ONE POT/ CASSEROLES - POTATO - VEGETABLE BEEF - BEAN LENTIL - BROCCOLI & CHEESE - TOMATO

- SPAGHETTI - LASAGNA - TACO SALAD - TUNA BAKE - SAUSAGE AND POTATO STEW - CHILI

- ROASTED CHICKEN - PORK ROAST - VENISON ROAST - MEAT LOAF - RABBIT - FISH

SALADS BREAD BREAKFAST - TACO SALAD - TUNA SALAD - CHICKEN SALAD - PASTA SALAD - QUINOA OR TABULI SALAD FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

- SOURDOUGH - SANDWICH BREAD - ROLLS - BAGUETTE - HAMBURGER/ HOTDOG BUNS - CORN BREAD

- MUFFINS - HOMEMADE POPTARTS - CINNAMON ROLLS - GRANOLA

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with a friend for the afternoon/ having a play date you can bring a meal to your friend. Making extra and freezing it is an advantage during extremly busy days.

For our family we make almost all our food from scratch. I don’t use cream of anything soup from the store. I make those. So my preptime includes making those things.

If you have older children teaching them to make certain things will help. If you know what your meals are in advance you can make things that take longer ahead of time on a day you have more time.

We divide the meals into categories. My family loves soup! So, I make a lot of different soups. One of our favorites is a spanish style soup I call “Pepper Soup” Some of the menu items will fit in

more than one catoregy. Chili could be in soup or One/Pot. Taco Salad could be in One/Pot or Salad. Just choose the one that fits your needs.

I do a lot of things with one type of meat. BBQ, Garlic & Lemon Sauce, or Gravy.

I always roast 4-6 chickens at a time. The first night we have whole roasted bird. I take all the rest of the meat off the bones and use it for many different meals. I put the bones in my 18 quart roster oven with onions, garlic & celery for broth to make soup later.

As you take the time to build your culinary skills, find new recipes, work with your families preferences, tastes and dietary needs you can add all of the new things you have learned to your Master Meal Plan.

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MEAL PLAN RECIPES

RATATOUILLE INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons dried parsley 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch pieces salt to taste 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 zucchini, sliced 1 large onion, sliced into rings 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 1 green bell pepper, sliced 2 large tomatoes, chopped INSTRUCTIONS: Coat a casserole dish with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

the garlic in the rest of the olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Add parsley and eggplant, cooking the eggplant until it’s soft. Spread the entire mixture in the casserole dish. Sprinkle it with a little parmesan cheese. Add zucchini over the top of the eggplant mixture. Sprinkle salt and more parmesan cheese over the top of the zucchini. Layer remaining ingredients in the same way adding parmesan cheese and salt after each layer. Bake the resulting casserole in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

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LENTIL SOUP INGREDIENTS: 1 onion, chopped 1/4 cup olive oil 2 carrots, diced 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 2 cups dry lentils 8 cups water 1/2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly

sliced 2 tablespoons vinegar salt and pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all ingredients except vinegar in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and let it cook for about an hour. Add vinegar before serving. Serves six.

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ROASTED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS: One chicken (about four pounds) One lemon Sea salt or kosher salt INSTRUCTIONS: Clean out the cavity of the chicken. Cut lemon in half and put both halves inside the cavity. Rub the outside of the chicken with salt.

Roast the chicken in a pan inside a preheated oven at 450 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (about an hour). Let the roasted bird rest for about 15 minutes before serving it.

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ROAST 4-6 CHICKENS AT A TIME. USE THE FIRST CHICKEN FOR ONE MEAL AND THEN TAKE THE MEAT OFF OF THE OTHER BIRDS AND USE THEM FOR OTHER MEALS. PUT THE BONES IN A 18 QUART ROSTER OVEN WITH ONIONS, GARLIC & CELERY FOR BROTH TO MAKE SOUP LATER.

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SOURDOUGH BREAD INGREDIENTS: 2 1/2 cups sourdough starter 5 1/8 cups bread flour 1 1/2 cups water 1/4 cup gluten 2 teaspoons malt powder 4 teaspoons salt Cooking spray INSTRUCTIONS: Using a large bowl, combine starter, flower, water, gluten, malt and salt.

Mix well. Put flour on your table or counter. Put the dough on the flower and knead for about 15 minutes or 8-9 minutes in a stand mixer with a kneading attachment. Put the dough back in a bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

Split the dough into two halves and make rounds. Cover it again and let it rise for about an hour.

Use cooking spray to coat your loaf pans to prevent sticking. Take the rounds and form them into loaves in your loaf pans. Let them rise again until they double in size. Spray or sprinkle water onto the loaves about every 20 minutes to keep them from drying out.

Preheat your oven to 475, spray your loaves again then cook the loaves for about 45 minutes. Cool loaves after baking.

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FODDER: GROWING YOUR OWN ANIMAL FEED BY: STEVEN JONES

I

f you’re raising animals of any significant number, then you know about the expense of feeding them.

Easily the largest expense of any livestock operation, feed costs are not only expensive, but the prices fluctuate year round based on supply and demand and commodity prices through the year, making it even more difficult to budget any kind of for profit operation.

In addition, bagged animal feeds -- or even most bulk feeds -- are made from waste grains and soybeans, mostly derived from genetically modified seed stock.

And while options exist for many farmers to purchase non-GMO animals feeds and grains(like Scratch and Peck), some farmers might like to have more control over their opFROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

erations.

That’s where fodder systems come in.

A fooder system allows a farmer to grow -- usually hydroponically -sprouted seeds from oats, barley, wheat, rye or even kale and mustard.

The grains sprout over several days (usually 8 days to two weeks).

The resulting greens from the germination process produce more protein, more carbohydrates and just more nutrition in general.

Increased nutrition is why farmers like Dave Shields started using a fodder system two years ago.

Shield raises pigs, chickens, cows and turkeys at Pastured Life Farm in North Florida.

“The primary initial purpose for our fodder/sprouting system was as a

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protein supplement for our cattle since we believe in 100% forage fed beef and milk products,” Shields said. “However, we quickly realized that all of our animals including pigs, chicken, and turkey loved the sprouted foods and seemed to thrive on it.”

Shields uses a FarmTek FodderPro system, specifically the FarmTek Pro 2.0 Full size compact 250 pounds a day system.

“We are in the process of upgrading to their 3.0 750lbs. a day system,” he said.

His current system, Shields said, produces the same amount of barley grass annually as 20 acres of pasture. The system fits inside 72 square feet with a fraction of the water usage. The barley can be grown year round because the sys-

tem is completely indoors.

He said when he bought the system, two years ago, there weren’t many companies in the United States that produced a fodder system at a reasonable cost.

“The Farmtek system offered a very reasonable cost of entry,” Shields said.

Farmers who use a fodder system can use any seed they want -- including non-GMO seeds from bulk providers.

The seeds can be purchased once a year, as seed keeps longer than processed feed, allowing farmers to better budget their costs at the beginning of the year.

Since 50 pounds of seed can produce up to 250 pounds of fodder then farmers can see a big drop in feed costs.

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Shield agreed.

“The highly fluctuating prices and availability of alfalfa and perennial peanut made it significantly difficult to feed our animals cost effectively,” he said. “By growing their food from a seed to a grass changed this aspect of our farm entirely.”

Fodder systems can be made by a dedicated DIYer, but if you are keeping a significant number of animals, a dedicated system can be bought from a company like FodderPro. The systems will pay for themselves in saved feed costs in no time at all (the more animals you feed with a system like FodderPro’s the quicker you’ll recoup your costs).

“I personally believe that all small farms should considering adding a sprouting system to their feed lineup,” Shields said. “Big or small, sprouting is a great way to multiply your feed to your animals and save money while increasing animal health.”

In addition, these systems can be used to produce micro-greens which can be sold at market, increasing the amount of crops a farmer can grow in smaller spaces.

FROM SCRATCH MAGAZINE

We interviewed Kenneth Erha of FodderPro about their systems.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FODDER SYSTEMS? One of the clear benefits of operating one of our FodderPro Feed Systems is that you’re able to grow nutritious, fresh feed for your animals year-round, regardless of the weather. Our systems are compact and allow farmers to grow a large amount feed in a small footprint with drastically less water and more production than traditional farming methods.

ARE FODDER SYSTEMS ECONOMICAL FOR SMALL PRODUCERS? FodderPro Feed Systems are very economical, and in a number of ways. For example, not only are the animals going to eat healthier, their production will improve and illness

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will decrease resulting in fewer veterinary bills.

Farmers can expect to see savings in overall feed costs of up to 50 percent and a marked reduction in feed waste. These systems pay for themselves in savings in a very short amount of time.

WHAT IS THE SMALLEST FARM/ HOMESTEAD/FARMSTEAD YOU’D RECOMMEND A FODDER PRO SYSTEM FOR? The versatility of our FodderPro Feed Systems is that they can be customized to fit the needs of any operation, from back yard hobby to

large-scale commercial.

The most economical solution for a small farm with small livestock would be the GT80 Series Fodder System.

Equipped with six Premium GT80 nutrient film technique (NFT) channels, the single-tier system has 30” long trays and is ideal for feeding rabbits or chickens.

The daily feed output of this system is 13 lbs. of fresh fodder.

For small farms and homesteads with larger livestock such as cattle or hogs, the Micro FodderPro Feed System, producing 60 lbs. of fresh feed every day, would be an ideal solution.

CAN A PRODUCER REPLACE ALL

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Most of our readers are small farmers, what system would you recommend for them to purchase?

It depends on the type and quantity of animals they have. Because fodFor most livestock, it is recomder rations are based on the body mended that farmers still supply some roughage with the fodder. We weight of the animals being fed, a recommend feeding two percent of small farmer with 30 chickens has the live body weight, with one per- much different needs than a farmer cent roughage or hay for ruminants with a small herd of cattle.

As an example, let’s say a small and horses. Some livestock, with farmer has two herds of 10 cows some supplements, can thrive on an all-fodder diet, like hogs or poul- that weigh an average of 1,000 lbs. each. try.

Using the two percent body weight recommendation, each cow would need 20 lbs. of fodder each day, equaling 200 lbs. total for the 10 cows.

The best system in this scenario Fodder is not a replacement for would be the Full-Size Standard hay. However, with fodder, hay is no FodderPro Feed System. This syslonger provided for nutrition, just to tem produces 250 lbs. of fodder aid in digestion. each day.

Therefore, the hay provided A little more than what our example does not need to be high qualcalls for, but having extra capacity ity. Farmers are able to save allows the flexibility to increase the on the expense of high qualherd size or feed other animals. ity hay throughout the year.

THEIR FEED WITH FODDER GROWN IN ONE OF YOUR SYSTEMS?

CAN FODDER REPLACE HAY IN THE WINTER MONTHS?

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IS GROWING FODDER CHEAPER THAN BUYING FEED?

that will help a farmer determine how long it will take based on their situation.

In most cases, yes. The amount of savings depends on what the farmer is currently feeding, the source of the fodder seed and the type of fodder grown. Even in instances where the savings are minimal, the quality of the feed will be much higher than any purchased feed. Our FodderPro Feed Systems are very affordable. We even offer convenient, in-house financing to those who qualify, making the purchase of a fodder system that much easier. The time it takes to recoup the investment depends on a number of variables, but the average is within one to two years. Some of the variables include seed source, cost of environmental controls in your specific region, such as running electricity, propane, etc., and water usage. We have a convenient cost analysis tool on our website

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? Please feel free to call and speak to one of our FodderPro specialists anytime. Our team is ready and able to provide expertise and answer any questions our customers may have about growing fodder. Even if they aren’t ready right away to purchase a system, we are happy to be the go-to resource to provide knowledgeable assistance. Having that piece of mind will hopefully make our customers understand the benefits of a FodderPro Feed System and in essence, making a purchase from our reputable and trust-worthy team.

For more information, they can call 1.800.201.3414 or visit www.FodderSystems.com.

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FARMTEK GIVEAWAY!

Have you been meaning to replace that broken garden cart that you use around the yard? Are you interested in growing hydroponic produce with one of our easy-to-use hobby systems? In partnership with From Scratch Magazine, FarmTek, the industry leader in agricultural and horticultural supplies, is offering a $150 gift certificate to a lucky farmer or home gardener! To enter, simply visit www.facebook.com/ FarmTek and “Like” our page – it’s as easy as that! Already “Like” our page? Then click on our “From Scratch Facebook Contest” link on our Facebook page to view the contest details and submit your email address to enter the contest.

A winner will be selected and notified

by Oct. 31, 2014.

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FARMTEK HOSTING HYDROPONIC/ AQUACULTURE WORKSHOP

Want to know more about FarmTeks systems? Attend one of their Hydroponic, Fodder and Aquaponic workshops.The next one will be held on Oct. 22-24 in Connecticut. The workshop will cover year-round hydroponic growing, fodder production, and aquaponics.

The workshop costs $995 which includes three-nights lodging, curriculum workbook and lunch each day.

Call Ashley Madore at 800-327-6835 at ext. 1649 or email at amadore@ farmtek.com. Registration ends soon.

Click here to learn about more upcoming workshops.

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WHAT DO THESE HOMESTEADERS HAVE IN COMMON?

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