Get Going with Kira King: Spring

Get Going with Kira King

Kira King has a 4-acre homestead in Savannah, Georgia with her husband, daughter, and menagerie of animals. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree, she began her own social media marketing company which over time morphed into a homesteading blog and podcast.

The Homestead Kings treasure local and sustainable food practices beginning in the home, the simple lifestyle that homesteading provides, and the companionship they share with their animals. They didn’t grow up in the homesteading or farming way of life, but Kira says they got there as quickly as possible and still learn something new every day.

What to do this Spring

Spring is the culmination of a season (or two if you’re a little more north) of restrained energy now surging out from mother nature. Trees are blasting pollen to the ends of the earth and putting out new leaves. Sleepy bulbs and perennials are slowly emerging from the bare ground. And, you are soaking in every bit of beauty and warmth that accompanies this wondrous season or you should be. Spring in the South is something to behold. It’s why thousands of visitors flock this way for the seasonal show, but it can be easy for those of us who live here to take it for granted. It is a busy time, especially in the garden, and it’s easy to get caught up with the doing and not the enjoying. This spring, let’s take time to intentionally slow down for a minute in between the cleaning and the planting to enjoy the world’s beauty before that famous

Southern heat and humidity ramp up.

In the Garden

Oh, the thousands of things you can be doing in the garden during spring! Where to begin? It can be overwhelming but don’t fret. Take it one plant at a time.

We talked about soil health in the winter issue, so your dirt should be ready to go! (If it’s not, visit that issue for some handy tips. It’s never too late to create healthy soil.) So, now what? It’s time for seeds and transplants and all the exciting things that make a gardener’s heart swoon. What will you be planting? Things you enjoy eating of course!

What use is it to plant corn if you’re not a fan of corn? No! Plant your favorites.

Here are a few ideas:

• Sweet Potatoes

• Tomatoes

• Beans

• Melons

• Squash

• Cucumber

We are blessed with a wonderful climate for growing good, wholesome edibles. It’s as simple as picking up seed packets or buying starts from your local nursery and reading the tag for when and how to plant them. Truly, that effortless.

If annuals aren’t your thing, try planting berries andfruit trees, the gifts that keep on giving. They’re lowmaintenance once established and provide some of the sweetest fruit you’ll ever taste. Plant them before it gets too hot so they don’t go into shock or stress while trying to get established.

Make sure that whatever you plant that you mulch it heavily. Even some of our spring days can be upwards of 85 degrees, and young plants need adequate moisture to build their root systems. Mulch will provide that protection as well as shelter your soil from the sun’s rays leaching its nutrients, nutrients your plants need to feed off of to thrive.

If you free-range your flock or even if you have wildlife pressure, now is the time to think about keeping them out of the garden. There are a number of ways to do this, but a good ol’ wire fencing on posts does the trick most of the time. Your birds will also enjoy any spent plants from your winter crops. Save the seeds if you can, and

then watch the chaos ensue as you toss them those bolted leafy greens. There are fewer simpler pleasures in life than watching chickens chase each other for treats.

If you’re in the market for new and fun animals, there’s an abundance of dairy goat bucklings and doelings available this time of year. Dairy goats are a wonderful step into having your own home diary.

Just think of the cheeses you can create… They’re absolutely adorable too so that doesn’t hurt. As always, check to make sure your country ordinances allow any animal you’d like to have, and do your due diligence on the care they’ll need. Every animal is different and has different needs.

In the Home

It’s hard to be indoors when the outside is beckoning, but we do still have some rainy days and there are still things to be done inside. Spring cleaning is a real thing and a fabulous opportunity to freshen up your home.

Think about deep cleaning those places thatrarely get attention. Looking at you, baseboards.

Open up your windows and let fresh air infiltrate every room even if it’s just for ten minutes a day. It’s amazing how big of an impact that can make on the staleness of your home. Take down your curtains and give them a good wash or better yet, switch them up to a lighter fabric for the warmer months.

Scrub your floors and beat out your pillows and cushions. The amount of dust those items hold is astonishing. Vacuum the upholstery you’re unable to take outside and the ceiling fans. Wipe down the range, hood, refrigerator shelves and drawers, small appliances, cabinet doors, and the inside of drawers.

Rifle through your clothing and see what you can part with. If you haven’t worn it in over a year, it’s time to be donated or sold. The valuable dresser or hanging space is worth the pain of saying goodbye. Wood polish your wooden furniture. Give dirty walls or painted furniture a good scrubbing or a nice, fresh coat of paint. You get the idea.

I’m tired just writing it all, but it really is only once or twice a year that your home needs this type of attention. It’s a breathing thing full of constant life and activity. It deserves some deliberate care every once in and while, besides the normal, weekly chores.

In the kitchen, it’s an interesting time of year. You may have some late winter veggies coming in from the garden like lettuce or peas, but the in-between seasons harvesting can prove challenging for meal prep.

Strawberry season is here or near, and that’s always exciting, whether you’re going to can, freeze, or dip them in dark chocolate. Enjoy this slower time in the kitchen because come summer, there’s going to be a whirlwind of activity happening in there with all your harvesting, creating, and preserving.

In terms of beverages, try your hand at homemade ginger beer. It’s non-alcoholic despite the name. All it takes is a homemade ginger bug (maintained much like a sourdough starter), fresh ginger or turmeric, a little sugar, and a squirt of lemon juice. After the fermentation and bottling process, this fizzy, zingy drink is incredibly refreshing and the perfect thing to fill your glass with on a warm spring’s day.

SPRING IS THE SEASON OF REBIRTH AND RENEWAL. ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL THAT NEWFOUND WAKEFULNESS WHILE YOU TICK AWAY AT THE SEASONAL TASKS AT HAND.

Make Your Own Ginger Beer

In order to make your own ginger beer, first you’ll need a ginger bug, a liquid starter culture, full of wild yeast from the environment and from the skin of the ginger. It only takes three ingredients and around 5-6 days to make.

Ginger Bug

1. Pour 1 cup of (filtered) water into a glass jar. Add 1 tbsp sugar (organic if you have it) and 1 tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger (with skin). Stir. Cover with a cloth and secure with rubber. Let sit for 24 hours.

2. Add 1 tbsp sugar & 1 tbsp. Stir. Let sit 24 hours. Repeat this step for 3-4 days or until you see lots of bubble activity.

3. Cover with lid and refrigerate until use, remembering to “feed” your starter with the ginger/sugar ration once a week or use directly to make ginger beer!

Ginger Beer

1. Pour 2 quarts water into pot and turn burneron high heat.

2. Chop 1/4-1/2 cup ginger, leave skin on, andthrow into water. Boil ginger for 15-20 min.

3. Add anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cup sugardepending on desired sweetness. Stir untildissolved.

4. Let cool completely. If it’s too warm, it will kill the wild yeast that makes this beverage probiotic rich.

5. Optional: add 1 tbsp lemon juice.

6. Add 1/2 cup strained ginger bug into completely cooled liquid.

7. Pour over ice and enjoy OR pour into fermentation safe bottles to carbonate. Keep at room temp and burp bottles once a day to prevent explosion until you reach your desired effervescence level.

8. Refrigerate or pour over ice and sit back and enjoy your very own homemade, sweet and spicy, fizzy ginger beer!