Homemade Butter!

Pin It One of my homesteading skills I wanted to learn this year was to make homemade butter. Well it was successful!


I used organic heavy whipping cream for this project.



I used about a quart of cream and poured it into my mixing bowl and began to mix.

The cream transformed into fluffy cream "pillows" and then stiff peaks These then broke down into soft cottage-cheese-like curds as blobs of butterfat separated from the milk.

The butter began to stiffen and lump together and the watery milk pooled in the bottom of the bowl. It took about 10 minutes for this to happen.

I then stopped the mixer and carefully poured off as much milk as I could. I refrigerated it and will use it for baking.

I then used a rubber spatula to press the butter against the sides of the bowl. I then added 1/2 cup of ice water to the butter and used the spatula to press the butter and water against the side of the bowl. This step is called washing, it keeps the butter from spoiling.

I then kept pouring the ice water and repeating the step until the ice water was clear.

I continued to knead the butter against the side of the bowl until all the liquid was pressed out.

I lightly salted the butter.



Here is the finished product. It tastes delicious! The difference is unbelievable! Luke said I need to now make homemade bread to go with it. =)

Give it a try. It is so easy and you will not believe the taste.

Fact or Folklore?

Pin It Last week, I received a copy of this magazine in the mail on a trial basis.

It is a lovely magazine that captures the true heart of a farm girl. It has so many wonderful sections such as crafting, cooking, gardening and general work that is done around a farm. It also has a lovely website that can be found here.... http://maryjanesfarm.org

There was an article in the February/March issue that I received which I found very interesting.

Here is an excerpt from it...

...When the 1918 flu pandemic killed 50-100 million people between 1918-1920, there was said to be a doctor who visited many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. The doctor came upon one household where everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the family was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed a dish of unpeeled onions in each room of the home. The doctor asked if he could have one of the onions to observe under a microscope. When he did, he found traces of the flu virus in the onion. It had absorbed the infection, keeping the family healthy.....

The article continues on to explain that many small businesses are doing the same. They are placing onions around the workplace and have very few to no employees with any illnesses.

At the time when I read this article, I had been suffering with a very bad toothache. Nothing seemed to help the pain subside. After reading this article I thought 'why not try it?'.

That evening I cut off both ends of the onion as described in the article, placed it in a bowl next to my bed on my beside table. I could faintly smell the odor of the onion but nothing that was too unpleasant.

To my surprise by morning, the onion was black. My toothache was gone and has not returned since that night! Now, I don't know if it was the onion or a coincidence but I will definitely be trying it again when needed!

The article also states that it will work on individuals that are suffering with such things as pneumonia and colds.

Amazing! Fact or folklore? I don't know but I believe it!

An Award! Thank you Grannys Garden!

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I received an award today. Thank you Grannys Garden! Granny and Pa are fantastic people and I love reading her blog so much. You can see it here..

http://grannyandpa.blogspot.com

I wish to pass it on so here are the rules.

1. Post award

2. Pass it on to 12 bloggers that brighten your day.

3. Link to nominees.

4. Link back to givers.

Here are my twelve.

1. http://amysreallife.wordpress.com/

2. http://blushingrosetoo.blogspot.com/

3. http://ninnysnotesblog.blogspot.com/

4. http://countrydream1.blogspot.com/

5. http://katididscreations.blogspot.com/

6. http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/

7. http://ranettesdailystitch.blogspot.com/

8. http://bertthebadchicken.blogspot.com/

9. http://outbacktania.blogspot.com/

10. http://toddlertalesdaz.blogspot.com/

11. http://foodfortheflowerstogrow.blogspot.com/

12. http://mylittlemogo.blogspot.com/

Thanks again Granny for the award and these blogs are such a joy to read.

My Sewing Has Gone to the Dogs

Pin It A friend of mine Bev came up with this brilliant idea. Doggy (and kittie) mats for their food and water bowls.

What a great idea! They can be easily washed so they aren't all grungy and I can make one for every season or holiday!



Here is the detail on the ears. She did hers a little different so I want her to see up close how I made mine. It was Luke's idea! LOL



Here is the finished project. I used an oval platter to cute out the face and used a smaller oval box I had to make the ears.

Now Sammy can eat in style. =)

Have a great day everyone!

Did It!

Pin It One of my goals this year was to make a quilt. Well I am done! Woo hoo!



I am really excited as it turned out so nice and talk about warm! I cannot believe how warm it is. No wonder our ancestors used them.

I am now thinking of trying a denim rag quilt...so I will have to get busy cutting the squares.

More snow hit us last night and the day will be busy shovelling and clearing the driveway and stairs. Our driveway is about 1/4 mile long so it is no small feat.

I keep dreaming of spring with warm sun and green grass.

Have a great day everyone! =)

Happy Valentine's Day!

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HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!

REMEMBER TO GIVE YOUR LOVED ONES A HUG!

Working on Projects

Pin It It has been snowing once again, so for the guys, it means time to have some outdoor fun! Luke and Bob have been taking advantage of our friend's snow machine. Dave (our friend) left it here for them to use whenever they like. He lives in town and doesn't have much opportunity to just jump on it and take a ride when he would like to. He decided to leave it here and will come up to visit when he wishes to go riding...in the meantime he told the guys to use it....so they have!

While they are out cheating death....they go waaaay too fast in my opinion...I have been busy sewing in the warmth of the house.

Here is a table runner top that I just finished yesterday. It will be given to my Auntie for Christmas.

Just the backing and the binding needs to be added.

I will be making her two nine-patch square runners to match for her end tables.

This table runner top will be a gift for my Mom's neighbor.

My Mom asked me to make some for her close friends and she will be giving them as gifts for Christmas.

So my days have been busy sewing and baking. I want to try and make butter soon. I have the ingredients and now just need to find the time to whip it up. I wish to do it on a day when hot homemade bread will be coming out of the oven. Sooo yummy. :)

The weatherman is calling for more snow today and the clouds are so heavy and black that I am sure they will open up and dump a load on top of us.

Have a great day everyone, keep warm or cool where ever you may be. Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

The History of Aprons

Pin It I don't think our children know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material but along with that,
it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in the apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the menfolk knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Remember....

Grandma use to hot baked apple pies on the windowsill to cool. Her granddaughter's set their on the windowsill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!!!

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HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY

HONEY!

I

LOVE

YOU!

A Surprise

Pin It In my mailbox today, there was a lovely surprise!





I received a package from a dear friend of mine Darlene for my birthday. She is always surprising me with treats that are not only unexpected but that I love.





Isn't the birthday card adorable?! So sweet.





Inside was some lovely vintage material and some new cleaning cloths that I have never tried before.



The vintage material brought tears to my eyes as it reminds me of a tablecloth that my Grandma use to have.







The colors are exactly the same as hers and I wouldn't be surprised if the pattern is the same too!



I will be making myself a tablecloth with this material and everytime I use it, I will not only be remembering my dear friend Darlene but also of my Grandma. I really wish my Grandma was still around so I could visit with her. I miss her very much.



Thank you Darlene from the bottom of my heart. You really made my birthday special! Now off to try those cleaning cloths she sent!



Have a great day everyone and remember to give your loved ones a hug! =)