Homemade Laundry Soap & Inflation?

So, do you use store-bought or homemade laundry detergent?

I'm addicted to the homemade, and have been using it exclusively for about 2 years now. I have been having mixed feelings about the companies who make Fels-Naptha and Zote soap tho.  I remember when I first started making my homemade soap, the cost of a bar was $0.97.  I went to buy it the other day and the cost is now $1.97!!  Really???  Inflation has went up a whole DOLLAR?!?  I think not!!  I know it's a supply & demand issue, with so many people now purchasing it to make homemade.  So... my cheap frugal self went in search of my grandmother's old school lye & lard laundry soap recipe.....

and I found it!!  

I'll be adding bars of it to my Etsy store here, so keep an eye out!! :)

I found this darlin’ Wash Day instruction on the internet and thought it gave a great perspective on what the homemaker in the early 1900’s had to go through just to do a load of laundry! Now I understand the meaning of “Wash Day”. It took the whole day!

ADVICE TO A 1912 BRIDE

Years ago a Kentucky grandmother gave a bride the following recipe for washing clothes (misspelled words and all) :

Bild fire in back yard to heet kettle of rainwater.
Set tubs so smoke won’t blow in eyes if wind is pert.
Shave one hole cake lie soap in boilin water.
Sort things, make three piles. 1 pile white. 1 pile cullord. 1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch stur flour in cold water to smooth then thin down with boilin water.
Rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, then boil. Rub cullord but don’t boil — just rench and starch.
Take white things out of kettle with broom stick handle then rench, blew and starch.
Spred tee towels on grass.
Hang old rags on fence.
Pour rench water in flower bed.
Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on cleen dress, smooth hair with side combs, brew cup of tee — set and rest a spell and count your blessins.

I just just love the 1951 Whirlpool ad!!  It's even more neat for me as I WORK at Whirlpool now building dryers. LOL

My Early Blight Struggle.... It Begins Again

And it begins....

The Struggle.

I don't know if I posted about my plight last year with this awful early blight on my tomatoes or not, but it's beginning already this year.  *Sigh*

I lost over 6 plants and I'd venture to guess almost 2/3 of my total harvest because I just couldn't keep up with it.  Honestly I didn't try very hard either... I wasn't sure if it was truly blight or not so I kept hoping that it would just "come out of it" on it's own.  All my hoping did NOTHING.  LOL

So this year, I have already found it attacking my poor tomato plants.  Mind you, I have my tomatoes in bottom watering planters this year, because I was hoping that not having water laying on the leaves would keep the blight at bay.  Nope.

So I started researching what exactly early blight is, and how to treat it so that I don't lose my harvest this year.

Tomato blight, in its different forms, is a disease that attacks a plant’s foliage, stems, and even fruit.

Early blight (one form of tomato blight) is caused by a fungus,Alternaria solani, which over-winters in the soil and infected plants. Affected plants underproduce. Leaves may drop, leaving fruit open to sunscald.

Early blight’s Latin name is sometimes confused with a form of tomato rot, alternaria, a different tomato problem altogether. To muddle matters further, early blight is occasionally mistaken for Septoria leaf spot because the two diseases infect tomatoes at the same time.

Dark, concentric spots (brown to black), ¼ - ½” in diameter, form on lower leaves and stems. Early blight is marked by tell-tale rings.

Fruit can also be affected; spots often begin near stem of fruit

Lower leaves turn yellow and drop

Rotate crops. Early blight remains active for a year. Spores can be dormant in the soil for several years.

Plant disease-resistant hybrids to strengthen your plant’s chances of being blight-free.

Plant tomatoes in a raised bed to improve drainage and prevent diseases from spreading.

Give tomato plants extra space (more than 24 inches) to let air to move among leaves and keep them dry.

Water the soil – not the plants – to prevent splashing. Avoid overhead watering.

Mulch with black plastic or landscape fabric to prevent fungus from spreading up onto leaves.

Stake tomato plants for better circulation.

Remove and destroy affected plants at the end of the season.

Ok..  now I'm informed.  So how am I personally choosing to deal with this??

I chose to use planters in order to change the watering method and avoid water laying on the leaves.  They are staked/caged properly within these planters so that they can grow properly.

What I'm concluding here is that either my dirt or my water (damn city processed & treated stuff that I have to deal with) is highly susceptible to fungus.  I kinda already knew that since I get random mushrooms and toadstools growing in the dumbest spots in my yard.  

Since I don't use chemicals in ANY form in my garden- not even Miracle Grow, I chose to treat the early blight like I do the dusty mildew that attacks my squash and zucchini plants.  Vinegar and water.  Yep.  Vinegar is an antifungal, so I just mix 4 tbsp. with a gallon of water (boiled, distilled or store bought- I REALLY think the water has something to do with this issue) and spray on the plants, making sure to get both the tops and the underside of the leaves thoroughly.  This is AFTER trimming off all of the spotted, affected leaves on the plant.  

Only one of my planters was infected horribly, so it's all trimmed back and treated, and most of the other planters looked fine so far, but I treated with the vinegar mixture as a prevention method.  (You can't be too careful here.)

Do you have early blight already or any fungal issues effecting your garden??

I will keep you updated as to how this protocol works for me.  In the meantime, make sure you comment and let me know what you do to deal with blight or other garden issues.

I Don't Want to Fit In... and Some Awesome Articles!!

There is so much work happening in my home/yard right now.  I officially tilled up about 40% of my yard to grow everything under the sun.  Well, not everything, but the things that I know I will eat & use all summer and can preserve for winter usage also.  I have all the normal veggies planted.

My asparagus harvest was small, but it was expected.  It started coming in and then we got a fluke frost one night that just seemed to kill it off and make it start over.  Ugh.  But, what are ya gonna do?

I had a 4 day weekend from work, and honestly, most long weekends I remember that I work harder at home than I ever do at work. LOL  It's just such mindless monotony in the shop.  I love working at home tho.  It's constant change and I see more reward than just a paycheck.  Someday I'll be able to quit my job and just homestead full time, but I don't see my DH on board with that any time soon..

I love what I do, but I wish I had more support from my city dweller hubby.  I don't want to fit in with this ideal of what we should do with our lives.  I saw a quote, and forgive me for not knowing it verbatim, but it says essentially that we buy into the idea of a mortgage and possessions that we just have to have, and then have to work to pay for the things that we don't have time to enjoy because we are at work paying for them.

I don't want to fit in with that societal "norm".  I just want to do what I want to do. 

Ok... enough with my rant.  I found some awesome posts this week that I just have to share with you all!!

This is a great article to get you ready for garage sale season.  I'm actually attempting to plan my own garage sale too.  I've realized just how much "junk" I have accumulated. LOL

These are just the most adorable things!!  I was just thinking of getting some birdhouses to feed the birds in hopes that maybe they will leave me some of my harvest of strawberries & blackberries this year. (Distraction methods!!)  You can see the tutorial here.

This!!!

This!!

Did anyone else know THIS is a thing!???

OMG.  I cannot wait to try this one out!  I've really started the whole "foraging" movement, not that there is a lot to forage in a subdivision, but hey, gimme credit for trying, ok?

The Montana Homesteader has me SERIOUSLY excited to try this one!!

Find anything good this week??

Let me know!!

The Case of the Accidental Sweet Potato

The Case of the Accidental Sweet Potato,
Or The Hidden Sweet Potato

Sometimes the decisions we make early on prove to just be a "learning experience" later in Fall... especially when it comes to planting and growing.  No matter how many times I plant in my lifetime, I live for not just the bounty of my garden, but for the little surprises, whether good or bad, that befall our Little Lyon Farm.

I have a large terra cotta pot in the front of my house, and this year, because I was planting tomatoes out there also, I decided to plant marigolds.  (In case you don't know, marigolds are awesome companion plants for tomatoes; distracting bugs and helping stave off various diseases.)  Marigolds are gorgeous all on their own, but I like the trailing "filler" plants flowing out of the pot also, so I chose to add in some sweet potato vine.

It was gorgeous!  All summer!

But Fall is upon us, and it was time to start cleaning out my planters of the dead stuff before I had to do it in the snow.  Trust me... living in northwest Ohio, this is the time of year when it can be 65 one day and dump snow on you the next.  I swear our TV weathermen all just have a set of dice to throw in the air before they go on the news.  It's really that unpredictable!!

But I digress....

As I'm pulling the roots of the vines and marigolds out of the pot, low and behold, I came across this MONSTER of a sweet potato hidden away.  Now, I know... you are thinking, "But didn't you expect that to grow?"

Not really.  It's a small pot.  Usually the tubers acclimate to the size of the pot, essentially stunting growth and yielding only potatoes the size of my ring finger.  (Honestly, don't believe me?  Comment below and I promise I will post pictures of the other 8-10 tiny sweet potatoes that were hidden in there!!)

Here is my monster sweet potato... with a tube of Chapstick for size comparison.  :)

Ok, I've seen bigger, but my point is for the size of the pot, this thing is a GIANT!!

I have yet to actually harvest the sweet potato crop in my backyard, but it's coming soon.

No one in my house really even likes these but me, but I figure I cook, they eat.  If they cook, they get an opinion. LOL  So, I usually see how many pounds I get, can 4-10 quarts to have on hand for casserole or sweet potato pie.  The rest I chop up, par boil for 3 min, dunk into ice water, dry them off real well.  I then get out a big cookie sheet and spread them out to freeze individually.  I usually leave them in the freezer this way overnight.  There's nothing worse than going through all that work and then forgetting to cover them!!

I sometimes throw some salt, pepper and onion powder on them before the first freeze, but it's ok to not season until you cook them.  I typically bake these at 400 degrees for 15 min (or until done), flipping about halfway through.  If you haven't already seasoned them, when you are flipping is the time to do it.

You can deep fry them also, and then mix some chili sauce with mayonnaise for a really tasty dipping sauce.

Let me know if you preserve, use or have other ways to keep your sweet potatoes.  I love finding new ways to use them besides the old stand by's.

Don't forget to follow me on Facebook here, or on Pinterest here.  And subscribe via email for notifications.

Update and Tomato Planter Tutorial

I have said this so many times, but really, it's worth saying again....

I LOVE SUMMER!!

I've been hard at work keeping up with the garden and it's really starting to pay off.  I hope that the darned rabbits living under the neighbors shed don't eat too much before I have the time & means to get traps to be able to raise them. And before you ask (like my DH did), yes, I will eat them.  LOL

We've all seen those awesome, expensive tomato grow boxes that they sell.  I'm pretty sure that AeroGarden makes them, and while I love my AeroGarden, I just can't justify giving them any more of my money.  LOL

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about...

So my version, while not as pretty and upper class looking, seems to be doing a great job!  (There's pix at the bottom of this post.  Just be a lil patient. LOL)

First, I started off with a normal ole Sterilite tub from WalMart (bleck, but Meijer didn't have the size I was looking for... only the bigger ones.  I think these are 5 gallon.)  It was less than $10, but more than $5, so what I'm saying here is: I don't remember how much I paid for them. :)

I cut the inside of the lid out, just in case I get too many weeds this year, next year I'll add in black plastic to both retain moisture and to keep the weeds at bay.  So far, I've only had to pull about 6 weeds out of these, but honestly, it's really early in the season, so we shall see what happens.

The next is to add in the basket which will keep the soil off the bottom of the tub and create a little reservoir for water.  It bottom waters to tomatoes and helps ward off leaf rot, etc.

I found this in the kitchen section of WalMart (hey, I was already there!) for around $3.

 Drill holes all over the bottom for drainage from the soil. And I mean everywhere!!

But be careful.  I got overly excited and cracked one clean through!!

Then you are going to want to drill bigger, matching holes thru both the small basket and the Sterilite tub.  It probably won't get pretty, but if you do 5-6 (like me), you'll be an old pro by the time you are done.

I cut a piece of old garden hose about 6 inches long to push thru them both and act as a drain.  I also put a 3' piece of 1/2" PVC pipe in the corner for easier watering.

And VOILA!!

 I think they look awesome, and are growing well.  Ignore the pot closest to you in the pic... I had it in a different location which apparently the tomato plants didn't approve of.  LOL

So, other than having storage containers in my front yard and my neighbors thinking I'm a hillbilly, I think they are amazing.  And honestly, if I fill my pantry with tomatoes this year, I don't give a "d" what the neighbors think!!  ;)

The Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle PLUS BONUSES!!

I'm an ebook junkie, as y'all can probably tell. LOL

But this bundle has me sooooo excited!!

The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle includes an incredible 78 eBooks, available in either PDF or Kindle format.

This huge wealth of information and guidance will be right there on your laptop, tablet, smartphone, or Kindle, whenever you need it.

Find out all about it HERE.

Are You Afraid of Your Pressure Cooker? Are You Scared to Can? Don't Miss This!!

Are you afraid of a pressure cooker?  What if the thing blows up? 

They are quite intimidating with all those latches, that ominous gauge, and that hissing steam vent.

Being able to preserve food is a really useful skill.   And it's fun!  There's nothing nicer to walk into the pantry and know exactly what is in your food... and knowing that you grew it and did it all yourself!!  Talk about a sense of accomplishment!!

I do have an extra freezer, but with my commitment to trying to get off the grid, that option is going to go by the wayside soon.  But, for you, maybe you are scared of a power outage, want to get rid of unnecessary energy hogs, or any other reason that you may have.  (And I would love to hear about your reasons in the comments below!)

I recently came across a WONDERFUL set of beginner canning lessons by Kendra Lynne. In At Home Canning For Beginners and Beyond, Kendra Lynne shows you safe and easy methods of canning at home, and demonstrates everything you need to know to start water bath canning and pressure canning in your very own kitchen.

Whether you're completely new to the world of canning, or you need a little push to break out of your comfort zone, Kendra encourages you to have fun with your canner by demonstrating how to put up a variety of foods and meals for your family to enjoy!

Here is a list of what Kendra will show you

• Apple Jelly
• Applesauce
• Blueberry Pie Filling
• Grape Juice
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Green Beans
• Dried Beans
• Ground Beef
• Chicken
• Chile Con Carne
• Chicken Soup
• Beef Stew

The information is really empowering for those that have not done any canning before.  

Click here to view more details

Free Ebooks: 4/10/2014- and more!!

 Yes, you have found the FREE ebook post for today, but I wanted to chat a little about what's going on here on my Little Lyon Farm. :)

First off, my onions, broccoli, carrots, catnip & parsley are doing AWESOME in their winter sowing containers.  I'm soooo excited for planting season that I can barely contain myself!!  I also received an AeroGarden from my WONDERFUL hubby for my birthday, and the herbs I have growing in that are RoCKing!!  The fun is going to be when I can transplant those into soil and into the greenhouse so I can start all the garden seeds in the AeroGarden .  The packaging states that they should sprout in only 4 weeks... so I'm hoping to get everything transplanted this weekend and the starts in there and going and ready for May 17th!!  

One of my rhubarb roots actually came back!  I thought for sure last year that the darned squirrels or rabbits had gotten ahold of all of them, but nope.  Here the little bugger is!!

I've finally found the way that I want my tiny house to look once I get things going on it.  This is what I want..

However, the picture shows a 24' gooseneck trailer.  I'm thinking that the gooseneck isn't a viable option for me, so I'm just adjusting the floorplan to suit me.  Also, I'm aiming for only a 20' trailer.  24' is just too costly and I think would be too big for what I'm going for.  I'm trying to scale down, and I think even 24' would be more space for more stuff that I just don't need.

And... as promised...

*Please verify that the books you choose are still FREE at time of purchase.  I can only verify the FREE price at time of publishing this blog. Amazon reserves the right to change their prices at any time without notice. Thank you and enjoy!*

Growing Organic Berries: Everything You Need To Know To Grow Healthy Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries & Rasberries)

 

  Back Country Crafts Made Easy: 25 Crafts to Warm Your Heart

Brewing Beer: The Simple Guide to Homebrewing Beer

 

  Cook What You Have A Guide to the Lazy Garden and the Lazy Kitchen

 

  Organic Gardening: Your Guide to Growing Healthy Organic Produce

 

  Vertical Gardening: The Vertical Gardening Kit For Success

 

  Herb Gardening For Beginners: How to Plant an Herb Garden

 

  Raising Chickens: Answers to the Most Common Questions About Chicken Care, Feeding and Egg Laying

Food Preservation Book Package: Food Drying and Food Canning (2 Books)

I CAN CAN GROUND MEATS!!: How to safely grind and home can ground meats to stock your food storage pantry with flavorful and nutritious loose ground meats (I Can Can!! Frugal Living Series)

Herbs & Spices: The Amazing Health Benefits Of Herbs & Spices And How To Implement Them In Your Diet

 

  Onion Delights Cookbook: A Collection of Onion Recipes (Cookbook Delights Series)

 

  Home Brewed Kombucha: 28+ Creative Probiotic Tea Recipes To Help Improve Your Health

 

  Pickle It!

Country Home Kitchen Issue 2, Volume 1: March 19, 2014

Fiction

   

  Socially Awkward: A Novel

 

  Twisted

 

  Candle in the Darkness (Refiner's Fire Book #1) (Refiner's Fire)

 

  Treespeaker

 

  Taken! Box Set - Books 1-6