H is for Homemade- #AtoZChallenge

Homemade wine, busy fermenting (this will be addressed in
another post)

An important part (probably THE most important part) of my Living and Learning adventure is learning how to make things myself. It was one of the several reasons I started this blog to share with the world. So, in honor of the Living and Learning blog itself, today H is for Homemade.

I grew up in a family that did a lot of things by itself: grew food, hunted, fished, made wine, fixed cars and trucks, built things in general. I've always enjoyed (even if I didn't appreciate it at the time) the skills that I gradually picked up around my relatives. Since I moved to Tasmania in 2010 I continued the DIY tradition, and have since learned to do so much for myself and my household, mostly in the kitchen, but also in the garden and in the cleaning cupboard. Check out the many skills below that I've taught myself during my journey.

Preserving 

2012 saw the start of my experience in preserving food by bottling. Back home in the US, I was well familiar with the Ball Blue Book Method, but down here, I learned the Fowlers-Vacola method instead. Since I started collecting jars and their accessories, I've taught myself to bottle jams, tomato sauces, chutneys, and pickles.

Laundry Detergent and Soap

Homemade Old Fashioned Rose Soap

I followed up in 2013 with learning my most favorite skill: soap making. And not just hand soaps either- I started making home made laundry detergents as well, because I was beginning to become sensitive to the strong perfumes they use in conventional liquid laundry detergents. My soap hobby has since become somewhat of a "business"- it makes me a little extra income when I need cash for my projects. It's a good clean hobby.

Green Cleaners 

Well before my fascination with home made soap, I was experimenting with green cleaners. I began teaching myself about alternatives to the toxic cleaning chemicals generally found in commercial "public" environments. My absolute favorite spray 'n' wipe recipe is the one in that blog- I make it every other month, and use it to clean all kinds of surfaces.

Spices and Seasonings 

One of many homemade skills: pie making!

I love flavor. I'm not going to lie. When I bite into a baked chicken leg, I want the perfectly crispy skin to crunch and release the flavors of  garlic and sage. My homemade tacos are bursting with chili, garlic and cumin, and pasta sauces always benefit from a good blend of Italian style herbs.

Bouillon Cubes  

One of my greatest and most successful experiments with food preservation was my experiment with making homemade bouillon "cubes" (stock cubes). They last a long time, save on freezer space, and can be added to anything that needs a little something extra added to the flavor.

Finally, I'd like to wrap this up with a homemade condiment that my husband loves, and which is super easy for me to whip up whenever we need more of it. Mayonnaise! No longer do we buy the questionable stuff at the stores, loaded with their preservatives, flavorings and junk vegetable oils.

Living and Learning's Whole Egg Mayo  

2 cups light olive oil
2 whole eggs
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tsp English mustard (optional)
Salt (optional)   

Place the eggs, mustard, salt and vinegar into a tall metal milkshake cup, and add about 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Using a stick blender, blend until the mixture is smooth and yellow. Then, using the lowest speed setting on the blender, slowly pour the remaining oil into the egg mixture. Blend until the mayo is thick and white. Scrape the lot into a screw top jar, and refrigerate immediately. 

This recipe will easily last two to three weeks, but that also depends entirely upon your usage of it. My spouse puts it on his sandwiches, and I use it to make salad dressings. 

I hope you are enjoying this homemade journey as much as I am, and I'll see you tomorrow with another blog for the Challenge!

G is for Grapes- #AtoZChallenge

G is a versatile letter that starts off many words, but today... G is for Grapes.

I grew up in a family that owns 10 acres of dry farmed vineyard in California (if you're in the Bay Area, check out The Zeni Ranch! Their Chestnut Festival is a great autumn experience, and the cut-your-own Christmas tree farm makes every Christmas holiday more fun!)

Anyway, I grew up with a basic knowledge of wine grapes, and even managed to expand that knowledge with a viticulture class in high school, which taught me most of the really scientific and technical stuff. So, when I moved into my new home in 2010, I pretty much new what to do when I found that old grapevine amongst the overgrown tree and honeysuckle bush.

Spouse informed me it was about 25 years old, and it was very neglected. It took a while to figure out how I could tackle it, but once I cut the honeysuckle bush off the fence and restrained it into a low growing bush (and pulled half the grapevine out of the tree!) I was able to  prune the vine and get it tied up onto the fence. After that, it's pretty much a piece of cake training it to grow along the fence.

It is a very vigorous plant. Every year is sprouts new shoots and leaves, trails along the fence, and does it's best to try and take over the washing line. Every year I battle it back so we can continue to hang our clothes to dry in the summer! Unfortunately, I still have no idea what type of grape it is. It has small round berries that are dusty purple in color when ripe, they are highly flavored, and have large seeds. Your guess is as good as mine at this point!

If you are interested in seeing how I prune the grapevine, I did write a previous blog on just that subject! You can read about it here.

Although the grapes do have a lovely flavor, I find chewing my way through the seeds to be a chore, so I've been experimenting with home made wine. That will come in a later post, when the W blog rolls around for writing. I can tell you that this year I did collect 4 kilos of fruit! This was probably the best growing year yet, and that was just one vine.

Stick around readers! The next blog is coming right up. :) Thanks for reading, and keeping living, learning and loving!

F is for Fig- #AtoZChallenge

Today is represented by the letter "F"- and F is for Fig!

My fig tree, 2012. Just a single stick.

Or, more specifically, "fig tree"- because I have one, and I'm extremely proud of its progress over the few short years of its life. Figs are one of my favorite tree fruits, not only because of the sticky sweet treats that grow on their branches, but because they will grow just about anywhere, despite being a Mediterranean plant adapted for hot, dry weather. 

I purchased my specimen at the local nursery. It was the very last one left, had no label at all 9the staff had lost it and couldn't remember what type of fig it was) and it was literally just a short stick when I planted it out in front of the house in 2012.

It is now taller than I am (I am 5'5" in my shoes), and it's only been 4 years! Granted, I didn't water it too often, and it didn't receive any fertilizer until this year when I gave it a bag of horse manure. Since adding the poo, it's grown taller, grown more leaves, and developed a second and even third crop of fruit. I counted up to 70 figs on it a few weeks ago!

It grew two figs in 2012.

It's a productive plant with a "can-do" attitude- even as a short stick it was producing fruit, and continued to do so almost exponentially since 2012.

Figs are pretty easy to care for, at least, and as a self proclaimed "lazy gardener" that's ideal. I have it located in front of a brick wall, where the sun shines all year round to create a heat trap. It's planted beside an ornamental evergreen which acts as a wind break for it, as the wind can blow pretty hard down here. Figs seem to have low water requirements and do well with any fertilizer you care to give them.

2013, it had four or five figs- easily double that of 2012

I recently planted Russian comfrey near it, with the hope of growing it as a crop underneath the fig, to draw up minerals and nutrients from the deeper subsoils, and to use it as compost/fertilizer for the tree itself. Compost is always an on-going project, so of course, everything in my garden will benefit from the comfrey project.

Figs can also be planted in pots if you don't have a reasonable to plant them in ground. Containing the root ball helps to keep the fig tree's vigorous growing habit in check, resulting in more fruit and less leafy growth. My is planted near the road bed, in tough, compacted clay soil. I dug just deep enough to create a hole of reasonable size, and then planted the tree. If the crop is any indicator, this method is working. 

The fruit, of course, can be used for many things, including jams and baked goods. I personally like my figs fresh, and I eat them skin, pulp and all. I have dehydrated them, and find that it works best if you quarter each fig and lay them out on the dryer tray- they dry faster and more thoroughly that way.

My tree, whatever type of fig it is, appears to grow fruit of exceptional size, although I have learned that excessive rain fall will cause them to swell and split. The fruit is a sort of brownish-purple, so your guess is as good as mine as far as variety goes. I harvested at least a dozen massive figures this, and am waiting to see how the second and third crops ripen.

2016: in just four short years, it has grown
taller than the windowsill

My original plan in planting the fig was to train it over the bedroom window in order to create a natural sun blind for our bedroom, which gets very hot in the summer time, as the sun beats down on the front of the house all day. This plan seems to be coming together well, as the tree has finally reached over the window sill. I reckon in the next few year it'll really start making a difference in my "passive climate control" system.

Thank you for you reading my blog this far, and I hope that you too can plant a tree in your garden, for shade, for fruit, and for a unique and interesting plant that can survive almost anything.

I'll see you tomorrow, when I post the next blog!

E is for Electrolytes- #AtoZChallenge

I'm going to take a break from telling you about the things I do day-to-day, in order to share a subject that I've researched and studied a bit. Therefore, E is for Electrolytes, and why they are important for your health! 

I'm sure we've all been in situations that called for the consumption of extra electrolytes- I certainly have (food poisoning induced dehydration- not a recommended condition to be in!) One of the problems I experienced during this bout of sickness was the inability to keep anything down, not even water. Why was that?

Basically, my body knew that its electrolytes were out of balance, and it also knew that the continuous consumption of plain water was going to dilute them further, hence the continued need to vomit despite the fact that I hadn't eaten anything else. So, that begs the question:

What are electrolytes anyway? 


As usual, Google is my friend, so I hit it up for a fast definition:

Electrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge. Electrolytes affect the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood (pH), your muscle function, and other important processes. You lose electrolytes when you sweat.

As you may already know, our bodies run courtesy of electrical signals. Simply put, when you suffer an electrolyte imbalance (such as during a sickness that causes dehydration, or heavy sweating during hot days, especially if you are already drinking lots of plain water) health problems can arise. Signs of an imbalance can include nausea, lethargy, and fluid retention (fun!), but if left untreated, can rapidly get very serious, and even life threatening, including symptoms such as:

• Confusion or sudden change in behavior
• Severe muscle weakness
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Seizures
• Chest pain 

For further information and advice on electrolyte imbalance, check this out.

A variety of minerals in your body are responsible for keeping you in good working order, and they include sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. They are necessary for proper muscle and nerve function, for balancing the body's pH, for maintaining a proper heart rhythm, and even serve a role in the production of your DNA.

Most of these minerals can be found in your every day environment, mostly from foods in your diet, but also can come in the form of supplements, or electrolyte drinks, and enterprise which has become a large commercial market thanks to endorsements from famous athletes and sporting events.

Before you hit the drink aisle for the Gatorade, though, I'd like to point out that there are tons of recipes out there for healthy, home made "sports drinks". Don't go for the neon colored, sugar heavy drinks if you can make better ones at home- your body will thank you!

I myself have a simple, plain recipe for an electrolyte drink. The cool part is that I can also use this for my chickens on very hot days where they risk dehydration and heat sickness. It's plain for human tastes, but you can add some fruit juice to it for a little flavor. It's simple to whip up:

1/2 teaspoon salt substitute (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt  
1 tablespoon sugar
4 liters of water

Dissolve the ingredients in a small amount of hot water, then add to the remainder of the (cold) water and stir to mix. For people, mix in some fruit juice and drink through the day as needed, especially if you are working hard. For your chickens on extremely hot days, leave it out (unflavored) in lieu of their normal drinking water for a day, and then switch back to regular plain water when the weather cools off.

So for all you folks getting more active for the spring and summer months ahead, keep this in mind, and keep your electrolytes balanced and replenished when you are working hard! I'll see you again on the next blog. You'll be spared my usual puns, as I can't think of any for "F"!

D is for Dessert- #AtoZChallenge

Baked in a 9in round cake pan

Today, D is for Dessert. Because no one can go wrong with that! So I'm going to regale you with one of my favorite recipes: cinnamon rolls!

As delicious as they are, they are definitely a once in a while treat! I like making cinnamon rolls for special occasions usually, like Easter and/or Christmas, and they make a great gift to friends, or as something to bring to a brunch or party.

How thickly you cut the rolls depends on how many people you're feeding. Expect to have at least two round 9inch cake or spring form pans handy, or a 9x13 baking dish. I like having them around as desserts, but I've pretty much eaten them at all hours (which is why I only make them once or twice a year!) They are best hot and gooey, with loads of icing!

Living and Learning's To-Die-For Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

3 tsp instant yeast

1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 cups plain flour

Combine ingredients until a soft ball of dough forms. Don't knead too much. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Punch down, and roll into a rectangle approximately 1/2 cm thick.

The dough was rolled out with a floured french pin, and
I'm spreading the filling now. Fingers or spoons work just fine.

Filling:

1 cup brown sugar
2+1/2 Tbs cinnamon
1/3 cup softened butter

Cream together and spread over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch margin on the long side, and spreading all the way to the ends. You might find using your fingers for this to be easier, instead of a spoon.

Roll up the dough into a log, and slice off inch thick pieces. Grease a flat pan and lay them out. Let the pieces proof for an hour or so, then bake in a 190 C oven for 10-15 minutes, or until done. Spread icing on them when they're still hot.

Baked in a large roasting pan here.

Icing:

8 Tbs softened butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream all ingredients together, and spread on the rolls while they're hot.

Licking the bowl afterward is mandatory!


I hope you love this recipe as much as my friends and I do. It's probably one of the best "homey" things to bake over the holidays. :) Until tomorrow- keep living and learning!

 

C is for Chickens- #AtoZChallenge

Jago, Chatty, Cinderella, Bo and Cossa.

C is for Chickens! Because I HAVE to show off my fluffy bums! It's like, a rule, you know?

For years, I've always wanted my own chickens, even before I moved to Tasmania and started up with the self reliant urban homestead stuff. Many of my relatives had chickens, and the whole idea of collecting fresh eggs and watching the happy poultry as they foraged was just plain appealing. 

Chookie Chow: a mixture of veggie scraps, seeds, dried
meat, and dried herbs. An excellent chicken snack.

However, I currently live in a suburban unit with a tiny garden, so it wasn't exactly conducive to happy foraging birds. However, an opportunity arrived in the form of a friend purchasing a house that sat on a large block, and one of the first things she said about it was that it had a chicken coop, and that maybe we could have chickens in it. I was thrilled!

Bloomers hiding under the clam shell cover.

Chookie Blocks, a favorite winter poultry treat.

Once she had moved in and gotten herself settled, I went over and investigated the coop area. It was pretty sad, really. It had three intact walls, no back wall or ceiling, and no actual chicken house- it was just a pen. There was also an issue about the new fence going up, as the block next door was being built up with a house, new fencing, etc.

It took several months to sort the various issues out, and for me to get over my procrastination, but I was finally able to get my act together well enough to build a chicken coop. Thanks to a group of my friends, we had a chicken blitz, and using star pickets, free pallets, some other recycled materials and various hardware odds and ends, we got a 1mx1m square elevated chicken house made. Then, when the fence line issues were all worked out, I was able to fix up the pen itself with aviary wire, cattle panel, old timbers, and bird netting. By the time I was finished, it was pretty snug! I just added a few extra touches, and filled the house with straw and perches, and the birds were right at home. Thanks to a local breeder, I picked up several lovely ladies for our new chicken coop. 5 were cross breeds: 1 AustralorpX, 1 SilkieX, 1 Light SussexX, and 2 Buff OrpingtonX or possibly ISA BrownX- that was never clear. There were later joined by 2 absolutely adorable pure bred silkies, in white and buff orange, the youngest of the lot.

Chatty giving me the stink-eye.

Unfortunately, our Molly girl got sick and no matter what I did to help, she didn't make it. She seemed to rally under treatment, but just didn't have it in her in the end. She is survived by the rest of the flock: Bloomers (brown BuffOX), Jago (black AustraloprX), Cinderella (Light Sussex), Chatty (SilkieX), Bo (white Silkie), and Cossa (buff orange Silkie).

They give us eggs (large brown and small cream colored eggs!), and patrol the garden daily, all day, eating bugs, seeds, weeds, fallen fruit (my friend has mulberries, apples, persimmons, etc) and other goodies. Their favorite treats are snails, sunflower seeds, Chookie Chow (made by yours truly) and, in the winter, Chookie Blocks (I make these from seed mixes, dried fruit, and tallow). They are truly spoiled babies!

Anyway, thanks for hanging around to read my "proud chicken mama" post. Hang about, and check out tomorrows blog! I'm sure it'll be D-lightful!

*Ducks all the thrown rotten tomatoes and exits stage left!*