Category Archives: Blog Posts

My Journey May Not Be YOUR Journey (…and that’s ok!)

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by Texas Homesteader ~

Y’all know I have an environmental bend. It’s important to me to tread lightly on this beautiful blue planet of ours. But like most things in life, we’re all in different places. My journey may not be your journey, and THAT’S OK!

Do the things that are important to YOU. You’re interested in the school board?  Childhood or adult literacy? Opening a dog park? Awesome – what great causes worthy of personal action.  My energy is funneled elsewhere but it takes all of us living the life that speaks to our hearts to make the world go ’round.  We all need to pursue those causes we’re passionate about & offer our efforts & talents to those causes to make the world a better place #amiright?

On this Throw-back Thursday, read my thoughts about our different journeys.

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Planting A Blueberry Bush In An Old Galvanized Tub

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by Texas Homesteader ~

I love blueberries. And I’d love to grow my own. But I’ve planted blueberry bushes repeatedly only to have them succumb. I guess I’m not paying enough attention to the acidity. I’d given up on growing blueberries.

But recently at a plant fair I looked longingly at the blueberry bushes. RancherMan said “Look! You love blueberries”. Yes, but…

The woman at the booth overheard & said this blueberry was a miniature so it works well in a large pot. And she mentioned that if you have it in a pot, it’s easier to moderate and correct the PH levels. Hummmm…. SOLD!

I was able to repurpose an old, rustic, rusted, mishapen galvanized tub to add beauty to our porch landscape. I planted a blueberry in it. #TexasHomesteader

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Garden Update: August

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by Texas Homesteader ~

Whelp, it’s August y’all.  In TEXAS!  August typically means hot and dry weather.  Usually this is the time when I quit fighting the garden altogether and let it go dormant.  I mean, when it’s this hot nothing wants to set fruit anyway.  And during our typical summer when the rain taps turn completely off, it’s impossible to keep the garden watered.  Oh you can mulch and water, and of course it helps.  But the water you drop on the garden will probably be wicked away quickly without really soaking into the ground next to the plant’s roots.

But this year I experimented with biodegradable weed block. My hope was that it would not only keep the weeds down, but also keep the roots moist. I’ve been able to see the benefits.

August is usually so hot & dry the garden goes dormant. But this year we've had some successes too. Come see! #TexasHomesteader

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Quick Garlic Herb Sauce Using Fresh Herbs

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by Texas Homesteader ~

Herbs grow so easily that I always have plenty. I mean P-L-E-N-T-Y! So I’m constantly either harvesting & using or drying and preserving those herbs for cooking all year long. But I’ve found my new favorite way to use handfuls of these herbs and enjoy a delightfully fresh way to make supper easier and more delicious.

Fresh.
Garlic.
Herb.
Sauce.

Fresh Garlic Herb Sauce for the light taste of summer. Whips up in minutes and is great on chicken, pasta, even as a salad dressing! #TexasHomesteader

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Homestead Hack: Leftover Great Northern Beans

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by Texas Homesteader~

I often make dried beans using my pressure cooker. I’m a ‘Cook-Once, Eat-Twice‘ cook, meaning I like to cook lots of one item and use it either again later in the week, or as a completely different dish as part of my Planned Leftovers meals. So when I’m cooking dried beans, I usually cook the whole bag knowing it’s way more than RancherMan & I can eat in one setting. Then we’ll either consume it over several days or I’ll freeze the remainder for another time.

But recently I cooked some great northern beans and we enjoyed them as a side dish for that evening’s meal. I served them later in the week as a quick side dish also. But then I wondered… Is there a more exciting way to serve these beans that will have RancherMan smacking his lips? Well yes, yes there is! Check out this Homestead Hack!

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The Fast Life: Slowing Down, Living More

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by Texas Homesteader ~

RancherMan & I were deep into a conversation recently.  I was surprised that I couldn’t find someone to take the extra heirloom tomato seedlings that had sprouted in my compost.  Were there really that few gardeners out there now?

Then a reader confirmed that she had observed the same thing. She noticed there were fewer gardeners and the ones she knew were older.

Are the younger generations not gardening anymore?  And why would that be?  Let’s take a look.

Are your days packed, leaving you feeling like a hamster on a wheel? Us too! See how we've taken a hard look at what fills our days & made changes - for the BETTER! #TexasHomesteader

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How I Make Cheap ‘Oat Flour’ With Whole Oats

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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I’ve experimented with sandwich bread recipes for several years. I prefer whole-wheat bread for the health aspect as well as the heartier feel of it. But I’ve not been pleased with bread made completely with whole wheat flour. It’s just too dry for our tastes. So I started mixing different ratios of all purpose and whole wheat flour for RancherMan’s Sandwich Bread to get the best of both worlds.

But whole wheat flour is expensive in our area. And I figured oatmeal’s healthy, right?? So I decided to offset a portion of whole wheat flour with whole oats ground into flour when I make my Oatmeal Sandwich Bread. We loved it. It still had the hearty feel that whole wheat offers, but cheaper! You’re not gonna believe how easy this is.

I grind whole oats into 'oat flour' and include it as a healthy ingredient in my homemade bread. The same hearty feel as whole wheat. #TexasHomesteader

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2-Lb Oatmeal Bread Recipe For A Bread Machine

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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I’ve had several bread machines over the years. The bread was tasty of course, but I always got rid of them. They were just so big, heavy & bulky. It just wasn’t worth it.

But during a recent visit with my dad, he mentioned that he wanted to get rid of his bread machine to clear the space on his counter top for another appliance. He said if I didn’t take it, he was tossing it in the trash. I couldn’t stand the waste so I figured I’d take it home. If I found I still hated bread machines I’d make sure to get it to someone who could use it.

But bread machines are apparently different now and I find I really love it! I’ve even tweaked my own Oatmeal Sandwich Bread recipe to make a 2-lb bread-maker loaf.

Bread Machine recipe for a delicious 2-lb loaf of homemade oatmeal bread. Use your bread machine to simplify bread-baking day! #TexasHomesteader

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Throwback Thursday: Landscaping on the CHEAP!

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by Texas Homesteader ~

Recently RancherMan & I had a porch extension built. I wanted to landscape it into our own little peaceful backyard oasis. But I didn’t want to spend much money on the landscaping. Luckily it was super easy to do.

You’re not gonna believe how cheaply I was able to outfit our beautiful Outdoor Living Area.

See my tips on landscaping an outdoor living area on the CHEAP! #TexasHomesteader

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Soap Grows On Trees! Using Soapberries For A Natural Shampoo

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by Texas Homesteader ~

I have a super-smart friend from whom I always learn oh-so-much. Recently we were at a luncheon together & she mentioned that she uses soapberries for shampoo – no conditioner required.

She puts dried soapberries in water and lets them sit for about 6 weeks before she removes the berries. Then she adds a bit of baking soda and uses it to clean her hair.

Well color me intrigued! I found a Soapberry Tree on our property several years ago. So I decided to give it a try.

Using Soapberries for a natural shampoo is easy on your hair and easy on your budget. It's true - soap really DOES grow on trees! #TexasHomesteader

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