Homesteading is not as sexy as it sounds

Maybe you have a fantasy about homesteading someday, and you have a vision of yourself wearing flannel and Carharts harvesting mountains of winter squash for your root cellar, and hosting apple cider pressing parties with your neighbors. You envision raising pastured cattle, who happily much on your luscious green grass, and you imagine quaint daily choresContinue reading “Homesteading is not as sexy as it sounds”

The fruits of winter, part 1: winter jam with quince

Around late August you’ll read a number of smug blog posts by me and every other homesteader and gardener glorifying the harvest of summer. You’ll see baskets mounded with zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, and squash. There will be photos of quart jars filled with freshly canned applesauce, pickles, tomatoes. Maybe an article about freezing pesto in iceContinue reading “The fruits of winter, part 1: winter jam with quince”

A rough start to the new year

Sigh. Josh and Gwen have been busy since the New Year. We’ve been quiet because for a few weeks there wasn’t much to report, and then all of a sudden too much, and we were too crabby to talk about it. This happens to be the coldest winter since we’ve lived in Washington, with mostContinue reading “A rough start to the new year”