Winter on the Homestead

Welcome to the winter wonderland  on the Piney Woods Homestead. (Boy, is it ever COLD outside!)  To think that I had my windows open on Monday and clothes hangin' on the line to dry. That's what ya get in southeastern NC. Warm one day and freezin' the next.

It sure is beautiful outside. I LOVE snow! Although this particular winter storm bought on a whole different meaning to working on the homestead. Hubby has been gone all week at school. That left me with taking care of the animals in this frigid weather. There is something to be said about milking a cow 2 times a day in temps. of 20*. It did keep my hands warm though ;-)

The biggest issue I had was getting water to the animals when the pipes froze up and freeze up they did! We prepared well enough in advance though by placing extra water barrels in AnnaBelle's pen. All I had to do was keep the ice broken up. I used a hammer, when in all honesty a *sledge* hammer would have worked much better. (Got to remember that for the next winter storm we may get.)

We have also spent the week nursing a wounded chicken. On Monday, a hawk got to one of our new chickens and took one of her eyes out. Noah was able to scare the hawk off before he got the chickens head tore off though. Not sure she is going to make it though. Only time can tell with that kind of injury.

We had to separate her from the flock because if you place a wounded chicken in with the healthy ones, they will peck her to death. Mean little buggers those chickens can be.

I pray your all stayin' warm where you are!

Angel gave me this mailbox cover for Christmas. It fits perfect with the winter weather.

Noah's snowman. About 3 ft. tall and on the back of the pickup truck.

Old faithful with a snowman along for the ride ;-)

The chickens would NOT come out of their coop. Who can blame them? It's nice and cozy in the coop.

I tried baiting the chickens to come out. This is about as far as they came. Believe it or not, that light you see in the picture keeps it pretty warm in the coop. They know what a good thing is when they have it.

carlos got jealous of me taking pictures of the chickens and jumped on top of the coop. He knew that would mean his picture would get taken. ;-)

AnnaBelle and snow do not mix well together. She didn't want to come out either unless I was going to feed her. 

Keeping these water barrels broken up of ice was the most time consuming chore I had to deal with. I now know why people who live in the northern climates have heaters to keep the water from freezing.

AnnaBelle out a little more. She was just being nosey ;-)

At least the cold weather has not hindered the egg layin'. What is it with chickens and having to lay in the same box? The one sitting was actually *hissing* at me. She thought I was going to take her egg.

Noah and Grace. Noah was smart using that mask to keep his face warm.

Justin and Angel. What can I say? The two look like they are wrapped in one large camo blanket. They came over yesterday and there was a HUGE snowball fight. I stayed warm inside ;-)

I pray you all have a blessed week in THE LORD. Hey, we suppose to be back in the 60's by the weekend! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Psalm 51:7

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

A Christmas Love Letter

This really spoke to me today. I pray it will speak to my other Homeschooling friends too. May GOD bless you this CHRISTmas.

HE is so good and ever to be praised!

A Christmas Love Letter

December 25, 2013

I see you sitting there tired, worn out, and empty. Another year of homeschooling has used you up. You feel helpless like a baby. That's OK. I know all about being a baby. I was born one for you many years ago. I know the ache you feel to be held and loved, and that is why I came. I knew you would be sitting there in the future, praying and asking me to hold you, and I am, dear one. Let me give you a special Christmas gift of love as I breathe new life into the center of your soul. Do you know that I think of you every moment of every day? I watch you patiently homeschool the children I gave you, and I know how badly you feel when you fail and lose your temper. I forgive you, my child, just as you forgive your children when they make a mistake. "It's OK. We'll try again," you say to them, and I'm telling you the same thing. I'm so proud of you and how you've followed me when I asked you to teach your children about me at home. Your sacrifice says that you love me. I know all about that, too. I left everything that was mine when I came from heaven. I know how you feel when the Father asks so much of you. Look at me, my child. You may feel beat up, but do you know that you are still beautiful? I see that smile. Yes, you're still as beautiful as the day I created you. I love who you are, and I'm whispering your name. Can you hear me? Remember, my child, this is not your home. You really belong here with me in heaven, but I want you where you are now to love this family I gave you. Don't give up. I want you to trust me. I won't let you down. Every promise I've made is true, and someday, I'm coming back for you. For now, rest in my love, and tonight and even tomorrow when you wake up, I'll be here watching over you. I love you. Merry Christmas. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities" (Hebrews 4:14-15a).

Published by Alpha Omega Publications

Peace

Peace on Earth December 24, 2013 "He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me" (Psalm 55:18a). The words on the Christmas card and the noise coming from our school room stood in stark contrast to one another. "Peace on Earth," the card read. "My, wouldn't that be nice?" I thought. I guess every homeschooling parent longs for a peaceful home, but hearing the crescendo in my children's voices, I knew that peace wasn't happening today at our house. Still, Christmas was coming, and I could hope, right? As I thought more about peace on Earth, I wondered what Christ meant in John 14:27 when He said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Then, the truth of this verse dawned on me. True peace is not the absence of arguments, violence, or wars. True peace is experiencing God's love instead of His wrath because we receive the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. That means fighting children, threats of war, and even interruptions to homeschooling days need not change to experience the presence of Christ's peace in my life. Would you like to find peace this Christmas? Don't look for the absence of problems. Look instead to the peacemaker whose birth made the angels of heaven proclaim, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14). Let the power of the Holy Spirit fill you this Christmas and give you the peace of Christ. Shalom! "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Published by Alpha Omega Publications. Merry CHRISTmas! Amanda Matthew 6:33

Summer Harvest 2013 (Thanksgiving from the Farm)

THE LORD has surely blessed us this year on the homestead. The harvest is offically over for 2013 and looking back, I see how richly HE blessed us and how much more we have to learn.

 Presenting the 2013 Piney Woods Homestead Harvest!

Greek oregano drying above the kitchen sink.

Here is the last of the dug taters and broccoli. Our fall broccoli crop did wonderfully. The taters were especially big this year.

Plenty of milk and cream. At least 2 gallons a milk a day since June 2012. VERY blessed indeed!

Butter galore!

More than enough BBQ to last until next fall.

The apples were really big. All the rain we had in early June really helped.

Over 250 ears of corn in the freezer. First time for that much in many a year.

Watermelon galore!

The surprise crop of cherry tomatoes. Courtesy of Angel's wedding.

The strawberry plants multiplied greatly. The spring 2014 harvest should really be a good one.

Plenty of homemade butter milk .

Squash galore!

The blueberry bush in the spring as the berries were starting to form.

Another blueberry bush in the early spring.

The blackberries were the winners this year. The bushes multiplied a lot last year which gave us a lot of blackberries this year.

The chicks were by far the best harvest. An unexpected blessing indeed! With 6 new hens to replace 6 old hens this spring.

Ain't GOD so good!

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

Genesis 1:29-30

King James Version (KJV)

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

1892 Farm Wife Diary

I found this blog about a farm-wife in 1892. She kept a diary of her daily chores and the goings on in her life.

A simple GOD fearing woman whose concern for the souls of her family are clearly shown.

http://1892farmwife.blogspot.com/

I  am always looking to learn from the past and this was an interesting read.

Hope you enjoy!

Blessings!

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

Onion Joes

Here's an easy recipe for busy nights.

1 pound hamburger

1 can French onion Soup (undiluted)

1/4th cup flour

Add soup to the drained/cooked ground beef. Add soup and bring to a boil. Add the flour and mix until gravy consistency.

I like to serve mine on any kind of hamburger rolls.

I also like to serve Easy Ranch Oven Fries with these burgers:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup parmezean cheese

1/4 cup ranch dressing (dry)

6 medium taters cut into wedges

Mix together and pour into a zip lock bag. Add taters and coat completely. Preheat oven to 375*. Coat a large cookie sheet with oil and then add the coated taters to the pan. Cook 15 minutes. Flip and cook another 15 minutes.

YUMMY

& Fast Dinner!

Blessings!

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

Homestead Chore # 13 (Fresh BBQ- Straight from the Backyard!)

Well, the deed has been done. *PIG-PIG* #3 has been butchered, cooked and turned into southern style BBQ. The decision to go ahead and do it ourselves was not made lightly. We really had no other choice though due to some unforseen circumstances. Let me explain.

This past Thursday, I noticed that *PIG* was having trouble standing up. Once she was up she was okay. That back leg of hers was just not able to keep up with her weight and getting around was an issue by the end of the day.

So we knew that she needed to be put down. So she would not suffer. It was a sad decision to make but one that needed to be made. 

On Friday morning Hubby went to work and told one of his co workers of our problem. The guy said that it would be ashamed to waste all of that meat. (You see, to take an animal to a processor, that animal has to be able to walk off the ramp and into the holding pen. We knew that *PIG* would not be able to do that without issues.)

So Hubby's friend said that he would come by on Saturday after work and *butcher* PIG for us so we would not have to waste all of that meat. Mr. Rusty showed up Saturday afternoon and did the *deed* for us.

I could not watch it or take pictures. I was way too attached to this PIG. Had I seen it being done, I would not have been able to eat it or even prepare it for the freezer. I know, I'm a wimp!

Anyway, it took about  2 hours from start to finish. We then took *PIG* to another friend of Hubby's that agreed to cook it for us. Another blessing! 

*PIG* weighed about 400 lbs. She was very fatty. Must have been from all that milk and bread ;-) The meat we did get though is awesome!

I am so thankful that THE LORD bought all of these people into our lives to help us out. We still have so much to learn and with hubby's friends we are definately learning.

We ended up with about 130 lbs. of BBQ. We split it with the friend who butchered *PIG* for us. The above picture is our share. That's a vinegar sauce on top of it.

All bagged and ready for the freezer.

There's about 1 1/2 lbs. of BBQ in each bag.

This is the sauce we used to put on the BBQ. It's made of:

Molasses

Apple Vinegar Cider

Ketchup

Mustard

Pepper Corn

Very good indeed!

Maybe next year I will be able to watch the process and help. I will admit though, if THE GOOD LORD sends someone my way to do *the deed*, I will definately share the meat for their *help.*

Hey, bartering is a good thing!

Blessings!

Amanda

Matthew 6:33

http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/10/homestead-barn-hop-132.html