Thursday, April 7, 2011

Simplifying, cont.

 A "Tick" (looks like a chick, but actually is a turkey)!



Okay...so let's get down to the nitty gritty.  What do I really mean by "simplifying" and "healing with the ranch"  (as mentioned in my previous post)?  It doesn't at all mean just quitting things, like the recycling, and TV; oh no this place is a buzz with activity.  We have "ticks" (we have no idea what to call baby turkeys, and they look just like chicks, so ticks it is-ha!) in the garage, a beautiful lamb in the llama/sheep pen and all sorts of stuff being planted!  My goal is to reconnect with the old ways I guess you could say.


I have been doing a lot of thinking about our property, and how it could be used to it's greatest potential.  I want to use each and every animal to its highest potential as well; whether it be for egg, wool, meat or even guardian purposes.

I absolutely adored making my jams last year for Christmas and the response I got was unbelievable...so I am going to grow berries this year for my own jams!  Amazingly there are a few berries that will grow at our high altitude and we already have a lot of wild raspberries that grow around this area, so I can only hope.  I am also changing the formula of Naked~Nure, by happy accident, adding a secret ingredient that should make plants soar!  More on this in a future post.

The point is to make the very most of what I've got.  I don't feel that the economy is at all stable.  I don't feel that our government is at all stable.  It is time to use my property to raise what I need for my family and hopefully have a little leftover for my family and friends.  My goal is to barter...I really think this is the wave of the future...I already do it with many of my friends.  I trade eggs for some of my friend Tiffany's wonderful products.  I recently got some organic beef and traded some of that for my organic chicken feed....the list goes on and on...

I have always hated waste...and now I look at my property in a whole new light.  There are already many plants on it that I should have been harvesting for years...Chamomile, Currant, Rosehip, Chokecherry, even dandelion can be harvested and used....How about you, do you harvest and use any of Mother Nature's wonders?  And what are some of your plans in this unstable environment?

3 comments:

Jim and Pat Shepherd said...

Judy, mom and I can attest to that great jam!!! By far the best we have ever had.

You probably remember that mom made chokecherry jelly many years ago. It was very good as well. We had a ton of fun picking the chokecherries when we were camping.

It will be fun watching you simplify. I think you have a good start!

Love, dad

Daisy said...

I haven't gathered dandelions for my own use, but my bunnies love them. They think they're a special treat.

Judy Jeute said...

Mom and Dad,
Yes, I remember the chokecherries...that is what gave me the idea to pick the ones that are going to waste on my ranch! Thanks so much for the words of encouragement! You just want some more jelly-ha!

All my Love.

Daisy,
Oh how I miss my bunnies~I used to go out and pick the new dandelions for them until it was warm enough when they could go outside themselves and oh how they loved them!!!!!

Our neighbors gave us some dandelion wine last year for Christmas-I thought it was a joke at first...it was actually quite tasty, and I don't even like wine!
J~