Copyright © 2022 by Patti Johnson-Long

Photography © 2022 by Patti Johnson-Long unless otherwise stated

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by David Ter-Avanesyan

Cover photos by Jessica Watson, Kayla Bradley, Kept Studios, Lauren Slingluff, Mark and Shallon Payne, Heather Baker, Black Face Media Company, and Ashley Gunson

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-6999-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-7000-3

Printed in China

In dedication to my late Mother and her twin sister, Aunt Marie, who joyfully laughed their way through sisterhood and crafted love with innate skill wherever they went. Growing up on a farm, your special bond was lit by fireflies at night and dancing butterflies by day. You have inspired my every move. Thank you for loving me.

Contents

Who Is FarmMade?

Northwest Region

Southwest Region

Midwest Region

New England Region

Deep South Region

Founder’s Story

Acknowledgments

Conversion Charts

Who Is FarmMade?

Everyone is FarmMade! We all come from the farm; from the food that we eat, to the clothes that we wear, to the family traditions that we call our own. Each one of us is nourished by its bounty, and in many ways, live by its seasonal rhythms.

Although the farm comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes these days, from sprawling cattle ranches in Montana, to urban rooftop farms in New York City, and small rural homesteads, it evokes the same nostalgia that unites everyone to its plight. One that is essential to our human survival.

We are nostalgic for the farm like never before. We’ve heard our parents and grandparents reminisce about growing up on a farm and wonder what it would be like to milk a cow, collect eggs from a henhouse, or grow a beautiful garden for our families. Not too long ago, we were an agrarian society. We prided ourselves on turning milk into farm butter and cheese, farm-fresh eggs into baked custards, fresh picked cucumbers and cabbage into pickles and kraut, and sheared wool into cozy hats and throws for winter. Handwork skills, such as sewing a quilt, crocheting a washcloth, or embroidering a pillowcase were handed down. Candle making, wine making, beer crafting, soap making, blacksmithing, basket weaving, and repurposing were all learned, time-honored traditional skills that contributed to a small farm’s micro-economy and long-term success.

Ask a farmer where they learned how to grow, raise, bake, brew, or make something and they will most likely answer “another farmer.” Farm knowledge is cultural and regionally specific and takes place in farm fields, barns, and kitchens around the world. Food, skill, and craft traditions have been passed down from one generation to the next in hopes of preserving the farm. The farmer learns to create many things, typically from raw materials the farm provides them, or from buying, bartering, or trading with other farmers. Value-added goods are brought to market every day via farmers' markets, farm stands, and even the Internet.

These traditions are still alive and thriving, placing the farm as the beating heart of every culture around the world. Through their strong covenant with the land and each other, farmers are able to preserve family traditions that connect us to their ancient way of life. Their independent nature breeds care and pride. These principles are infused into everything a farmer does; in this vein, superior products are made.

FarmMade aims to preserve and celebrate these skills and family farm traditions through sharing cultural recipes, farm stories, and handmade crafts that date back hundreds if not thousands of years. Everything we do at FarmMade is with deep reverence and love for farmers and all things farm. We invite you to join us on our journey of purposeful living, by farm hopping from region to region, farmer to farmer, in search of a wholesomeness that can only be found on a farm.

This book is about all farmers, ranchers, and homesteaders, all families, and the ever-important job of preserving our agrarian heritage and traditions, so let us collect eggs together, put up the harvest, and gather to celebrate all things farm.

Northwest Region

Fresh Egg Preservation (Water Glassing)

Rose Garden Repose Tea

Felted Soap

Raspberry Kefir

Goat Milk Lotion

Herbal and Orchard Garland

Pollinator-Friendly Garden

DIY Farmhouse Dining Table

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Dehydrated Apple Snacks

Photo Credit: Salina Long

Fresh Egg Preservation (Water Glassing)

Blessed with a decent-sized flock of heritage chickens, we at FarmMade delight daily in the diverse color of farm eggs. Collecting more eggs than our family could eat on most days had us brainstorming how we could best preserve this gift from our flock. Why go through the winter months, the most magical baking season of all, without the special addition of farm fresh eggs? Both freezing and dehydrating are effective methods for egg preservation, but nothing compares to the taste and texture retained through water glassing. Submerging fresh eggs in a solution of pickling lime and water extends their shelf-life for up to a year—sometimes two! This is achieved through pickling lime’s ability to seal the egg’s shell, protecting the egg from bacteria that causes spoilage. Since the early 1800s, homesteaders have used this traditional method of egg preservation to keep eggs on the table and feed their families. Water glassing eggs takes us back to a time of slower living and seasonal preparation. Follow us on Instagram @farmmadeusa and visit www.farmmade.com for all things farm!

Yield: 48–80 eggs

Ingredients

48–80 unwashed farm fresh eggs*

3 ounces pickling lime**

3 quarts distilled water

Equipment

3-gallon container*** with lid such as a glass jar, food-grade bucket, or ceramic crock

Scale

Large mixing bowl

Whisk

Instructions

1. Sterilize your container, mixing bowl, and whisk.

2. Carefully place enough eggs, one at a time, to create a base layer in the bottom of your container. After enough eggs have been added you should be able to reposition each egg pointy side down. Arranging the eggs in this way allows for the air pocket to remain at the top, preventing spoilage. This base layer will provide support for balancing additional layers.

3. Using a scale, weigh the pickling lime and add it to the distilled water in a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, mix the pickling lime and distilled water until both are dissolved into a milky solution.

4. Pour the water glassing solution over the eggs, trying not to disturb their placement. Leave at least 2 inches of solution above the eggs. No eggs should be in contact with air.

5. To prevent evaporation and exposure of the eggs to air, seal your water glassing container with its lid. Occasionally, you will want to check on the amount of solution covering the eggs. If it has dropped below 2 inches, mix more using a ratio of 1 ounce pickling lime to 1 quart water and add until the level of solution is replenished to 2 inches.

6. Label your water glassing container with its date of creation. Including a 12- to 18-month expiration date makes usage prioritization easier while eliminating tedious mental math.

7. Store your water glassing container in a cool area away from light.

8. In need of some fresh eggs? Pop the lid, carefully lift the oldest eggs from the bottom of the container, and wash them thoroughly. The smallest amount of water glassing solution will curdle your eggs. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly as well. If left on the skin, lime can cause dryness.

9. Get ready to crack an egg that looks and tastes like it was laid that morning!

Want to cut down on trips to the water glassing container? A small number of eggs can be pulled from the solution, washed, and refrigerated until ready to use within a few days.

*Only unwashed farm fresh eggs with their blooms intact may be used for this method. The bloom is an egg’s natural defense mechanism against pathogens. Eggs bought from the store are always cleaned with bleach, unfortunately destroying an egg’s bloom. While eggs must not be washed, they must also be clean. When choosing eggs to water glass, make sure they aren’t coated with any chicken feces, remnants of broken eggs, or coop bedding. Select only the cleanest eggs of the day with no streaks or debris present on their shells. If you’d like to add fresh eggs collected from the coop each day, fill your entire container with water glassing solution to accommodate new additions.

**Pickling lime can be found at your local store’s canning section. Using a ratio of 1 ounce pickling lime to 1 quart distilled water, the water glassing solution may be scaled up or down to fit any size container you choose.

***We recommend using containers no larger than 3 gallons. Anything larger is too difficult to move, increasing the risk of breaking your precious eggs! Ceramic crocks are a great option for water glassing containers but can become very heavy when filled with eggs and lime solution. If you’d like to use a ceramic crock, arrange your eggs and move the crock to your desired place of storage before adding the water glassing solution.

Rose Garden Repose Tea

CeAnne and her husband are the owners of Farmhouse Teas, a provider of high-quality organic loose leaf teas. They live on a small two-acre farm in Oregon where they grow different botanicals along with a good portion of their own food. Not only do they blend delicious herbal teas, they also enjoy teaching others how to grow their own botanicals and turn them into homemade teas. Find more tutorials, teas, and herbal inspiration at www.farmhouseteas.com, as well as @farmhouseteas on Instagram and Facebook.

Yield: Approximately 2 cups loose leaf tea

Ingredients

⅓ cup dried lavender buds

½ cup dried chamomile flowers

½ cup dried calendula flowers

½ cup dried rose petals

⅛ cup chopped dried orange peel

© CeAnne Kosel

© CeAnne Kosel

© CeAnne Kosel

Instructions

1. If you haven’t already, harvest your fresh lavender, chamomile, calendula, and rose petals. If you don’t live in a place where oranges naturally grow, grab an organic orange at the store.

2. Place your harvested flowers in a dehydrator at 95°F–105°F until dry and no moisture is present. Air drying your botanicals on a paper towel or piece of butcher paper is also an option for small amounts.

3. Peel your fresh orange, discarding as much of the white pith as you can. The more pith you have, the more bitter the orange peel will be. Roughly chop your orange peel into small pieces, about ¼-inch squares. Air dry or dry in a dehydrator at 115°F–125°F until crisp, but not burnt. You may also slice the whole orange into rounds, dehydrate, then chop or cut finely to use the whole orange rather than just the peel.

4. Add ½ cup dried rose petals to a medium-sized bowl. Rose petals not only add a beautiful touch to these already colorful flowers, but also have an affinity for the heart that brings cheer like a dozen roses.

5. Add ½ cup dried calendula petals to the rose petals. Calendula has an affinity for the skin, inside and out. This flower helps your outer skin glow by supporting your digestive health.

6. Add ⅓ cup dried lavender to your other dried flowers. Lavender is great for easing stress and anxiety as well as aches and pains.

7. Add ½ cup dried chamomile to calendula and roses. Chamomile calms muscle spasms, tension, digestive distress, the nervous system, and more.

8. Add ⅛ cup dried orange peel in the bowl with your flowers to add a bit of flavor to your tea. We all know oranges have high levels of vitamin C!

9. Mix your botanicals until they are evenly dispersed.

10. To serve, add 1 teaspoon of your newly blended tea to a tea press or fillable tea bag and steep in 6 to 8 ounces of hot boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes. Enjoy!

© Pure Joy Farm

Felted Soap

Our family at Pure Joy Farms raises Icelandic sheep outside of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, on restored native prairie. We were drawn to Icelandic sheep for their beautiful colors, but also their practicality. They are one of the very few triple-purpose sheep—meaning they yield milk, meat, and wool—making them a great homesteading breed. Icelandic wool fleeces are unique in that they are dual coated with two layers: the inner layer, called tel, is soft and fine while the outer layer, called tog, is coarse and thick. When wool fibers are exposed to hot water and agitation, the fibers bind closer together to create “felt” or a tight mat. Felted soap is wonderful for exfoliating in the shower or cleaning up your hands after dirty jobs, and the designs and color possibilities are endless! We sell our handcrafted soap and lotion, raw wool fleeces, and wool crafts in our Etsy shop @PureJoyFarms.

Yield: 1 bar felted soap

Materials

Old towels or tablecloth

Tweezers

1–1½ yards wool roving*

Bar soap (Any kind that you love! We use our own soap made with sheep milk.)

Old nylon stockings

Large bowl

Hot water

Clothes-drying rack

© Pure Joy Farm

© Pure Joy Farm

Instructions

1. Gather your materials. Place old towels or a tablecloth in your work area. Using a pair of tweezers, remove any vegetative matter from wool roving. Any small burr left in the roving will get felted in!

2. Wrap roving around bar soap 2 to 3 times widthwise, then wrap roving around soap 2 times lengthwise, making sure to cover corners. Add a bling of contrasting colors as a third layer if desired.

3. Carefully pull an old nylon stocking over the soap, making sure that the wool stays tightly wrapped.

4. Fill a large bowl halfway with very hot tap water and submerge your soap into the hot water for a few seconds. You may see a few bubbles come to the surface as the wool starts to shrink.

5. Take soap out of the bowl and gently massage the soap in circular patterns on all surfaces.

6. After a minute or so, take the soap out of the nylon stocking and begin to roll the bar around in your hands from left to right and right to left, both widthwise and lengthwise. The wool is now in an active felting state and will continue to shrink around the soap as you agitate it. Continue to massage in circles and roll in hands for 2 minutes or until all wool is tight. Dip back into hot water for a few seconds to rinse off excess soap bubbles or if felting action pauses.

7. Squeeze excess water out of your soap and shape the edges.

8. When the desired shape is achieved, set onto the clothes-drying rack outside or in a warm room to dry for 24 hours.

© Pure Joy Farm

*We use our undyed Icelandic roving, but other good felting breeds are Shetland, Corriedale, and Merino. You can also use dyed roving; just make sure it is color safe. Do not use lambswool, as it is too fine to felt.

Raspberry Kefir

Hi! My name is Carolyn Thomas. My husband and I live in the far northern reaches of Idaho with our ten children on forty acres of homestead paradise that we call Riverbend. Not too many years ago I wanted to increase our family’s gut health and immune response. I tried many things, but the one thing that had the most noticeable effect on our health was milk kefir. Not only is milk kefir incredibly health promoting, thanks to the huge diversity of probiotic good bacteria it offers, but it is also absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Even my friends’ picky toddlers love it! Use raw, pasteurized, or even ultra-pasteurized milk from cows, goats, sheep, or any other milk animal you can find. Learn more about our homesteading adventures along with some inspiration and homestead education at HomesteadingFamily.com.

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

Primary Kefir

1 tablespoon dehydrated milk kefir grains

4 cups raw or pasteurized milk

Raspberry Kefir

Second Ferment

4 cups primary kefir

1 cup raspberries

Instructions

Primary Kefir

1. Purchase dehydrated milk kefir grains from a reputable company such as Cultures for Health and follow the package instructions to rehydrate your kefir grains (this may take a week).

2. Place grains in a clean quart-size mason jar and cover with raw or pasteurized milk. Cover loosely and allow to sit in a warm location for up to 24 hours or until the milk becomes thick.

3. Carefully strain the kefir through a plastic or nylon mesh strainer into a clean jar, using a clean spoon to “push” the kefir through the strainer, until only your grains are left in the strainer.

4. Use the grains to start a new batch of kefir. The kefir that was strained into your jar is called your primary kefir; you should have approximately 4 cups. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

© Carolyn Thomas

Raspberry Kefir Second Ferment

1. In a blender, blend 4 cups primary kefir with 1 cup raspberries until smooth.

2. Pour into a clean quart-size mason jar and cover tightly with a two-piece canning lid. Allow to sit at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours or until bubbles start to form. Open lid quickly to release gasses and re-tighten lid.

3. Place in refrigerator to chill and stop fermentation. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

4. Enjoy cold!

This recipe has endless variations. Try different fruits and/or adding herbs, spices, flavor extracts, or seasonings. Here are some of our favorites:
Blackberry Basil (1 cup blackberries and 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped)
Peach with Cinnamon (1 cup diced peaches and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
Cherry Almond (1 cup pitted sweet cherries and 1 teaspoon almond extract)

© Rebecca Saul

Goat Milk Lotion

Hi! My name is Rebecca and I run Glimfeather Farms in Sisters, Oregon. I started raising goats in 2014 and began making goat milk soap soon after with the excess milk. It wasn’t until several years later, when we moved to the high desert of Central Oregon, that I started making goat milk lotion. The arid climate here makes moisturizing an important daily routine, and I felt that it was not only an important craft for me to learn for my family, but it would also be something that my farmers’ markets and online customers (www.glimfeatherfarms.com) would find value in and benefit from. This recipe is simple, using many ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Goat milk is a wonderful addition to this lotion; it contains a high level of vitamin A and lactic acid and is easily absorbed by the skin. Vitamin A has been used for decades in skincare to help skin appear healthier and more resilient. Lactic acid is used as an exfoliant to unclog pores and as a humectant to seal moisture into the skin. I have added the percentages of each ingredient in this recipe, so feel free to experiment and customize to your own liking. If you choose to add essential oils for scent, you can use up to 1 percent of the scent or scent blend of your choosing. Follow me on Instagram @glimfeatherfarms to keep up with all our farm shenanigans!

Yield: 5 (8-ounce) jars

Ingredients

10.5 ounces (30%) goat milk

16.5 ounces (47%) distilled water

3 ounces (9%) coconut oil

2 ounces (6%) sunflower oil

1.5 ounces (4%) shea butter

1.5 ounces (4%) emulsifying wax

0.4 ounce (1%) Optiphen (preservative)

0.35 ounce essential oil(s) (optional)

Equipment

Large pot

Double boiler or 2 stainless-steel saucepans and 1 glass measuring cup

Immersion blender

5 (8-ounce) jars with lids

© Rebecca Saul

Instructions

1. Wash and sterilize equipment in boiling water.

2. Combine milk and water in a large pot and slowly heat to 80°F–90°F over low heat.

3. While the water/milk mixture is heating, melt oils and butter together in a double boiler or a glass measuring cup resting in a stainless-steel saucepan filled with a few inches of water (pictured here).

4. Once the oil/butter mixture is completely melted, add emulsifying wax. Heat the oil, butter, and emulsifying wax until all are liquified.

5. Add the oils/butter/emulsifying wax mixture to the water/milk mixture. Using an immersion blender in 30-second intervals, blend together until thickened, about 2½ minutes total. Use a spatula to keep off the sides.

6. Add the Optiphen and continue blending with your immersion blender. This addition will make your lotion thin and pourable. It will thicken up again once cooled.

7. Add your choice of essential oils, if using, and blend.

8. Pour into jars and enjoy! This recipe should keep at least two months without refrigeration.

Herbal and Orchard Garland

Jess, her husband Adam, and their three children live in a small town nestled in the mountains outside of Seattle, Washington. Their homestead, Cedar House Farm, is their sanctuary and home to Southdown Babydoll sheep, Holland Lop bunnies, and chickens of every color and size. Jess enjoys gardening, herbalism, farming, baking, and artfully photographing life on their land. This Herbal and Orchard Garland beautifully weaves together Jess’s love for gardening, herbalism, and home décor. Use it year-round to decorate your mantle, window frames, banisters, chicken coops and barn doors, or a fresh evergreen holiday wreath or Christmas tree. It will give several weeks of a lovely inviting fragrance, and the herb bundles can be easily untied from the twine to season your favorite savory dishes and drinks. While the herbs hang, they naturally dry and can be preserved and used for the next 12 to 18 months. Follow Jess’s homesteading journey on Instagram @cedarhouseliving and jessie-b-photography.myshopify.com.

Yield: 1 garland

Ingredients

Your favorite culinary or medicinal herbs (I prefer sage, lemon thyme, eucalyptus, and rosemary)

Various fruit that grows on your homestead (I use pear, apple, and orange in this recipe)

Jute twine

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°F.

2. Collect your favorite fragrant herbs and fruit.

3. Slice your fruit less than ¼-inch thick. It’s okay if the slices are various sizes (this just adds character to the garland!).

4. Arrange the fruit slices on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 200°F for 2 hours or until the fruit is completely dried through. Keep in mind that thicker pieces can take an additional hour to completely dry through.

5. While the fruit is drying, measure the space(s) where you want to hang your garland and cut your jute twine to that length plus 2 inches, so the garland can hang down about a foot on each side. Add a couple additional feet if you want the garland to drape throughout. I have found that 7-inch pieces of garland are a good length for hanging in various spaces around my home.

6. Cut several 9-inch pieces of twine that will be used to attach your herbs and fruit to the primary twine. Cut more if you’d like your garland to be full and heavy with herbs. Cut less if you’d like the garland to have a more subtle, simplistic look.

7. Tie your herbs to your long piece of twine, spacing them out equally as shown. Tie the herbs tightly, as they will shrink as they dry.

8. When the fruit is completely dried, poke a hole toward the top of each piece and attach them using the small pieces of twine, filling the spaces between the herbs. The herb bundles will slide back and forth with a gentle pull so you can reposition them as you incorporate the fruit.

9. Add additional items that fit your personal style and home décor. Some ideas include pieces of evergreen branch clippings, cinnamon sticks, fresh cranberries for a pop of color, jingle bells to ring in the holiday season, or simple wooden beads.

© Jess Buttermore

© Devin Larson

Another way to help pollinators thrive is by letting your food garden bolt. Yes! Every time your vegetables bolt, they grow beautiful flowers that pollinators love. Helping pollinators thrive is easy and we can all make a difference by following these four simple steps:

• Plant a pollinator garden at home.

• Avoid pesticides and herbicides.

• Support organic farms and products.

• Spread the word in your community.

Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Moon Valley Organics, located in the beautiful Acme Valley of Washington state, is a ten-acre farm and skincare company on a mission to help bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators thrive by expanding their habitat and advocating for a pesticide-free future. Every year, they plant a four-acre pollinator garden with Washington native wildflowers, creating a beautiful pollinator heaven that sustains until mid-fall. Their mission is to raise awareness and educate the community about the dangers that threaten pollinators. All of their personal care products at www.moonvalleyorganics.com are high-quality, cruelty-free, and made with 100 percent USDA-certified organic, sustainably grown herbs using permaculture practices. Follow them on Instagram @moonvalleyorganics.

Materials

Planting area (a plot of well-drained land of any size with good sun exposure)

Pollinator seed mix (choose different varieties that grow well in your area and with overlapping blooming times to ensure that your pollinator garden will last for a long time)

Water

Instructions

1. Find a sunny, well-drained planting area for your future pollinator garden. Planting time can happen from early spring to late winter, depending on where you live.

2. Gently loosen the dirt, pull weeds, and any other undesired plant or crop.

3. Visualize where and how you want to plant each seed mix. At Moon Valley Organics, we plant long rows of each variety. You can plant seeds using the same way to organize each variety, mix all the seeds together, or try something completely different. Just imagine how you would like your garden to look when plants take over.

4. Start seeding each variety in its designated area, either with a manual seed spreader or by hand. Walking back and forth from one side of your lot to the other, slowly spread the seeds while trying to cover the entire designed plot.

5. Once you have planted all the seeds, proceed to water your plot once a day or when needed. The amount of watering directly depends on where you live, but you can treat it like a regular vegetable garden.

6. It will be a matter of days and weeks until seeds start popping. Slowly, flowers will take over and you will have months filled with beautiful colors, flowers, smells, and happy pollinators buzzing right by your home.

DIY Farmhouse Dining Table

Alexa is the blogger from The Duvall Homestead where she passionately shares her farm-to-table recipes and daily life from the homestead. In her spare time, between folding laundry and making sourdough bread, Alexa’s new role includes taking care of her family’s first baby, Allison. Meanwhile, her husband John works on farmhouse do-it-yourself (DIY) projects. John built this farmhouse dining table to become a family heirloom and it has quickly become one of Alexa’s most popular blog posts, with many people around the world building it for their homes. We hope it makes it into your home, too! Refer to www.theduvallhomestead.com for more instructions and a video tutorial. You can also find Alexa on Instagram @theduvallhomestead.

Yield: 1 (8-foot) farmhouse table Skill Level: Medium

Materials

5 (2' × 4' × 8') pieces raw pine wood, 2 (30.5") pieces, cut to 3 (67") pieces, 4 (27") pieces, and 4 (13.5") pieces

2 (4' × 4' x 8') pieces wood, cut to 4 (29") pieces

7 (2' × 6' x 8') pieces tongue-and-groove pine wood

Wood glue

Kreg 2.5" pocket hole screws

Brad nails (optional)

Lower to higher grit sandpaper

Wood conditioner

Wood stain (we use Varathane red mahogany)

Wood stain wool applicator

Polyurethane (we use a water-based wipe-on with a satin finish)

White rags (for polyurethane application)

Tools

Kreg jig

Speed square

Power drill

Miter saw

2 levelers

Circular saw

Orbital sander

© Alexa Gibbons

© Alexa Gibbons

Instructions

1. Follow safety precautions like wearing eye and mouth protective gear, making sure you’re cutting and drilling in a safe area, etc. No cut fingers here!

2. Purchase and cut the wood based on the materials list above.

3. Follow the outline in Diagram 1 to build the table frame. Use a Kreg jig to make pocket holes on the 2' × 4' × 8' pieces where they will attach to the 4' × 4' × 8' pieces. Apply wood glue when fastening the pieces together. Use 2.5-inch Kreg screws for the pocket holes. Set your power drill to a low torque setting, 60–70, before setting the screws. Once the length sides are complete, do the same for the width. Use the speed square to help measure straight cuts.

4. Attach one of your 67" boards as the lengthwise middle board runner. This runner ensures that the table has a footrest when you are sitting at the table.

5. After you’ve installed the middle board runner, use your miter saw to create a 45° angle for each of the corner supports. Use the pocket holes to attach these pieces to the frame for more support.

6. To add support beams, attach two middle supports for the frame, making sure the frame is level with a leveler on each end. Secure the top support beam with pocket holes.

7. To build the tabletop, lay the tongue-and-groove boards out on the table and use a circular saw to cut the ends off on each side to the length you want for your table. Use the pocket holes drilled into the center frame supports and ends to attach the tongue-and-groove to the frame. You could also use brad nails for this step.

8. To finish the wood, sand the entire table using lower to higher grit sandpaper. You can find these at your local hardware store. You can also use an orbital sander to jimmy-rig a vacuum attachment to catch the dust.

9. Before staining, apply a wood conditioner. Pine is a soft wood, and the table will inevitably get liquid spilled on it, making conditioner a good idea.

10. Apply your stain. We used Varathane red mahogany stain and a wool applicator. Let it sit and cure for the recommended time between layers, roughly 24 to 48 hours.

11. Finally, apply polyurethane to seal it all in. We used a water-based wipe-on polyurethane with a satin finish and applied it with white rags. We used 3 full coats, which was about 1½ bottles, and allowed roughly 6 hours between drying times.

© Alexa Gibbons

© Alexa Gibbons

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Cooking from scratch is a way of life for us on our homestead in Stayton, Oregon. Although pure vanilla extract is available commercially, the complexity of flavors found in homemade vanilla extract makes it a wonderful addition to the homestead kitchen. The vanilla extract that we know and love today is derived from orchids of the plant genus Vanilla. The pods, or beans, of the orchid are harvested, then dried. Harvesting and germinating the Vanilla orchid is a very labor intensive and time-consuming endeavor. While preparing the initial extract is a tedious process, since it ages for six months to a year, the flavorful product you get at the end makes it worth the wait. Vanilla extract can be further enhanced by infusing with your favorite fruit. We chose to infuse ours with apples and cinnamon. The resulting Apple Pie-Infused Vanilla Extract will enhance your favorite coffee drinks, whipped cream, and desserts. For some simple recipes on how to use homemade vanilla extract, please check out our website at www.afarmgarden.com and find me on Instagram @afarmgardenco.

Yield: 2 half-pint mason jars with lids

Ingredients

Vanilla Extract

10 vanilla beans (extract quality)

Bourbon or vodka (80 proof or higher)

Apple Pie-Infused Vanilla Extract

1. In a clean half-pint mason jar, add ½–¾ fresh apple slices and 2 cinammon sticks.

2. Fill the jar with your prepared vanilla extract.

3. Store the apple pie-infused vanilla extract in a dark place for another 6 weeks to infuse.

© Greg Kosel

Instructions

Vanilla Extract

1. Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise to expose the seeds and cut the vanilla beans to size to fit into a clean half-pint mason jar.

2. Put the beans into your mason jar, then add the bourbon or vodka to your mason jar to fill, covering the vanilla beans. (Bourbon will add a sweetness to the vanilla extract whereas the vodka will extract the pure flavor of the vanilla.) Bourbon is my favorite liquor to use when making vanilla extract.

3. Store the jar in a dark place for 6 months to a year. The longer the vanilla ages, the stronger the flavor will become. I will sometimes let the vanilla age for a year or more.

4. Shake the vanilla extract every couple of days for the first couple of weeks to help the liquor absorb the flavors of the beans and seeds.

© Holly Capelle

Dehydrated Apple Snacks

Hello! I’m Holly Capelle. I’m a working mom with six kids. My husband, Kevin, and I are high school sweethearts who’ve grown up together over the last thirty years. Together, we’ve transformed our suburban home into a backyard homestead. As our family and garden grew larger, growing as much food as I could became my passion. That’s where my love of dehydrated foods began. Dehydration is one of the oldest food preservation methods. Today, we have the choice between dehydrating in the sun, an oven, or even better, a food dehydrator. There are a few reasons I love this method. One, it’s easy (all the work is in the prep!). Two, they are such a delicious and healthy on-the-go snack. Last, shelf life. If dried and stored properly, dried fruits can last 6 months to a year. For more homesteading recipes, inspiration, and ideas, head over to my Instagram @bigfamilyliving or my YouTube channel, BigFamilyLiving. You can also find me on www.bloomtvnetwork.com where I share tips and ideas on living pretty. I hope you’ll join me!

Yield: 1 (32-ounce) jar for apples 1 (16-ounce) jar for peels

Dehydrated Apples

Ingredients

12–14 apples, washed and cored (peeling is optional)

Water

1 tablespoon Fruit-Fresh Produce Protector or 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)

Cinnamon-sugar mixture (optional)

Equipment

Large bowl

Food dehydrator

Instructions

1. Cut apples into ¼-inch rings or slices.

2. As you cut the apples, add them to a large bowl of water. Mix in your Fruit-Fresh or lemon juice to keep the apples from browning.

3. Drain and rinse the apple rings or slices. Toss them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture if you like.

4. Place the apple rings or slices on food dehydrator racks and dry them at 135°F for 21 to 24 hours or until pliable.

5. Store dehydrated apple snacks in a sealed jar or bag and use in baked goods, granola, oatmeal, tea, or salads.

Dehydrated Apple Peels

1. As you peel the apples, pretreat the peels in water and Fruit-Fresh Produce Protector or lemon juice.

2. Drain and rinse the peels and toss them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.

3. Dry the peels as directed above. The peels should be crunchy when they are done and easily crushed into tiny pieces.

4. Store and use as previously directed.

Southwest Region

Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

Market Bag

Quilted Checkerboard

Wild Plum Jam

Home Coffee Roasting

DIY Birdhouse

Rendering Lard

Honey Lip Balm

Homemade Apple Juice

Repurposed Bench Swing

Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

Nature Hills Farm is a sustainable family farm started by my family and me in the high desert of Cedar City, Utah. We use our harvest to make a wide variety of value-added products, like cheese, which we sell in our farm store and at farmers’ markets. Ricotta is a simple and quick cheese to make. Ricotta means “re-cooked” and was traditionally made from whey after making other cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano. Ricotta is a firm mass of fine, moist, delicate grains. It is the very best when it is unsalted or lightly salted and eaten fresh, not aged. In this recipe, we make ricotta with raw whole milk with the option to leave the cream on the milk for a richer flavor. We also use citric acid, but for a richer cheese we replace the citric acid with lemon juice as they would do in Italy. We enjoy making homemade treats like cheese, butter, sourdough bread, jams, and broth and share many of these recipes through social media, providing everyone a taste of Nature Hills Farm.

Yield: 1½–2 pounds Skill Level: Beginner

Equipment

1 (4–6 quart) heavy pot

Long-handled slotted spoon

Colander

Butter muslin cheesecloth

Wooden spoon

Ricotta mold

Ingredients

1 gallon whole milk with cream (if using store-bought milk, add ½ cup heavy cream)

1 teaspoon citric acid powder dissolved in ¼ cup cool water or 7 tablespoons lemon juice

Herbs, salt, or cream (optional)

© Kept Studios

© Kept Studios

Instructions

1. Read through the recipe in its entirety and gather equipment and ingredients.

2. Clean and sterilize all equipment and lay it out on a clean surface.

3. In a heavy pot, add milk with cream and citric acid or lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Heat milk to 185°F–195ºF on low to medium heat. Stir milk often to prevent the bottom of the pan from scorching. This will take about 25 to 30 minutes. As the milk reaches the desired temperature, you will begin to see the curds develop and separate from the whey. Make sure that the whey is yellowish in color and clear, not milky, before removing the pot from the heat.

4. If the whey is still slightly milky, return to heat and raise the temperature about 5°F. If the whey is still not clear, add a bit more citric acid solution or lemon juice and continue this process of raising the temperature slightly and adding a bit more acid until you get a clear yellow color in the whey. (Do not let milk boil, as that will cause a bad tasting cheese.) Once the curds have all separated from the whey, remove pot from the heat and let it sit undisturbed and uncovered for 10 minutes.

5. After the curds have settled below the level of whey, use a long-handled slotted spoon to gently ladle the curds out of your pot and into a colander lined with butter muslin cheesecloth. Tie the opposite corners of the butter muslin into a knot and repeat with the remaining two corners to make a bag to hold the curds.

6. Use our “cheese draining tool” or slip a wooden spoon under the knots and suspend over your pot or other container to collect the whey as it drains. You can reserve the whey to use at a later time or discard.

7. Drain for 20 to 30 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. You can also place the entire mass of curds in a ricotta mold and allow it to drain. Flip the mass several times to help drain into a beautiful mass of cheese. Unwrap or unmold the cheese and consume right away. Add herbs or more salt to taste. Add in more cream for a creamier texture.

8. Store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic for up to 2 weeks, or vacuum seal and freeze for up to 2 months.

© Kept Studios

Market Bag

My name is Ashley Sasser Gunson, and I live in Henderson, Nevada, with my husband, Brent, and my three daughters, Izzy, Vera, and Lyla. My obsession with knitting started in 1998 when my dear friend, Liz Jensen, taught me how to knit. I especially love knitting hats, particularly hand-knitted beanies made from wool or alpaca fiber. I started Mütze by Ashley in 1999 as a way to fund my love for knitting. (The name Mütze is German for hat.) We recently started breeding our alpaca. We started with two females, Lena and Zsu Zsu. Three years ago, Zsu Zsu gave birth to a baby boy, Little B. I hope you love your Mütze by Ashely farmers’ market bag as much as I do. I take my bags to the pool, beach, shopping, and often give them as gifts with presents inside. People love receiving anything handmade, and these are always a huge hit. This market bag pattern is simple to knit, but I don’t suggest it as your first knitting project. You can follow me and more of my farm and knitting adventures on Instagram @mutzbyashley.

Yield: 1 (19" x 7½") bag with strap

Materials

1 (16") set size US 15 circular knitting needles

1 (108-yard) skein yarn*

1 darning needle

Instructions

Beginner Pattern

1. With your circular knitting needles and yarn, cast on 29 stitches.

2. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist stitches.

3. Row 1: Purl one row.

4. All rounds: Knit for 11 inches.

5. Last row: Knit 2 together for every stitch.

6. Cut yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail, thread tail through remaining stitches, pull tight, and fasten off. Weave in the ends with your darning needle.

© Ashley Gunson

Intermediate Pattern (recommended for people with some experience using knitting needles)

1. With your circular knitting needles and yarn, cast on 29 stitches.

2. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist stitches.

3. Row 1: Purl 1 row.

4. Row 2 and all rounds: Yarn over stitch for 11 inches.

5. Last row: Knit 2 together for every stitch.

6. Cut yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail, thread tail through remaining stitches, pull tight, and fasten off. Weave in ends with darning needle.

Handle of Market Bag

1. Add 4 stitches to the top of the bag.

2. Knit for 10 inches.

3. Bind off 4 stitches.

4. Cut the yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail, then sew to the opposite side of where you added the 4 stitches. Fasten and weave the ends in with your darning needle.

*Yarn choice is important if you like some stretch in your market bags. I recommend a cotton/polyester blend.

Quilted Checkerboard

My name is Alyson McKean-Bown. I live on a small hobby farm, Red Barn Farm, in West Bountiful, Utah, with my husband, dog, horses, goats, and chickens. I took up quilting after I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) to help strengthen my problem-solving skills. I love the history of quilting and how my grandmothers utilized what they had by making quilts from feed sacks or old clothes. I also love the creativity involved with using scraps and how it challenges my brain. I’m working toward a master’s degree in mental health counseling with an emphasis in neurocounseling to help others with MS and to help share the therapeutic effect quilting has on the brain and soul. You can follow me on Instagram @thevintagefarmgirl or visit my fabric shop at etsy.com/shop/shopvintagefarmgirl.

Yield: 1 (17" x 17") checkerboard

Materials

32 (2½"-square) pieces scrap fabric in white/cream

32 (2½"-square) pieces scrap fabric in 1 solid color

Sewing machine

Coordinating thread

Pins

4 (1½" × 20") scrap strips fabric, for border in same solid color

1 (21½" × 21½") scrap piece fabric

1 (20" × 20") scrap piece batting

Scissors

12 large buttons in 1 color plus 12 large buttons in another color (for checkers)

Instructions

1. Place each white/cream square right sides together with a contrasting colored square, creating 32 pieces sandwiched together. Stack in a pile and take to sewing machine. Sew each pair with a ¼" seam along one side.

© Alyson McKean-Bown

© Alyson McKean-Bown

2. Press open each set of squares. Take 2 sets and place right sides together, alternating colors. Sew ¼ inch along one side, creating one strip. Complete this step until you have 8 squares total in one row. Repeat this step until you have 8 strips of 8 squares. Press each strip flat.

© Alyson McKean-Bown

3. Take 2 fabric strips. Place 1 strip face up with the dark color in the left corner. Take a second strip and place right sides together on top of the first strip, alternating colors. Pin the 2 strips into place and match up the seams. Sew ¼ inch along the bottom of the 2 strips, making sure the dark color is always in the top left corner. Press flat. Repeat this step until you have 4 strips with 2 rows. Press flat. Sew 2 more strips together to create 4 rows of strips. Repeat step. Press flat. Sew the last pieces together, alternating colors, to create an entire checkerboard. Press flat.

© Alyson McKean-Bown

4. Take your 4 (1½" × 20") strips and, with a ¼" seam, sew 1 strip on top of the checkerboard and 1 strip on bottom. Repeat the same step and sew the strips onto each side of the checkerboard, creating a border. Press flat.

5. Lay back your 21½" × 21½" piece of fabric right side down. Place your batting on top of the back fabric and the checkerboard right side up on top of the batting. Batting should be trimmed to approximately ¾" wider on all sides than the checkerboard for wiggle room while quilting. The bottom fabric should be approximately 1½" wider than the checkerboard on all sides. Use pins to hold in place.

© Alyson McKean-Bown

6. Quilt straight diagonal lines, starting in one top corner and moving down to the bottom right corner. Work your way out each direction, quilting straight diagonal lines. Don’t stitch over the top of the batting on the edge, as it will be trimmed afterward. Remove pins as you move along. Once you have lines going one direction on the checkerboard, rotate the board and repeat this step until each square has a completed “X” quilted in the middle of the square.

© Alyson McKean-Bown

7. Fold the backing fabric back and trim the batting to the same edge as the checkerboard. Be careful not to trim the bottom layer of fabric. Fold the edges in half inward on the bottom piece of the fabric and press. Fold the corners in on each side and press. Once pressed, fold in half again onto the top of the checkerboard and pin into place. The corners should have a nice, mitered edge after the last fold. Stitch along the top of the binding to stich into place and trim excess strings. Gather some large buttons and begin to play checkers!

© Alyson McKean-Bown

Wild Plum Jam

What started out as a way to make use of an avalanche of wild plums from an heirloom tree carpeting our garden every year has now become a jam company showcasing various fruits from our farm’s organic orchards in Sonoma County, California. We also glean from local residential orchards to rescue fruit that would otherwise go to waste. Using traditional European jam-making techniques and our beloved French copper jam pot, we create low-sugar, flavor-forward jams with a typical batch yielding fewer than eighteen jars. This micro-canning method ensures that each pound of fruit is crafted with a minimal amount of pure cane sugar, harnessing as much of the fruit’s natural pectin as possible. Check out our collection of jams on our website at www.fourteenmagpies.com and follow our social media @fourteenmagpies.

Yield: 14–18 (9-ounce) jars

Equipment

14–18 glass jars and lids

Lark stockpot

Large, nonreactive (no aluminum) wide pot or Dutch oven for plums

Slotted spoon

Stainless-steel ladle

Canning funnel, depending on neck size of jar(s)

Damp cloth or paper towel

Ingredients

1 tablespoon white vinegar

12 dry cups (6 pounds) wild plums or small plums

12–14 tablespoons low-sugar pectin* (check package directions for optimum quantity)

6½ cups pure cane sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste

Zest of 1 lemon

© Tanya Seibold

© Tanya Seibold

Instructions

1. Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water and sterilize them via a wet bath method by simmering for 12 minutes in a large stockpot of water with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or a dry oven method on a sheet pan for 20 minutes at 150°F. Set aside.

2. Thoroughly wash and prepare your plums. Plums have oodles of flavor and natural pectin in the skin and the stone, so keep the fruit whole to capture these bonus ingredients. The skin will soften when cooking, adding a nice texture to the finished jam. The stones are strained away before jarring, which adds an extra step to the process, but so worth the effort for the added flavor and natural pectin.

3. Add your plums to a wide pot or Dutch oven and simmer on medium-high heat. Once the pulp begins to break away from the skin, add the pectin. Then, mix the full quantity of pectin with a portion of the sugar (usually 1 cup from the allotted total) to prevent the pectin from clumping when hitting the hot liquid. You’ll get an even distribution of the pectin throughout the jam this way. Then, add the remaining sugar per package instructions along with your vanilla bean paste and lemon zest. Our signature Wild Plum Jam straddles the line of sweet and tart, so our ratio is generally 1 cup of sugar per 1 pound (2 cups) of plums. Most jams using standard pectin require twice that amount of sugar. Adjust this ratio to suit your taste.

4. Once the jam has reached the “set” stage at 220°F, turn off the heat and allow the jam to rest for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the plum pits with a slotted spoon.

5. Round up your ladle, jarring funnel, and damp cloth or paper towel for wiping the rims, as it’s time to jar your plum jam! We prefer to put the sealed jars back in the hot water bath for 10 more minutes to ensure an airtight seal.

6. Plum jam is divine on a flaky butter croissant but it’s also a great pal to savory meat dishes or cheese and charcuterie boards. (Or try adding 2 tablespoons to a cocktail shaker with whiskey or bourbon for an orchard-fresh cocktail!) Store jam in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 months.

© Tanya Seibold

*Whether it’s for health reasons or simply for real fruit taste, making a low-sugar jam is just as easy as making one with a standard sugar content. We believe the true flavor of the fruit should shine through in every bite. Using a low-sugar pectin (LSP) is key. Regular pectin and LSP are not interchangeable.

Home Coffee Roasting

Johanson Farm is located at the edge of the Texas Hill Country in a little ranching community called Menard. Just a mile from the town center, the property is cut into the hillside featuring a dramatic landscape including caves and endless vista points from the top of the hill. The 160-acre farm is home to a herd of Aberdeen Cows, Dorper sheep, an assortment of milk goats, chickens, a rescue horse, Jameson the labradoodle, two little girls, Juliet and June, and two grown people, Luke and Sarah (that’s me!). A group called “Home Coffee Roasters” on a popular social media platform taught me everything I know. I encourage you to seek out this group or something similar, as the process of coffee roasting involves so many elements. Having a community to ask questions and learn from is imperative. A quick search on the Internet for “green coffee beans” will direct you toward the top sellers for buying green beans for home roasters. These folks will often have roasting equipment and endless amounts of information to help a roaster further understand the nuances behind getting to sipping on that perfect cup of joe. For more information about our farm, visit www.johansonfarm.com or check out @johansonfarm on social media.

Yield: 7–8 ounces

Materials

Stemmed deep-frying thermometer

Stainless stovetop popcorn maker

Heat source and fuel (a camp stove, grill stove, or anything that can heat up and stay consistently hot)

Timer

8 ounces green coffee beans

2 colanders

Storage container

© Sarah Johanson

Instructions

1. Install a stemmed deep-frying thermometer into your popcorn maker by drilling a small hole in the top of the popcorn maker and inserting the thermometer stem into the hole. Make sure the stem is not resting on the bottom of the popcorn maker.

2. Preheat your popcorn maker to 400°F.

3. Start your timer and quickly add the beans.

4. This is the most important step to ensure an even roast: Immediately start turning the crank and agitating the beans. Continue to do so the entire time that the beans are in the popper. Do not stop until you reach the end of your roast.

5. Turn heat down to a little over halfway (you may have to adjust depending on your heat source). The temperature will drop when you first add the beans and will rise back up to 300°F after 3½ to 4½ minutes.

6. Your temperature will rise to 350°F at around 6 minutes and you will start to hear the beans cracking. This is the first crack. The cracking slows down around 7 to 7½ minutes. Depending on the roast level, you want to dump your beans sometime between 7½ to 9 minutes. For a lighter roast, dump your beans into one colander right after the first crack. For a medium roast, continue roasting until 8½ minutes. For a dark roast, continue roasting until second crack begins right around 9 minutes.

7. Move your beans back and forth between two colanders until they are cool to the touch.

8. That’s it! If you can wait, let your beans off-gas in a storage container that is not fully sealed for 3 to 5 days, then in an airtight container to store. But it is certainly okay to go ahead and try a cup now. Enjoy!

© Rachelle Pryden

DIY Birdhouse

My family and I live on a half-acre lot in Windsor, California. In the three years we have been in this home, there have been countless hours spent transforming the yard into an area to grow food and attract local wildlife. One of the most fun creatures to attract are the different types of birds. I am introducing you to the craft of creating a birdhouse from found objects and materials. Every birdhouse is completely unique, based on the birds and materials in your area. I found the front piece of my birdhouse in the creek area behind my home, and it inspired me immediately! Research which birds in your area build nests in a cavity or hole and learn the correct nest size and what attracts them. I chose the Bewick’s Wren, as it needs a protected nesting spot so that other birds don’t target it. Each bird is different and some only need a little platform for nesting. Your design will vary according to your bird choice. Come join my gardening and project adventures on Instagram @gardenkeeper_rachelle!

Yield: 1 birdhouse

Materials

Miter/hand saw

Scrap wood

Small hinges (optional)

Screws and/or nails of choice

Wood glue

Electric drill

Hole saw/spade drill bit

Whatever random objects you find!

Instructions

1. With a miter saw or hand saw, cut pieces of scrap wood according to what is needed for your bird’s nesting preferences. You may need to test out and recut pieces until you get it how you want; it’s all part of the creative process. Once you have all your pieces cut, you can do a “dry run” and see if they fit together properly and are ready to be screwed or nailed together. I recommend making a roof with a slant so that any rainfall will roll away and be less likely to drench the inside. I attached small hinges to my roof so that I can slightly open it if needed.

2. Screw or nail the wooden pieces together to form the birdhouse. There are many options here. First of all, I highly recommend you first put a layer of wood glue wherever you are joining two pieces together, to add to the stability. Keep note of what order to put the pieces together, as sometimes it can be difficult to get a drill or screwdriver into tight spaces and awkward angles. I used a combination of metal brackets and pocket hole screws depending on what fit best and was strongest. Pay attention to where more weight may be put on certain areas.

3. Another thing to consider is an access door for cleaning or old nest removal. I chose to make the roof able to slightly open and also gave special attention to the back wall. I used an old cabinet door hinge and attached that to join the back wall to the floor piece. That way, I can slightly lift the roof and pull the back wall down to access the inside.

4. Next up is drilling an entrance hole. The Bewick’s Wren can have a hole no larger than 1¼" so that other birds can’t bother them. They also cannot have a perch or platform for the same reason. You can use a hole saw or spade drill bit for this.

5. There were a few cracks that were too big for keeping water out, so I packed some moss tightly into those areas. It would also be a good idea to drill ventilation holes near the top, below the roof.

6. Hang your birdhouse and wait for the birds to arrive!

© Rachelle Pryden

Rendering Lard

At Thrivestock Ranch, we are here to heal our little piece of earth by raising animals as nature intended and creating delicious protein as a wonderful side effect. Or maybe we are here to raise the most wholesome and best-tasting meat you and your family have ever had, and in the process, heal our little piece of earth. Either way, we are committed to doing the right thing; for the land, for our family, and for yours. Lard has several advantages over other oils and fats, one of them being that it has one of the highest smoke points. It is more resistant to oxidation, making it ideal for high-heat cooking. We invite you to follow us on Instagram @thrivestockranch and find our farm products at www.thrivestockranch.com.

Yield: 2 quart-size jars + 1 pint-size jar

Ingredients

2½ pounds pork fat (we recommend pasture raised pork)

1 cup water

© Rachael Alcon

Instructions

1. Begin by dicing the pork fat as small as you can. The smaller you chop the pieces, the quicker it will render and the more lard you will end up with. If you have access to a meat grinder, you can use that instead of dicing. Grinding the lard speeds up the rendering process and increases the yield. Alternatively, you can freeze the chunks and finely chop them in your food processor.

2. Place the fat in a slow cooker and set it to low. Add the water to prevent sticking or burning and stir occasionally as the fat begins to melt. It will take several hours to melt/render.

3. Begin rendering with the slow cooker lid on. After the fat has mostly rendered, remove the lid and increase the temperature to medium. This will cause all the water to boil and evaporate.

4. You’ll know all the water has been removed when the lard is no longer bubbling and reads over 220°F in temperature. If you remove the cracklings/solid unrendered fat before increasing the temperature, you’ll end up with a more mellow, less pork/bacon-tasting lard. If you leave them in, you’ll get a higher yield and less unrendered solids.

5. Once all the water has boiled off and you are satisfied with its rendering, indicated by when the solids float to the surface, strain the lard through a colander to remove the larger solids. Then, strain it again through 3 layers of cheesecloth to remove the remaining small bits and sediment. It’s important that you remove any bits of unrendered fat along with any tiny bits of sediment and water, otherwise your lard will mold when left at room temperature. Pure fat doesn’t grow mold, but it can go rancid. If there’s mold growing, it’s because it wasn’t rendered long enough to remove all the water and/or wasn’t strained properly, so be sure to strain it thoroughly. In its liquid state, the color of the lard will be like lemonade. Once it cools and hardens, it will become white.

6. Pour the melted lard in wide-mouth mason jars. (In our experience, wide-mouth jars are best for freezer storage.) Let the jarred lard sit undisturbed at room temperature until it has cooled down and firmed up. Store in the fridge for 6 months and up to a year. If it starts smelling rancid, throw it out and render another batch.

Honey Lip Balm

Welcome to LeeCo Honey! We are a fourth-generation beekeeping family in Central Texas. We have four apiary locations, a small herd of angus cattle, three farm dogs, an old mare, and a garden that satisfies our Texas-sized salsa fix every summer. Our honey lip balm contains beeswax saved from our honey harvest each summer. Beeswax locks in moisture and can help keep the skin firm and plump. The anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties soothe easily irritated skin, making it one of the best skincare ingredients for healing rosacea or eczema. We love to share our process with you so you can, one, feel confident in the product you buy from us and, two, make your own honey lip balm at home. (Just promise us you’ll make friends with your local beekeeper and use the real deal!) How to find us? Glad you asked! You can follow us on Instagram @leecohoney and visit our website at www.leecohoney.com.

Yield: 4–6 lip balms

Ingredients

2 tablespoons honey beeswax

2 tablespoons organic shea butter

2 tablespoons organic fractionated coconut oil

3–4 drops vitamin E

30+ drops essential oils of your choice

Materials

Small pot or slow cooker

Lip balm tubes

Measuring cylinder

© Meagan Orsag

© Meagan Orsag

© Meagan Orsag

Instructions

1. Melt the beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil, and vitamin E in a small pot or small slow cooker over low-medium heat. Don’t boil!

2. Add the drops of essential oil(s) of your choice. Mint is always a favorite!

3. Fill the tubes of lip balm ¾ full using a hand measuring cylinder. Do not fill all the way! Let it cool.

4. Once the lip balm mixture in the tube has cooled, fill it once again to the top with your lip balm mixture.

5. Let cool, then put the lid on the tube.

© JT Homestead

Homemade Apple Juice

Hi! My name is Taryn from @welcomehomewithtaryn on Instagram. Our homestead, located in New Mexico, is called JT Homestead, where my husband, daughter, and I have resided all our lives. We always had a desire to live a slow lifestyle and become as self-sufficient as possible. My husband and I both worked outside the home until the crisis of 2020 when we decided that I would stay home to homeschool our daughter. That is really when our journey to becoming more self-sufficient began, and I’m sure many can relate! We invested more time into gardening and growing our own food, and with all that produce came a love for preserving the harvest. There is nothing like the feeling of going to the larder to pick out a fresh jar of food during the long winter days, knowing exactly what is in the jar and what you are feeding your family.

Yield: 3 quart-size jars

Ingredients

12 pounds apples

1 quart water

Materials

Large pot

Cheesecloth

3 quart-size glass jars with lids and bands

Water-bath canner

Jar lifter

Canning funnel

Bubble freer

Clean washcloth

Instructions

1. Wash apples under cold water and drain. Remove stems and roughly chop.

2. Combine apples and water in a large pot and cook until tender, then strain apples through several layers of cheesecloth to extract apple juice.

3. Chips on the jars or lids can cause jar breakage or improper sealing so make sure you check all your jars and lids properly before use.

4. While juice is straining, fill the water-bath canner about halfway with water and bring to a simmer. Cover and maintain the simmer until your cans are ready to be processed.

5. Preheat your jars in the simmering water (this helps to not shock and break the glass jars when filled with hot food).

6. Use your jar lifter to remove the preheated jars.

7. Fill your jars with strained apple juice. Using a canning funnel helps during this part! Make sure you leave ¼-inch headspace and use your bubble freer around the sides of the jars to remove any trapped air.

8. With a clean washcloth, wipe the rims of the jars clean to remove any residue and ensure a proper seal. Add the lids and bands and adjust to fingertip tightness. Place the jars on the rack and lower into the water-bath canner. Water needs to cover the top of the jar by 1 inch.

9. Place the lid on the water-bath canner. Bring the water to a rolling boil before starting your timer for 10 minutes.

10. When complete, shut off the heat and let the jars cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the canner before removing jars to set on a towel. Leave the jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours.

11. After 12 hours, check the lids for a seal. The center should be indented slightly and when you push the center, there should be no bend or flex. Remove bands, label, and store!

Repurposed Bench Swing

We own Trail of Faith Ranch and raise grass-fed registered Texas Longhorns. Striving to be self-sufficient, we tend to save everything just in case we might need it one day. A couple of years ago, I found a twin headboard and footboard for twenty dollars while junking. My first thought for repurposing this headboard and footboard was to turn them into a bench swing. My husband and son helped me hang the swing and snapped this photo of me trying out my completed project. Follow me on Instagram @theranchingwife to see more projects and photos of our ranch, market, and cattle. Visit our website at www.trailoffaithranch.com and come see us at the ranch. We’ll leave the gate open!

Yield: 1 bench swing

Materials

Wood glue

Twin headboards (top and bottom)

Compound saw (for headboards)

Skill saw (for all smaller cuts, braces, and seat)

Sandpaper

Power drill

2 (5" × ⅜") lag screws

2 (5") wood screws

Wood putty

16 (1½") wood screws

2 (1'× 4") hardwood boards

Plywood

Paint

Stain

4 eye bolts

Chain

© Doug Winters

© Doug Winters

Instructions

1. Glue any loosened joints of the twin headboards to create stability.

2. Once the glue dries, cut the legs off the headboard with a compound saw to match the length of the footboard legs and cut the footboard right down the middle, removing the center spindle. With the bottom rails at the same level, it should conceal the braces, seat, and hardware behind the bottom cross rails.

3. Sand the raw edges and line up the placement for drilling holes to countersink the lag screws. With your power drill, insert the 2 (5" × 3/8") lag screws through the headboard posts into the top rail of the footboard.

4. Use the 2 (5") wood screws to attach the bottom rail of the footboard to the headboard posts.

© Doug Winters

5. Once both pieces of the footboard are bolted to the headboard, sand the holes and use a wood putty to fill them. Then, sand the dried putty to smooth out the surfaces.

6. To build the seat, attach the 2 (1' × 4") hardwood board cross braces as support and top them with your cut-to-size piece of plywood. To conceal the plywood seat edges from view between the vertical spindles, attach the braces and plywood to the bottom horizontal rail of the frame with 16 (1½") wood screws.

7. Paint and stain your piece. I chose to use a beige spray paint and wipe it with stain for an aged look rather than sanding to help it last longer in an outdoor setting.

8. The last step is to drill holes in the top of each post of the swing for attaching the eye bolts to hold the chain for hanging.

9. Add a cushion, some pillows, and a blanket for a finished look.

© Doug Winters

My total cost for the completed project was $59.95. I spent $20 for the bed frame, $12 for paint and stain, and $8 for screws and eye bolts. I ordered the cushion and paid $30, shipping included. The small, round pillows at each end and ticking-striped blanket were items I had on hand.

Midwest Region

Homemade Butter

Crochet Kitchen Towel Topper

Lavender Wreath

Soy Candle

Wool Dryer Balls

Beeswax Candle

The Art of Spinning Wool on a Wheel

Homemade Sauerkraut

Brewing Kombucha

Old-Fashioned Laundry Bar Soap

© Janiyh Keim

Homemade Butter

I live and work on my family’s little hobby farm in a secluded woodland in Ohio. We raise beef cattle, goats, ducks, chickens, geese, pigs, rabbits, cats, my most beloved jersey milk cow, and our prized Bernedoodle designer dogs that we have been breeding for six years now! Making your own butter is a great way to get back to your roots. Traditionally, families with a milk cow would skim the cream off the tops of their jars of raw milk throughout the week to make a large batch of butter at the end. They would then salt it and wrap it in wax paper or pack it in a butter mold and store it in a cool, dry place (like a spring house) to prevent spoiling. I make my butter with raw cream straight from my own Jersey cow, Avery. There’s nothing like raw, grass-fed butter! Find me on Instagram @laural_haven_farm for daily updates, recipes, and photography from around the farm.

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream

Sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer, whip the heavy cream on medium speed until it becomes whipped cream.

2. Increase the mixing speed to high. Once it starts separating into chunks of butter and buttermilk, decrease the mixing speed to the lowest setting until completely separated.

3. Pour the butter into a colander. Rinse and knead the butter under very cold running water until the water runs clear, about 3 minutes.

4. Place the butter on a wooden cutting board and add salt to taste, using a spatula to fold the salt into the butter until very well mixed.

5. Wrap butter in wax paper or place it in a container and store in your refrigerator. Butter can be kept in your freezer for up to 4 months. Enjoy!

© Janiyh Keim

Crochet Kitchen Towel Topper

I’m Melissa from Uniquely More in Bushnell, Nebraska, and I specialize in crocheting. I started crocheting when I was just seven years old; my mom handed me a crochet hook and yarn with instructions to “learn!” She was not able to teach me her own methods because, unlike me, she was left-handed, but I worked it out and have been crocheting ever since. I use the fiber we shear from the dairy goats, sheep, and alpacas we raise on our farm to make some of my crochet projects. It’s such a fun thing to see the yarn from start to finish. I would love for you to follow us on Instagram @uniquelymore and shop our Etsy store at www.etsy.com/shop/uniquelymore!

Yield: 3–4 (roughly 3½" x 10¼") towel toppers

Materials

1 large- or small-mouth mason jar ring or 1 (2–3-inch) wooden ring

180 yards (3.5 ounces) skeinworsted weight cotton yarn (4: Medium)

I (5.5 millimeter) hook

Yarn needle

Sewing needle and thread

1 (1-inch) button

Stitch Abbreviations

Sc = Single crochet

Ch(s) = Chain(s)

Sts = Stitches

Sc2tog = Single crochet 2 together

Gauge

4" × 4" = 11 rows by 12 stitches

Pattern Instructions

1. Row 1: Do 10 sc stitches around the jar or wooden ring, ch 1, turn (10 sc).

2. Row 2: Sc in each stitch across, ch 1, turn (10 sc).

3. Rows 3–21: Repeat row 2.

4. Now, make the buttonhole.

5. Row 22: Sc in each of the next 4 sts, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, do 1 sc in the last 4 sts, ch 1, turn (8 sc and 2 chs).

6. Row 23: Sc2tog in each st and ch across, ch 1, turn (5 sts).

7. Row 24: Sc2tog, sc 1, sc2tog (3 sts).

8. Fasten off and weave in the ends with your yarn needle.

9. Sew button onto Row 3, by sts 5 and 6.

© Uniquely More

© Uniquely More

© Uniquely More

© Indigo Lavender Farms

Lavender Wreath

Indigo Lavender Farms is a 50-acre farm about an hour north of Detroit. It is the largest lavender farm in Michigan with 14,000 lavender plants. Lavender retains its fragrance and shape while it dries, making lavender wreaths a great way to showcase the beauty of lavender for years to come. This is a very relaxing and easy project for all ages! Each wreath is unique to the artist and their design aesthetic. The final design is limited only by your imagination. Visit Indigo Lavender Farms on Instagram @lavenderfarming or at www.indigolavender.com.

Yield: 1 wreath

Materials

Floral wire

Wreath base (grapevine is best, as it adds to the look and feel of the wreath)

Fresh-cut lavender

Floral snips or scissors

© Indigo Lavender Farms

Instructions

1. Wrap the floral wire around the wreath base a few times, securing it to the base. Keep the wire on the spool, as you will continue to wrap the wire around the base as you work.

2. Gather 6 to 8 stems of lavender together, focusing on keeping the flowers at about the same height at the top. It is helpful to lay out a few bunches this way so that you can easily grab them to attach to your wreath.

3. Take one of the bunches you created in Step 2 and place it onto the wreath base at a bit of an angle to the wreath. Wrap the wire around the lavender and the wreath right below the lavender flowers. Be sure to wrap the wire around 3 times and pull tight.

4. Take another bunch of lavender and place it on an angle to the first lavender bunch, attaching it the same way with the wire. Each time you attach a bunch to the wreath, alternate the angle slightly. Starting with the angle a little to the left, place the next bunch a little to the right, and the last in the center of your first two. As you continue building in the circle, you will see that using this pattern fills in the wreath completely. Periodically, you can cut the stems of the lavender with floral snips or scissors so that they are not too long.

5. At the end, lift the first pieces you secured down at the beginning and tuck the last few in, blending the end with the beginning, completing the wreath. Once you have covered the entire base with lavender, you can always add a little more lavender by placing pieces in if you see any gaps. The lavender is very forgiving and easy to manipulate when it is fresh cut.

6. Once complete, keep your wreath lying flat to dry in a cool, dry place. It will take approximately 1 to 2 weeks to completely dry. Once dried, it can be hung anywhere there is not direct sunlight. Sunlight tends to dull the color of the lavender. After time, if you do not smell the aroma, you can pinch the lavender buds a little bit to release the scent. You may also spray a lavender oil on it periodically.

© Indigo Lavender Farms

Soy Candle

Hi! I’m Kayla Bradley, creator of Farmstead Comforts candles. We live and farm in Leakesville, Mississippi, a beautiful rural farming area. In 2013, I started making candles as a hobby that later grew into a business when friends and family wanted more. To me, living on a farm is one of the most beautiful ways of life you can have, and everyday farming is where I draw inspiration for these candles. Scents are memories, and I wanted the fragrances to remind us of things we love like apple butter, line dried laundry, and cotton fields. Each candle is lovingly hand poured on our farm, and we only use the highest grade of American-grown soy wax with crackling wooden wicks. From beginning to finished product, I do all the candle pouring, designing, and shipping across the USA. Many people say these candles bring back memories of their childhood or remind them of a bygone era. This is the feeling I want every purchase to have. You can purchase a candle in my Etsy shop at Farmstead Comforts or www.farmsteadcomforts.com. For daily farm living, follow me on Instagram @farmsteadcomforts.

Yield: 1 (16-ounce) glass jar with lid

Materials

Small pot for double boiler

1 pound soy wax flakes

Candlemaker’s pour pot

1 wick

Hot glue gun

1 (16-ounce) glass jar with lid

Thermometer

1 ounce essential oil of choice

Wooden stir stick

Instructions

1. Fill a small pot half full of water and place on the stove on low heat.

2. Pour soy wax flakes into your pour pot and put the pot into your double boiler. Heat wax until completely melted.

3. While wax is melting, assemble the wick base and use your hot glue gun to glue the base into your jar.

4. Allow wax to reach 185°F. Add in your essential oil of choice and gently stir with a wooden stir stick for 2 minutes.

5. Allow wax to cool to 135°F before pouring into your jar. Once the temperature is reached, slowly pour melted wax into jar.

6. Once cooled, trim wick to ¼ inch.

7. Let the candle cure for 2 weeks before burning.

© Kayla Bradley

© Kayla Bradley

© Golden Bee Farm

Wool Dryer Balls

Born and raised in Michigan, Dan and Emily started Golden Bee Farm in 2013 with a single beehive. After researching different methods to cut excess chemicals from their lives, they realized they had the perfect solution already—dryer balls using wool from their own sheep! You can find their products, including dryer balls, on their website at www.GoldenBeeFarm.com.

Yield: 1–2 dryer balls

Materials

1–2 ounces clean wool roving

Felting needles

1 bowl warm/hot water with dish or laundry soap

Favorite essential oils (optional)

Instructions

1. Start by tying a knot at the end of your roving. You can make things easier by starting with thinner pieces of roving to help keep a more even shape.

2. Wind roving into a ball, rotating the roving to get an even ball. You can even rotate and wrap in different directions.

3. As you go, stop every few layers and use felting needles to compress the ball. This will help with the felting process and make the next step easier.

4. Once the felt balls are at your desired size, place into a bowl of warm/hot water with dish or laundry soap. Gently create friction on the felt balls by rubbing and squeezing them. The felt balls will be very soapy as you turn them in your hands. Continue this process for 5 to 10 minutes or until you can see that the felt balls have shrunk in size and the fibers have felted together.

5. Fully rinse out soap with warm water and allow the felt balls to dry on a drying rack. Rotate on the drying rack to ensure proper drying.

6. Optional: once the felt balls are dry, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to each.

Beeswax Candle

Windborne Farms, LLC, our small, first-generation, family-run homestead began as a dream in 2016 when we accidentally stumbled upon some abandoned land while riding our bikes through the scenic countryside of southeast Wisconsin. Since then, we’ve worked tirelessly to return the neglected property to its former glory and make it a home to a variety of critters, including honeybees and other vitally important native pollinators. It is through the tending of bees that I first discovered the benefits of beeswax and its many uses, including molded beeswax candles, first made in the fifteenth century. These candles provide a slow, clean burn as well as a lovely scent of honey without the need for any additional chemicals or excessive processing. Since beeswax is 100 percent natural, it does not produce any toxic by-products or soot while burning when wicked correctly. Molded beeswax candles are relatively easy to make. With these basic instructions, along with a bit of patience and practice, you too will be able to enjoy the gentle glow of handcrafted beeswax candles. For more tips and tricks, please visit us on Instagram and Facebook @windbornecandles or our website at www.windbornefarms.com.

Materials*

Double boiler or glass measuring cup in a small saucepan

Beeswax

Silicone or rubber mold

Cotton square braid wick

Large needle

BBQ skewer(s) or popsicle stick(s)

Heat gun or hair dryer

Rubber bands

Pouring jug

Double-ply paper towel

Small scissors

Electric skillet

© Windborne Farms LLC

Instructions

1. In a double boiler or glass measuring cup, partially submerged in a small saucepan of gently heating water, melt your beeswax until it reaches the desired temperature, about 185°F for silicone molds.

2. While the beeswax is melting, prepare your mold by inserting the wick through the bottom. A large needle may be used to push the wick through the mold if needed; take care not to rip it. Pull the wick taut and secure it by tying it to the BBQ skewer or popsicle stick. You may need to use additional skewers or popsicle sticks to raise the wick away from the mold opening. If available, use a heat gun or hair dryer to warm up the inside of the mold. If the mold has slit sides, use rubber bands to hold it together.

© Windborne Farms LLC

3. If the wax needs to be filtered to get it cleaner, prepare your pouring jug by placing a double-ply paper towel over it and securing it with a rubber band. When the beeswax is at the correct temperature, pour it through the paper towel to filter it, taking care not to burn yourself. I like to filter my wax until it is clear enough to see the bottom of the jug.

4. Carefully pour the beeswax into the center of your mold. As the beeswax cools, it will shrink and pull from the sides of the mold. If cavities appear, reheat the wax with the heat gun or hair dryer and top off with more wax. Allow the wax to cool completely. Cooling time will depend on the size of the candle and may take several hours, so be patient.

5. Cut off the wick tied to the skewer. Gently take the candle out of the mold by either flipping it inside out or opening the sides of the mold if it has been precut. Once the candle is released, use small scissors to trim the bottom wick as close to the candle as possible. If needed, use a small electric skillet to level out the bottom of the candle.

*Please be advised that any equipment you use will be difficult to clean.

The Art of Spinning Wool on a Wheel

I’m Kate @TheFarmersSpinstress and together with my husband and our two kids, we raise Jacob sheep and heritage breed pigs in Holmes County, Ohio. I am a self-taught spinner, knitter, crocheter, and weaver. I find it fascinating that the art of spinning yarn dates back thousands of years. I especially enjoy processing our own homegrown or locally purchased fleeces by hand, from sheep to sweater, but yarn can be spun from many fibers including wool, silk, cotton, and flax. Finer fibers like silk and Merino wool can be more difficult to work with for a beginner, as they slip through your fingers more easily, so I recommend starting with a medium-range wool breed such as Corriedale, Shetland, or Jacob. Processed wool can also come in several forms for spinning like batts, rolags, or roving. I suggest starting with roving until you become more comfortable with the movements. My fiber products are available at www.TheFarmersSpinstress.com and locally.

Materials

Long piece scrap yarn

Empty bobbin

Spinning wheel

4 ounces wool roving

Niddy noddy

© Jennifer Kaiser

Instructions

1. Take the scrap yarn (leader) and secure it tightly around the empty bobbin by tying one end around in a snug knot.

2. Place yarn through the hook of the spinning wheel flyer and thread the end through the orifice, pulling it toward you. Give your wheel a few test spins clockwise to make sure the leader yarn takes up onto the bobbin properly. You may need to pull it back out and make any adjustments on the tension of your wheel at this point. Too much tension and the leader will rip from your hands. Not enough tension and it will not wind onto the bobbin.

© Jennifer Kaiser

© Jennifer Kaiser

© Jennifer Kaiser

3. Predraft a few inches of roving. With the lead yarn in the left hand (front hand) and the right hand holding the wool (back hand), begin spinning the wheel clockwise and treadling in a slow, steady motion. Join your fiber to the leader by holding it perpendicularly and allowing the ends of the fibers to twist onto the leader.

4. With your front hand, gently pinch the fiber with your fingers, preventing any twist from traveling down into the section that you are drafting. With your back hand holding the roving, gently pull the fiber away from the wheel. Then, slide the front hand backward over this new drafted section, allowing the twist to travel through it. As you do this, let the tension from the wheel draw this twisted section up onto the bobbin. Pinch again with the front hand as you draft a new section between your hands and continue. Connect new pieces in the same way that you attached the first piece to the leader yarn. If you need to stop, always restart the wheel in the same direction.

© Jennifer Kaiser

5. Once the bobbin is full of yarn, I like to give it some time to rest. Then, you can use a niddy noddy to wind it off into a skein or explore even more by plying your yarn with one or more singles for a thicker, multi-ply yarn.

6. Finish your yarn by soaking in warm water (don’t agitate!), gently wringing out excess water and hanging to dry. This will help to set the spin and allow the fibers to bloom. Enjoy your beautiful new handspun yarn and keep practicing!

While spinning, your feet treadle the wheel as your hands draft the fiber. The term drafting describes the process of pulling a thinner amount of fiber from the section you are working from. This drafted section will be held between your hands and should be pulled to the thickness you want the yarn to be. The fewer fibers you draft, the thinner the yarn will be. For a bulkier yarn, draft more fibers.

Homemade Sauerkraut

My name is Clarian (Clare). My husband, John, and I are the owners of War Bar Farm in Dryden, Michigan. John grew up on our property, in the same house we’re now raising our young twins. We want to farm the land, grow our food, and teach our children the life we love. One of our most recently learned skills is fermentation. We use this method to make homemade sauerkraut! Sauerkraut is made by a process called lacto-fermentation, which has been used for centuries to preserve seasonal vegetables beyond their standard shelf-life. The fermentation process is very easy, reliable, and safe. Fermented sauerkraut can be kept in the refrigerator for months. Follow along with us on Instagram @warbarfarm.

Yield: 1½–2 quarts

Ingredients

1 head green cabbage

2 tablespoons salt, plus more as needed

¾ cup water, plus more as needed

Equipment

1½–2 quart-size glass jars with lid

Weight to keep cabbage submerged in liquid such as a fermentation weight or smaller jar

Instructions

1. Chop the head of cabbage into thin strips. Cut out the stem and core and put them aside in your compost or “scraps for the chickens” pile.

2. Pack your jars with cabbage and sprinkle salt over the top of the cabbage.

3. Add the water, fasten lids tightly, and shake, shake, shake.

4. After about 30 minutes, come back to your jars and push the cabbage down into the juices that have formed. Place a weight on top of the cabbage to ensure that it stays under the liquid. If the liquid doesn’t completely cover the cabbage and weight, top off with a bit more salt water.

5. Leave the jars of cabbage on the counter for 2 to 4 weeks to ferment. Shake and burp the jars daily to release pressure buildup. The sauerkraut is safe to eat at every stage of the process, so there is no real minimum or maximum fermentation time. In our experience, it’s best to wait until there is no longer pressure being released when “burping” the jars to begin tasting daily. Continue tasting daily until the sauerkraut reaches your desired flavor. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to a year.

Homemade sauerkraut is typically associated with a whole lot of “stink.” The secret to no stink? Using a lidded jar! When burping the kraut to release pressure, do so outside on the porch. Leave the released gas bubbles (a.k.a. stink) outside and bring the jar back inside to hang out on the counter. If you’re starting from scratch, it will take between 2 to 4 weeks to be comparable to a store-bought kraut. If using juice from a previous batch, it can be ready even sooner. Your gut will thank you for all the probiotics!

© War Bar Farm

© Megan Austin

Brewing Kombucha

Hello! I’m Meg Austin, a wife, mother, recipe developer, and photographer. When I’m not pulling weeds in the garden, I’m taste testing the very best recipes from my kitchen to yours. I teach ways to prepare and preserve food that are fun and simple, regardless of experience or skill level. I started brewing kombucha five years ago as a way to boost the gut health of my family, much like the prairie settlers from centuries past. Kombucha might seem like a trendy drink, but it has been used for its medicinal benefits since 220 B.C. This sweet and tangy fermented tea is bursting with probiotics, antioxidants, and healthy acids that work in perfect harmony with the human body. For a more detailed description of the process of making kombucha, including in-depth tips and frequently asked questions, please visit my website at www.ninnescahmade.com/how-to-make-kombucha-at-home/.

Yield: 1 gallon kombucha

Equipment

1 (2-gallon) glass vessel such as a beverage dispenser

Ingredients

1 (4–6-ounce) SCOBY*

6 personal-sized tea bags, 2 family-sized tea bags, or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea

1 cup sugar

1–2 cups starter liquid

© Megan Austin

Instructions

1. Clean your glass vessel with plain white vinegar. Residues from soaps or detergents can cause the kombucha to brew improperly or even kill the SCOBY. I also wash my hands with vinegar and water prior to handling my kombucha supplies.

2. Bring a quart of water to a boil on the stovetop. Once the water has boiled, add your tea of choice and sugar. (My favorite variety of black tea for brewing kombucha is Earl Grey, which is infused with bergamot peels.) Keep gently stirring until the sugar dissolves. After the tea has steeped according to package instructions, remove the tea bags. Let the tea cool to room temperature before continuing with the next step. For brewing kombucha, room temperature is considered 72°F–76°F.

3. Once the sweet tea has settled to room temperature, transfer the tea to the glass vessel with starter liquid and a healthy SCOBY. Fill the vessel the rest of the way with room temperature water. Cover the top of the vessel with a tight-knit tea towel or coffee filter to prevent fruit flies or dust from contaminating the brew. Use a rubber band to tightly secure the covering. Label the vessel with the start date of the batch.

4. Store the vessel of kombucha on the countertop at room temperature. The kombucha can tolerate indirect light but be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight. Let it sit for about 7 days before taste testing the brew. Depending on the temperature of the room and the activity of the culture, the kombucha could be ready to drink between 7 to 21 days. In my kitchen, I prefer the taste of kombucha that has fermented for about 12 days. It’s all about personal preference! A cool room will ferment slower than a warm room and produce a mellower flavor. A larger SCOBY will cause the kombucha to ferment faster and have a tangier taste. The proper pH of finished kombucha is between 2.5–3.5.

5. When the brew tastes really good, it’s ready to bottle! Transfer the kombucha to swing-top bottles to store in the refrigerator. To flavor the kombucha and increase the carbonation, add sweet fruits or juice to the bottles and let it sit on the counter for 24 hours before refrigerating. To brew the next batch of kombucha, leave at least 1 to 2 cups of starter liquid to get the next batch going. The process begins again!

© Megan Austin

© Megan Austin

Kombucha “mocktails” are healthy and easy to make! Substitute the alcohol or carbonated beverage in any recipe with kombucha to create a bubbly and delicious drink. My favorite mocktail recipe is filling a highball glass with ice, adding 2 ounces of orange juice, and topping it off with unflavored kombucha. It’s simple and satisfying!

*A SCOBY is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast used in the production of kombucha. You can buy one from local or online retailers or make it at home using raw, unflavored kombucha and sweetened green or black tea. The risk of contamination is low when properly handled.

Old-Fashioned Laundry Bar Soap

Note: This soap is only meant for laundry and cleaning, not to be used on skin.

Dana Schlies lives with her husband and four children on Freedom Acres in Northeastern Wisconsin where they raise chickens, turkeys, and dairy goats. Soapmaking is just one of the ways she enjoys providing for her family’s needs. This old-fashioned lard soap is fantastic for soaping up laundry to remove tough grass stains, cleaning around the house, or to grate for homemade laundry soap! Enjoy a simple soap recipe that doesn’t let lard go to waste. Dana shares more projects like this on her website at www.rusticfarmlife.com.

Yield: 10 bars soap

Equipment

Slow cooker

Spatula

Immersion blender

1 (32-ounce) glass measuring cup

Safety glasses

Thick latex gloves

Small glass bowl

Soap mold

Ingredients

1 cup vinegar

32 ounces lard

9 ounces distilled water

4.4 ounces lye

Instructions

1. I recommend designating a slow cooker, spatula, immersion blender, and soap mold for soapmaking only. These items can easily be found used.

2. Add a few inches of water to your sink and mix in vinegar. Soak all equipment in the vinegar/water solution to sterilize it, then wash with soapy water.

3. Set the slow cooker on low and add in the lard.

4. Measure out the distilled water into one measuring glass and, while wearing your safety glasses and thick latex gloves, weigh out the lye into the small glass bowl. Note: Ideally, this step is completed outside or next to an open window. Slowly add the lye to the water, being careful not to inhale the vapors, and stir gently. The solution will become very hot. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes in a safe place away from children or pets.

5. Stir the lard occasionally until melted. While still wearing safety glasses and gloves, slowly add the lye solution to the slow cooker and gently stir to combine.

© Dana Schlies

6. Place your immersion blender in the crockpot, completely submerged, and carefully blend on low while trying not to splatter lye solution onto the countertops or yourself. Use your immersion blender to work toward achieving “trace,” or a light pudding consistency. This may take up to 5 minutes.

7. Cover and cook on low for about 30 minutes and check regularly. When the soap has moved up the edges and flipped over back onto itself with no puddles in the center, it is finished.

8. Spoon the soap into your soap mold.

9. Soak all items that contacted the lye in the water/vinegar solution before washing them.

10. Let the soap sit in its mold for several hours until cool, then pop the soap out of the mold and slice it into bars. Lay them flat on wire racks for up to 2 weeks to fully cure.

11. Your soap is ready for use after cutting it and allowing it to cure an additional 24 hours. Store on wire racks, in shoe boxes, or other areas that allow airflow for the soap.

© Dana Schlies

© Dana Schlies

New England Region

Hibiscus Flower–Dyed Wool

Felted Heart Pillow with Gotland Wool

Goat Milk Soap

Autumn Flower Crown

Squiggle Snack Hat

Handmade Pottery Plant Pot

Farmstead Cow Milk Soap

Backyard Berry Shrub

Fall-Inspired Floral Arrangement

Drying Fresh Flowers

© Janet Garman

Hibiscus Flower–Dyed Wool

Farmer, shepherdess, and natural dyer Janet Garman coaxes color from natural dyes to life. She uses wool from her sheep and other local shepherds to create beautiful lasting color using cultivated flowers, herbs, foraged plants, and wild perennials on her Maryland farm. Janet teaches the craft of natural dyeing in small group learning opportunities and through an in-depth e-course. One of the things she loves about using hibiscus petal dye is that it is available even if you don’t grow hibiscus or have the wild variety growing nearby. The tea version containing only hibiscus petals can be used the same way. Access more of her work at www.timbercreekfarmer.com.

Yield: 100 grams dyed yarn

Materials

Pretreating the Wool

Mordant solution containing alum (12% weight of fiber)

Cream of tartar (5% weight of fiber)

100 grams wool (fiber, yarn, or fabric)

Dyeing the Wool

50 grams dried hibiscus petals or hibiscus tea

Large coffee filter or cloth bag to secure hibiscus petals

1 large (half-gallon) jar

½ cup white distilled vinegar

Instructions

Pretreating the Wool

1. Add the mordant solution containing alum and cream of tartar to a stainless-steel pan of water. Bring to a simmer.

2. Wet the wool with tap water and add the wool to the solution. This is referred to as the mordant phase.

3. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the yarn to cool in the solution. It can be left overnight without a problem.

Dyeing the Wool

1. Place dried hibiscus petals or tea in a large coffee filter or cloth bag to secure them and add this to a large jar. Add enough warm water for the yarn to float freely in the container and allow the dye to develop. No heat is necessary in most cases. If you choose to warm the dye bath, keep the water temperature under 100°F. Red and pink dyes are sensitive to high temperatures and can turn brown if processed at high heat.

2. Once you observe a deep red color, add the wool. If the weather is cold, set the jar in the sun to assist the color processing, although heat is not truly necessary for hibiscus dye. During summer weather, leave the jar at room temperature so it doesn’t get too hot. Leave the wool in the dye for 3 days or longer.

3. After 3 days, check your wool by slowly pulling it from the glass jar. The color should be a lilac shade of purple. It might also have a pink tone to it. Results vary and that is the beauty of natural dyes.

4. Gently squeeze out extra dye liquid and hang the wool to partially dry. This will help retain the dye color better for the rinsing step. The next day, rinse the yarn with cool water until the water is clear. Add the white vinegar in the final rinse to help set the color.

5. Dry the yarn completely before storing. Hang to dry in an area away from direct sunlight.

© Janet Garman

Some natural dyes are more prone to changes and fading when exposed to direct sunlight. Lightfastness is enhanced by using a mordant to prepare the yarn, adding vinegar to the rinse water, and storing the yarn away from direct sunlight. The fading over time only adds to the beauty of naturally plant dyed yarns and wool cloth. Overdyeing to restore original depth of color in the future is possible.

Felted Heart Pillow with Gotland Wool

Kim Goodling is a shepherd to a flock of Gotland sheep at Vermont Grand View Farm. Captivated by their lustrous gray curls, Kim knew their wool would be perfect for her felting projects. Find her at www.grandviewfarmvt.com and follow her flock on Instagram @vtgrandviewfarm.

Yield: 1 pillow

Materials

25" × 18" piece of bubble wrap or swimming pool cover (please note that this material is not used as the heart template)

10" × 7" heart template cut out of bubble wrap, heavy plastic, or foam floor underlayment

1.5 ounces Gotland wool roving or wool batt

18" × 36" window screen fabric

Spray bottle filled with warm soapy water

Plastic bag(s)

Hand towels

Handful washed Gotland curls

Pool noodle

Felting tool

Wool or polyester stuffing for pillow

Needle and thread

Instructions

Setting Up

1. Lay bubble wrap/pool cover on table, bubbles down.

2. Cut out a heart template.

3. Put heart template on top of bubble wrap.

4. Gather wool and divide it into 2 piles. Label piles side #1 and side #2.

5. Lay wool for side #2 aside and divide wool for side #1 into two piles. Using just one pile of wool for side #1, begin laying wisps of wool on top of the heart template. Use the diagrams below to guide you in laying the wool. This layer of wool should be thick enough that you cannot see your template underneath.

© Kim Goodling

First, lay wool around edges. Be sure that 1.5 inches of wool hangs over edge of template.

Next, lay wool horizontally. Completely cover template.

Laying Out Wool

1. Carefully lay window screen fabric on top of your wool. Using a spray bottle filled with warm soapy water, completely wet wool. Use a crumpled plastic bag to press down on screen to ensure wool is completely wet.

2. With window screen fabric in place, carefully turn heart over.

3. Fold over wisps of wool from side #1 around edges of the heart. Using wool from your side #2 pile, repeat steps from side #1.

4. Flip heart over to side #1 and fold over any wool around the edge of the heart onto side #1.

5. Using your second pile of wool for side #1, lay out according to diagrams below.

© Kim Goodling

Lay wool vertically. Wool may hang over the edge a little. If there are weak areas, add extra wool. Pay attention to holes in your wool layout.

6. Cover with screen fabric and press with crumpled plastic bag. Be sure the wool is wet through, spraying more water where needed.

7. Flip heart over to side #2 and repeat steps from side #1.

8. Lay wool curls on top of wool. Cover with screen fabric and press to completely wet curls.

© Kim Goodling

Felting

1. Cover heart with screen fabric and rub each side with crumpled plastic bag for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Using a pool noodle, roll heart into a bundle, keeping the screen fabric in place on top of the heart. Roll 50 times. Unroll and roll from all 4 directions.

© Kim Goodling

Roll pool noodle and heart up like a burrito. Roll in direction of arrow 50 times. Unroll, rotate heart 45 degrees, and roll again 50 times. Repeat until rolled from all 4 directions.

3. Unbundle and rub edges with a felting tool. Continue rubbing. Lift curl tips to prevent felting in.

4. Pinch wool to see if it is tight. If not, roll bundle another 50 times in each direction until the heart begins to shrink and bunch with the template inside.

5. Unroll and rinse with hot water. Roll heart on itself without the screen fabric.

6. Alternate rinsing with hot and cold water, rolling the heart up on itself and rolling back and forth 20 times. Roll from all directions so it shrinks evenly.

7. Once firmly felted, cut a slit behind the heart and pull out the template. Rub the opening with warm soapy water to seal and firm the edges of the opening, then rinse heart in cold water. Stuff with plastic bags or hand towels to shape it.

8. Once dry, stuff with wool or polyester stuffing. With a needle and thread, sew slit in back closed.

© Kim Goodling

Goat Milk Soap

Our business, Sparrow Soaps, started when I first got into raising goats after moving to a small hobby farm in Connecticut. Sadly, I unknowingly adopted a very sick baby goat. He ended up passing away shortly after we brought him home, leaving his sister alone. I found Sue, who was so kind as to offer another baby goat of the same age to be a companion to my little girl. A friendship bloomed immediately and soon Sue was teaching me how to make goat milk soap with the excess milk her herd of dairy goats provided. Within a few months we had an overabundance of milk so I suggested to Sue that we start making more soap together. We started shipping all over the United States and eventually needed more help to keep up with our soapmaking so we brought Sue’s niece, Danielle, to the team. Danielle is now our lead soapmaker and whips out more than 500 bars a week to keep our shelves stocked. We are so blessed to have this small family business sustain our American dream. You can find our products on our website at www.SparrowSoaps.com or follow us on Instagram @sparrowsoaps.

Yield: 2 pounds (8–10 bars)

Ingredients

5 ounces ice or frozen goat milk

4.25 ounces lye

5 ounces liquid goat milk

10 ounces soybean oil

10 ounces olive oil (do not use extra virgin)

10 ounces coconut oil

2.5 ounces essential oil or fragrance oil

Equipment

Rubber gloves

Protective eyewear

Soap mold

Immersion blender

Soap cutter

Vinyl-coated drying rack

© Michelle Lyon

Instructions

1. Weigh ice or frozen milk and place in a medium to large glass or heavy plastic container.

2. Donning rubber gloves and protective eyewear, weigh out your lye or place your bowl of ice/frozen milk on a scale, reset to 0 (tare it out), and add your lye directly.

3. Using a long plastic or stainless spoon, slowly pour lye into ice/frozen milk and stir until lye has totally dissolved. Do not pour liquids into lye, as this can cause a reaction where it may bubble up and potentially spill over and burn.

4. Only after the lye is completely dissolved, add in the liquid milk and stir completely. Set this aside.

5. In a large plastic bowl, combine your measured oils and heat in microwave or double boiler at 100°F–120°F.

6. Pour dissolved lye mixture into prepared oils. We pour the mixture through a mesh strainer to catch any undissolved lye.

7. With your immersion blender, blend until mixture loses some of its glossiness.

8. Continue to blend the mixture until you just begin to see the mixer leaving “trace” marks on the surface of the mixture.

9. If you’d like to add some colors/swirls, take out some of the soap “batter” and put it into separate containers along with any natural colorants.

10. Add your essential oils/fragrances and continue mixing until mixer leaves a heavy trace. The mixture should look and feel like pudding.

11. Pour your colored soap batter back into the main mixture and pour into your prepared soap mold. You can add extra reserved colorants to the top and swirl.

12. Let settle for 10 to 15 minutes, then cover with saran wrap to avoid soda ash residue.

13. Place mold in a draft-free area and do not disturb for 24 hours.

14. Remove soap from mold and cut into desired bars.

15. Cure on vinyl-coated drying rack for 4 to 6 weeks.

© Christina Wnek

Autumn Flower Crown

My name is Farmer Steph, and I am the founder of Farm to Table Kids Inc., a non-profit educational farm campus in Maine that I created after my son recovered from Stage 4 cancer. Our mission is to help children find what lights their heart in nature through organic farming, farm-to-table cooking, and nature crafting. One of the most popular nature crafts we make during our summer farm camp is flower crowns. Whether you’re in the forest surrounded by ferns, in a field full of dandelions, or a cut-flower paradise like Farm to Table Kids, if you are in nature, you can find something to string a flower crown. Follow @farmtotablekids on Instagram or visit www.farmtotablekids.com for more farm fun with kids.

Yield: 1 flower crown

Materials

Measuring tape

Floral wire

Floral tape

Flowers to string

Flower pruners/snips

2 feet decorative ribbon

Instructions

Make the Crown Base

1. With your measuring tape, measure your crown base by taking your floral wire and measuring ¾ around your head. At each end of the floral wire, make a 2-inch loop. These loops will be used to thread the ribbon through to make the flower crown adjustable. For now, make the loops and leave them empty; we will thread the ribbon last. Next, take your floral tape and cover the floral wire with the tape. Take extra time to cover the wire by the end loops so that the tape covers any wire parts that might be sharp or uncomfortable. Note: Floral tape is really great to use with children. The tape needs to be stretched to be activated and it is paper-based so kids can work with it themselves.

Make Hand Bouquets

1. Gather about 4 to 6 stems per bouquet. Note: Flowers that work best for flower crowns are ones with stiff necks and smaller blooms (so that they don’t weigh down the crown). A few of my favorite crown-making flowers/ingredients include: strawflower, eucalyptus, statice, gomphrena, hydrangea, and dahlias. If you want a wild crown, use some long flouncy flowers like cosmos or eucalyptus for dimension. If you want a structured crown, use uniform flowers like strawflower and statice. Take all the stems and cut them to a 3-inch length with floral pruners/snips, then wrap the stems in the floral tape until they are covered completely from the bloom to the end of the stem. Make 8 to 10 hand bouquets.

© Christina Wnek

String Your Crown

1. Take one of your hand bouquets and string floral wire around the tape-covered stems about 5 times to really get it secured to the wire. Now, take the wire with the first bouquet and wrap it to the flower crown wire base. Arrange the first bouquet so that the flowers are facing the end loop and the stems are facing the remaining wire. Once your first bouquet is on, use the next bouquet to cover the stems of the previous one and so on, until all the wire is covered with your gorgeous hand bouquets. Note: You will use the same string of wire from the start of your crown to the end of your crown; do not cut the wire until you are done.

Wear Your Crown!

1. Now that you’ve strung your flower crown, look for any gaps or holes. Make adjustments and add flowers using the floral wire as needed. Take your gorgeous ribbon and thread it through the 2 end loops. Place the crown on your head, use the ribbon to make sizing adjustments, and there you have it! You are now a flower crown–making farm friend. Welcome to the club!

© Christina Wnek

© Lauren Slingluff

Squiggle Snack Hat

Ruby Wolf Farm is a small fiber farm founded by Lauren Slingluff in Canterbury, Connecticut. A long-time knitter, Lauren is passionate about traditional fiber crafts and making items that are both functional and beautiful. Ruby Wolf Farm combines the joys of fiber crafts including spinning, weaving, knitting, and sewing with the adventure of raising goats and other farm friends. Colorwork, or stranded knitting, refers to working with more than one color in a project. This Squiggle Snack Hat is a modern take on traditional New England folk patterns that feature small, repeated motifs worked in two or three colors. Traditional folk patterns harken back to the landscape where they originated. Lauren designed this playful, modern take with her son’s artwork in mind. It’s an addictively snack-able pattern and a great entry to colorwork knitting! Patterns and knit items are available on Lauren’s Etsy page, Ruby Wolf Farm. Follow her adventures on Instagram @rubywolffarm!

Sizes: S, M, L measures 15", 17", 19" circumference Gauge: 11 stitches & 13 rows = 2" in stranded colorwork

Materials

1 skein wool yarn for main color

1 (16") set size US 6 circular knitting needles

1 or more stitch markers

2 skeins wool yarn or similar sport weight yarn for contrast colors

1 (16") set double pointed circular knitting needles (DPNs)

Small tapestry needle

Pom pom maker

Instructions

1. With main color yarn and circular knitting needles, cast on 84 (96, 108) stitches using the long-tail cast-on method. Place a stitch marker and join to work in the round.

2. 2" × 2" ribbing: *Knit 2, purl 2; repeat from * to end.

3. Work 9 (12, 14) rounds, or until piece measures 1.25", 1.5", or 2" from cast on.

4. Knit 2 rounds in main color.

Begin the Colorwork Chart

1. First time knitting from a chart? Start on the bottom right. Each square represents one stitch. Knit the stitch in the color indicated on the chart, either holding both yarns in your dominant hand, or one in each. Repeat the chart 7, 8, or 9 times each round. Then, move up to the next line in the chart, reading again from right to left. You may find it helpful to use a sticky note to mark your progress in the chart as you work through. You can also place stitch markers between each repeat of the pattern. Work the chart two times to get four total contrasting “squiggles.” Work all the squiggles in one contrasting color if you prefer, or switch colors as shown in the chart. After working the chart twice, continue knitting in your main color until hat measures 6" (6.75", 7.5") from the cast-on.

2. Work the following decrease rows, switching to your double pointed needles when the circumference becomes too small for your circular needles:

3. Knit 10 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

4. Knit 9 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

5. Knit 8 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

6. Knit 7 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

7. Knit 6 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

8. Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

9. Knit 4 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

10. Knit 3 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

11. Knit 2 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

12. Knit 1 stitch, knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

13. Knit 2 together, repeat to end of round.

14. You should have 7 (8, 9) stitches left. Cut your yarn, leaving a tail 6 inches long, and use a tapestry needle to pull it through the remaining stitches on your needles. Then, cinch it tight and sew around the opening to close the top.

15. Using the yarn of your choice and a pom pom maker, create a pom pom for the top. Weave in all the ends of your project, then block, attach your pom pom, and happily wear with pride!

© Heather Ranz

Handmade Pottery Plant Pot

We at Modern Mini Homestead & Pottery in Northern Connecticut work toward a more hands-on type of lifestyle in which we grow our own food, bake our own bread, build our own structures, and create our own products. Crafting the pieces that hold your homestead together, whether in the kitchen or garden, allows you to have your hands in the whole creative process, from making bread that you share on your own handmade plates to planting the seeds that you nurture in your own handmade pots. To make this piece, you will need clay, a few tools, and a glaze. Make sure the clay and glaze are fired to the same temperature. We realize that most people don’t have a pottery kiln in their homes, so we encourage you to find a local school, business, or potter that will allow you to fire your clay pieces. Visit our website at www.modernminihomestead.org and find us on social media @modernminihomestead.

Yield: 1 pot

Materials

Clay

Rolling pin

Scoring/cutting tool

Slip (equal mixture clay and water)

Glaze

© Heather Ranz

© Heather Ranz

Instructions

1. Roll out your clay with a rolling pin to the desired thickness (about ¼ inch) and cut out two pieces: a round bottom for the tray and a long-curved slab for the body of the plant pot. Let the clay dry for a few minutes so it is not too soft. This makes larger pieces easier to manipulate.

2. With your scoring tool, score the ends of the larger slab and use slip as a glue to attach the two ends of the large slab that will make up the body of your plant pot.

3. Take the round tray bottom and slowly bend and curve the edges up with your fingers like a dinner plate. Score and slip the bottom tray to the body of your plant pot. Using your scoring tool, make sure to cut out small holes into the bottom edge of the body to allow excess water to drain into the tray. Make sure everything is well attached using your fingers to smooth the pieces together.

4. Add little feet to the bottom or carve designs into the clay if you wish. Smooth all the edges.

5. Let the piece dry slowly for a few days. Fire and glaze your piece per studio instructions.

6. Plant something green in your new pot and enjoy what you made with your own hands.

© Heather Ranz

Farmstead Cow Milk Soap

Welcome to Sunday Bell Farm. We are Kylie and Sam Rossier, and together we own and operate a diversified raw milk micro dairy in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The cows are the cornerstone of our operation. Their seasonal cycles dictate the month-to-month chores and tasks associated with managing a diversified farm. During the eight months of north country winter, we have a lot of extra time to spend crafting with our milk. We enjoy making cheese, yogurt, and butter for our family. We also make cow milk soap with our own tallow and lard, which has become a favorite at farmers’ markets. We hope you enjoy making these luxurious bars of farmstead soap as much as we know you will enjoy using them! To learn more about who we are and what we do, please visit our website at www.sundaybellfarm.squarespace.com/ and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @sunday.bell.farm.

Yield: 10 (4-ounce) bars soap

Equipment

Safety glasses

Latex gloves

Kitchen scale

Ice cube tray

Stainless-steel stockpot

Large glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl

Small glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl

Rubber spatula

Immersion blender

Soap molds* of your choice

Ingredients

13 ounces frozen cow or goat milk

12 ounces coconut oil

15 ounces olive oil

13 ounces lard or tallow

6 ounces lye (100% sodium hydroxide)

1 ounce essential oil(s) of your choice

Additives such as oatmeal, lavender flowers, or coffee grounds

© Sunday Bell Farm

Instructions

1. It is extremely important that you only use equipment specifically dedicated to soapmaking. You can find most everything you need secondhand at a thrift store.

2. Make sure you wear safety glasses and latex gloves. Lye is extremely caustic and should be handled with great care. Make soap in a well-ventilated area and have some apple cider vinegar available in case a little lye gets on you. The acid will neutralize the lye, which is basic.

3. Freeze the milk before making your soap or the lye will burn it during mixing. I use an ice cube tray for this.

4. Weigh out the coconut oil, olive oil, and lard or tallow into your stockpot and set aside.

5. Fill a large glass or stainless-steel bowl with cold water and ice. Set a smaller glass or stainless-steel bowl inside, making sure it is surrounded by ice cold water. Put the frozen milk cubes in the small bowl.

6. Weigh out the lye, then very slowly sprinkle it on top of the frozen milk. With your rubber spatula, slowly mix the lye into the milk. Continue adding lye and mixing in the milk until both are completely incorporated.

7. Heat oils until they are between 110°F–125°F. When the oils are ready, slowly pour the milk and lye mixture into the pot. Mix by hand for 5 minutes. Then, use your immersion blender to bring it to trace (when the soap becomes thick and pudding-like), around 5 to 10 minutes. A good rule of thumb is being able to write your initials with the drips off the spoon.

8. Mix in any essential oils or additives you selected. Pour into your soap molds.

9. Wait 24 hours before removing soap from molds and cutting bars. Wait another 4 to 6 weeks before use. Turn soap every so often to expose all sides to the air. Soap is done curing once it has reached 8–10 pH.

10. Once your soap is done curing, package it however you like and share with family and friends!

*Soap molds can be bought online in any shape you desire. I use a 3-foot section of 3-inch diameter PVC pipe that works perfectly for round bars. I cut my bars to 1-inch thickness.

Backyard Berry Shrub

Hi, I’m Mariana from Wicked Finch Farm in Pawling, New York. A shrub is a vinegar-based cocktail mixer that was traditionally used as a citrus alternative to preserve out-of-season fruits in seventeenth century England. This recipe is excellent for using end-of-season berries from the garden, leftover frozen berries when you are tired of smoothies, or any mix of your favorites. Shrubs are delicious paired with rum, vodka, gin, tequila, or sparkling wine. They are also refreshing as a mocktail, paired with tonic, seltzer, or lemonades. Make a large batch to give out as gifts during the holidays! Say hello and follow us for recipes and ideas @wickedfinchfarm. Pick up some boozy jam, tipsy marshmallows, and farm treats at www.wickedfinchfarm.com.

Yield: 1 (32-ounce) jar

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries

Optional: 1–2 sprigs mint, lavender, basil, thyme, or citrus slices

2 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups organic apple cider vinegar

Equipment

1 (32-ounce) mason jar with lid

Fine-mesh sieve or strainer lined with cheesecloth

Large bowl

Sanitized bottles or jars

Instructions

1. Lightly mash berries and add to your mason jar. Add herbs or citrus, if using. Pour sugar over the berries. Close the lid and shake. Let the berries and sugar macerate for about 24 hours.

2. Strain the berries through a fine-mesh sieve or strainer lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl, then pour apple cider vinegar through the berries to pick up additional juices and help the flavors develop.

3. Pour the shrub into sanitized bottles or jars and let them age and mellow, ideally for another week. Shrub can be kept for 6 months, chilled.

© Mariana Leung

© Emily Shellenberger

Fall-Inspired Floral Arrangement

Live Bee or Die Farm is a family-owned small cut flower farm and apiary in New Boston, New Hampshire. The farm originally started as a pollinator habitat project and has evolved into a full service, self-taught cut flower design business. Designing with cut flowers can be very therapeutic, and fresh flowers have been used for centuries to brighten homes and lift spirits. Whether it’s using cut flowers you personally grew, or buying from another source, you too can create a beautiful arrangement for your home. Be sure to check us out on Instagram @livebeeordiefarm and our website at www.livebeeordiefarm.com.

Yield: 1 floral arrangement

Materials

Vase

Shears

Chicken wire

Flower food (optional)

Flowers and foliage of choice

Instructions

1. Make sure you are starting with a clean vase and shears.

2. Take your chicken wire and create a ball. This will be used as a foundation to support your design.

3. Fill your vase with water, insert the chicken wire, and add in flower food if you desire. Prep your stems by stripping all foliage that will be below the water line.

4. Create a base of your design beginning with the foliage first, weaving the stems into the chicken wire. Once you have your desired base, start adding in your flowers. Measure them up against your vase for proper height and be sure to cut the stems at a 45° angle.

5. Keep adding flowers until you have reached the look you want to create. Try not to overthink it!

© Emily Shellenberger

The flowers and foliage used in this arrangement are as follows from left to right: antique hydrangea, chrysanthemum, marigold, winterberry, bupleurum

Drying Fresh Flowers

Lucky Clover Farm is located in the heart of Scituate, Rhode Island. We grow seasonal vegetables but are best known in our area for cut flowers. With a short New England grow season, we started drying flowers and squirreling them away for winter projects. On cold, snowy days when we are dreaming of garden beds full of green, there is nothing better than pulling out dried flowers and working with them again. Follow along with us for more tips on Facebook @luckycloverfarmri and Instagram @lucky_clover_farm.

Materials

Flowers of your choice

Rubber bands or twine

Instructions

1. Gather flowers of your choice to dry. Flowers such as strawflowers, zinnias, sunflowers, celosia, amaranthus, rudbeckia, and lavender are great options.

2. Remove any leaves or foliage from the stems.

3. Make small bundles of flowers and tie them at the bottom with a rubber band or twine.

4. Hang upside down and leave undisturbed for 3 to 4 months. It is best to choose a dry, dark location. Any light can cause the flowers to lose their color. Hay barns or work sheds can be great for this if there is no moisture. Moisture can cause flowers to mold.

We like to cut the stems short after they are completely dried and stick them to grapevine wreaths. You can use a little hot glue to help secure them into place. The dried flowers will last years if they are kept dry and out of direct sunlight. Once they are good and dry, you can also store them in a covered cardboard box if you’d like to store them for an extended time.

© Lucky Clover Farm

Deep South Region

Organic Elderberry Syrup

Fresh Leaf Indigo Dyeing

Farm Salve

Herbal Tincture

The Simple Farmhouse Apron

Braiding Garlic

Healthy No-Knead Bread

Simple Southern Pie Crust

Beeswax Taper Candles

DIY Barn Quilt

© Maria Adamson

I suggest the following dosages, but I am not a health-care provider. As with any remedy, do your research, and/or speak with your health-care provider to decide for yourself what will be best:

At the onset of a cold: 1 teaspoon 3 times a day for children aged 18 months–4 years old and 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for children aged 4 years–adults.

As a short-term preventative measure: 1 teaspoon daily for children aged 18 months–4 years old. 1 tablespoon daily for children aged 4 years–adults.

Organic Elderberry Syrup

My name is Kirah, and my beautifully mixed family and I are Elderflower Farms. We’re a budding organic practice farm in Lutz, Florida. The concept for our farm began with our dream to be self-sustaining. One afternoon, I walked our property, dreaming of farm days to come, when I came across the place where an old oak tree fell. Over time the dead tree decomposed, and in its place stood a patch of elderberry shrubs. It was then that it hit me: Elderflower Farms! The name held the power and the promise for who we were, and what we wanted to accomplish. Elderberries have long been used in recipes including pies, jams, and the ever-popular syrup. They are well-known for having potent antiviral properties, as well as high levels of antioxidants and vitamins, which means they are a powerful support for the immune system. Elderberry syrup is a powerful remedy. I suggest using it at the onset of a cold and continuing until symptoms taper off. If you think you may have been exposed to a cold or flu, it doesn’t hurt to take it for a few days as a preventative measure, but long-term use can put a strain on the immune system and is not recommended. Feel free to try this recipe, tweak it, and make it your own! May it bring you good health and the joy of caring for yourself and your loved ones with a little help from nature. Follow our farm journey on Instagram @elderflowerfarms.

Yield: 6 ounces

Ingredients

3 cups water

¾ cup dried organic elderberries*

4 organic cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon whole cloves or more to taste

1 tablespoon organic dried or fresh ginger or more to taste

1 cup raw, unfiltered honey (preferably local)

Instructions

1. Combine water, elderberries, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and ginger in a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil.

2. Cover and boil for about 30 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

4. Strain the liquid into a quart-size measuring cup or large bowl and remove the cinnamon sticks. Use the back of your spoon to press as much liquid as possible from the berries.

© Maria Adamson

5. Transfer the strained liquid to a quart-size mason jar, then add honey and mix until combined, or pour honey into the liquid in your measuring cup/bowl first and combine before transferring the finished syrup into your jar. Freshly made elderberry syrup will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months.

© Maria Adamson

*If you’re able to forage your own elderberries, wonderful! But be very careful. Fresh elderberries must be cooked to be consumed and there are poisonous look-alikes. Make sure you can correctly identify an elderberry plant before attempting to harvest. For the purpose of this recipe, I use dried berries purchased online from a trusted supplier.

Fresh Leaf Indigo Dyeing

Pluff Mudd Farm was established by Dale and Kelly Fort in June 2015. Our little three-acre farm sits at the end of Leadenwah Creek on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. We grow flax for fiber and indigo for dyeing the fiber. Indigo has historical significance in South Carolina. It was the second cash crop grown in this colony. It is the reason our flag is blue. There are also a wide variety of methods used to extract the blue color from this plant. Many are time consuming and may involve using chemicals, but I like to use a simple extraction method that uses only fresh leaves and ice water. This results in a beautiful “robin’s egg” blue color! Indigo is a surface dye. This means that it does not saturate each fiber completely. Rather, it bonds to the surface of the fiber. This is the reason your jeans fade over time and in places of more friction. More “dips” in the dye bath build up the layers of indigo color, making it darker. Fresh leaf indigo will dye silk, wool, and other protein (animal) fiber. It will not dye cotton, linen, or cellulose (plant) fibers. Indigo will not bond with synthetic fibers so be sure the fiber/fabric you use for dyeing is not a synthetic blend. Pick your leaves in the morning so that they are fresh and cool and make sure to use them as soon as possible. Follow @PluffMuddFarm on Instagram or find us at www.pluffmuddfarm.com.

Materials

Rubber gloves

Plastic tablecloth or other covering for workspace

Silk scarf or wool fabric or yarn (weigh what you’ll be using)

Fresh indigo leaves (you’ll need about 5 times the weight of what you’re dyeing)

1.5–2 liters ice water

Blender

Straining cloth

Large bowl

Instructions

1. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and spread a plastic tablecloth or other covering on top of your workspace to avoid staining.

2. Prepare your fiber of choice by soaking it in warm water with a little mild soap. After 15 minutes, rinse thoroughly.

3. Gently separate the indigo leaves from the stems while the fiber is soaking.

4. Place some of the leaves in a blender and cover with cold water. Blend for about 1 minute. Note: This will probably need to be done in several small batches, depending on the size of your blender. Work quickly, as the mixture needs to remain cold in order to work. Try to keep the time at 5 minutes between starting the blender and putting the fiber in the strained liquid.

5. Pour the mixture through a straining cloth into a large bowl to strain out the chopped leaves. Squeeze the liquid through the cloth into the large bowl. You now have your “indigo soup!”

© Kelly Fort, Pluff Mudd Farm

6. Repeat with the remaining leaves until all have been used. Chopped leaves can be composted.

7. Place the silk or wool fiber into the “soup” and gently swish around for up to 15 minutes.

8. Pull the fabric from the bowl and squeeze the excess water. Open it up to expose it to the air. This is where the magic happens! The fiber comes out of the “soup” green, and then changes to blue as it oxidizes. This is also when the indigo is bonding to the fiber.

9. Rinse and repeat this process up to 5 times more. Each repeat will intensify the blue color.

10. After the last soak, thoroughly rinse the fabric and hang or lay flat to dry. The color will even out with repeated “dips.”

If you want to add some patterning to your fabric, prepare the fabric before you soak it in warm water with some of the following resist techniques. You cannot do it wrong. Give yourself permission to play!

• Use rubber bands and tie them around parts of the fabric like you would for tie-dyeing.

• Fold the fabric and use rubber bands on the corners. If you are folding the fabric, do it accordion style. That presents the most surface area to the indigo.

• Clip clothespins along the edges for a fun design.

• Use two identical wooden shapes and clamp them together with the fabric in between.

• Do two or three “dips” with the resists in place, then remove them for the last dip or two. Instead of a blue and white fabric, this will make a blue-on-blue fabric.

© Willow Moon Farm

Farm Salve

Hey there! My name is Sara, and I am the owner of Willow Moon Farm. We are located in the Blue Ridge mountains of Gore, Virginia. We are a certified naturally grown farm that specializes in growing things organically and keeping all our products as natural as possible. We create botanical skincare products, goat milk soaps, and natural soy candles. Creating a salve is pretty simple and probably one of my favorite products to make! First, you need to decide what your intentions for the salve are. Is it for moisturizing, cracked hands, diaper rash, etc.? Once you figure out your intentions for the salve, you can then figure out your ingredient list (see options below). The most important ingredient in any salve is beeswax. That is what hardens your salve. I usually do a 1:4 ratio, 1 part beeswax and the other portion being the oils. Check us out on our website at www.willowmoonfarm.org or follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more recipes and tips.

Yield: 11/4cups

Ingredients

1 cup coconut, avocado, hempseed, or infused oil*

¼ cup organic local beeswax

Equipment

Strainer lined with cheesecloth

Double boiler

Measuring cup

Metal tins with tops

Instructions

1. If you infused an oil of your own, the first step would be to strain the herbs out of the oil with a strainer lined with cheesecloth. The cheesecloth will make sure to catch the majority of the smaller particles of the plant.

2. Next, prepare your double boiler with some water and set to medium-low heat on the stove.

3. Add in your oil and beeswax. Feel free to adjust the beeswax to your preference. If you like a softer salve, use less beeswax. If you like a harder salve, add more beeswax.

4. Stir periodically until all of the beeswax is melted.

5. Once the beeswax is completely melted, pour your salve into a measuring cup and begin pouring into tins.

6. Let the salve cool for 24 hours before adding the tops to your containers.

7. Prepare a label for each container so you know what you made. I like to include the ingredients on my labels.

*To make an infused oil, add dried plant matter of choice such as lavender, comfrey, chamomile, or calendula to a glass jar with a lid (I like mason jars), filling about ¾ of the way. Then, add your oil(s) of choice. Be sure to fill the jar to the top with oil so that there is no air remaining. Add your lid and let sit for 6 to 8 weeks.

Herbal Tincture

The Appalachian Homestead is snugly tucked into the mountains of Central Appalachia in beautiful Wise County, Virginia. Mark and Shallon Payne come from long lines of mountaineer homesteaders who saw fit to preserve and pass down the wisdom of their ancestral ways which they now put to use in their everyday lives. One of the many crafts practiced on the Appalachian Homestead is tincture making. Using homegrown and wild, foraged herbs to create traditional blends, the Paynes rely on these tried-and-true methods to soothe what ails them. From seasonal allergies, colds, and flus to everyday aches and pains, these traditional tinctures bring sweet relief. Get to know the Payne family via their Instagram @theappalachianhomestead.

Yield: 14–16 ounces

Materials

Wild, foraged herbs of choice

1 pint-size mason jar with lid

100 proof clear, unflavored vodka

Strainer lined with cheesecloth

© Mark and Shallon Payne and Heather Baker

© Mark and Shallon Payne and Heather Baker

Instructions

1. Forage and gather the herbs that you plan to tincture. Note: Not all herbs are suitable for tincturing! We recommend goldenrod and mullein. Make sure the herb is fresh and free of debris, insects, etc.

2. Roughly chop the herbs and add to your mason jar until the container is 2/3 full.

3. Completely fill the container with vodka. There should be no air remaining between the vodka and the inside of the lid.

4. Lid the container and shake well.

5. Label the container with the herbs used and date created and store in a cool, dark, dry location (such as a pantry) for 8 weeks. Shake the container daily.

6. After 8 weeks, use a strainer lined with cheesecloth to strain the liquid from the herbs. The retained liquid is your tincture.

7. Store in a glass jar or bottle of your choice in a cool, dark, dry location. Properly made tincture is very shelf-stable and has a near endless shelf life.

Note: It is important to only forage herbs that you are certain to have correctly identified, not from a roadside, due to the possibility of herbicide contamination, or from private or government property without proper permission.

The Simple Farmhouse Apron

Our farm is located in Southern Louisiana where I run my YouTube channel, The Retro Farmhouse, which offers many do-it-yourself (DIY) projects regarding making your house a home. Learning to sew opens up many possibilities for making useful items to use in your household or on your farm, whether it be a quilt for your bed or handmade gifts to give out for special occasions. This simple farmhouse apron always takes me back to the early days of Laura Ingalls Wilder every time I wear it. Aside from being useful for wearing while cooking, it is also convenient as a vessel for gathering eggs or harvesting food. My hope is that it gives you much joy as well!

Yield: 1 (37" x 2½" x 96") apron

Materials

1 yard fabric for the skirt and waistband measuring at least 43" × 35"

¼ yard coordinating fabric for the pockets

1 spool matching thread

Straight pins

Instructions

1. Wash, dry, and iron fabrics before starting to allow for proper shrinkage.

2. Cut a rectangle from the fabric for the skirt measuring 38" × 21".

3. Cut two strips of the same fabric as the skirt measuring 4" × 37" for the outer waistband and 4" × 20.5" for the middle of the waistband.

4. To create a finished edge, fold both short sides and one long side of the skirt fabric ¼ inch, then another ¼ inch with the printed side of the fabric facing down. Press with an iron to create a crisp seam.

5. Sew a straight stitch on all three sides of the folded edges.

6. For the waistband, sew the longer strips of fabric on each side of the smaller middle strip with the printed sides of the fabric together as shown.

© Jessica Watson

© Jessica Watson

© Jessica Watson

7. Fold the waistband lengthwise in half and press.

8. Fold the edges of the waistband ¼ inch and press.

9. Create a gathering stitch on the non-folded side of the skirt by increasing the stitch length and tension on the sewing machine, which will create an automatic ruffle. If sewing by hand, do a long running stitch with each stitch ¼ inch apart, then gently pull the thread to gather fabric.

10. Pin the skirt to the waistband between the middle waistband section, ensuring the raw edge is encased inside of the front and back of the waistband.

11. Sew a straight stitch around the parameter of the waistband using a ¼-inch seam allowance.

12. For the pockets, cut two squares measuring 9" × 9". Fold the edges ¼ inch, then another ¼ inch, and sew a straight stitch all the way around.

13. Pin the pockets to the skirt at 4½ inches from the bottom and 6 inches from the side of the skirt.

14. Straight stitch around the sides and bottom of the pockets, leaving the top of each pocket open.

© Jessica Watson

© Jessica Watson

© Jessica Watson

Braiding Garlic

Hello! I am Khinya Wade, a gardener, licensed massage therapist, owner of a wellness center, and most importantly a vessel for the Creator. I seek to inspire people to live a more simple and naturalistic life. I’ve always romanticized the idea of having dried garlic hanging in my kitchen or apothecary. The old-world aesthetic resonated with me so much that I decided to grow my own garlic. I live in zone 7b in Northeast Alabama. Typically, southern gardeners should plant garlic in the fall around October, but I did not plant mine until January. I was able to successfully grow over a hundred bulbs of garlic. I hope these pictures and step-by-step instructions help you create a beautiful vestige in your home. Find me on Instagram at @kirinyaga_wellness or visit my website at www.kirinyagawellness.com.

Ingredients

4 bulbs dried soft neck garlic (only soft neck garlic can be braided because hard neck is too tough to work with)

Instructions

1. Cut the dried roots off the garlic.

2. Clean off all the dirt from the bulbs of garlic. Do not use water to clean the bulbs because water can cause mold.

3. Grab three bulbs and lay them down right, center, and left.

4. Take the stem of bulb one and wrap it over left and center under itself, then over the left and center again.

5. Fasten garlic bulbs left and center close to this knot for a tight and solid base.

6. Next, add the fourth bulb in the center and wrap the most lateral left stem on the new center bulb and do the same with the most lateral right stem.

7. Keep adding the bulbs and braiding the stems together.

8. Repeat the same pattern over and over until the braid is finished. Finish the stems like you would if you were braiding someone’s hair.

9. Your braid is now done! Hang your dried garlic from a hook or nail.

© Black Face Media Company

© Black Face Media Company

© Black Face Media Company

Garlic-Infused Honey

Garlic-Infused Honey is great for sore throats or if you feel a cold coming on, but it is not a cure-all recipe. Seek medical attention if the cold persists.

Equipment

1 pint-size mason jar with lid

Ingredients

20 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 large cinnamon stick

¾ cup raw honey (locally sourced is preferred)

Instructions

1. Place the garlic, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon stick in a mason jar.

2. Pour raw honey over the top of the garlic.

3. Cover with lid and let sit in a dark place for a month.

4. Once the honey is infused, you can place it in the fridge to keep.

5. Eat a piece of garlic or a spoonful of honey whenever you feel a cold coming on.

© Healthy Life Farm

Healthy No-Knead Bread

Healthy Life Farm is an organic farm located in Georgia. I started gardening in the spring of 1995 after moving to Georgia with my husband and two beautiful daughters. Along with growing organic vegetables, herbs, and fruit, fresh baked breads have transformed into a family favorite! I am excited to share this artisan quick and easy no-knead bread recipe. Join us on Instagram @lovers4healthylife for more farm tips and recipes. We hope you enjoy filling your home with the savory aroma of homemade fresh bread every day.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Total rise time: 75 minutes | Cook time: 25–30 minutes Yield: 12–16 large rolls, 2 small loaves, or 1 large loaf

Ingredients

2 cups room temperature water

3 teaspoons instant or active yeast

1 teaspoon salt

Optional: ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup honey or organic sugar, cinnamon, raisins, basil, rosemary, garlic, etc.

4½–5 cups all-purpose or bread flour, reserve ½–1 cup for folding dough

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir together water with yeast and salt along with any optional ingredients (if using) until completely incorporated.

2. Mix in 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour. You will want your dough sticky, but not runny.

3. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 45 minutes if using instant yeast or 1 hour if using active yeast.

4. On a clean surface, lightly dust with flour using a flour sifter. Transfer the risen dough using a bowl scraper to your floured surface and begin folding in remaining flour with sifter.

5. Divide the dough as desired and shape into rolls or a loaf.

6. Line loaf pans or baking sheets with parchment paper and add shaped dough.

7. Cover and let shaped dough rise for 15 minutes and preheat oven to 375°F–400°F.

8. Bake for 30 minutes. For a crispier French-style crust, bake in a covered Dutch oven for 30 minutes and 5 to 10 minutes uncovered.

© Healthy Life Farm

Simple Southern Pie Crust

Hey y’all, I’m Chas! My family and I live and homestead here in Georgia. I enjoy cooking and baking with whole ingredients, which is why baking pies has to be one of my all-time favorite activities in our homestead kitchen. Sweet or savory, these time-honored treats are just as welcome today as ever, because nothing says love, home, or comfort like a homemade pie. I’d love for you to follow along with our homesteading journey on Instagram @Heritageacresehomesteadchas.

Yield: 2 crusts

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup butter, very cold and cut in pieces

½ cup lard, very cold

1 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)

½ cup ice water

Instructions

1. By hand or in the bowl of a food processor, add flour, butter, lard, and salt. Mix until the fats are dispersed throughout the flour mixture.

2. Begin to add cold water just until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl and the dough begins to come together. Mix quickly because the heat from your hands or the food processor can warm the dough. If dough is too dry, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough holds its shape. Note: A tender pie dough should be mixed till just combined. This will ensure a tender, flaky crust!

3. Separate the dough into 2 discs, then wrap each one in plastic wrap or a resealable container and place in your refrigerator until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 4 days. Pie dough can be frozen for future usage as well.

4. Once dough has been chilled adequately, place on a firm surface sprinkled lightly with flour. Begin rolling dough from the center outward until you have a circle wide enough for your pie plate. Transfer your dough to the pie plate by laying your crust gently over the rolling pin and into your pie pan.

5. Lightly press your dough into the curves of the pan and prick the bottom of your pie with a fork to prevent bubbling while baking.

© Heritage Acres Homestead

6. Use a knife to trim excess dough from edges of pie plate. Shape your crust edges as desired and bake per your pie’s instructions.

Chas’s Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin puree

¼ cup heavy cream

2 eggs, slightly beaten

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.

2. Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl.

3. When fully incorporated, pour the filling into your Simple Southern Piecrust.

4. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes.

5. Lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake until set, approximately 30 more minutes.

6. Allow the pie to cool before serving.

Beeswax Taper Candles

Made On Acorn Hill began when two moms made goat milk soap to give away as Christmas gifts in 2010. What started as a heartfelt desire for simple, handmade gifts for our loved ones and natural, safe products for our two families grew into a small business. Beeswax candlemaking is one of our favorite fall traditions, as we heat a big pot of Tennessee beeswax to dip candles the old-fashioned way, stocking baskets full of candles to last us through the winter. There’s nothing quite like the welcoming light of a candle in the window on a cold winter’s night. You can find our candlemaking and other snapshots of our life, along with more Made On Acorn Hill products, on Instagram @madeonacornhill and our website at www.MadeOnAcornHill.com.

Yield: 16 (6-inch) candles

Materials

Disposable tablecloth (for workspace)

2 pounds beeswax

Wicks (we use #1 cotton square braid)

Weights (we use metal washers and nuts)

Instructions

1. Cover your work area with a disposable tablecloth to catch wax drips.

2. Melt beeswax over medium heat to 155°F–160°F in a tall pot or heat-safe container. We dip multiple taper pairs at a time and make this an outdoor project with a large pot dedicated to beeswax but you can scale this project back to dip a single pair of tapers at a time in the kitchen. The safest way to heat the beeswax is by using the double boiler method. Any heat-safe container will work such as a wide-mouth mason jar or an old metal can in a pot of hot water on the stove. A crockpot will also work if you have one you can devote to wax projects. Watch the temperature of your beeswax; it is flammable if overheated.

3. While the beeswax is melting, cut your wick and tie a weight to each end. The length of your wick will be determined by the height of your beeswax container. We use a 24" wick to make a pair of 8" candles.

© Made On Acorn Hill

© Made On Acorn Hill

4. You can either dip by hand, holding one taper pair at a time, or you can fashion a holder to dip multiple pairs at a time. We use scrap wood with slits in it to hold the wicks with an eye hook for a handle.

5. Lower the wicks down into the wax, then lift them up out of the pot immediately. If you hold the candles in the melted wax too long, the wax that has accumulated on the wicks will melt off, so dip quickly. Hold your candles above the pot for a few seconds between each dip to let the wax harden. We do this project outdoors in fall, so it only takes about 5 to 10 seconds for the wax to harden between dips. You can also dip your candles in cold water between wax dips to cool and harden the wax to speed things up. If you add this extra water dipping step, be sure all the water drips off before dipping in wax to avoid trapped water bubbles in your candles.

6. Repeat dipping until your candle is the diameter you like, to fit your favorite taper candle holder!

7. Cut the weight off the bottom of each candle and dip one final time to create a smooth base for your candles. The easiest way to remove the weights from the wax is to do it right away, while the wax is still warm.

8. Drape candles to dry and harden for several hours.

9. Trim candle wicks to separate the pair of tapers or leave them as a set for an old-fashioned gift.

© Made On Acorn Hill

© Made On Acorn Hill

© Made On Acorn Hill

© Made On Acorn Hill

DIY Barn Quilt

Libby is the creator of BFA Barn Quilts and accompanying Instagram @burnsfamilyacres. Libby first started painting her own barn quilts to decorate her new family home on six acres in central North Carolina. Using leftover materials from her home build, she made her first far-from-perfect barn quilt. After making several for family and friends, a small business was born. Libby and her family are currently building their homestead. In her spare time, you’ll find her doing all sorts of do-it-yourself (DIY) projects around the homestead and in the house, and often wielding a chainsaw. You can purchase Libby’s barn quilts at www.etsy.com/shop/BFABarnquilts.

Yield: 1 (22-inch) hand-painted barn quilt Skill Level: Medium

Materials

¾" plywood

Miter saw

Sandpaper

Orbital sander

Stain

Square measure

Pencil

Painter’s tape

Paint brush

Paint

Finishing wax

Old rags

1' × 2' boards

Brad nailer

Brad nails

Instructions

1. Begin by choosing a barn quilt pattern. You can find inspiration from old quilt pattern books or a Pinterest search. For this project, I chose Carpenter Square. This pattern uses two paint colors and incorporates the stained wood into the pattern.

2. Cut the plywood to a 20" square using your miter saw.

3. Sand the face and edges to a smooth finish with sandpaper and/or an orbital sander.

4. Stain the plywood and let dry.

5. Using a square measure and pencil, divide your board into eight equal-size sections along both sides, making a grid.

6. With painter’s tape, tape off sections that will be the same color.

7. Apply three coats of paint, then remove tape while paint is slightly wet. Allow to dry. Repeat this step until the pattern is complete.

8. Touch up any places that need fixing and erase pencil lines.

9. Rub finishing wax on the dried board with an old rag. In circular motions, rub wax off with a clean rag.

10. Measure two opposite sides of your barn quilt and your miter saw to cut the 1' × 2' boards to fit.

11. Dry fit those two boards. Measure the uncut sides to cover the length of the barn quilt and the frames.

12. Sand and stain your frames, then allow to dry.

13. Assemble your barn quilt using a brad nailer. Start with the two short frame boards, then attach the two longer frame boards.

© Libby Burns

Founder Patti Johnson-Long
© Salina Long

Founder’s Story

Creative maker, baker, and lover of all things farm, my childhood was spent hopping family farms in North Dakota every summer. Past our parents’ sudden death, my four sisters, brother, and German grandparents felt happily distracted there and celebrated. We attended farm weddings, anniversaries, and family reunions full of culturally specific farm food, polka dancing, and the freedom to be ourselves. Moving on bravely to travel the world, get my college degree, and raise a family of my own with my childhood sweetheart, I eventually embraced my heart’s desire.

Convincing my “city slicker” husband to build me a chicken coop and fill it with chickens so that “the kids could learn the meaning of responsibility and hard work” was the easy part. Insisting that we then build a barn, get goats, pigs, ducks, turkeys, and more chickens was a little bit harder. (When you wrangle your first goat together to trim hooves, you know it’s official.) Our teamwork, passion for nutritious food, and the realization that farm animals are completely entertaining, led us to create FarmMade.

Acknowledgments

“Traditions make up the cultural half of agri-culture.”
—John Ikerd, visionary economist and author

Getting to partner with farmers, ranchers, and homesteaders nationwide who make their products and hone their skills in long-standing, traditional ways was an incredible honor! I believe they are one of the most authentic contenders in today's marketplace. One of the first entrepreneurs; trading, bartering, and selling commodities, value-added goods, and crafts to their communities the world over. I am continually impressed by their tenacity to grow, raise, and make what they do in order to stay on the farm and do what they love. The long-term business relationships they create and nurture are impressive, essentially keeping their farms, ranches, and homesteads plus surrounding community thriving with an old-fashioned honesty that is hard to find these days.

Creating a book dedicated to time-honored traditional skills and farm craft was a dream come true! My hope is that every story and piece of farm knowledge within these pages connects the reader to their agrarian heritage and encourages a renaissance of love for all things farm. Thank you to all who participated and poured their farm hearts into this special project!

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