Ground Swell

On Tuesday as I was heading down town to class I turned in my registration fee to "Ground Swell" an urban homesteading mentor program. I could learn things like food storage and animal husbandry. Not to mention adding a good deal of knowledge to my gardening skill set. I won't know if I got into the program for another week, fingers crossed. We may even be able to get a "Model Homestead" Certification at the end of the process. 

I know there will be some stiff competition. I am not a shoe in by any means. I am hopeful. 

With or with out this program the coming year is going to be educational and I am very excited to get my projects back under way. Even with the bitter cold outside I am starting to think about my spring garden. I have seeds a plenty and I can't wait to get dirt on my hands again. 

Sprouts, Tubers and Honey Wine

Two days ago I received my new shipment of sprouts in the mail. I ordered through sproutpeople.org. I got four kinds of seeds, organic broccoli, red kale, mustard and clover. I was able to take advantage of the free shipping as well. I estimate that with the amount of sprouts I received I will be able to sprout consistently and eat a health amount of greens for about three months.

Also in the last week I started eating some of the sweet potatoes I grew this summer. After harvesting and curing the sweet potatoes they are supposed to be stored for a time. Weeks to months, this allows the sugars to break down and the sweet potato becomes more digestible. It also makes them more sweet, and let me tell you they are sweet. I have been making them into hash browns. I know now that I am going to be growing sweet potatoes for a long time. 

The other thing I started this week was a new batch of mead. After drinking some of the mead I made this summer I am really excited to make more. I have also had an opportunity to try brothers drake Wild Ohio mead. I love mead. I am interested in trying several mead experiments in the next several months. The one I just started I used a 100% cranberry juice with 2 lbs of honey and champagne yeast.

I will keep you all updated on my winter projects. 

That'll do pig! That'll do.

I am gonna buy a pig today! Well half of one! Well I am actually gonna pay for half of that half today. I found the farm I want to use, Bluecreek Farm. They have a store front in downtown Columbus. The pork is the right price for it to be a sustainable venture for me. I am very excited. The people at the store front/butcher shop are gonna walk me through the process. I don't really know what I want out of this deal, cause I don't really know what I am getting. I know I want all the organs I can get. I also want a bunch of bacon which does cost a bit more. I will keep you'all updated with he process.

We'll Raise a Cup of Bulletproof Coffee and Kindness

January One 2014, 
First day of a new year. I am not one for resolutions. But I have a list of things I am going to try over the coming months.
First, I am going to be back in classes. I will be taking organic chemistry and trigonometry. Both are subjects I have studied before but not in over 5 years. I foresee some challenges in getting my mind functioning in that was again. I think I can do the classes. I am blocking a lot of time every week for studying. 
I am also working still. I will be working one or two shifts less than I was over the past several months. I would like to only be down one shift. I need the money from at least 4 shifts per week. 
There is also a good chance I will be working on a much larger project. I can't reveal what that is yet, but it will require a lot of my time weekly. A big part of that project will require getting in much better shape than I am now. I will need to adapt and level up. 
I also want to be better at staying on top of my gardening and blogging. In the coming months that means consistently sprouting and keeping my sprout garden from getting gross. In early spring it means starting this whole project over again. 
It's gonna be a good year.