Rural Ramblings

Organic Seed Starts--NO TO MONSANTO GMO!

countrymama — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:35:03 GMT

Hello everyone,

I don't know if you have been doing the same, but I have been planting organic seed starts in little starter flats, all ready for the better weather. Today, we are expecting six inches of rain sometime around five this afternoon. The poor little seeds would surely get washed downstream if I attempted to sow any into the actual soil outside. I bought my organic seeds from http://www.seedsofchange.com at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Camdenton, Missouri, about a twenty miles drive from here. I was happy to see Seeds of Change organic seeds on sale there because I know they are a good company, and 100% Certified Organic. No nasty GMO headaches for me; who knows what Monsanto will try to patent next--perhaps the sunshine...Farmers whose fields have been contaminated with Monsanto's patented crap crop, should sue him for invasion of their non-GMO crop. We organic farmers have to stick together on this one, and form some kind of anti-Monsanto coalition. If any organic farmer is game for that, please contact me through this thread.

countrymama

Ramblings Around the Wood Stove

countrymama — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 03:28:00 GMT

Chilly weather has hit Climax Springs, Missouri, sending wood-burning residents scrambling to the many firewood vendors, laden with truckloads of seasoned oak and hickory for sale. The buzzing of chainsaws in the distance replaces summer's endless drone of ride-on lawn mowers being driven by homeowners who enjoy being kids again...

Yes, it's time to pull those warm sweaters out of mothballs and dig out your sweatsuits, mittens and wooly hats; Jack Frost nips at exposed body parts, so cover up.

I have been busy baking homemade bread using my traditional family recipe. Try this recipe for yourself at http://www.ruralcountryliving.com/bread.htm Everyone at my house devours the entire batch before it's even cooled down, so hide some for yourself to eat at leisure. The heavenly aroma of fresh-baked bread lingers in your home long after its eaten.

Despite the cold weather, Henny Penny, my free-ranging Rhode Island Red laying hen, sits on her nest every morning come shower or shine, and lays me a delicious organic egg. She runs to me when I call her name--I swear she thinks she's a dog! It would be great if she continued laying through the winter.

Well I'm going to hit the hay. Nite everybody!

Gardening--Weeding Mostly...Farmer's Market Talks...

countrymama — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 03:18:00 GMT

The weeds in my garden are neverending and keep me really busy with my handy-dandy hand-fork, and news; my organic gardener friend is talking about developing a five-acre garden for next year... We are still discussing holding a farmer's market every Saturday at the spring through October. Any other farmer/homesteader living in or around the area of Climax Springs, MO. who is interested in joining us, please contact editor@ruralcountryliving.com and we can discuss the event together over coffee.

I am detecting a connection between soy milk/soy products and breast cancer incidences. My sister first brought this to my attention. Linda McCartney was a soy-fan, also two of my closest friends. Soy boosts hormone levels in women (maybe okay for post-menopausal woman) and reduces sperm-count in men. I'll blog more about this matter on a later post.

Hot, hazy and humid here at Climax Springs; however not too bad in the house (big, rambling old house). And now I'm rambling, too, so I will depart. Until next time.

Weight Loss and Organic/Wild-Crafted Foods

countrymama — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:57:00 GMT

Well, it's a long time since I last blogged so I thought I would put fingers to keyboard and keep everyone up with the latest happenings here in Climax Springs, Missouri.

A naturally occuring phenomenon started happening when I moved from Arizona almost two years ago; I lost weight slowly but nonetheless, I lost weight. Yipee! I have now lost seventy pounds! And I am still steadily losing the pounds and inches. I have been donating all my clothes that have become too big to charity. I am now into buying thrift store clothes--usually designer clothes, one or two sizes too small for me, and then challenging myself to lose enough weight to fit into them! It's so neat when I can actually squeeze into the new clothes, as I know I am getting healthier and feeling great during the process. My current fave foods are blueberries, blackberries, oatmeal and homemade chicken and whole wheat pasta salad.

My garden is coming along just fine and I will be taking pix and posting them on the website soon so that you can all see it for yourselves. Picking blackberries is a regular event here although one has to watch for the copperheads and water moccasins slithering between the verdant growth between brambles. Blackberry and Apple Cobbler tomorrow...There's a lot to be said for wild-crafted foods and I know there are gardeners here who think like I do and we may get together and start a farmer's market every weekend at the spring in the park. Farmer's markets are great venues for social networking and heirloom seed swapping, as my gardener friends are all into organic or wild-crafted foods. A couple of wild-crafted items are being offered for sale on the wildcrafted page of my site.

I was blessed with identical twin (like my twin sister and I) grandsons back in March and I will become a grandmother once again around January, 2009. I already have four grandchildren; so the more the merrier. I wish I could see them more often.

Anyway, time for me to hit the hay--big weeding day in the garden tomorrow; I also have to water it thoroughly.

I'll write again soon.

Going live today

countrymama — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:38:00 GMT

Well, today's the day my site goes live--again; yes, well we all have problems now and again, don't we. Therefore we mustn't dwell in the past but instead, forge ahead and be positive. Today, in the heart of America, it is sunny, but cool. We've had freezing overnight temperatures for three nights which I hope won't affect any of the spring growth; last spring, it froze here for a solid week and nipped everything in the bud, including the lovely lilac blooms. The woodstove is burning and warming my chilly parts as I type this--thank goodness for my woodstove! A kindly neighbor gave it to me as he figured I could use it better than the black widows which were in residence. Hearts of gold, some people. And with the price of electricity going up and up, a body needs an alternative source of heat. Our rural electric cooperative changed out our old antiquated electric meters that we read ourselves, and replaced them with brand new digital ones--folks round here say the electric will go up another 30% to cover their costs. Sometimes progress really isn't good. Maybe we should all change to solar and wind generators. Anyway, I'm rambling, so that's all for today.