Carrie Seal-Stahl's Blog (29)

As of yesterday, it's been a month since we moved to our 3 acre homestead, which we've dubbed "Lil Raisin Acres", so named for the tributary running out front called "Little Raisin River" (hardly a river, more like a ditch...). We've been EXTREMELY busy.

Firstly, we had to paint the kitchen in order to have our cabinets and appliances installed. The former owners, who'd been foreclosed on, had removed every stitch of anything other than floor from the kitchen, including the plumbing…

It's been a long 9 weeks since we first put in an offer on the homestead we're purchasing. It's been a long process due to certain requirements of the type of loan we're obtaining. That said, the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight at last!

We're going to be VERY busy for the next 6 mos or so to be sure. So much to do I can't even list it all, but besides the contracted kitchen rehab and roof job,  painting/papering, outbuilding rehab and tilling up a field are some of the…

Original Article - Washington Post

With recent outbreaks of salmonella, e. coli, and listeria, it's understandable that there is concern about safe harvesting and processing…

Just placed my Baker Creek order! $69.50 for 30 packets of seeds- Not bad. There are a few veggies and herbs we will need to purchase locally (garlic, onion sets, seed potatoes, rosemary, horseradish) along with our flowers and fruit trees.

Here's what we'll be growing this year:

Blue Lake Bush 274 Bean

Old Homestead (Kentucky Wonder) Bean

Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts

Waltham 29…

It's been quite a while since I've last posted here... I've been making a LOT of jerky on my new dehydrator, and trying out new bread recipes. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I know I did! I got the ultimate gift. For the past 3 or so years that I've been a member, I've always talked about wanting a small homestead...........

AT LAST!!! We've found one! The week after Thanksgiving, our offer was accepted on a 3 acre parcel with a modest ranch style home on it! We got an…

As I'd said in my last post, I'd been looking around a lot at different options for the future. Thinking about what I truly need, and I can do without. In reality, I really pretty much live 80% of my indoors time in this bedroom with attached bath (about 12x10, 5x7 bath). We've got a 32" TV, Roku player, laptop, books, etc in here. Otherwise, we cook, eat dinner at the table, and generally come right back in here! We've also got completely useless vaulted ceilings as…

It's been quite some time since I've visited!!!

Last May, we relocated from SE MI to NW OH. For about the last year, we've been in an apartment. I haven't had a garden since the 2010 season now. I'm really missing it, especially the fresh herbs. I had planned on making a small container garden on the balcony, but I got busy, drug my feet, and next I knew, it was already mid-June! 

I know this heat and drought conditions have to be trying everyone's patience. My…

First it was fertilizer burn death for about 3/4 of my seedlings, then it was a flooded out plot, then it was scorchingly arid weather followed by constant tornado watches and warnings... It hasn't been a good year for gardening here in SE Michigan, atleast not in my yard!!!

But, the good news is it can always be rectified. First, some vinegar to kill off the massive amounts of weeds that have accumulated thanks to bird seed we put out in the feeders. Wait 2 weeks, add manure…

Spent this evening clearing up clutter for "Spring Cleaning". We rearranged Britt's bedroom and are raiding our storage areas in the house and shed for items to sell in the Community-Wide Yard Sale next weekend! We've got a bunch of clothes that can go, some extra computer and PS2 controllers, movies, books... It's amazing how much stuff I've acquired in the 9 years I've lived here!

On the frugalling front, I've not only given up my smokes, but I've also given up soda. This is…

Started seeds on Friday and we're already seeing basil, broccoli and cukes in the minigreenhouse! Oregano and chives are already green and growing in the herb garden, and I planted my salad greens yesterday. Tomorrow we have to go pick up some black liner to help with our weed problem (no matter what we do, daisies invade!) and some chicken wire for the peas and cukes to grow up.

Besides getting the garden going we are gutting our front bathroom, as there was a slow leak that…