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Growing Back to the Land

A Modern-Day Homestead Novel

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Extras: Clients

This is an older picture of Gracie when we brought her home. My new BFF!

Gracie has a sense of humor and liked to make me laugh. If we were sitting on the front porch, she liked to poke her nose out the door until we noticed and invited her. She knew not to leave the house without me knowing.

I was working hard in the garden one evening, and Gracie came and flopped down in the middle of my biggest and best patch of marigolds. It instantly reminded me to stop and enjoy what I was doing, find more joy in workloads instead of focusing on the end or how hard I was working.

Roosters will square off and fight for hens.

This photo is of Ronnie at the town expo putting on a modern-day sawmill demo.

Providing for yourself is liberating.

A pellet grill allowed me to have more time to work on the farm while enjoying the flavor of pit cooked meats. We enjoy using all kinds of grills, but this was a safer way to smoke for long periods without constantly monitoring temperature.

Kansas

So many wonderful things come from the barn!!

We purchased a Rock Climber Edition RZR. The lower gear allowed for smoother movements up and over terrain. We didn't keep it very long. I could only ride for short periods, even with the best harness available. My back couldn't handle the bouncing, and the noise was too much for me.

I started purchasing organic green coffee and roasting it at home to save money. The end product is something that even the high-end storefronts can't match. Once you start roasting coffee at home, there is no turning back. I have been roasting coffee for six years a few times a month.

Finding a good bur grinder was also an adventure. For some reason, the electric models have a small discharge spout that clogs and is prone to static electricity that gets grounds everywhere. I decided to repair our old antique hand coffee grinder and use it.

Each morning Ronnie and I would take turns grinding the coffee. It's also good to have a hand operated grinder in case power goes out. A rolling pin will work in a pinch - but you wouldn't want to use that method daily.

The pour-over method was the choice I made for making our magical morning brew. We both liked our coffee slightly different, so two pots were better than one.

Every morning is the perfect cup of coffee!

Sunsets mean it is getting closer to quitting time. Winne was getting older, so I would let her out to graze freely uninterrupted.

Making soap from homegrown hog lard is satisfying. With a few simple ingredients, I can make a great smelling soap that is super gentle on the skin, unlike many modern-day bar soaps that harm the skin microbiome.

Your skin is an organ, and it absorbs the things you put on it. Choose hygiene products that aren't toxic and full of chemicals to preserve the shelf life... or you end up preserving your skin, and it can't heal, especially from sun damage.

Ronnie built a hunting tower from dying cedar trees with the sawmill. We did use ground-contact treated posts for the legs to keep it safe and stable. We had terrible cell service, so sometimes we would climb the tower to talk on the phone.

Earthstar mushrooms are a rare find. Some never see them. Those that do rarely find them in perfect condition.

A small earthstar mushroom I found on a walk in the woods.

Earthstars emit spores from the center of the mushroom in poofs that can be seen with the human eye.

Finishing up remodeling the inside of the house to modernize it meant making an office. Ronnie made the wall sconce by hand.

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Extras: Pro Gallery

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