Winter Snow ~ January 2012

Gardening To Do List - January in the Garden

Gardening To Do List - January in the Garden
Need ideas for gardening in January?  Check out this website!!!http://gardening.about.com/od/winterinthegarden/a/JanuaryGuide.htm

Place the Cuttings in a Plastic Bag, which will act as a mini greenhouse.

Marie Iannotti

 Everyone:

• Order from catalogs.
• Rework your garden design.
• Review last year's garden journal and start a new one for this year by recording your seed/plant orders.
• Check your stored bulbs and veggies.
• Check plants for heaving.
• Recycle your Christmas tree as garden mulch or a bird feeder.
• Feed the birds and provide them with some unfrozen water.
• Take a gardening class.
• Sharpen your tools.

No. CA & NW:

• Check mulch. Add more to paths for weed suppression.
• Protect tender plants with some type of row cover when cold nights are predicted
• Plant bareroot roses & fruit trees.
• Start asparagus, and artichokes.
• Finish pruning trees, perennials and roses.

Please Bring Your Pets In!

Kristy Parchment

Please think about your pets. Would you wanna sleep in this weather?

— with Sheree Harrell Draper.

7 Tips for Beating the Winter Farm Blahs

Accomplish a few things and beat the winter blahs with these practical and appealing ideas.

From http://www.hobbyfarms.com/

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/crafts-and-nature/beat-winter-blahs-7-tips.aspx

By Lisa Kivirist

Got the Winter Blahs?

Winter is a season wrapped in contradictions. 

After the chaotic rush of the fall harvest, we crave slowing down and hibernating around the woodstove.  But by the time we pack the tinsel after the holidays, the groundhog reminds us we still have a long stretch of winter to go and cabin fever hits big time. 

Don’t despair.  A dash of freshness can thaw winter blahs.

Here are some tips for beating the winter blues and enjoying those slower weeks leading up to the flurry of spring activity:
1. PurgeUndoubtedly, there’s something in your house right now that could use an ambush purge.

Create some needed breathing space by decluttering, donating or freecycling your old stuff.  You’ll feel like you lost ten pounds instantaneously.  The top areas that could probably use a purge:  kitchen drawers, bathroom cabinets, clothing closets.
2. RekindleNow is the time to revive and finish projects that have been floating half-mast for a while, things you started with good intentions and never had time to finish. 

To keep from getting overwhelmed, just pick one thing to complete. 

• Finish that cross-stitch Christmas stocking
• Paint the bathroom
• Add stencils to the hallway. 

Revisit back issues of Hobby Farms or Hobby Farm Home magazine and rekindle article ideas that intrigued you but got stuck on the back-burner, such as making homemade yogurt and kefir (“Create Your Own Culture,” Hobby Farm Home, Spring 2007).

3. Connect
Use the farming off-season to draw inspiration and learning from other farmers.

Renewing the Countryside presents hundreds of engaging profiles of small, diversified farm operations nationwide; search the site geographically or by your area of interest. 

Now is the time of the year to research whether, for example, adding goats to your operations is a good idea.  Learn how other farmers have done it and garner resources that might help your plans.

4. Expose
Depending on where you live, you may need to bury under layers of clothing this time of year, but you can still think of ways to expose your mind to new perspectives. 

Websites such as www.dailyyonder.com bring together an array of rural news and www.alternet.org compiles perspectives from independent media worldwide. 

Rent a documentary DVD that highlights different perspective on our food system, such as “King Corn,” a new documentary that questions industrialized farming by following the prevalence of corn in processed foods.

5. Pamper
Gift your body with a little exfoliation TLC before the gardening season imbeds soil back under your nails. Try a homemade sugar scrub and relish the softness, a frugal alternative to pricey spa treatments. 

Mix the following ingredients until they resemble a paste: 

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup almond, safflower or sesame oil
• 1 T. honey
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

While in the shower, massage the entire scrub in gentle circular motions from your shoulders to your feet, focusing on dry areas such as hands and heels.  Rinse with warm water, using a little soap to wash off the oil.  Dry off and moisturize.

6. Play
Sprinkle some silly into your day with an unexpected surprise. 

Garner giggles from your kids by:

• serving popcorn for breakfast,
• setting up camping gear in the living room for a fun sleepover or
• hosting a formal dinner fit for royalty, princess and knight costumes encouraged. 

Or ... play with your food with an evening of made-from-scratch, homemade pasta making.

7. DreamA dose of fresh ideas goes a long way during the dead of winter. Shake off the blahs with an afternoon at the library perusing periodicals. 

Your challenge:Leave with three new ideas in whatever categories you choose--new recipes, travel ideas, gardening techniques.  What images spark your interest?

About the Author
Lisa Kivirist is the co-author of ECOpreneuring and a Food & Society Policy Fellow.  She dreams of spring from her farm and B&B, Inn Serendipity, in Wisconsin.

Winter Homestead Projects

Need some ideas for Winter Homestead Projects?
Check out the page!
http://makingahomestead.com/2012/01/11/winter-homestead-projects/

1. Winterize your house
2. Build a birdhouse
3. Build a bird feeder
4. Set up a seed starting station
5. Set up a re-potting bench/area
6. Design your garden
7. Buy and sort seeds for the coming season
8. Organize your pantry
9. Build a compost bin
10. Build a vermacompost bin
11. Organize your first aid and emergency supplies
12. Build a cold frame
13. Build a dehydrator or solar oven
14. Build a coop
15. Collect any supplies you think will need for the coming season
16. Sharpen your knives and gardening tools
17. Gather leaves for compost and mulch (check your gutters for some or even ask your neighbors)
18. Learn to cook something new
19. Learn to knit and/or sew
20. Change your air filters (if you haven’t recently)
21. Develop an emergency evacuation plan
22. Install alternative energy system such as solar, geothermal and/or wind power
23. Grow sprouts inside
24. Set up a HAM radio
25. Research – Read and watch movies on subjects to help the homestead  (get a library card if you don’t have one)

Cold Weather Shelter For Farm Animals

Cold Weather Shelter For Farm Animals
by Country Consultant

As the temperatures drop and winter snows begin to fall in many areas of the country, our attention turns to caring for our pets and livestock.  Most farm animals are hardy when it comes to survival in native environments, but sometimes weather conditions can be too harsh for man and beast alike.  Here are some tips to help keep your animals safe during the cold winter months.
Check out the Country Consultant for more on this at:
http://www.countryconsultant.com/blogspot/?p=2009

Snowman Cupcakes

http://sixinthesuburbsblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/snowman-cupcakes-great-for-kids-winter.html

Birdseed Wreath

http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2010/11/how-to-make-homemade-birdseed-wreath.html

9 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill in Winter

http://www.organicsoul.com/9-ways-to-lower-your-electric-bill-in-winter/

Cold Day on the Farm!

Cold day on the farm, we had over 20 inches of snow...right when we were changing the heat lamp in the coop, the bottom of the bulb busted out! Then we realized one of our hens was missing :(. All the the other animals are fine though, & the children are thrilled with the snowfall! I love how soft & silent everything is :)