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Homemade Switchel, sweetened with honey & love. :-) Skip those overly sweet sports drinks and stir-ins and make a quick, easy, even healthy  thirst quencher   at home. Made with only a few ingredients you probably already have on hand. Yes, for real. These sweaty days of summer call for a good replenishing thirst quencher. This refreshing beverage has been around, satisfying a plethora, for over a century. It's called Switchel, or Haymaker's Punch . "Chill-Punch", we've coined it here on our homestead. Concocted in days gone by, during the hot summer season in the homestead filled prairies, when many farmers and field hands were harvesting hay, as well as other labor-intensive farm work, where folks truly needed a satiating and replenishing drink beyond just water from the brook. Switchel was the perfect solution. I walked into the kitchen recently and saw my hardworking cowboy chugging 'chill-punch straight from the jug . I laughed, but was glad I had a healthy refresher on hand for him. There are some summer Saturdays he'll singlehandedly finish an entire pitcher full, then I quickly whip him up another. I'm nice like that. :-) I'm also very thankful he willingly does all that stinkin' sweaty work, so I'm happy to keep him hydrated. I also make him a high-protein lunch (often beef based), since he burns thousands of calories. ;-) Jeremy, the Cowboy, guzzling refreshing Switchel mid-way in his barnyard project. But Switchel isn't just for haymakers and homesteaders , anyone can benefit from it year-round. Whether after a good workout, a day at the lake (I made some during our recent family vacation), or an afternoon in the garden, it can be enjoyed by all. I send my son with a thermos full to his sand volleyball games with friends. No storebought stuff in our house, not with this tasty satifying drink ever on hand. Yes, I make it weekly. Sometimes daily during laborous weekends. I’ve lost count just how many pitchers of this refreshing punch I've made so far this summer. Fresh batch of delicious ‘Chill Punch I made recently. Original recipes call for sorghum for sweetening, but not a lot of us have that on hand anymore, ya? Molasses, which holds beneficial minerals, is another one many recipes suggest to sweeten the juice. Maple syrup is yet another, which is tasty, but we much prefer to save the syrup for our morning coffee (our favorite) and sweeten this satisfying drink with honey instead. Yum-o! Ideally, raw honey, since it's got tons of health benefits, like a bunch of antioxidants that are immune boosting, plus reduce seasonal allergies, and on and on and on. It's the goods, y'all. What adds punches of flavor & health benefits to Haymaker’s Punch The King of the show though, in this fabulous quencher, is the raw apple cider vinegar , y'all. Along with a nice tang, the vinegar is where a tremendous wealth of health benefits are hosted. Containing tons of antioxidants, probiotics (since the vinegar is fermented) and beyond, this magic elixir has been used for over a century as a home remedy for a million ailments, (my sister has a reference book for these, which I call her "ACV Bible") from digestion issues (which we use it for often) to issues with skin, like cold sores (which I get under stress). My sis says it helps alkaline the body's pH and reduces inflammation, and much much more. (No, I'm not a doctor, nor is my sister {though a studying herbalist}, just gals who've benefited greatly from its goodness, and hope you do too!) The sea salt in this punch provides both minerals and the needed electrolytes that your body loses after sweating. Lemon Juice is full of vitamin C and has anti-inflammatory properties and has such bright flavor. Our back pasture, near our Gathering Barn, after our first time baling our grass in 2022. A few years ago, after our first time baling our three acres of grass for hay to feed our small bovine heard, my dad-in-law sent us a YouTube link for historic Haymaker’s Punch. I can’t recall who that was now, maybe Homesteading Family (so appreciate them and the wealth they share). I do remember the recipe calling for ginger and molasses, and honestly, neither sounded too appealing. Even though I know full well ginger is good for me (hormones, inflammation, digestion), I don't love the taste of it. And here in the 21st century, drinking molasses, verses happily chewing it in a favorite fall cookie, sounded...strange. Am I the only one? So...I altered it a bit. Big batch of Haymaker’s Punch ready to serve all our helpers who sweat hard while gathering our hay with us this summer. (Yes, those are Quilted Ball jars we use daily for drinking glasses.) Our family's recipe is a little different from our dear ancestors , as we not only love it sweetened with honey, which we, very thankfully, have access to much of, we also really enjoy it with the added  lemon juice , which makes it even more  summery and refreshing  (not to mention it also reduces inflammation). I like it much better than the original, in fact our whole family really loves it! And yes, of course,  we guzzle a ton of it when putting up hay twice a summer.  I make a few big batches before the busy work day starts, then serve Haymaker's Punch at "half-time" to everyone helping. This June, one friend had several servings and even asked for my recipe. :-) And so, I share this with you as well.  If you're like me, you'll want to have a pitcher of this tangy satisfying punch on hand all summer long to refresh yourself and your family. You can pack it with a picnic, or the gym, or to just have ready to chug after a long walk (like I did this morning, then drank some more after I hung the laundry on the line). Or rehydrate after an afternoon in the garden or the pool, or simply beside your dinner plates. I hope you and yours find it refreshing and delightful as well! Here’s how to make it: Hot water, honey, apple cider vinegar & lemon juice (plus ice) are the key ingredients for our simple ‘Chill Punch Haystack Homestead's 'Chill Punch: Tools: 1 quart/2 liter pitcher, bottle or Ball jar Long wooden spoon Measuring cups and spoons Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey, preferably raw. 2 cups hot water 1/2 tsp ground ginger, or 1 tsp fresh grated (optional, but adds a warm spicy kick, plus anti-inflammatory benefits. Sometimes I just add a pinch for good health ) 1/2 cup lemon juice (I use bottled), or juice of 1 lemon* 3 Tbl raw apple cider vinegar, preferably organic 1/8-1/4 tsp (or to taste) of sea salt (we love Redmond Real ) A few cups of ice 6-8 cups cold water, enough to equal 1 quart/2 liters Ok, let's do this. In the pitcher, place the hot water (Not boiling! You don't want to cook out and kill the beautiful beneficial properties of the raw honey. I use hot tap water.) Add honey, salt and any ginger to the hot water, then stir well with wooden spoon until dissolved. Next, stir in lemon juice and vinegar. Then add the ice and stir well to cool it quickly. Most ice will melt, which is fine. Last, add enough cold water to equal a quart. And boom! Refreshing punch! Fresh made ‘Chill Punch ready to refresh & replenish us during, & after, hours of hot farm work. Taste a splash! If you want more lemon flavor, add more lemon juice. If you want a stronger tang, add a teaspoon at a time of apple cider vinegar. I'm up to 4 tablespoons now, but I had to work upto it. Test and see what you and your family enjoys . You can always just add a bit more lemon or vinegar to your own glass if you want it punchier than the others. ;-) Note: Customize it for your family by adding in other juices or crushed fruit , like strawberries. My fav! I’ve even poured in watermelon juice (puddled at the bottom of the bowl. Nope, don’t wanna waste that sweet vitamin C filled stuff!). Cherry juice also has wonderfulI flavor, as well as heart healthy properties. I would suggest omitting the ginger when adding these other flavors. Though it would might pair nicely with apple or pear juice. Again, play around with it, like I did, and make it your own! *If you use fresh squeezed lemon juice, remember to harvest the lemon zest  from the peel first. It's healthy and oh so flavorful, making a delicious addition to so many things, both sweet and savory; tea, baked goods, dips, meat rubs, and more. I keep a bag of lemon zest close, in the kitchen freezer, to have handy for when these occasions arise. Fresh made Switchel, so tasty & refreshing! I hope I've convinced you to try making, Switchel, the old-fashioned summer beverage, with a new lemony twist. It's the super tasty alternative to (too-sweet) sports drinks. Not only is it way healthier an option, it's cheaper as well. Homemade always is. Plus, the extra love added makes it all the sweeter. Many blessing to you and yours, dear. Here’s to staying hydrated as we work and play hard. Cheers, y’all! ~Heidi :-) "Come. Let anyone who is thirsty, come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life." Revelation 22:17

Do y'all remember the line, "anyone can cook", from the animated foodie film, Ratatouille? Such a good one. We love it, and own the DVD. (Yep, we're old school!) I totally related to the character, drawn to food, but unlike Remy the Rat I didn't cook much. I have little recollection of cooking much while growing up. Other than occasionally making homemade sugar cookies with my mom when I was young, which I loved. In my tween years I remember fixing a fair amount of Hamburger Helper after learning to brown ground beef . But I never really learned to cook a whole meal until I was married, at age 21. Spring 1997, me and Jeremy outside our college music classroom. Jeremy and I married a couple weeks after graduating from Bridle College... er, I mean Bible College. Just three months in to marriage we were recruited to lead music and help pioneer a new church, so we moved south. From Ohio to North Carolina. I do not recommend this, at all. I don't mean the North Carolina part, it's a beautiful place, though quite hot in the summer. I mean the uprooting after just three months of being married part. Big mistake. But I digress. A lesson for another day. As you probably know, the South is known for its rich and flavorful cuisine. Southern cooks are also known to be "heavy handed" . I asked a co-worker, who was a native Carolinian what that meant, she reported in her cute southern draw, "Ya know, heavy in the hand... li'l more butter, li'l more sugar, li'l more of... whatever makes it taste good!" Ah! Got it. That definitely explains sweet tea, which I quickly learned to love and make at home. Still do, just with honey instead of gobs of refined white sugar. This "heavy handed" State is where I learned to cook, y'all. (And, where I picked up the habit of saying, "y'all" vs "you guys". It saves time, not to mention rolls of the tongue a li'l sweeter.) Hosted at this brand new, North Carolina church (in a rented vacant chapel), where we were leading worship, were monthly carry-in luncheons after Sunday service . At these feasts I discovered just how delicious southern, heavy handed cooking could be, y'all. Wow! I mean who knew? Not this West Coasty who grew up outside of Seattle, in the days of low fat food, and consequently, low flavor, low nutrients, low everything . Boo! So, speaking of Ratatouille, you know, the scene where he tastes some fancy cheese for the first time, then he sees pure magic, and is taken away in euphoria? That's kinda what it was like for me at every Sunday luncheon. Praise the Lord (with hanky wavin')! I very quickly began asking the church ladies to share their Southern secrets with me. Over time, I collected a stack of stellar recipes . (Ones like some pretty amazing deviled eggs, potato cheese soup, corn casserole, sausage stuffed mushrooms, and actual macaroni and cheese.) So much creamy, cheesy, ooey-gooey goodness, y'all. Jeremy and I both were in foodie heaven. And I grew to really enjoy cooking at home . I made my husband and I (no kids yet) mostly scratch meals several times a week, and that made me feel really accomplished. I was a legit home cook. And over the months and years there in the South, I learned that anyone can cook. My progress was proof. I gained confidence that my dishes were tasty too. Dishes I could be proud to serve others. I suppose, at least at the beginning of my cooking journey, I didn't really learn how to cook, as much as what to cook, but that was totally ok. Following recipes , shared from seasoned Southern belles, was a great starting point of making really tasty meals . Over time, with lots of practice, I began to observe why certain things worked, even though I couldn't put words to why. My younger sister, on the other hand, learned how to cook from watching tons of the entertaining and sciency TV Chef, Alton Brown . We love Alton! We watched him regularly for our homeschool Home Ec class. I still watch and enjoy those Good Eats DVD's with my foodie son. So, all that to say, if you don't yet feel confident in your cooking, just ask your friends for the recipes of the dish they made that you loved, then give it a go. You'll probably be surprised how simple cooking can be. Before long, you too will be a confident cook . I encourage you to not let timidity keep you from asking people for their recipes. Most folks are honored and happy to share, pleased that you truly enjoyed what they made. Or, check out a couple cookbooks from the library (I told ya, old school... I absolutely love a real cookbook in hand) that have recipes that look tasty to you. Then have some fun. I dare you! Very Warmly, Heidi "Taste and see how good the Lord is! The one who takes refuge in Him is truly happy!" Psalm 34:8

Because our whole family loves these simple Country Style Green Beans, I almost always prepare green beans this way. Cooked in a heap of bacon grease with minced onion cubes , then cooked al dente. So scrumptious! My fresh cooked Country Style Green Beans from frozen garden beans Do you have green beans to eat up? Simply cook them in bacon grease and onions for some super delicious flavor. Fresh are best, but use what you've got! A Sad Green Bean Story I ate few fresh vegetables as a child. Not because I didn’t like them, but because we couldn’t afford them. Sad, I know. I do remember however, occasionally eating canned “green” beans . More gray, really. Better than nothing, but not something I desire at all today (nope, not even in green bean casserole) nor choose to feed to my family. Confession: there was a short time that I do recall buying baby food that was once “green beans” before I started making almost all our kids' baby food. Truly, I can’t imagine that much nutrients remains after the intense heat of the industrial canning process. Hence the gray color of the beans once poured from the tin can. A Good Green Bean Story One sweet memory of my daughter, when she was a tiny toddler riding in the seat of the grocery cart, she always asked for raw green beans as a snack while we shopped. No joke! I called her my little bunny rabbit because she loved raw vegetables. She still does! Pile of fresh garden green beans gifted to us! Today, I actually really enjoy green beans, especially smothered in onions and bacon. Mmm! They are on our regular side dish meal rotation. We like to serve them beside homemade burgers, meatballs, spaghetti, and so on. They are savory and satisfying, especially with a bit of crunch left when cooked til they're bright green and just barely tender; al dente. Yes, please! We don’t grow them here on the homestead, not since they failed in our first garden in '22, but I gladly accept my mom-in-law’s surplus, and anyone else who wants to share. I definitely load up at the farmer’s market. Once those are eaten up, I buy frozen organic. (They are frozen when they are in peak and plentiful, so they still have great flavor.) Yep, we eat Country Style Green Beans year round! Farm bacon cooked in cast iron pan. Lots of golden grease rendered. Ideally, you cook the bacon fresh. Pull the bacon from the pan, leaving a couple tablespoons of bacon grease. Then sauté the onions a few minutes. Next, toss in the beautiful GREEN beans. That’s all there is to it. Super easy and delicious every time! Here's the List of Ingredients 2-3 slices of raw bacon, if none is on hand, use 2 Tbl bacon grease from reserve 1 lb green beans, fresh or frozen (no need to thaw) 2 minced onion cubes , or 1/2 cup fresh 1/2 tsp sea salt (we love Redmond Real ). Add more to taste. Instructions Brown bacon in cast iron skillet, or frying pan. Pull cooked bacon from pan and set aside on a napkin or paper towel. Keep about two tablespoons of beautiful golden bacon grease in the pan. If you've got more than that, pour it very carefully into a mason jar for later use. Pouring off excess grease into Mason jar after pulling cooked bacon from the pan. Cooking frozen onion cubes in bacon grease. Then, place the onion in the bacon grease and cook several minutes until browned and fragrant. Frozen garden green beans added to sautéd onion. Add green beans to the saute'd onion and stir. Cook 5-10 minutes, until just tender and have a bit of crunch to them. If using frozen, as I am here, you can place a lid onto your pan for them to steam a few minutes, until thawed through. They will likely need drained a bit after they thaw. Drained excess liquid from cooked green beans with handy draining tool. After draining any excess water, add your glorious salt. More to taste. Mmm. Country Style Green Beans served beside our farm grown beef roast & garden potatoes. Grab that cooked, cooled bacon, and crumble it on top of the cooked green beans and set it on the table. Enjoy a heaping pile of these Country Style Green Beans. Hope you love them as much as we do! Yield: this feeds 4-5. Double it for a bigger group around your table. Blessings, y'all! ~Heidi "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

Sort of like naming a child, naming your farm is kind of a big deal. Not an easy job! We had a dozen names we worked through and tried out. Jeremy even asked our people for suggestions and then had them vote. As you can see, we finally landed on... Haystack Homestead. And for good reason. Here's the backstory... Where We Met My husband, Jeremy, and I were from opposite worlds when we met in the Heartland. At least geographically. He hailed from the flat, rural corn belt of Ohio. Me? The robust mountainous west coast of suburban Seattle. Our meeting happened in Columbus, Ohio, in Bible college (both of us music majors). When we started dating, Jeremy was enamored seeing photos of my gorgeous motherland. And apparently began planning a surprise trip. Big Surprise Surprise me he did! While I was back home for Christmas break Jeremy sneakily flew out to spend New Year's Eve with me, and meet my family for the first time. The young adults group from my home church had a New Year's Eve trip planned at a retreat center in Cannon Beach, Oregon . He had secretly planned for us to join in that as well. Such a crafty fella! Heidi & Jeremy in front of Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast 1996 Monumental Moment During that coastal trip in Cannon Beach, Oregon, we took several walks on the shoreline. (One of my very favorite things to do.) One stroll in particular stands out the most. It marked our beginning, in fact. A line in the sand, so to speak. (Sorry, couldn’t resist that low hanging pun.) We walked hand in hand, with that mammoth monolith, Haystack Rock , in the very close background. He asked me this question…well, before I tell you, I need to say that this the part where Jeremy tells people that I asked him to marry me! But that isn't true! Here is what really happened: He stops on the shore and looks me in the eye, with a twinkle in his, and asks, “Where do you see us in five years?” Before I could slap a hand over my blurting mouth, these words leaped confidently from my lips: “ I want to be married to you ”, was my hopefully exclamation! He smiled wide, then gave me a new kind of kiss. One with even more meaning. Then, holding hands, we skipped in the surf in slow motion, just like in the Hallmark movies! Ok, not really. But it was a most happy day! One we won't ever forget. (Even though his details are slurred a bit.) That big ol’ rock witnessed a historic moment for us that day, decades ago. It 's like a memorial, no... better said... our monument . A s such it’s super special to us. We’ve revisited it many times since, mostly during our nine year stint living in Oregon. Even making a memorable and extended trip for our 20th anniversary to veritably commemorate that serendipitous conversation twenty years prior. Jeremy & Heidi in front of Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast 2019 They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them...and constructed a memorial there ...they are there to this day. ~ Joshua 4:9-10 Haystack Rock If you haven’t figured it out by now, it’s what we've named our homestead after! Even though we’re 2,400 miles away from the huge handsome, Haystack Rock, we "brought him along" with us to our farm here on the Ohio countryside. (Notice the similar shape of our haystack logo?) Haystack has a double meaning as well, since hay is what we raise and bale here, twice a summer, on our grassy acreage, for our cattle. So, ya know, it works! We welcome y’all, to our beloved Haystack Homestead, and hope you'll will hang out here often. Come any time! Warmly, Heidi & Jeremy "Now all glory to God who is able, though His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish more than we could ask or think." ~Ephesians 3:10

Homemade Southern Biscuits made with excess milk Using Up Milk Hands down, homemade Southern biscuits are my number one go-to when I've got milk to use up quickly . Soft, flakey and scrumptious every time! In the South, where I learned to cook , they call the ever present biscuit, "the 4th utensil", as it regularly assists in pushing tasty portions onto the fork, before feeding the face. Got lots of milk to use up? Add some sausage gravy to the meal plan and you've got an absolutely delicious comforting dish , for any time of day. DIY Buttermilk My beloved mom-in-law (Mimi) has made homemade biscuits for millennia! (She was a scratch cook for a family of eight, on a very tight budget.) Mimi making homemade biscuits with our kids is a favorite memory for all us. She taught me to put a splash of vinegar in the bottom of the measuring cup before you measure the milk. This makes “buttermilk” in minutes . Thanks mom! This has saved me from ever having to purchase buttermilk for biscuits, or any other baked good, like pancakes, waffles or muffins. Incidentally, Mimi was also the one who taught me how to make sausage gravy to pour over top of these fabulous biscuits. Yum! My 1st, and Only, Biscuit Recipe The recipe I first made biscuits from was way back in the late '90's in my first cookbook by Betty Crocker. And it’s the one I still use today. We love 'em. In fact, the cookbook's plastic binding has broken from overuse, so I keep it in a binder on my kitchen bookshelf. The often used biscuit page was tucked right inside the front cover pocket, for quick reference. The well loved Biscuit recipe, tucked conveniently in the front pocket of the binder, from my 1st cookbook, Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook Butter is Better I, of course, have altered the recipe to make it fit our family's preference; reducing the sugar, of course, as I always do. And more importantly, swapping the shortening for butter ! Again, like in our Homemade Pie Crust , we don't use hydrogenated oil (sources of trans fats) laden shortening. In short: shortening=bad, butter=good! We've fully conformed. Homemade Southern Biscuits cooling before they’ve devoured! I can already taste them, so let's get started. Southern Biscuit Recipe This is instructions for a single batch, but I almost always double it . Cook Once, Eat Twice, y'all! SUPPLIES Clear liquid measuring glass Large bowl Measuring cups and spoons Butcher knife (or cheese shredder) Pastry mat or board Biscuit cutter (or regular size canning ring) Baking sheet Silicone baking mat or parchment paper Start with making the "buttermilk": In a clear measuring glass, pour: 2 tsp apple cider vinegar Then enough milk to = 3/4 cup Set this magical combo aside for a few minutes so it can thicken. In the meantime, let's get the dry ingredients going. I use my faithful Kitchenaid Mixer for this, but feel free to mix with a pastry cutter, knife and fork, wooden spoon, or just mix by hand if you're the tactile type. Kids love helping with this, like ours did with Mimi, so strap on those aprons and recruit some little hands to help. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. INGREDIENTS In a large bowl measure and stir: 2 cups flour, plus extra for board 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp sea salt (we love Redmond Real!) 3 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 stick cold butter (I use salted), diced in small cubes, or shred it with a cheese grater to speed the mixing process. Add butter bits to flour mixture and combine on low speed until pea size crumbs. Then pour in the thickened "buttermilk". Stir just til combined, and a bit gooey. FORMING BISCUITS Turn dough onto floured surface (I love my pastry mat, but a board or countertop is just fine.) Pat and push dough together until about 1inch thick. (Some folks pat the dough to 1/2 inch, but we like 'em thick!) Cut with floured round cutter, or canning lid will suffice, if you don't have an actual biscuit cutter. I've collected a few vintage ones from estate sales and such over the years, in several sizes, depending on my mood when biscuit making, though 2 1/2 inches is standard size. Also, some use a drinking glass to cut biscuits, but avoid this practice, as it seals the edges and reduces the biscuits' potential rise. Sad and bad. (pic of biscuit w/ jam) Place biscuit dough rounds onto silicone mat, or parchment, lined baking sheet, just touching, to help them rise up instead of out. Bake 10-12 minutes , until golden brown. Devour warm, slathered with apple butter, or other homemade jams. If you have leftover biscuits, enjoy them topped with a fried egg for breakfast tomorrow morning. I hope you and yours enjoy this oh, so comforting meal staple for many years to come! Blessings y'all! Warmly, Heidi Jesus replied, "I Am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

Bulk batch of chicken vegetable soup in my beloved Crockpot I can point back to the one thing that has literally saved me hundreds of hours in the span of my 27 year home cooking career. This is the practice I adopted back in North Carolina, where I learned to cook. It is this rule: "Cook once, eat twice!" That means, when you're already doing the thing; you've got all the ingredients out, the supplies pulled and messy, you go ahead and make a double batch , so you've got a second portion prepped for next time. Bulk cooking. It's beautiful! For instance, I do this just about every time I shred cheese. (Yes, shredding one's own cheese is both tastier and healthier! Ever read the labels on pre-shredded cheese?) The cheese grater is already messy, so I shred or slice enough of it to fill a container to pop in the fridge's meat and cheese drawer. I know we're gonna use it up this week, whether on the morning's fried egg sandwich, on Tuesday's tacos, or today's hot lunch: cheese quesadilla. (I literally have one on the griddle as I write this. And yes, I had cheese already grated. Boom. Gotta love it.) An extra portion of freshly shredded Pepperjack cheese for tomorrow’s use Cook once, eat twice...or three or four times , as we have come to say and do. Whether it's prepping baked goods like granola, cookies, biscuits or pie crust , I'm bulking it. When throwing together a pot of soup, making homemade preserves, or prepping ahead vegetable staples or meat ... bulked baby! If we've got enough ingredients, we just keep bulking the recipe. I love it! Then, bag or box it for the freezer . This is called, "bulk cooking", and it's absolutely brilliant. It saves so much time! Bulk cooked Ready Beef from our farm raised grass-fed beef For Times When Life is Busy (aka, Life as a Mom!) Let's face it, we're all busy mamas! Whether you're a new mom with a tiny one and sleep deprived, or a homeschooling mama trying to keep ten plates spinning, there's a lot going on, mentally, emotionally, physically, and gifting yourself the option to cook less often can be such a blessing. Or maybe it's harvest time in the garden and you're just too pooped to think of "what's for dinner?" Pull a freezer meal out, pop it in the oven, and boom, done! Whew! I prepped a month ahead, hundreds of cookie dough balls, for a large party planned in our Gathering Barn. It saved me hours. So glad I did that! Perhaps it's the holiday season when Thanksgiving and Christmas have so many demands of their own, wouldn't it be great to have a stock of freezer meals ready to roll? Or even just some components already prepped , or some meat already cooked to make meal prep quicker? These too are such a time-saving bonus ! Bulk cooked brown rice (in bone broth) for quick meals, like stir fries, soups, and burrito bowls For Times When You Just Don't Feel Like Cooking We all have our days, right? When cooking feels like work and you'd rather just order a pizza for supper. Well, if you follow the rule, Cook Once, Eat Twice (or three or four times!), you'll have blessed yourself with a stock of options in the freezer to warm and go , saving tons of money on take-out every time the cooking blahs arise! When cooking seems more like a chore, or you're uninspired, it's always wonderful to have a batch already made in the freezer to pull out and go. Dinner doesn't have to be fancy, the mouths just need fed a healthy meal. I made a giant batch of super healthy, beef bone broth (from our farm raised steer) to have all ready. I jarred and labeled them to share with those with sickness, needing a tasty immune boost. For Times When Sharing Is Needed Another benefit to bulk cooking, and having portions ready in the freezer, is you'll be ready to share your surplus when the time rises, instead of scrambling to throw something together. Like when there's a family member in distress, or friend with a new baby, a new neighbor moves in, and so on. Having extra meals in the freezer, with plenty to go around, affords extra for those who could really use a healthy meal in a hurry . You get to be a stress-free Superwoman. Ahhh, nice! Our homemade healing beef bone broth all ready to gift to a sick neighbor. I got to experience this recently, in fact. A neighbor had surgery, so I quickly went to the deep freezer, grabbed an extra portion of my chili, plus a helping of homemade beef bone broth, to aid in their recovery. Able to bless with zero stress . I like it like that. Stack of homemade cookies baked off from frozen bulk batch dough Or, ever had guests stop in short notice? If you've got cookie dough ready to bake off, or a meal prepped in the freezer, you'll be ready set for company with tasty treats to share. Less stress is best! The Time Saving Answer There's my short list of the benefits to bulk cooking, y'all. I urge you to begin employing, "Cook once, eat twice!" , and see just how much time you'll save this month; this year. I'm fully convinced it's the time-saving answer we all need in our lives. I promise, you're gonna love yourself for it! Many blessing to you, as you bulk cook for your family! Warmly, Heidi "...for this is what the Lord says: Everyone will eat, and there will even be some left over!" 2 Kings 4:43

Our homemade pie crusts, made with butter My son texted me from work this morning and wished me a, "Happy Pi Day!"; 3.14 . I'm so thankful the important parts of our homeschooling years stuck with him! Seriously! Pie is a very big deal, and one to not take lightly, nor skip! There's your homeschool lesson for the day. :-D Once I read his message, I bee-lined to the freezer to see if I had any of our Homemade Pie Crust ready for this special occasion. After all, it's not only Pi Day, it's also Friday Family Night, so pie is the perfect dessert to celebrate! I slid the kitchen freezer open, dug around a bit, then I saw a bag of pie dough discs smiling at me. Then I heard the angels sing, "Hallelujah, hallelujah!" Pie dough “disc” thawing on the counter I'm always so very thankful to my past self for thinking ahead and making bulk batches! And since I use pie crusts often for both sweet and savory pies, like quiche, which is in our regular rotation, I try to keep these pie crusts stocked . How I do love homemade pie crust! I'm realizing that you might be asking, "Why would I go to the trouble to make homemade pie crust, when it's not too expensive to buy them ready-made at the store?" My swift answer, "The ready-made pie crust from the store, isn't too tasty either!" I don't like 'em. I literally won't buy 'em. Made with soy and preservative-filled shortening, it tastes nothing like the homemade yummy version. Made with wholesome delicious butter, this homemade pie crust is totally worth the effort . And, when you make a bulk batch, you do the work one time and get four pastries ready to roll. Cook once, eat twice, Baby! You gotta trust me on this, your deed will be rewarded. Our Homemade Apple Crostata, adapted from Ina Garten's I was first introduced to this pie pastry from Ina Garten nearly 20 years ago. (I got one of her cookbooks for my 30th birthday. And yes, we've been making this crust ever since , though I tweek it so it's low sugar.) The pastry recipe was included with the Apple Crostata, which is divine, y'all. Made with butter, not shortning (not a fan), it's flaky with superb texture. The crostada crust was doubled so I had an extra for another time. "Brilliant!" I thought. Then, when I noticed there was room in the Kitchenaid mixer bowl for more than two batches, I thought, "Why not bulk it further?!" So since then, if I've got plenty of butter on hand, I preserve a pound of it in homemade pie crust, times four! Are you ready to make some perfect pie crust?! Here's what you'll need: Kitchenaid Mixer bowl with Flat Beater attachment (Or food processor. This is what Ms. Ina uses to mix her pastry dough.) Measuring cup and spoons Mug (for ice water) Pastry mat (or counter top) Rolling pin Ingredients 4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for rolling surface 1 tsp pink salt 1 Tbl white sugar (Optional. This is a fraction of what the original recipe called for, though I often omit it all. But it's a nice addition with sweet pies) 1 lb cold salted butter, 4 sticks, cut into small squares (keep in fridge til ready to mix) 1/2 cup ice water Instructions: Place dry ingredients into mixing bowl and stir. Add cut butter to flour mixture and mix slowly to incorporate it. Blend butter until it's pea size, and mixture is crumbly looking. Add ice water to dry mixture, and blend just until the dough holds together. Turn out onto well-floured pastry mat, or counter top. Press pie dough into one big ball. Then cut into 4 equal portions. Place 3 into labeled freezer bags, and press flat into discs*, freeze for later. The last disc... make a pie today! Wrap and chill for one hour, while you prep your desired filling. Chilled pie dough disc on floured dough mat Roll the chilled dough on floured mat, with floured rolling pin to about 1/4 inch. Folded pie dough is easier to transfer from mat to pan Using pastry mat to maneuver, fold rolled dough in half. Transfer folded dough into pie pan, using big cutter to loosen from mat (or counter), if necessary. Carefully unfold dough to cover pie pan and gently press it out against the bottom, then the sides. Trim pie dough with knife close to edge of the pie pan Trim dough that hangs over the edge of pan and reserve.** Pinch edge of pie dough into desired shape. It's ready to fill!.*** Follow baking instructions for your specific pie filling. Happy Pi Day to you! Enjoy whatever kind you decide on! I know you'll love this perfect crust, and hope your family enjoys it as much as mine has over the years! *Ms. Ina suggests that the extra pie pasrty is pressed into a disc, which is what I've done all these years. But if you'd prefer to roll it out into pie tins and freeze them that way, go for it! You'll be that much more ready to plop in some pie filling and bake. I did this last summer when I thought we'd be serving homemade apple pie at our daughter's (Quinci) wedding reception. We ended up going the cake route, but I was ready! We used several of those ready pie crusts for our monthly, Easy Cheesey Quiche. Like I said before, I'm always, always glad I made stuff ahead! **You can place the dough cutting into one of the other pie dough disc bags, or, my preference is to, roll it out into a disc, brush with oil, then sprinkle with cinnamon and coconut sugar. Add a few chopped pecans, or walnuts, then roll up and bake about 10 minutes until golden. Rolling up pie dough trimmings, to make a couple sweet treats; pinwheels: Jeremy’s favorite! These are called " pinwheels " in this region. If you'd like, top it with a little powdered sugar, or simple glaze. Jeremy loves these, and always anticipates this lil treat whenever I bake a homemade pie. Fresh baked pinwheel treats made with pie dough trimmings. Jeremy is waiting off camera to munch! :-) *** If baking crust without a filling , say for a pudding pie, or fresh strawberry pie, lay foil or parchment on top of the pie dough, then fill with 1 lb of dry beans. (This weight holds the dough in place while it bakes, instead of it sagging down and shrinking. Ask me how I know.) Bake 400 degrees F, for about 10-15 minutes, until ended are golden. Cool completely before filling. Enjoy! Very Warmly, Heidi "For He Satisfied the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." ~Psalm 107:9

Big batch of Ready Beef from our farm raised grass-fed beef. I bulk cook four pounds at a time, every time! "Cook once, eat twice!" This is our family's longtime motto. "Or two or three times!" the kids will chime in. They've heard me say it more times than can be counted. Saving time in the kitchen is an ongoing goal, and bulk cooking is a huge way to save a ton; both on time and money! Especially with ground beef, as it's so versitle, and such a healthy protein, full of essentail nutrients, like iron and zinc. Ready Beef, the time-saving answer you've been looking for! "Ready Beef" is the catchy name I've given the glorious pack of meat in my freezer, that is pre-cooked and ready to roll. A quick start for any number of meals , like tacos, sloppy joes, spaghetti, minestrone, enchiladas, and so on. It's my number one go-to for a super quick scratch-made supper . For over a decade now, I’ve used this fancy “freezer to table in minutes" trick. I know you're gonna love it too! A frozen pack of Ready Beef just pulled from the freezer for a quick supper Buying in bulk (4 or 5lb packs) from the grocery store is a great way to save some bucks. And cooking it all at once is an awesome way to save tons of time . Though, if you're a big fan of grass-fed beef and buy a whole side at a time like we did for a dozen years (we're raising our own steers for meat now on our homestead) you've got lots of meat to cook up. This is a fabulous way to keep ground beef ready and close at hand. I always cook 4 lbs of ground beef at a time and am always  happy I did! (I'd do more if I had a bigger pan. I'll keep an eye out for one when yard saling this summer.) Frozen Minced Onion Cubes and lots of minced garlic simmering in olive oil Let's make some Ready Beef, y'all! INGREDIENTS 2 Tbl Cooking fat (olive oil, bacon grease or tallow) 1 cup minced onion, 4  Minced Onion Cubes    2 Tbl minced garlic 4 lb raw ground beef (grass-fed will be the leanest) 2 tsp sea salt (we love Redmond Real ) 1/2 tsp black pepper (more to taste) INSTRUCTIONS Place 2 Tbl oil (or other) into warmed large skillet. Add the Minced Onion Cubes and minced garlic to the oil. Let them simmer about 3 minutes til aromatic. Then carefully place raw ground beef into skillet with onion and garlic, breaking down meat with wooden spatula, or flat ended utensil. Continue to brown the beef as usual . This takes about 15 minutes or so, but a small price to pay when you think about spending this ONE time here cooking, verses FOUR. That's a 45 minute savings ! Think what else you could do with that time. Take a nice walk, read a book, call or visit a friend. Dreamy, right? See how little grease? Our farm raised grass-fed beef never needs draining, as it’s so lean. Ok, where were we? Oh yes, browning our ground beef one time . Note: If you're cooking grass-fed beef you'll be ready for the next step, as it is very lean. If not, you will need to drain your cooked beef before seasoning. Once it's fully cooked, finish with sea salt and pepper. Stir well. Taste and see how good it is. Mmm! Flavoring the meat with the savory tastes of healthy onion and garlic make it a super versatile and tasty starting point for so many meals . And the simple seasoning of good salt and pepper make it versatile for any meal "genre", whether it be American, Mexican, Italian, German and so on. Fat Sloppy Joes made with Ready Beef and homemade sauce After the Ready Beef cools to room temperature, package it up . I keep one portion in the pan for tonight's supper  (maybe beef gravy over rice, or meaty spaghetti, stroghanoff, enchiladas, so many options!), then box another and put in the fridge for a meal later in the week. Last, package the others in quart bags  (one meal portions) and label it, Ready Beef . Press them flat, both for optimize freezer space, as well as make for quicker thawing. Then pop them in the freezer. Boom! You're once a month (or so) beef prep is all done. Good job, Mama! Ready Beef is my most reached for item in the freezer week after week, when we need a quick meal; thawed right in the skillet in about 5 minutes. Then the beef is ready (hence the name), for any beefy supper: minestrone, spaghetti, stroganoff, or most often for us on week nights (usually Tuesdays) it quickly becomes taco meat . I'm always so very glad I thought about my future self. I'm confident you will be too! Adding our homemade taco seasoning to Ready Beef for a super quick taco supper! We stir in a handful of homemade taco seasoning, then boom, we're rolling up the tortilla for supper. Just pull a package of Ready Beef from the freezer to thaw a day or so prior, or the morning of, or just plop it in the pan to thaw, on medium heat, with a drizzle of olive oil, bacon grease or tallow. No real rules here. It's so simple! You're gonna love yourself for thinking ahead! Weeknight Tacos made with Ready Beef mixed with beefed up beans and brown rice. Topped with my homemade salsa. Yum-yum! Ok, so there ya have it, y'all, my very best bulk cooking tip . I hope you love the Ready Beef, as well as all the time you'll save yourself, through the months and years, as I have. Be blessed as you prepare these meaty meals (ahead of time) for your loved ones. May your feasts be filled with joy and gladness. Warmly, Heidi :-) "...the Lord of hosts will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with well-aged wine and choice meats..." Isaiah 25:6

Our Family Our family of four has been resourceful makers  for two very full decades. From baking to woodworking, crafting, drawing, metal works, music and more. Homeschooling for nine years  also afforded us with much margin to create whatever delighted us at the time. What a gift that was to our family! Moving to Our Ohio Homestead Three years ago we moved from Willamette Valley Oregon , near my parents and siblings, back to Ohio, where my husband, Jeremy, was raised, and actually where both our kids, a daughter and a son, were born. After ten years of dreaming and several years of saving proceeds from side-hustles, then selling our 100 year old Craftsman on a quarter acre, we were finally  able to afford a long awaited farm . (Housing in the Midwest is much more affordable than the grossly overpriced Pacific Northwest, albeit beautiful.) Our Farm Our quiet homestead in the country is flat and grassy , providing stunning views of both sunrise and sunset. (A sweet consolation after leaving the eye candy topography of western Oregon.) It's 5 1/2 acres with a one hundred year old farmhouse, where we reside, and are gradually updating. We immediately dug a good sized garden space for raising our own vegetables . The fenced pastures are where we rotate our small bovine herd , which we raise for grass-fed beef to feed our family (Jeremy, “The Cowboy”, I call him, is the lead of this operation). In the unfenced grassy acreage, we raise hay to feed  the bovine through the winter. Pa There’s also a few sturdy barns on the property. In the front half of our “Long Barn”, is Jeremy’s wood shop , where, in his free time, he builds custom farm house tables  and picture frames from repurposed wood. In his “day job”, he’s a contractor for the Air Force. In additoina to that he’s a part-time piano tuner,  and regular musician  in our church band. And as mentioned, a part-time cowboy . He’s an ever-working country boy! He makes this place run. As I often say, there’s no flies on this guy! Sister The back half of The L Barn is where our small flock, of ducks and chickens , are bedded down for the night. Our daughter, Quinci, who’s a tender hearted animal whisperer , and rotates with Jeremy in caring for “the birds”, having a special affection for ducks. She’s also an accomplished multi-award winning pencil artist, her specialty being pet portraits. She even had her own gallery display for a full month last year! Currently, she’s studying herbalism  and aims to “be her own doctor”, and later, help others. Quinci’s enjoying making health tinctures and “potions”, as I call them, both from our organic herbs garden, and those she sources locally. Then, there’s singing at church and helping on the production crew there, as other volunteer ventures she serves in. Like her daddy, few flies on that girl too! Brother Copeland, our son, also does a ton to keep his hands busied. During the summer he's Jeremy’s assistant in yard work and on-going farm projects. He is currently about to conclude his high school years as a precision machinist apprentice , at our local career tech center. He enjoys building very much, both with wood and metal , and resourcefully creates, and sells, wood ornaments and jewelry from vintage silverware. And, I’m content to say, he really likes to cook and bake , sharing with us the tasty concoctions he creates. (I’m so very happy when we cook together in the kitchen!) Finally, Cope is a jazz drummer . Both inquisitive and talented, he plays out often. Periodically, in the jazz band at school, but mostly in church (three bands), plus the occasional coffee house gig. He even started a Christmas Jazz Band  that toured around last year. So much fun! We are incredibly proud of both our young adult kids, and their inspiring accomplishments. They are incredible blessings to us, as well as our community! Ma Me, I’m here for the food. I’m passionate about low-waste cooking and low-sugar baking . I preserve our large garden harvest, which feeds us well all winter. It's satisfying to fuel my crew with healthy scratch-made meals, much of which we raised ourselves. I spend many a'waking hour in my farmhouse kitchen, aiming to have nothing wasted. Yes, it is a lot of work, but a rewarding and gratifying vocation that I'm thankful for! Then, I also really love  resourceful crafting ; the other portion of my creative outlet. Repurposing things like brown bags and vintage books, and cast-off clothes and linens. My go-to: mixed media greeting cards. Also, whimsical torn-fabric garlands, perfect for party decor and photo backdrops. For a season in Oregon, I held a monthly Mom's Night Out events for homeschool mamas, where we made cute "make & take crafts" from resourceful materials. Loved that! Hopefully, one day I'll get to do that again. Girltime rocks! Last, I’m a farm market vendor , selling treats and preserves, plus my handmade fabric and paper crafts. So really, not many flies on me either. Gathering Barn Finally, we can’t forget to mention our “pasture barn”, as we originally called it, affectionately re-named, The Gathering Barn. This  is the part of the “farm dream” that I’d wished for the longest . I love parties and having fun, so being able to have an entire space dedicated to playing and entertaining is just so dreamy. Our first few months here, we churned through some minor renovations, and clearing of much manure (it housed miniature horses by the last owners). We were able to swiftly start hosting gathering in this 30 x 60 foot rustic but cozy shelter , starting with Quinci’s early graduation from homeschool. We’ve regularly hosted gatherings  for our extended family, plus many church events. But most often, rousing youth ping pong parties is what it holds. We absolutely love it, and are so blessed with this charming space! Well, that’s us in a nut shell. We’re so happy you’re here and hope you’ll hang out with us often! Warmly, Heidi :-) “She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive.” Proverbs 31:27

Onions, glorious onions! My favorite vegetable , both to use and grow. They add so much fabulous flavor to countless meals. Adding so much savory goodness to meats, soups, sautés, and on and on and on. Pre-cut onions are my go-to grab for adding instant flavor to just about every home cooked meal! A few of our homegrown white onions Whether you're fortunate enough to harvest onions from your own garden, gather a basket of them at your local farmers market, or just land a big ol' bag at Costco, onions are worth preserving ! Minced Cubes The way I use onions the most is minced. I mince tons of them at once in my beloved food processor . (Oh, what would I do without you, Dear?!) I press the finely minced onion into a designated freezer tray, used only for onions and garlic, cover it in foil, and place in the freezer until solid. Then, I pop out the cubes and store them in a freezer bag , and have them in the door of the freezer so it's a quick pluck from the bag when I need them. Hallelujah! Onion cubes in olive oil, in prep for Ready Beef Onion cubes are an absolute staple in our house. I've been making them this way for over a decade, and I love them so much. Gobs of time is saved, since one doesn't have to chop them at every single mealtime prep. Just grab and toss in the skillet, or soup pot to thaw, and add instant flavor. So handy! Minced onion is the best way to flavor food when there's folks in your circle who don't like the texture of onion. The veg in this teeny form makes it virtually undetectable , so it's a win-win with these super convenient onion cubes. You'll love yourself for preserving onions in this form! These handy cubes are wonderful in Ready Beef , tacos, chili, and enchiladas, just to name few. Organic onions chopped into chunks to freeze for future meals Chunked This form is also great to have a freezer bag full , which again, cuts prep time significantly when you're throwing together a breakfast skillet, a quick stir fry skillet, or sautéing green beans. Oh, and so handy during summertime grilling paired with chunks of fresh garden zucchini. So delicious! The smell always reminds me of the county fair. During chili months, these flavorful chunks are also great to throw into a crockpot of roast beef, or beef stew Cut the onions whatever size you prefer. I usually aim for about 1 inch square , or smaller. I chop them by hand because I'm used to doing it this way, but there's probably a blade that fits the food processor that would be a time saver. Fill a freezer bag , or two, however many you need, and again, keep them close by in the freezer for quick grabbing! Garden onions being sliced for preserving in the freezer Sliced Slicing onions is pretty self explanatory. We prefer ours about a 1/4 inch think, but slice them to your preference. Just as long as their pretty uniform so they cook the same length of time. Fill a freezer bag and lay them flat in the freezer, until frozen through. It's always awesome to have preserved sliced onions on hand when cooking up homemade hamburger patties, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and fajitas. These also pair well with any skillet meal, as well as the for-mentioned, green beans, and so much more! So these are my 3 go-to forms of preserving onions in the freezer. I hope you find them as helpful and convenient as we have over the years. Bless you in your cooking and preserving ventures as you aim to feed your family well! Very Warmly, Heidi :-) "...they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter." ~Proverbs 6:8