I've always wanted to make some real pioneer style wood ash lye soap! So I'm going to give it a try. I've done a bit of research using a ton of different books and websites so I can't exactly reference any one specific recipe or site... so I'm making this up as I go along … Continue reading Pioneer style wood ash lye, peppermint soap: a living history experiment
Ok so this has got to be the yummiest Mac and cheese ever! It has two secret ingredients (shhhh don't tell anyone!) which are powdered mustard and evaporated goats milk! It's also an easy way to use up any stray bits of cheese you have in the fridge lol. Take a 1lb box of elbow … Continue reading Instant pot, homemade gourmet mac and cheese: no more time to make than a box mix folks!
I decided to keep a running list of books I have found useful on helping me figure out how things were done "back in the day". So think of this as my bibliography page in a sense.... along with a lot of lessons from family, friends and people I have met along the way. I … Continue reading How to books: old books that are useful to figuring almost anything out and some other useful random information
Well we have been super busy here, but we did take time out for a visit to the local pioneer village museum to purchase some absolutely huge pumpkins to carve, toast seeds, and make some yummy pumpkin treats (pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake etc). 'Tis the season for everything pumpkin! Next we cleaned out … Continue reading Fall farm chores to prepare for winter living, and husking some black walnuts!
The Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law in 1990, codified the role of the Service Dog in assisting disabled Americans. The Act, which is a civil rights law, was written to help ensure that disabled Americans had the same opportunities to access public areas as any typically able person. This included requiring changes to … Continue reading Why doesn’t the U.S. have a Service Dog registry?
Today we are making some hand made dish scrubbys! Much more economical than buying a pack at the store and these work great! One small skein of yarn makes quite a few dish scrubbys so make some for yourself and then a few to give to friends and family. They are very simple to make. … Continue reading Easy Handmade dish scrubby mitt
We try to eat healthy here at Conestoga chuck's house. But buying commercial breakfast cereal is very expensive especially if you buy the "healthy" kind. Fortunately granola style breakfast cereal is very easy to make at home and sooooooo much more economical than buying those tiny boxes at the store that maybe have 3 bowls … Continue reading Homemade granola breakfast cereal: a lot more cereal for your hard earned money!
Over the summer I made sure to stock up on a bunch of beeswax from our local farmers market. But don't worry if you didn't think ahead and didn't stock up locally! I will post a link where you can order some online. You can also check your local craft store. I like to have … Continue reading Beeswax recipe: DIY furniture polish, doggie paw protectant, human hand and foot cream, and winter lip balm!
Please note: as an amazon associate I earn from qualified purchases If you have a bad back like I do (or any health problems really) or maybe an elderly person that isn't too steady on their feet, this electric walk way mat is worth it's weight in gold!HeatTrak Heated Snow Melting Walkway Mat | Outdoor … Continue reading Electric heated walkway mat for locations that snow a lot: a mega back saver!
As you can imagine it takes a while to get from sheering sheep to wearing actual clothes and I have learned that pioneers must have taken great care of their clothing but at the same time it was probably much better/durable cloth than the commercial cloth we buy in the stores today. So much work … Continue reading Carding wool with a drum carder
Conestoga Chuck 