tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90271917069807487132024-03-13T21:01:40.534+10:00Eight AcresAll the adventures and challenges of owning eight acres of land in the South Burnett, QLD, Australia, including, organic gardening, keeping chickens, steers, a dairy cow, two kelpies and generally having a go at living self-sufficiently. The recent addition of a 258 A farm just adds to the fun!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger804125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-55633457055024801252017-09-18T07:00:00.000+10:002017-09-18T07:00:04.290+10:00The new Eight Acres website is live!Very soon this blogspot address will automatically redirect to the new Eight Acres site, but in the meantime, <a href="https://eight-acres.com.au/pages/welcome-to-my-new-website" target="_blank">you can check it out here</a>. You will find all my soaps, ebooks and beeswax/honey products there, as well as the blog (needs a tidy up, but its all there!). I will be gradually updating all my social media links and updating and sharing blog posts over the next few months. I'm very excited to share this new website with you!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-83384483791131248162017-09-07T07:00:00.000+10:002017-09-12T21:24:25.915+10:00Farm update - September 2017One more post on this blog and then I think I'm going to be ready to launch the new site! I can't wait to share it with you.<br />
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Well it hasn't rained for a few weeks and I always find this time of year tough because all the grass is dead from the cold weather and lack of rain, so its all just brown and dry and I start to worry about bushfires. We are just waiting for rain. Which is a shame really because apart from that its quite a nice temperature and the days are getting longer, so I should be enjoying the weather instead of wishing for rain. Also the dogs get very dirty and static from playing in the dust!<br />
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<b>Food and cooking</b><o:p></o:p><br />
Did you see my post about growing mushrooms? That was quite fun :)<br />
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<b>Land and farming</b><br />
We've been looking at getting a bigger tractor because we really want to try a yeoman's plough to improve our pasture. And we finally bought a firefighting rig for the back of the ute.<br />
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<b>Chickens</b></div>
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Barastock sent me some chicken food in exchange for social media images featuring my chooks eating their food. The black and white one was in the photos, but she shared the leftovers with the rest of her friends when she went home.<br />
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<b>Cows and cattle</b><br />
Here's Molly's calf, he's looking ok, and we are just making sure that he gets plenty of hay. We are feeding hay as all our grass is dead. We need to get better at slashing and managing the pasture, we are learning!<br />
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<b><br /></b><b>Bees and Beekeeping</b><br />
The wattles have been flowering (they provide pollen but no nectar) and our neighbours on one side have an avocado orchard that is flowering and another neighbour has paulownia tress that are also flowering, so the bees seem to be doing well. We took 30kg of honey from 3 of the hives the other weekend, and will have to keep monitoring them to add more supers as they increase in colony size. Its much easier now that we live on the same property as the bees!<br />
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<b>Garden</b></div>
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I did a quick garden update back here. I still can't believe how many tomatoes I am getting from the neglected garden at Eight Acres!<br />
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<b>House</b></div>
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We are focusing on the shed lately, getting it all set up and organised so that Pete has somewhere to put everything and not a big messy shed that we've had in the past. Also my houseplants are still growing well!<br />
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<b>Permaculture</b></div>
Chapter nine of Toby Hemenway's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603580298/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603580298&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20">Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition</a><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/0OrDoVidXTjsynDAISKGdQV8bE0CtFF7v4L7YDkM5yQ40ZFx-5DSMi_r73NcOkQwqt2UfvSYC-xwbxaFiz10BdROZcX4AFjPSl6fIu8iiI7Cx7ZvMswqqqhemE8=s0-d" /> (affiliate link) is all about guilds. A guild is a group of plants that grow well together and support each other, so that overall the plants do better together than they would growing apart. He suggests two methods for researching guilds. One is to just go into the bush and look at the plants in their native habitat and observe which plants grow together. The second is to read books etc. This is when I realised just how abundant the American bush is with wildfood. I know that there are bush tucker plants in the Australian bush, but I need to learn to recognise them. Most of the plants that I want to grow in guilds are native to American or Europe. I have no opportunity to observe them in nature! The best I can do is the second option, to read books/blogs etc and maybe observe other people's orchards and food forests to get an idea of what works in our climate. This was the only chapter that I found that I couldn't use as it was intended, but I did learn a lot about where our food trees come from originally!<br />
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<b>Create</b><br />
I have been making SOAP! I keep selling out and having to make more! Which is great, but I want to try different soaps. I finally got a chance to make my beer soap, a goats milk soap and a shaving bar to add to my new website. I can't wait to share them with you... I just have to do another photo session to get them ready :)<br />
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And I've been trying to limit myself to useful crochet and not make ANOTHER scarf, so I made new covers for my headphones as the original covers were disintegrating. And I made more soap savers.<br />
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<a href="http://eepurl.com/cw3iin" target="_blank">Sign up for my weekly email updates here</a>, you will find out more about chickens, soap and our farmlife, straight to your inbox, never miss a post! New soap website and shop opening soon....<br />
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<i>I know this is late, but how was your August? What are your plans for September?</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-85259220064844017402017-09-04T07:00:00.000+10:002017-09-05T21:03:51.595+10:00Getting stared with chickens - summing upIn 2013 I interviewed chicken flocksters on different sized properties, from suburban blocks to small farms, in four different countries, about getting started with chickens. This was a continuation from my first series of interviews about “<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/search/label/getting%20started" target="_blank">getting started with growing your own</a>”. One thing was the same in every interview, everyone loves watching their chickens! I really enjoyed reading these interviews, so I hope you did too. It is interesting to read about how people keep their chickens (and other poultry) and why they make those decisions, with lots of great advice for new chicken keepers too.<br />
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<b>Here are all the interviews:</b><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/getting-started-with-chickens-ohio.html" target="_blank">Ohiofarm Girl of Adventure in the Goodland (USA)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/getting-started-with-chickens-gavin.html" target="_blank">Gavin from the Greening of Gavin (Aust)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/getting-started-with-chickens-nz-eco.html" target="_blank">Madeleine from NZ Eco Chick (NZ)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/getting-started-with-chickens-tanya.html" target="_blank">Tanya of Lovely Greens (UK)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/getting-started-with-chickens.html" target="_blank">Adam and Amy from Sustainaburbia (Aust)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/getting-started-with-chickens-linda.html" target="_blank">Linda from Greenhaven (Aust)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/getting-started-with-chickens-series-of.html" target="_blank">And my interview with myself (Aust)</a><br />
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<i>I'm looking forward to more chicken discussions...</i><br />
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By the way, my chicken eBook is now available if you want to know more about backyard chickens and using chicken tractors. More information over at the <a href="http://chickentractorebook.blogspot.com.au/p/buy-chicken-tractor-ebook.html" target="_blank">chicken tractor ebook blog</a>. Or you can get it directly from my shop on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/248954023/design-and-use-a-chicken-tractor?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank">Etsy</a> (.pdf format), or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016IPPASW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B016IPPASW&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20&linkId=TAGK7PDRZBYAQGAH" target="_blank">Amazon Kindle</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eigacr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B016IPPASW" height="1" style="border: none; cursor: move; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> or just send me an email eight.acres.liz {at} gmail.com.</div>
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<b>What's the eBook about?</b></div>
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Chickens in a confined coop can end up living in an unpleasant dust-bowl, but allowing chickens to free-range can result in chickens getting into gardens and expose them to predators.</div>
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A movable cage or “chicken tractor” is the best of both options – the chickens are safe, have access to clean grass, fresh air and bugs. Feed costs are reduced, chickens are happier, and egg production increases. </div>
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But how do you build a chicken tractor? What aspects should be considered in designing and using a chicken tractor effectively? In this eBook I aim to explain how to make a chicken tractor work for you in your environment to meet your goals for keeping chickens. </div>
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I also list what I have learnt over 10 years of keeping chickens in tractors of various designs and sizes, from hatching chicks, through to butchering roosters.</div>
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<b>Reviews of the Design and Use a Chicken Tractor</b></div>
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<a href="http://gullygrove.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/chicken-tractors.html" target="_blank">Chris from Gully Grove</a></div>
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<a href="http://goinggreyandslightlygreen.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/would-you-like-to-learn-more-about.html" target="_blank">Going Grey and Slightly Green</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-29665712012352960942017-08-28T07:00:00.000+10:002017-08-28T07:00:19.747+10:00Pot garden progressI'm still here! I just got distracted by making a new soap website and I couldn't decide where to post this. But I'm not ready to move just yet. I wanted to show you my pot garden as I've been pleasantly surprised by what I can grow (in winter anyway). We are going to build a proper garden and set up the aquaponics, but other things need to be done first and meanwhile my pot collection keeps growing every time I go to our monthly share meeting and come home with another herb!<br />
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I have my collection of pots stacked on my potting table, which is the size of a sheet of mesh - I think its 2m by 3m or so. And I have more pots underneath. The worm farms are up top as well. It seems to be good for the shade-loving plants, like mints, yarrow and strawberries to be down below in the partial shade. I really like the location, it is between the house and the shed, so every time we go to the shed or to the car, we walk past the garden. I was going to put the garden further away, but now I can see that this is the ideal spot, so we will build our shade structure at the back (northern side) of the shed and put the garden right there.<br />
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<b>What am I growing?</b><br />
Well, all the herbs that were already in pots got moved, so we have:<br />
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<li>Rosemary</li>
<li>Yarrow</li>
<li>Herb Robert</li>
<li>Peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, lemon mint (some of those are from the share)</li>
<li>Sage</li>
<li>Oregano</li>
<li>Lemon balm</li>
<li>Lemongrass</li>
<li>Winter Savory</li>
<li>Thyme</li>
<li>Brahmi</li>
<li>Soapwort</li>
<li>Winter taragon</li>
<li>Wormwood </li>
<li>Tansy</li>
<li>Basil</li>
<li>Coriander</li>
<li>Parsley - hitched a ride with the lemon tree</li>
<li>Comfrey</li>
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Vegetables</div>
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<li>Kale and tatsoi - was doing well until a bug found it, and is also going to seed now</li>
<li>Silverbeet</li>
<li>Celery </li>
<li>Peas (best crop ever!)</li>
<li>Strawberries (also very happy)</li>
<li>I saves some perennial leeks too</li>
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Other stuff - I have a few trees and shrubs in pots that I hope to plant out soon, including:</div>
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<li>Mulberry</li>
<li>Elderflower</li>
<li>Bottle brush</li>
<li>Various avocado and mango</li>
<li>Jacarandas</li>
<li>Silky oak</li>
<li>Flame tree</li>
<li>Dwarf lemon and lime trees that we've had in pots for ages</li>
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The hardest part with pots is that they dry out and you can find that you water them and it just drains out the bottom. I have a collection of dishes and trays that all the pots sit in (some I rotate in and out if they don't like to stay damp). This is the only way I have found to keep the soil moist. If we are still using this system in summer it will need some shade as its currently in full sun.</div>
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And when we visit the old garden I'm always surprised to find things growing, last time I had a massive harvest of cheery tomatoes! And there is always more kale. I still need to take some divisions of violet, cardamon, galangal etc, but I need somewhere to put them!</div>
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I think I'll reduce my posts here to make time for the new soap website and these other outside chores that I should really be doing, but I do like to pop in and let you know that I'm still here and still growing things. I post more regularly on Instagram and Facebook, so catch me there if you don't see me here.</div>
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<i>Do you grow much in pots? Any tips? What do you find grows well?</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-29090552383088042252017-08-16T07:00:00.000+10:002017-08-17T20:10:27.186+10:00GreenPro - implements for small farms<div>
A tractor with implements is an essential tool for getting work done around the farm (as I recently wrote about here). At Cheslyn Rise, our 258-acre property, we have a 75 HP tractor with front bucket and forklift tynes. We have ploughs, a hay rake, cultivator drill (seeder), an 800 L spray tank and a slasher. At Eight Acres, we only had a tiny 15 HP tractor with a slasher. Often we wish we could use the big tractor there too, but it's just not practical to transport it. </div>
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<br /> <br />When I write about farm work we’ve done using our big tractor, I usually get questions from readers about how to do these things on a smaller scale, for a hobby farm or lifestyle block, especially our recent pasture seeding, which required two ploughs and the cultivator drill. Until recently, I haven’t had any answers. I think it's an issue that we’ve all experienced, it's hard to justify buying even a small tractor for a small hobby farm, and even if you do buy one (ours is second hand), it's hard to find appropriate implements, that’s why we only have a slasher. We haven’t been able to plant pasture on our small farm, and we are always lugging around manual spray packs because we haven’t found any implements suitable for an ATV or small tractor.<br /><br />Back in 2015, Ben Hestehauge Product Manager from <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/">greenPRO</a> contacted me to tell me about their new range of implements for small farms I instantly saw the potential for this equipment. Since then they have continued to develop their three leading products for small farms - The <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/6in1seeder/">ATV-Pulled 6-IN-1 Seeder</a>, The <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/travellingirrigator/">Solar Powered Travelling Irrigator</a>, and <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/thesprayertrailer/">ATV Sprayer Trailer</a>, all of which are designed to be towed by an ATV. greenPRO contacted me again recently and asked me to update my post, as they wanted to make sure that you have the latest information about these exciting products.<br /><br />greenPRO is based in Warana on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and are a division of <a href="http://www.quikcorp.com.au/">Quik Corp,</a> a company that has been manufacturing premium agricultural equipment for over 28 years. It’s important to me to that they have a history of manufacturing, as the components are more likely to be good quality. The implements are also made in Australia, and you know I like to support local manufacturers.<br /><br />We are still planning for greenPRO to bring the implements out to show us (they are very busy attending field days, so if you’re interested, check the <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/fielddays/">greenPRO Field Day page</a> on their website to see if they will be at an event near you) and I hope to eventually tell you what I think when I see them in person. In the meantime, here’s an overview of each of the implements. If you have a small farm and want to improve your pasture, I think it would be worth looking into these options, as they are the right size (and price) for hobby farmers.</div>
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<br /><br /><a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/thesprayertrailer/"><b>The ATV Sprayer Trailer</b></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/thesprayertrailer/">The greenPRO Sprayer Trailer</a> is available in 200, 300 and 400 L tank size and designed to be towed behind an ATV. With a range of pump configurations, 4 m boom, and 20 m hose with spray nozzle, this can be set up to suit any application. We use our big sprayer to spray organic fertilisers, herbicide to kill Lantana (although I’m not a big fan of spraying weeds, sometimes it is needed if weeds are toxic to livestock), and it's our back-up firefighting rig if we lose power to the house. This smaller version would be ideal for a small farm and would have saved us lugging around manual spray packs when we wanted to spray weeds. You could even use it to safely cart stock water to distant paddocks.<br /><br />You can find more information about the Sprayer Trailer on the greenPRO website by clicking <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/thesprayertrailer/">here</a> and watch videos on how the Sprayer Trailer works on their YouTube Channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTIp9l5JJ-w">here</a>. <br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/6in1seeder/"><b>The ATV-Pulled 6-IN-1 Seeder</b></a><br /><br />The greenPRO ATV-Pulled 6-IN-1 Seeder is my favourite of the small farm implements. It can disc, plough, fertilise, seed, cover and roll your new pasture in a single pass, you only need to buy one implement to do all that work, and its quicker than using multiple implements. It comes in two models, a Single Box Seeder and a Dual Box Seeder, both of which can be towed by an ATV or small tractor. This would be ideal for planting pasture on a small farm. We have seen massive improvements in carrying capacity from just the small amount of pasture that we have sown so far using our big tractor, and if you currently have poor pasture, you will see the value in this implement too. This is one job that is very difficult to do manually, you really do need some kind of implement, but it would be impractical to bring in a large tractor to do this on a small property. The ATV-Pulled 6-IN-1 Seeder is perfect for improving pasture on a small farm as it can easily manoeuvre around trees and fence lines and fits through tight gates. <br /><br />You can find more information about the ATV-Pulled 6-IN-1 Seeder on the greenPRO website by clicking <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/6in1seeder/">here</a> and watch videos on how it the Seeder operates on their YouTube Channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnpEwl0E4Wc">here</a>. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br /><a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/travellingirrigator/"><b>Solar Powered Travelling Irrigator</b></a><br /><br />The greenPRO Solar Powered Travelling Irrigator is a 100m roll of hose that you set up and extend by hand or using an ATV, and the hose automatically retracts with variable speed control using a 12V motor. The 12V motor allows the hose to retract without wasting any water pressure on winding in the sprinkler. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/travellingirrigator/">The Solar Powered Travelling Irrigator</a> is built with "Set and Forget" technology, allowing the irrigator to automatically water a large section of your paddock for pasture growth, crop or dust control. The travelling irrigator only requires 20 psi water pressure to operate which is significantly less water pressure than most travelling irrigators on the market because the sprinkler is retracted using the 12V motor rather than using the pressure from water like other irrigators. The 20watt solar panel charges the battery for 20 hours, and the automatic shut-off system allows the irrigator to run during the night. The Solar Powered Travelling Irrigator from greenPRO has been designed for small farm applications. <br /><br />You can find more information about the Solar Powered Travelling Irrigator range on the greenPRO website <a href="http://www.greenpro.com.au/travellingirrigator/">here</a> and watch videos on how it operates on their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9wEPN1hR6U">YouTube Channel here</a>.<br /><br /><i>Could you see yourself using these implements on your small farm? Any questions for greenPRO? </i><br /><br />If you want to know more, you can contact greenPro on 1800 270 810 or email info@greenpro.com.au</div>
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A few years ago I found out that you could grow mushrooms from the spent mushroom compost from mushroom farms. So we dropped in to a farm on the Sunshine Coast and picked up a couple of boxes for $2 each. I diligently kept them dark and sprayed them with water, but in our climate, I just couldn’t keep them damp enough (and I had to keep them outside because our shed was too hot). I never managed to produce any mushrooms from those boxes, but when I gave up and tipped the compost out onto the garden, mushrooms sprang up everywhere. I wasn’t confident that they were the right mushrooms though, so I didn’t harvest any of those. As the proverb says, All mushrooms are edible, but some only once! I am generally a bit nervous about unidentified fungi.<br />
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Since then, I had been thinking about trying a mushroom kit, sure they are more expensive, but probably more likely to succeed as they are designed to help you grow mushrooms at home. I hadn’t decided which one to try, so I was very pleased when my friends at <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2f';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Biome Eco Stores</a> sent me a <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/make-your-own/17181-grow-your-own-mushroom-box.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fmake-your-own%2f17181-grow-your-own-mushroom-box.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Life Cykel Mushroom Kit</a> (Affiliate link) to test. These are nice and small (unlike my big boxes of mushroom compost), so they can be kept in your kitchen. The kits consists of a cardboard box containing a plastic bag filled with coffee grounds collected from cafes (recycling!) which is inoculated with oyster mushroom spores and ready to grow, you just have to cut open the bag.<br />
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I got my box a few weeks ago and followed the instructions carefully (it was a struggle, I don’t like following instructions). I just had to cut open the box and the bag, and spray the coffee grounds with water twice a day. I kept the box in the kitchen where I would remember to do this. After waiting longer than the specified 10-16 days, I did start to worry that I had done something wrong, but then I checked out the <a href="https://lifecykel.com/">Life Cykel website</a> and watched the video in the “How to Grow” section (I recommend you do this before starting) and I was reassured that my box was just taking a bit longer to grow. It must have known, because the very next day I started to see tiny mushrooms poking out, wow they must grow fast when they get going!<br />
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Life Cykel recommend that you wait until the mushrooms are big and nearly unfurled before harvesting all of them, and then continuing the process to produce another crop. You can even turn the bag around for a third crop. My first crop of mushrooms didn't get very big before they started to dry out, so I just harvested them early and cooked them in butter (they were yummy!). For the second crop I put a plastic bag over the box and they got bigger, but I left them too long (they spread spores around the box), they still tasted great though. I am currently waiting for the third crop since I turned the bag around. The box is supposed to produce about 300-500g of mushrooms over the three crops.<br />
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Of course I’d like to produce the mushrooms myself without buying a kit each time, but fungi are a bit more tricky than growing veges! I think starting with a kit is a good way to get more confidence before taking a step into your own mushroom production (if that’s where you want to go, there is <a href="https://www.milkwood.net/category/mushrooms/">heaps of great information from Milkwood</a>). I’m thinking that my original mushroom farm compost idea might have worked better if I had put it in a smaller box. I bought two because they were so cheap, but it was more than I could look after. <br />
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I really do need to do more reading on this subject, but in the meantime I definitely recommend the <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/make-your-own/17181-grow-your-own-mushroom-box.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fmake-your-own%2f17181-grow-your-own-mushroom-box.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Life Cykel Mushroom Kit</a> (Affiliate link) from Biome Ecostores as a very easy way to get started with mushroom growing. Its been a fun learning opportunity, a step towards eventually growing my own mushrooms, and an interesting project (it would make a good gift for a foodie – a source of the freshest possible oyster mushrooms!).<br />
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<i>Have you tried growing mushrooms? From a kit or another method? And are you brave enough to wild harvest fungi?</i><br />
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<i>Thank you once again for using my affiliate links to purchase from <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2f';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Biome Eco Stores</a>, this helps to support my blog and let me continue to bring you useful information. The mushroom box was sent to me as a free trial, and I have accurately reported the results and my opinion of the product.</i><br />
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<a href="https://t.cfjump.com/35342/b/19002" rel="noindex,nofollow"><img alt="" src="https://t.cfjump.com/35342/a/19002" style="border: none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-14079550325463750342017-08-09T07:00:00.000+10:002017-08-12T23:06:15.586+10:00The story of our house cows - part 4I just updated our house cows' story over on my house cow ebook blog. <a href="http://housecowebook.blogspot.com.au/2017/08/the-story-of-our-house-cows-part-4.html" target="_blank">You can check it out here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella with Molly in the background</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">future house cow Charlotte<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b>Getting started with homestead dairy</b><br />
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<strong><a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/getting-started-with-dairy-interview.html" target="_blank">Interview with myself</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/getting-started-with-homestead-dairy.html" target="_blank">Interview with Mark and Kate from Purple Pear Permaculture</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/getting-started-with-homestead-dairy_18.html" target="_blank">Interview with Kim from the Little Black Cow</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com/2013/09/getting-started-with-home-dairy-rose.html" target="_blank">Interview with Rose Petal</a></strong><br />
<strong><a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com/2013/10/getting-started-with-homestead-dairy.html" target="_blank">Interview with Marie from Go Milk the Cow</a></strong><br />
<b><a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/getting-started-with-homestead-dairy_16.html" target="_blank">Interview with Ohio Farmgirl</a></b><br />
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If you want to know more about house cows, my eBook is now available, for details see my <a href="http://housecowebook.blogspot.com.au/p/buy-ebook.html" target="_blank">house cow eBook blog</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/230229811/Our-Experience-With-House-Cows" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YDcfjHhDaz8/U6FxcgV5i8I/AAAAAAAAuz4/ayeFUhy6i0Q/s1600/ebook+front+page.jpg" title="eight acres: house cow ebook" width="276" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-81985570808387708312017-08-07T07:00:00.000+10:002017-08-12T22:11:05.460+10:00Farm update - August 2017Its been cold this month, and very nice to have the fire going every night. Here's a photo of my boy in his cape, great for late night woofing at things. Most of July we were either preparing for the butcher to come or putting meat away. Its always a big job, but its only once a year, and its all done now. My lovely neighbour came over to help, so it was fun to have the company and work together. Taz was a champion once again as she helped us to move cattle in the yards ready to load for the market. Gus is not at that level yet and had to stay home (he cries when he gets left behind, but he just gets in the way and scatters the cattle). We have had a few sprinkles of rain here and there, but also plenty of cold nights, so the grass is mostly dead and dry, waiting for the warmer weather to revive our summer-active pasture.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gus in his cape</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taz after she helped to move cattle</td></tr>
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<br /><b>Food and cooking</b><br />
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It was all about beef in July and we are very happy to have the freezers loaded again with plenty of the nice cuts (we were still finishing roasts from the last animal, it was luxury to try the first t-bone!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two sides of beef, ready to chill</td></tr>
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<b>Chickens</b></div>
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The chickens are now at full-capacity again and we are getting 12-17 eggs a day, eek! I don't know what do to with them all as I don't have a lot of customers at work, so we are going to be eating quiche. The dogs get a few each with their food and I think we will start hatching some. We would most of all like to utilise the pasture improving qualities, see the green trail behind these tractors? We want that in our paddocks! But I need to figure out what to do with all the eggs as well!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the green trail behind a chicken tractor</td></tr>
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<b>Cows and cattle</b><br />
The sad news, as I shared last week, was that we lost Molly unexpectedly. We are feeding lots of hay to make sure her calf isn't missing out. He is three months old, so he's old enough to be weaned (but we like to leave them must longer so that they get to a decent size). I don't want to take her off my profile photo, I love that selfie we took, she was so placid.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new angus calf appeared during the month - very difficult to photograph a black calf!</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b><b>Bees and Beekeeping</b></div>
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The bees are pretty quiet this time of year (although they look very busy every time we drive past and Pete has checked them on a warm day). These books arrive and I am reading the Australia Native Bee Book, it is fascinating!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VG284RgQHl8/WY7qsyL7c-I/AAAAAAABPUE/rqbVnsGzq8Y0p3dfJY8Bb9DbQbou_8PnwCKgBGAs/s1600/20170730_162247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VG284RgQHl8/WY7qsyL7c-I/AAAAAAABPUE/rqbVnsGzq8Y0p3dfJY8Bb9DbQbou_8PnwCKgBGAs/s400/20170730_162247.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Garden</b><br />
Every day I am amazed by how much I can harvest from my little garden of pots (and even more amazed at what continues to grow in my old garden with no help from me!). I am getting a great harvest of peas and tatsoi, along with plenty of herbs.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ar-IxrwXWHI/WXcct2Cno6I/AAAAAAABPLI/SgxJrZEaHzEzYyZNq7xpVAZFSvcdHpaeQCKgBGAs/s1600/20170712_182944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ar-IxrwXWHI/WXcct2Cno6I/AAAAAAABPLI/SgxJrZEaHzEzYyZNq7xpVAZFSvcdHpaeQCKgBGAs/s400/20170712_182944.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>House</b></div>
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We have been focusing on the shed, because we have now moved everything out of the old house, including giving away two couches and a mattress. Now it is just the shed to clear out and I didn't want to bring it all to the new shed and have a big mess there, so we've been trying to set up Pete's new workshop area and storage so we can put it all away as we unpack. He's even painted the floor. I must take you for a shed tour soon....<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hMSXDbX_d-I/WXcctxpvPNI/AAAAAAABPLI/NbKMk0vVkWId07QVSRC4gGkJDb7TtA2HwCKgBGAs/s1600/20170715_103002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hMSXDbX_d-I/WXcctxpvPNI/AAAAAAABPLI/NbKMk0vVkWId07QVSRC4gGkJDb7TtA2HwCKgBGAs/s400/20170715_103002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Permaculture</b></div>
Chapter eight of Toby Hemenway's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603580298/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603580298&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20">Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition</a><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/0OrDoVidXTjsynDAISKGdQV8bE0CtFF7v4L7YDkM5yQ40ZFx-5DSMi_r73NcOkQwqt2UfvSYC-xwbxaFiz10BdROZcX4AFjPSl6fIu8iiI7Cx7ZvMswqqqhemE8=s0-d" /> (affiliate link) is the first chapter of part three - assembling the ecological garden, so this is where all the concepts in the previous chapters start to come together. The first chapter is about creating communities in the garden. This is where is takes the typical monoculture garden designs and turns them into polycultures. I think this is where I got a lot of my garden ideas (I read so much, I forget where it came from). I don't plant anything in straight lines. I actually don't plant much at all, I mainly scatter seeds and see what comes up. I also get a lot of volunteers from the compost. If things are too close, I thin them or move them around to suit. Everything is mixed up, few things are planned, it seems to work, especially as you thin out some areas and then more seedlings come up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wattle flowers</td></tr>
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<b>Create</b><br />
I have been taking advantage of the winter weather and doing some crochet. A new pair of crochet socks and nearly finished a lap rug. Crochet is so quick, I love it! I will have to do a bit of knitting now just so I don't forget how.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new socks and old socks</td></tr>
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I've also been playing around with goat's milk soap seeing as my friend with milking goats gave me more milk. Its fun to try a new ingredient. I haven't had as much time to experiment as I'd like as I have also had to restock my usual soaps, I can't keep up with demand lately!<br />
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I've also been working with <a href="http://lizziemoult.com/" target="_blank">the lovely Lizzie Moult</a> on plans to upgrade my soap business, so over the next few months I'll be moving this blog and setting up my own online shop. If you have any kind of business that could benefit from improved social media or web presence, or you just want help to grow your business, Lizzie is a great coach, you should get in touch and see how she can help you.<br />
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July was a month of highs (butcher day!) and lows (Molly), but things are getting back to normal now, we don't have much time to dwell on excitement or disappointment, there is always another job to get done.</div>
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<i>How was your July? What are your plans for August?</i></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-15077238505681332142017-08-02T07:00:00.001+10:002017-08-02T21:01:15.492+10:00RIP Molly Moo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I don't have a proper post to write today. At the moment we are just a bit stunned. Pete found Molly dead on Monday when he heard her calf bawling. We don't know what happened to her. She had starting losing condition due to feeding her calf (we haven't been milking) and we had just put out hay to make sure that everyone was getting enough to eat. We don't know if there was an underlying condition, or that something else affected her while she was already weak, but she didn't seem deathly ill to me when I chatted to her on Sunday afternoon. I googled it and <a href="http://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/Investigating%20Sudden%20Death%20in%20Livestock_TIrwin.pdf" target="_blank">there are over 200 causes of sudden death in cattle</a>, so we will probably never know for sure.</div>
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Her absence is still sinking in. I've stopped looking for the cow with horns when I do the herd check. Her calf is, fortunately for us, about 3 months old, so can be weaned as long as he gets enough hay. He is wild and there is no way to catch him at the moment without making everyone walk through the yards again, he's with the rest of the herd and seems ok.</div>
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Molly came to our property in 2011 as a six week old calf with her mum Bella. She grew up to be the best milker, always happy to stand patiently while I put on the milking machine, and she made plenty of milk for us and her calves. Molly was MY cow, I spent the hours sitting in the yard with her to keep her tame for milking and she would always come to me for a scratch (and I learnt to avoid her horns when she was excited).</div>
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I'm actually not as upset as I would have expected, I think a sudden death is easier in some ways because I didn't have to watch her suffer or try to nurse her or decide to euthinise or not, the decision was made and she is gone and we have to get on with things.</div>
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Thanks everyone who left lovely messages on my Instagram and Facebook post. A house cow is very close to a dog in status, very nearly more a pet than livestock, and I thought she would be around for longer than six years. I really appreciate the kind thoughts.</div>
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/deadstock.html" target="_blank">Here's what I've written about deadstock in the past....</a> Anytime you have livestock you have deadstock and it sucks, but most days are better than this. </div>
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I'll write another installment of "<a href="http://housecowebook.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/the-story-of-our-house-cows-part-3.html" target="_blank">the story of our house cows</a>" next week.... we still have Bella and the babies (Rosey and Charlotte), so this is not the end!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Molly</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella with Molly the calf when they first arrived in 2011</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly and Bella</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly with her most recent calf</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly with her second calf</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly licking my shoe</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-69313200501544195272017-07-31T07:00:00.001+10:002017-07-31T07:00:02.803+10:00Keeping our new house cleanI know I keep saying that I hate cleaning, but now that we are in our new house, I have more motivation. Firstly this house is way nicer than our old house, from the colour of the walls (that we chose of course) to the high ceilings and better lighting, I just enjoy being in the house more than ever before. And I know how much effort went into getting it this nice so I don't want to see it getting dusty and dirty. <a href="https://permacultureprinciples.com/principles/_6/" target="_blank">Permaculture principle "produce no waste"</a> suggests that timely maintenance prevents wasteful rework and big jobs to fix things that could have taken very little time if they were done earlier. This helps me to prioritise small cleaning jobs before they turn into big ones.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CfizZkmO9E/WXLFzWT9-FI/AAAAAAABPIM/fULk0uNBhWkguwERAc0jAjVMnx9aCDFZgCLcBGAs/s1600/P7220946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CfizZkmO9E/WXLFzWT9-FI/AAAAAAABPIM/fULk0uNBhWkguwERAc0jAjVMnx9aCDFZgCLcBGAs/s400/P7220946.JPG" title="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" width="400" /></a></div>
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One new thing that we have tried since moving is the <a href="http://www.enjo.com.au/" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/16313?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.enjo.com.au%2f';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">ENJO </a> range of cleaning products (<i>affiliate link</i>). You won't find ENJO in your supermarket, its sold by independent consultants, and also available online (<i>I get a small commission if you use my links)</i>. ENJO's chemical-free, all-natural fibre cleaning products eliminate the need for chemical-based cleaners. This saves you money in the longer term (cleaning products are expensive!) and you get to avoid the toxins as well. The best part is that the ENJO system is very easy to use and you get great results from very little effort, overall, this is my kind of cleaning!<br />
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<i>I'm not just writing this post to get you to use my affiliate links, I have found myself in several conversations lately talking about these products because I really like them (and its really not like me to want to talk about cleaning), and recently a friend also asked for more information, so I wanted to share what I like about ENJO and if you're interested, please do use my links...</i><br />
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<b>The FloorCleaner</b><br />
One of the main reasons I started looking at ENJO was that I wanted ideas for caring for our new hardwood floor boards. I didn't want to be pulling a noisy vacuum cleaner around the house and I didn't want to be trying to sweep the floors either. Our floor supplier recommended a natural soap product that we are supposed to use to mop the floor, and it is expensive, so I wanted to make that last as well. <a href="https://www.enjo.com.au/floor-care.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/16313?Url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.enjo.com.au%2ffloor-care.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">ENJO floor care options</a> are a revolution. You buy the floorcleaner and then different fibres to suit different floors. I got the dust floor fibre for general purpose sweeping, the fussy floor fibre for mopping our hardwood floors and the matt fibre for the tiles in our bathroom and laundry. With the "mopping" you just use water to spray the fibre and the floor, so there's no mop bucket to drag around, it dries really quickly and works perfectly. The actually floorcleaner is very ergonomic (<a href="https://youtu.be/9I4OCCaTGPw" target="_blank">once I watched some youtube and learnt how to use it</a>) and best of all, it swivels to easily dust under the bed and under our lounge chairs, so I know I got all the dust (having just moved out of our old house, I have seen how much dust ends up under furniture!).<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oAeItRop-ew/WXLF0uEiyHI/AAAAAAABPIQ/OEzEktpXTeoUj2ltcDQHnq-CO7Van30pgCLcBGAs/s1600/P7220948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oAeItRop-ew/WXLF0uEiyHI/AAAAAAABPIQ/OEzEktpXTeoUj2ltcDQHnq-CO7Van30pgCLcBGAs/s400/P7220948.JPG" title="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>In the bathroom</b><br />
Our bathroom is full of shiny surfaces and I was looking for a way to keep these clean and streak-free with minimal effort. The <a href="https://www.enjo.com.au/bathroom-care.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/16313?Url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.enjo.com.au%2fbathroom-care.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">ENJO bathroom range</a> has been perfect for this. I got the glass cleaner and we use that after a shower to quickly clean the glass shower screen and tiles around the shower (also great for windows). Then use the microfibre "bathroom miracle" to dry off without leaving streaks, I find microfibre cloths are really good for cleaning shiny surfaces. This is also great for the bathroom mirror and vanity in conjunction with the "bathroom mini" cloth. My only issue is that the white has turned to a kind of ugly grey, I wish the cloths were nicer colours as I need to leave them hanging up to dry.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XNjTJ89-ymg/WXLFyl6cmyI/AAAAAAABPIE/Az8nTOTrS-QX9PcT491wtcUDjG6WTQDpQCLcBGAs/s1600/P7220945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XNjTJ89-ymg/WXLFyl6cmyI/AAAAAAABPIE/Az8nTOTrS-QX9PcT491wtcUDjG6WTQDpQCLcBGAs/s400/P7220945.JPG" title="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>In the kitchen</b><br />
Again, we have shiny surfaces in our kitchen, lots of stainless steel, and I didn't want to see streaks and smudges. The <a href="https://www.enjo.com.au/kitchen-care.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/16313?Url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.enjo.com.au%2fkitchen-care.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">ENJO kitchen range</a> features more micofibre clothes, which have been perfect for cleaning the kitchen using water only.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L80qZV0BEQs/WXLFzD29_kI/AAAAAAABPII/Bee7ZL73_3ceXuHcCXamKg5BceHLal4OACLcBGAs/s1600/P7220947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L80qZV0BEQs/WXLFzD29_kI/AAAAAAABPII/Bee7ZL73_3ceXuHcCXamKg5BceHLal4OACLcBGAs/s400/P7220947.JPG" title="eight acres: using ENJO products to clean our new house" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Dusting</b><br />
I hate dusting because I feel like I just move the dust around. Being in the country, we always have dust, from our dirt driveway and our fireplace. Fortunately, there are also <a href="https://www.enjo.com.au/living-care/dusting.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/16313?Url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.enjo.com.au%2fliving-care%2fdusting.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">ENJO dusting</a> products, and I have the dusting mitt, which makes it pretty quick to whip around most of the ledges and surfaces to pick up the dust in the microfibre instead of just moving it around. And I've just ordered the swivel duster to get into the hard to reach places as well.<br />
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You can use my links to access the <a href="http://www.enjo.com.au/" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/16313?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.enjo.com.au%2f';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">ENJO</a> website and I'll get a small commission for referring you. When you buy through the website, you can also select your local consultant and they will get some commission from the sale too, so I recommend that you find out who your local consultant is, they are really helpful at showing you how the products work and figuring out what you need. (<i>Janelle Patch is the consultant for South Burnett and she has been very helpful)</i><br />
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ENJO products may seem expensive at first, but they are good quality and last for a long time and you don't have to buy any chemical cleaners. I feel that they are a good investment in looking after our house and our health over the long term.<br />
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<i>Have you used ENJO (or similar) for chemical-free cleaning? What are you tips and tricks for quick and effective cleaning?</i><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-27721506433080674022017-07-26T07:00:00.001+10:002017-07-26T07:00:30.421+10:00How I use herbs: Feverfew<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Sometimes I write about the herbs I've been growing for a long time and use frequently, other time I use these posts as an opportunity to find out more about a new herb. Feverfew (<i>Tanacetum parthenium</i>) is the latter! I've had it in my garden for a couple of years after a friend gave me a seedling and it has self-seeded, but I haven't known how to use it., so its time to look up the herb books!</div>
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<b>How to grow feverfew</b><br />
Apparently it is a perennial, it must die back when its too cold or too hot and dry because it disappeared for a while. It grows from seed or root division or cuttings. If you let it flower and seed it will self-seed (that's my favourite type of plant!).<br />
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<b>How to use feverfew</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>The flowers are pretty, however they repel insects including bees, so not one for the bee garden (although can be used as a companion plant around brasiccas to repel cabbage moth etc and the dried leaves can be used to keep moths out of your wardrobe)</li>
<li>Can sooth pain and swelling from insect bites (I MUST try that next summer)</li>
<li>Used to prevent headaches and migraines if taken regularly - by reducing inflammation (it contains parthenolide, which inhibits the release of prostaglandins and histamine which cause inflammation) </li>
<li>It seems to help with other pain conditions such as arthritis</li>
<li>Reduces fever (hence the name)</li>
<li>Induces menstruation (and can reduce cramps) and used after childbirth - therefore not to be taken while pregnant</li>
<li>As a bitter herb is stimulates digestion</li>
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Note that some people are allergic to the fresh leaf so test this on your skin before eating it. You can use either the fresh leaves or the dried leaves as a tincture</div>
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I'm so glad that I looked this up! I want to start using this herb for inflammation and for moth repellent. I will be picking and drying it and growing more.</div>
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<i>Do you grow and/or use feverfew? Any tips?</i></div>
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/how-i-use-herbs-mint-peppermint-and.html">How I use herbs - Mint, Peppermint and Spearmint</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/how-i-use-herbs-aloe-vera.html">How I use herbs - Aloe Vera</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/how-i-use-herbs-basil.html">How I use herbs - Basil</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/how-i-use-herbs-ginger-galangal-and.html">How I use herbs - Ginger, galangal and turmeric</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/how-i-use-herbs-marigold-calendula-and.html">How I use herbs - Marigold, calendula and winter taragon</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/how-i-use-herbs-lemon-balm.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Lemon balm</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/how-i-use-herbs-soapwort.html">How I use herbs - Soapwort</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/how-i-use-herbs-comfrey.html">How I use herbs - Comfrey</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/how-i-use-herbs-nasturtium.html">How I use herbs - Nasturtium</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/how-i-use-herbs-parsley.html">How I use herbs - Parsley</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/how-i-use-herbs-borage.html">How I use herbs - Borage</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/how-i-use-herbs-herb-robert.html">How I use herbs - Herb Robert</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/how-i-use-herbs-purslane_23.html">How I use herbs - Purslane</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/how-i-use-herbs-chickweed.html">How I use herbs - Chickweed</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/how-i-use-herbs-neem-oil.html">How I use herbs - Neem oil</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/how-i-use-herbs-rue-tansy-and-wormwood.html">How I use herbs - Rue, tansy and wormwood</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/how-i-use-herbs-brahmi.html">How I use herbs - Brahmi</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/how-i-use-herbs-yarrow.html">How I use herbs - Yarrow</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/how-i-use-herbs-arrowroot.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Arrowroot</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/how-i-use-herbs-lucerne-alfalfa.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Lucerne (afalfa)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/how-i-use-herbs-lavender.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Lavender</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/how-i-use-herbs-rosemary-and-thyme.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Rosemary and Thyme</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/how-i-use-herbs-oregano-or-marjoram.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Oregano or Marjoram</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/how-i-use-herbs-sweet-violet.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Sweet Violet</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/how-i-use-herbs-gotu-kola.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Gotu Kola</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/06/how-i-use-herbs-lemongrass.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Lemongrass</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/how-i-use-herbs-coriander-or-cilantro.html">How I use herbs - Coriander (or cilantro)</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/how-i-use-herbs-dill.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Dill</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/how-i-use-herbs-mother-of-herbs.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/how-i-use-herbs-mother-of-herbs.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Mother of Herbs</a></div>
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/how-i-use-herbs-nettles.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Nettles</a></div>
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/how-i-use-herbs-winter-savory.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Winter Savory</a></div>
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/how-i-use-herbs-chilli.html" target="_blank">How I use herbs - Chilli</a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-22809397458856296162017-07-24T07:00:00.000+10:002017-07-24T07:00:25.626+10:00The buzz about bees - book reviewThe more I learn about the bees, the more I'm fascinated by them and amazed at the things that researchers have figured out! To be successful beekeepers we need to try to learn as much as we can about the bees in our care. Some of the books on beekeeping use a kind of rote learning approach and tell you exactly what to do with your bees, but they can't possibly cover every situation, so you need to also learn to think for yourself using bee-knowledge to make the best management decisions for your bee hives.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FKexCxQdhzA/WXK_ICTBQ3I/AAAAAAABPHI/0AxgaKP70LYaIztpWONlxq9dC7I-LD7EACLcBGAs/s1600/P7220962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Eight Acres: The buzz about bees - book review - you need this book to take your beekeeping to the next level!" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FKexCxQdhzA/WXK_ICTBQ3I/AAAAAAABPHI/0AxgaKP70LYaIztpWONlxq9dC7I-LD7EACLcBGAs/s400/P7220962.JPG" title="Eight Acres: The buzz about bees - book review - you need this book to take your beekeeping to the next level!" width="400" /></a></div>
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The book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3540787275/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3540787275&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20&linkId=ac074136fa6d5a27b532a458be0c0077" target="_blank">The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eigacr-20&l=am2&o=1&a=3540787275" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (affiliate link) was recommended by the awesome <a href="https://honeybeesuite.com/bookshelf/" target="_blank">Rusty on Honey Bee Suite</a> so when I decided that I needed to know more about bee biology, I purchased a copy (<i>using Amazon credit from you guys clicking on my affiliate links, thank you!!</i>). This is a good-sized book, packed with information and wonderful close-up photos of bees (they look all fuzzy and cuddly at that size!). <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b7juCckTuCo/WXK_JyJvm1I/AAAAAAABPHQ/i8pfIrbZx3k4UnB3c1x4Hyvs2GuV4QhngCLcBGAs/s1600/P7220963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Eight Acres: The buzz about bees - book review - you need this book to take your beekeeping to the next level!" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b7juCckTuCo/WXK_JyJvm1I/AAAAAAABPHQ/i8pfIrbZx3k4UnB3c1x4Hyvs2GuV4QhngCLcBGAs/s400/P7220963.JPG" title="Eight Acres: The buzz about bees - book review - you need this book to take your beekeeping to the next level!" width="400" /></a></div>
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I learnt so much from this book, I'm just going to share a couple of insights, but you really need to read the whole thing if you have bees (or are planning to get bees).<br />
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<ol>
<li>Bees can recognise colours and flowers when they are on a foraging flight, but when they fly home they concentrate on other things, so they generally only see patterns in black and white only. Don't ask me how scientists have figured this out! The implication for me is that I had been wondering if there was value in painting the front of our bee hives. Some people do, while other don't bother. The answer is that bees will really only recognise the patterns when they are returning from foraging, so if I paint them, I need to make sure to use distinct patterns on each hive, colours being option and for human enjoyment rather than being useful to the bees. There is more in the book about how bees find flowers and tell the rest of the hive, and several pages on the famous waggle dance (some people have clearly spent a LOT of time watching bees!).</li>
<li>One of the jobs of the nurse bees is to keep the brood nest warm. They actually lie in empty cells in the brood and vibrate their abdomen to heat the surrounding cells containing developing larvae. It really makes me think that we need to keep inspections to a minimum when bees are working so hard to keep their hive at the right temperature and we just open it up, move frames around and disturb the whole thing, no wonder they can get angry.</li>
<li>The virgin queen bee on the her mating flight somehow finds Drone Convergence Zones and is accompanied by worker bees from her hive. Scientists are still figuring out how she find the DCZ, which can be some distance from the hive and why the workers go with her. </li>
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There is more about swarming behaviour, how beeswax is made and royal jelly (any time I see a "beauty product" containing royal jelly or pollen I think what a waste, why would you take food from the bees?!). And so many beautiful photos. I really think you could read this book several times, it has some much information, and it is quite easy to follow.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pHnV-YQC06E/WXK_JFWDvxI/AAAAAAABPHM/0qHvaTXZKt0l2DCG4NazMwULhPZWHKoaQCLcBGAs/s1600/P7220964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Eight Acres: The buzz about bees - book review - you need this book to take your beekeeping to the next level!" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pHnV-YQC06E/WXK_JFWDvxI/AAAAAAABPHM/0qHvaTXZKt0l2DCG4NazMwULhPZWHKoaQCLcBGAs/s400/P7220964.JPG" title="Eight Acres: The buzz about bees - book review - you need this book to take your beekeeping to the next level!" width="400" /></a></div>
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The one thing I would say is that my previous reading (actually audio-book-listening while driving) of Richard Dawkins' <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198788606/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0198788606&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20&linkId=e3b3b915b3114b1f8b4f8447e4cfee49" target="_blank">The Selfish Gene</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eigacr-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0198788606" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> did help with some of the more complex genetics explained in one of the chapter. I think it would have been more difficult to follow if I hadn't already got that background in genetics and the chapter in The Selfish Gene about bees and ants that live in colonies goes into the detail you need. <br />
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If you're interested in bees or keep bees yourself and you've read all the basic beekeeping books, this one really takes your knowledge to the next level and will help you with the more complex management decisions that can't be foreseen.<br />
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<i>Do you have a favourite beekeeping book? Anyone else find bees endlessly fascinating??</i><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/beekeeping-books-and-resources.html" target="_blank">See this post for more beekeeping books and resources</a><br />
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<i>(Thank you for using my Amazon Affiliate links to purchase from Amazon!)</i><br />
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</iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=eigacr-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0198788606&asins=0198788606&linkId=c37a52b9a1597c97c9d737b51c7afa32&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=eigacr-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1603583629&asins=1603583629&linkId=0e17dbc265b6dfce2e314d1722f1c89f&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-70520895467615916262017-07-19T07:00:00.001+10:002017-07-21T19:31:11.972+10:00Making our own sausage mixOur butcher is coming next week and he will do two beasts this time, so we are getting organised. I've written a lot about butchering over the years and this will be our eighth and ninth animals killed on our own property. On that last day, they will know no fear, maybe some curiosity (who is that strange man pointing that stick at me?) and it will be a quick end to a fairly peaceful and comfortable life. Its not such an easy day for us, it can be quite emotional seeing the death of an animal that you've raised from a young age, not to mention physically draining putting all the meat away, but its all worth it to get the best quality meat possible.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AYPl0oMF7i8/WW8wbrPQS3I/AAAAAAABPFE/dpQgWYA5r5gmdIm-A6taC0ElZRQ_z_lCwCKgBGAs/s1600/20170708_195919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="eight acres: bush butcher guide to home cured meats and sausage making review and sausage recipe for homekill butcher" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AYPl0oMF7i8/WW8wbrPQS3I/AAAAAAABPFE/dpQgWYA5r5gmdIm-A6taC0ElZRQ_z_lCwCKgBGAs/s400/20170708_195919.jpg" title="eight acres: bush butcher guide to home cured meats and sausage making review and sausage recipe for homekill butcher" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of the things we are doing this year is make our own sausage mix. If you want to know more about home butchering in general, here are all the posts I've written in the past:<br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/home-butchering-some-tips-for-beginners.html">Homekill meat - some tips for beginners</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/home-butcher-vs-meatworks.html">Home butcher vs meatworks</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/homekill-butchering.html">Homekill butchering</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/homekill-butcher-day-tips-and-tricks.html">Homekill butcher day - tips and tricks</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/homekill-beef-two-small-beef-cattle-for.html">Homekill beef - two small beef cattle for added co...</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/getting-best-from-homekill-meat.html">Getting the best from homekill meat</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/organic-sausages.html">Organic sausage mix for home butchering</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/homekill-beef-is-it-worth-it.html">Homekill beef - is it worth it?</a><br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/wet-aging-our-beef-and-bbq-show-and-tell.html">Wet aging our beef (and BBQ show and tell)</a><br />
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We are gradually getting more adventurous with our own recipes. Even though the butcher offers marinade for the BBQ steak, stuffing for the rolled roast, flavoured brine for the corned meat, and pre-made sausage mix, we usually refuse the marinade and brine, and provide our own stuffing and sausage mix (and lately sausage skins as well). The last few years I have bought an organic sausage mix. The main reason was to avoid MSG in the standard mixes. If you look at the ingredients in the standard butcher sausage mixes, they are generally pretty cheap and nasty. The organic one was nice, but I couldn't get hold of the company to order it again this year, so we decided to try making our own.<br />
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Several years ago we bought an awesome little book called "The Bush Butcher's Guide to Home Cured Meats and Sausage Making" by Michael Gale. This book contains 64 sausage recipes, as well as instructions for smoking meat and making bacon. We did try a couple of the recipes and made our own sausages using the sausage attachment for our auger juicer/mincer, but they were a bit of a disaster due entirely to our own fault - over stuffing the sausages, although they tasted great. We never came back to it because we always had so many sausages from the butcher! I never wanted to bother the butcher with weird sausage requests, but then I realised that we can make up premixes ourselves, so it won't be any different to the bought ones.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5qTXvTdNMy8/WW8wkg5x8PI/AAAAAAABPFI/fSkits-Diu4PlwJvkepir8Su3vNraD74gCKgBGAs/s1600/20170630_192301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eight acres: bush butcher guide to home cured meats and sausage making review and sausage recipe for homekill butcher" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5qTXvTdNMy8/WW8wkg5x8PI/AAAAAAABPFI/fSkits-Diu4PlwJvkepir8Su3vNraD74gCKgBGAs/s400/20170630_192301.jpg" title="eight acres: bush butcher guide to home cured meats and sausage making review and sausage recipe for homekill butcher" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />But I didn't want to make up a huge amount of sausages and find that we didn't like them (that happened a few times already and we had to feed them to the dogs/give them away/throw them out, which was a massive waste and disappointment). So I bought some mince (gasp!) and made up mini batch of "sausages" without skins so that we could test each recipe. Then when we knew which ones that we liked, I bought bulk herbs from the supermarket and made up premixes for 10kg of sausages each. It was a lot of fun to try different herbs that I don't usually buy and make some very tasty sausage rissoles - things like mace and caraway seeds and nutmeg!<div>
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I contacted Michael Gale and <a href="https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/nambour/textbooks/the-bush-butchers-bible-a-comprehensive-guide-to-butchering/1147707870" target="_blank">you can still buy his book through Gumtree</a> and he said I was welcome to share a recipe with you, so here is one of our favourites so far. You can use this for sausages or meatballs (I later make the chicken bratwurst as meatballs with chicken mince and they were yummy too - I put in an egg instead of breadcrumbs).</div>
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<b>Beef Sausage #1 - to make 1kg</b></div>
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800g lean beef</div>
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200g beef fat</div>
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3/4 cup cold water</div>
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3/4 cup breadcrumbs - optional, but some kind of filler does help to disperse the ingredients through a large amount of mine, so I used tapioca flour</div>
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1 tablespoon dried parsley</div>
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1 tablespoon onion flakes (or powder)</div>
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1 1/2 tablespoon salt (optional, but does really help bring out the flavour)</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules (or powder)</div>
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1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper</div>
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extra cold water as necessary</div>
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<br /><i>Have you made your own sausages? Any favourite recipes? Any tips for homekill butchering?</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-16367410012117178022017-07-17T07:00:00.000+10:002017-07-17T07:00:24.549+10:00Goat milk and honey soap - and a natural soap book review<div class="tr_bq">
I've been wanting to try making soap with milk for ages. We haven't been milking our cows, so I was waiting for a friend to have enough goat's milk to spare. I know I could just buy milk, but that seemed like a strange thing to do (you start to forget that milk comes from the shop when you've been milking a cow for a few years!). Anyway, I was happy to wait as I had plenty of other soap to make. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Yt1Ez1R5wc/WWH_zZLlaiI/AAAAAAABO-E/YMyfhcHKu8k5U1fvjx35-ClP1FhBaoXkgCLcBGAs/s1600/P7090943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Yt1Ez1R5wc/WWH_zZLlaiI/AAAAAAABO-E/YMyfhcHKu8k5U1fvjx35-ClP1FhBaoXkgCLcBGAs/s400/P7090943.JPG" title="eight acres: making goat milk soap and a review of The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners by Kelly Cable" width="400" /></a></div>
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While I was waiting, I also received a review copy of a new soapmaking book called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939754038/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1939754038&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20&linkId=29c429964857d68359aa9c2027dd03d7" target="_blank">The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners: Do-It-Yourself Soaps Using All-Natural Herbs, Spices, and Essential Oils</a> (Affiliate link), by Kelly Cable of the blog <a href="http://simplelifemom.com/" target="_blank">Simple Life Mom<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eigacr-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1939754038" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a>. Kelly has an amazing Etsy shop full of soaps and natural lotions, so I am very excited that she has decided to share her experience and recipes in this book. And seeing as it contains several goat milk soap recipes and my friend finally had some goat milk to spare, I recently got my chance to try goat milk soap. Even better, I have permission to share one of the recipes with you today. The book will be released on August 8, 2017, but is available for pre-order on Amazon now (<i>if you order before August 7 you can head over to the <a href="http://simplelifemom.com/natural-soapmaking-book-beginners/" target="_blank">Natural Soap Bonus Collection</a> and get a host of extras - giveaways, printables, how to videos</i>).<br />
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The trick with milk soap is to start with very cold milk, some people freeze it completely before adding the caustic soda. Kelly also recommends only replacing half the water with milk, in her recipe below it is less than half the milk. She also includes honey for lather and beeswax for hardness (as well as a slight tan colour and honey fragrance). The recipe uses lard, but I asked Kelly if I could swap that for tallow as I always have plenty of tallow, and she said that would be fine. It is a little more adventurous that my usual recipes, as it also has sweet almond oil for lather. The main scent is orange essential oil, which is lovely with the slight honey smell from the honey and beeswax. I usually only use tallow, olive oil and coconut oil, so it was a nice challenge to use some different oils and ingredients to try this recipe as part of my book review.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c15TdLAPXwo/WVjVBhP26eI/AAAAAAABO5A/cASC6wcl-ZofUHy_7u83x3ZGui0hu3D-gCKgBGAs/s1600/20170624_081115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c15TdLAPXwo/WVjVBhP26eI/AAAAAAABO5A/cASC6wcl-ZofUHy_7u83x3ZGui0hu3D-gCKgBGAs/s400/20170624_081115.jpg" title="eight acres: making goat milk soap and a review of The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners by Kelly Cable" width="400" /></a></div>
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Apart from several goat milk soap recipes, there are over 200 pages, covering everything you need to know about natural soapmaking, including natural colourants, techniques for swirling and specialty bars that are more than just soap. Most of the recipes use either tallow or lard, with coconut oil, olive oil and various specialty oils and butters. I often find that I have to adjust recipes to incorporate tallow, as it is my preference for soap making, so it was a nice change to have a whole book of recipes designed for tallow and lard already.<br />
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The only issue from my end was that everything was in ounces, so I had to convert each recipe before I started. An ounce is 28g, so you just need to multiply each ounce measure by 28 to get grams, or there is a conversion table at the back of the book. I checked the recipes with my own calculations before I used them to make sure that I got the conversions right. Its good practice to do this with any new recipe, using your own calculations or an online soap calculator, just to be sure as you never know if there have been typos or miscalculations (although I'm sure this book has been triple-checked for such things, but you can never be too careful!). </div>
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I had already read a bit about goats milk soap, so I was prepared for a few of the things that happened when I made the soap. First, the lye solution had a slight ammonia smell, which is normal. Second it started to thicken, due to the small amount of fat in the milk, so I just had to keep stirring until it thinned out again. Finally, I found that the soap reached trace very quickly. This was partly my fault as I let the caustic solution cool to 30degC before adding it to the fats. They were still 50degC due to the beeswax needing a higher temperature to melt. When I combined the cooler caustic solution with the fats some of the mixture started to solidify and I had to mix it with a fork and fortunately I was able to keep it in a liquid state and was able to pour it into moulds. This is the first time this has ever happened to me. For this reason I would say that this is a recipe to try after you have made a few easier soaps, as using beeswax and shea or cocoa butters does required the fats at a higher temperature which can be tricky. I added calendula petals to the top of half the soaps.</div>
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I also made a plain tallow and goats milk soap just to see what it was like and a goats milk shampoo bar from the book. The second one contained honey (I think I added too much) and made the soap a darker colour. I'm looking forward to trying all of the goats milk soaps to compare them and it was a lot of fun using a different ingredient. There are plenty of other recipes in the book that I want to try, especially the chapter on natural colouring agents and decorative techniques as my soaps so far have been quite plain.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mIW4RzVSpWk/WVjWbbDhTbI/AAAAAAABO5E/lRAlpi5iT3wJoxF5yReZw6Oy4rEF-_nUwCKgBGAs/s1600/20170702_134222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mIW4RzVSpWk/WVjWbbDhTbI/AAAAAAABO5E/lRAlpi5iT3wJoxF5yReZw6Oy4rEF-_nUwCKgBGAs/s400/20170702_134222.jpg" title="eight acres: making goat milk soap and a review of The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners by Kelly Cable" width="400" /></a></div>
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<blockquote>
<b>Goat Milk and Honey Soap by Kelly Cable</b><br />
Yield: 3 pounds or twelve 4-ounce bars<br />
Lye Discount: 15%<br />
Label: Moisturizing,<br />
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Start to Finish Time: 2 hours, 24 hours in mold, 4 to 6 weeks to cure<br />
Scent: Orange</blockquote>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VBuYLfvIqA/WVdWuYqOB8I/AAAAAAABO3Y/X5Y29CmvgJoeiG7xSgob-gSMsrZksfHmwCLcBGAs/s1600/Goat%2BMilk%2Band%2BHoney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1315" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VBuYLfvIqA/WVdWuYqOB8I/AAAAAAABO3Y/X5Y29CmvgJoeiG7xSgob-gSMsrZksfHmwCLcBGAs/s400/Goat%2BMilk%2Band%2BHoney.jpg" width="327" /></a></div>
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<blockquote>
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Though a Castile bar was the first soap recipe I made, I dreamed of making a Goat Milk and Honey Soap bar. Well, here it is. Using milk and honey in a recipe means you need to be aware of a few more things, but it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Enjoy the many nourishing benefits of this soap!<br />
<br />
<b>Equipment list:</b><br />
Large stainless steel pot<br />
large spoon<br />
scale<br />
bowls for measuring ingredients<br />
thermometer<br />
stick blender<br />
small zip top bag<br />
glass or plastic bowl for lye water<br />
mold<br />
parchment paper<br />
rubber spatula<br />
measuring spoons<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
· 10 ounces olive oil<br />
· 8 ounces lard<br />
· 8 ounces coconut oil<br />
· 4 ounces sweet almond oil<br />
· 2 ounces beeswax<br />
· 4 ounces lye<br />
· 8 ounces filtered water<br />
· 4 ounces goat milk<br />
· 1 ounce orange essential oil<br />
· 1 Tablespoon raw honey<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Safety First!</b><br />
Remember to wear your safety equipment and mix the lye water outside.<br />
Tell everyone you live with that where you're working is off limits.<br />
Give yourself enough time to complete the recipe.<br />
<b></b></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b>Prep Ahead:</b> Combine the water and milk in a large glass, plastic, or stainless steel container. Place milk-water into the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. It is okay if a slush forms, as long as it doesn’t freeze. The colder your milk-water, the lighter your soap will be after adding the lye.</blockquote>
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<b>Instructions:</b></blockquote>
<blockquote>
1. Heat the Fats/Oils: In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine olive oil, lard, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, and beeswax. Heat until they are melted and incorporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool to 90-100°F.<br />
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2. Mix the Lye-Water: Put on protective gear including a mask, gloves, and long sleeves. Outside, very slowly pour only ¼ of the lye into the milk-water and stir until dissolved. Let cool for 20 minutes. Repeat until all lye is dissolved into the milk-water. If milk still browns, don’t worry. Your soap will just be darker. Allow to cool to 90-100°F. If oil or lye water cool at different rates, you can use a cold or hot water bath in the sink.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
3. Prepare the Mold: While the oils and lye water cool, line the mold with parchment paper.<br />
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4. Combine and Bring to Trace: When both oils and lye water are around 90-100°F, pour the lye water into the pot of oils. Use a stick blender or hand mixer to mix for 1 to 2minutes and then let the mixture rest for 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat mixing and resting until light trace.<br />
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5. Mix in Natural Additives: When soap reaches light trace, add essential oils and honey and blend for 30 seconds.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
6. Mold the Soap: Pour the soap mixture into the mold, cover with a lid or parchment paper for 24 hours. Do not insulate unless your house is below 75°F, then insulate by placing a towel around the outside edges to avoid a partial gel.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
7. Cut and Cure: Remove soap from the mold. If it seems too soft to remove, wait another 12 to 24 hours before removing. Cut the soap into twelve 4-ounce bars. Allow the bars to cure for 4 to 6 weeks.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Tips: Milk can scald when lye is added. Placing the milk-water in the freezer until it’s very cold helps prevent this. Be sure to add lye slowly. It is okay to really take your time, coming back every 20 minutes to add a little more. Adding milk can also make your batch get hotter than usual, so just insulate a milk recipe lightly with a towel if you’re concerned about getting a good gel for color. Honey can also make soap come to trace faster, so add it and blend really well right before pouring soap into the mold.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i5JiQSwlCWY/WVdWSDT0Z2I/AAAAAAABO3U/L14f_o87KME-UWWehqzr-tccYUEadB0wACLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BNatural%2BSoapmaking%2BBook%2Bfor%2BBeginners%2B%2Bby%2BKelly%2BCable%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="1000" height="168" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i5JiQSwlCWY/WVdWSDT0Z2I/AAAAAAABO3U/L14f_o87KME-UWWehqzr-tccYUEadB0wACLcBGAs/s640/The%2BNatural%2BSoapmaking%2BBook%2Bfor%2BBeginners%2B%2Bby%2BKelly%2BCable%2B.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<br />
<i>Have you tried making goats milk soap? Any tips or techniques that can help?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>**This book was sent to me to review and I made the recipe myself to test it. Thank you for supporting my blog by using my affiliate links**</i><br />
<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-13117431268612981222017-07-12T07:00:00.000+10:002017-07-12T07:00:09.183+10:00What farm equipment do you need to get started?If you've just bought a farm, large or small, you are going to need some equipment, but what items are essential? Which can you buy secondhand and which ones should you buy new? Here's what I think, I hope you'll share your own experience. Of course, there are many different types of farming, so exactly what you need is going to depend on what you are going to do, so I'll write mainly about raising cattle and improving pasture.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qFeYDTeIlh8/WRbxL4n2mrI/AAAAAAABOFQ/fGCZLl4Fr-Mj3ft9c2P1GjJBV7y7YR36gCLcB/s1600/P4267175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qFeYDTeIlh8/WRbxL4n2mrI/AAAAAAABOFQ/fGCZLl4Fr-Mj3ft9c2P1GjJBV7y7YR36gCLcB/s400/P4267175.JPG" title="Eight Acres: What farm equipment do you need to get started?" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me on the little tractor</td></tr>
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You might start by thinking about getting a tractor. I've written about buying a <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/buying-second-hand-tractor.html" target="_blank">secondhand tractor</a> and <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/buying-bigger-tractor.html" target="_blank">a new tractor</a>. The size of the tractor that you need will depend on the implements that you want to use, so you really need to figure out your implements. In fact you can now <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/greenpro-implements-for-small-farms.html" target="_blank">get implements that run off a quad bike</a>, so you may not actually need a tractor.</div>
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Implements that you might need include:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Slasher - on most farms this will be essential for improving pasture and just keeping the yard tidy</li>
<li>Post-hole digger - if you are going to be building fences, you can use a crow bar to dig holes, however this will be hard work if you have more than a few holes to do.</li>
<li>Spray tank - for spraying compost tea, liquid minerals and microbes (and herbicides if you have a weed problem and no alternative control options)</li>
<li>Plough/cultivator/seeder for planting pasture or forage crops</li>
<li>Front bucket or blade - great for moving and lifting things, we also got forklift tynes and hay spikes</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DF-9pShPRAM/WRbw9AHuRzI/AAAAAAABOFI/9PO4C4rYAU8m1hcFmAVI5LPBGcbH8R33QCLcB/s1600/P5299217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DF-9pShPRAM/WRbw9AHuRzI/AAAAAAABOFI/9PO4C4rYAU8m1hcFmAVI5LPBGcbH8R33QCLcB/s400/P5299217.JPG" title="Eight Acres: What farm equipment do you need to get started?" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
The following is a list of the other equipment that we use regularly. You don't have to buy everything at once and you don't have to buy everything new. Think about what you are going to need most urgently to get things done. There may also be things that you can borrow from neighbours if you won't need them all the time or for more than a one-off project.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chainsaws - if you have trees on your property, chances are at the very least you will need to clean up a fallen tree, if not cutting wood for firewood and building materials. The size of the saw you get will depend on how much use you expect. If you are going to be cutting a lot of firewood it is worth investing in a larger saw as you will get through it quicker and spend less time sharpening the chain.</li>
<li>Water pump - we have two "firefighter" pumps which have a small petrol engine. They are portable so we can take them to any of our dams and move water, either into water troughs or to fill up our sprayer. We will also be using one to irrigate to establish grass around some of our dams.</li>
<li>Cattle yards, crush and ramp, water troughs, hay bale feeders - these are the bare minimum if you're thinking of getting cattle, whether you get one or twenty or a hundred, you need basic equipment so that you can handle them safely, load and unload and provide feed and water.</li>
<li>A ute or trailer - there is always something that needs to be moved on or off the farm, whether its hay, seed, fertiliser, cattle (!) or rubbish, you will find a ute or trailer essential.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3wqO_DR2A-A/WRbxaYCAuMI/AAAAAAABOFY/1FT3xbCvoDYbbIwdGSms7o2rldbqK8TggCLcB/s1600/P6077523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3wqO_DR2A-A/WRbxaYCAuMI/AAAAAAABOFY/1FT3xbCvoDYbbIwdGSms7o2rldbqK8TggCLcB/s400/P6077523.JPG" title="Eight Acres: What farm equipment do you need to get started?" width="400" /></a></div>
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Obviously there are other smaller items that you're going to need, and maybe different equipment for different properties or types of farming ventures, but I hope this gives you an idea of the big items that I think you will need to at least consider when you get started on a new property. When it comes to the size of your property, we had all of this equipment before we bought our 258 A property, apart from the big tractor and implements. I think the larger the property, the more you do really need to consider a decent size tractor. Even with just eight acres, we had the small tractor and ride-on mower and a hand operated post-hole digger.</div>
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<i>What do you think? Did I miss anything? What in my list is essential and what do you personally do without?</i></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mvg3kIxAgM0/WRbxeTM007I/AAAAAAABOFc/1pZCLKAyYEEelbxTfO9LeuEnmuC9Mm41wCLcB/s1600/P7257721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mvg3kIxAgM0/WRbxeTM007I/AAAAAAABOFc/1pZCLKAyYEEelbxTfO9LeuEnmuC9Mm41wCLcB/s400/P7257721.JPG" title="Eight Acres: What farm equipment do you need to get started?" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-15580470779213038272017-07-10T07:00:00.000+10:002017-07-10T07:00:20.830+10:00Keeping the house warm in winterIt doesn't get seriously cold here, but its cold enough to be uncomfortable if we don't make some effort. We are actually finding that our house up on the hill is warmer than down in the valley, and we are above the frost line, so that is a nice change, but it still gets down to 5degC overnight. We have a woodstove, but we have to cut the wood ourselves, so you don't really want to use more wood than really necessary to keep the house warm. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRE9fDslN_I/WVodSL-5eII/AAAAAAABO6A/ZAD6Y0tD4Y8zoDD1gCUyTpZ8ANVQGAkJACEwYBhgL/s1600/P6100886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRE9fDslN_I/WVodSL-5eII/AAAAAAABO6A/ZAD6Y0tD4Y8zoDD1gCUyTpZ8ANVQGAkJACEwYBhgL/s400/P6100886.JPG" title="eight acres: how to keep your house warm in winter (cheap but comfortable)" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are three ways that heat is lost from a building:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Conduction - direct transfer of heat from a warm object to a cold object, this is heat lost through the walls and roof of your house to the cooler air</li>
<li>Convection - caused by a flow of cold air, either draughts or air circulating around exposed windows </li>
<li>Radiation - heat transmitted in the form of light waves, this can be another source of heat loss from windows, roofs and walls of your house.</li>
</ul>
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When you understand how heat is lost, you can see the solutions for keeping heat in a building.<br />
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<b>Insulation</b><br />
You can reduce the amount of heat lost be conduction by using insulation in your roof and walls. <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/insulation-for-our-house.html" target="_blank">We had to install insulation in our roof as part of our building approval</a> when we moved the house, and we also took the opportunity to put insulation in walls any time that we had the cladding off, so the bathroom and the side veranda room have insulated walls. Some of our walls are single clad - so its only one layer of VJ board between us and the cold air outside. If this becomes a problem we will put weatherboard on the outside and install insulation in between. If you don't have insulation, it is relatively cheap to buy and install yourself (be careful in your roof space!) and can make a huge difference to the comfort of your home in winter.<br />
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<b>Reduce draughts</b><br />
Queenslander homes are general draughty due to the floors, doors and windows not being completely sealed. The new floor that we installed over the existing floor has made a huge difference to draughts and the floor is now very well sealed. There is still cold air coming in around the older style doors and windows though, so I made some draught snakes (more about them later).<br />
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Curtains are also important for reducing heat loss and they break up the cold airflow around the window. If you don't have curtains, they are also relatively cheap and easy to make, or look for old ones at opportunity shops. Double-glazing of windows is another option, but it works out very expensive to retrofit.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_6QWxtbDl4/WVoioQUidLI/AAAAAAABO6M/y3602qCMKyAT3s2fCY217sOXxm7Wzb3MwCKgBGAs/s1600/20170627_182940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_6QWxtbDl4/WVoioQUidLI/AAAAAAABO6M/y3602qCMKyAT3s2fCY217sOXxm7Wzb3MwCKgBGAs/s400/20170627_182940.jpg" title="eight acres: how to keep your house warm in winter (cheap but comfortable)" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Winter mode on ceiling fans</b><br />
As hot air rises, you can find that even though you are heating a room, you're not feeling any warmer down at floor level. Most ceiling fans have a winter mode where they spin backwards and direct the warmer air from the ceiling back down to the floor.<br />
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<b>Dress appropriately</b><br />
Time to get out the ugg boots and winter woolies! Blankets and lap rugs are handy too. I find that when we are so used to a warm climate, we can forget that we do own long sleeves and pants!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SZ6RH2kKalk/WVoivAi5YZI/AAAAAAABO6Q/kRummUiVWJUVybqYQ63_QtmpuGFltbRWgCLcBGAs/s1600/P6100890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SZ6RH2kKalk/WVoivAi5YZI/AAAAAAABO6Q/kRummUiVWJUVybqYQ63_QtmpuGFltbRWgCLcBGAs/s400/P6100890.JPG" title="eight acres: how to keep your house warm in winter (cheap but comfortable)" width="400" /></a></div>
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The bonus is that most of these methods will also help to keep your house cool in summer. We certainly noticed the difference when we installed the insulation. The only thing you would change is to encourage breezes unless you're running air conditioning (and then you want a well-sealed house also).<br />
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<br />
<i>How do you keep your house warm in winter? Any tips for reducing your heating costs while staying comfortable?</i><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-88831375036421879092017-07-05T07:00:00.001+10:002017-07-06T20:57:28.750+10:00We don't have any cling wrap eitherLast week I wrote about how <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/we-dont-have-microwave.html" target="_blank">we don't have a microwave</a> and I really don't miss it. So continuing the theme of "weird things about my kitchen", we also don't have any plastic cling wrap or paper towels. And we haven't had them for so long I can hardly remember why we ever needed them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CvypqWmDC5g/WV4Mu9ESZaI/AAAAAAABO7I/2MKu_t0m4B4zoUbGKmQvhhg-C7xXlMC-ACKgBGAs/s1600/20170603_110741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CvypqWmDC5g/WV4Mu9ESZaI/AAAAAAABO7I/2MKu_t0m4B4zoUbGKmQvhhg-C7xXlMC-ACKgBGAs/s400/20170603_110741.jpg" title="eight acres: alternatives to cling wrap for food storage in my kitchen" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't mange to avoid all plastic at the farmers market, but I tried</td></tr>
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I always thought that cling wrap was wasteful. Not just from an environmental perspective, but I also didn't like spending money on something that I only used once. When I was at uni and took sandwiches for lunch, I used to bring home the cling wrap and use it again until it didn't stick anymore. One year when we did Plastic Free July (I can't remember when exactly - <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/plastic-free-july.html" target="_blank">here's what I wrote last year</a>) we decided to stop using cling wrap. I used up the last of it recently when we were painting (its really hard to renovate without creating waste) - its handy for wrapping up paintbrushes and sealing paint temporarily, however I do not use it in the kitchen.<br />
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The paper towels were the same, it just seemed like we were always buying more of them. And when <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/bellas-cloths.html" target="_blank">I made a heap of cloths to use for milking Bella</a>, we just started using them instead of paper towels. We have a stack of them, so you can just chuck them in the wash when they are dirty, and they can be single use if you want.<br />
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As we cook from scratch and buy a lot of produce in bulk at our local farmers market (Nanango Markets, first Saturday of the month at the Nanango Showgrounds), we usually have a fair bit of food raw or cooked leftovers to fit into the fridge. Here's how I store them all without using any cling wrap. <i>(For an even more comprehensive list, <a href="http://treadingmyownpath.com/2017/06/22/7-plastic-free-alternatives-to-food-wrap/" target="_blank">see this post from Lindsay at Treading my own Path</a>)</i><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a5DFmxCSKbk/WV4M6myk0aI/AAAAAAABO7M/vzjUBSgzdCMmbGLoUZxXQmmoClMAc7KtwCKgBGAs/s1600/20170603_112928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a5DFmxCSKbk/WV4M6myk0aI/AAAAAAABO7M/vzjUBSgzdCMmbGLoUZxXQmmoClMAc7KtwCKgBGAs/s400/20170603_112928.jpg" title="eight acres: alternatives to cling wrap for food storage in my kitchen" width="400" /></a></div>
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<li>Storage containers - we have various sizes of Tupperware vegetable storage containers and they really do help to keep vegetables for longer and organise the fridge better. We also have a collection of glass containers (most recently the <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/module/ambjolisearch/jolisearch?search_query=glasslock" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fmodule%2fambjolisearch%2fjolisearch%3fsearch_query%3dglasslock';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Glasslock range</a> from Biome Ecostores - affiliate link). I bought the set of different sizes and we never run out of containers. If all else fails you can always put a bowl or a plate over the food if you're going to eat it again soon.</li>
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<li><a href="http://www.biome.com.au/module/ambjolisearch/jolisearch?search_query=swag" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fmodule%2fambjolisearch%2fjolisearch%3fsearch_query%3dswag';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">The Swag</a> (also from Biome Ecostores - affiliate link) is a reusable padded bag that is designed for keeping vegetables fresh. Biome Ecostores sent me a large Swag to try and I have found it great for storing larger vegetables such as cauliflower that previously would have got pushed to the back of the fridge in a plastic bag and gone all limp, because they never fit in the vege crisper. The Swag has kept these veges fresh for up to two weeks if I remember to keep the bag moist, so its definitely a good option if you need to store bulk amounts of vegetables.</li>
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<li><a href="http://www.biome.com.au/809-beeswax-food-wraps?search_query=beeswax%20&fast_search=fs" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2f809-beeswax-food-wraps%3fsearch_query%3dbeeswax%2520%26fast_search%3dfs';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Beeswax food wraps</a> (also from Biome Ecostores - affiliate link). Biome Ecostores sent me some of the Honey Bee Wraps (they also have vegan options available) and I love these! Not just for storing food in the fridge, but also for keeping fruit flies out of my fruit bowl, but still letting air circulate. I was amazed that half a cabbage lasted for three weeks in a beeswax wrap, I just kept cutting a bit off when I wanted it and wrapping it back up. This is a wonderful product and I need more than three of them! This is the best replacement for cling wrap as you can use them seal the top of any container or just wrap up lose items like half an avocado or a sandwich.</li>
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<i>Have you found alternatives to cling wrap or paper towels? Share your tips here!</i></div>
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<i>*Thank you for support my blog by using my affiliate links! I received The Swag and the Honey Bee Wraps from Biome Ecostores to test and I truly think that they are great products*</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.biome.com.au/content/193-plastic-free-pledge" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/b/67309';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://t.cfjump.com/35342/a/67309" style="border: none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-25911649304174933692017-07-03T07:00:00.000+10:002017-07-06T20:27:45.662+10:00Farm update - July 2017The dogs are still sleeping outside on the veranda. I think they are getting used to it. Unfortunately if they don't sleep well, neither do we, as they are right outside our window. I go out and put their coats on most evenings and I often find them like this: the little dog on the big bed and the big dog on the little bed. I have to rearrange their blankets and put the right dog on the right bed. The second photos shows the dogs in the correct position with their jim jams on...<br />
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So with winter solstice on 21st June, its now officially winter and its bittersweet to know that evenings are getting longer but summer will be back before we know it! We have been pleasantly surprised to find that our property up on the hill is up to 5degC warmer than the valley most mornings, so we might get away without a frost up here (overnight temperatures have been 8degC, so the dogs are fine, but they would LIKE to be inside). We have had the fire going most nights and its perfect for warming up the lounge and our bedroom. We have had a few sprinkles of rain, just enough to keep the dust down and the grass more green than brown.<br />
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<b>Food and cooking</b><o:p></o:p><br />
We have the butcher booked for the 28th July, so I have been working on sausage recipes. When we first started home butchering, we used the butcher's sausage mix, but we didn't always like the sausages and you end up with 30kg of sausages, so you want to make sausages that you like! A few years ago I bought an organic sausage mix, which we did really enjoy, however I've been unable to get that mix again, so I started looking at making our own recipe. All I needed was herbs and spices from the supermarket, so it was easier than I expected. I made 2.5kg of meatballs with five different recipes so that we could decide what we wanted to make in bulk and they were all yummy, so I think we'll make a few different ones. I'll share my recipes in a post later this month.<br />
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<b>Land and farming</b><br />
Our hay shed snake is back. Its a python, so its not dangerous to humans, but it eats the mice, so we are happy to have it in the shed.<br />
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<b>Chickens</b></div>
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We have eggs again! Our old hens started laying first, but now they are all laying again, so we are very happy to have an egg surplus (the dogs are happy too) and we will hatch some more in Spring.<br />
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<b>Cows and cattle</b><br />
We will sell our steers and weaner calves at the first opportunity now that its a new financial year. We have far too many cattle on our property at the moment, but we needed to hold them into July. We just put a band on this little fella, so he was not impressed, but so fluffy! So far we have only had two new calves this season, so we probably need a new bull... we will deal with that later.<br />
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<b>Garden</b></div>
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My pot garden is going well as long as I remember to water everything. The kale is starting to get aphids though. I've been picking a few peas and strawberries. And its nice to have fresh herbs. Its not a huge harvest, but its better than nothing. We need to get some shade organised before summer though. We moved our aquaponics kit (not set up yet) from Eight Acres up to Cheslyn Rise and its on the list of things to set up! We are pretty excited to see it running, but need to get some other jobs done first.<br />
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<b>House</b></div>
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We finally got around to putting up the paintings that have been in storage since we last moved 8 years ago. Here's a photo of our lounge room with out new chairs (we also got some beanbags for when we are not clean enough to sit in the new chairs!). The rug is not one of our hides, we bought it and its lovely. The curtains are too long in this photo, I had to cut 16cm off them, which I then made into draught snakes for our doors. I'll write a post later about keeping the house warm in winter.<br />
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We also painted the outside of the kitchen room in the shed. Its just fiber cement sheeting, so it needed a coat of paint to protect it. We're also going to paint more of the floor. The paint was cheap miss-tinted paint from the hardware. When I opened the lid it was the HOT PINK colour in the photo below and I was a bit worried that Pete wouldn't want this colour for his workshop. I kept stirring and fortunately the colour changed to a nice plain grey. When we get that finished we'll be able to finish setting up the shed.<br />
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<b>Permaculture</b></div>
Chapter seven of Toby Hemenway's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603580298/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603580298&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20">Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, 2nd Edition</a><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/0OrDoVidXTjsynDAISKGdQV8bE0CtFF7v4L7YDkM5yQ40ZFx-5DSMi_r73NcOkQwqt2UfvSYC-xwbxaFiz10BdROZcX4AFjPSl6fIu8iiI7Cx7ZvMswqqqhemE8=s0-d" /> (affiliate link) is about living creatures in the garden. He already discussed microbes in the soil, so this is about things that live above the ground. Everything from using chickens (<a href="http://chickentractorebook.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">in chicken tractors of course</a>) to attracting beneficial insects. This is often a problem for organic gardeners who have transitioned from regular chemical gardening. If you are used to paradigm of spraying all insects and then you want to stop using chemicals, you look for an alternative way to kill the insects. Toby suggests instead, it would be better to look for a way to create an ecosystem to manage the insects. The thing to remember is that the vast majority of insects in your garden are either beneficial or benign, so you don't want to keep them all out, and the easiest way to get rid of the pest insects is to encourage their predators. Many are nectar-feeding, so you can also attract pollinators by planting flowers. I also encourage people to keep their gardens open to birds and lizards etc, that will also eat insects. If I have a serious insect problem, the only thing I use is <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/how-i-use-herbs-neem-oil.html" target="_blank">neem oil</a>, as it affects the chewing insects that eat leaves, without harming pollinators. But in general, I sacrifice a few plants in order to build the overall ecosystem of the garden. I am noticing the difference now that I'm gardening in pots and the aphids have found my kale, I definitely do not have an ecosystem there yet!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">two sunbathing dog lumps</td></tr>
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<b>Create</b><br />
I finished my <a href="https://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/06/crochet-socks.html" target="_blank">second pair of crochet socks</a> with scraps of wool, and they are so warm and comfy because you can make them to fit perfectly. They are great for bed socks. And I've been making <a href="https://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/winter-lip-balm-with-chamomile.html" target="_blank">winter lip balm</a>, <a href="https://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/homemade-leather-dressing-balm.html" target="_blank">leather dressing balm</a>, <a href="https://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/how-to-make-wooden-chopping-board-polish.html" target="_blank">wooden chopping board polish</a> and finally some goat milk soap! I'll share the soap recipe very soon too.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ww1i_PrhBZo/WVoY8lDu1WI/AAAAAAABO5s/CN-gFq7IB8MLCuw6u0yAeGtBf-J6PDHcgCKgBGAs/s1600/20170604_111919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ww1i_PrhBZo/WVoY8lDu1WI/AAAAAAABO5s/CN-gFq7IB8MLCuw6u0yAeGtBf-J6PDHcgCKgBGAs/s400/20170604_111919.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>How was your June? What are your plans for July?</i><br />
<b><br /></b><b><br /></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-76293771344686622862017-06-28T07:00:00.000+10:002017-06-28T07:00:04.944+10:00The Hidden Life of Trees - a reviewEvery time I share a book review I include Amazon affiliate links, and if you use those links to buy things I gradually build up Amazon credit. Earlier this year I used my credit to order a couple of books, which I finished reading ages ago, but haven't had a chance to share with you until now. I just wanted to say again, thanks for using my affiliate links because it does help me to buy more books!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TS5tsnQfQcs/WMUAX2oFljI/AAAAAAABMx8/Sgx4CvW7vN42hFrH81aMjtFEYbywm8OTACLcB/s1600/P3120637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TS5tsnQfQcs/WMUAX2oFljI/AAAAAAABMx8/Sgx4CvW7vN42hFrH81aMjtFEYbywm8OTACLcB/s400/P3120637.JPG" title="Eight Acres: The Hidden Life of Trees - a review" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of the books that I bought was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771642483/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1771642483&linkCode=as2&tag=eigacr-20&linkId=8215cab6ea8be7824a2dd721bc8adb5e" target="_blank">The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=eigacr-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1771642483" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I had <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/the-secret-life-of-tress/7835220" target="_blank">heard an interview with the author of this book on ABC radio national</a> which had really caught my interest. We own a lot of trees, as you can see in the image below. Our property was on the market for a long time before we bought it because it has so many trees (about 100 acres of our 258 acres) and most are protected under <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/vegetation/management/" target="_blank">QLD vegetation management laws</a>, so they can't be cleared. Farmers around here believe that trees are unproductive and would prefer cleared land.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our property within the green boundary has a large proportion <br />
of tree cover compared to neighbouring properties</td></tr>
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We were actually looking for land with some forest cover for a few reasons:<br />
<ul>
<li>Shade for cattle</li>
<li>Building materials</li>
<li>Firewood</li>
<li>Soil fertility (<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/natural-sequence-farming-using-peter.html" target="_blank">as per Peter Andrews</a>)</li>
<li>Food for bees </li>
<li>Habitat for native animals</li>
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We <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/property-fire-management-plan.html" target="_blank">recently learnt more about managing our bushland using occasional fire</a>, and I'm always interested to learn more about trees and how we can optimise our forest areas.</div>
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So you can see why I wanted to read this book! It was written by a professional forester and has been translated from the original German. It describes everything he has learnt during his career managing forests in Eifel mountains. As per the title, the book explains how trees communicate with each other and what they sense about their environment.<br />
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Here's a few of the facts that stood out to me:<br />
<ul>
<li>Trees connect using their roots and they can share nutrients to help "friends" who are not doing as well - this explains why single trees don't thrive, we often see a lonely single tree remaining in a paddock, and they are often dead, trees need connections to other trees! A shelter belt or group of trees is better than leaving a single tree here and there. Fungi also help in this process by building a network that links tree roots.</li>
<li>Trees also release chemicals when they are being attacked by microbes or insects, and this not only warns other trees, but also helps to attract predators.</li>
<li>Some trees only fruit some years (not every year) and they seem to coordinate this (mechanism yet unknown) which is thought to be a way of discouraging mammals etc that feed on their seeds by not allowing them excess food to increase population every year.</li>
<li>Setting fruit is also a lot of work for a tree and they can become weaker as a result.</li>
<li>There are lots of good reasons for trees to grow slowly (helps them to grow strong healthy trunks) and mother trees help to regulate the growth of their seedlings. However older trees grow faster - if we are interested in sequestering carbon we need to let forests grow old.</li>
<li>We still don't really know how water travels all the way from the roots to the leaves of very tall trees! However we do know that it is trees that make rain away from the coast, so maybe we should stop cutting them down in central Australia..</li>
<li>Up to half the biomass in a forest is below the surface - in the soil.</li>
<li>Trees have a cooling effect on the surrounding air, not just due to the shade, also the transpiration of moisture from the roots to the leaves.</li>
<li>We don't know yet how trees anticipate spring or changing seasons in general</li>
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My only disappointment is that someone has yet to write a similar book about gum trees! This book focuses on beech and oak trees, which are not familiar trees here in Australia. I'm sure that the general principles apply, but I would love to know more of the specifics.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixs_zWbBaCM/WSlo-Jha22I/AAAAAAABORc/G-jN3KYFvYMByOud8sHJSO5JtarFYrZqwCKgB/s1600/20170527_163128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixs_zWbBaCM/WSlo-Jha22I/AAAAAAABORc/G-jN3KYFvYMByOud8sHJSO5JtarFYrZqwCKgB/s400/20170527_163128.jpg" title="Eight Acres: The Hidden Life of Trees - a review" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Do you value trees? Are you interested in how they communicate and what they feel? Well you might just find this an interesting little book then!</i></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-36068054112027435202017-06-26T07:00:00.000+10:002017-06-26T07:00:29.297+10:00We don't have a microwaveWhen the cabinet maker asked me where we wanted the microwave in the new kitchen I had a mental-blank. I couldn't think where to put it and when I really thought about it, I didn't actually want a microwave. We did still own one at that stage, but we hardly used it. I find them kind of ugly and I don't completely trust them. We haven't had a microwave in the new kitchen since we moved in Easter, and I really don't miss it.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1mDonrzOgZ4/WUZSupfEHCI/AAAAAAABOwE/GJol7GSPiMQqkihbvprRD-W1IwvwBtt1gCLcBGAs/s1600/P4250756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1mDonrzOgZ4/WUZSupfEHCI/AAAAAAABOwE/GJol7GSPiMQqkihbvprRD-W1IwvwBtt1gCLcBGAs/s400/P4250756.JPG" title="Eight Acres: we don't have a microwave" width="400" /></a></div>
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There <a href="https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/mind-the-microwave-in-may-challenge/" target="_blank">may</a> or <a href="http://www.skepticink.com/health/2013/12/21/microwave-dangers-top-5-claims-vs-evidence/" target="_blank">may not</a> be reasons to not eat microwaved food, but personally I don't like the taste of it and I don't like the look the microwave, so I'm happy not to have one in my kitchen. When I considered whether to include a microwave in the new kitchen, I could only come up with three things:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Defrosting meat</li>
<li>Heating leftovers</li>
<li>Heating wheat packs</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/13-surprising-benefits-of-a-microwave-free-life/" target="_blank">More suggestions here if you have other uses for your microwave.</a></div>
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<b>Defrosting meat without a microwave</b></div>
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This one is pretty easy. If you want a roast or a large chunk of meat, you do just have to be organised and get it out of the freezer the day or night before you need it. These don't defrost well in the microwave anyway (I find the edges start to cook). For smaller cuts like chops or steak, I just put it in a container of hot water and turn it over a few times, which usually defrosts the meat in about 30 minutes, which is not too bad I think.</div>
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<b>Heating leftovers without a microwave</b></div>
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I'm lucky that at work we have "pie-warmer" ovens in every lunch room, so I never had to use a microwave to heat up my lunch (unless I forget to put it in the pie-warmer). At home, I heat up leftovers in a frying pan or pot on the stove, or in the oven or Weber BBQ. It does take a little bit longer and gets another dish dirty, but I think it heats more evenly and tastes better.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WoTkx2ThHe4/WUZQSvBrn3I/AAAAAAABOv4/_K_Gpp_3X54HyRx9Ju1J_VRh3HRxRHHzwCKgBGAs/s1600/20170529_193404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WoTkx2ThHe4/WUZQSvBrn3I/AAAAAAABOv4/_K_Gpp_3X54HyRx9Ju1J_VRh3HRxRHHzwCKgBGAs/s400/20170529_193404.jpg" title="Eight Acres: we don't have a microwave - heating leftovers" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Heating a wheat pack without a microwave</b></div>
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I wasn't sure how I was going to <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/lavender-wheat-heat-packs.html" target="_blank">heat my wheat packs</a>, which I do like for keeping warm on winter nights. This was about my only remaining use for a microwave, but I didn't want one in the kitchen just for that. I found a solution the other day - I put a cup of water in a large pot and sat it on the woodstove on a trivet, they warmed through in about 10 minutes with me turning them. I think you can also put them in the oven (but I didn't want to turn on the over just for that either).</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wiiwHZld2Zo/WUZQLy2PGvI/AAAAAAABOv0/A7UoOwh_0fkgmK4YHCw5PmLa27IieeqsgCKgBGAs/s1600/20170614_213930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wiiwHZld2Zo/WUZQLy2PGvI/AAAAAAABOv0/A7UoOwh_0fkgmK4YHCw5PmLa27IieeqsgCKgBGAs/s400/20170614_213930.jpg" title="Eight Acres: we don't have a microwave - heating wheat pack" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think microwaves had their peak of popularity when we were sucked into cooking without fat. I can't think of anything that I would actually want to cook in a microwave. I would rather cook in butter or macadamia oil and create a tasty meal with healthy fats.</div>
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<i>Do you use a microwave regularly? Would you consider not including one in your kitchen?</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-52361033462677301112017-06-21T07:00:00.000+10:002017-06-21T07:00:31.660+10:00Homemade leather dressing balmI don't own many pairs of shoes, so I really like to take care of the shoes I do own. My favourite pair are these leather boots that I bought in NZ a few years ago (sorry Brisbane, but you didn't have any nice boots). I've had these boots for about eight years. I don't get to wear them very often, I have to wait for our short winter, but I will wear them at any opportunity! The key to looking after leather shoes is a good leather dressing and the right storage.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ0pEHC3YAE/WT0m3MyaieI/AAAAAAABOgs/sgIQi1WNcMofJnxnTZ8l0fhQ5gKcf6LOACLcB/s1600/leather%2Bdressing%2Bhow%2Bto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQ0pEHC3YAE/WT0m3MyaieI/AAAAAAABOgs/sgIQi1WNcMofJnxnTZ8l0fhQ5gKcf6LOACLcB/s400/leather%2Bdressing%2Bhow%2Bto.jpg" title="eight acres: how to make a natural leather dressing balm - for boots, bags and belts!" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've been using a leather dressing that I bought, but I ran out, so time to make my own. Leather dressing is made with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neatsfoot_oil" target="_blank">neatsfoot oil</a>, which is the fat from the legs of cattle. This has a different melting point to the tallow (fat around their body). Neatsfoot oil is popular for leather dressing and available from produce stores and horse supplies. Its actually liquid at room temperature, so I added beeswax to make it solid and more manageable. And some lavender essential oil for a nice fragrance as well. <br />
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For my first attempt, I followed a recipe with 50:50 neatsfoot oil to beeswax by weight, but that came out a bit too solid. Second try is one third beeswax to two thirds neatsfoot oil and and that is a good consistency. I use 10 drops of essential oil per 100g of leather dressing. I melt it in a jar in a pot of simmering water, and then either keep it in the jar or pour it into a smaller tin. Its really very easy and only a little bit messy.<br />
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Whenever my leather boots are looking a bit scuffed and dry, I apply the leather dressing with a clean cloth I just keep rubbing it in until they are looking good again. It doesn't take long, and it makes my leather boots look new again. I also did a belt and a bag while I had the cloth out!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z7QC4f1Oywg/WT0m0RDPjdI/AAAAAAABOgg/hbL__nSoTZMdJMgz3nOHjdmadjH-QIs6QCLcB/s1600/P6110893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z7QC4f1Oywg/WT0m0RDPjdI/AAAAAAABOgg/hbL__nSoTZMdJMgz3nOHjdmadjH-QIs6QCLcB/s400/P6110893.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one boot done</td></tr>
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I store my boots stuffed with newspaper to stop them from creasing, and keep them in a shoebox in tissue paper in a cool dark cupboard. I hope I can keep them looking good for a few years to come because I don't want to have to try to find another pair that are this comfy!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Id9MbeUOdRg/WT0m2GP2b7I/AAAAAAABOgo/xqbylzKKFKYFpCUWDTy0GQQZ0KFQHfewACLcB/s1600/P6110895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Id9MbeUOdRg/WT0m2GP2b7I/AAAAAAABOgo/xqbylzKKFKYFpCUWDTy0GQQZ0KFQHfewACLcB/s400/P6110895.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Do you make or use a leather dressing? How do you care for leather shoes and other items?</i></div>
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My leather dressing and <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/how-to-make-wooden-chopping-board-polish.html" target="_blank">wooden chopping board polish</a> are <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/EightAcresFarmGate" target="_blank">now available in my Etsy store</a> in 100g tins.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-13511672898312811102017-06-19T07:00:00.002+10:002017-06-19T07:00:19.255+10:00How to make coconut yoghurtLately I have been cutting back on eating dairy. I know, I know, we own two house cows! But I am trying to heal inflammation (bad skin) and dairy is one of the possible triggers, so as a last resort and after much resistance, I decided I had better try to cut back. Its been hard because I eat a LOT of cheese, and cook with butter, and love to eat yoghurt (<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/yoghurt-what-ive-learnt.html" target="_blank">and have written extensively about making yoghurt</a>). I had to just give up cheese completely, switch to macadamia oil and the only yoghurt alternative was coconut yoghurt. I tried it and I like it, but only a spoonful on some fruit here and there because it is expensive!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mo1XkOX_sv4/WUOvjfU2hmI/AAAAAAABOko/AXnxIKf8Z6YsJ83ygBDabWxf0hiYEnLfQCLcBGAs/s1600/coconut%2Byoghurt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mo1XkOX_sv4/WUOvjfU2hmI/AAAAAAABOko/AXnxIKf8Z6YsJ83ygBDabWxf0hiYEnLfQCLcBGAs/s400/coconut%2Byoghurt.jpg" title="eight acres: how to make coconut yoghurt" width="400" /></a></div>
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The brand I can get here is $3 for 200 mL containers. I was making yoghurt from powdered milk for about 50c/L. So I was thinking there must be a way to make coconut yoghurt, but I didn't feel like mucking around and wasting heaps of coconut milk trying to get it right.... and then <a href="https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846" target="_blank">Biome Eco Store </a>sent me a <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/food-and-drink/15185-mm-coconut-yoghurt-kit-9421025513893.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2ffood-and-drink%2f15185-mm-coconut-yoghurt-kit-9421025513893.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Mad Millie Coconut Yoghurt Kit</a> to try. The kit is a 1L jar, starter culture, thickener, thermometer and instructions. If you don't need the full kit you can actually buy the <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/cheese-yoghurt-kefir/16761-mad-millie-coconut-yoghurt-thickener-100gm-9420000000000.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fcheese-yoghurt-kefir%2f16761-mad-millie-coconut-yoghurt-thickener-100gm-9420000000000.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Mad Millie Coconut Yoghurt Thickener</a>, the <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/cheese-yoghurt-kefir/13661-mad-millie-yoghurt-culture-pack-of-5-9421025512070.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fcheese-yoghurt-kefir%2f13661-mad-millie-yoghurt-culture-pack-of-5-9421025512070.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Mad Millie Coconut Yoghurt Culture</a> and the <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/cheese-yoghurt-kefir/16762-mad-millie-1-litre-jar-lid.html" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fcheese-yoghurt-kefir%2f16762-mad-millie-1-litre-jar-lid.html';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Mad Millie Coconut Yoghurt Jar</a> separately (the yoghurt culture for coconut yoghurt is the same one used for dairy yoghurt). (<i>Did I tell you about Biome Eco Store? I love their products!</i>)<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5ud5BK3PVg/WTFEcj7XpVI/AAAAAAABOWg/Vykzg6X6gc4AY1G65r7oXwSX1kC486BcwCLcB/s1600/P5300863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5ud5BK3PVg/WTFEcj7XpVI/AAAAAAABOWg/Vykzg6X6gc4AY1G65r7oXwSX1kC486BcwCLcB/s400/P5300863.JPG" title="eight acres: how to make coconut yoghurt" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vqcCk5iBYKQ/WTFEfD6WlXI/AAAAAAABOWk/gT-zaeQV2b0EBBvTYvRnEVvYbi3YlQtVQCLcB/s1600/P5300864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vqcCk5iBYKQ/WTFEfD6WlXI/AAAAAAABOWk/gT-zaeQV2b0EBBvTYvRnEVvYbi3YlQtVQCLcB/s400/P5300864.JPG" title="eight acres: how to make coconut yoghurt" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qtg0ttkIvkE/WTFEgCxtouI/AAAAAAABOWo/2qp2hs7nL3EF-sdfszdzXj3B9YM_Nz5LgCLcB/s1600/P5300865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qtg0ttkIvkE/WTFEgCxtouI/AAAAAAABOWo/2qp2hs7nL3EF-sdfszdzXj3B9YM_Nz5LgCLcB/s400/P5300865.JPG" title="eight acres: how to make coconut yoghurt" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have to say that making coconut yoghurt is not as easy as making dairy yoghurt, but its better than paying full price for someone else to make it! Its more complicated because you have to add a thickener as it has different proteins to dairy milk and doesn't naturally thicken. To make coconut yoghurt you need four ingredients:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Coconut milk or coconut cream. The Mad Millie recipe specifies the fat content at 17g/mL. which makes it coconut cream in the brand I buy. This helps to thicken the finished product.</li>
<li>Thickener. You can use all sorts of different thickeners. I found recipes using starch thickeners (tapioca, cornflour, arrowroot), gelatin, agar, pectic and coconut meal. The Mad Millie thickener supplied with the kit is based on tapioca, maltodextrin and guar gum. The advantage of tapioca is that it can <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/article/thickeners?" target="_blank">thicken at lower temperatures than the other options</a>.</li>
<li>Sugar - coconut milk is very low in sugar, which is needed to feed the bacteria, so you need to top up with a small amount of honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, raw sugar or similar.</li>
<li>Yoghurt culture - either a commercial powdered yoghurt culture, a spoonful of coconut yoghurt or a capsule of probiotics. You are looking for a few of the following: <i>L Bulgaricus, S Thermophilus, L Casei, L Acidophilus, B Bifidum, B Lactus...</i></li>
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The Mad Millie kit includes the thickener and the culture. You need to provide the coconut milk/cream and the sugar. I can get $1.70 for 400 mL, so this works out way cheaper than the commercial coconut yoghurt options.<br />
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The instructions with the kit are very comprehensive. Basically you want to sterilise your jar, heat your coconut milk to incorporate the thickener and starter, then pour it all into the jar and keep it warm somehow. Personally I'm a big fan of the Easiyo thermos, which I use for just about everything except making Easiyo products. I was given one and I found another one at the dump shop for $2. I regularly see them in op shops. They are a cheap and easy way to keep yoghurt and cream cheese warm, especially in winter when our kitchens are too cold for these products. You just add hot water, or boiling water, depending on the temperature of your starting mixture. The Mad Millie Jar fits in the Easiyo thermos, so I don't have to use the plastic jars that came with it. Alternatives include: wrapping in blankets, putting it in an eski, using a slow cooker, putting it in a prewarmed oven with the pilot light on and leaving it by the fire.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_GUuHPf-JSA/WTFEhXVKi1I/AAAAAAABOWs/G-Dqt7PSzAAcm_hhWk6TkgBDfZGRaF20wCLcB/s1600/P5300867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_GUuHPf-JSA/WTFEhXVKi1I/AAAAAAABOWs/G-Dqt7PSzAAcm_hhWk6TkgBDfZGRaF20wCLcB/s400/P5300867.JPG" title="eight acres: how to make coconut yoghurt" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">heating the coconut milk</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tYVryWhj-YQ/WTFEin37vkI/AAAAAAABOWw/KF3twxctO7AIh_OK_E_tbvXkqclcrtz0ACLcB/s1600/P5300868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tYVryWhj-YQ/WTFEin37vkI/AAAAAAABOWw/KF3twxctO7AIh_OK_E_tbvXkqclcrtz0ACLcB/s400/P5300868.JPG" title="eight acres: how to make coconut yoghurt" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">adding the thickener and some honey and vanilla</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the jar ready to go</td></tr>
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While I did make one batch following the instructions, I wasn't really happy with the process. I don't like 1) waiting for milk to heat up or 2) having to wash a pot that had milk and thickener in it. I read a few blogs and came to the suggestion of starting at room temperature. This sounded like my kind of method! So for my second batch I just opened the can of coconut cream and poured it into the clean jar. I added the thickener, honey and culture, shook it up and put it in the Easiyo thermos with boiling water. After 12 hours I put it in the fridge and a few hours later is was thick tasty coconut yoghurt. Much easier and no pot to wash up! There doesn't seem to be any need to heat the milk because the coconut cream fresh from the can is already sterile and the tapioca starch works at low temperature. The key is to make sure that the yoghurt ferments at 46degC (hence the boiling water in the thermos).<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jt6re5_U9to/WUOviUOwuQI/AAAAAAABOkk/N3LYv8z0L1UEF4tzYpds8NDWC-Wow7IXwCLcBGAs/s1600/P6160920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jt6re5_U9to/WUOviUOwuQI/AAAAAAABOkk/N3LYv8z0L1UEF4tzYpds8NDWC-Wow7IXwCLcBGAs/s400/P6160920.JPG" title="eight acres: how to make coconut yoghurt" width="400" /></a></div>
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Overall, coconut yoghurt can be easy to make, cheaper than buying it and its very tasty, whether or not you currently eat dairy.<br />
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<i>Do you eat coconut yoghurt? Have you tried making it?</i><br />
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The full range of <a href="http://www.biome.com.au/module/ambjolisearch/jolisearch?search_query=mad+millie" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/t/14846?Url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biome.com.au%2fmodule%2fambjolisearch%2fjolisearch%3fsearch_query%3dmad%2bmillie';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank">Mad Millie Products at Biome Eco Store</a> can be found here, including kits for cheese, yoghurt and vegetable fermenting.<br />
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<i>** This post contains affiliate links for Biome Eco Store products. They sent me a coconut yoghurt kit to try, which I have described in detail in this post and showed you my successful coconut yoghurt made using this kit. Thank you for supporting my blog by using my affiliate links.**</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.biome.com.au/" onclick="this.href = 'https://t.cfjump.com/35342/b/19002';" rel="noindex,nofollow" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://t.cfjump.com/35342/a/19002" style="border: none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-21146867549970847182017-06-14T07:00:00.000+10:002017-06-14T07:00:05.983+10:00A soap saver sackHave you heard of a soap saver? I hadn't until recently. A friend mentioned to me that she was putting the small bits of soap in a sock and that I should think about crocheting a little bag instead. And then they keep popping up on social media, so I thought I would give it a go. Am I the only one who hoards the little end bit of soaps that are too small to use? I have a bit of a collection of them. So I whipped up a little soap saver sack and filled it up with a few odd soap ends and I'm very pleased with the results. If you can do basic crochet, they are very easy to make, but you can also knit or sew a simple soap saver (or last resort - use an old sock!).<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h57wFne1GVI/WT0t1Y1z1BI/AAAAAAABOg8/W_oZX6-dD1ELDbqZidYHHp37SXRNCSBhACLcB/s1600/soap%2Bsaver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h57wFne1GVI/WT0t1Y1z1BI/AAAAAAABOg8/W_oZX6-dD1ELDbqZidYHHp37SXRNCSBhACLcB/s400/soap%2Bsaver.jpg" title="eight acres: how to make a soap saver sack - crochet, knitted or other" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Crochet soap saver pattern</b><br />
I used cotton yarn from the local market. You could use any yarn. I liked cotton as it can be composted (wool, hemp, bamboo or sisal would also be compostable). <br />
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Chain 6, turn<br />
Chain 1 and single crochet back along the chain<br />
Don't turn, but keep going around into the back of the chain to form an oval shape<br />
Double crochet around to start forming a bag - I don't bother with linking each row, I just keep going around in a spiral because its easier<br />
Keep going until the bag is tall enough, then do a row of single crochet<br />
To make the bag smaller at the top - the final row was a decrease on every second crochet, but this is optional<br />
To make the tie, just cut three pieces, plait them and thread through the second row from the top (you could also use a ribbon).<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1tmMXJcStZY/WTfU6BZBv1I/AAAAAAABOcU/coUJVzx281IhKn8kmVBq3ctExgjaB0daACKgB/s1600/20170606_210609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1tmMXJcStZY/WTfU6BZBv1I/AAAAAAABOcU/coUJVzx281IhKn8kmVBq3ctExgjaB0daACKgB/s400/20170606_210609.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Other options</b></div>
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The simplest would be to crochet or knit a square (or cut out a square of fabric), fold in half and sew up two sides to make a bag, then use plaited yarn or a ribbon to tie the end. You could also knit using double pointed needles and then finish off the end like a sock end (<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/knitting-socks-on-four-double-pointed.html" target="_blank">see my sock instructions here</a>). The soap saver can be as pretty or as functional as you want, so its a great beginner project.</div>
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<i>Have you made a soap saver? Do you have the ends of soap? I can't throw them out, I know how much effort went into making them! </i></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-24710022561213911052017-06-12T07:00:00.000+10:002017-06-12T07:00:07.045+10:00The story of our secondhand house - part 1This is an article that I wrote for <a href="http://www.theownerbuilder.com.au/" target="_blank">The Owner Builder</a> magazine. If you're building a house (or thinking about it), this is a wonderful magazine for those interested in alternative building techniques and DIY options. I have just submitted part 2 of this story since we moved in, so I thought it was about time to share part 1 here. If you are building I'm sure they would love to publish your story too, just <a href="http://www.theownerbuilder.com.au/" target="_blank">get in touch via the website</a>.<br />
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In mid-2012 my husband, Peter, and I bought a 258 acre property in the small South Burnett settlement of Kumbia (near Kingaroy) in Queensland, with the intention of eventually building a house and setting up a small farm. Over a year later we were still trying to decide what type of house to build. Both of us were keen to use a sustainable building method, as we like natural materials and hate waste, but it wasn’t immediately obvious what would suit our property. Then we came across a removal house in our local area, advertised for only $10,000. It was located only 14 km from our property and was probably 100 years old (based on the when the area was originally settled). <br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/a-tour-of-our-new-old-house.html" target="_blank">More BEFORE photos of the house here</a>.<br />
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The only problem was that it was a “Queenslander” style house. We had lived in a Queenslander before, and even though we loved the features, we knew it could be a lot of work to maintain and we were wary of the asbestos used in extensions. Even so, we made an appointment to view the house and were besotted with the sweet little cottage. We started referring to it as our “Second-hand” house. We were looking forward to the prospect of living in “VJs” (vertical joint walls) again instead of plasterboard and it was good to know that we wouldn’t be using much new material for our house.<br />
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When our offer was accepted we began the process of organising to move the house. Fortunately we found a really helpful building inspector who was able to guide us through the process. Removal houses are quite common in our area and we had several removalists to choose from. I got my owner-builder licence so that I could coordinate all the trades.<br />
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This is when we started to realise that it might be a slow process (spoiler alert: the house isn’t finished yet!). It took 6 months between buying the house and moving the house, and during that time we had to get a site geological survey, the house was inspected by a structural engineer and plans were drawn by a drafter. We had to get approval from council for the new septic system and the house removal. We had to organise a plumber to disconnect the plumbing at the original site and decomission the septic tank there.<br />
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Our first big challenge was finding an earth-moving contractor to help us level the pad for the house. We had selected a site on top of a hill, which was relatively flat, however we needed four large Ironbark gum trees removed. We waited for several months for various earthmoving contractors to be available to help us, and eventually we cut down the trees ourselves, leaving only the stumps to be removed. Just in time we were able to find a small excavator operator, who worked all weekend to remove the stumps and clear the house pad for us. Peter had to use our tractor to smooth it out as best he good. The largest stump was bigger than the excavator!<br />
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The site was also close enough to receive power from lines already running to our neighbour’s property. We had considered solar power, but as Peter is a metal fabricator, we decided that grid connection was more practical (remember this was in 2013, solar and battery systems have advanced considerably in the last few years and we may have made a different decision if we were starting the project in 2016). Fortunately we had already started organising the power connection before we bought the house, so it was ready around the same time as the house was moved.<br />
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The house had originally been orientated with the kitchen facing north and the “sunroom” (a built-in veranda) facing west. We wanted to take full advantage of solar orientation to keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter, so we faced the sunroom to the south, with the main veranda on the north. All of the windows are shaded in summer, with some sun in winter. Being on the top of the hill we also get a lovely breeze through the house, and the old design with plenty of windows and freezes over the doors for cross-ventilation means that the house stays cool without the need for air-conditioning.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PV_I5eKFf8E/WTux1WFw-2I/AAAAAAABOdM/aMEpDwbcBFQLJ2wmyO6oYq22o6lqm79CQCLcB/s1600/P8112499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PV_I5eKFf8E/WTux1WFw-2I/AAAAAAABOdM/aMEpDwbcBFQLJ2wmyO6oYq22o6lqm79CQCLcB/s400/P8112499.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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When the removalist was finally ready to move he decided to split the house into two pieces. The house had originally had a wrap around veranda, with the kitchen extension added later, this made it relatively easy to separate into two pieces without major damage to the house. The first part was moved at 3am on day and second part was moved the same time the next day. We got up early and met the removalist at the starting point, following the house down the road. Most of the road was in good condition apart from the last 2 km down the dirt road from the highway to our gate, which had been badly washed out in a storm. Our careful removalist managed to bring both parts down the road and avoid both pot holes and gum tree branches with no damage to the house, an amazing feat! <br />
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While the house itself only cost us $10,000, the moving and restumping of the house came to nearly $40,000. Moving a house over a longer distance may not be economical, and some houses may not be suitable for removal if they cannot be split into suitable pieces. Many houses offered for removal are not in good condition and may require considerable work to repair once they arrive at their destination. Older houses with VJs seem to hold together better than newer plasterboard lined houses. The house we purchased also came with a small shed (already deconstructed), two concrete water tanks and a rotary clothesline! While we were initially excited to have these extra features, we later realised that it was difficult to move the tanks and shed, however it was a condition of our contract that we leave the site clear. In the end it worked out best that our removalist took the tanks away for us and cleaned up the property, and we collected the shed on the back of our car-trailer.<br />
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Once the two parts of the house were on the site it only took a couple of weeks for our removalist to restump the house on new RSH 50mm stumps, restore the old roof sheets (we were not required to replace the roof, however some councils may stipulate this) and cover up the join in the house. Then it was time for our plumbers to take over. We had bought two 2700 L rainwater tanks which the plumbers connected to the new downpipes. They hooked up all the old plumbing fittings to a new pump and set up a new septic system. The only issue we had was inadvertently buying tanks that were taller than our house guttering in its new position, so that the tanks had to be dug into the ground, and the suction line from the tank is now below the pump. This is only a problem when we have a power cut, because we can’t get water out of the tanks without the pump working. Having lived in rural areas with rainwater tanks for several years, we know that this is a problem best avoided if possible and we were kicking ourselves for not considering this before ordering the tanks.<br />
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<a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/stairs-for-our-removal-house.html" target="_blank">Our only real building task was installing the stairs</a>. Removalists typically do not install the old stairs, as even if they are not rotten, they are usually the wrong height as it just depends on the site and the height of the new stumps. Also, the stairs must be built to meet current building standards – with the correcting goings and risings and a suitable platform at the top, and old stairs may not comply. We went about designing our steps, while the engineer (me) was working out the angles using Pythagoras and a spreadsheet, the practical metal fabricator drew them out on a piece of board and started welding the stringers! Once we had it figured out it wasn’t too bad, but it did take a while to get it right. As we hadn’t got the house pad completely level, each set of stairs was bespoke. We sourced stair treads from a local timber shed (for the front stairs) and our removalist sold us an old set of stairs with suitable treads to reuse for the two sets of back stairs. <br />
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The house had three sets of inspections. Firstly we had paid a bond of $16,000 to the council for the removal process. They refunded that bond when we showed that the house had been stumped, roofed, had new stairs and was otherwise in sound condition in its new position. Then the plumbing inspector checked the plumber’s work. All of the new work was fine, but he had some concerns over the suitability of the old plumbing fittings, fortunately our plumber managed to convince the inspector to approve the work (considering it was our own rainwater, I couldn’t see how it was any of the council’s business anyway). We intended to refit the plumbing later, so I wasn’t keen on installing new fittings at that stage.<br />
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Finally we had the council inspection. To get to this stage we had to comply with the environmental requirements, including insulating in the ceiling space (we chose rockwool batts) and installing ceiling fans in all rooms including one of the verandas. Unfortunately this is a slightly backwards process – it would have been nice to install the fans and lights after the house was painted, but we wanted to get council approval as soon as possible, so now that we are painting inside we have to tape up all the nice light fittings! <br />
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Apart from the environmental requirements, the council inspection was mostly concerned with ensuring that the house could not blow away or burn down. This meant that we also had to remove the wood-fired combustion heater because we couldn’t prove to the inspector that it had been installed to the manufacturer’s instructions. We will definitely replace this with a new woodstove in future, as we like to use wood for heating and cooking in winter. Our property has a generous amount of trees and we can be self-sufficient for firewood. As part of the council requirements, we also had to strap all the bearers to the posts (the removalist had already strapped the rafters for us when he fitted the roof), to bring the house to current building standards. Peter also had to screw every VJ board in the walls to the bearers.<br />
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Just under a year after moving the house we received council approval, but that was really just the beginning of the process as we still needed to replace the roof (the council had accepted it, but it wasn’t in great condition), repaint inside and out, remove the asbestos sheeting, and rebuild the dated bathroom and kitchen. <br />
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While working with an old Queenslander house is a challenge, it is also a whole lot of fun. I think of it as a cross between restoring an old piece of furniture and an archaeological dig! We are gradually uncovering more about the history of the house and the people who lived in it. Moving the house gave us the opportunity to replace the stumps and reorientate the house to better use solar heating and cross winds. We are both really happy to have found a sustainable option (recycling a secondhand house) that is both cheap and beautiful.<br />
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We moved into the house in April 2017. <a href="http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/search/label/house" target="_blank">You can catch up on the house progress since this article was written</a>. Part 2 will be in the next <a href="http://www.theownerbuilder.com.au/" target="_blank">The Owner Builder</a> magazine.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9027191706980748713.post-52363090698754210892017-06-07T07:00:00.001+10:002017-06-07T07:00:12.504+10:00Experimenting with houseplantsI've never been a big fan of houseplants. I had one on a dresser for a while and it leaked and cracked the veneer. And I had another one that didn't get enough sun and it died. Our new house is sunnier and less cluttered, it just felt like it needed some plants. I've had others that I overwatered, or underwatered. Its just seemed too hard to keep them alive.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother-in-laws-tongue in the bathroom</td></tr>
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<b>Benefits of houseplants</b><br />
You might be wondering why I would bother with houseplants, seeing as I just said I don't really like them. I haven't actually read any scientific studies, but its does seem pretty obvious that plants are going to improve indoor air quality. If you google it you will find lists of up to 15 benefits, I guess its just one of those topics that attracts fluff articles. A basic knowledge of biology tells me that plants suck up carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen. This is probably more useful in the city, as we are out here surrounded by acres of trees producing oxygen. For me, its just nice to have a bit of green inside. I've cut back on most of the nick-knack dust-collecting ornamental things, so these plants add a bit of colour. Maybe I've been looking at too many interior design magazines with this new house! It started in the bathroom, so many nice modern bathroom images had plants in them, I thought maybe we could pop a plant in there and see how it goes. It does seem kind of sensible to put a plant in the bathroom as its already damp in there. <br />
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<b>What houseplants did I get?</b><br />
I spent a bit of time (just a little bit) scrolling through photos of indoor plants on Google and Instagram because I really didn't know where to start. At around the same time I was given two houseplants as part of our local Nanango Produce Share. I recognised one as Mother-in-laws-tongue (<i>Sansevieria trifasciata</i>) which had been dug out of someone's garden en masse (its not officially an invasive species in Queensland, b<a href="https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/land-management/health-pests-weeds-diseases/weeds-diseases/invasive-plants/other/mother-in-laws-tongue" target="_blank">ut it does have its own page on Biosecurity Queensland</a>, so its close). This is my kind of plant, apparently its really hard to kill. It likes dry, shady conditions, but can suffer from overwatering. No problem. <a href="https://www.gardenista.com/posts/mother-in-laws-tongue-roundup-modern-style-for-a-retro-houseplant/" target="_blank">Also they are quite fashionable again now!</a><br />
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I bought a damaged white pot and a miss-matched beige saucer on sale at our local hardware and put this one in the bathroom. It needs to recover from the haircut it had before I received it, but it had been in a pot outside for a few months while I sourced my indoor pot and seemed to have quite healthy roots when I moved it over. I'm hoping that it grows tall to fill this space next to the vanity.<br />
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The second plant is a <a href="https://www.thespruce.com/spider-plants-chlorophytum-definition-1902773" target="_blank">spider plant</a> (<i>Chlorophytum comosum</i>), which I also had in a small pot outside while I decided where to put it. I reused a blue pot from a previous failed indoor plant growing attempt. This time I found a saucer for it - 50c from the local market, so that it won't leak and ruin anything. I've put this one in the kitchen, in a sunny spot near the window.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spider plant in the kitchen</td></tr>
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<b>Keys to indoor plant success</b><br />
These plants have been in the house for about two weeks, so I'm not going to claim expert status just yet, however there are two things that I think will help these indoor plants survive this time. One is that I have found saucers for the pots, so I will be able to water them appropriately - no leaking and no avoiding watering in case they leak. And the other is the fact that we get plenty of sunlight in the house, the bathroom in particular has three windows.<br />
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If these plants do well, then I think I will get a few more, I really like some of the images I saw. I would like to bring some useful plants inside, but I think the light levels are too low, I'm thinking of trying aloe vera, but most herbs will be better off outside.<br />
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<a href="http://gullygrove.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/plant-saga.html" target="_blank">More about houseplants over at Gully Grove</a>.<br />
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<i>Do you have houseplants? What does well at your house?</i><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8