Monthly Archives: October 2013

Beyond Sustainable

Beyond Sustainable,  a new weekly blog from Homesteaders Supply!

Here we will highlight articles from homesteaders and related helping organizations blogging about their experience and insights for creating a sustainable lifestyle. Many of these articles will demonstrate their creative ingenuity for income, insights into the care of the land and their animals, and how to effectively grow, preserve, and prepare the foods we need for a healthy lifestyle.  We will also highlight articles from organizations that are helping us in our efforts toward a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

12 Fascinating Facts about Chicken Eyesight 

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An interesting article from Lisa Steele and Fresh-Eggs-Daily.com

I always wondered why my chickens tilt there head when looking up at me, now I know!   Did you know that Just before hatching, a chick turns in the shell so its right eye is next to the shell (and absorbs light through the shell) and its left eye is covered by its body. As a result the right eye develops near-sightedness to allow a chicken to search for food, while the left eye develops far-sightedness, to allow a chicken to search for predators from afar. That is why when a hawk flies overhead, you will notice your chickens tilt their heads with their left eye to the sky.   read more 

A Green Tea Take on Obama Care

a blog from our friend Shannon Hayes, author of the book Radical Homemakers, and more.  

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“This story has been popping into my mind a lot these past few weeks as I listen to the media, neighbors, and friends discuss the Affordable Care Act. In spite of the approximately 50 million Americans who are uninsured, I am hearing folks express a lot of fear of the unknown. Some who are uninsured are defiantly choosing to pay the tax penalties rather than purchase a policy. Some are seething with anger that their tax dollars will be paying for someone else’s healthcare. Others are simply petrified that if they move forward and enroll in the exchange, they will suddenly be without any coverage. As a nation, we are being asked to take the first steps to leave behind a cruel relationship. We are collectively confronting a great big unknown. Suddenly, all the homelessness, suffering, and bankruptcy offered by our current system seems preferable to confronting something new and different. It is as if we’ve become co-dependents to our existing abusive healthcare system.”  read more….

Julia Child Was Wrong: Don’t Wash Your Raw Chicken, Folks

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by Maria Godoy from her NPR blog ‘the salt… what’s on your plate’

“It seems almost sacrilegious to question the wisdom of Julia Child. First with her opus Mastering the Art of French Cooking and later with her PBS cooking show, the unflappably cheerful Child helped rescue home cookery from the clutches of convenience food. She taught us how to love — and take pride in — making something from scratch.

And yet, in at least one important kitchen skill, Child got it dead wrong: rinsing raw poultry.”   read on…

Food Safety Modernization Act:
Stand Up Today for Food and Farms!

From the the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

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The US Food and Drug Administration has proposed new rules this year that will have a huge impact on how fresh fruits and vegetables are grown and processed in the US. This is a big deal for farmers and eaters! Everyone has a role in ensuring safe food from field to fork – but FDA’s new proposed rules as written will unfairly burden family farmers, target sustainable and organic farming, and reduce the availability of fresh, local food in our communities. Right now, we have a chance to tell FDA that this is unacceptable – and we need your help to do it.

As currently written, the rules will:

  • put many farms out of business;
  • reduce the supply of fresh, local produce in schools and hospitals;
  • push farmers to tear out wildlife habitat; and
  • increase the use of chemicals rather than natural fertilizers.

FDA’s new food safety rules must:

  • Allow farmers to use sustainable farming practices, including those already allowed and encouraged by existing federal organic standards and conservation programs.
  • Ensure that diversified and innovative farms, particularly those pioneering models for increased access to healthy, local foods, continue to grow and thrive without being stifled. 
  • Provide options that treat family farms fairly, with due process and without excessive costs.

Now stand up for your farmer, stand up for your food!

FDA is seeking comments from the public – that’s you! The #1 most important thing you can do to help fix FSMA is take a few minutes RIGHT NOW to submit a comment to FDA either online or through the mail.  Read more on how to take action:

We invite comments, questions and suggestions.  Contact us if you would like your blog featured here!

New Product for Homesteaders Supply: Dynablend Blender with Unbelievable Options and Price Value!

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We have just added a new product to our Homesteaders Supply webstore, and as most of you know we try to only have the best products out there.  We want our customers to have a quality product that will function as advertized and not have to break the wallet to afford it.

Newly offered product from Tribest is the Dynablend Horsepower Plus Blender designed to provide the power and capability that all other high power blenders do, but with added features and a reasonable price.

Here is why we think our customers will really like this product:

  • Comes standard with a heavy-duty glass pitcher and a versatile stainless steel utility scoop that can be used as a tablespoon sized measuring scoop or an agitator.  Other blenders on the market usually only feature these items in plastic these days.
  • It has a powerful 1+HP motor, unlike other small models with smaller motors that can’t keep up with tough jobs.
  • Motor provides for both variable speed control AND pre-programmed settings.
  • 10-year warranty!
  •  Unbeatable price point for such great value.

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You really can’t beat the great low price with such high value on this product… the glass pitcher, the stainless steel agitator, the options of manual variable speeds AND the automatic settings!   With the manual variable speed, from low to high, and the convenient automatic settings: 60 second blending, 30 second pulse, or 60 second blend and pulse combination, you can choose your blending speed.

 

Here are some of the features for the Dynablend Blender:

  • Max. 23,000 RPM
  • Does all things power blenders do for half the price of competitors
  • Heavy-duty Glass Pitcher
  • Durable Stainless Steel Scoop, tablespoon sized
  • Manual Variable Speed from Low to High
  • 3 Convenient Automatic Settings
  • Plugged-in Warning Blinking LED Light
  • Programmed Action Ready Solid LED Light
  • On/Off Switch
  • 10 Year Warranty
  • Model:    DB-850
  • Weight:    11 lbs. (5 kg)
  • Dimensions:    6″ W x 16″ H x 6″ D

Now you don’t have to worry about the plastics, or whether it’s BPA free or formaldehyde free… even if it will stain or wear out.  We were so pleased to see this product with a glass pitcher and stainless steel agitator.  Now you can make your salsas, soups, protein drinks… and yes even to make your butter!  Want to know how to make butter in a blender?  Ask us!

 

Simple little seed is chock full of beneficial nutrition!

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The season is upon us now where Pumpkins are a plenty!  I couldn’t get a total count, seems there might be over 50 varieties of pumpkins that can be grown in your own garden from      heirloom seeds.  Within that variety are some amazing differences:

  • The most commonly known carving pumpkin, the Jack-O-Lantern, was not bred for eating.
  • The Smaller sweeter pumpkins are for eating.
  • Colors of pumpkins are just as diverse, such as the blue Jarrahdale from New Zealand and Queensland    Blues from Australia.
  • Pumpkins are considered a fruit because it contains seeds.

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  •  Pumpkin can be used for soups, stews, bread, pickles, pies, puddings, ice cream, and even beer or ale!
  • You can even preserve pumpkin by canning (most advice is only as cubed, not mashed.)
  • Cattle, goats, pigs, chickens and turkeys all love pumpkins.

Here are some interesting facts about pumpkin seeds:

  • Most pumpkin seeds have hulls, unlike the Kakai Pumpkin seeds are completely hull-less.
  • Mexican mole sauce is made with pumpkin seeds.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds:

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  • Contain lots of minerals such as zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese… for helping to optimize bone health and preventing osteoporosis.
  • Good source of B vitamins, Vitamin E, Vitamin K
  • They have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol, improve prostate health, reduce inflammation related to arthritis, improve sleep and lower depression.
  • The only alkaline forming seed.
  • Contain high quality protein, and the content of protein actually increases with the age of the fruit.

 

Preparation and Use of Pumpkin Seeds:

  • Best to shell the seeds, then soak in water for 6 hours.  Soaking make enzymes and other nutrients more digestible.
  • Bake them in the oven at 160 to 170°F for 15 to 20 minutes.  You can even sprinkle different seasonings on them for a variety of flavors.
  • Many suggest dehydrating below 110 degrees F, will prevent of loss of nutritive value from over-heating.
  • Sprinkle them on top of salads, cereals, and yogurt.
  • Add them to soups, stews, and meatloaf.
  • Enjoy them raw as a snack!pumpkin_seeds_toasted