Are insects wreaking havoc in your garden, but you want to avoid harmful chemicals? Don’t be discouraged, because there are effective techniques and natural remedies to keep those pests at bay, without compromising the health of your plants or the environment.
Continue ReadingMake Your Own High Quality Vanilla Extract
Why Make Your Own Vanilla Extract
Why make your own vanilla extract when you can purchase it? Despite the fact that vanilla beans are not inexpensive, it is still much more cost effective to make your own. And when you make your own, you are able to control all the factors that produce a high quality vanilla extract.
Continue ReadingHomemade Crème Fraiche (Cultured Cream)
What is Crème Fraiche?
Crème Fraiche is simply cultured (fermented) cream. But its thickness, its creaminess, and its mild tartness is anything but simple. It is a wonderful, traditional fermented food similar to sour cream, but with a higher fat content.
Continue ReadingCrispy Grass-fed Beef Tallow French Fries
It’s funny, isn’t it, how health information can change so much from generation to generation? For years and years, tallow and lard were used for cooking and frying. It was, after all, able to be sourced right at home on the farm. But through slick marketing, and other questionable pressure, seed oils were suddenly the rage, and meat and especially its fat were vilified.
Thankfully, the tide if finally turning, and we’re seeing, on a daily basis, advice that challenges all that supposed wisdom. Not only can our health be thankful for this change, but so can our taste buds. Cooking with tallow is so much more delicious than seed oils, especially when used to fry these crispy, grass-fed beef tallow French fries.
Continue ReadingVenison Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Years ago my children and I volunteered at a local food kitchen and Salisbury Steak was on the menu. I had never had it before, and was surprised to see what looked like mini meatloaves on the baking tray rather than the steak that I expected. We didn’t eat the food we served, saving it for the guests, so not being impressed, I didn’t go out of my way to ever make or try it.
Continue ReadingHow to Control Japanese Beetles in Your Organic Garden
Did you know that scientists have identified approximately 1 million insect species in the world? Sounds like a gardener should just pack things up and go home with that overwhelming statistic. But the truth is that only 1% of insects damage our garden plants. That’s not so discouraging after all.
Japanese beetles are one of those that does cause damage in the garden, so it’s wise to learn to control them in your organic garden.
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