Survival Mom by Lisa Bedford

Honestly, I am not sure how to begin this review. I do not have gushing glowing things to say about it, and know that I will be attacked for my opinion. Because how I feel about it, is similar to many of the articles I wrote for the American Preppers Network, where I was criticized. Homesteaders and Preppers are similar in many ways, but there is also stark differences. So I will keep it short.

Mrs. Bedford writes with wit. She has done a lot of research, and condensed it into her book. Although I found incomplete information. I was confused by the statements of not purchasing all you need yet brand names and websites freely inserted throughout the book as must haves.

I am not big on the consumerist lifestyle. And have drastically different views on how much food you should have on hand. At times I felt like I was reading a how to on decluttering and organizing your hoarding. The book itself doesn't teach you beneficiary teotwawki skills, only stock up techniques, things to practice before the worst case scenario, and philosophies.

Mrs. Bedford has good intentions, and does appeal to many mothers out there. However if you are a neophyte homesteader, I would stay far away from this one. But if you are a beginning Prepper, this book reads as a good primmer for your education, without bombarding you with doomer philosophy.

As a beginner tutorial on prepping for the suburbs with children, it is a good start.


For more reviews click below.

Win it Before You Can Buy it! The Beekeeping Handbook by Vivian Head

Fox Chapel Publishing has graciously offered to give away Vivian Head's soon to be released book, The Beekeeping Handbook to one of my readers. You can find my review of it here>>>;

What do I want from you? Good question. How about you tell me how great I am. No? Well you're no fun! Fine than, just leave me a comment, anything you want to say. And I will put you in the drawing for The Beekeeping Handbook.

This will stay open until my next post, Monday morning.

and don't forget to check out my review of The Chicken Handbook by Vivian Head below this post.

The Chicken Handbook by Vivian Head (a review)

Fox Chapel Publishing really needs to send me something to criticize. I would say it bodes well for the company that they are able to find such talented writers. Vivian Head is turning out to be a great example.

The Chicken Handbook (where was it 11 years ago when I started my Odyssey?)  is one of the better Chicken Neophyte books I have come across. Ms. Head is a wonderful researcher, and is able to to pen it in an understandable way.   She even has the best anatomy of a chicken I have seen in a homesteading book. No need to run around, searching from book to book trying to find out what the heck the gullet looks like. 

She takes you through just about everything you need to know and be aware of in this how-to. Personally I think Ms. Head is someone to watch in this homesteading genre.  

If you are new to the world of chickens, I will recommend this book. It might help with the frustrations that come along with being lost.

You can pre-order at Fox Chapel Publishing, here>>>

ok, now they do not pay me, except in the books I review. Lately they have been sending me some good ones. Better then some of the other publishers have sent me. I wonder if they would be interested in some homesteading fiction, wry grin.

The Beekeeping Handbook by Vivian Head (a review)

The Beekeeping Handbook actually surprised me. I figured it would be a rehashing of the same old same old. In a way, it is, however done in such a way that you don't fall asleep. 

Ms. Head's instructions and advice are clear and concise.  The yearly check list is something that I find immensely helpful. The book will actually replace all the other reference materials that I have on bee keeping, as she has included everything, including trouble shooting. It's easy to follow, without muddying the waters or causing confusion in the what you should do's.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in beekeeping. It's release in April is good timing for those of you that wish to get into the practice this year. You can pre-order at Fox Chapel Publishing.

I Bought a Book

Huzzah!!!

Thank you thank you I am proud of myself.

On the recommendation of a couple of people, I purchased Five Acres and Independence by MG Kains. Trying to find it through a place that accepts paypal was difficult. I bought it online through Ready Made Resources. giving them a shout-out because they had the book, and it arrived quickly.


Glancing through it, I must say that it seems to be right up my alley. I will let you know soon.

Also, Fox Chapel Publishing sent me two new books to look over before it's release date.

SOME WE LOVE, SOME WE HATE, SOME WE EAT

SOME WE LOVE, SOME WE HATE, SOME WE EAT by Hal Herzog

I was skeptical when I first received this book. The reviews say things like this will change the way you think about animals. I really thought this would be yet another book about why we shouldn't eat meat and why animals should have lawyers. How wrong I was!

The text can be dry at times, as he does approach things as a scientist, but there is relatable humor and dilemma's through out it. 

But it didn't change my perception of living with and eating animals. And I believe that is because of the relationship I already have with all my animals, livestock and working animals. (however I had no idea how well treated fighting roosters are, and agree with the author that I would rather be a fighting rooster than a factory fryer).

I highly suggest reading this book, even if you think that you relationship with animals is a good one. Many ideas and dilemmas that we consciously and subconsciously  think about are debated and explored through-out these pages. 

He didn't explore the relationship with homesteaders and animals as much as he could have, I think we have a healthier view than the public at large when it comes to treating are livestock similar to our "pets". 

Two thumbs up.

You can read more reviews (better ones probably) at the TLC Book Tour

More about the author Harold  Herzog

Animals and us

Book Review; Back to Basics Third Edition

EO(s) didn't turn out very tasty. I will try again tonight. For now, a book review.


A rep for Skyhorse publishing contacted me about doing a review. I had three to choose from and told them to surprise me.And so they did.

I rarely reference the first addition that was given to me years ago.And reading through the Third, I have come to the same conclusion. It's too general. But that is the issue with most homesteading books, generalities.

If you are looking for a project, the Back to Basics is a good place to start. It gives you a few of the details needed to complete a new project. It helps give you ideas on where to start and where you should finish. No trouble shooting (a few exceptions in the livestock area) you might find yourself in situations that you are not too sure to how to handle.

Great photos.

Back to Basics the Third Edition should be incorporated into your homesteading library. A good reference guide, but not a stand alone book. I give props to Abigail R Gehring for her research and staying in love with traditional skills over the years.

I am giving away a copy over at Girls gone Trashy.

Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs ~book review and give-a-way~

Our wonderful fellow blogger Wendy Brown at Happily Home got published. A big HUZZAH to her! She wrote a thrivalist's guide to life without oil, "Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs."

She graciously sent me a copy for review.

I read it quickly, as I tend to read. The book is full of great tips, trials and successes. She gives you scenarios to think about, what if. . . what if the teotwawki was only 21 days away?

Surviving the Apocalypse helps guide suburban and urban preppers and steaders in their first and continuing steps at being as self sufficient as possible in a limited arena. If you are just starting out I highly recommend this book as a guide. If you are an old hat, it will help to serve as a reminder.

The chapters are broken down to help digest the what-nots of suburban survival. From Fire to Livestock. From Health care to Networking.

It is limited in information, however that is true for most homesteading and preparedness books, and should be incorporated into your private library. It is well written and witty, and although I don't agree on all the philosophy and opinions stated in the book, I still believe that is was well thought out.

I do recommend this book.

Now to win your very own copy, tell me, will you survive the zombie invasion?

Extra points for details that make me cringe ~insert evil laugh here~

Contest opened to all for 1 week.

It's going to be like that. . huh

Friday night we went to get another bale. It wouldn't budge. It wanted to slide, have you ever tried to push something that weighs over 1500 lbs, over dry grass and up a truck's tail gate? no? Well I don't recommend it. We stripped the bale in half, then filled the truck, leaving half behind. That seemed to take forever.

That was the last straw (pun?) for husband. Yesterday it was a balmy 32F with wind speeds of 45 mph. I never caught what the wind chill was, but my ears were bright red within a few seconds, and even with gloves on, my fingers were stiff in a few minutes.

We stripped the truck bed of the frame. It's one of those beds that someone turned into a trailer. We got it Free with a bunch of re barb in it. Husband needed my help getting the bed off. That sucker was very heavy, it took several 2x4's grunting, tears that burned and minutes to get it off the frame.

Today husband and horse neighbor are headed into town, were they will be picking up a hay spike, and husband will be finageling and creating a way for us to get the bales without a tractors.

Our tractor would wheelie all the way home (if we could gt it moving) if we tried to get a bale with it. I will be sure to take photos and tell you all about this newest project.

The Homesteaders way is getting a good amount of traffic, thank you guys, We finally added our first homesteading book, from Sally Gardens in Ireland. It is an ebooklet. I have read and enjoyed her blog for years. So I think this is great, and will be getting a copy for myself soon. You can find the listing for it here, under Homesteading Books.

Do you still have a copy of my e-book?

I know this is a long shot, but do you remember that free down-loadable horror book I had up for awhile? Does anyone still have a copy of it?

Here's the problem, the people that were hosting the pdf closed down without warning. the book was on my other pc that is now broken, and I would really like to have a copy of it.


Thank you

An insult is like a drink

it affects one only if accepted. And pride is too heavy baggage for my journey.

~Robert Heinlein

It's almost midnight and I am up reading. The above line I thought was brilliant, and wanted to remember it. I thought that some of you might think so to.

Winter Madness

3+ inches of snow, howling winds, and a wind chill below 0F, causes one to stay deep inside of their home. Venturing out for frostbite only when the animals must be fed. Winter has now lasted too long. The restlessness of the homesteader throws its hissy fit, and you don't know what to do. I have already fantasized about my garden, and that gets boring if you can no longer put a little kink, I mean element into the mix. I have tried to sew, my braided rug looks like a bowl, and I have baked every single bread and dessert I know, twice.

Now is the time you start making other plans. Plans to take over the world Pinky! Did I say that out loud? Luckily for me, my husband is home so that my talking to myself doesn’t seem all that strange as anything that I might mutter will be greeted with a nod or an uhhuh.

What plans can my strange little mind form? What devious plot will birth in my brain? It doesn’t help that my good neighbor’s mother brought over some heritage seeds. She gave me some Cherry tomatoes, Marglobe, yellow, beefsteak, Rutgers, and oxheart. Oh my garden seduced mind quivers in joy! And to send me over the edge, to help complete my garden fetish, she gives us Back to Basics, by Readers Digest. I am not sure I can contain the excitement. A new book in the house is like another hit of Primo. Though I must say that I caught my husband in bed last night, the blankets pulled up, the door shut, giggling in glee as he palmed the RD book. As I burst through the door, he hid the book as though it contain naughty photos. What are you doing? He wouldn’t tell me, but I caught a glimpse of the book. That’s mine! I screamed and dove for him. I am not strong enough, he easily pinned me and the torture of tickling began. Not Fair! The book is mine! I squealed. “You can look at it after me.” ah, but that wouldn’t work. How about we look at it together? I asked sweetly, innocently. "No." Ack, I have to wait. Huff...I laid down in bed next to him, trying to peek at the pages in a way that he wouldn’t notice.

I didn’t get to concoct any plans last night. But this morning, this morning the book is all mine! MINE I say!

Oh the Drama!

I awoke to 3 inches of snow, and now I am watching it still come down. It is one of those mornings where I feel like I am 12 years old again.

I don't wanna. Shuffling my feet through the house, my hands making odd limp gestures at my side as I fling my shoulders about. Boots thump on the floor, as I huff at my chores. Ungrateful mutters escapes my tight lips as a thrust my boots on, a motion better used for pulling fence posts. Stomp stomp stomp, heavy snow boots smack the floor, the door slamming behind me as I push my way through the white-out. I bet if I fell down and froze to death, no one would care or notice. A once repressed teen angst bubbles to the surface as I call out DDDDOOOOOOONNNNKEY! Smokeysmokeysmokey, trinatrinatrina, Arrow. chickchickchickchick! Making a cursory head count of who I still have running for their food, I eye FogHorn LegHorn with disgust. You would kill me if you could.

Snow batters at my exposed face, stinging my eyes as my shivering, gloved hands grab the pitch fork and begin to break the ice in the water trough. My eyes glancing from side to side, watching my own back from attack. Foghorn Leghorn stalks about, crowing his putrid hatred, and dancing the dance of a murderer. He moves in for a strike, my angst disappears as I know I must now struggle to keep my own life. Instinctually my combat booted foot flings out toward my attacker, my kick misses, but the white feathered death stills runs into the boot. You're a little challenged, aren't you. I mutter my disgust. He shakes it off, and crows as though he was king, and he meant to do that. With a shake, he flies up on the fence, a perch were he can eye me, and threaten me easily.

The ice is broken, and I trudge my way back through the gate, still keeping an eye on that rooster. Even my leather work gloves can no longer hold back the bitting cold. Just as I close the gate, Foghorn Leghorn makes one last desperate attempt to dispatch me. His regal attitude towards my leaving the pen, shows that he is the victor in this life or death struggle that is replayed daily.

Blinded by the snow, I manage to slowly find my way back inside my warm house, where coffee is waiting for me, hopefully.

No Subject Specified

No secret that I am a bibliophile, this is a well established fact. This morning I was at a loss as to what topic to broach. As in my usually manner I turned around and grabbed the first book off my homesteading, diy, cookbook bookshelf for an idea. The first book I pulled out was Complete Handyman Encyclopedia Vol. 25. Opening it randomly took me to a page about growing your own peaches, but I have already talked about peaches here. The next subject was on other orchard maintenance, something else I have written about here. So I went to grab another book. This one turned out to be the Complete Handyman Encyclopedia Vol. 22, and guess what it was. . . you are correct, it was all about gardening.

Am I to take this as an omen? A sign that I should lecture you on gardening once again? Or should I solicit questions about gardening from you, my wonderful readers?

I realize that I have a freakishly early garden going inside right now, and it is only the end of January. This is the time we usually sit around, looking through all the wonderful catalogs, drooling over the heritages, and wishing that this cool looking fruit/vegetable wasn't a hybrid.

If you have a question, something you have been wanting to ask, please, leave it in replies and I will be happy to answer it to the best of my knowledge.

Now for an update on the homestead.

My oven has taken on a mind of its own. While baking it goes on and off when it deems it necessary, either burning or under cooking my breads. Fortunately for me, my neighbor whose ducks were stolen mentioned that she was getting a new to her stove. Nothing was wrong with hers, it was just outdated, and would I like to have it. YES! OH YES! Well actually I am a little more coy then that. Now I have a working oven, and with a little bake test, discovered it runs slightly hotter then my old one, but not a problem, I just decrease the baking time by a few minutes. Today I bake!

After my father died, my wonderful friends over on livejournal decided they would send me a hug box. A wonderful goody bag that any homesteader would be proud to receive. Included was a certificate to the McMuarry Hatchery. Yesterday I place my order for, Mottled Houdans, Black Cochins, Partridge Cochins, Golden Polish, Black Minorcas, and Araucanas, now to catch the thieves before the chicks arrive.

ATTENTION Female Homesteaders

I have just signed up for a day of blogging for This Day in the Life of Working Women.

They are looking for 1,000 woman to blog about their jobs, thoughts and feelings on March 27 2007. Out of these blogs, they will choose a certain number of entries to be included in a book. After Signing up myself, I received and e-mail asking that I invite other homesteading women to join up. It is a great opportunity to change the negative thoughts people have about us.

Click here to join up, tell them Phelan sent you, and please let me know if you are participating.

No Saturday Blogroll Today, Instead. . .

A Visit From Saint Nicholas by Clement Moore

ILLUSTRATED FROM DRAWINGS By F.O.C. Darley.

Twas the night before Christmas,when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief,and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap—

When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter,
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of mid-day to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blitzen—
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!
Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So, up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of toys—and St. Nicholas too.
And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack;
His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry; His droll little month was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke,
it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump—a right jolly old elf;
And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle;
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" more Christmas stories available free at Project Gutenburg


Enjoy your Celebrations or your weekend, and I will see you all on Tuesday.

pssst, Simple Katie

And all you other book freaks out there. Just wanted to give you a heads up that Book Close outs is having a dollar for dollar sale until Dec 31st. I buy books there every year, just placed my order and saved over $300 US.

Favorite books

I've been meaning to do this one. From Simple Katie's blog

I've been discussing books with different people lately and wanted to post a list of some of my favorite books. This is by no means, complete or in any kind of order:

• The Portable Poe
  
• The Fall by Albert Camus
• Ingenious Pain by Andrew Miller
  
• The Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
  
• Miles of Post and wire by Florence Corrigan {if you want this book, ask me for it}
  
• 36 Children by Herbert Kohl
  
• Unholy Ghosts by Ita Daly
• Wide is the Water by J.A. Hodge
  
• The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• You just don't Duct tape the baby by Norman Weinberger
  
• The Walls of Blue Coquina by Sam Harrison
  
• Agnus Brown by Brendan O' Carroll
  
• Midwives; A novel
  
• Art and Fear byDavid Bayles
  
• Once Upon a Winter's Night by Dennis McKiernan

I have more, but I went through my bookshelf and just picked them out as I went through them. You can see most of the books I have, no longer have, will read, or not, here.

My reason for posting this list is rather selfish. I'd like to start a meme of sorts, mainly because I'm always looking for new reading material. So if you are so inclined, post 15 of your favorite books on your blog and comment so I know to come check out your list, though I already read the regular commenters here on a regular basis... Katie

A day in the city

I spent a full day in the city yesterday, hanging out in the VA. So not too many things happened.

When I got home a package was waiting for me on my deck. The post mark was Texas. Inside was a hardcover book called Build It Better Yourself. My bookcossing friend Texaswren had used it when she was homesteading, and passed it on to me. How wonderful! I am just so completely thrilled about it.

Thank you Texaswren!Also, Bug had a post up yesterday about color blindness. She had a link were you could check to see if your website was color blind friendly, mine was. Go check it out here at VisCheck.

Happy Halloversary!

Now that I have made a complete fool of myself. . . There were 48 writers that took PBW's e-book challenge. Not all horror, looks like there is a little something for everyone. You can find the list and links here at Free e-books by the challengers. I really wish I had more time to edit, I was up until 3 am the night before, editing until the screen was blurry and still missed some obvious problems. ~sigh~ But now I can rest for a day before NaNoWriMo starts. Why do these things always fall during harvest time?

As you are all aware, today is Halloween, one of my favorite Holidays. So it if very fitting that today is also our 5th anniversary here on our homestead.

5 years ago today, we moved into the house. I remember thinking it looked so big. we moved from a house that was 900 sq ft {1,000 if you included a porch} to a whopping 1,200 sq ft home! Then we got all our stuff in. Not so big.

This is the first home we had ever bought together, my husband and I. We spent 5 years renting before he decided it was time to actually buy something of our own. I just had my 3rd child, and living on a busy road just wasn't working for us.

We are very happy with our decision to move out here, even if I hated the place at first.

Hope you all have a Happy Halloween! I am off to scare some kids.