The Homestead Mindset Anywhere: by Donna Miller : food

Versatility - one of my keys to budgeting.

Millers Grain House — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:58:00 GMT

Versatility is one of my most important keys to budgeting. Versatility in many areas helps to stretch a budget farther than it may normally go. Here are just a few ideas in a couple of different areas: Wardrobe Versatility: Admittedly, I don't have...(read more)

A tip to 'thinking like a homesteader.'

Millers Grain House — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:55:00 GMT

Well, weather you care to learn these tips because you dream of 'Little House on the Prairie Days' or you just want to stretch the dollars you have, a homesteader's mind works a little differently than most. One main thing is to look at any...(read more)

Weekly Preparation Practice Checklist

Millers Grain House — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:00:00 GMT

I have come up with a list of items that warrant practicing each week to prepare for an uncertain economical or governmental future. It isn’t being pessimistic to actually WANT to and look forward to being able to be more self-sustaining and out of debt...(read more)

Overwhelmed by learning about long term food storage? Relax, here's a plan.

Millers Grain House — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:02:00 GMT

I know how you feel. Just take a deep breathe and compartmentalize.....it can be very overwhelming at first. That's one reason I found the easy open buckets for my home were because people were telling me that for a year's supply I had to vacuum...(read more)

Homesteading on a porch

Millers Grain House — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:18:00 GMT

I always love to hear the trials and triumps of others who have that same pioneering spirit of a homesteader. Many people are overcoming the limits in which they live (financial, spacial, educational,etc) to find ways to improve their lives on a deeper...(read more)

Nation wide peanut butter recall - homesteading mindset solution

Millers Grain House — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:41:00 GMT

In case you haven't read/heard there is a huge peanut butter recall (yes, again) across the nation. It is affecting everything from the stuff itself to ice cream and candy bars that peanut butter is in - I mean EVERYTHING is getting the FDA warning...(read more)

My Only New Year's Resolution - Organize: it saves money

Millers Grain House — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:12:00 GMT

Whether you live in a small apartment or in a mansion on a one hundred acre spread of land, organizing is one of the top resolutions for the New Year for many people. It usually comes in about third place in the list behind health related and financial...(read more)

Left Over Turkey Ideas!

Millers Grain House — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:23:00 GMT

We had two turkeys for Thanksgiving. Somehow we anticipated a hoard of guest that just never seemed to show up so now we are over loaded with turkey. We have a left over smoked turkey and a regular one. There should be an award for how many dishes you can make from a picked over turkey after Thanksgiving.Here are a few things we are doing with the remainders of ours:1. Duh - Sandwiches, that's a given.2. Turkey Pot Pie (plain)3. Turkey Noodle Casserole (smoked)4. Turkey Soup (made stock out of the 'carcass' and remaining meat that fell off the bone before throwing it away)5. Turkey Salad - like chicken salad (plain)6. Turkey Sheppard’s Pie (using also those left over mashed potatoes)So with that little list I think my family may be over loaded on turkey for a while but at least there's a variety! I'd love to hear what you all did with your turkey extras!

How to stretch a left over baked potato.

Millers Grain House — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:21:00 GMT

Now, I know there are more ideas than this one....but this is our FAVORITE way to use them rather than toss them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MumZcIjTJQ

It's short so it should load pretty fast!

Best Blessings and enJOY!

Donna

coughcoughwheezewheeze* finding the relief in teas.....

Millers Grain House — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:38:00 GMT

Oh well...I'm trying.....

You know the old Alka-Seltzer jingle.....that was a poor play on it......

Anyway, I have been out of sorts for a few days and it got me to thinking (now that the head-fog has lifted) that there is a certain mentality to sickness that can be frugal. I don't think it is simply a homesteader's mentality as I have known a good many people who employ the same concept as I am about to describe. I will, however, attest to the fact that MANY homesteading families do react the same way we do in our home.

We don't go to the doctor until we have no other choices.

Generations are different. My grandfather and grandmother go to the doctor a LOT. They ALWAYS have. My mother and my father not so much, but do believe the doctor knows more than they do. My generation (at least me) is not too big on the doctor. I mean, they call it 'practicing medicine' for a reason...it's just practice until they get it right.

No offense to doctors here. I go when I have to. I've had surgery when I had to. The doctors I have used have been very professional and caring. They are wonderful people with a noble profession. I just don't have to run to them for everything.

Years ago when the kids were little and our son had asthma we were in the middle of a no-insurance switch over in jobs and had moved to a new area. With no money and no doctor I watched my son begin to show signs of a pending attack (he always got black-eyes and nose-bleeds just before). The next day at church a sweet little hippy girl (a little older or younger than me) overheard me telling my husband that we may need to take him to a clinic or ER if it comes on. She ran to her car and brought me something I had never seen before then. It was Tea Tree Oil. She gave me instructions that were written on the bag (by a Native American who had given it to her and also lived in the area) and we went home to try our first EVER herbal remedy.

It worked. Our son did not have an asthma attack. In fact, we used this remedy as a pre-emptive strike for his asthma so often that eventually he out grew it without having hardly any more attacks.

Now, this is not to say no one should see a doctor - by all means - sometimes that is the ONLY choice TO make.

I guess what I am saying is, there are a LOT of things provided for us in nature by the Creator that we can let food be our medicine. You do know who said that right? Hippocrates. He’s the ‘father of ancient medicine’. The one the doctors quote when taking the Hippocratic Oath. Yeah, he said that.

So, now, back to my cup of hot Peppermint Tea with Honey and Ginger. Later I'll juice two apples with ginger root to help with the chest congestion which is almost gone.

Herbs and foods are often the best cure. They certainly are cheaper than a doctor’s office and prescription.