Such an exciting season around the wee homestead! Weâve got mostly happy snaps and cute vids to share this postâgrowing piglets and bees and veggiesâyippie!
Iâll save the unsavory stuff til the very end, that way those who must can just skip it. (Mighty generous of me, eh? đ)
Letâs begin with a bumper crop of piglets, 11 of them, here trying to figure out the basics. This is just one day old, my arenât they some quick learners!
Later we have a couple more from today, at one week old.
Sheâs been an excellent mama, Patty, this is her 2nd litter.
The garden is going strong already and this is definitely the earliest Iâve seen bumble bees out and about. March 15 is our average last frost date around here, for whatever thatâs worth. Considering weâve seen snow-covered Indian paintbrush before, we donât put a lot of stock in that date.
If we donât get a late frost this year it will be our earliest ever for summer planting. Iâve already got cucumbers in! The tomatoes are just about to go in and the peas are presenting perfectly.
Peas and fava beans planted together. If it gets too hot too quickly they will be a bust, but we do love when they succeed.
On left in the basket is celeriac, another fav of mine I try ever year, but like the fava beans and peas, it all depends on the temperatures if weâll see a harvest. Next to them are tomatoes started under lights indoors and hardening now before planting in a day or two. Iâll plant some indeterminate varieties in about a month, hoping theyâll last longer through the heat. On right, the onions and garlic are looking great.
The old pears have already flowered over a week ago, here you can see Papa Chop napping while surely enjoying their sweet scent wafting on the breeze. Along with the bees!
On the right you can see me filling up the new hive with bees that over-wintered in the nuc where they positioned themselves last spring.
This was such a memorable experience last year that we managed to catch a bit of on vidâwell worth the watch as the colony we just captured as a swarm moves from the hive I tried to put it in into the nuc Iâd placed as a bait hive, moving themselves within just a few hours from one side of the garden to the other.
This was a swarm we caught and first tried to transfer to a different hive on the other side of the garden. The bees had a better idea.
This was the swarm last spring. It was just a small one and I guess they just didnât feel quite ready yet for the big hive I tried to place them in.
Thank you maâam, but we prefer it over here!
Well, this time they were a little more receptive to my preference and they are in their expanded home doing fine. đ¤
The piglets are so cute itâs hard not to take multiple vids watching them. I donât edit yet, but maybe someday Iâll venture into more serious farmish filming.
And another âŚ.
But, itâs not all peaches and rainbows for the piglets. Because you know, âmale privilegeâ. Last year Hubby learned to castrate, which is an absolutely necessary skill if youâre serious about raising pigs. He did the deed, heâs gotten rather quick and good at it, so we made a couple of vids this time. Hereâs the intro.
Iâll refrain from posting an example of the dirty deed though, which I could barely film! Yes, I admit one of my many bad qualities is squeamishness. But in my defense, I know many others way more squeamish than me!
If you really want to see it, youâll have to send me an email. Donât worry, I wonât judge. đ
And in other bad news, yes, they still spray our beautiful days away. đŠ
Still, itâs a beautiful life, and while we may complain, we know how to appreciate it all, too.
When all else fails, learn from Bubba.
âOh, you only meant to dry the cushions here for freshening? Let me test that out for ya.â ~So Says Bubba
Thanks for stopping by, wishing yâall a glorious spring!
Shadow pointing out which wild cherry suckers I should try to grow into trees.
Iâve just added a new page to our Herbal Explorations section, Elderberry, thanks to Gavin Mounseyâs excellent work.
This is only an excerpt, so I encourage a full reading of his article!
Medicinal use of Elderberry:
Elder has a very long history of household use as a medicinal herb and is also much used by herbalists. The plant has been called “the medicine chest of country people”. The flowers are the main part used in modern herbalism, though all parts of the plant have been used at times. Stimulant. The fresh flowers are used in the distillation of “Elder Flower Water”. The flowers can be preserved with salt to make them available for distillation later in the season. The water is mildly astringent and a gentle stimulant. It is mainly used as a vehicle for eye and skin lotions. The dried flowers are diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, galactogogue and pectoral. An infusion is very effective in the treatment of chest complaints and is also used to bathe inflamed eyes. The infusion is also a very good spring tonic and blood cleanser. Externally, the flowers are used in poultices to ease pain and abate inflammation. Used as an ointment, it treats chilblains, burns, wounds, scalds etc. The fruit is depurative, weakly diaphoretic and gently laxative. A tea made from the dried berries is said to be a good remedy for colic and diarrhoea. The fruit is widely used for making wines, preserves etc., and these are said to retain the medicinal properties of the fruit.
Some of the medicinal benefits of Elderberries include:
One of the most well-studied elderberry syrup benefits is its powerful immune-boosting properties. The berries contain chemical compounds called anthocyanidins, which are known to have immunostimulant effects.
Research actually shows that elderberry is a safe, efficient and cost-effective treatment for the common cold and flu. A 2021 systematic review screened 1,187 records and five randomized trials on elderberry for the treatment or prevention of viral respiratory illness. Researchers found that elderberry may reduce the duration and severity of symptoms related to colds and influenza, and thereâs no evidence that it overstimulates the immune system.
A 2016 study published in Nutrients showed that elderberry supplementation was able to reduce cold duration and symptoms in people using air travel. People using this herb from 10 days before travel until four to five days after arrival overseas experienced, on average, a two-day shorter duration of their colds as well as a noticeable reduction in cold symptoms.
Several studies have found benefits to support the use of elderberry syrup for flu symptoms as well. Specifically, the flavonoids in the extract bind to the H1N1 human influenza virus as well as the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
A 2009 study randomized patients into two groups. One group was given four doses of 175-milligram proprietary elderberry extract daily, and the other group received a placebo for two days. The group treated with the extract showed significant improvement in most flu symptoms, while the placebo group showed no improvement in symptom severity. Researchers conclude that the extract is effective in controlling influenza symptoms.
The group treated showed significant improvement in most signs of flu, while the placebo group showed no improvement in symptom severity. Researchers concludedthat the extract is effective in controlling influenza symptoms.
Another study published in the Journal of International Medical Research referenced above suggests that when elderberry is used within the first 48 hours of the onset of signs of flu, it can shorten the duration of flu symptoms by an average of four days.
With elderberryâs anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it makes sense that it can help treat sinus issues. A sinus infection is a condition in which the cavities around the nasal passages become inflamed, and this antiviral herb has promise as a sinus infection natural remedy.
A study conducted by the Institute of Complementary Medicineâs Department of Internal Medicine at the University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland examined the use of a product called Sinupret, which contains elderberry extract. The researchers used Sinupret to treat bacterial sinusitis along with an antibiotic (doxycycline or vibramycin) and a decongestant. Interestingly enough, those who took the combination did better compared to those who did not take Sinupret at all.
In addition to using elderberry syrup for colds, the flowers of the elder plant are also known to be an effective herbal allergy remedy. Since allergies involve an overreaction of the immune system as well as inflammation, the herbâs ability to improve immune function and calm inflammation can help provide allergy relief.
Some herbalists put black elder flower on the list of most effective herbs used for treating hay fever-like symptoms. It can be used for allergies on its own or in combination with other herbs and natural remedies.
Edible berry extracts like elderberry extract are rich in anthocyanins and have been shown to have a broad spectrum of therapeutic, pharmacologic and anti-carcinogenic properties. In vitro studies specifically indicate that the elderberry has some chemopreventive properties, which can help inhibit, delay or reverse cancer formation.
One study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food compared the anticancer properties of European and American elderberry fruits. European elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is known for its medicinal use and contains anthocyanins, flavonoids and other polyphenolics, which all contribute to the high-antioxidant capacity of its berries. American elderberry (Sambucuscanadensis) has not been grown or promoted as a medicinal plant like its European relative.
This study tested extracts of both berries to assess anticancer potential and found that both demonstrated significant chemopreventive potential. Additionally, the American elder extract showed inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase, which is an enzyme marker related to the promotion stage of cancer formation. Thus, elderberries show potential as cancer-fighting foods.
Although studies have found mixed results, some research suggests that elderberry extract may improve heart health. For example, one animal model showed that giving mice with high cholesterol and HDL cholesterol dysfunction anthocyanin-rich black elderberry extract helped reduce hepatic cholesterol levels and improved HDL function. This may be due to the presence of anthocyanins, which are polyphenols that have demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Another study found that elderberry extract may have beneficial effects on high blood pressure. When polyphenols extracted from the plant were administered with renin inhibitors to rats with hypertension, they reduced arterial pressure.
Researchers suggest that using polyphenols to lower blood pressure may also help reduce the side effects of blood pressure-lowering medications and improve overall quality of life.
The calcium, iron, and potassium in the berries are known to strengthen bones and increase bone mineral density, cutting the risk of osteoporosis as a result.
Experiments show the benefits of natural polyphenols extracted from the Elder (Sambucus nigra) fruit on osteoporosis regression. Extremely low bone mineral density is improved by polyphenol delivery. Thus, a dietary intake rich in natural polyphenols helps lead to the regression of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis regression due to the Sambucus nigra extract shows us how powerful these berries are for preventing bone degradation and speeding up bone healing.
Being rich in vitamins A and B6, elderberries can help prevent serious vision ailments like glaucoma and macular degeneration. The antioxidant activity of elderberries also helps ensure vision health in the long run.
One study talks about how the anthocyanins in berries (including elderberries) can help treat cognitive impairment and the resultant conditions like Alzheimerâs.
Elderberries are also replete with quercetin, which is an important flavonoid critical for brain health. Quercetin reduces the harmful inflammation at a cellular level. It also activates the mitochondria in your cells â which are powerhouses that boost cell health.
As mentioned above, Mitochondria are the powerhouses of your cells, generating energy to fuel your cellsâ biochemical reactions. Via optimizing their function and promoting their rates of regeneration within your body you are building a solid foundation for health, vibrancy and longevity from the cellular level up.
Sufficient mitochondrial biogenesis (the process by which cells increase mitochondrial numbers) is necessary for efficient cell function and haemostasis, which is dependent on the regulation of ATP generation and maintenance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). These procedures play a primary role in the processes of inflammation, aging, cancer, metabolic diseases, and neurodegeneration. Polyphenols (such as anthocyanins) are considered as the main components of plants, fruits, and natural extracts with proven therapeutic effects during the time. These components regulate the intracellular pathways of mitochondrial biogenesis.
The studies available also support the ability of anthocyanins to prevent damage to mitochondria and to sustain its function. Berry extracts also demonstrated positive outcomes in different models of neurodegeneration, endothelial dysfunction, myocardial damage, metabolic disorders, longevity, and cancer. At the molecular level, major anthocyanins can modulate the expression and activity of mitochondrial proteins, apoptotic and biogenesis factors, antioxidant defenses, inflammation, and the AMPK pathway. Noteworthy, anthocyanins could balance abnormalities in ROS production, respiration, and mitochondrial fragmentation in cells exposed to toxicants or oxidizing agents.
âŚ..
Here on the wee homestead I use elderflowers and elderberries in kombucha with delicious results! Iâve also made syrup and St. Germain.
Please visit Gavinâs full article for so much more on this ancient medicinal plant, including history, myth and folklore, habitat, recipes, and beautiful photography.
Elderberry blossoming in the garden with pumpkin, inviting lots of pollinators.
I started making cheese because I love cheese and could no longer find quality cheeses nearby. I lived on a diet of mostly bread and cheese while a student in France and while it did take its toll on my middle (I gained a pound or ten!) it felt perfectly sustainable as far as health and deliciousness to me.
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com Could totally be me! đ
Fast forward a decade and suddenly cheese was making me sick. And bread, too! Like a great many folks, I was told I was âlactose intolerantâ and had a âgluten allergyâ. Suddenly. Out of nowhere. How very odd.
I gave up bread and cheese for a year and the problem was solved, but I was miserable. Then I started to do some research on my own.
What I learned Iâve talked about before on this blog so I wonât go into detail. The results speak for themselves: I can eat as much bread and cheese as I want, as long as I make it myself, from raw milk and organic wheat berries and all natural ingredients. We also eat homemade ice cream regularly. And cookies and cakes.
But the problem with the commercially manufactured ingredients these days is far worse than just homogenizing and denaturing. The rennet used to make 90% of cheese in this country is GMO, so itâs no wonder at all so many are being told they are lactose intolerant or have IBS and allergies and other digestive issues every time they consume dairy. And wheat. Itâs become so common itâs a joke.
In reality, these non-foods are poisoning people and it should be pretty obvious by the poor state of health of a majority of the population.
Thanks to Granny for sending this article that sums up the cheese reality pretty well. And itâs not pretty.
âGenetically modified FPC â To overcome some of the shortcomings of the vegetable and microbial rennets like the potential bitter cheese taste, scientists have leveraged genetic engineering technology to create new, genetically modified species that generate these milk-curdling enzymes.
Introducing the most common alternative to animal rennet in cheese making â FPC, which stands for Fermentation-Produced Chymosin (FPC). (Chymosin referring to the enzyme that curdles milk, and is naturally present in the stomach lining of ruminant animals).
In fact, 90% of the cheese manufactured in the U.S. uses these enzymes from genetically modified organisms.9
FPC was created by the one and only Pfizer (biotech company) and is made possible by using CRISPR gene editing technology10Â where the genomes of living organisms are modified. The âsafetyâ of FPC was evaluated by a 90 day trial in rats.11â
Is it safe to consume? Good question!
âThis bioengineered chymosin (FPC) was granted Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) status. Meaning, Pfizer was exempt from the pre-approval requirements that apply to other (non GRAS) new food additives.â
Food was just fine before they started screwing with it! đ
A few of my homemade cheesesânot as difficult as you might think to learn how, and so worthwhile!
This post weâve got some happy snaps, the usual weather bitching, a bit of pre-planning and some good news on two healing fronts.
(From bottom left: mini-mustard greens and new lettuce germinated inside about to be transplanted to replace all weâve eaten; several types of onions and elephant garlic (which does best here, by far); and turnips for us and the pigs. đ)
The cauliflower is long gone, the broccoli nearly so, but a new crop is already in the works inside on a heat mat. Succession planting has its limitations in our East Texas Yo-Yo Season (formally known as âwinterâ). Sometimes you get lucky with a warm stretch and get a nice surprise (yay, third times a charm, the carrot seeds finally germinated!) other times you get premature bolting (that dumb broccoli didnât even produce a good head yet!).
Premature bolting đ But some nice butter lettuce still doing well by covering during cold swings
I do not appreciate it, and I think it stresses us all at some level, not just me, not just the more sensitive 4-legged and 2-legged, but all of life. Five warm days go by, in the 70s (but feeling hotter), with an unseasonal and hot stinking wind coming from the south, then suddenly, the very next day, itâs 40, lows in the 20s, and the dogs are shedding, also unseasonably.
Our âArctic chicksâ â confused broody hens confusing weather whiplash for spring
Yes, we get the surprise arctic chicks on occasion. Itâs nice to see a bee or two about. We get early daffodils. But we also get another lost fruit crop because it is sure to frost and now, again, everything is blooming far too early.
And it seems to me, the more folks are catching on, the more the establishment pushes back, with the gaslighting and the misdirection and the normalizing.
Going back to the 1800s! And howâs that working out for us?
Despite the man-made manipulation, or maybe because of it, Iâve come to appreciate the old adage âLet nature take its courseâ on a whole new level. Weâve had two overlapping critter health issues these last months, both with their unique challenges.
Shadowâs blood-spurting ear was by far worse, but still, in every case, I donât like not knowing what to do, stressing about my lack of knowledge, feeling useless, and thatâs how I felt during Chestnutâs ordeal as well.
Please allow my whine for just another moment, itâs been illuminating for me, in a way.
Self-reliance is a cornerstone goal for us. Relying on vet care is not an option for a number of reasons, beginning with the cost, ending with the lack of trust we have for the medical establishment, and with a very long and convoluted journey in between where we try to figure out how to bridge this enormous gap, with no training.
We are lucky for the internet, but you know how that goes. One problem, a dozen conflicting pieces of advice. We ask around as well, we are certainly grateful the many suggestions offered, but still itâs nerve-racking making ill-informed decisions, and no matter what anyone might pretend, health is not an exact, one-size fits all kind of science.
Chestnut was acting strangely, very suddenly. She went from just fine to a few hours later she was lethargic and not eating much and separated herself from the herd.
My goat friend suggested Ivermectin and it seemed to work fine. Then she quickly developed an abscess on her side. Related? No clue. It looked terrible, but it was not bothering her at all. I read lots of advice, but decided to let nature take its course after reading one description that sounded most similar to what I was seeing. Though they recommended lancing it at the end stage to avoid âinfectionâ. (In the above photo you can see the âbefore and afterâ, the photo on right taken yesterday, sorry for the blurriness.). It got very large and it was not easy to do nothing!
Itâs been over a month now, and it is healing nicely. Patience was the correct remedy, not lancing. I think we have an addiction to unnecessary interference in our culture.
The ordeal with Shadow was a serious challenge. You might recall the middle of the story from our last Happenings post. It started all the way back in November with a little nick on the tip of his ear. The cat?
Who knows, but it was shockingly difficult to get the blood flow under control.
We had much advice, some of it new and excellent (thanks again Kath and Zoe!), but wow, did that take some patience and perseverance, which mostly landed on Hubby, as per usual. (Male privilege! đ)
Three months later and it is completely healed and allâs well that ends well, thank heavens!
What exuberance, no one around here can keep up with him! He runs circles around us all, then sits patiently by Hubbyâs side until the next round.
We LOVE potatoes, but they arenât the easiest to grow here. This âbarrel-layeringâ technique has proven to be more successful.
We love potatoes so much we also buy them in bulk when theyâre on sale and Hubby cans them up and they fry up in tallow so quick itâs like a delicious fast food thatâs a cheaper and healthier alternative to the industrially processed varieties.
It is a long and labor-intensive project, thatâs 45 pounds of potatoes there, it took him the best part of a day to do, but weâll be appreciating the effort for 28 delicious meals. đ
Looking ahead weâre doing a bit of planningâIâll be giving another beginnerâs fermentation course next month and Hubbyâs got some good livestock trades in the works, weâre committed to foraging more for mushrooms and cultivating our own.
Patty, our mama-to-be, eating up the last acorns. Already many of her piglets claimed for bartering deals. đ
Hereâs a current little visit with our herd, including, hopefully many healthy, expectant mamas with kids growing fine.
Not that little guy, heâs our first buck, we call him Teaky.
5 expectant mamas among our St. Croix-Dorper flock
Incorporating more permaculture design in the garden and orchard is an on-going big goal. We have a couple spaces empty and Iâd love to try something really unique like this:
Permaculture-Inspired image Iâm dreaming about!
Where Iâd be including my fun garden-art projects, like these:
Lots of grand plans in the works, always, but itâs the simple things that make the hard stuff worth while.
Another share-worthy postâwill we ever learn from the lessons of history?âWill we ever collectively recognize the same played-out modus operandi of the Corporatocracy myth-makers?âThe pattern should be very clear: ignore, scapegoat, memory hole, re-write the laws, re-define the words, move goal posts, slander, rinse & repeat.
Some are shocked and appalled by this, as they should be, according to me. Others think it will be a fantastic improvement to human life, or a great way to make more fiat, or a solution to the burden on the caring professionals, or they love tech for techâs sake, or whatever.
Those of us who love history and dwell constantly on the question âhow has it come to thisâ were well aware of this potential because we study the trajectory of modern life. I could begin with the first critics centuries ago, but for brevity sake, Iâll start instead with my own life, the only history available to me to know thoroughly enough.
Working mother, divorced parents, step parents, then step siblings, professional daycares, neighborhood babysitters, after school programs, junk food, convenience food, lots of TV.âFamily history of: diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer, vision problems, depression, eczema, alcoholism, Parkinsonâs, and, you get the picture.
And I would not say my family life was bad. It was the typical American suburban life of a great many growing up in the 70s and 80s. Neither particularly good, nor bad, just normal. Normal, as in well-normalized.
Like most families my parents would joke about voting for the âlesser of two evilsâ. They probably learned that from their parents. My mom went to community college and got her degree once we were gone, in sociology. She worked full-time all her adult life and didnât regret it. My dad remained âupwardly mobileâ as his Protestant father taught him to be.
In fact, we have retired before him, and he has just had his first heart attack.
They are both still with us, but they do not read this blog, so I could say whatever I wanted. đ. But, thatâs not the point of this particular post.
Letâs leave it at thisâin hindsight, my unique perception of growing up this way is, in a nutshellâthere was not a lot of parenting happening.âThe results of this having widespread and devastating effects.
It is from these original seeds of pseudocare that have been not only consistently irrigated in our own territories, but have been dispersed throughout the world these last five-plus decades which has ensured the trajectory to the ridiculous place where we now find ourselves: Drowning in pseudocare so deeply we can scarcely recognize what real care looks like anymore.
Another quick peak at the fruits those seeds have produced.
Yet even facing all of this, Iâm still optimistic, as I have been all my life.âEven at the worst of times, even during a few prolonged worst of times, I mustâve still learned something vital from my half-assed upbringing and collapsing culture.
So, here it is, in another nutshell:
Believe in yourself, believe it can change, but donât practice in sidestepping the hard stuff.âAnd the hardest of the hard stuff is care, real careâfor yourself, for others, for the futureâthat is why we are here.âHow you go about that is your personal journey and your only real duty to discover and live.âThat is all there is to do in a life well-lived.
Which is why I want to once again quote an obvious example of someone doing exactly that, Gavin Mounsey, who is rocking the real care like a hurricane these days! Wait . . . What??âOk, terrible simile aside . . .
I believe he knows what needs to happen next and is becoming the living manifestation of that in his own life first, and passing it around.âLeading by example, itâs the only way.âItâs the same cardinal rule as storytellingâShow, donât tell.
âI want to give my energy to improving and increasing the resilience of my local community, not your hyper centralized one size fits all infrastructure.
âFreedom is not a consolatory prize that can be given to us to reward our obedience and capitulation to a system of violent coercion. It is not something that can be granted or provided to you by some government that wrote some thing on a piece of paper. Freedom is your birthright, and you either live it and embody it, or you allow yourself to be put in a mental cage by statists and other abusive institutions or individuals. My ancestors bloodlines are traced back to a people described in todayâs terms as The Gaels. âSaoirseâ is Irish Gaelic word for âFreedomâ. Saoirse is an ancient concept that comes from the original Brehon laws of the Druidic (and eventually Celtic) world before the time of Christ. In the times when that word was created, my ancient ancestors lived without a centralized state, without prisons and without police.
âSaoirse means many things to different people. For some it means freedom to think, express and freedom to learn, for others itâs the freedom of imagination and the freedom of the spirit. And for some it also means freedom to set up parallel societies.
âThis is one of the reasons that I included glimpses into two historical cultural cross sections of ancient cultures that existed without a centralized state and police/prison system in my essay as I feel that we can glean wisdom from stateless societies that existed for centuries to millennia in how to design more ethical, equitable, honest, Regenerative and practical ways to organize community, encourage amicable/respectful behaviour in humans and collaborate to leave this world a little bit more free and beautiful than it was when we got here after we are gone.
âWith all that being said, I want to emphasize that I think that placing any culture, group of people or individual on some pedestal as pure is unhealthy. I feel we should be vigilant to make sure we are not romanticizing their past nor romanticizing the potential of their worldviews to provide solutions to the present challenges we face.
âThe path to become connected to place with a reciprocal relationship, reverence and humility is the path to embrace indigeneity ourselves.
âIt is a great starting point to create pockets of decentralized resistance to oligarchic / statist tyranny as growing your own medicine and veggies may appear harmless, but in a parasitic global plutocracy it represents a decisive action that severs the tentacles of tyranny in a critically important aspect of our lives (how we access food and medicine). Thus, it is a radical and revolutionary act that appears benign to the hubristic philanthropaths and demociders, serving as a sort of covert sedition in a world governed by parasites that want us dependent, gardening to grow or own food and medicine is like a hammer wrapped in velvet that knee caps big pharmaâs plans to poison us slowly through dependence on their system for health care and also strikes the spine of the digital gulag system, breaking its back so it can no longer have any strength to influence our lives through controlling our access to food/medicine.
A better essay about the importance of self-reliance and health as the ideal antidote to modern societal tyranny I could not have written!âAnd he has a YT channel. đ
He was also kind enough to try to address our biggest garden nuisance within the scope of his permaculture lens.âHe offered many potential solutions, and bless his heart for the effort.â
But Iâll just repeat my personal favorite: hot and spicy gopher wings.âđ¤Ş
What an example of authentic careâgrowing in the real and cyber worlds simultaneouslyâwhere even sassy meat-eaters and smart-asses and AI are welcome to stuff up their comments sections.âNow thatâs grace under fire!
Thanks to guys like these, in the coming decades I predict courageousfellowship will become the new sexy.
Our seasons change. I donât just mean from north to south, east to west. There are the calendar seasons, and the four seasons, though some unfortunate folks only get two.
Then there are the seasons of lifeâchildhood, adulthood, old age.
Here on the wee homestead we have our own seasons now, too. These, of course, are the most special of all seasons, to us.
Here we have just ended the killing season. Hallelujah!âA very unique sort of season to mostâvegetarians certainlyâbut also to most of the western world, who no longer process their own meat.
This is an extremely challenging season.
For Hubby!
He has full and sole responsibility for the slaughtering, the gutting, the skinning, the scalding, the hanging, the butchering, the grinding, the rendering, the canning, the smoking, the curing, the broth-making.
WOW!
â
For my part, I do the packaging.âPlus a bit of pâtĂŠ, a smattering of curing.â Not exactly an equitable deal.
Mostly itâs DeliciousSeason for me! Our small space is full of meats of many flavorsâbacon, ham, pâtĂŠs, sausage, lamb pastrami and various other cures, beautiful chops and ribs and roasts, the aroma of broths and meats that he pressure cans, filling up every corner of our little cottage and wafting out to season the surrounding vicinity.
Roderick and half of his harem. Notice the PVC pipe on Walnut? That was a temporary fix to keep her horns out of the fences, and it worked like a charm.
Cheese season has also just ended. Now my divas should be comfortably pregnant, their season also having shifted thanks to the services of our friendly neighborhood Billy (aka Roderick). That means our herd shall be greatly increased by early summer, gods willing.âRoderick has since moved on to more fertile pastures in the next county.
While the Gouda-style and the Camembert-style are more difficult to make, the Mason Jar Marcelin and the herbed cheese balls aged in olive oil couldnât be easier. A 3rd grader could do it! Donât let the moldy surfaces fool you, beneath their scary exterior these cheeses are quite mild and very tasty.
That means itâs also a season for some difficult decisions. We are at our ideal capacity right now. We donât want to grow. We donât want to get âinto businessâ. Such an odd thing to reject, considering where weâve grown up. It gets in the bloodâthis mindset/worldviewânow what, whatâs next, whatâs new. Get big or get out! Whereâs the market? Donât you want to open up shop? Sell to the public? Get all licensed up and grow, grow, grow?
Oh, hell, no!
What if, we donât care about all that? What if we are in a season of life where we care about quality over quantity? Others can, and will, âget bigâ and in some cases (a precious few) more power to âem.
But, Iâm in my Delicious Season. I have an extra roll around my middle to prove it. (So do Hubby and all the dogs and pigs and even the sheep!)
Nope, my main concern at the moment is, how delicious can I get delicious to be? It sounds decadent, I know. But, maybe further refinement, compared to mass production, could be a really good thing?
Quantity over qualityâwhether in words, or food, or strip malls, or entertainmentâhas not worked out too well for this world seems to me.
There was a time, in my peak ambition years, I did strive for more instead of betterâmore travels, more experiences, more friends, more leisure, even more work. My season has shifted. I definitely strive for better over more these days. What if I could make the most delicious cheese ever made in all the world, and only 3 people ever tasted it?
Fine by me!
Of course, then how would I know if itâs the most delicious? Maybe thatâs not so important either. Maybe itâs sufficient that what we produce and process and serve is delicious enough to make all the hard work worthwhile.
Weâll be spending some cold days relishing in our Delicious Season, because right around the corner another season is waiting.
Bubba and Buttercup LOVE when it gets really cold! When itâs under 20 degrees F they get to camp inside under the kitchen table. đ¤
âBut the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time.â
Some say Itâs on Its last legs. The âcoming collapseâ crowd is growing, thatâs for sure.âIâm pretty sure we can confirm weâre no longer fringe.
âThere are mighty forces arrayed against us. They threaten our liberty, our livelihoods, our families, and even, possibly, our sanity. We may find ourselves, if we are awake at all, resentful or even angry at the situation we find ourselves in. We may want to âresist themâ. But how? Our governments, except possibly at a local level, seem to largely be against us. The corporations, as they always have been, are against us. The mediaâŚditto. The institutions of civil society? Largely captured. Our faith communities? Well, maybe some hope there, but all too often, the same deal. So, what are we to do?â
I donât believe that, exactly.âOur beloved Institutions have always been in service to Empire and I believe Empire is now in the process of refining itself, shedding its skin in order to reinvent itself.âEmpire is like the Ouroborus, eternal and regenerative.
These opinions may look opposing at first glance, but in fact they are complimentary.
I believe Empire is the rolling stone on which the Individualâs sword is sharpened. We will never be without It, we have never been without It.
That does not mean resistance to Empire is futile. But it is painful. From happy slave to disgruntled dissident is a long and lonely journey. It has to be.
Empireâs tactics evolve, forcing the Individualsâ along with It. Not in a David vs Goliath manner, but more like in a perpetuating Gordian Knot. We need each other too much, we are not who we are, one without the other.
For as long as Empire has existed, the Individual has fought to escape it.
He has fought so hard against It, that he has become It. The fight, or dance, however you choose to feel it, has become excruciatingly intimate over time.
At some moments in the cycle, perhaps all it takes are whips and chains to keep the system of Empire churning. In current times It is far more sophisticated. It wants willing and happy slaves, thatâs what helps the Master slaves sleep better at night. Mental slavery, debt slavery, touchless torture.
We each must choose.âThe Individual must have free will.
Itâs not that one is alone on the path away from Empire. There are a great many unhappy slaves. You will find them everywhere along your course, which has existed for as long as Empire.
âThe classic example of ideological motivation is the âwork ethicâ; the idea, which has driven the workers of the West for the past few centuries, that we are morally obliged to work for the system for our entire lives so that, perhaps, one day, we will no longer have to work. A subtler modern example of ideological discipline might be âteam spiritâ â the means by which loss of purpose, dignity, joy and freedom at work is compensated with group-bonding. âI didnât agree with the purpose of the war; I was just looking out for my buddiesâapplies equally to the army platoon, the office department and the school class.ââ33 Myths of the System by Darren Allen
We learn in the Empireâs schooling that the opposite of pleasure is pain. Furthermore, they teach us, that as a species we inherently seek to experience pleasure and to avoid pain.
And yet, sado-masochism is visible everywhere in our cultures. There are those who actively seek pain, and a great many who experience pain, and still go back to do it again, and again, willingly. Mothers and soldiers come to mind. Giving birth is rarely described as pleasurable. Soldiers rarely relish in their battle fatigue. Are we to believe they are all masochistic?
Whatâs missing here? Perhaps the opposite of pleasure is not pain exactly, but a specific kind of pain, the kind inherent in seeking virtue. Why do we not avoid this kind of pain as well, as a general rule?
The Individualâs path is painful because virtue is the opposite of pleasure, as Empire is opposite of the Individual.
That may sound like a notion of the Stoics, yet Iâm definitely Dionysian by nature. It is not for the backache or the sweat or the frustration that I garden. It is for the fruits of my labor. It is for the care Iâm able to show to the soul and soil and the hope that my efforts grow beyond my finite existence and wisdom.âIt is the pain of true âvirtue seekingâ.
I want them all, all my fruits, not out of selfishness, but to distribute at my preference and at my leisure and not according to the dictates or conveniences of Empire.
And yet, Empire is not my enemy. We may fight, or dance, but I do not wish Its collapse. Specifically, I wish It to continue to increase the virtue of the Individual. Even though I know that requires significant pain.
I have been amazed by the incredible virtue of some of those Iâve found along my Individual course.
The following comes from the latest post of one of these Virtuosos, Gavin Mounsey.âI like Gavin not only for his beautiful photos and keen mind and wholesome work, there are many others who fit that bill.âWhat I find most unique about him is, he doesnât bypass the dirty work.âThat is rare in my experience.âHe stays focused on the good, on the light, on the solutions, but not at the expense of the hard truth.âItâs a tough balance I know.
âTaking steps to embrace food sovereignty and a path that consciously nurtures symbiotic relationships are ways of living that are synonymous with a more happy, passionate and creative life. As our basic survival needs become fulfilled through our own âhands-on workâ and skills, it frees up a lot more time to pursue the things we are truly passionate about in life. Embracing that self-sufficient lifestyle is so much more fulfilling than working âfor the manâ getting a pay check of digital fiat currency, trading it with 5 different middle men to get our food, water, energy and fulfill our transportation needs. It really does improve not only the quality of life, but the perception of what is meaningful in oneâs life. It effects our very psychological foundations as we rediscover the simple joys in life. It helps us move away from the hyper-distracted, over-stimulated, digital chemical culture that has built up around us and allows us to let go of greed and materialism by truly coming to know the beauty of planting a seed in the soil, nurturing it to grow, and reaping what we sow.â
âNow is the time to reaffirm our alliances with the living Earth, to nurture new symbiotic relationships with the soil, people, plants and fungi in our local communities. Human empires rise and fall, and history teaches us that when they fall, it is those that know how to grow/forage for their own food, medicine and preserve it, that survived.â
âWe can create oasises of health, resilience, and abundance in each of our communities⌠we can become the solution, break from dependence on centralized systems and help others to do the same. It begins with the soil and the seeds and it evolves into nurturing symbiotic connections with those whom we share our communities with. Each of us can embody the medicine that the land and our communities need too survive and thrive though the tough times ahead.
âThus, each and everyone one of us should now be focusing our efforts on honing our skills related to food/medicine cultivation, preservation and developing a reciprocal relationship with the land where we live.â
âSaving up money for a ârainy dayâ is not a solid way to prepare for emergencies because money has no innate value. Seeds, good soil, gardening skills, increased health/immunity, preserving experience and the symbiotic relationships and friendships we forge with neighbors and the broader community we are a part of (through sharing our abundant harvests and seeds and helping others to grow regenerative gardens) are however things that have innate value.â
Thereâs so much inspiration in his excellent article, many great reasons to start a garden, but also much information about all the rewards gardening reaps.
As the entitled, privileged, white western woman I identify as, I now have Hubby all to myself.
Now his best, his most creative, his most talented and productive self gets expressed here, at home, instead of off in some far away place for some unknown people.
âEvery man looks at his wood pile with a kind of affection.â ~Henry David Thoreau
The benefit for me has been huge, off the charts. Most recently in the form of a beautiful Christmas gift. Weâve spent most Christmases of our 20 year marriage apart, usually with Hubby working offshore. This never felt like such a big deal to me considering we donât have kids and we are neither religious nor consumer-oriented.
It was a pretty good deal actually, because he got bonus pay and we got to feel generous at the same timeâoffering the holidays to the Dads among his co-workers.
No matter how good of a sharer one is entrained to be, especially I guess as a selfish, entitled, privileged, white, western woman, giving the best years of life to âthe systemâ is not nearly as fulfilling as it might sound to some.
Like most modern Westerners we worked hard for many decadesâwe devoted years of education and training in order to fulfill our function in the economy and we played by the social rules and did some right investment things and we feel weâve earned our relative liberty.
Weâve bought our freedom, so to speak. For as long as that lasts anyway.
We have earned our right to withdraw our energy, time and talent from an insane system earlier than scheduled. A âgiftâ hard-earned and well-deserved, Iâd say.
Many years ago I was told that âAmericans live to work, while the French work to liveâ in an attempt to describe the comparable âwork ethicâ of these two cultures. In general, Iâd agree, at least back then. Certainly in past centuries Americans have prided themselves on their reputation of being hard workers, with high productivity, and all those industrious accolades that go along with thatâlike ingenuity and resourcefulness and determination. Now we desire to benefit from those hard-earned character traits.
Retirement is Redefining Fun
I preferred the French style of cultivating more joie de vivre and laissez-faire attitudes, but not just for the more obvious reasons of the pleasure and sensual rewards of the good life. I also saw how unhealthy it is to encompass so much of oneâs raison dâetre âself-esteem and community connections and social structure and really most aspects of life âin with oneâs professional occupation.âBut this is what the majority of us have been trained to do.
âBecause work is an activity in which all initiative and energy is extorted from the individual in order to generate profit for someone else, and because it is unbearably unpleasant, futile and barren, âfreeâ time looms before labour as a garden paradise. Fake sickies are then engineered and labour-saving devices purchased to extend the Pastime Arcadia by a minute or two. But because access to wild nature and genuine culture is curtailed, weekenders are forced to buy their pleasure as they buy everything else, from huge corporations which, to turn a profit, appeal to the lowest common denominator of its demographic, thereby producing, in lieu of satisfying art, addictive titillation and anxiety. In other words, once we have freed ourselves from work, we then have to submit to a world made of work.ââ 33 Myths of the System: A Radical Guide to the World by Darren Allen (2021)
Leaving all the variables asideâlike retirement wasnât exactly intentional and was certainly untimely, yet irresistible, and as yet permanently untenableâthe rewards still far outweigh the risks.
Retirement is Reprioritizing.
The old adage âtime is moneyâ casts an evil word spell. In actuality, time is precious, as money is profane.
âThe second new technology of control invented by the Greeks , was MONEY â an impersonal, indestructible abstraction which rendered people, objects and, eventually, the entire universe as a collection of homogeneous quantities, things which could be bought and sold. It was thanks to the attitude that money engendered that Greek philosophers began to view the entire universe as a composite of discrete, rationally-apprehended granules, or particles (a.k.a. âAtomsâ), and ideas (or âplatonic formsâ), chief among them, the tragic atomâcut-off, isolated, alone â we call âmanâ.â (D. Allen)
When man is no longer âtrading hours for a handful of dimesâ to borrow a Doorsâ passage, fantastic things can occur. Iâm not saying they will occur, only that the potential is created that they might. That is, a space where no space existed before, where moneyâs place in time is squarely upstaged by something infinitely more appealing.
Some folks plan multiple decades for retirement only to be overwhelmed by timeâs infinity once they reach it. They succeeded in their dream. Right?
Whether they scrimped and saved or invested and won, still they cling to the âtime is moneyâ fallacy and once retired spend much energy agonizing over their dwindling resources and increased hours to fill with distractionsâsome new fanaticism âbe it sports or politics or shopping or so, so many other means for their entertainment, that is, their entrainment. Your money and your mind.
Theyâve been so acclimated to the Earn-Spend Ferris wheel of existence that time shifts almost instantly from precious to perilous. The ânever enoughâ crowd, born and bred to earn and burn, to forever cast the pearls of their finite energy into the infinite abyss of acquisition.
Where to burn, once that ride threatens to end? Could a new retirement hobby ever be enough?
Or will it take a new lifestyle? A new way of being and perceiving in the world? Maybe even re-integrating the simple satisfaction of chopping wood and carrying water?âAfter all, why pay a gym membership?
Or, as my beautiful Christmas gift suggests, maybe making furniture?
As best we could, with limited knowledge, skill, money, we set ourselves up to succeed at this moment, and against the odds. Will that be enough? There are no guarantees.
But, the meaning of âsucceedâ has shifted with the territory. Itâs our own meaning now. No masters above, no slaves below. Itâs working at our leisure, at our pleasure, on projects and activities that reflect who we are, what we want out of life, how we envision a better future.âItâs personal and imperfect and itâs the way we are trying to practice more than we preach.
Retirement is spontaneity. After having planned ahead.
Yes, it was a tornado that took down that cedar, and many other trees as well. Yes, our tools are still inadequate. No, we donât have the money to âupgradeâ. But the financial restraints require creativity and frugality, which weâve cultured over the decades. And the self-reliance fosters self-confidence, which weâve been diligently cultivating for decades as well.
If the best things in life are free, what to do with our freedom? Do we spend our precious time perfecting the dance of life, or perfecting our costumes? Do we spend our greatest efforts making it easier for ourselves to play, or for others to watch?
Perfection is the enemy of the good. In the world of corporate work, perfection is the goal. Perfection is the construct upon which all human effort is poised. Your regenerative human resource creates their sustained capital. Perfection in the eyes of the corporate beholder is maintained through mechanization, that is, mechanization of the resource, be he human or time, quotidian or universal.
Retirement is unstructured.
Our only intention now is to never go back. It is a soul-sucking system, not just a time-sucking one. Iâd say thatâs why so many donât get out sooner, or whenever they have the chanceâtheir souls have been too drained already.
Mechanization of the body or soul is equal under the laws of the system. But, unstructured time allows plenty of opportunity to de-mechanize.
What is one man capable of without the lifetime expectation of the system? Without the chaotic pressures of the market?âWith just a bit of time and skill and opportunity?
Thatâs what retirement should be, according to me. The freedom to be unpredictable and unperfectable. The freedom not to be adjusted or tampered with anymore in order to support a slippery system we unwittingly inherited.
âMost people do not know what to do with free time and when it appears they feel only an anxious need to consume corporate fun or, at best, cultural familiarity.â (D. Allen)
A great number of disjointed fragments came together to make this wholeâincluding a tornado, a scamdemic, a hand-me-down gift of turquoise stones, a random forum post about âsteampunk styleâ and a lot of time, and desire, and a good bit of skillânone of which had anything to do with me directly.
I only breathed just a hint of enthusiasm at just the right time and voilaâhe has crafted a unique treasure that will forever recall the transformation of a painful memory recast into magnificently unique beauty, form and function.
The deeper fissures in the wood filled with lovely turquoise stones.
If itâs the only piece he ever creates, I am over-joyed! If it leads to a hobby that fills his desires, I am thrilled! If it leads even further, to actual work, like, for others, well, maybe, Iâll be forced to pull that Retirement is Selfish card again.
Wow, Iâve posted no update since the end of August (aka Late Swelter Season). Now here we are already well into Weather Whiplash Season, my how time flies!
This post weâve got lots of happy snaps, the usual weather bitching, some cheese boasting, and long laments about our dear Shadowâs woes.
Notice the band-aid on his ear? Useless. But, apparently we needed to learn that the hard way.
Sometimes time flies, but when things get really bad, it crawls. Especially when it goes instantly from nothing much to Holy Shit!
And as bad as it is, in the big picture the weather whiplash is still way worse. So, best get that report out of the way first. No rain, in our rainy season. No real season at all, just a rainless rollercoaster, and not nearly as fun as that sounds.
Not natural clouds, folks! And soon the kids wonât be able to see any difference, though the atmosphere has significantly changed in the last two decades, as the weather has changed, as they lie about their climate scam, and charge âcarbon taxesâ to ordinary folks to pay for their madness. Makes me SO FURIOUS!
I could be taking such photos on a regular basis, but it gets old. And then someone could comment on the âprettyâ sunset. đ¤Ż. Argghhh, Noooo! Canât someone please make it stop?!
No? Ok, moving on.
More bad news. Weâve had the most prolific acorn year since weâve been here, thatâs about 15 years. Sounds like good news, I know. It is good news, in many ways. The pigs are getting fat, the sheep and goats are gorging. Literally. And thatâs the problem. One of the young twins gorged himself to death. It was terribly sad. His little stomach ballooned up as if his body couldnât contain it anymore and he was suffering for hours.
Iâd read baking soda could help, but it did not in this case. Perhaps it was too severe. I also read thereâs a surgical procedure which would alleviate the pressure in his gut, but I donât have the confidence to perform that myself and the vets around here donât treat goats. I held the little guy for a long time, trying to keep him warm and help him feel better, but we lost him. Oh the perils of animal husbandry!
Another problem of the acorn bumper crop is much less severe. We live under a large oak tree and have a metal roof. Itâs been rather windy lately and once those nuts start shaking loose, itâs kinda like the sky is falling. If our veteran neighbor with PTSD comes by I expect heâll be darting for cover quick, because it sounds eerily like machine gunfire when they get popping off the roof.
The acorn perks include some plump pigs and happy goats, two of which Iâm still milking, which is making for some very tasty cheeses.
Under the oaks: happy pigs, sheep and goats.Can you spot the perfectly camouflaged foraging pig?Happy goats make for delicious cheeses.
Iâve gotten so successful Iâm confident enough to get very daring!
Chèvre wrapped in sassafras and fig leaves for aging.More aged chèvreâthe top log is covered in dried goldenrod leaves and flowers, the bottom one is wrapped in honeybee comb.Our first pecan harvestâless than impressive, but still delishLactarius paradoxus mushrooms, homemade goat cheeses and first Japanese persimmon
Our fruits were nearly non-existent this summer, but we did just get our first âcropâ of persimmons, a whopping 5 of them! A couple of years ago I harvested lots of them from a neighborâs tree and they were delicious; that was the first time weâd ever tried them.
Fuji persimmon
We planted both varieties, but the American variety takes much longer to start producing fruit and the fruits are generally smaller. These pictured above are Fuji, quite different, harder, larger, less sweet, not at all astringent, and also very tasty. The closest in taste Iâd say would be a very ripe mango, the American varieties are especially super sweet, like jam.
If youâd like to learn more about this fancy fruit, hereâs an enthusiastic lesson from James Prigione.
Weâve been getting a few mushrooms, but the lack of rain is certainly hindering our foraging experience. A friend brought us a huge chicken of the woods, our first time trying it and it was excellent.
Laetiporus sulphureus
The lactarius paradoxus are hard to spot and deceptively unattractive. In fact, they are exceptionally tasty and have a longer shelf-life, and of course a different season, than our favorite chanterelles.
Even while foraging mushrooms it seems the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. đ¤
In the garden we do have two nice full boxes of varied cool-season produce we protect from the frosts with row cover cloth. In addition to lettuces thereâs some broccoli and cauliflower, spring onions, cilantro and parsley, radishes and Chinese cabbage. Weâve also got our garlic already shooting up and a couple rows of turnips started for the pigs come spring. Our neighbors are now buying eggs from us, so we throw in the surplus veggies when we can.
3 of 6 colonies survived our terrible summer. The hives are a bit hodge-podge at the moment while we do maintenance on them.
The honeybees are occasionally making an appearance, though since the frost there is little for them to forage. One of their last favorites is another one considered a ânuisance plantâ by the âexpertsââitâs called tree groundsel and itâs pictured after the frost in the right photo above, in the background behind the boxes. Quite a lovely late-season plant, if you ask me.
And approaching it before the first frost sounded like the buzzing metropolis that it was! A last hoorah for the bees.
So we come back to the current day and our crazy Shadow drama. It all started with a tiny Band-Aid.
Heâs got the ear-span of a small plane and we have the living room space of its cockpit. When he shakes his head he invariably hits some piece of wall or corner of furniture with his Dumbo ears and itâs actually pretty amazing it didnât happen already: a tiny gash on the tip of one ear that he doubtlessly cannot even feel.
Forever happy and oblivious
We were racking our brains for several days, trying everything we could think of and just digging ourselves deeper. One tiny failed Band-aid led to bigger Band-aids led to bigger wraps led to taping menstrual pads to the poor creature!
Nothing was working. We also tried several over-the-counter products, like liquid Band-aid, blood-clotting powder, and some spray-on crap. Not only was nothing working, they all seemed to be making the problem worse.
We even tried to craft our own âNo flap ear wrapâ made out of my doo-rags, which also didnât work. So, we purchased a pricey one online which should be arriving any day now. Obviously, this is a universally common dog issue. A result of over-domestication no doubt, but thatâs fodder for another post.
Then I start racking my pea brain in frantic desperation. How to stop the blood flow pronto?! Crimp his ears with clothes pins? Tie his ears up on top of his head with a scrunchy? Stitches? Soldering? How about just cut the whole ear off? Yes, we did briefly consider the vet. But weâve been spending the many months since we got him trying to detox him from all the vet potions and it feels we are finally making some headway there. I kept imagining the new meds that would be required for this new issue and their invariable side-effects, which would start us off at square one with his detox.
Clearly I donât think very well in high-stress situations. I was really trying hard and the bad ideas were piling on. The blood, which had gone from a tiny occasional drop, to a full-on drip, to a steady stream, and from then within a few hours a sprayer-hose in every direction with every shake of his head. And that boy loves to shake his head.
Between the blood splatter and the acorn fire it feels we could be living in a battlefield training zone.
Yup, the crazy, bloody mess had arrived and is still visible all over our living room, deck, porch, siding. We covered all the furniture and even the walls with old towels and sheets. Hubby started following him around everywhere, with a giant towel extended between his outstretched arms each time he sensed a head shake was about to turn into a sprayer-hose of the sticky, red, splatter paint across the windows, the screens, the ceilings even. (Where are those magical elves when you need a deep house cleaning?)
We needed a miracle, and fast!
And thank the heavens, I got that miracle in one brief email. Thank you UK herbalists, Kath and Zoe, miracle workers! It shouldâve occurred to me sooner. Me, especially, considering I did start the Herbal Explorations pages earlier this year and have been getting educated on herbal remedies. It honestly did not occur to me that herbs could solve this acute issue. I didnât think anything would be fast or effective enough, especially when every other thing we were trying had failed and even worsened the problem.
Zoe suggested powdered myrrh as her preferred method in order to stop the blood flow, but we didnât have that on hand. I ordered some online, but in the meantime chose among her other options, yarrow, and we have plenty on hand because I like it in Kombucha. I made a strong tea with it, as well as grounding some up into a powder and that whole concoction I held on his ear a few times with a cloth, some of that powder getting into the wound and sticking there, and the blood flow finally stopped. Holy Heavens! As of this writing we are still in good form and have our reserve remedies soon arriving in the mail.
What I clearly need now is an official Herbal First-Aid course. Herbs are not just for gentle healing and routine health, I see, they can be used in emergencies, too.
Why did I not think about it sooner?! It seems like such a no-brained to me now, that Iâve started to consider other potentials that didnât occur to me at the timeâlike the old Russian folk remedy bees podmoreâwhich I just happen to have been saving for a rainy day for 3 years now.
Quite an expensive lesson, but a welcome one nonetheless. đ
Thank you from Hubbyâs âWhite Elephantâ! đ
A huge thanks and deep bow to Kath and Zoe, from all of us on the wee homestead! đ đ¤
