The Big White Farmhouse | intentional living, little by little

March 28, 2022

No.635: Homemaking Notes on a Monday // Vol. 25

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The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // Spring has arrived! I was talking to one of my kids and we both agreed that green is one of our favorite colors. Is there anything more beautiful than new life sprouting everywhere you look? The grass is growing, the leaves on the trees are filling in and the birds are singing louder each morning. Now if we could stop with these sporadic hard frosts, I could really start planting with abandon! Soon…

As I look around the house // Oh homemaking…I’ll come back to you someday soon. In some ways, I miss the days of just puttering around!

Reflecting // on how there are seasons of hustle and seasons of rest. The season we are in right now feels a little intense, but it’s not forever and I know a slower pace is coming…in June. Only 64 days to go, ha! And even though this homesteading gig is never-ending and exhausting, it sure is satisfying. We have accomplished so much this month. (You’ll see the full extent in my post tomorrow.)

On this week’s to-do list //

– finish up Easter basket gifts
– determine what week works best for standardized testing and order
– work on farm marketing
– keep working on the food forest
– start collecting trees/twigs to make wood chips
– edge around the “cottage garden” beds
– decide how I want to grow potatoes (in towers? in the ground? in hay? so many choices…)

Currently reading //

Fiction: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Nonfiction: Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture by Gabe Brown and We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China’s Surveillance State by Kai Strittmatter
Religious: The End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life by Fr. Charles Arminjon and A Memory for Wonders by Mother Veronica Namoyo Le Goulard, PCC
Read Aloud: Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

On the menu this week // Who am I kidding? I’m sure it will be a hodgepodge of breakfast for dinner, random things from the fridge and chicken on the grill. My mantra: it’s only for a season.

March 23, 2022

No.634: The Wednesday Five #26

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Happy Wednesday!

A QUOTE

…there are between 3,500 and 15,000 insect species worldwide that can be considered pests, in terms of human endeavors. These species eat our food, destroy our homes, bite our children, and transmit diseases. In fact, over the centuries insects have killed more people than died in wars! Most people have a negative attitude about all insects, just as they do toward “germs” and bacteria. But for every pest species, there are between 400 and 1,700 species of insects that are beneficial to humans. Without these beneficial insects, food webs and ecosystems would collapse. Homans depend on insects. If you like fruits, vegetables, or flowers, then you can thank a bee, beetle, or butterfly. – Dirt to Soil, page 54

I had the hardest time deciding on a single quote from this book; it is bursting with information and is inspiring me and my farm so much. I will definitely be moving forward in a direction that encourages everything from bees to earthworms to thrive in our gardens and pastures.

TABS OPEN IN MY BROWSER RIGHT NOW

this tip about freezing bulk beans – genius!
this recently published book about Communist Romania in 1989
this post on how to create a greenhouse from reclaimed windows – a dream for someday…
this post about purple dead nettles – we have these plants all over our property!

A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART

“Springtime” by James George Bingley (found here)

BACKGROUND MUSIC, PERFECT FOR SPRING

FIVE SEED COMPANIES I’M USING ON THE HOMESTEAD THIS YEAR

Territorial Seed // I’ve had good success with some of their vegetable seeds
Park Seed Co. // I’m growing their tomatoes and peppers this year
Eden Brothers // a lot of my flower seeds came from here
True Leaf Market // their cover crop selection is awesome
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange // new to me! my son picked up a pack of beet seeds for me from his job at the farm

March 18, 2022

No.633: Small Biz Showcase // Easter Basket Ideas

This post contains affiliate links.

It’s been a long time since I’ve scoured etsy for a “Small Biz Showcase” post! Since Easter is about a month away, I decided to look for quality, non junky items to put in Easter baskets. I found three items each for babies, little kids and bigger kids. Check out what I found:

FOR THE BABIES

+ I love the simplicity of this bunny ear teether from Ribbons and Buttons Co. Lots of colors and prints to choose from.

+ This bunny lovey from Bunny Lulu Handmade is truly heirloom worthy. It’s made with organic cotton terry and look at that beautiful Liberty of London floral fabric in the ears!

+ How sweet is this wooden bunny lacing toy from Red Barn Toys? Designed to last, the maker of these toys hopes that they “help children with their fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and help build longer attention spans.”

FOR THE LITTLE KIDS

+ This picnic themed play dough kit from Happy Life Magic Shop is perfect for the kid who loves sensory things. The shop has everything from dinosaurs to unicorns, so something for everybody. I especially love that it comes with a little box to keep all the pieces together.

+ Sidewalk chalk is always a favorite springtime activity around here. These Easter egg shaped chalks are packaged so nicely and are the perfect size for little hands.

+ How cool are these bubbles wands from The Bubble Connection? Perfect for the littlest kids, it says that you don’t even have to blow – just dip and wave the wand for bubbles! Comes in a variety of colors and shapes and they even carry their own bubble solution.

FOR THE BIG KIDS

+ Who doesn’t love s’mores? 1927 S’Mores Company makes beautifully packed gourmet s’mores kits in a bunch of different flavor combinations, including Cocoa Espresso, Whisky Salted Caramel and Moose Tracks! All of the graham crackers and marshmallows are locally made from scratch and there are no preservatives or artificial flavoring. So fun!

+ Sawyer & Scout is a great shop for nail wraps. The reviews are fantastic and they have a color and design for everyone! The shop also offers a flat rate of $3.99 for shipping, no matter how many you buy, which is nice for stocking up.

+ Have a tween/teen who loves to write? These leather journals from Mad Tree Woodcrafts are gorgeous and you can personalize them any way you like.

P.S. Another great place to find gifts for kids is at Fat Brain Toys! They currently have a promotion going where you can get a free Eggventure gift with orders of $65 or more, no code necessary. Check out the details here.

March 15, 2022

No.632: Five Good Things // No.09

1 // A FUN SPRINGTIME ACTIVITY

On one of the warmer days last week, we made a homemade bubble solution using this recipe. I kept the 4:1:2 ratio, but went with a cup versus a tablespoon. Big hit with the smallest three kids.

2 // HELP FOR NOVICE GARDENERS (LIKE ME!)

When it comes to gardening, I need all the help I can get. I recently discovered the From Seed to Spoon App and it is a treasure trove of information for novices like me! The layout is easy to navigate and I especially love how it tells you when and how to plant each variety. The “friends” section is helpful for companion gardening as well. I’m learning a lot and have completely revamped my garden plan.

3 // NEW IDEAS FOR GETTING EVERYONE OUTSIDE

Have you seen the 1000 Hours Outside kick off packet? (Thanks for the tip, Tab!) My kids are a bit older and we already spend a lot of time outside with farm/garden stuff, but I still found value in the printables. I’m jotting down the best ideas in my planner and plan to surprise the littler kids with special days throughout the year. Yay for helping me be a fun mom!

4 // A VIDEO THAT MADE MY KIDS LAUGH

The elementary-aged kids and I just finished up the mammal unit in science and they especially loved the section on primates. One of the animals we learned about was the macaque and this video had them in stitches. I mean…what a life.

5 // A MORE NATURAL SOLUTION FOR HEADACHE SUPPORT

I occasionally struggle with hormonal and stress headaches. In an attempt to find a more natural solution, I purchased the Migraine Support roll on from Rocky Mountain Oils. If I apply it as soon as I feel the headache coming, it really takes the edge off. Not sure I’d say it completely takes it away, but I’m thankful for the supplementary help.