No home-loan yet…
Well the long wait is over. We found out yesterday afternoon that our loan request with the USDA has been turned down. Ugh.
Holding my breath for our home loan approval
We finally completed the paper chase for the USDA. Like any home-loan process a number of financial documents and credit verifications are required, but when dealing with a government program there is twice as much red tape. It was a bit of a hassle to gather the necessary documents and …
Wildlife in the backyard
A large part of our plan for the Runamuk farm revolve around wildlife. In our home we love to watch the wildlife in our backyard: birds, bats, squirrels, butterflies and other insects–and so we garden with animals in mind. After we’ve moved into our new home, I’m looking forward to …
Homemade cheddar crackers
One of the ways we try to live sustainably at the Runamuk homestead, is to make what we can by hand. From the hive-boxes my husband constructs for me, to the home-grown vegetables and homemade bread that we eat. Not only is it cheaper, but usually the quality is superior, …
How to store garden produce for the winter
All summer you’ve been enjoying the bounty of your garden, but now there’s a chill in the air and it’s time to harvest the rest of your home-grown vegetables. But how to store it all for use during the winter? Gardening is returning in popularity as more and more people …
Science through music
Someone posted these on Facebook and I wanted to share them with you and yours to enjoy–they’re pretty great! Science is real!!
From bug-hater to beekeeper
I’m selling honey for the first time this year. I am so proud of myself! Ten years ago I would never have imagined I’d end up a beekeeper. I was never a bug person when I was growing up. In fact I was like most folks–thinking that bugs are icky, …
Micro Eco-Farming
Okay, so I wasn’t completely honest. I want my own homestead, sure. But I desperately want to break into what is quickly becoming a fast-growing industry. Micro eco-farming. Micro eco-farming is living and growing sustainably on local tracts of land–usually less than 5 acres.I just read Barbara Berst Adam’s book, …
Citizen science for summer
There are some great opportunities for scientific involvement this summer, and it’s not too late to get in on it. I like citizen science projects. I think they’re a really fun way to get my family practicing science, and we love the feeling of doing our part to help real …
Pressing plants
For a long time I’ve wanted to learn how to press plants. I like the idea of creating beautiful framed works of art using pressed flowers and herbs. I had saved two large squares of cardboard for the project, and today I begged some newspaper from my mother-in-law’s recycling bin. …