Wild Moon Cottage is a small working homestead in the pristine Ozark Mountains. We have dairy goats, poultry, organic herb and vegetable gardens, a start of a tiny fruit orchard, several black walnut trees, wild berries and fields of wildcrafting goodness. We raise our own milk, our own eggs, much of our own medicine and food. I do laundry by hand, make my own vinegar, candles, soap, bread, cheese ........ For a living I am an artist and herbalist. My goal for myself and our homestead is to be as self sufficient and self sustaining as possible.

Monday, June 30, 2008

6.30.08

A busy, hot day. Not bad tho, the sunlight is so beautiful dappled thru the leaves and branches of the big Oaks in the yard. It always looks like magic to me and feels like magic when you walk into their shade from the bright hot sun.

We've gotten a lot done today too. I mowed most of the mowable yard. The main parts anyway. Nik got most of the house scraped, we're getting ready to paint soon. We did have a little problem with paint chips blowing off the plastic he put down to catch them. We didn't get them all picked up yet because we came in for a break and some supper. We'll finish with them a little later tho so they won't get to far.

I got a little weeding done and am getting ready to lay more weedcloth in the medicinal garden. I'm also making potting soil on that side for later use in the greenhouse.

What I did was ... after I moved the herbs out, I tilled it double deep and amended the soil with 3 year old leaf compost. I tilled that in and added extra worms then, besides replanting most of the herbs back in it, I also planted some grass that is supposed to further amend the soil. I'll have to look up the type but it was sold as "Long Grass". It's got very narrow blades and very shallow roots. It pulls right out of the dirt and the a little shake is all it takes to leave the dirt in the garden. When I do pull it I put it in a bucket and throw it in the chicken pen, the ducks love it. I had millet planted on one side of the pen but they've eaten it all and killed the roots I'm afraid. I intend to plant a larger area that they can't get into and use it to help feed them in the winters.

I was blessed to get a few more candle and soap making supplies yesterday and have already made 8 small bars of soap and 3 small candles. It was very easy and great fun and hopefully will add a little to my income. The soaps are simple vegetable glycerine base which is very easy and fairly safe. Eventually tho I intend to learn to make lye based soaps.

I would also someday like to get a small beehive for honey and a little beeswax and more. Nik is interested in beekeeping and the honey alone would be worth a great deal to me. I use it often and it's such a wonderful medicine for so many things. I would love to make beeswax candles as well but it takes quite a bit of beeswax which is terribly expensive and more then one small hive could make. Maybe I should talk to some local bee people and see about cahooting with them :)

3 comments:

Peggy said...

you sure have been one busy lady! Hope you have a fantasic week

Phill said...

"Feels like magic when you walk into their shade from the bright hot sun."

Earth Sister, I think that just might be the truest thing I have heard all Summer! Well spoken. Congrats on the soaps Isn't funny - I started with the lye soaps and have always been curious about the glycerine soaps, LOL.

Peggy said...

Know you are enjoying staying busy with all your many projects but would you pop in to the forum? Getting pm's and emails wanting to know how and where you are. Want to run away to a nice mountain top? I sure do. :)