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The Land
Our partner in this endeavor is the land we occupy. We cannot call it our silent partner, as the land definitely has a voice and a language, that we are working hard to learn.
Mushroom Logs
Several years ago, we successfully grew shiitake mushrooms using oak logs. Ironwood is also used to grow these mushrooms, so 2 years ago...
Ed
Jan 111 min read
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The Year of Perennials In Review
We are at the mid-point of closing down the garden for winter. We are spreading a giant piles of woodchips across the beds, mucking out...
Ed
Oct 13, 20243 min read
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Honey Season 2024
We are in the midst of mite treatment for our three beehives, so it seems like a good time to summarize our 2024 honey season. To start,...
Ed
Sep 22, 20243 min read
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Gardening with Chickens
Last week, we harvested our garlic. We succession-plant bush beans, which was one of this weekend's tasks. The variety we plant mature in...
Ed
Jul 28, 20242 min read
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Rainy June
The average precipitation for Richland County is about 5 inches. Last summer, we were lucky to have gotten an inch of rain in June, and...
Ed
Jun 23, 20242 min read
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Last Year's Drought & This Year's Black Cap Harvest...
I walked all the way around the hay field and checked out all of the tried and true black cap plants near our house. This is all that I...
Maggie
Jun 23, 20241 min read
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Collections
Ever since I was a kid, I loved to collect things. Bottle caps, rocks, beer cans, were all fair game. As an adult, my collecting became...
Ed
Jun 2, 20242 min read
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Morel Mushrooms Found When Not Looking
We have an area no larger than an acre near our house and the road. The soil in this area is very sandy and there are "lots" of pine...
Maggie
May 28, 20241 min read
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Wool Mill Field Trip
We are always on the hunt for local open houses and events, to learn more about small-scale agriculture in the Driftless Area. I recently...
Ed
Apr 22, 20242 min read
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Sparkly Snow
Walking our front pasture this past Saturday afternoon with Ed was glorious. The weather was almost spring like, it was bright and...
Maggie
Feb 5, 20241 min read
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2024 will be the Year of....
Since we first started our homesteading adventure, we have given each year a theme. While work overlaps from year to year, we find that...
Ed
Dec 31, 20233 min read
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2023 in Review
With the year winding down, it is time to take stock and review. I enjoy thinking back on each year. I find my memory is not as good as...
Ed
Dec 3, 20232 min read
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Snow Comes Early
Every year, it seems like a race to complete projects before winter settles in. Despite a couple of cold spells, our autumn was mild....
Ed
Dec 2, 20231 min read
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Kittens Becoming Cats
Our two new barn cats, Smudge and Maple, were released from their training crate a couple of months ago, and they have quickly found...
Ed
Jul 30, 20232 min read
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Preparing for Honey
As we approach August, we are starting to count the days until we try and extract honey from our hives. I opened each of our three hives...
Ed
Jul 29, 20232 min read
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Old Trees and New Plant
This weekend, I was finally able to find time to clear the trees that had fallen across the trails in our woods. I had wanted to get this...
Ed
May 14, 20233 min read
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Coop Update
With maple syrup season finally in the rear-view mirror, it's time to turn our attention to our chicken project. Maggie has assembled a...
Ed
Apr 6, 20232 min read
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Rest Time is Over
The past couple of weeks, Maggie and I have been enjoying some relaxation and continuing education. Two weeks ago we made our annual...
Ed
Feb 26, 20233 min read
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Winter's Rest
When winter comes to the country, things slow down. In the city, a lot of effort and money are spent in overcoming the roadblocks the...
Ed
Jan 29, 20233 min read
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Red Bud "Tree" Survives it's Second Summer
Two summers ago, I dug up a little tiny baby red bud plant from our Milwaukee area home to bring to the property. Our Milwaukee neighbor...
Maggie
Oct 1, 20221 min read
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Meet "Johnny Oaky" - Our Newly Planted Oak Tree
About three weeks ago, Ed planted "Johnny Oaky" in our front yard by the road. Johnny Oaky is a new oak tree that was a gift from Ed's...
Maggie
Oct 1, 20221 min read
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How 2 Full Crates of Apples were Ultimately Preserved
Pint of Apple Butter (left) and Pint of Apple Sauce
Maggie
Sep 15, 20222 min read
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Our First Batch of 2022 Apples
One benefit of apples is that they can last for a while un-processed. When the weather cools off a bit more, I look forward to pressure...
Maggie
Sep 4, 20221 min read
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Who Knew? The Entire Wild Daylily Plant is Edible!
Last summer, I did learn that the common / wild / invasive Daylily plant is entirely edible (not the more modern and engineered version...
Maggie
Jul 13, 20221 min read
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Steamer Canning Wild Raspberry Jam - So Easy!
I've been doing a bit of pressure canning lately; however, today, I steam canned 12 pints of wild raspberry jam (no pectin). It was...
Maggie
Jul 10, 20221 min read
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Wild Raspberry Time of Year
Ever since Thursday, I've been harvesting our wild raspberries. The bushes are scattered throughout our property (mainly along the hedge...
Maggie
Jul 3, 20221 min read
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Not a Paid Advertisement - HLRBO
This is not a paid advertisement - at all. But I did list our land on HLRBO about a week ago. I listed it as a Bow Season Only Hunting...
Maggie
Jun 8, 20222 min read
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No "English Country Flower Garden" for Me
For fifteen years or more in our city house, I would plant flowers galore in our back yard and in attractive large pots on our patio. ...
Maggie
May 30, 20222 min read
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Who Let the Cows Out???
Five-thirty Friday morning brought some unexpected "excitement" to Blackhammer Acres. About a week ago, our neighboring farmer said he'd...
Maggie
May 29, 20224 min read
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2022 Maple Syrup Roundup
It has been a cold spring, even by Wisconsin standards. We have not even had 'fool's spring' yet. The cold weather has not been kind to...
Ed
Mar 28, 20222 min read
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