get your soapnuts here

Well i have created a paypal button where you can purchase your Soapnuts as you please & as many as you please :)

[not to mention it provides me with the much needed paperwork .... some of you may not know that due to my Lupus and medication i get very easily muddled & befuddled not to mention that i easily lose track of days, weeks etc]




The Soapnuts come in a pretty storage bag with instructions on how to use them in your washing machine.
Also with this is a handmade washbag.
Weight 500gm

this amount will do approx 200 loads, or 7-10 loads per week for around 6 months before it runs out. 
The 4-8 nuts that u put in the small washbag can be used for 4-6 consecutive loads and then disposed of in the compost bin or spread around garden plants as mulch.


Thank-you as every product you Purchase from One girl goes to subsidising my Farming DREAM xo

Saturday quotes

i love this Janis Joplin quote and i think it is so very fitting for me at the moment :)

happy farming,

trace xo

dreams

Monthly Tasks for 2012

a lovely lass said "why not combine the NO tv month with the NO computer month to get the pain over and done with quicker" 


....  well i think that is a most brilliant idea indeed so i have decided that JULY will be our combined No tv & No computer month :P

so from now until July i will probably be blogging like mad, in some weird way that only i will understand, to get all my fixes in before a whole month of no distractions LOL


and oh my can u imagine the blogging diarrhea i will have come August????!!!!


happy farming,
trace xo


calender

monthly tasks

I have set myself household changing tasks in Monthly slots .. a month i figure is doable as if it sucks it isnt that long to grit our teeth and struggle thru :P

APRIL.... i have switched off from my personal FB page to stop me getting so distracted  [no offense ment to all my friends lol] & i only check my emails once a day and i have handed over all the business SBB work to the lovely capable Julie :P

MAY: we are going paperless - our kitchen is already paperless as we use my scrubbies in place of paper towels and chux. The bathroom is also paperless as we use scrubbies. The main area that we will be changing is the Toilet where we will be replacing loo paper with cut up bits of old t-shirts - we will then use them and place straight into a soaker bucket next to the loo.... every day i will take out the day before rags and wash them. Also for me i will make my own reusable fabric panty liners. [i dont get my period so i dont have to worry about tampons... altho technically not paper anyway lol]

JUNE: we are turning off the tv and going the month without it

JULY: i will be turning off all the COMPUTERS each weekend - so no going online from Friday night til monday morning :P

AUGUST: July is all about preparing me for August when the Computers go off for the entire month!!!!

i have only plotted out til then as it does depend on how those months go as to what i will try out for the other 4 months left in 2012 :P

funding One girl

this is what i make to help me Fund my 'One girl and a farm' dream xo

hand crochet cotton or acrylic SCRUBBIES for use instead of Chux, paper towels etc - when dirty u simply throw in the wash and they will last for ages.

i also sell the most AWESOME SoapNuts [i LOVE them] - they are super economical, all natural nuts that you use in your washing machine.

email me for any info on any of these products

my email is: onegirl@email.com

life's twists and turns

Ok so you have started down a new path in life looking for greater personal happiness.... 

You have found what makes you happy inside and you are going for it all guns blazing, but then what?

How do u juggle working your way along that newly discovered Path and still living with atleast a foot in your old life??

I have a foot in my old life but i am not sure for how much longer??

My joy is elsewhere and so it is increasingly that much harder to keep putting that foot down on what seems like a path that doesnt work so much for me anymore.... i feel like it is working me instead of the other way around.

 I have truly loved every part of it & it isnt that i dont still have a passion for it just that i yearn to be home and working and planning my Farmy life so it seems to be a pull that i dont yearn for as much as i always used to.

Maybe i am just getting older and realising there is only so much time in the day and things that drain me mentally are perhaps not so good for me.

Much to-ing and fro-ing is going on in my head as i try to weigh up what i will be losing with what i will be gaining, not to mention that i have loved ones that are relying on me and then there is also the income i would be giving up with no way of knowing if i will make an income again!

How simply can a family live?, is it enough to be truly happy and at peace with a sweetly small simple life that is uncluttered with the chaotic thoughts that usually run my world.

How do you let go when u arent sure if u should or not?

Up until recently i let the loud, noisy, busy world crowd out the unsettling voice in my head that was increasingly whispering to me that i wasnt reaching my potential, that i wasnt doing what i was here for & in fact i  wouldnt even admit it to myself that i was feeling very unfulfilled cause i had it all right?

well no children for me to love [deep pain there for sure] but apart from that i have a wonderful hubby & a family that i adore beyond belief and beautiful friends - how could i ask for more when so many would wish for what i have? How could i not be happy with that?

I have found, this is true only for me as i cant speak for anyone else, that a simple decision to listen to that whisper and decide to follow it no matter where it leads has been a saving grace for me and shown me a inner peace & strength that i never thought i could reach.

I have such a long way to go on this amazing journey and i expect to make huge and small mistakes along the way but follow it i must, and follow it i will.

I dont know what my decision will be about other matters as they have to be discussed in depth with loved ones first and their opinions on the matter will not be taken lightly as their personal happiness is also a goal of mine <3

love trace xo

my new stock purchases

oh i am just asking for trouble with hubby now as not only have i ordered a Dexter Bull and 3 cows to be delivered next month BUT i am also picking up 4 piglets!!

I better get used to being in the dog house as i suspect i will not be the most popular gal by the end of the month!

Oddly Frank did not even batt an eye at the 2 extra chicks i fobbed off as 'freebies' from the kind lady who sold them to us & i even caught him having a chat to two of the Ladies [Gertie & Ethel] this morning .... altho he said he was telling them off for mumble mumble something or other - but strangely he was telling them in in such a sweet caring voice!! ... i got u sussed frank, you softy :P

Frank is bemoaning to all that will listen that his odd wife has bought him a friggn goat for his Birthday.... i also think his being grumpy about it is all just for show.

Altho I am worried that the cattle or maybe the pigs will be the last straw but as i am saving for them all myself he really is kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place as he did agree that i could do anything i wanted with my acre aslong as i didnt bug him about it or ask him for money :P

He may regret saying those words to me but my thinking is that once he starts eating the fruits of my labour he will be so over joyed with his odd Farmer wife that he may even help me set up for the bees, line the dam for the trout & hand over many more acres to me to turn my gleeful sights on :P

love trace xo

my girls first egg ♥

happy happy happy dance..... one of my girls has laid her first egg!!! 

i am a proud chooky mumma :)

trace ♥

how to use Soapnuts for the Laundry

General info and also How to use your Soapnuts.....

Soapnuts ( Sapindus mukorossi ) are an environmentally friendly, sustainably produced, bio-degradable and compostable alternative to commercial laundry detergents. Grown wild in India, for centuries these nuts have been used for many purposes, from laundry to cleaning jewellery and treating contaminated soil. They are most widely recognised as being an effective and environmentally friendly natural detergent, but can be used for a wide variety of other uses.

A 500 gm bag should wash 200 loads, or 7-10 loads per week for around 6 months before it runs out.

How do soapnuts work?

Soapnut shells contain a high proportion of natural saponin. When the shells come in contact with water the saponin is released and suds are produced - just like adding normal detergents.

Full instructions for various methods of use are provided, in both top-loaders and front-loaders, cold or hot wash, but the basic method is to simply pop 4-8 shells into a small cotton bag (provided), put the bag in a cup of hot water for a few minutes (if using cold wash), and then place it in your washing machine instead of detergent. They are excellent for cleaning laundry, leaving it beautifully soft and fresh. There is no need to include softeners and they are especially good for colours because they don't contain any whiteners or brighteners, so your colours will stay coloured for longer.

Extremely cost-effective, the 500 gm bag should wash 200 loads, or 7-10 loads per week for around 6 months before it runs out. The nuts can be used for 4-6 consecutive loads and then disposed of in the compost bin or spread around garden plants as mulch. And since the laundry water contains only natural ingredients, it can much more usefully be reused as grey water to reduce water consumption.

After you have done your washing simply hang the washing bag [still with the soapnuts in them] on the line with your clothes & once dry store the bag/nuts in your laundry cupboard until u wash again!

I have other products for sale including my Hand crochet 100% cotton Scrubbies [a great alternative to chux/paper towels] once they are dirty you simply throw in the wash and you can use these for a long time :)

I also have hand crochet blankets and cushions, perfect for keeping you snuggly and warm this Winter :)

Coming soon are Peg bags and also great Farmers tote bags :)

Other items coming soon are Goats Milk products [like soap] made by One Girl and her Farm.

Thankyou for supporting One girl and her Farm and all items purchased from me go directly to setting up my Farm Project [you can read about it here on my blog or on FaceBook] ...  i hope to see you back again soon xo

love trace ♥ 

hhttp://www.facebook.com/OneGirlAndHerFarm

Cornmeal Pancakes [gluten free]

Awesome gluten FREE Cornmeal Pancakes ... serve as a sweet dish or even as a savory with soup or stew!

• 1 cup stoneground yellow cornmeal, medium grain
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 medium egg
• oil for frying

In a good sized mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, sugar or honey, and salt. 

Add the boiling water. It will start out like a lumpy mess but stir it vigorously with a whisk or fork until it is a thick batter. 

Let it cool down a little bit & then add the rice flour, baking powder, milk and egg.

 Keep stirring the batter until it is nice and smooth. 

Drop the mixture by 1/3 cupfuls onto a hot, greased skillet & fry the pancakes as you normally would.

Serve with whatever takes your fancy but try it with lemonButter..... YUUUMO!!

love, trace xo

What makes a Farmer a FARMER?

Question: what makes a Farmer?? when can you call yourself a Farmer without it sounding silly & at what point does it become true that you are indeed a FARMER??

I have spent a few hours this morning mulling this quandry over while clipping my new chicks wings & then again while working in the vegie garden beds picking off the green caterpillars that have invaded the cauliflowers also while i sat with my coffee & read up on how to make a Milking Stand for my goat [once she drops her kids & can be milked that is].

Is there some task i need to do to class myself a Farmer?  Is there some amount of animals i must have to call myself a Farmer, is it when i own lots of my own Farm machinery instead of asking the neighbour if he can use his tractor etc to plow the fields,  is it only when i can employ staff,  is it only when i have 1000 acres ..... or maybe it is only when i have sown & cropped the first field, OR only once i sell enough of my homegrown goods to pay my way in the world???? 

Maybe it is all of the above put together??? 

When can i officially say "I am a Farmer"?

I have decided that it is a personal decision that each one must make for themselves and after much soul searching i have decided to indeed class myself as a FARMER! 

and here is why.........

Deep down i have always longed to be a Farmer & i was brought up on a Goat Stud so i do know what Farming involves and it is a way of life that i love BUT that ofcourse doesnt make me a Farmer today. 

What, i believe, makes me a Farmer TODAY is the combination of my passion, my BIG plans, my intention, my philosophy, my working steadily away at my PLAN as my funds make it possible, my dreams, that i wake up in the morning thinking about my Farm, that i go to bed at night thinking & dreaming about my Farm and all it entails both what i am currently setting in place & also all i wish my Farm to be in the future, that i wont give up eventho i have no real idea what i am doing & lastly i am not afraid to put it all on the line to try even if i fail miserably.

 This is what i believe makes me a Farmer TODAY eventho i recognise that i have such a long way to go and so i am truly proud & comfortable to go ahead from this point on and say out loud to one and all that i, trace mussger, am indeed a FARMER :)

love trace xo

self sufficancy

Here are the things i am learning about & hope to put into practise on my farm.... 

• Replace processed foods with home made versions
• Homemade vinegar
• home grown mushrooms [started this already]
• Home made cheeses 
• Growing our own chickens for both eggs and meat [started this already but need to increase flock]
• getting enough excess eggs to sell as well as selling chicks
• build a root cellar
• Canning, freezing and pickling own produce as well as jams & relishes etc
• Building a Smokehouse & Smoking foods [this is actually something Frank is interested in trying!!]
• building a dam and stocking with fish/yabbies 
• Keeping an intensive orchard [just started this]
• Beekeeping for pollination & honey
• Growing own groceries
• Herb gardening [started but wish to add to the variety]
• Growing berries – raspberry, strawberry, blueberry [started]
• Goats milk and herb soap making [waiting for goat to arrive and kid]
• Eating seasonally by our own hands
• Sprouting and soaking grains and legumes 
• Buy Calves & fatten them up for freezer and sale
• extensive vegie garden to feed us and enough left over to sell [started this]
• get the hill paddock sown with feed for stock
• raise sheep for sale & freeze
• ducks for egg sale & meat sale
• pigs for meat & piglet sale
• farm tours and homestay
• 
  

and sooooo much more as my dreams are BIG & i am not afraid to try & fail xo

love trace xo

a few chicken facts

to help you on your path to keeping chickens here are some facts i have learned ..........

1... chickens hardly ever grow over 6ft tall so taking the time and materials to build a Chicken Coop that is tall man height is abit of a waste of time & resources :P

2.... chickens also do not roost on each others heads creating a 'Chicken Tower' therefore once again building a Tall mans height coop is really just being all showy :P

3.... When building a new SMALLER coop because you have found neither a 6ft chook has hatched NOR are they displaying circus like 'chicken tower' ideas then please make sure that you give them a DOOR into the little house you have just smugly built or else you will confuse the chickens and your hubby may near burst his pancreas laughing at your new chookhouse that has no way of the chickens to get into unless they suddenly grow HANDS!!

4... Making a new SMALL chookhouse, with chook door, does not need to be all fancy dancy or even have a teaching centre like mine [this morning we went thru the alphabet, which went quite well, & maybe by next week we will be onto simple maths equations] BUT make it a little home for them to cosy into so that they will be most happy in the service and decide to lay you a constant supply of free range eggs.

So my chicken tale is ......

1)  if you find a 6ft chicken then please send it my way as i have a 6ft home waiting here EMPTY

2)  if you find your chickens are stacking themselves vertically then either call a Circus and make some money off those gals OR double check that you dont indeed have some BOY chickens amongst your Hens and then look away and give them some PRIVATE time!!

3)  &  4)   make sure you DO include a chicken door in your new henhouse but offering them a University Degree really isnt 100% necessary

Now that i have given you the basics of Chicken 101 go get yourself some CHICKENS!!!!

happy farming trace xo