Category Archives: farm living

When Fall Comes to the Mountains

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in a spiritual life, appalachian life, canning, clean eating, farm living, garden time, holistic living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, my special days, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
The leaves are beginning to turn in the mountains!

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. Can you feel fall in the air? Fall is one of my favorite seasons. When fall comes to the mountains, something magical happens. A carpet of beautiful foliage slowly emerges throughout the mountains. The colors are brilliant yellows, crisp oranges, and fiery reds, all mixed with hints of green lingering for a few more weeks. The foliage reminds me of my sister’s handmade quilts. My sister is a brilliant artist who creates gorgeous quilts from scrap materials of diverse colors. She is legally blind but still creates unique quilts by hand with tiny stitches. Not only is she legally blind, she is also totally colorblind. My children used to ask me if she saw things in color, just like a child to wonder. Yes, I would answer she sees in colors; she just can’t distinguish which color is which. So, her quilts come together in a stunning color scheme… just like the foliage in our mountains does in the fall.

A postage stamp quilt gifted to me by my sister. Each block is the size of an actual postage stamp!

When fall comes to the mountains, preserving and canning is usually near completion. Autumn, or fall, as we call it, is the time to go to the apple orchard to pick apples for tasty recipes, preserving, drying, and munching. We enjoyed the orchard this year as the temperature was comfortable; the crowd wasn’t as big as previous visits, and the fried apple pies were delicious. The grandkids had fun playing on the playground and games, while the adults enjoyed the atmosphere and sights. We used the apples we brought home for various dishes. Some of our favorite apple dishes during the fall include frying apples with breakfast or supper. We also peeled and dried many apples, resulting in three large containers of dehydrated apples for healthy snacks, frying, cakes, or pies. Nothing went to waste. We used all the apples, even down to the peels and cores, which the chickens enjoyed as a fall treat.

Picking apples
Grandkids having fun at the orchard.

Seed saving is a common tradition within the mountains. Fall is the perfect time to save vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seeds. The late-bearing acorn squash and peppers are the only vegetables left to be picked. We have a remnant of beans hanging on the fences drying to be used for seed next year. When collecting seeds, it is essential to use sources from plants that are healthy and produce the best vegetation or fruit. We collected seeds from the remaining vegetables and placed them on cheesecloth or white paper towels to dry. Once the seeds are dry, we put them in envelopes for storage. We recognize some sources in recycled brown jars/bottles containing organic vitamins. This is a brilliant method of recycling as well. Also, be sure to label your seeds to identify them when you’re ready to plant.

My seed box.

When fall comes to the mountains, so do pumpkins! Children and adults alike enjoy trips to the pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins, enjoy pumpkin treats, and enjoy the beauty of the mountains. Pumpkin spices and flavors are prominent in restaurants, store shelves, coffee shops, and more. Pumpkin spice is a favorite in the mountains. Many mountain families love pumpkin-flavored treats like coffee, pie, bread, butter, and cookies.

A trip to the pumpkin patch is always fun!

When fall comes to the mountains, it’s a time for family gatherings, cookouts, dinners, and a time to socialize and relax away from the world’s cares. Mountain cookouts usually have hot dogs, hamburgers, vegan burgers, marshmallows, chips, and some sides.. This is also a perfect time to include pumpkin cookies or pumpkin bread. Cookouts in the mountains are about the food and the socialization! Sitting by the campfire with loved ones, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories is the best way to enjoy fall in the Appalachian Mountains.

And finally, when fall comes to the mountains, it’s time to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving in the mountains is a time for family to come together for the day. Each person typically brings a side-dish to menu and everyone gathers at one house, which is typically my house. I love when all our family gathers together to relax with appetizers that consist of; my traditional cheese ball, peanut butter and chocolate buckeye candy, dips with chips, and of course banana and or pumpkin bread. We load Thanksgiving dinner with good food. Dinner usually includes the traditional dishes of turkey, usually prepared two ways. We roast one turkey in the oven and we smoke a second turkey outside in the smoker. A ham is prepared and complete with brown sugar and pineapples. The side dishes usually include mashed potatoes, green beans, fried corn, homemade cornbread stuffing/dressing, brown gravy, sweet potato casserole, and more. It’s a smorgasbord! A literal feast. Family members can be found eating around the dining room table and in the kitchen. We add tables for kids in the family room. After the dinner, dessert is available for those who have room, and those who do not! Dessert typically consists of peach cobbler, Butterfinger delight, carrot cake, cherry cheesecake, and other delicious recipes that family brings with them. Football can be found on the television and often-times, one of our favorite Christmas movies… The Christmas Story is on 24/7 on Thanksgiving and on one of the televisions. It’s also a time that most of the females are bargain shopping as the black Friday sales have begun! But, the best part of the day is the heartfelt prayer that is prayed before the meal begins, and the socializing during dinner and after. It’s a wonderful to catch up on what has been going on in the lives of our family.

When fall comes to the mountains of Kentucky… it’s more than the beautiful scenery. Fall is a time of hard work as we can preserve and clean up the garden. It’s a time of gathering seeds for the following year. Fall is a time of fellowship with friends, our church family, and our family. Fall is a time for campfires, holiday meals, and winter transition.

Late fall last year in the mountains!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and a little time in our small corner of the world. Feel free to follow and or comment. Get ready! I have an outstanding sweet potato recipe that I will post in a few days. You can prepare this cake vegan or non-vegan. It’s delicious. Well, let me give you a sneak peek at the cake!

Sweet potato pound cake… recipe coming soon!

For now, God bless, and happy fall from the mountains of Kentucky!

Canning Homemade Vegetable Soup

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, canning, clean eating, farm living, garden time, holistic living, homesteading, in time of need, Kentucky memories, plant-based, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Good evening, from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope you are having a great start to your week! It’s a hot week in the mountains with temperatures soaring into the nineties. I don’t mind it. I’m savoring the last weeks of summer. With that being said, with the lingering days of summer vanishing swiftly, also comes the final rounds of canning. We have worked to stock and restock our pantry and canned goods from the harvest of our garden. Even though I wasn’t able to do much of the planting because of my hip replacement in June, I have enjoyed the labor of harvesting and canning. Let me say this: God is so good. He has truly been with me literally every step of my recovery. I am so thankful for how well I have progressed. I give Him all the glory for it. Now, to delve deeper into canning vegetable soup.

Recently, I decided I would use the lingering remnants of leftovers in our fridge and turn them into a savory vegan vegetable beef soup. You could easily change this recipe to be vegetable beef soup with real beef.

Vegan vegetable beef simmering on the stove.

Recipe ingredients:

  • One bag of your choice of plant-based beef crumbles. I used a bag of Ultimate Beef pieces.
  • Half of a yellow onion
  • One small bell pepper of choice
  • One tablespoon minced garlic or fresh garlic
  • One cup of fresh diced tomatoes or organic canned diced tomatoes
  • One cup of organic vegetable broth
  • One tablespoon of organic extra virgin olive oil
  • Two cups of freshly cooked green beans or one can of organic green beans
  • One cup of fresh corn or one can of organic corn
  • One cup of frozen organic peas or one can of organic sweet peas
  • Four medium-size potatoes
  • One cup of fresh carrots or one can of organic carrots
  • One quart of freshly canned tomato juice or two-three cups of organic canned juice

Process:

If you are using beef, brown the beef and drain. If you are using vegan meatless meat, you can add to the onions and peppers while they are simmering.

Peel and cut potatoes to desired size. Add potatoes to saucepan of water with a pinch of salt and oil. Cook potatoes until the cut easily with fork or knife. If you’re using fresh carrots, you may either peel, slice and steam them, or cook them with the potatoes. Set potatoes aside.

Add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large stock pot. I prefer cast iron to Teflon. Heat on low and add diced onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Allow onions and peppers to become slightly translucent. Add drained beef or vegan meat and stir. I like to add a little extra seasoning at this stage to build flavor. I use a little cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and turmeric. These are optional. After mixture is mixed well, add diced tomatoes. Drain potatoes and carrots and add to soup mixture. Stir in additional veggies to the soup mixture. Taste to season and add tomato juice. Allow soup to come to a soft boil, then reduce to low and simmer for two hours.

This soup is great served with crackers, cornbread, grilled cheese or vegan grilled cheese. Now to the canning process!

Sterilize jars, rings, and flats. Add warm soup to pint jars. This can be done in the dishwasher or by boiling them in the canne

add water to canner and warm on medium heat. Place canning funnel over pint jar, ladle warm soup into jars. Leave at least a half for head space. I like to wipe the rim of the jar, flat, and ring with a clean dish cloth or paper towel dipped in vinegar before sealing. This helps guard against possible bacteria. Place warm jars of soup in the canner and allow the water to come to a boil. When the water comes to a hard boil set the timer for thirty minutes.

when the time exhausts, turn the stove off and allow the water to simmer for about ten minutes. Remove the jars with the jar lifter. Set the jars on a dry folder to cool. As the jars cool, you should hear the coveted ping ensuring you that the jars are sealed! After the jars have cooled add the date to the lid.

This soup should have a shelf life for 18-24 months. Maybe longer! I’ve never found out as it usually lasts at my house for 10-11 months and it’s gone! This is a great soup to take along as lunch at work, if you have access to a microwave or one of the lunch size crock pots. It’s great for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s great served with cornbread or crackers. I personally love it with a vegan grilled cheese sandwich. You be the desired!

Don’t forget to add the date to the lids!

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. As always, feel free to follow for more recipes and canning ideas. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! Thank you for stopping by my blog! Every reader is appreciated!

Canning Crispy Dill Pickles

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in canning, clean eating, farm living, garden time, holistic living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. It’s been a bit stormy here today. Days like today make me want to curl up with a good book and read all day. In reality, that isn’t always possible, especially with the academic year about to begin. Our first day back on campus is only a couple of weeks away. Where did summer go?

With the abundance of cucumbers that it seems everyone has been blessed with this summer, I thought I should share my dill pickle recipe. Who doesn’t like a crispy dill pickle on their sandwich or on the side? Dills are great in potato salad, salads, on burgers, and I especially like them on a vegan chicken sandwich.

Ingredients:

4-5 pounds of pickling cucumbers
8 teaspoons of dill seeds
4 teaspoons of mustard seeds
5 cloves of whole garlic
8 teaspoons of whole peppercorns
4 cups of water
3 cups of white vinegar (5% acidity)
4 tablespoons of pickling salt or kosher salt
4 tablespoons of white sugar
8 teaspoons of pickle crisp
8 sprigs of fresh dill

Tools:

Water bath canner
Jar lifter
funnel
Measuring cup
Pint jars, rings, and flats
A large stock pot

Process:

1. Boil jars, flats, and rings to sterilize them and also to safeguard your pickles from bacteria. Next, prepare your cucumbers by washing them. I like to scrub them to remove the sticky little ends of the skins. This also makes the skin of the cucumber smoother. Trim the ends of the cucumbers. Make sure to remove the flowering end. This end of the cucumber contains an enzyme that can soften the cucumber over time.

2. Prepare the brine by adding sugar, salt, and vinegar to the stockpot and bring to a slow boil. While you wait for the brine to boil, combine the pickling spices and add them in equal parts to the jars. Do not add the pickle crip to the spices. Add a sprig of fresh dill to each jar then add your cucumbers. You can slice them in either direction or slice them into spears. They’re also good as whole pickles, especially if the cucumbers are small ones.

3. Keep an eye on your brine. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved, place the funnel in the jars and pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, leaving at least a half inch from the rim. Add a teaspoon of pickle crip to each jar. Wipe the rims to ensure the rims with a dry cloth or paper towel. Add the flat and ring, but not too tight.

4. Add the jars to the canner and add warm water until the water is at least an inch or two above the jar lids. Slowly bring the water in the canner to a boil. Boil for ten minutes. Turn the stove off and leave the jars until the water settles down and then remove the jars with the jar lifter. Place the jars on a dry folded towel on a flat surface and wait for the sounds of the pinging jars to seal. Once the jars have cooled, add the date to the lids.

This recipe typically makes eight pints of pickles x. You can double the ingredients for quarts or for more pints. The projected shelf life of the pickle is typically one to two years. However, I have opened a jar beyond this timeframe and the pickles were still great. One of the keys to a longer shelf life is to ensure the vinegar is at least 5% acidity.

This is a pictures of sliced dill pickles in quart jars.

I hope you and your family love this recipe as much as we do. As always, feel free to follow or comment. For now, God bless, from the mountains of Kentucky.

Essential Oils, Tea Bags, and Bee Stings

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in a spiritual life, appalachian life, drying herbs, essential oils, faith over fear, farm living, garden time, holistic living, in time of need, Kentucky memories, ky author, memories, plant-based and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the Mountains of Kentucky! The heatwave continues in the mountains today! Dry and hot, yet beautiful! We all know what else comes with summer temperatures. Yes, that’s it! Bees! I’m not allergic to bee stings like our grandson is, but I certainly do not like the pain from those pesky things. To be so small, their stings can pack a punch!

Our beautiful flocks! Butterflies love them, but so do bees!

While watering my flowers this morning, wasps, or as we call them, waspers, were swarming the flocks. I thought as I always do, if I don’t bother them they won’t bother me. Wrong! As I left the flower bed a red wasp decided to make a plunge for my hair. My first instinct was to swish my hair back and forth to encourage it to leave. It left! But, it came back with a vengeance. I returned and stung me on the shoulder through the sleeve of my shirt. Ouch!!

Lavender and basil. Crushed basil leaves helps soothe a sting.

Once inside, I grabbed a roller ball of lavender and rolled it on the sting to sooth it. I had just finished drinking a cup of black so I grabbed a soaked tea bag and held it on the sting to draw the poison out. As the sting started soothing, I made my way to my apothecary chest to retrieve the purify essential oil, which acts as an antiseptic and massaged a few drops directly on and around the sting. Once it dried, I added a few drops of clove essential oil that acted as a numbing agent. It numbed the bee sting and the area around it. With the mix of essential oils, the organic tea bag, and a whispered prayer, relief came to affected area.

My apothecary chest that housed my essential oils and teas.

I am a firm believer in herbs, essential oils, and teas as well as prayer. I prefer natural methods of treatment rather than over the counter medicines. God created all living things and with that He provides us with an abundance of resources all around us. It’s a good idea to keep a few essential oils in a convenient place. I always keep a few essential essential oils in my purse and a couple of tea bags when we’re away from home, for bee stings, minor headaches, scrapes, or an upset stomach.

I look forward to sharing more tips that I have found helpful for using essential oils, herbs, and teas for minor ailments. I hope that this post will be beneficial to you and your family. Also, remember, those who are severely allergic to bee stings might find this method to help soothe stings until they can be seen by a physician or use an epipen.

Clove is a versatile oil that smells wonderful and helps numb bee stings.

Blessings from our home to yours! As always feel free to leave a message and or click follow to subscribe to my blog.

Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God

Canning My Favorite Peaches

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, canning, farm living, garden time, holistic living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, plant-based, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. Quick update on my recovery; Tuesday was week four since I had a total hip replacement. Let me say how good God is. I never encountered the pain that I was told I would have after surgery. Pain medicine was not required, for which I was happy. I don’t like to take medicines due to their negative side-effects on my body. I am in week four of physical therapy and walking without any assistance. I have exceeded the expectations of my surgeon and my therapist. Praise God, I feel better than I’ve felt in several years. I am resuming daily walking, a high-plant-protein diet, and loving time working in my herb garden. I am not yet working in the vegetable garden due to not being released to bend deeply or kneel. But, I have been canning! I should be ready to work in the garden when it’s harvest time. God is so good and He is ever-present. Now, onto the post! I just couldn’t help but brag about our God.

Fresh basil, oregano, and rosemary clipper today..

I’ve been cutting and harvesting herbs this morning and now I have a 1/4 bushel of peaches facing me. So, what do you do when you have this yummy fruit. The answer is to preserve for those cold winter days when the fruit-bearing season is over. I like to freeze peaches in small servings for oatmeal, as a healthy side of fruit, and for a quick serving of sorbet. But, today, I am planning for the uncertain days that lie ahead of us. With the prices of food in the grocery store, it’s a treat to walk downstairs and select home-canned food for supper and fresh canned peaches for a sweet treat. Now, let’s can those peaches!

Fresh peaches ready for canning!

Ingredients for Light Peaches:

1/4 quarter of fresh peaches

12 cups of water (bottled or filtered water is best)

2 cup of organic cane sugar (you may substitute with white sugar or honey)

Tools for Canning:

Stove Top Water Bath Canner

7-quart jars with rings and flats

Jar lifters to remove jars from the canner.

Canning funnel to make filling jars easier.

Stainless steel ladle for adding the simple syrup to jars.

Process:

Boiling jars, rings, and flats ensure safe canning.

Boil jars, rings, and flats and set aside. Mix the water and sugar in a stainless steel cooker. I have gotten away from all non-stick cookware and prefer stainless, glass, or cast iron. Place over medium heat and bring to a slow soft boil.

Peel the peaches and slice them to your preferred thickness. Add the peach slices to the clean jars not filling them. I like to leave room for more syrup. Place the canning funnel in the mouth of the jar and ladle the simple syrup into the jars leaving at least an inch space at the top. Wipe the rims thoroughly and place the sterilized flats and rings on the jars. Don’t tighten the rings too tight. Add hot water to the canner and place on top of the stove on medium to high heat. Place the jars in the canner. Make sure the water is at least an inch above the sealed jars. Slowly bring the water in the canner to a boil. When the water begins boiling set your timer for 25 minutes.

We don’t fill the jars to the top to allow for more syrup.
Adding the simple syrup!

When the twenty-five minutes have exhausted, turn the stove off. Leave the peaches in the water for five to six minutes allowing the water to stop boiling. Using the jar lifters, carefully remove the jars of peaches from the canner. I like to place my jars on a folded towel on the counter. You should begin to hear the jars making that pinging sound to let you know the jars have sealed. Once the jars have cooled add the date to the flat with a permanent marker. After the jars have completely cooled, add the beautiful fruit to your pantry shelves. Don’t worry if your peaches have floated to the top. They’re still delicious, this happens when you do not pre-cook the peaches (raw pack) before canning them. Raw packing peaches is the easiest method of canning and does not require you to handle hot peaches. The shelf life is typically 12-18 months. I have found that the shelf life of this type raw packed peaches has lasted for two years, if the jars of peaches last that long. I also like to peel them and freeze them! Either way, results in delicious peaches year around.

Seven quarts of deliciousness!

I hope that you have enjoyed this post and will enjoy my method of preserving peaches during this uncertain time of the rise in prices and in some cases the lack of food on the shelves in many grocery stores. Canning your own food is one of the most rewarding experiences and benefits that you can encounter. If this is your first time canning and or preserving, stay the course, chin up, there will be failures and there will be successes, we’ve all experienced them both. Trust me, the good outweighs the bad. When the snow is flying, you’ll have delicious home-grown food awaiting you in your pantry.

God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. As always, feel free to follow my blog, and know that your comments are always welcome.

John 1:1 King James Version
1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Depression Potato Cakes

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, grocery adventures, Kentucky memories, ky author, memories, organic food, plant-based, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you’ve shopped for groceries lately, you have felt the pain of the price of groceries when you checked out at the register. It’s ridiculous how the price of food has increased. So, what are we expected to do? Clip coupons? Use savings apps? Grow as much of our food as possible? Yes, to all the questions above and also learn to be frugal with what we have.

I grew up in the sixties and seventies in a single parent home with two siblings. We didn’t know it at the time, but our mom, who was also a working mom, was very frugal and could make delicious dishes from leftovers. Left over vegetables became delicious vegetable soup. Popcorn was transformed into delicious caramel corn. The list could go on and on. But, one of my favorite transformations was left over potatoes, which became scrumptious potato cakes! I am excited to share my version of my mother’s delectable potato cakes.

After our children married and left home, we have more leftovers than ever before. Leftover mashed potatoes and the dread of emptying them to the dogs, or just going to waste inspired me to make potato cakes! My mom always made what she called depression potato cakes. I remember watching her in the kitchen mix the delicious mix and then frying it to perfection! After pondering on the delectable cakes, I determined that I could make a heather version. As the mix started coming together, I was sure this transformation dish would quickly become a renewed favorite. And so, the experience had begun with cherished memories, a desire, and a little creativity. Finally, the cakes were complete. I was too eager to wait for dinner to try the golden potato cakes. Yummo! They were delicious! I am so excited to share this delicious recipe with you. I hope you enjoy these delicious plant-based or vegetarian potato cakes as much as my family.

Ingredients:

  • Leftover cold mashed potatoes ( I used two cups)
  • Two tbs diced sweet onion
  • 1/2 cup self rising flour of choice
  • 1 cup yellow corn meal
  • Either one egg white or a flax egg (flax egg is I tbs finely ground flax seed and 2 1/2 tbs water mixed)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Process; mix all ingredients together. The mix will be stiff. The stiffer the better. Add a little meal and flour if your mix is not thick enough. Once mixed, set aside and add a little extra virgin olive oil to the frying pan. Allow the oil to heat, and then either form a patty or drop a large spoonful into the pan. Allow to fry on one side while adding extra pepper or salt. I like to add a sprinkle of turmeric because I love the flavor and it’s good for you! It also gives the potato cakes a nice color. Flip, season, and fry the other side until golden brown on both sides of the potato cake

This is a delicious side dish for pinto beans and green beans and also makes a great side for breakfast. My family loves them with ketchup as a side. You can add diced bell pepper to the mix for a bit of Mexican potato cake. I also like to add a little plant-based cheese for a cheesy potato cake. The possibilities are endless, and it allows you to use leftovers to make delicious food that saves money all the while.

I hope our renewed favorite will become a new favorite of yours! God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! As always feel free to leave feedback, ideas, and or comments. Have a blessed week!

For Such a Time as This…

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in a spiritual life, appalachian life, faith over fear, farm living, God’s time, Kentucky memories, ky author, memories, my special days, Spiritual life and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky. Let me first begin by saying, we are blessed! I am not just implying my family, I am saying and proclaiming for all that are reading… “we are blessed!” You might be asking how so, or why did she post that? Deep within, you need to know that if you are physically able to read this post or any other post, you are alive, thus… you have been blessed with another day. Even, if there are things going on in your life, and we all have those days and even weeks, or maybe seasons, if you are breathing, you are blessed. Secondly, accept this day and know Lord has your best interest and will take care of you, walk in it. Make this day count. For every day that passes, is a day that we cannot and will not be able to enjoy again.

God’s beauty…

My mind often drifts back to a simpler time when life didn’t seem as hectic or as chaotic. The world seemed to be a more simple place. Sure there’s always been trouble, trials, wars, and bad things that happen, but that’s because we live in a real world where both good and bad happen. However, it seems to rein in a more bold abundance than in the times gone by. Is that it? Or, is that we, as a whole, are more connected to the media, social media, and here say, than we are to our savior and His word? Is it that we focus too much on what others are saying, or implying, than what the word tells us?

My heart is leading me in a direction to simplify life, my life. How so? By disconnecting from so much of the media. I don’t mean that I will live in a bubble where all is well and I will not acknowledge that bad things do happen. No, not at all. I mean, that I am being selective of what news I read, that’s right, read. I feel lead to spend much less time on social media, and more time in my prayer closet, in the word, and with the Lord, and with myself. I am doing some soul searching, meditation, deep and close reading, and also spending some quiet time listening to His voice.

His beauty abounds everywhere!

I was reminded of how we, as a society, often overlook the simple things and become bored when things begin to calm down, or when there’s no fast paced gratification in most anything we attempt. Have we allowed the use of technology to rob us of the blessings of using our hands to create, our strength to labor, our eyes to actually read a book that we physically hold in our hands, and using precise measurements to create delicious dishes? Have we allowed the clutter in our lives to rob our desire of helping our fellowman? Do we care more for ourselves than the elderly widow who would love to have a home cooked meal, or someone to physically talk to? Have we allowed the convenience of instant almost anything to replace the satisfaction that we once felt by actually taking the time to complete a task?

This is an afghan I’m working on for one of our grandchildren. This is the fourth of five that I’ve made with love and many prayers for each of them.

What tasks am I speaking of? For such as a time as this, almost anything would fit into this category. Anything from baking a scratch cake instead of a boxed cake. From crocheting your own afghan for a friend instead of buying a thoughtless gift. Nurturing a plant from a seed with care and love, rather than picking the finest mature plant from a nursery. Growing your own herbs to dry, rather than buying a cheaper easier version from the store. Canning healthy produce for your family, rather than buying cheap imitations that are full of preservatives? It could be as simple as taking a break from browsing your phone, to watching a squirrel gather nuts. Reading deeper than surface reading the Bible. For such a time as this, this list could continue for far too long. We can’t make a total change overnight with simplification, but we can simplify our life, one habit, one deed, or one choice at a time.

I was inspired by our six year-old grandson to post this blog. While I prepared breakfast a few mornings ago, he was enjoying his pre-breakfast muffins and a cup of milk. He was a bit upset because his tablet battery was low and he wouldn’t have enough battery life to watch a cartoon that he wanted to see. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a company’s Christmas toy catalog lying on the table. Immediately he laid the tablet aside and asked what the book was for. I explained how his mommy and uncle used to browse the Sears and JC Penny wish-books for weeks circling their favorite toys in hopes of getting those for Christmas. They were making their choices known. Right away, he asked for a pen to circle his choice of toys, not just for himself, but for his brother, cousins, and friends. Grant it, if the item was given a circle and a check, then that indicated the ranking of interest for that particular item. All the while, he never mentioned being bored, or once stopped to watch his tablet. With excitement, he browsed the pages several times and later declared to his mommy that they too needed a book like Nan’s.

Take time to enjoy something with substance. We need more Sears and JC Penny’s moments in life. Simplify things.

With that being said, for such a time as this, I feel inspired to ask you today, to take time to stop and enjoy what our Heavenly Father has created for us. Simplify your life. Choose wisely how you spend your time. And above all, remember that He gave all so that we could have life and have it everlasting.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this post. It’s a bit different than many of my other posts, but I am a person of many diverse interests, from crocheting, reading, writing, gardening, thrifting, collecting antiques, baking, creating, singing and so many more things. Above all, I love to tell others about Him. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Feel free to follow and comment. May the Lord bless each of you abundantly.

Organic Vegan Vegetable “Beef-less” Soup

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in canning, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, garden time, ky author, organic food, plant-based, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope your fall is off to a great start. Things are beginning to slow down on our small farm. All of the garden produce is either, canned, preserved, dried, or frozen. It was a lot of hard work, but very satisfying and rewarding work. We enjoy the produce year round. But my personal favorite is making soups with all the different veggies. When the cool fall winds begin to creep into the mountains, I feel the urge to cook. One of my favorite dishes is homemade vegan vegetable beef-less soup, especially on wet and drizzly day like today.

A warm bowl of soup on a fall day makes for a cozy meal!

I grew up eating vegetable beef soup. It was always a winter favorite in our house. Our children grew up eating vegetable soup with grilled cheese. Vegetable soup remains a favorite still today. Just because my vegetable soup is vegan, doesn’t mean it’s not tasty. I think you’ll find my vegetable soup to be savory, filling, and healthy.

Ingredients:

  • Half of a large organic yellow onion
  • 1/4 organic red bell pepper
  • 1/4 organic green or yellow pepper
  • 1 tbs organic extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 can of unsalted diced organic tomatoes
  • 2 cups organic vegan meatless chorizo crumbles (I use Morning Star)
  • 2 cups of meatless beef crumbles (my favorite is Simple Truth crumbles)
  • 2 cups organic frozen sweet peas or 1 can unsalted organic sweet peas
  • 2 cups organic frozen corn or 1 can of unsalted organic corn (I use 3-4 ears of frozen corn from our garden and cut it off the cob)
  • 2 cups of fresh green beans cooked or one can of organic green beans (I use a half quart of beans we preserve from our garden)
  • 2-3 medium sized potatoes
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 1 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 1 quart tomato juice (I use the tomato juice we can from our garden tomatoes)
  • I like to use good quality organic seasonings. Add salt, pepper, onion salt, garlic powder, turmeric, and paprika to taste. I usually season each layer of the soup while I’m preparing it.
  • One tablespoon of organic tomato paste.

In a large cast iron stock pot, heat olive oil over medium low heat. Dice onions and peppers and add to oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until onions and peppers are tender. Add meatless crumbles and add a small sprinkle of salt and pepper and other spices. Sauté for ten minutes and then add diced tomatoes.

Meatless crumbles are very tasty and textured very close to beef, only better!

While this is simmering peel and dice potatoes, and slice carrots. Add the potatoes and carrots to a pot of boiling water. Add a drizzle of oil and season the potatoes and carrots with salt and pepper. Cook the potatoes and carrots until they’re semi tender or a tiny bit al dent-e, which will prevent them from overcooking when added to the soup.

These are a flavor bomb! Delicious for tacos, chili, or veggie soup!

While the potatoes and carrots are cooking, begin adding the remaining ingredients one at a time. If you choose to use canned veggies, drain the vegetables and rinse well before adding. If you use frozen, allow them to thaw first. Once the vegetables have all been added, season to taste with remaining seasonings and add salt and pepper if necessary. Allow the vegetables to come up to heat and add tomato juice. Allow the mixture to begin to cook and add vegetable broth. When potatoes are the desired tenderness drain and add to the soup. I like to add a tbs of organic tomato paste at this time and add any additional seasonings. Allow the soup to simmer on low for 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite crackers or organic dairy free grilled cheese! Anyway you serve it, your family will love it!

Close up of a bowl of soup to emphasize the delicious veggies!

I hope that you and your family enjoy this savory and delicious soup as much as my family does. Feel free to leave comments or ask questions. I love to hear from my readers. If you are not already following my blog, feel free to follow and receive notifications each time I post. For now, so long from the mountains of Kentucky! God bless each of you!

Holistic Living

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in a spiritual life, appalachian life, canning, clean eating, drying herbs, essential oils, farm living, garden time, holistic living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, ky author, memories, my special days, organic food, plant-based, tea time, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope you are having a wonderful day. Things have been quite hectic in our neck of the woods! As a college professor this is one of the busiest times of the year as we are deep into the fall semester. Each year brings growth and change, which are both welcomed, but not always easy. As famers, life has been extremely hectic as we are harvesting, preserving , and canning the remnants of our garden. As a part of a church family, it’s been a busy time of growth, and a sense of urgency to pray more for our country and family than ever before. We’ve also felt the need to preserve and can more than in years past. With that sense of urgency, we’ve actively been growing our pantry, and stocking our shelves with a little more than usual this year.

Making time for self-care, especially when life gets crazy is a must. I have found that taking the time early in the morning hours to sit quietly, reflect, meditate, pray, and journal has proven to be very therapeutic and healthy for my mind and spiritual well-being, which helps to maintain a healthy mind, heart, and soul. I enjoy crocheting, which is also very therapeutic. After prayer, devotion, and Bible study, a few minutes of crocheting is one of my times to reflect and meditate. Mornings are great for me as the house is quiet and the farm outside hasn’t come to life just yet.

Morning fog hovering in the still green mountains. Morning walks are the best!
Crocheting and reflecting on the past and meditating on the day.

Holistic living is healthy and very satisfying way of life. I am often asked how I made the decision to lead a holistic life. I have been an advocate for clean eating for a great number of years, which made the transition somewhat easier. I chose clean eating for my health. My health was declining at a young age. My cholesterol was out of control, my blood pressure was extremely high, I was over weight, and I was border line diabetic. So, the journey began there! I decided that I would take back my health! I chose clean eating as many fad diets just didn’t work. Day by day, week by week, with the help and support of my family, church and friends, changes started happening! One by one I was able to stop taking meds for all of the above health issues, I lost 75, yes 75 pounds! I was finally in control of my diet and my health!

With the wonderful effects that clean eating had on my health, it evolved into my decisions to become a pescatarian, then gradually that evolved to becoming a vegetarian, which both added vitality and a new zeal for life in my thoughts and my body and evolved into an even cleaner diet. I’ve had trouble with digesting diary for years and had gradually made the change to almond milk and plant butter and cheese, which again made the transition easier. For nearly five years now, I’ve enjoyed a vegan/plant based diet, which has lead to an increase in my overall health, and a peace and satisfaction that I am making a difference in my overall well-being.

Enjoying the smell of mint drying in the kitchen.

I am also a herbalist, and enjoyed growing our own herbs for cooking, making teas, and also for minor medial problems for years. I also love sharing them with family and friends. The most recent addition to living a cleaner and healthier life, was the decision to become a doTERRA essential oil consultant. I’ve used essential oils for years, and finally decided that I would become a consultant and purchase from myself rather than online markets. This line is the best that I’ve used thus far and it’s also a nice little supplemental income as well. With a holistic lifestyle come lots of questions. The primary questions I am asked are, why and how.

Fresh basil in the background and one of my favorite oils. Orange is very versatile.

The first question is the most common question. What inspired you to lead a holistic life? I always answer that question with a question. Why wouldn’t I? Then I begin to explain I chose this lifestyle for my health, my peace of mind, and simply put, for my life. I also add some details about the astounding amount of research revealing the high level of toxins, preservatives, and additives that basically poison the human body and our environment. These toxins are found in food, fast foods, shampoos, soaps, toothpaste, makeup, perfumes. detergents, cleaning products, air fresheners, candles, and even in our pet’s food. I’ll share another story in a different post of how we nearly lost my canine baby due to additives in what was supposed to be healthy doggie treats. That was a real eye-opener!

I always share one of the most informative books that I’ve ever read was, How Not to Die, written by Dr Gregor. There is so much information revealed within the covers of this book that confirmed my reasons for eating clean, and eating cleaner than I had been eating. His research also solidified my thoughts about why I had been food poisoned by fast food on more than one occasion, why we nearly lost our house dog, and why cleaning products and certain air fresheners lead to smothering and irritated sinuses. He exposes much about how these horrific toxins are actually allowed to be in our foods, pet foods, cleaning products, and even in medicines and vitamins that we think are helping us.

An eye-opening read!!! I encourage anyone who is interested in living a cleaner, more holistic life to read this book!

Secondly, I’m asked if it was a difficult transition. My answer is no. You don’t have to make the plunge and change everything at once. I made changes over a period time with my diet and I did the same thing with household items, hygiene items, and even my car air fresheners. I didn’t see the need to waste products that I already had on hand, so as I would empty an item, I would replace it with plant based, organic, and a cleaner item. First on the list, I would begin eliminating the toxins from my our home and our vehicles. My first elimination was laundry detergent. To prevent waste, after exhausting the last of my stock, I began using organic plant based detergents that didn’t require fabric softeners. There were some products that I had in my home that I could not convince myself to continue using. Those plug in air fresheners were tossed in the garbage, empty or not!

With the various air fresheners gone, I replaced them with diffusers for essential oils to help clean and purify the air and also bring a wide array of wonderful scents into the house. One by one I replaced our cleaning supplies with either organic plant based cleaning supplies or homemade supplies from natural ingredients. It’s quite amazing how many options are on the market and what’s even more amazing is the number of cleaners you can make using essential oils! I’ll share my bathroom cleaner soon! It cleans great, easy to make, and also prevents those toxic fumes that no one likes.

The next change was hair care products and tooth paste. doTERRA made that change easy for me as well. They have a wonderful plant based shampoo that incorporates essential oils, and a fantastic plant/based conditioner, and leave in conditioner that is excellent! I can’t even explain how wonderful my hair feels after using these products! My hair shines so much more than before and it feels less weighted. I also made the transition from usual tooth paste to a clean toxin free tooth paste from doTERRA. I chose this toothpaste simply because I’m a doTERRA consultant, and after trying it… it works! My teeth are clean and white and after reading the list of ingredients in my old toothpaste, it was an easy transition and one that I am happy I made.

doTERRA shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner. All natural!!!

Finally, vitamins was the next item to begin changing. It was easy to switch vitamins with doTERRA. The vegan vitality pack is on my monthly auto order. I love these vitamins as they’re all plant based, no additives, or artificial colors added, and they’re in veggie capsules. Essential oils, homegrown herbs, and homemade teas helps with common cold symptoms, allergies, scrapes and minor abrasions. I could go on forever with the reasons why I chose a holistic lifestyle.

Vitality pack! This was a game-changer! Even though I already took vitamins and had for years… I noticed an immediate change in my stamina!!

I’m asked if I miss fast foods, soft drinks, and what in the world do I do about coffee. Number one, I don’t miss fast foods. As a matter of fact, the cleaner you eat, the less you even want fast foods. My husband and I now prefer food prepared at home ten to one over restaurant foods. I gave soft drinks up over twenty years ago for my own personal health and have never looked back. I’ll be honest, coffee change took a while. It took a little while and a lot of different coffees to find a good organic coffee that I truly enjoyed, but have finally found one that is very satisfying. I have also replaced much of the coffee that I drank during the day and evenings with organic and my homemade teas.

Delicious organic coffee from Amazon!!!

Finally, I’m asked if I feel better physically since making so many changes. Simply omitting meats and dairy from my diet was a game changer with my cholesterol and inflammation. Omitting artificial colors, scents, and toxic preservatives really made a positive impact on my allergies. Plant based vitamins, a good clean diet, and the removal of toxic smells in our home has made a positive impact on my overall health, stamina, and lead to a much more simple life that makes me happy knowing I am doing something to improve my quality of life, my families, and decreasing the chances of disease in our bodies.

Enjoy the simple things that bring joy and support your health. Organic lavender growing near our front door! Love to add to plant butter, cookies, teas, and more.

If you’re interested in holistic living, start slow. Remove one thing at a time. Don’t try to do it all at one time! You’ll become overwhelmed, which might result in giving up. Make one change and allow that change to become a routine. Once you feel grounded and content with that change, make a second change. As you empty or exhaust a supply of one particular item, replace it with a cleaner wholesome item. Read the labels, do the research, do a little soul searching, meditate, pray, and take holistic living one day and one change at a time.

Take time to enjoy the change. One change at a time and you’ll be more likely to stay the course. It’s so worth it!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. Feel free to leave comments. I enjoy reading comments and answering questions. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! Happy Fall!!!

Reminiscing in the Herb Garden

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in a spiritual life, appalachian life, canning, clean eating, coffee time, drying herbs, farm living, garden time, holistic living, Kentucky memories, ky author, memories, my special days and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Good afternoon, from the mountains of Kentucky! I hope your Labor Day weekend is already off to a great start! It was a quiet morning in the mountains in our neck of the woods this morning. A big music festival has been going on in our small downtown area for the past three or four days. But, for myself, I would rather be in the peace and quiet of our small farm. This morning as the fog lifted and the dew glistened and clung like diamonds on the green leaves, I enjoyed the mountain air with a hot cup of coffee. As a result of the scattered showers last night, damp leaves lay scattered over the still damp ground. A feeling of fall was surely in the air. With thoughts of the inevitable season swiftly approaching, I felt an unction to walk through the herb garden that would all too soon be gone.

My favorite Italian basil.

With the sounds of the hummingbirds feeding and crickets still chirping, a peaceful feeling filled my being. The smell of the herbs filled the air as I brushed past the holy basil, rosemary, lavender, and my favorite Italian basil. The mint caught my attention. It was still thriving as a result of quenching their thirst with organic mint teabags this year. There was such a harmonious feeling being in the midst of the bright and fresh herbs that would soon hang in my kitchen to dry. I felt an anxious feeling for the aroma that the herbs omit while they’re drying. Our entire kitchen would be filled with scents of lavender, basil, and mint. Yet, another indication that fall is near.

My thoughts lingered in many places this morning as I enjoyed the surroundings that I so love. Lingering thoughts of our cemetery service yesterday where we gathered to have church on the graveyard. This is an old tradition that still lingers in the Appalachian mountains. It’s a time to pay respect to our loved ones, worship together in song, preaching of the word, and prayer. It’s also a time when the world outside with all the doom and gloom seems to stop… and family gathers together to remember and celebrate the lives of our family who have gone before us.

My great grandparents grave.

The songs that were sung on the cemetery still felt alive in my mind. While sitting quietly among the herbs, one of my favorite morning fragrances enticed my senses. The earth was alive this morning! The aroma of the rich soil was thick in the air. The smell of the soil after a rain instantly transported me back to my childhood. Rising early to the sounds of our mother singing. I would eagerly follow the sound of her soft voice. Many mornings I found her sitting on the back porch drinking coffee, enjoying the mountain morning air, and other times she would be shucking corn or stringing beans she had picked earlier that morning while my brother, sister, and I slept. The aroma of strong black coffee filled the kitchen and the cool morning air. The scent of damp soil enticed me to run barefoot between the rows of corn, but the freshness of the garden vegetables sustained me. I loved stringing beans, or chopping corn, even as a young child.

Everyone I string beans, I think of my youth.

After a slow and thoughtful walk through the aromatic herbs, reality called my name. It was time to go inside and enjoy a little time with my latest adventures in writing. I’m excited to share more news and details as the project approaches completion. Also, upcoming posts include canning crushed tomatoes, preserving like a pro, vegan zucchini bread, and an update on our fall adventures in the mountains. For now, may the Lord bless you each with a wonderful and restful Labor Day. Feel free to leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers. God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!