The Strawberryrose Homestead

¸.❀⁀⋱‿ 1950-2006 An Honorable Passing…

She had dark skin and long curly hair, she carried the family trait, big wide curious eyes… her favorite ice cream was butter pecan and she loved those orange candy slices with those soft square mints… her favorite song was bridge over trouble water and was a Knicks fan, she loved animals an would let us bring home strays… She would give them the best names too lol, Mr Tibbs, tough e nough, Flossy, Flauntleroy etc…. Her happiest times was spent in the big farm house she bought on Long Island where she had a Pantry that she was so proud of…stocking it with jams and pickles, she planted greens and other vegetables in the garden and there was fruit trees and even a walnut tree lol… she would collect country living mags and I still have some of them today. We did yard sales and flea markets… I take her passing every year this night very hard… I miss her… I’m so much like her and I bet she didn’t know how much I watched her… today I make apple sauce and stock my pantry. I wonder if my children watch…Her laugh lives in me… as well as her tears… on this night 6/9/06 we shared our last smiles… tears… and unspoken promises… on this night she gave me a thumbs up to show me she was proud of me getting into the Department of Corrections… on this night I fell asleep by her bed side and woke to her stroking my hand… She was dying but she was comforting me!… On this night I thanked her for everything she had done for us… On this night God granted me the opportunity to say good bye for now…. On this night at 12:30am Dorothea Russell Grieb departed…Honorably…

Honorably

(¯`v´¯)
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(¸.❀⁀⋱‿

June 10, 2013March 9, 2020 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, Homesteading, UncategorizedTags: canning, country, dehydrating, family, farm, farming, food, holidays, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, outdoors, politics 10 Comments

BACON BRITTLE

What you’ll need:
9×13″ Baking Sheet
Room Temp Butter, just to coat the Baking Sheet
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
3/4 cup cold Water
Pinch of Salt
1 lb Crispy and Crumbled Bacon
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Baking Soda
A hammer!

Directions:
Brush a 9×13″ Baking Sheet with butter and set aside.
Combine the Sugar, Corn Syrup, Water and Salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Cook, swirling occasionally, until mixture reaches the softball stage on a candy thermometer (238 degrees). Stir in the crispy and crumbled Bacon, continue to cook, stirring often so the Bacon doiean’t burn, until the mixture is amber in color!
Carefully stir in the Vanilla and Baking Soda. The mixture will foam up in the pan.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and quickly spread it evenly. Set aside until it’s completely cool.

Gather everyone around and take turns breaking the Brittle into pieces with a hammer. Giggle, Eat..Repeat! ~Enjoy!

May 15, 2013 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, Homesteading, UncategorizedTags: canning, country, family, farm, farming, food, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, outdoors 5 Comments

I have arrived at my destination!

Welcome to the Strawberryrose homestead... — Welcome to the Strawberryrose homestead…

After months of headaches and heartaches and blood, sweat and crying like a little —— well you know… I got the keys and the deed to my long awaited Dream… The Strawberryrose homestead… Now the real work/fun begins. I have been living in it for one week now and slowly moving my stuff from the other house in. I have been blessed with great friends and new neighbors that have my back and have stepped up to help me in this transition with all kinds of gifts and lending hands… I’ve gotten food plants and gates, a screen door, wheel barrel and tons of Compost…. I don’t have a riding lawn mower yet so I have been cutting the acre with the push mower lol… its ok because I’m getting back in shape quick…. To day I hung the clothes line on the Tee posts and tomorrow I’m building my first raised bed. big enough for all the goodies I received…. Things will go a bit slow because I’m alone, however I press on… Face to the wind! onward forward… I will post more photos soon…

May 15, 2013May 15, 2013 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, Homesteading, UncategorizedTags: canning, country, family, farm, farming, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, outdoors 26 Comments

God sent someone to take the wheel…

One day shortly after my Mother had Passed. I had a dream… It was a short kind of doze off by mistake kind of thing… That day was a very stressful and painful day for me… I had been feeling like a failure nothing seemed right in the world… I dreamed I was on a Bus home and on the way I looked out the window and saw many accidents, But the funny thing was it was all of my old vehicles… Some were just fender benders and others were a bit more serious… The bus driver just seemed to just go around them without a care… As I looked on I didn’t recognize the road any longer so I panicked and asked the bus driver if she had passed my stop and if she did, will she be turning around and coming back that way… the driver didn’t turn around but said why are you so upset? and stressed out? she then said she had not missed my stop but had to take a different road… Then she turned around and It was my Mom… she touched my temples and they ached from the stress… She asked me to look at the cars and notice that they represented my life… She said that in life we have had many accidents along the way, some are fender benders and some may be worst…but that if you were not killed it makes you stronger and you find away to keep moving on the road home even if you have to take a different road… find your way…Then she said look around this bus, You are not alone! and I noticed that it was old friends and relatives sitting beside me… My Mother said when you feel like your to tired to go on remember this bus ride…God sent me as your guardian angel and I’ll drive… and everyone started hugging me an saying I’ll drive you… I started crying because it felt so real…so comforting. Then the bus stopped and My Mom said look out the window… I was home and my children were waiting for me at the bus stop and I was home…After I got off the bus I hugged the children and woke up… I was ashamed about dozing off a work and I looked at my watch to see how long I had slept… it was 3 minutes… Just three minutes! and a lesson of a lifetime… I recalled this experience because I need it… I have so many blessings going on in my life with my wonderful children and the new homestead, I should be so happy… That 3 minute dream taught me that my Faith has to be bigger than my Fear because I’m not alone… God sends someone to take the wheel! Thank you Jehovah!…Thanks for letting me share…

January 24, 2013October 24, 2015 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, HomesteadingTags: canning, country, dehydrating, family, farm, farming, food, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, outdoors 8 Comments

Ƹ̴ӂ̴ʒ♥ The Strawberryrose Homestead In My Sight…

After Month’s, weeks and tedious day’s of searching… I found one… It’s a lovely Ranch on 2 acres of land… The land is mostly cleared and gated… Now for the inspections and paper work and closing stuff… It’s a newer house so I’m not really worried. I’m just IMPATIENT lol and want it NOW… But I understand that My prayers, Hard work and patience has got me this far and there’s no since in changing it now… I hope all of your New Year Goals and Dreams are being realized as well….Ƹ̴ӂ̴ʒ♥

January 10, 2013October 24, 2015 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, HomesteadingTags: canning, country, dehydrating, family, farm, farming, food, holidays, home, homesteading, lifestyle, outdoors 22 Comments

Ready or not! Here we come…

As the year 2013 dangles in front of us. I want to say that this has been a year of ups and downs….I did accomplish a lot this year, at least to my satisfaction anyway… I am grateful to have been able to change a few things in my life…I have gained some friends and lost some…I have seen some friends battling cancer and showing me the power of the human spirit….Ron lost his grandmother she was 100 years old… what an incredible fiery spirit she was! 2012 I became more aware of how precious life really is… how some things really aren’t that important and to stop living in fear and to just be prepared…so now for 2013 yes I have made some resolutions… I will hold myself accountable to them as well…I need to stop procrastinating…Find my homestead and harvest joy,love and family traditions…time is of the essence… Happy New years!!!

December 31, 2012December 31, 2012 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, Homesteading, UncategorizedTags: canning, country, dehydrating, family, farm, farming, food, holidays, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, outdoors 4 Comments

Quick Pickled Pigs feet

Here’s a recipe I’ve used for many years. Not quick, but oh so tasty. This is more of a German version than a Southern Soul-food recipe.4 Pig’s Feet, Hocks, etc.
1 tsp. Cloves
1-1/2 tsp Pickling Spice
4 cups White Vinegar
2 tbsp. Kosher Salt (not regular table salt)
1 Onion, chopped

Cover pig’s parts with water. Add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until meat starts to separate from the bone (2 hours or more). Strain broth through cheesecloth or coffee filter. Combine strained broth, spices, vinegar and onion. Simmer mixture 30 minutes. Put pig’s parts in half gallon jar. Pour broth mixture over pig’s feet. Seal and let set at least 5 days in a cool place before using.

Enjoy….

December 14, 2012December 14, 2012 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, Homesteading, UncategorizedTags: canning, country, dehydrating, farm, farming, food, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, outdoors 4 Comments

♫ These are a few of my favorite things! ♫

♫ Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eye lashes
Silver white winters that melt into spring
These are a few of my favorite things! ♫

Well I spent most of my Thanksgiving at work inside of a prison, My Children stayed at my Sisters home waiting on me with happy hearts to get there… once I got off to salvage some family time spent with them and Family… Ron, well, he spent it with his family… I guess you could say I could complain… Nope because like my Mother used to say…There is always something to be thankful for and I have just that! My beautiful Children give me so much joy! there’s just simply no room for complaints. So I celebrated the day with a thankfully full heart…Thank GOD…

Christmas however is just hands down my Favorite time of the year… I love winter And fire places… No shopping the big chains for me. it’s little villages with small businesses and quaint little shops to eat. Mom and Pop shops are the best!…

It’s the time of year when I begin to reflect on my life and Dreams… Things seem a little more magical. I imagine what It will be like at the StrawberryRose Homestead… I look into my hope chest of my favorite things…close my eyes and Dream, Dream, Dream….

November 27, 2012November 27, 2012 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, Homesteading, UncategorizedTags: canning, country, dehydrating, family, farm, farming, food, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, outdoors 9 Comments

Like GOLD…

It’s been quite a week for me here… Of course things didn’t turn out the way I would have liked during the Elections across the board but I rejoice anyway because I clearly see the signs of the times… I understand my role in fixing my life and getting my house hold in check, Which is why I have humbled and simplified. It is also why I prepare…

I got my first order of heirloom seeds in last week and I hold them like they are gold lol, I’m so excited about all of the possibilities that I can hardly sleep thinking about how wonderful it will be… And when I finally fall asleep I DREAM!

November 12, 2012November 12, 2012 by thestrawberryrose Categories: farm, HomesteadingTags: canning, country, dehydrating, farming, home, homesteading, lifestyle, off grid canning, politics 4 Comments

Here We Come…

The time has come! We the people are coming, come hell or high water… The tired, The weak, The wary…The Elder and wise, The concerned veterans, The Christians, The color blind, The one’s that speak for those that can’t, The small business owners, The middle class, Woman tired of being taken for granted, Women an Men wanting a good Job to take care of their families and not handouts, Farmers for prop 37, For the Love of GOD, Family, and Country… HERE WE COME…..We The People…