December Archives - Mid Atlantic Homestead

Another year of home grown, home cured, and home s

Another year of home grown, home cured, and home smoked ham.
You know it's amazing when it lives up to the memory of last year's first time tasting home grown ham 🤤
#homesteadinglife
#homegrownpork
#midatlantichomestead #ipp #kunekunepigs
#realfood

*Important seed buying and planting tips* 1. Buy

*Important seed buying and planting tips*
1. Buy from local seed companies as much as possible!
I have bought the same variety of broccoli and squash from a local seed company (like Southern Exposure Seed Exchange or Rohrer seeds) and had much better results than when I purchased that exact variety from another reputable company like Johnny's (Maine) or Territorial Seeds (California).
2. Knowing your growing zone is not necessarily going to tell you what your planting dates should be.
This page is from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange's catalog, my growing zone, zone 7 a. But I have learned that some of these don't work for my microclimate.
To everyone wondering about when to start planting, begin with your local state agricultural extension agencies, or seed companies, they have so much helpful information to share! Try their recommendations, then keep a record and adjust each year based on your experiences.
Knowing your growing zone is good, but microclimates vary hugely within growing zones.
3. Keep a record!
Learn from your mistakes. Grow it better every year.
👉 Check out my Homestead Garden Journal and Planner for a beautiful full color place to write everything down. Available on Etsy or Amazon. Link in bio.
#gardenplanning
#gardenjournal
#plantingdates #zone7gardening
#zone7a #zone7b
#southernexposureseedexchange
#rohrerseeds
#homesteadinglife #organicgardening #growyourown #growingzone7a #growingzone

Home-grown Muscovy duck for Christmas dinner Brin

Home-grown Muscovy duck for Christmas dinner
Brined, oven roasted, balsamic glaze to finish it off. Delectable!
#midatlantichomestead #homesteadinglife #homegrownfood #realfood #duckfordinner

It's finally time!! Enter to win your very own cop

It's finally time!! Enter to win your very own copy of the 2025 Homestead Garden Journal and Planner.
🦋 How to enter 🌸
🌱Like this post and follow @midatlantichomestead
🌱Tag friends who love gardening (hint: each comment with tag is a separate entry)
🌱Giveaway ends 11:59 EST Sunday December 22nd. Winners will selected randomly and announced on Monday December 23rd.
🍀Good luck everyone!!
All are welcome to apply.
I will ship internationally too 📫
😍 Psst, if you don't win, but want this anyway, you can find the links for the Etsy and Amazon versions in my bio or on my Mid Atlantic Homestead website.
#gardenplanner #gardenjournal #gardenrecord #zone6 #zone7 #zone7b #zone8 #zone8a #homesteadgarden #growyourownfood #homesteadinglife #moreorganizedin2025 #gardeningbooks #growfood #realfood #homegrown #homesteadplanner #homesteadjournal

Using my 2024 Garden Journal to plan for my 2025 g

Using my 2024 Garden Journal to plan for my 2025 garden layouts. Planning crop rotation and succession planting for maximum yield each season and from each bed 😍
#gardenjournal
#gardenlayout #midatlantichomestead
#successionplanting #growyourown #zone7gardening #organichomestead #gardenplanning #selfsufficiency #5acres

It's here!! Giveaway coming soon!! 🎉🎁 This

It's here!! Giveaway coming soon!! 🎉🎁
This is my fourth year testing and improving on this planner and it's honestly better than ever. I'm looking forward to making a video to tell you about all the new features 😄
#gardenjournal #homesteadinglife #gardenplanner #organicgardening #organization #harvestrecord #canningandpreserving #canningjournal

Starting month 3 of no-grocery-shopping 🎉 This

Starting month 3 of no-grocery-shopping 🎉
This is when things start to get really good! All the residual packaged foods have mostly disappeared and we're left with good homemade stuff.
The kids are doing a lot of making and baking. Today's special is homemade french fries. They're also experimenting with recipes for marshmallows and Reese's peanut butter cups.
And this is also why we do no-grocery-shopping after the harvest -- so that I have time to do a lot of cooking from scratch, and cleaning up the kitchen. 🤪
#midatlantichomestead
#fromscratchcooking
#homegrownfood
#realfood
#healthykids

Reporting back on my sickness and how the herbs wo

Reporting back on my sickness and how the herbs worked for me.
On Friday, I felt like I was coming down with something. I made the yarrow-chamomile-elderberry tea blend that I talked about in my last post.
My 5 day treatment (Friday - Tuesday)
-drank at least two cups of strong yarrow tea every day
-teaspoon of echinacea horehound honey every morning and evening
-avoided sugar and dairy
-got to bed early 😴 (this was the hardest part! With harvest coming in and a friend visiting)
I progressed through the illness as described by my friend who "gave" it to me. Sore throat to runny nose, to post nasal drip, to cough. BUT the symptoms have been mild and manageable. Whereas she was "in bed for 4 days", I had energy and was able to get through all my activities and chores.
Herbs SUPPORT your body's natural abilities to heal. Much as I hate being sick, it's been a good reminder of how many amazing healing plant gifts we've been blessed with in nature.
Zero pharmaceuticals needed!
#naturalmedicine #coldseason #teaandhoney #herbsforflu #herbalhealing #naturalhealth
#midatlantichomestead #homegrownmedicine

At the first tickle of a sore throat, making yarro

At the first tickle of a sore throat, making yarrow-elderberry-chamomile tea.
I met a sick friend a couple days ago and counseled her on her many herbal treatment options.
Could I have caught it from her?
I really hope not! Another dear old friend is coming to visit me this weekend. I have plans! Taking precautions and hoping for the best🤞
Yes, there's milky oats in there too. I just always have to add some 😏
Echinacea horehound honey on the side ❤️
#simpleremedies
#herbalmedicine
#immunesupport
#midatlantichomestead

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A Season of Giving: December Garden Checklist

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Another year of home grown, home cured, and home s

Another year of home grown, home cured, and home smoked ham.
You know it's amazing when it lives up to the memory of last year's first time tasting home grown ham 🤤
#homesteadinglife
#homegrownpork
#midatlantichomestead #ipp #kunekunepigs
#realfood

*Important seed buying and planting tips* 1. Buy

*Important seed buying and planting tips*
1. Buy from local seed companies as much as possible!
I have bought the same variety of broccoli and squash from a local seed company (like Southern Exposure Seed Exchange or Rohrer seeds) and had much better results than when I purchased that exact variety from another reputable company like Johnny's (Maine) or Territorial Seeds (California).
2. Knowing your growing zone is not necessarily going to tell you what your planting dates should be.
This page is from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange's catalog, my growing zone, zone 7 a. But I have learned that some of these don't work for my microclimate.
To everyone wondering about when to start planting, begin with your local state agricultural extension agencies, or seed companies, they have so much helpful information to share! Try their recommendations, then keep a record and adjust each year based on your experiences.
Knowing your growing zone is good, but microclimates vary hugely within growing zones.
3. Keep a record!
Learn from your mistakes. Grow it better every year.
👉 Check out my Homestead Garden Journal and Planner for a beautiful full color place to write everything down. Available on Etsy or Amazon. Link in bio.
#gardenplanning
#gardenjournal
#plantingdates #zone7gardening
#zone7a #zone7b
#southernexposureseedexchange
#rohrerseeds
#homesteadinglife #organicgardening #growyourown #growingzone7a #growingzone

Home-grown Muscovy duck for Christmas dinner Brin

Home-grown Muscovy duck for Christmas dinner
Brined, oven roasted, balsamic glaze to finish it off. Delectable!
#midatlantichomestead #homesteadinglife #homegrownfood #realfood #duckfordinner

It's finally time!! Enter to win your very own cop

It's finally time!! Enter to win your very own copy of the 2025 Homestead Garden Journal and Planner.
🦋 How to enter 🌸
🌱Like this post and follow @midatlantichomestead
🌱Tag friends who love gardening (hint: each comment with tag is a separate entry)
🌱Giveaway ends 11:59 EST Sunday December 22nd. Winners will selected randomly and announced on Monday December 23rd.
🍀Good luck everyone!!
All are welcome to apply.
I will ship internationally too 📫
😍 Psst, if you don't win, but want this anyway, you can find the links for the Etsy and Amazon versions in my bio or on my Mid Atlantic Homestead website.
#gardenplanner #gardenjournal #gardenrecord #zone6 #zone7 #zone7b #zone8 #zone8a #homesteadgarden #growyourownfood #homesteadinglife #moreorganizedin2025 #gardeningbooks #growfood #realfood #homegrown #homesteadplanner #homesteadjournal

Using my 2024 Garden Journal to plan for my 2025 g

Using my 2024 Garden Journal to plan for my 2025 garden layouts. Planning crop rotation and succession planting for maximum yield each season and from each bed 😍
#gardenjournal
#gardenlayout #midatlantichomestead
#successionplanting #growyourown #zone7gardening #organichomestead #gardenplanning #selfsufficiency #5acres

It's here!! Giveaway coming soon!! 🎉🎁 This

It's here!! Giveaway coming soon!! 🎉🎁
This is my fourth year testing and improving on this planner and it's honestly better than ever. I'm looking forward to making a video to tell you about all the new features 😄
#gardenjournal #homesteadinglife #gardenplanner #organicgardening #organization #harvestrecord #canningandpreserving #canningjournal

Starting month 3 of no-grocery-shopping 🎉 This

Starting month 3 of no-grocery-shopping 🎉
This is when things start to get really good! All the residual packaged foods have mostly disappeared and we're left with good homemade stuff.
The kids are doing a lot of making and baking. Today's special is homemade french fries. They're also experimenting with recipes for marshmallows and Reese's peanut butter cups.
And this is also why we do no-grocery-shopping after the harvest -- so that I have time to do a lot of cooking from scratch, and cleaning up the kitchen. 🤪
#midatlantichomestead
#fromscratchcooking
#homegrownfood
#realfood
#healthykids

Reporting back on my sickness and how the herbs wo

Reporting back on my sickness and how the herbs worked for me.
On Friday, I felt like I was coming down with something. I made the yarrow-chamomile-elderberry tea blend that I talked about in my last post.
My 5 day treatment (Friday - Tuesday)
-drank at least two cups of strong yarrow tea every day
-teaspoon of echinacea horehound honey every morning and evening
-avoided sugar and dairy
-got to bed early 😴 (this was the hardest part! With harvest coming in and a friend visiting)
I progressed through the illness as described by my friend who "gave" it to me. Sore throat to runny nose, to post nasal drip, to cough. BUT the symptoms have been mild and manageable. Whereas she was "in bed for 4 days", I had energy and was able to get through all my activities and chores.
Herbs SUPPORT your body's natural abilities to heal. Much as I hate being sick, it's been a good reminder of how many amazing healing plant gifts we've been blessed with in nature.
Zero pharmaceuticals needed!
#naturalmedicine #coldseason #teaandhoney #herbsforflu #herbalhealing #naturalhealth
#midatlantichomestead #homegrownmedicine

At the first tickle of a sore throat, making yarro

At the first tickle of a sore throat, making yarrow-elderberry-chamomile tea.
I met a sick friend a couple days ago and counseled her on her many herbal treatment options.
Could I have caught it from her?
I really hope not! Another dear old friend is coming to visit me this weekend. I have plans! Taking precautions and hoping for the best🤞
Yes, there's milky oats in there too. I just always have to add some 😏
Echinacea horehound honey on the side ❤️
#simpleremedies
#herbalmedicine
#immunesupport
#midatlantichomestead

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