Fresh and Local: Stryker Farm

For years I've been buying meat, like anyone else, from the supermarket. Always working within a tight budget, cheap cuts of meats were my go-to. And until recently I didn't really care about where it came from, or how it got to the supermarket, or how it was raised. I just didn't have the time to worry about that sort of stuff. Now, "that sort of stuff" is what I'm most interested in. "That sort of stuff" shapes and affects my health and lifestyle. In time, I've graduated from regular supermarket meat to organic meats. It was only last year I discovered I could get delicious, locally raised meat for less than, say, Whole Foods prices and support my local economy at the same time. Affordable and sustainable? Sign me up!

I learned that buying directly from the farm saves your wallet money and puts more directly towards the farmer's. Only one catch; most often you have to buy the whole animal or a large portion of it. Is that a grisly way of putting it? Oh, well. So, last December we bought an eighth of a cow for Verdant Farms and a quarter of a pig from Stryker Farm in Pennsylvania. Everything came portioned, labeled and frozen, how convenient? Our great meat adventure! We acquired a chest freezer and stocked it with a little under 100 pounds of the freshest meat we could get our paws on and we've been savoring every bite since.

Tonight I made beer brats from Stryker Farms in Saylorsburg, PA. As I pulled them out to defrost, I noticed the ingredients, "Pork ,Weyebacher Ale, Sea Salt, Spices, Turbinado Sugar". No nitrates, no fillers, no unrecognizable ingredients. And not only is the pork fresh and local, but the ale flavor is too!

So far, every cut that we've eaten from Stryker farm has been superb. This post singing it's praise is long overdue. The housemade sausages are fabulous. We've had the breakfast sausages (scrumptious), Irish bangers (bangin') and now the brats. I let them simmer in a pot of "quick" sauerkraut.

My Quick Sauerkraut:

• A medium sized head of green cabbage
• 4 strips of thick cut bacon
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of juniper berries (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

1.   Start with a heavy bottomed pan. Cut the bacon up into pieces and fry it up.

2.   Slice the head of cabbage into thin ribbons.

3.   When the bacon is cooked, but not crispy, remove it from the pan... and leave all the fatty goodness in there.

4.   On a medium flame add the cabbage and saute for a minute. Add the butter and apple cider vinegar. Traditional sauerkraut is a fermented food, but the vinegar makes this recipe quick, giving it that sour flavor.

5.  There should be a good amount of liquid at the bottom. Add the juniper berries. Add a sprinke of salt and pepper. Let it simmer for a few minutes uncovered.

6.   Make a hole in the middle for the brats to simmer. Turn the heat way down and let the flavors do their thing for a half hour or so, covered. I don't think you can actually overcook this, but personally, I like when the cabbage still has the slightest crunch left to it.

7.   Add the bacon. Did you forget about that bacon? Oh yeah, it's going back in there. I never said this was low cal.

8.   I try to pick out the juniper berries before serving because they're bastards to chomp down on.

I served this with some roasted carrots and onions and a dry white wine. These brats are flavored so nicely, tender and juicy. I'm sure they'd be great grilled on a toasted bun. With fried onions. And mustard. Mmm.

(As I write this Chris moans that I'm making him hungry again. He's threatening to go eat the leftovers before bed. Not on my watch.)

Our friends Mike and Gayla organized the group of people to share all of these wholesale meats, so they also went to the actual farm to pick up the piggie when it was ready. They had nothing but wonderful things to report about the farm and the owners. You can read more about the farm, here. I'm pretty certain there's no going back to "supermarket meat" for us. When we run out of pork, we'll be headed back to Saylorsburg!

DIY Beauty Oil

It looks like beauty oils are getting a lot of hype recently at the beauty counter. The initial idea of applying oils directly to your face probably horrifies most, but the big secret is: using oils as a moisturizer doesn't make your skin oily. Period.

     

Tea Treatments for Your Hair

I remember the day I colored my hair for the first time and essentially lost my natural highlights forever. Sigh. My mother warned me, but I did it anyway. My natural color is a dirty blonde, and growing up playing sports year round, I maintained golden blonde highlights. But that wasn't enough for me, I wanted something different and new! I wanted something dark. After I made up my mind my friend spent a fair amount of time coloring my hair in our apartment kitchen, and I loved it! Until I wanted my golden highlights back...

Do Your Laundry For Pennies Per Load

Okay maybe pennies are stretch if you consider the cost of water and energy to run your washer and dryer, BUT making your own detergent will cost you pennies. I was skeptical at first, because, let's be honest, not all do-it-yourself solutions have the best results, and I'm sort of used to having my clothes clean and smelling fresh. This little recipe actually gets your clothes clean, plain and simple, without dyes, and fragrances. AND it's "high efficiency" friendly because it creates a low amount of suds. I have super sensitive skin, and would usually buy fragrance free detergent anyway. As far as I can tell, this does the same amount of cleaning for pennies a load.

Chris prompted me to make this one because he read a few Reddit articles about cutting costs at home. This mixture is from DIY Natural.  I'm writing this post now because I just had to make a new batch yesterday. I made the first batch over a year ago.  It consists of the following ratio...

• 1 bar (or 4.5 ounces) of shaved bar soap (Dr. Bronner’s, Ivory, ZOTE, Fels-Naptha)
• 1 cup of borax
• 1 cup of washing soda

Thoroughly mix. That's it. The links show you what the boxes look like because when I first read this I hadn't the faintest idea what borax and washing soda were. It turns out they were hiding out in the laundry aisle with everything else all along.

I use Fels-Naptha for the soap component. It has a clean laundry-like scent. My mom uses it for washing her hands and arms after working in the garden. She claims it's very gentle and will eliminate any trace of poison ivy or other irritant. It has the consistency of a thick bar of chocolate. The first batch I made, I grated it as they suggested, and it took a little longer than I would have hoped. My mother-in-law said she tried it, and used her spice grinder instead of grating. So much easier! I used my Cuisinart food processor to grind it into a homogeneous powder.

After that, all you need is a tablespoon for each regular sized load (shown above).  Amazing, but true!

Lavender Foot Scrub

 After a long weekend of yard work a cold shower just wasn't enough. My feet were extra sore and needed some love, especially since I've given up nail polish for the summer, eek. I prepared a foot soak with Epsom salts and a little peppermint Dr. Bronner's soap, then used a lavender sugar foot scrub to slough away the... ugliness. The scrub is a quick preparation that will last for quite awhile stored in a jar.

Start of with an exfoliant, either sea salt of sugar. I use a half cup of coarse turbinado sugar. Add a tablespoon of a carrier oil such as sweet almond oil, jojoba, or even olive oil. Top it off with 20 drops of an essential oil; lavender, peppermint, or rosemary. Mix it up evenly and use a handful on your feet or hands for a aromatic exfoliation. When you rinse off what's left, your skin will be renewed to softness. So, treat your feet!

Pampering is always a little nicer in the company of fresh flowers!

DIY Framed Ferns

Just as I led you to believe in the title, today I framed some pressed ferns. Pressing flowers is something I remember doing with my grandmother. We'd collect flowers and press them in fat telephone books (perhaps one of the only things they're useful for anymore). I remember being so impatient! Waiting for them to dry was too much for me, and I'd always be tempted to take a peek. This year I picked a few ferns and pansies in the spring thinking it will be a project for a later day. I all but forgot about them until this week!

When pressing flora, start out with items that are generally flat to begin with, small flowers, ferns, or leaves. They're just easier to assemble and get a nice flat pressing. Pat them dry and remove any dirt from them. Then carefully lay them in between two sheets of waxed paper in a large heavy book.

I didn't have any waxed paper at the time and used paper towels instead. Now you can see then texture in the pansies, rookie mistake. It takes about two weeks to get all the moisture out. Patience!

They're textured, but still cute! I'll use them later...

I had a white frame that would house the size of the fern. I removed the inside paper behind the mat to use as a template for my own mounting. I chose a thick water color weight paper with some texture. I've read that any sort of mild Elmer's glue, or wood glue is acceptable using on delicate pressed flowers. You could dab a bit on a toothpick and gently put it on. I just used my glue stick because the fern seemed pretty sturdy, and I didn't need much for this.

I wanted to add a vintage botanical flair so I penned the fern's scientific name and where it was found in the corner.

I brought out some pen and ink for this.

One helpful hint for lining up any photo with a mat is adhering a bit of tape behind the print face up, then placing the mat over top so you can align easily.

And that's it! Now, when I take Dante for walks in the park I keep my eye out for things that are "press worthy".  Soon enough I can create a little wall of botanicals.

Chris thought I bought a print of a fern, surprise!

UPDATE: After 2 months, the little ends of my fern are yellowing, due to the sun, most likely. So, if you plan to hang this project in a sunny area, be sure to use a  frame with UV Protection. OR don't worry about it, and let it fade naturally!

Breakfast For Your Face

It just so happens that one of my favorite breakfasts is also great for your skin! Plain Greek yogurt and honey, that's it. This post is gonna be short...

If you haven't tried eating Greek yogurt and honey, you're in for a treat. It's so rich and sweet I feel like I'm cheating and eating something high in fat. But Greek yogurt is naturally fat free, bonus! Put a mixture of it on your face, nice and thick, and let it moisture your skin. Let it sit for 10 minutes then wipe it off with a warm towel. The yogurt moisturizes and the honey is a natural antibacterial.

A little trick with storing Greek yogurt: I keep a large container on it's side in the fridge. When I open it, I drain off the liquid on the top, so with each time I use it, the yogurt gets thicker (and more delicious). Now I just have to start making my own yogurt...

My Nail Polish Dilemma

I have finally come to terms with my love of nail polish.

Even though the first time I ever got a manicure in a salon was for my wedding two years ago, that doesn't mean I don't do them myself at home on a regular basis. I have a fair amount of colorful little polishes lined up in the bathroom, and I'd wager that my toenails are lacquered 95% of the time. I'm sure a lot of girls can relate. After all the other natural options I've been switching to I've conveniently forgotten about the tiny bottles of formaldehyde I paint my nails with. There are no two ways about it, nail polish is little concoction of chemicals. Mother Nature doesn't have a way of adhering a glossy, metallic hued color on a surface for days at a time. So, okay, it's not that much, it's only on my nails? But there's also the environmental factor, tossing old nail polish bottles is just as bad as tossing out house paint, or batteries*. Great. 

Even "natural" nail polishes aren't one hundred percent natural, but they don't have the triple crown of chemicals: toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde. I guess that's a step in the right direction. But it begs the question, is it really worth it, do I need nail polish in my life? 

So, I've decided to go polish free for the summer and see what happens to me. (Or rather, see if I can stand my long toes baring it all.) Maybe it will be nice to not concern myself with chipping polish...

Here's where I'm getting my facts from:

Huffington Post

WebMD

The Daily Green

Some natural polish brands that are "Three free":

Priti

Zoya

Butter London

Sante

Nars

Rescue Beauty Lounge

Scotch Naturals

* To properly dispose of nail polish, uncap it in a well ventilated area and let it harden. Only then is it "acceptable" to throw out.

All Natural Bug Spray

I don't know about you, but mosquitoes love me. Each summer I will inevitably become covered with golf ball sized welts. Additionally, I hate the thought of covering myself in a choking haze of bug spray. So now my first line of defense is some homemade spray.

There are actually plants that bugs don't like. Citronella is a big one. Yes, citronella is a plant, not just a type of candle! And if you add the right combo of things bugs don't like to smell, then they'll stay away for the most part. 

You don't need too many supplies, but once you have everything you can make enough for yourself and others. You could also use the same essential oils for bug repelling candles, but that's a post for another day. You'll need...

• A 2 oz, dark spray bottle in blue or brown. They sell them in Whole Foods or a site like, Specialty Bottle
• Witch Hazel, which you can pick up at any drug store
• Essential Oils: Citronella, Cedarwood, Tea Tree and Lavender

Fill the bottle 3/4 of the way with witch hazel. Then add 20 drops of citronella, 10 of cedarwood, 10 of tea tree and 10 lavender. You can spray it liberally on your legs and arms, but I wouldn't spray it close to your face and eyes. I keep this by the door so it's handy for a spritz on my legs before I go in the garden or take the dog for a walk. I won't tout that it works as well as any chemically enhanced stuff, but if you're concerned about what goes on your skin, this is a great alternative. 

DIY Detox Mask

Last week I shared a toning facial steam recipe, and today I've got an oil banishing, moisturizing, make you look like a green monster so even your dog won't recognize you, mask. Whew.

A year back when I started going all natural for my skin routine I bought a one pound bag of French green clay. It cost me $17, and I've been doing at least one mask per week. So that works out to about 30 cents per mask. All natural and thrifty!

This sort of clay literally sucks the impurities out of your pores, so it's really good for acne prone skin. It's okay for everyone else, you just don't need to use it as often. It also works well with a bunch of other things: apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, Greek yogurt, or just plain water works too. I use it with apple cider vinegar as spot treatment. Mix a little in your hand to make a paste, dab it on any unsightly blemish, and let it dry. I promise it will reduce the size and redness and shorten it's time on your face. For more frequent whole face detoxing, I mix it with Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera. Alone it's a moisturizing toner, but with this mask it brings a moisturizing balance to the clay's detoxifying properties. 

If you want to get fancy with this mask, start with a about half a tablespoon of clay in a small ramekin. Start adding squirts of the Witch Hazel and mix it with a clean paint brush (preferably and facial dedicated brush). Mix till you get a nice smooth paste and just paint it on, avoiding sensitive areas. The paintbrush truly is an upgrade from just fingertips, the brush feels really nice on your skin, spa-worthy!

Let it dry for 15 or so minutes, so that it's all dry and crackly. I always make sure to give Chris some warning when I put on a mask , I have startled him more than a few times... Behold, the Green Monster!

I added this photo by request! Not my best look.

An Herbal Skin Pick Me Up

It's been a particularly stressful work week for me, so last night I decided to give my face a little pampering. Steams are wonderfully refreshing; they are good for your skin and breathing in the herby goodness helps me to unwind. For this steam I used...

• juice of a fresh lemon
• two sprigs of rosemary 
• two drops of tea tree oil 

These are all good for oily and acne prone skin, like mine. *sigh* But you can use other things like lavender oil for normal skin, or rose oil for dry skin. Pour boiling water in a large bowl, add your ingredients, and sit with your face over the bowl and a large towel over your head. It's like a little sauna for your face! Steam away for as long add you like, and just towel off when you're done. You face will feel soft and tight. This would be a great time for a detoxifying clay mask, but I'll post that another day!

NOTE: If you're wondering where to get essential oils from, Whole Foods always has a great selection, but the best resource for botanicals great and small is Mountain Rose Herbs.

My Dr. Bronner's PSA

It's almost time for "Spring Cleaning", when we can open windows and let the fresh air come in. I like to take the opportunity to really do an intense cleaning of the house, because I'll be honest, I don't do it that often. It's been a few years since I've been trying to switch out all of our harsh chemicals in the house to more natural options. And my first lesson was in the benefits of Castile soap, which is a type of soap made from a vegetable oil base. A very popular brand is Dr. Bronner's, and for good reason. It comes in a variety of scents, which are derived from natural oils like ones shown below. It's mild, yet powerful, and is useful in so many ways. Here is a few ways I use it...