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The aging homesteader

Thekla McDaniels

gardener

Posts: 2535

Location: Somewhere about 100 miles north east of Redding California

376

posted 1 month ago

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Thank you, Faye!

I am all in on holistic practices. And I t’s good to be reminded because usually when something goes wonky- like plantar fasciitis- it’s because I have “forgotten “ about some internal and important thing. I probably need to consider onset, what conditions I was in, and how I responded in the context.

Any other herbs you recommend in a healing salve? Any particular synergistic combinations, or proportions?

Best luck: satisfaction

Greatest curse, greed

Faye Streiff

pollinator

Posts: 238

Location: Appalachian Mountains

105

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Thekla,
I use the herb Heal All, cat’s paw, plantain, Spanish needles, and yarrow in my Heal All salve. If the skin is not broken or it is not a deep puncture wound you could use comfrey. it tends to heal the surface by closing it, which might seal in infection if there is any, Aloe is good laid into an open laceration after cleaning it thoroughly to remove any debris, just slice off the skin of an aloe leaf and lay it in. Bandage to hold it in. Being astringent, it will help pull the wound together. The body will dissolve the aloe as food and nourishment.

For most salves I use organic coconut oil, infuse the herbs in it, low heat for about 3 to 4 hours, do not simmer. Cool slightly, strain out the herbs and discard. To the oil add 1/4 as much grated beeswax and heat just enough to melt it and mix throughout. Pour into tins or jars for storage.

Castor oil will help break up scar tissue, calluses or dissolve warts. With fascia damage you need to remove the scar tissue and rebuild tissue. You could make a poultice with macerated comfrey mixed into castor oil. Do some research and decide what you want to try. Good luck in finding something that will work for you.

With appropriate microbes, minerals and organic matter, there is no need for pesticides or herbicides.

Thekla McDaniels

gardener

Posts: 2535

Location: Somewhere about 100 miles north east of Redding California

376

posted 1 month ago

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Thanks Faye!

Best luck: satisfaction

Greatest curse, greed

John F Dean

master gardener

Posts: 4823

Location: southern Illinois, USA

1550

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posted 1 month ago

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Maybe I need to write this off as paranoia, but I have developed a new safety practice for inclement weather. I set a timer for when I go outside to alert my wife that there may be a problem. I set it for 2x the timespan I think it should take.

We live on Blue Planet that circles a ball of fire. Our Planet is circled by a Golden Moon that moves its oceans. Now tell me that you don’t believe in miracles....Unknown

Robin Katz

pollinator

Posts: 370

Location: Idaho

189

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posted 1 month ago

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John F Dean wrote:Maybe I need to write this off as paranoia, but I have developed a new safety practice for inclement weather. I set a timer for when I go outside to alert my wife that there may be a problem. I set it for 2x the timespan I think it should take.

I think that's very sensible. I let my husband know when I walk to the mailbox. It's about 1/4 mile away and in snowy/icy weather the footing can be nasty. Falling on ice in my 60s isn't the fun it was in my 20s.

Thekla McDaniels

gardener

Posts: 2535

Location: Somewhere about 100 miles north east of Redding California

376

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Safety first!

Having lived alone for decades, in unpopulated, remote areas, the safety practice I have adopted is that I don’t go out without my phone in my pocket…. not always fully charged, but more than half.

I don’t really feel worried or afraid, it’s become a habit I never even give any thought to.

In winter once there’s a lot of snow, I wear bright colors (red hat for example, no camo for me!)

And I have a dog who is always with me. If nothing else, she’ll help me stay warm if I am stranded in the snow…. And her breed is intimidating. Belgian Malinois 😊, a working breed known for intelligence, used as service dogs as well as police and military use. Few people want to get on the wrong side of her or others of her breed.

Best luck: satisfaction

Greatest curse, greed

Steve Zoma

Posts: 242

posted 1 month ago

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I think the biggest thing for aging Homesteaders may be to just have more forgiveness to themselves.

I know back in my 20's, I might go out in the woods, cut some logs, saw them into lumber and start framing a chicken coop, all on the same day. Now at 48, THAT is not happening. It's frustrating to get so little done, but I am getting SOMETHING done, and that is a good thing. I just have to accept that I just cannot do as much as I once did. I think that goes a long ways...

John F Dean

master gardener

Posts: 4823

Location: southern Illinois, USA

1550

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Hi Steve,

Adjusting to ones natural flow is key. I used to be up before dawn and moving at first light…..not any more. I also spend more time thinking a problem through before I attack it. Projects may take longer to finish that way, but far less energy is used.

We live on Blue Planet that circles a ball of fire. Our Planet is circled by a Golden Moon that moves its oceans. Now tell me that you don’t believe in miracles....Unknown

Thekla McDaniels

gardener

Posts: 2535

Location: Somewhere about 100 miles north east of Redding California

376

posted 1 month ago

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Working smarter, not harder!
😁😉

Best luck: satisfaction

Greatest curse, greed

Steve Zoma

Posts: 242

posted 1 month ago

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For some of us where winter can set in pretty deep and long, I think it's important to get outside in the winter, but so too in having inside hobbies. A review of my posts will show, I probably have an unhealthy love of books, so that is something I find myself doing a lot of in winter as I age.

I do have long term goals with that, primarily to work on writing novels now, and then in a few years when I retire, work on marketing them so I have additional residual income.

It is fun to write fiction, and I think there is benefit in any writing as it keeps an aging mind active through creativity, but I also hope to someday write non-fiction. I got 40 years of homesteading experience that should be put into books. I started to write one, and have it about half written, but I think it needs to be better broken down and maybe into a series of books.

But goals; for a person who is aging, that is always a good thing.

John F Dean

master gardener

Posts: 4823

Location: southern Illinois, USA

1550

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This cold snap supported one of my decisions. This fall I wrapped up a project where I ran water and electricity to my paddocks. It was great to not have to haul water on the snow and ice. The electricity allowed all of the water buckets for the livestock to stay ice free.

So next summer I plan on putting in 3 more paddocks ….. hopefully with water and electricity.

We live on Blue Planet that circles a ball of fire. Our Planet is circled by a Golden Moon that moves its oceans. Now tell me that you don’t believe in miracles....Unknown

John F Dean

master gardener

Posts: 4823

Location: southern Illinois, USA

1550

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posted 3 weeks ago

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Our local news (radio, tv, and newspaper) seems too be having another cluster of people being taken advantage of by scams. Of course, the bulk of the victims seems to be up in years. It has always amazed me how people will give large sums of money to someone they have never seen before. The most recent was a woman who paid a small fortune to a stranger who walked up to her door and told her she would have to be evicted if she didn’t get her dangerous roof repaired immediately. Of course, the roof did not need repairs, and he walked with the money without doing anything.

We live on Blue Planet that circles a ball of fire. Our Planet is circled by a Golden Moon that moves its oceans. Now tell me that you don’t believe in miracles....Unknown

Jay Angler

master gardener

Posts: 8134

Location: Pacific Wet Coast

3972

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posted 3 weeks ago

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John F Dean wrote:Our local news (radio, tv, and newspaper) seems too be having another cluster of people being taken advantage of by scams. Of course, the bulk of the victims seems to be up in years. It has always amazed me how people will give large sums of money to someone they have never seen before. The most recent was a woman who paid a small fortune to a stranger who walked up to her door and told her she would have to be evicted if she didn’t get her dangerous roof repaired immediately. Of course, the roof did not need repairs, and he walked with the money without doing anything.

This is a really difficult one if elderly people start loosing cognition, coupled with loosing a partner who used to handle those sorts of things, coupled with loneliness and isolation (anyone at their door sounding nice and honest is an improvement over no human contact).

The flip side in North America is that there are very few small scale senior's homes. In Britain, my Aunt moved into what was effectively a boarding house with benefits, specifically aimed at seniors and lived there for decades. She was safe, had people around her, but as long as possible, she still had independence so far as deciding to take a train up to visit her grand-kids simply by telling the manager where she'd be going and when she'd be back. It was like a home, *not* like an institution. I'd like to see places like that where I live.

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John F Dean

master gardener

Posts: 4823

Location: southern Illinois, USA

1550

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posted 1 day ago

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Hi Jay,

I have found the US hostile to the idea of small group homes for the elderly. To be clear, I am talking ICF and not Assisted Living. In the early 90s I had plans in motion to set up a city block, 4 streets, of homes with an activity center planted in the middle. Each house would have its own kitchen, dining room, living room, and 2 baths. The nurses aide ratio would be an incredible 1:4 for all shifts.

Sheltered walkways would connect each home to the central building. The central building would contain the nurses station, larger kitchen, large dining room, and an activity area. In short, the Accrediting bodies lost their minds when I ran the idea past them. It didn’t fit the mold.

We live on Blue Planet that circles a ball of fire. Our Planet is circled by a Golden Moon that moves its oceans. Now tell me that you don’t believe in miracles....Unknown

Robin Katz

pollinator

Posts: 370

Location: Idaho

189

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John, I love your idea. That fits my ideal for "somewhat assisted living" where you can have your own place, people nearby, and medical assistance as needed on hand. Our current system seems to require that you give up your independence in order to get care. I can see why so many people refuse this system unless forced into it.

Thekla McDaniels

gardener

Posts: 2535

Location: Somewhere about 100 miles north east of Redding California

376

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I can see many possible reasons this would be a difficult undertaking in modern USA. I started by listing them. For me that is the short road to frustration and beyond. I decided half way through the rant I would likely throw away to put the mental energy into imagining how it COULD be done.

Maybe a co-op model would work, a co- housing neighborhood for seniors. With the nursing services run by a separate entity.

Being Mortal , Medicine and What Mayters in the End by Atul Gawande is a good book that explores the mindsets of mainstream American culture. “We give our preschoolers and toddlers more freedom than our seniors” is a quote that I have likely paraphrased.

The issue is definitely fertile ground!

I plan to die in my sleep! But not for some time!🤣🤣🤣

Best luck: satisfaction

Greatest curse, greed

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