Carla Burke

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since Oct 29, 2013
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Biography
A Christian & devoted Patriot, wife, soap maker, herbalist, formerly a homeschooler, baker, truck driver, and more. I was born in the South, but actually grew up around the Great Lakes. Both of my childhood families had big, lush gardens,& preserved everything they could for the winter. I carried that into my own life. But, change happens and for over a decade, it just wasn't an option. Now, retired in the Ozarks, on 29 heavily wooded acres of mostly ravines, our best crops are nearly inaccessible wild blackberries, rocks, wild herbs, and ticks. We're utilizing our burgeoning small-livestock collection, straw bales, raised beds, and containers to build soil, and a better, healthier life for ourselves and our beloved critters, who provide us with eggs, meat, milk, fiber, honey, beeswax, fertilizer, tick control, brush control, 'lawn' mowing, loads of entertainment, and even help turn the compost.
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Recent posts by Carla Burke

I sent a tiny snail home with my daughter, on Sunday. Only 4 plants in it; 2 rose of Sharon and 2 elderberry, because she just found out that her apartment complex actually will let her put plants into the ground, by her patio, as long as she maintains them, so they look nice.

I used a scrap of the good kind of cheesecloth as the coil, with some of my homemade potting soil. They were fresh cuttings, when I saw them last, but they were pretty wilty, in this crazy 100°F heat. I think the heat index bumped it to 106°? She had an 8hr drive to make, but I told her to leave them in the coil, keep them slightly damp for a few weeks, then check them to see if roots have started, being very gentle, as she unfolds the snail, so... we will see how that works out, in a few weeks.
3 hours ago
Another one - maybe 3/4 inch long came in to 'visit', tonight...
3 hours ago
Tonight was pork tbone steaks. They were yummy, but too big. Neither of us could eat the whole thing, even though John didn't cook any sides to go with them. So, now there are two halves in the fridge, waiting for our breakfast. Ok - mine might be a *little* smaller, in a an hour or so, because I'm getting peckish, and always have to have a small, high protein snack before bed to keep my blood sugar from bottoming out, over night (it's never good to wake up just to discover yourself about to slip into a coma, lol)
4 hours ago
My favorite bookshelves I've ever had were built in, floor to ceiling, flanking the fireplace. There was a perfect spot right there for my old wing back chair, and for the year we lived in that house (1997-98), it was my absolute favorite thing, to curl up there in front of a cozy fire, with a mug of strong chamomile tea with milk & honey, a handful of shortbread cookies, and my book-du-jour, after everyone else was finally settled in bed, asleep.

Just thinking about that arrangement calms me, even now, lol.
6 hours ago
Another way to reduce shrinkage is to use leaner meat. I'll admit - it's not my favorite way, because I think meat with a little more fat is much juicier & more flavorful.
2 days ago
Christopher, are you able to collect rain water, for washing with? I don't do it often, in the heat of the summer, because the plants need it so badly. But, I'll go outside and shower in the rain, when we get a good downpour, or snag a bucket or two, and run it through a pillowcase, to remove bugs & debris. Granted, I only do it occasionally, but that does seem to help, too.
2 days ago
Sounds like a critter I'd want to keep happy!
2 days ago

Matt McSpadden wrote:

Robert Ray wrote:Try putting a divot in the center of the patty the size of the bottom of a shot glass.



Interesting. The shape helps them not to scrunch up? Or does it like trap heat in that area?



It does help them shrink less. This was going to be my suggestion, too.
2 days ago