I discovered the wonders of food co-ops when I was attending college in Eastern Washington just across the Idaho border from Moscow. In the aisles of the Moscow Food Co-op, I found good food, community, and my ideals reflected. Not long after our moving away, they expanded and moved into a spacious, beautifully renovated grocery store building complete with an organic deli and bakery and an eating ...
The Resourceful Greenhouse
This Spring, we finally built our first greenhouse. With all the other projects to do during our first year on our property, starting small seemed wise. In spite of limited monetary resources, my very resourceful husband managed to build our greenhouse for around 30 dollars with scraps and salvaged materials we had around our place. Some extra panels of heavy duty livestock fencing made the 12 ...
The Enchanted Tree’s Giveaway Winner!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Mountain Hearth Handcrafts giveaway at the Enchanted Tree! It's so lovely to see all of you following Mountain Hearth on Blogspot, Etsy, and Facebook. Our winner is entry #61, pink026. She will be receiving this lovely little daffodil fairy as her prize. Congratulations! ...
Kombucha, I Love Thy Sparkle!
I would like to take a minute to share some kind words about my kombucha. Some of you may be wondering what sort of exotic thing I am referring to, and I will tell you. Kombucha is a wonderful, fizzy, tasty, fermented tea beverage originating from the Ural mountain region of Russia. It's like healthy soda (at least that's what I tell my kids). We have been making kombucha for more than a year now, ...
“What Are You Anyway, Some Kind of Granola?”: A Mountain Hearth Gluten-Free Granola and Yoghurt Recipe
There is something very wonderful about a bowl of granola with yoghurt and some crunchy toppings. You throw on a handful of nuts or berries, a spoonful of jam or maple syrup, and a sprinkle of bee pollen, and you have a tasty breakfast, snack or dessert. It is also very good to eat plain, just on it's own. What I have discovered is even better is homemade granola and yoghurt. It's simple, ...
Alone in the Wilderness: The Inspiring True Story of a Modern-Day Mountain Man
In 1967, Dick Proenneke retired at age 50 and set off on an adventure to build himself a log cabin homestead at Twin Lakes in the Alaskan wilderness. With his journal, and a camera and tripod, Dick documented the process of building a cabin, storehouse, outhouse, and all the furnishings with simple hand tools over the course of a year. A canoe and hiking boots were his only vehicles of ...
The Red Wheelbarrow Wall Hanging
so much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens. -Wiliam Carlos Williams I spied some of my white chickens scratching away by my kids red wheelbarrow the other day, and this poem immediately came to mind. I have always loved this poem, and I think it really captures the zen of chickens and rural life. I photographed it, but I ...
“These Chickens Really Earn Their Keep” and a Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
Today is a day to celebrate chickens! For the first time ever, our hens laid enough eggs to buy their own organic chicken feed! This is a long standing goal realized. Thank you Briar Rose, Concha, Goldberry, Vulture, Greedy....... and thank you Nikki (my awesome egg customer)! These hens will be partying down and feasting on a gourmet dinner of dandelion greens tonight! In honor ...
A Tiny Home Among the Mosses: Building Fairy Houses With Children
(Photo from cover of "Fairy Houses...Everywhere!") You're hiking on a winding path through the trees, taking in all the shades of green and the sounds of birds and squirrels, when something suddenly catches your eye. There, at the base of a giant tree with a little rivulet of water flowing by is a tiny hut made of fir boughs and bark, no more than a foot tall. The little stepping stone path ...
Mountain Hearth Handcrafts Feature and Giveaway at the Enchanted Tree!
I am pleased to announce that Mountain Hearth Handcrafts is featured on The Enchanted Tree blog today through April 9 with a giveaway of one of my spring faeries! To find out details visit her blog at: http://theenchantedtree.blogspot.com/2009/03/test.html I discovered Tree's amazing work online several years ago and fell in love with her beadwork necklaces and whimsical dolls. To visit ...