Homesteading Without a Clue

That is what I should have named this blog.  I am beginning to feel like someone who jumped into the country with an idealistic idea of how to live out here, and an inadequate amount of bookish ideas.  As a librarian, I guess I should have known that would be an issue.

Today's newest concern comes from our apple trees.  We had always planned to plant an orchard on our little slice of land, and were happily surprised to find two young apple trees and two young pears already growing in the side yard.  Today I wandered over there while the 4-year-old and I were on a walk, and discovered something disgusting.  It looks as if the yellow delicious apple tree has decided to grow cotton!  Thank heaven for the internet (and my mad search skills).  Turns out we have woolly aphids.

Disgusting, but by my brief research, not deadly.  I really need to find the beautiful orchard book my coworkers gifted me before we moved.  I will be you dollars to doughnuts there is a section on aphids.

Speaking of doughnuts, or rather, doughy breakfast foods.  Don't tell me I can't make bagels, baby!

Jennifer's very own Everything Bagels!  They were delicious, for a first go round.  I think they weren't quite right, but I think that will just take practice.  The recipe comes from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, which comes highly recommended!  I use it way too often, as my waistline has demonstrated these last few months.

Oh, and it looks like the priorities decision was surprisingly easy.  We bought the tiller.  The garden comes first, and we already purchased seeds from Seed Savers.  Now I just need to learn how to use it!  I am sure there is a book on that somewhere around here.