It's been a long time!

It has been way too long since my last post. Sorry about that! We've had a ton of new things going on. From getting settled into our new place to having a new baby( yep, now we have 2 under 2!) We have been so busy. Also, my laptop died on me so I am working from a tablet nowadays.

Let me catch you all up:
Mason is our newest addition. He is 6 weeks old now. We are so blessed! We have two sweet little farm helpers. (:

We just finished planting our fall/winter garden. I'm hoping it provides plenty of veggies for us. We planted kale, garlic, arugula,  lettuce,spinach,  mustard and collard greens, raddishes, cabbage and a few other things.  I'm really excited about this garden!

Recently, Gunner lost his job(he is working part time for now) so we have been trying to save money where we can. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to save money. Making changes to save money requires alot more time and work. For example: cooking from scratch, cloth diapering, homemade cleaners. Although it is more time consuming, we really actually enjoy simple things like that. Not only will it save us money, but we feel so much better about the things we use or eat when it's something we grew, raised, or made ourselves.

So, with a new baby around, I think my next few posts will be baby or mommy related. Maybe even a few tutorials... (:

How to set up a Worm bin Tutorial

   I've had a couple requests for a worm bin setup tutorial. So, here it is! I had a hard time finding detailed tutorials online when I was reading up on materials and such that are needed. Hopefully this will help others in the same boat as me. (:

 My worm bin is a Can O Worms brand bin that i bought second hand very cheap. You can use any bin. Store bought or homemade it doesn't really matter, they all have generally the same concept.

With the can o worms bin, the very bottom tray where the spigot comes out is for any liquid that may collect to go.
 Insert 1 tray and line the bottom with a layer of newspaper.
This will keep the coconut fiber from clogging the holes and falling into the drip tray.

 Add 1 block of Coconut Fiber(moistened and absorbed as per instructions on label)
The worms can eat and live in the coconut fiber. Its great for starting your bin out and you can find it at any pet store and some Wal-Mart stores.

 On top of the coconut fiber, add you worms! Leave the lid off while you wait for them to go down. The light encourages them to go into the substrate.(Red wigglers are great for worm bins! Its best to start out with at least 700 worms.)

Wait several minutes until all worms have gone down into the coconut fiber.

 Once the worms disappear, add some veggie and fruit scraps.

 Top it off with moist shredded newspaper, put the lid on and wait for the magic to happen! (:

 It usually takes about 2 months until the first tray will be full and you will need to add a new tray. When you are ready for the new tray, scoop some of the castings, worms, and scraps from the first tray into the new one, and add some new scraps. When the worms are ready for new food, they will come up through the holes of the tray.

 For Worm tea ("liquid Gold*) add 1 cup of worm castings into 1 gallon of water and let it set for a few minutes.
Use within a day or 2..

Can o Worms bin
                                              

Update From our Little Farm

 Wow. It has been far too long since my last post. We've had a lot going on, and maybe I've been a little lazy when it comes to blogging....just a little. (;
 There are so many things going on here on our little mini farm. Our tilapia are having babies, chicks are hatching, emu chicks growing and my garden plants are growing like crazy. It's all so exciting to see!


A big project is taking off for us and we are so thrilled. Our quail have been giving us 20+ eggs a day and we were trying to find things to do with them! I was boiling quail eggs, pickling them, frying them and giving some away. Finally, we decided to start collecting them for incubating. Quail eggs only incubate for 17 days so it's a high turnover! we've got quail coming out of our ears over here...it's a good thing. These quail really are doing their job here and were finding it was the best $20 investment we've made!

If you've considered getting into quail, I say it's a good idea. Quail are a really great dual purpose bird. Especially since thy cost less to feed than a chicken, and grow to their full size in about 6 to 8 weeks!

Homemade All Purpose scrub cleaner. You'll Be Glad you Read This!

 Today I am sharing my new favorite homemade cleaner. It consists of 2 ingredients that I can almost guarantee you have in your kitchen and bathroom cabinets!
Baking Soda
Hydrogen Peroxide

Really? 2 ingredients?? Yep! Once you have this recipe all mixed up you'll be running around the house wondering what else can it possibly clean!?
I've used this to clean my bathroom....shower, sink, toilet..Kitchen sink, Stove top( It even gets those crazy tough grease stains that even bleach can't clean on your stove!) you name it, this cleaner does it.
Here is what you need to do:
Mix baking soda and Hydrogen peroxide together to form a creamy paste..

{I didn't really measure exact amounts. It just depends on how much you will be cleaning with it. I cleaned my stove top and sink and I had just the right amount. I would say I used 3 table spoons of Baking soda and just added hydrogen peroxide until it was the consistency I wanted. You can adjust the ratio however is best for you!}
 Once it's mixed just apply where you want it.

    Scrub it in.(don't even need a scrubby. I used a crochet rag and it was perfect!)
  Let it set for about 5 minutes.(more or less depending on how serious your mess is(:
  Last, Rinse and admire!

badabing badaboom. No harsh smells. No tough scrubbing. Probably the cheapest cleaner yet. Does it get any better? (:

Hope you enjoy this cleaner! Just in time for Spring Cleaning!

** I haven't used this on wood. I've cleaned glass, stainless steel, and plastic(bathtub) and it's fantastic. Before applying to surfaces you aren't sure about just test it out on a small corner first.

DIY Strawberry Planter from 5 Gallon Bucket

I have to admit, I've got a strong case of garden fever. With my seedlings growing and the season slowly changing, I'm getting so antsy about planting my garden!
 That being said, here is what I worked on today. While cruising the Internet for some easy planter ideas, I found a tutorial for making a strawberry planter from a 5 gallon bucket. We had everything needed so I thought, what the heck I can do that!
What you need:

5 gallon bucket
Skill Saw
Marker
Heat Gun
Garden shovel (or another stiff object to form your openings)

Take your bucket and mark where you want your cuts

With the skill saw, cut your slits

Use your heat gun to heat around the cuts (don't over heat it, or it will bubble!)

After it's heated and flexible,  stick your shovel into the opening and wiggle it around to loosen it and then hold it where you want with the shovel for about a minute until it cools.(Push the top of the cut in and the bottom out.)

That's it! Fill with soil and your strawberry plants and enjoy! (:
YouTube Tutorial Video

Getting Ready For Spring

 We are so close to spring, I can feel it! Here in Florida, we've had some summer and spring feeling days throughout this winter. Like every other winter, plants and trees are as confused as we are, pollinating and blooming one week then back to a winter chill the next! Nevertheless, Spring will be here before we know it and I am counting down the days.44 to go!
 This year I'm planning a garden to remember. Me being a person with a history of a black thumb(Yep, I've murdered some plants in my time),this should be amusing! I have to say I have come a long way since my plant killing days. Let's just say I've learned a little from those failed attempts to grow herbs and veggies.
 This year I have tried a few different things in hopes of more success. Also, I didn't want to pay for plants that are already started from the hardware store. So, With success and frugality on my mind, here is what I have done so far.

 I started my seeds indoors in seed starting trays under a UVB Light fixture(I "borrowed" it from my husbands aquarium. (:) I've had SO MUCH success so far! Watching the little seedlings pop up is so thrilling! Makes me feel like a kid on Christmas morning.
 Most of my seeds are started in coconut fiber (Eco Earth). We have alot of reptiles, so we usually have a few blocks of this on hand. Its so much cheaper than buying individual pellets. I think it costs $3.49 per block and once you add water it expands to fill half of a 5 gallon bucket. Yes, half a 5 gallon bucket. You can buy this at any pet store and sometimes you can find it in the pet section at Wal-Mart.
 I have my tomatoes in a flat with jiffy peat pellets. These have been good too. I got the idea to use them from one of my favorite gardening pages .He has great tips on gardening and more. Check it out at the gardening link below.


 My seeds were planted straight into the coconut fiber and I just let nature work it's magic. Once my little seedlings emerged, I started to water them with water from my Tilapia Barrells. This water is high in Nitrates. In other words, It's a natural fertilizer 100% organic. And, it cost nothing! {:
 I'm deffinantly anxious to see how much I will harvest from these plants. I've got bell peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, and LOTS of herbs. A good variety is something I love.

We are working on several DIY projects for the garden and I will hopefully have them posted soon. Stay tuned!
Gardening (:

Coturnix Quail Are Here!

My hubby surprised me with 20 Coturnix (aka "Pharoah", "Japanese") quail chicks a few days ago. They are a week old and probably the cutest things I've ever seen!

We have been wanting to get into quail for a while now, but were just waiting for a good deal. We are hoping there will be a good male\female ratio. Its hard to believe these little quail will be laying eggs in just 8-10 weeks! AND they will also be mature enough to eat at that time. That is one of the many reasons quail are a popular choice when it comes to raising poultry for meat and eggs. Other good qualities at the top of the list: Quail eggs hatch in just 17 days Some people pickle their eggs. (Im looking forward to trying it) Eggs are VERY Nutritious        -high in iron, potassium, calcium, protein and Vitamins A & B. Just to name a few. Cleaning quail is MUCH easier than cleaning a chicken. I was in search of a good tutorial for cleaning quail and this one was the best I found. Seems easy enough(: Now on to making a hutch for them!

DIY Compost Bin

Over the past few months, I have been really wanting a compost bin. But, being that they are going for about $40 USED, of course I was looking to make one instead. I've found lots of different kinds of homemade compost bins online and decided to just pick tips from all of them to make my own. We've collected a few 55 gallon barrels lately. Although I have plans for some of them for other things, I thought it would work great for my bin! We we're given the barrels for free, so total cost so far for my compost bin was $0. Bought 1 pack of small hinges($2 total) and a latch ($2). That's a $4 compost bin..definitely approved by me! (: There are just a few tools needed to make this A saw of some sort(we used a skill saw) A drill 1/2 inch drill bit First, we flipped the barrel over. I wanted to do it this way so the knobs weren't in the way. -Cut the lid Rinse inside -Add hinges and latch Drill holes -Fill er' up! :) I'm sure you know what does and doesn't go into the bin, but in case you want to freshen up on that list, head here for a very detailed list! Set in a place where it will get both sun and some shade. * mix the compost once a week.. just make sure the latch is closed and secure, tip the bin over on it's side and roll it a few times. Happy Composting!