Four Walls Against the Wind

This year, instead of viewing movies where plants are the stars, we're reading some "homesteading" books to celebrate how resourceful and innovative people are, whether they are living off the land, pioneering something new, or choosing an alternative way to live. This ties into our theme for 2022, "homesteading in the city". Plants may not be the stars in these books, but I'm pretty they'll make an appearance.

Our first book is Four Walls Against the Wind: Finding our Alaska Dream, by Marge Hermans Osborn (Virtualbookworm.com Publishing Inc., 2009). In 1994, Marge and Tom Osborne set out on an adventure to build their dream cabin on a remote island in Southeast Alaska. Over a period of twelve years they held down jobs in Juneau, and spent every free minute building a sawmill, cabin, and workshop, and an infrastructure that came to include a wind-powered electrical and battery system, compostable toilets, and inside plumbing (with both cold and hot water). Five or six neighbors provided companionship, dinner and cocktail parties, and support. A container garden provided potatoes, rhubarb, and greens. 

The book is written as a series of journal entries, organized into chapters that reflect process from preparing the land, to building the cabin, to settling in and enjoying life in the wild. Osborn is a gifted storyteller, weaving keen observations about nature and wildlife, with challenges from bears and inclement weather, and thoughts about following your dreams. The black and white photo gallery provides an added dimension. Osborn writes about their transformation, from wanting a small cabin with pristine wilderness, to desiring more room in which to live and work, and a balance of nature, sustainability and conveniences. I recommend this book for anyone interested in a vicarious homesteading experience! 

Learn more:

• Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. Published by Pojar, Jim (COM)/ MacKinnon, Andy (COM), 2004.
• Reflections: A Pioneer Alaskan's Personal History from the Gold Rush of '89 to 1980, by Lazette M. Ohman. New York / Los Angeles / Chicago, Vantage Press, 1988. 
• Southeast Alaska's Natural World, by Robert H. Armstrong, Marge Hermans. Todd Communications, Anchorage Alaska, 2004.
• The Humanure Handbook, by Joe Jenkins, Chelsea Green Publishing, 2019 (4th edition).
• The Sibley Guide to Birds, by David Allen Sibley. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 2009. 

Homesteading: Making Yogurt

Our theme this year is "homesteading in the city", where we celebrate making and doing for ourselves, with all the comforts of modern life! Today I'm making yogurt in the Instant Pot. 

Homesteading in the city, with the Instant Pot

I make a batch of yogurt about once a month. It makes a great breakfast as a parfait with honey or jam, fruit, nuts and granola, or as a smoothie with frozen fruit and greens. Yogurt is a terrific base for dips and sauces, and can be used as a marinade for meat and seafood. You can strain yogurt to make curds, which can be used as a spread for bagels. The whey is an excellent liquid substitute for cooking and baking, and a refreshing drink.

Yogurt is fermented milk that has been heated and mixed with live bacteria. According to Wikipedia, the origins of yogurt are unknown, but it may have been invented in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC. Yogurt is used as a food source, and the probiotic bacteria is good for maintaining a healthy gut. When stored in a chilled environment, yogurt keeps much longer that milk, so is a good technique for preservation. Yogurt is typically made from cow's milk, but goat and other milk types can be used, including non-dairy soy and coconut milk.

Milk source for yogurt
(line art by Pearson Scott Foresman)

To make yogurt, heat the milk to about 180 degrees, and then cool it to about 115 degrees. This prevents the milk proteins from forming curds. Add the bacterial culture, and then ferment the milk between 86-115 degrees for 8 hours. Keep the yogurt in the refrigerator. Optionally, strain the yogurt through cheesecloth and a sieve to produce a thicker yogurt consistency or curds. Keep the whey, which is full of protein. Serve and enjoy!

Here are the Hummingbirds

A few months ago I lamented Where are the Hummingbirds. I had hung a hummingbird feeder in late summer, but it seemed to be shunned by hummingbirds in favor of flowers. That's understandable, and desirable, for them to prefer the real thing, but I was eager to host some hummingbird guests!

Hummingbird visitor in early winter

Now that it is winter, I am observing daily visits to the feeder. The hummingbirds frequently take long drinks, and even "rest" on the perch after drinking. So far I haven't been able to identify the species. They are typically gray or brown, and are not showy at all (possibly female?). I've read that hummingbirds are very territorial, and have noticed that several of the metallic flowers seem to be visited by different birds. I'm wondering whether this is a form of territorialism.

It's a challenge to photograph and video the fleeting visits to the feeder, but it is great fun to observe hummingbirds in action!

Looking Ahead to 2022

Happy New Year! Despite all the challenges of COVID and general living, I'm looking forward to the new year. Anything seems possible at this point - 2022 is a blank slate upon which we haven't yet written. Let's make it a great year, despite all the headlines we read and hear!

This year's theme for Eden By The Bay is "homesteading in the city" (a natural follow-up to last year's  "back to the land" theme). Don't worry - I'm not going off grid or stockpiling food and supplies. I'm a modern gal who loves her gadgets and all the benefits of city living. But I did grow up in Southeast Alaska, and have a soft spot for those who live off the land and make it or do it themselves. I also count myself in the good company of makers, who love to create and make things. I plan to produce, reuse, and thrift my way through the year, with all my twenty-first century gadgets and the power on!

Clockwise: Enjoying light from nature and the city
Solar dyeing with kitchen scraps (avocado pits and skin)
Homesteading with gadgets
Watching Mr. Squirrel eat a mushroom stalk

We'll continue many of our projects from last year, including restoring the soil and landscape, planting seeds, making videos, and enjoying the birds and wildlife that visit our little piece of urban land. We'll continue to dye fabric with dyes made from plants. Instead of expanding the color palette, I plan to experiment with exhaust dyeing (reusing dyes that have been used before), more solar dyeing (using the sun or time to dye), and "eco-dyeing" (direct transfer of color from plants). Instead of viewing movies where plants are the stars, we'll read some "homesteading" books and discover how resourceful and innovative people can be. We may do a little cooking and foraging in farmer's markets, and we'll definitely continue learning about plants, visiting parks and gardens, and experimenting. Hope you'll join me!