Homesteading in the City: Wrap Up

Is it December already? For this year's "homesteading in the city" theme, our definition of homesteading went beyond living off a 160-acre homestead; to finding resourceful and innovative ways to live, whether living off the land, pioneering something new, or choosing an alternative way to live. In that spirit, we delved into making and doing for ourselves with our modern gadgets; read books about and by homesteaders; and continued to appreciate plants, animals and the natural world.

Homesteading in the city - with all our modern gadgets and conveniences

Homesteading with Gadgets

Homesteading in the kitchen, with all our modern tools.

Making Yogurt (video)

Roasting Chicken (video)

Summer Treats (video)

Fluffy Dinner Rolls (video)

Books about Homesteaders

Interesting homesteaders of all kinds.

Four Walls Against the Wind

Tisha

Two in the Far North

I Married the Klondike

Little House in the Big Woods

Farmer Boy

Books for Homesteaders

Resources for homesteaders of all kinds.

Practical Formulas

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter

A Year of Holidays

Enjoying Nature

Enjoy the seasons, the moods of nature, and the local birds and critters.

Here are the Hummingbirds (video)

Rainy Winter Night

Should I Take Down My Bird Feeder?

Shadow Play

Mourning Doves (video)

Scrub Jay with a Mangled Leg

Fall Back and Full Moon

Eastern Fox Squirrels (video)

Garden Projects

Work on garden infrastructure, and enjoy the yard and neighborhood.

Month-by-Month: Winter   Spring   Summer   Fall

Landscaping Site Visit

Urban Forestry (video)

Fall Arrangement: Pampas Grass

Dyeing with Plants

Excursions

We took a few excursions to get out of the house, expand our horizons, and enjoy life.

Farewell to our Hemet Haven
Back to Work in San Ramon
Farmer's Market: Summer and Fall Bounty
Golden Hour at Lake Temescal
Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden
Mendocino, Fort Bragg, and the Rugged Coast

Homesteading: Fluffy Dinner Rolls

 Autumn has arrived here in the San Francisco Bay Area, and this is the perfect time of year for bread making, which ties in with our "homesteading in the city" theme. All this year we have been making and doing for ourselves, with all the comforts of modern life. This time we’re making fluffy dinner rolls, using a stand mixer that is equipped with a bread hook. I haven’t done much bread making, so this is a chance to develop a new homesteading skill, and prepare for the holidays ahead.

Fluffy dinner rolls brushed with melted butter

My inspiration is my Aunt Char who is a master of the fluffy dinner roll. When she has hosted Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, she typically has a huge Tupperware bowl filled with living, breathing bread dough. She effortlessly pulls off chunks of dough, rolls them into balls, lets them rise in her warm kitchen, and then pops them into the oven. They are served piping hot, with butter and jam. The jam is often procured by my mom from the bakeries and gourmet kitchen shops that she has visited, as she and my dad travel up and down the west coast. Together, the rolls and jam are absolutely delicious!

I decided to use the “Best Homemade Dinner Rolls Ever!” recipe by Rachel Farnsworth, from the “Stay at Home Chef” blog. I recommend watching Rachel's video several times before starting, and reading her recommendations. She has developed this recipe over a five-year period, so draws upon a lot of experience!

Ready for butter and jam

Mix and Rise Phase

1. Combine ingredients. 
2. Incorporate flour. 
3. Let rise.

Combine ingredients with a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook

Form, Rise, and Bake Phase

1. Form rolls, and let rise. 
2. Bake rolls. 
3. Remove from oven. 

Form dough

Let dough rise, and then bake

Serve and Enjoy

Finally, it’s time to enjoy these fluffy dinner rolls! I’m serving them with butter and delicious raspberry preserves from Los Rios Ranch.

Fluffy dinner rolls and artisan jam

Freeze for the Future

I tried freezing six of the rolls in a plastic container for later. About an hour before dinner, I took several of them out of the freezer, and then wrapped them in a moistened dish towel and warmed them in the microwave right before we sat down to eat. The rolls were delicious and a real treat for a midweek meal. I haven’t tried freezing the dough for later use, so that will be a future experiment.

Freeze some rolls to pull out for midweek dinners

In closing, this a wonderful recipe and very successful, even for a newbie. My only complaint with making dinner rolls is that they take planning and time, and need to be coordinated to have them available to eat with the meal. With experience, this would become easier to do, and well worth the time to learn the skill. Bring on the holidays!

I Married the Klondike

All this year we're reading "homesteading" books instead of watching movies where plants are the stars. This ties into our "homesteading in the city" theme (and I'm using the term "homesteading" loosely). Instead of acquiring a 160-acre plot and living off the land while making improvements (often in the context of westward expansion in the United States), I've broadened the term to include being resourceful, making things from scratch, improvising, thrifting and recycling, and just trying something new. In that spirit, we've read several books where people leave their comfortable lives in pursuit of their own adventures.

Our fourth book is I Married the Klondike, written by Laura Beatrice Berton (McClelland & Stewart Limited, 1954). In 1907, twenty-nine year old kindergarten teacher, Laura Thompson, received a job offer to teach school in Yukon Territory. She jumped at the chance, and within a month left her home in Toronto, Ontario and traveled to Dawson City, Yukon by train, steamship, rail, and sternwheeler for the fall term. Along the way she met many of the people who would become her friends and colleagues. Her first sight of Dawson City--comprised of a collection of gray buildings, on the bank of the Yukon River,  at the base of a mountain--was from the sternwheelers' deck. It seemed that the whole town had turned out to meet them.

Miss Thompson was immediately pulled into the social life of Dawson City, which included hosting and attending parties, entertaining visitors on an assigned day, and attending dances and other town events. Stores carried all kinds of delicacies and Parisian fashions (all of which was unexpected in a mining town, but expected to be implemented). She embarked on her teaching career in a modern school on the frontier, and later met and married kindred spirit, Frank Berton. Together they raised their children and embraced their lives in Dawson City - walking and hiking, exploring, and boating on the Yukon River in the summer.

It was a treat to read Ms. Berton's recollections about living and working in post-gold rush Dawson City, and about the international cast of people that populated their lives. Reading her memoirs brought back a flood of memories of my own. In my youth my family camped in Dawson City and the surrounding area, and fell under the spell of the Yukon. I remember fondly attending the Gaslight Follies; enjoying the view from Midnight Dome; hearing poetry read from Robert Service's cabin (one of my favorites is Spell of the Yukon); seeing the river boats pulled up on the beach of the Yukon River; and visiting the Dawson City Museum. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in history, adventure, and reading personal experiences from a unique period of history. 

Learn More:

Some interesting items related to the book:

• Klondike Gold Rush - information about the gold rush that took place in northwestern Canada from 1896 to 1899. The lure of gold and riches brought men and women from all over the world.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_Gold_Rush

• Dawson City - description of the town in Yukon Territory that boomed during the gold rush of 1898, and still exists today. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawson_City

• Laura Berton: Teacher in the Klondike - blog article by Gwen Tuinman about Ms. Berton and the Klondike (with pictures). https://gwentuinman.com/2016/02/07/seeking-inspiration-laura-berton-teacher-in-the-klondike/  

• Robert Service Cabin - article and podcast by Les McLaughlin from the Yukon Nuggets collection. The Scottish banker, Robert Service, turned full-time author in Dawson City. He was a beau and friend of Ms. Berton, and wrote the preface to I Married the  Klondike. https://yukonnuggets.com/stories/robert-service-cabin/

Homesteading: Summer Treats

Summer has officially arrived! Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, our weather vacillates between our usual temperate climate and times of blazing hot heat! As part of our "homesteading in the city" theme this year, we're making summer treats to enjoy during those heat spells, using our modern gadgets. First, we’ll make lemonade in the Instant Pot, and then blueberry sorbet in the ice cream maker. 

Refreshing summer treats

Lemonade is one of the quintessential drinks of summer. It is tart, sweet, cold, and refreshing. As a youth, my family traveled from rainy Alaska to sunny Southern California every two years to visit our extended family. During long, hot afternoons, Grandma Char served tall glasses of ice-cold lemonade, poured from her glass pitcher. 

I’m using the Instant Pot Lemonade recipe from the “Make Me Some Sugar” blog, by Kelsey. The recipe produces two cups of concentrate, and is ready to mix now (or freeze for later).

Ingredients for making lemonade concentrate

Ready to mix up a batch of lemonade

Sorbet is delicious and refreshing any time the temperature heats up. This time we're making blueberry sorbet, using fresh blueberries and the Blueberry Sorbet recipe from the Ultimate Ice Cream Book, by Bruce Weinstein. I've been working my way through its collection of recipes for years, and have never been disappointed. First make a simple syrup, then combine the syrup, blueberries, and lime juice in a blender. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream machine. It could not be easier.

Ingredients for blueberry sorbet

Ready to eat, or transfer to the freezer

Find a shady spot in the yard and serve your summer treats. Enjoy!

Grandma Char's pitcher still serves up ice cold lemonade

Homesteading: Roasting Chicken

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 roasting chicken in the oven, making broth in the slow cooker, and using the ingredients to create delicious, nutritious meals. 

Roast chicken just out of the oven

Chicken is an affordable and flavorful protein source. It is versatile, and used throughout the world in many cuisines. Chicken can be served up in fancy presentations, or in everyday dishes. 

We’ve had some chicken farmers in my own family history, both in Vermont back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and in Southern California during the Depression. I remember well my Grandma Char's fried chicken for a crowd. She used a great technique of browning the chicken on the gas range top, and then finishing the cooking in the oven. We had some wonderful family parties eating fried chicken and all the fixings out on the lawn in the heat of the Southern California summer. Great times!

Family chicken farm in Vermont

One of my family’s favorite dishes is a simple roast chicken, with crispy flavorful skin, and tender juicy meat. I use the roasting technique described by Irma S. Rombauer in The Joy of Cooking:

1. Truss the chicken (you can fill the cavity loosely with vegetables for extra flavor). Oil or butter the skin and season with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.
2. Place the roasting pan in a preheated 450-degree oven, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for an additional 20 minutes per pound.
4. Baste frequently with pan drippings, and tent with foil if needed.
5. Remove from the oven when juices run clear. Let the bird stand for about ten minutes, and then carve.
6. Serve with a salad, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, brown rice, or other tasty side dish.

Don’t throw away the carcass! Use it to make a rich, flavorful broth. If you can’t do this right away, freeze the bones in a “bone bag” until you’re ready. 

Slow cooking bone broth

I follow these slow cooker steps from Emma Christensen in The Kitchn:

1. Place bones, vegetables, and bay leaf into the slow cooker. I typically use an onion, two large carrots, and two large celery stalks.
2. Cover the bones and vegetables with water.
3. Cook on low for 8 - to 24 hours.
4. Strain the broth through a sieve and cheesecloth into jars or containers.
5. Keep the broth in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to three months.
6. Use for homemade soup, chicken-and-dumplings, gravy, or as a water substitute for cooking grains and rice.

Fast cooking bone broth

You can also make bone broth in the Instant Pot, as described by Melissa Clark in Dinner in an Instant. Either way is delicious.

Freeze some of the chicken for a speedy meal in the future

One of my “homesteading” tricks is to freeze some of the meat for future meals. Shred a cup or two to use in tacos, enchiladas, or hash. Or cube some to use for chicken pot pie, soup, or burritos. It’s wonderful to have this cache in the freezer, which I can turn into a tasty meal on short notice. There are so many ways to serve chicken - enjoy!

Chicken burritos, pot pie or parts (dibs on the dark meat!)

Learn More:

• The Joy of Cooking, by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker. Bobbs-Merrill Company, New York, 1977, page 422 (Roast Chicken).

• How To Make Chicken Stock in the Slow Cooker, by Emma Christensen. The Kitchn, Aug 31, 2015 (https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-chicken-stock-in-the-slow-cooker-223252).

• Dinner in an Instant, by Melissa Clark. Clarkson Potter/Publishers. New York, 2017, page 114 (Bone Broth or Chicken Stock).

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!