How did we get the name Harvest Moon? Well it all started when I bought my husband a PS2 poker game. He couldn’t play it on my sons old PS2 so I bought him a new one. I didn’t like to play poker so I bought a game for me. I picked the harvest moon game because it looked like something I could enjoy. I am talking about Harvest Moon It’s A Wonderful Life.
Well when I started it I never worked so hard in my life on a farm to keep from starving to death. But before then game was over I was rich and had the best veggies, milk,butter,home, than you can imagine. Can’t tell you how it ends.
So everyone got into the game . Even my husband. And I am talking about people who are 25 -28 years old coming over and just sitting around watching a person play a game on a Friday night. Single people choosing to watch me play Harvest Moon over a night out on the town.
How much fun.
So the game had such affect on our life that it consumed our everyday lives. It brought my old days as when I was homesteading back in the 70’s, So the kids want to learn.
So here we are. with this blog. So follow us and teach and learn with them and us.

Well there is a group of us that live in a 16 room home here in Arkansas. We are in the process of bringing the old generations to the new generations. Now is the time to do it before the art of homesteading and gardening and quilting and living off the land is a lost art. I have been at if for many years since I was 15. My name is Brenda. Garland is my new found husband whom I love dearly. It was a internet romance, so don’t let them tell you it can’t happen. He is from the old school. One of the last remaining gentlemen I know.

Ivan, is my oldest and he is the wise one.

He is going to make me a grandmother this year with a sweet girl name Belinda. It will be my first grand baby.

I hope that he marries Belinda or there will be hell to pay if he doesn’t.

Rob………….everyone says that he is my favorite, but how can that be? He goes to France about once a year sometimes twice, to work on an old 200 year old house and brings we back just about any thing I want. Hey have you every tried Goose fat? ……..Wow!!

Beth & Adam, these two are the ones that I am hoping will take the knowledge of this small homestead and take it to the country some day. Beth wants to raise Alpacas.

Beth is my big creative esty queen. She is just like her mother. Anything to make a dollar and she can do it too.

Here is her latest creation and coming to  baby boutiques coming soon.

So be sure and check out her site.

You will see us progress along the way. Ups & Downs. the there will be times we just take off and go RV’ing. We will be here for a while because of the new garden and baby chickens we have and more on the way. Plus we are in the process of getting our home repaired from the hail storm in April.

Please come join us in the blog. The more the merrier and we can all learn something.

Oh this is just a small avatar of me I made up. Kind of shows the side of me not many get to see. More avatars later.

And of course Garland is a master at outdoor cooking.

Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don’t have to pass a urine test. Shouldn’t one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their ASS, doing drugs, while I work … Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check? Post to your blog if you agree if not, then don’t. Hope you all will pass it along, though…Something has to change in this country – - and soon!!!!!

Roses are in bloom. This is one of my Jackson&Perkins.

I just purchased 16 rose hedges from J&P to surround the front porch on the house. Pictures of th home will be posted soon. Still painting and doing clean up from storm damaged.

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into. ~Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858

To cool for us folks that are near to each other. Just what I have been looking for.

This forum was created with the idea of helping one another in your own community. Do you have a vegetable garden? Are you frequently over-run with excess tomatoes, but would like some eggs? That’s the idea here, swapping farm products.

http://farmswapusa.niceboard.net/index.htm

I have been doing many updates on our website and have recently added a
free download called Bread Baking Basics. It’s located at

and at the top of the column on the
right hand side. This will teach you how to make a basic loaf of whole
wheat bread starting with grinding the grain and ending with getting
ready to eat. There are pictures of every step.

Also thought I’d let folks know that by the end of this week we will be
able to accept food stamps at our bulk and natural food store in
Mulberry. Please pass the word around.
Thanks,
Jodi
Homestyle Mercantile

This bad guy stands right in the middle of our orchard to keep all the critters from getting up in the trees and stealing all out fruit. Purchased in at the local auction.

He is a bobble head chicken.

Garden is coming along. Got some pole beans down from the heavy winds last week that down trees all over the area. We were lucky this time.

Pole beans

You just have to keep plowing away at it then you will reap the fruits of your labor.

Well here is something I ran across the other day and decided that it would be a cool item to have……….if I knew how to use it.

Was told it was an old antique yarn winder. I have no ideal how to you it.

if any one else out there knows please let me know. Or it will just on my front porch as a bird perch.

Other than that here is a couple of old peddle cars I ran across to. They are also porch sitters. But anything is for sale. All you have to do is just ask and offer.

These would make great nest for my marans chicken. I wouldn’t do that. Just kidding.

Well the storm of April did bring us this very nice new RV. We are very thankful no one got hurt. The wonderful adventures just keep happening in our lives. My first Grand baby is on the way. New RV that we will get lots of use out of. The lord has blessed us more than we could every imagine.

We hope the day will come in the future when Garland and I can become Work- Kampers when he retires.

We are thankful that this one was offered to us at a great deal from the Gulfstream V.P.

Hide A Bed Sofa

Kitchen & Dinning Rooms

It is a part of lives even though it is not part of the homesteading at the moment but will be in the future. When we move to your new land.

Here is a couple of my soap sock bags I am starting to make to sell on etsy. I like them and what fun to have them hand on your shower head ready to use. The bags will last a long long time.