{the new year} A New Garden

{Our main garden in quiet rest} After the big fall harvest my garden, my husband, and I am ready for a break. We begin to put most all things outdoors to rest, batten down the hatches, and embrace winter. Our minds take a respite during the month of November and December from gardening but once…

{the new year} New Beginnings are Lovely

I’ve moved a lot in my life and although it can be scary and stressful it also means a fresh start. That’s how I feel at the beginning of each new year. There are always a lot of unknowns but the simple fact of it being fresh and new makes it seem like there’s a…

{the new year} condiments & small dinner parties

Editor’s Introductory Note: With this post we are officially back from our blogcation. Its good to be back. For the next two weeks, each one of us will share some food, garden or homesteading projects we want to undertake in 2012; whether it be growing a brand new crop, reading a few food policy related…

{winter projects 2012} A Compost Pile

Editor’s Note: Our last installment of “new to us” posts from the personal blogs of FSC Contributors is a lovely piece from Jillian. She writes an extremely reflective blog about family life on Everyday Life for Four Seasons. This post was originally published on January 16, 2010. On a related note, if anyone is moving…

{winter projects 2012} DIY Deodorant

Editor’s Note: Ohhh I am so excited to share Erika’s project, DIY Deodorant, on FSC! Gah! I can’t wait to try it, I’ve been meaning to for ages as I’ve had Erika’s Professor Funkenstein: Solving a Funky Problem bookmarked for-eva! It was first published on January 14, 2010. She has a few notes just above…

{winter projects 2012} Three Berry Pop-Tarts

Editor’s Note: Who wants to learn to make berry-filled hot pockets of goodness? I do! I do! Deanna’s post was first published, in springtime on May 23rd 2011 as Sundays on the Sunporch: Three Berry “Pop-Tarts”. We also get a glimpse of a toddler cooking with a bucket on her head… who doesn’t do that?…

{winter projects 2012} Butter In A Jar

Editor’s Introductory Note: To give us another week to get back “into the swing of things”, I decided to have a very special week of posts lined up in advance. I asked all six contributors with a personal blog (Christine, Jillian, Erika, Deanna, Liz & Becky) to republish an “oldie but a goodie” post here on…

{from scratch holidays} DIY Natural Food Coloring

As the Holidays are upon us, cookie-making season is in full swing. My kids have a list of cookies they want to make {or rather, eat}, I have my own recipe list of goodies to try, and then of course there are the edible gifts.  At my house, there will be lots of cookie baking…

{free printables} gift & canning labels

Now that the From Scratch Holidays free e-book has launched you into a gift-making frenzy, we wanted to give you another little present to thank you for helping us create this wonderful community of home cooks, gardeners,  homesteaders, policy advocates and all-around food-lovers. Your response to our very first e-book was overwhelming; to thank you,…

{edible gift} Homemade Irish Cream

Every winter, I crave an icy glass of Bailey’s Irish Cream. Something about it is filling and comforting when the cold weather rolls in.  This year I decided heck, I can make my own butter, I want to try this!  A mason jar filled with this delicious concoction is sure to please almost anyone this…

{edible gifts} DIY Coffee Creamer

Every few months or so the topic of flavored creamer comes around in my circle of friends. Many of them are curious as to how to make their own for various reasons, usually it is because they are concerned about the chemicals in store bought flavored creamers,  they are allergic to milk, or because of…

{FREE EBOOK} from scratch holidays

Coined ‘from scratch holidays‘, we wanted to dedicate most of November & December’s content to various seasonal recipes for your holiday table, edible gifts and reflections on the holiday season as a whole. We have more to come, including radish toasts, DIY coffee creamer, beef jerky, dark chocolate covered candied orange peels, Kahlua marshmallows &…

{from scratch holidays} Cheesy Pumpkin Thyme Crackers

Who doesn’t love crackers? Easy to buy from a store, but boring when you do.  Here’s a great way to Do It Yourself when you’re prepping for holiday festivities.  You can go the predictable cracker route, but I wanted to try something a little different.  I found a couple recipes for crackers, but they mostly…

{Pantry Staple} Perfect Homemade Sandwich Bread

Its pretty simple: I love baking bread and I love eating bread. I bring bread to almost every food swap and am always experimenting with a new kind. Lately, I have been making so much bread, English muffins, biscuits, etc, that I have not purchased any bread products from the grocery store in quite some…