Just wanted to share that the frost made the collard leaves tender and delectable. Happy Holidays...SMILE!!!
Sunday, December 20, 2020
Sunday, October 11, 2020
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Collards
Collards are my favorite greens.
Like most kids, I didn’t like them as a child, but I have learned a cooking method that leaves them crunchy and makes me crave them.
Rather than boiling my collards in lots of water and cooking them down to softness, I prefer cutting very fine and using only a tiny bit of water, garlic-infused oil, seasonings and sometimes I add crispy pieces of bacon. I quickly stir the greens so they cook evenly.
That’s some good eat’n...SMILE!!!
Photos From Madamxtra’s Gardens
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Heaven’s Scent
Gardenias are blooming and I love the way they smell. I clip a few for my desk and marvel at the thought God put into flowers. They are beautiful and many of them smell so nice that we humans decided long ago that we just had to capture those fragrances for rose water, perfumes, candles, air fresheners and such.
My heart holds the deepest appreciation for these blossoms. I moved this plant several times before finding a spot where the soil and shade were right and it finally began to thrive. The next challenge is to root some cutting and grow multiple bushes throughout the yard...SMILE!!!
Photo by Madamxtra
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Keys To The Pantry
He who holds the key to the pantry – holds the key to health, wealth and prosperity.
With the prices of fresh produce far exceeding junk-food, more people are finding ways to grow nutritious, organic foods at home. As an avid gardener it thrills me to see so many people, world-wide taking greater control of their nutritional needs by planting gardens in their yards, on porches, patios and roof-tops – even pots and containers of all sorts.
Small farmers are discovering a myriad of techniques to grow more food with less land, harmful chemicals and soil damage. Solutions like hydroponics, aquaponics, tower-gardening, green-houses and shipping containers are all space-saving methods of growing food that leave a smaller foot-print on the planet, while providing multitudes of tasty veggies.
From herbs, peppers and tomatoes to sugar-cane, kale and corn – the possibilities of fresh food on your table are endless. People of all ages and from all walks of life are communing with nature and learning how therapeutic and exciting it can be to grow your own food.
Friday, August 21, 2020
Don’t Fence Me In
I owe so many thanks to my God for placing me right where I have always wanted to be; Mississippi. I have room and space to build or do anything I please. Even so, I have enjoyed experimenting with growing vegetables and fruits in various large containers.
As I learn more about soil, composting and what grows best in the southern climate, successful crops are becoming more the norm than failures.
I used to till and work a large plot that was about 70 x 150 square feet. That was fine when I had children to teach and help, but I have been blessed to learn ways to work smarter, instead of just harder.
Applying Hugelkultur techniques to large containers has created a super-rich soil environment for year-round crops. Positioned with full-sun (southern exposure) my plants are thriving as I reap the bounty.
I have retired my big tiller in favor of a shovel, a yard-cart and some handheld tools. Living in the forest provides unlimited sticks and leaves for nutrient-rich beds, but I also use my composter to turn kitchen-scraps into plant food and there is more goat and chicken manure than I ever thought possible – LOL.
So, whether you are growing tomatoes in buckets or herbs in pots, rest assure that you do not need acres of land to grow some food.
Shop Garden Tools
and Supplies On eBay
Enjoy a Musical Treat💚
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
A Readers Best Friend
Our own Attala County Library
is hosting their annual book sale Thursday, Oct. 3rd and
Friday, Oct. 4th, from 9am til 4pm and I’m reminded
why I am a “Friend Of Attala County Library.”
Image Courtesy of The Attala
County Library
Why I Love The Library – Let
Me Count The Ways!
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Books, Books and More Books. The Library is a great source for new authors to find readers for their books and a great place for readers like me to find new authors and book series to fall in love with. The annual book sale means you can load up on books at a fraction of their cover prices!
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Borrowing Media. Along with books, the library also lends out audio-books on cassette and compact disc. They lend DVDs too and it’s all FREE!
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Research! Need local information?… Start with the library. Their archived media, such as microfilm, vinyl records, referenced and rare books can help you dive deeper and find just what you need for your project.
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Local Genealogy is also part of the library’s services. Trace your family history, find ancient records, files and vintage photos.
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Hoopla Online is partners with The Attala County Library. Sign up to watch movies, read eBooks, listen to audio-books and more.
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Test-prep is a breeze with the help of the library. They offer sample tests from a variety of industries – from commercial driving to college exams.
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Free computer classes. Let’s face it, the world is a digital sphere – don’t be left out. The library offers classes and free use of their computers to help you learn to navigate the internet.
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The Library hosts a myriad of events ranging from book-signings, work-shops, kid’s programs and the list keeps growing.
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Dial-A-Story fuels your child’s interest in reading books on car trips, at bed-time, after school or anytime. An engaging story is always a phone call away!
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The Attala County Library has
donated dozens of books to be given to children at the 13th
Annual Sallis Homecoming Festival on Saturday, July 4th,
2020. Our goal is to encourage early reading and we’d like to thank
all the lovely ladies at the Attala County Library for graciously
helping us to achieve this...SMILE!!!
Monday, May 1, 2017
Patience: When God Is Having His Way
It is often lonely and challenging to step outside of the normalcy of
our routine, especially when God has called us to do a thing that is
seemingly, completely outside of our scope. Moses knew that feeling,
and I can imagine him asking God, “Are you serious?” when he was
instructed to go get His Children out of Egypt.
It takes a combination of Faith, Strength, Courage, Endurance and
sometimes, plain, old-fashioned, stubbornness, just to keep going
when everything seems to be urging us to stop. How often have we just
felt like chilling? After all, if it is meant to be, it will all work
itself out...right? But we know in our hearts that God has chosen Us
to be the ones through whom He works it all out. We may not have
chosen to be the catalysts for change – but somebody has to do it;
why not us? And it can become really tempting to start rushing to
just GET-R-DONE!
A wall is erected – one brick at a time.
Our Hearts are strengthened – one prayer at a time.
A physique is sculpted - one workout at a time.
A garden is planted – one seed at a time.
With so much work to be done, we MUST remember that balance and
patience are key elements of success. Think of it like this…
What if Noah had abandoned his fields, crops, flocks and herds and focused
all his time and effort on building the Ark? Not only would his
family have starved during the building process, but there would have
been nothing to feed all those animals that began arriving
two-by-two. What chaos might have erupted on board the ark? Wheeuuww!
Trust, I know that there is nothing quite like the thrill of seeing quick
results. “Quick & Easy,” have been the catch-phrases for
products and services throughout my generation.
Fast-Money. Quick-Fix. Drive-Through. Ready-Made. Get-It-And-Go.
Instant. Fast-Food. And the list goes on. I am among the ranks of the
spoiled, who really don’t care to wait if I don’t have to. So, I
work, shop, go to school, connect with partners, family and friends,
and handle finances online. This affords me more time to craft the
lifestyle I desire. But Farming has been a re-education in PATIENCE.
It takes time for animals and crops to mature – there is no rushing
that process, despite what some chemical companies tout.
Farming and gardening, as with all good things, require Planning,
Putting in the Work and Patience to realize the fruits of our labors.
Visit Our Website: www.GrowingGold.us
Saturday, April 29, 2017
OUR BEAUTIFUL MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi is many things to different people.
To some it is this. To others, it is this.
Mississippi Is All This And Much More.
Vast landscapes and rural county-sides are just a part of the this great state.
There is night-life in the casinos, sun-drenched beaches on the coast and there are cities.
There is night-life in the casinos, sun-drenched beaches on the coast and there are cities.
Jackson Mississippi
Mississippi Is Growing
With more people making Mississippi their home each year, we could soon be facing some of the issues that plague urban areas around the world as we struggle to feed our growing population with a food economy that is rapidly becoming obsolete due to corporate greed and policies that ensure that some have the best picking of the first-fruit, while others go hungry.
Census Data http://censusviewer.com/state/MS
Hunger in Mississippi
Hunger In Mississippi
Although hunger is not a new phenomenon in the U.S. or anywhere else in the world, it is a man-made condition because God has provided us all with a bountiful earth, but only a few have laid claim to it so that we all might buy from them – or starve.
Mississippi Food Deserts
Driving on Mississippi’s winding highways, you are sure to see farmland, cattle, silos and the like. And it is easy to think that there is plenty of food for all. But this is not the case, especially where Food Deserts exist. Food Deserts are areas that do not have the supermarkets and grocery stores that we have become accustomed to visiting to fill our pantries and kitchen shelves.
The Challenges Of Making Ends Meet
Farm Land
After joining The Attala County Self-Help Co-op, to learn more about using my land to produce food, I have become aware of hunger and passionate about helping others to become empowered by growing things in their homes, on their balconies and where ever they have a bit of sunlight pouring through a window.
How Food Banks Work http://www.msfoodnet.org/how/
Growing Potatoes
Community Action For Healthy Food
I have been astonished to learn the role that limited access to quality and affordable produce plays in the lives of many Americans. Mental and physical health are effected by lack of nourishing vegetables. I am also proud to report that there are countless groups working to change this dilemma. http://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/how-we-work/
Fighting Hunger in Mississippi
Mississippi Farmers Markets
People are planting gardens on public lands, teaching school-children where vegetables come from and Farmers Markets are springing up all across the nation.
Mississippi Farmers Markets Pictorial
Farm To Table
Locally Grown Produce is gaining ground as a movement as more Americans choose healthier lifestyles. Many restaurants owners are buying local produce and preparing meals with the freshest ingredients.
More Resources
We can begin to reclaim the power to feed ourselves, our families and our communities – one yard or balcony at a time.
Mississippi Farmers Markets Listed By County
http://www.msfb.org/%EF%BF%BCmississippi-farmers-market/
http://www.ms.gov/content/Pages/FarmersMarkets.aspx
http://farmersmarkets.msstate.edu/markets/index.html
Agriculture Resources
https://www.mdac.ms.gov/resources/
Mississippi Farmers Markets Listed By County
http://www.msfb.org/%EF%BF%BCmississippi-farmers-market/
http://www.ms.gov/content/Pages/FarmersMarkets.aspx
http://farmersmarkets.msstate.edu/markets/index.html
Agriculture Resources
https://www.mdac.ms.gov/resources/
Grow Something Delicious
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