Coffee Anyone?

There is nothing like the smell of fresh roasted coffee in the morning. But what if you don't drink coffee? Did you know there is a fresh, and easy substitute for coffee? Hello..... barley, its an underused crop, that can be roasted to create a rich, dense coffee substitute. When I am looking for a chocolaty deluxe flavor without the buzz I turn to barley coffee. 

Recently, on a shopping trip  I found roasted barley grains, which was like finding a treasure. I promptly bought several bags and went home to create my dream cup of cafe. After grinding the beans in my coffee grinder, I put the grounds into my Italian espresso maker from Italy a gift from my wonderful mother. 

And in minutes I had a rich, dark bubbling cup of barley coffee. The flavor was nutty and luscious. It was such an exquisite delight, that was sustainable, easy and healthy. 

What are your coffee substitutes that you enjoy? 

                 Top Health Benefits of Barley

               

                   High in minerals and vitamins

                     Helps control blood sugar

                     Oldest grain in the world

Knitting up style

With the weather becoming cold, now is the perfect time to knit yourself something beautiful. Do you think that knitting is really hard? It's really something simple that takes a bit of time to develop, but when you have practiced you can make the most beautiful things!

I learned knitting at a very young age at Spring Garden Waldorf School, in Akron Ohio. It is based on the Waldorf curriculum which is very holistic. From this beginning, I learned a lot of the homesteading skills that I know use in later life.

While walking up and down at the Soda City Market, on a Saturday I found the most amazing vendor. She had row upon rows of beautiful hand spun yard, in vibrant, warming colors. I fell in love right then and there, and decided I must support this unique vendor. While chatting her up I found out that she had whole reams of wool that I could personally spin! So I bought two reams of soft and fluffy wool and went to work to spin my very own yarn to knit. 

Thankfully, I had already bought a wooden spindle during the time that I had Angora  Rabbits. I thought that I would be able to use the rabbit wool to spin, but alas it takes a lot of time to collect rabbit fur! 

With the wool and spindle in hand, I've been able to spin the wool into yarn and then have started the process of knitting it into a beautiful scarf. Buying straight from the source allows you to buy high quality for a lower price. I was able to buy my two reams of wool for $2.00, and will be able to create a warm and thoughtful gift I can give at Christmas. 

The more I homestead the more I learn to get things from the source, whether is a local farmer, local store, local restaurant, or staying at an Airbnb instead of a hotel. When you buy local you build relationships, and grow your own community.  

What's your favorite local thing in your town?