Happy Thanksgiving

Hope all is well with everyone today. I'm heading out to milk and do chores then in too start fixing food. We are staying home today and I'm glad. We had the family over for Thanksgiving Sunday. So today is going to be a day of just relaxing. I will fix enough food for all day. So I'm cooking once today! The guys will do lots of hunting today. Remember count your blessings today and never take for granted what God has gave you.The thing I think of today is just how lucky I'am to have a warm house to celebrate in and food to eat some people are not so blessed today. So today I'm very thankful for a Saviour who loves me and I will spend eternity with, an awesome hardworking husband who loves me, 4 great kids who love their mom and a big farm with lots of animals. .
Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone! Hope you have a great day filled full of God's blessings!

Our Building Project

 Here is a picture of our building project. We are fixing the old barn as you can see. We just have to wait for the cement to cure then on to the rest of the fixing.

 Here is also pictures of our baby calves Ella which you hae seen and Grace which is the other new calf.

                                                       Have a great week!  Rebekah

Godly Homemakers

You must go read this article it is awesome!
www.agodlyhomemaker.com/2011/11/contrast-everything-with-gods-word.html

Welcome Baby Ella

This is baby Ella our new jerse heifer. She was welcomed to the farm yesterday.

The Movie 180

Spam

Please do not post spam on my blog. This is my personal family blog not a place for you to advertise your junk! Thank you!

Psalm 143:8

Cause me to hear your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You I do trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift my soul to you. Psalm 143:8

Checking In

Hello everyone, Just thought I would stop by and say Hi. Things have been moving fast on the farm as usual. I cannot believe summer is gone and fall is here. Where has the time gone! Fair went well for the kids this year. They won 1st, 3rd and 4th in their market classes with their animals. My daughters candle entry won best of class. Farmers markets are winding down I have till the end of Oct then we will be done with all but one on Saturdays through the winter. We have our silage all chopped, hay is done for the year and corn & beans are next to harvest. We have had alot of rain here in the past week so that is holding things up. I now have a candle-soapmaking-craft room. The kids switched rooms and freed one up for my stufff. See pictures below. My dining room is a dining room again and we can now have company over! We had a early doe season here in Michigan , the youngest son got two and the middle son got one so more meat for the frezzer. They are sure looking foward to regular deer hunting season.The most exciting news right now is my son and his girlfriend are going to have a baby in Feb. so a new addition to the family. My babysitting of the nieces has went down to one the oldest one is in kindergarten all day but I sure do miss having her. I guess that catches you up for now. Have a great weekend!

T

Busy Days of Summer

Green beans ready to can.

First picking of green beans from garden 2001 and the flowers my daughter grew.

Morning reading lesson while Mom cans green bean

Round bales of straw all tarpped and safe from the weather.

Well it seems like with the busy days of summer it is flying by all to fast. Since I posted last some things have happened here on the farm so I will update you. We have since done our second cutting of hay and cut our wheat. We have lots of straw tarped and ready for winter use. I picked my first picking of green beans. They are in the canner as I write. Farmers market is going well and keeping me very busy. Been working very hard with the daughter on her reading it just is not easy for her. She is working very hard and beginning to read very well. On a sadder note last week my son lost his beef steer for fair. He does have a back up just not as good. We took it to the vet to have some warts off and he died that night. We really don't know why. So we have a steer to get ready to be fair worthy in only 21 days. Yes we have our work cut out for us but as a family working together we can get it done. It has been very hot here! My dad lives with us and is older therefore he cannot handle the heat so he put 2 air conditioners in for us. Well I have you caught up on what is going on at Hoover Farms so have a great Sunday.

Happy 4th

Yes I'm still here! Just very busy with markets, soap making, lotion making and baking. Also my family and the daily things around the farm. Stopped by to wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July. We will be staying home and doing fireworks as a family. If anyone is interested we have Coconut and Lemon Eucyulptus Lotion which is a natural bug repelent at our website. Have a great night from our farm to you!

STOPPING BY TO SAY HELLO

Well today is a down day so I thought I would pop in and say hello. Summer is here and yes life has got busy. I started all my markets this week. I have market on Wensd, Thur, Fri, and Sat. I bake on Tuesdays all day so I have Sunday and Monday off. Our week was quite exciting we had a grease fire in the house the hubby received a few burns he is doing fine and the house is fine. I do have a new appreciation for fire. We are trying to get hay done if the rain would just stay away. The son is cutting today so we are keeping our fingers crossed. The hubbys last day of work is tomorrow so then he can help with the hay. We have had a breakthrough with the daughters horse. He decided she can ride him now and lead him around mind you a year after having him. We have 10 meat chickens now and four turkeys hoping they all make it so we can sell them at the market. My soap is selling very good at the market which I'm so happy about. I'm so glad to provide people with natural things to use on their skin. Well guess that is about all for now. If you have not checked out our facebook page for the farm do so we have monthly drawings to win our products. Have a great day from our farm to you!

Mother's Day

We want to wish all the Mother's out there Happy Mother's Day from our farm to you.
The Hoover Famliy

Field Work

Well the first field work of the year took place today. The guys been itching to get in the field and they did. I'm so looking foward to warm weather, farmers market and fair week with my family. Have a great weekend from our farm to you.

Moisturizing Herbal Salve

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Buy Local

As the opening of your local farmers market approches Lets do just as this picture says. Remember farmers market is so much more than food you need to also support the ones who are bringing handmade items for your pleasure. Have a great day!
From our farm to you Rebekah

Facebook Page

Just letting everyone know if you go to our farm page on facebook and like it when we reach 100 likes we will do a giveaway. The badge for our page is right to your left just click on it. So let your freinds and family know. From our farm to you Rebekah

Soaps

I have had some questions on where to purchase my soap. We have milk soap from the raw milk of our cows, goat milk soap from the raw milk of our goats one with lard and one with all vegetable oils and we have an vegan freindly soap with no animal products. So here it is you can go to our webpage at www.hooverfarms.weebly.com and all our products are there for sale. There is also a list of the farmers markets we do if you are local. So go on over and check it out. From our farm to you Rebekah

HELLO

Well thought I would write a little update since I have a little time. Things are starting to get busy here. I had a craft slash garage sale I set up at yesterday. It was a good day. The kids weighed in their beef steers next on the list is weighing in their dairy starter calves. So now comes the time to start working with the fair cattle always the highlight of my year. We are pretty filled up on cattle right now. The hubby bought 8 more little ones a couple weeks ago luckily we can feed them all in a trough. Other wise I would have 14 on buckets and that would be too much. I'm milking three cows and seven goats now. So between milking, feeding calves and washing milking equiptment it takes me 1 1/2 hours to get done. I'm way working on cutting this time before farmers market starts. Before long it will be time to start attending the markets which I look so foward to. We will be contributing to 5 markets this year. The other day our seed for spring planting was deliverd so the time is coming close. Seems like once it gets warm the time just flies by. It will be cows calving, farmers market five days a week, plowing, planting, spraying, baling hay amd more hay, combining wheat, baling straw, taking a week to be at fair with the kids, more planting, spraying, cutting silage and bagging it, harvesting then the summer is gone. Wow I'm worn out just thinking about all of it. This is the life of a farm wife and I love every minute of it. Would not have anything different about my life I'm so very blessed. From our farm to you Rebekah

BACK THEN VS BEING GREEN

This is a repost from my freind CMarie over at www.cmarie-daybydaycmarie.blogspot.com
Maybe you have already seen this email making the rounds but if not - it is kind of clever ...

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic
bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and
explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

That's right, they didn't have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But they didn't have the green thing back in her day.

They walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.
But she's right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby's diapers because they didn't have
the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.
Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the
lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But they didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school or
rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi
service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of
sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But that lady is right. They didn't have the green thing back in her day.

Vegan Freindly Soaps

Well here is the debut of our vegan freindly soaps.
The pink ribbon is Irresistiable Apple with natural apple pie spice.
The black ribbon is Black Licorice with anise seed.
The green ribbon is The Energizing Bar with dried lemongrass & eucaylptus.
From our farm to you Rebekah

Black Licorice Soap

I decided to make some vegan friendly soap for those people who do not want animal products in their soap. This is the first one and I love it. I just unmolded it today it smells great! I even decided to wash with some it suds great and it is so mild I did not even get zapped when I washed with it. This one is black licorice with anise seed. My next one to do is apple with natural apple pie spice swirl.
Have a great night! From our farm to you Rebekah

Soap Article

I was asked by a freind on facebook to write a article on soap for their blog. Of course I said yes! Go check it out at www.mikemarlow.com
From our farm to you Rebekah

The Winner Is

Good Morning, My son drew the name out for our winner. It is Tonja at Woods Olde Homestead. So just go on the left side of my blog you will find my email there. As soon as you send your address I will get the package right out to you. A big thanks to everyone else for entering and as a thank you I will send everyone else who did not win a bar of soap just send me your address as well. Have a great Sunday! From our farm to you Rebekah

GIVEAWAY!

We are having a giveaway! Included in the giveaway is a bar of our handmade lemon poppyseed milk soap, lemon e.o. lipbalm, lemon souffle bath salts, lemon hand lotion and lemon souffle 100% soy wax candle. Just leave a comment and we will be happy to include you in our giveaway. We will draw a winner on Saturday. Good luck from our farm to you Rebekah.

Prayer

Well today my post is about someone else. I was just reading a post over at www.ourcrazyfarm.blogspot.com and believe me you need to go there an read it. Teri is who writes at this blog. I had not been on in a few days due to power outage. I was over there checking out her blog when I found out their 12 year old son went home to be with the Lord. Her posts about this tradgey are such a testimony about her faith and so encouraging for us all. I would appriciate it if you will keep them in your prayers. Their son Trents funeral will be tomorrow. From our farm to you Rebekah

DISPLAY

Thought I would share the pictures of what my daughter did for me. This all started because we had someone come over and look at our soap. Which meant us opening up 19 containers so they could see and smell the soap. This way the candles & soap are out on display so they can see and smell them. I was so thankful for her doing this and she did a great job. As for us and the farm things have been busy. We added five new baby calves the other day and four more bigger ones coming soon. Still have a few more batches of soap to make so I'm ready for market. Still have some candles I nee to get stocked up on. Lots of product labeling to get done before market. Then as you know it will be time for the garden, canning and kids going to fair. My husband has rented more land for farming so this will add to the busyness. I'm so happy for him though because he has wanted to expand but rent prices are high so we could not afford to. This was just one of those things that was a blessing from the Lord. We are all very excited though to add onto our farming. Have a great night from our farm to you. Rebekah

Happy Valentines Day

Well as the title says Happy Valentines Day! Hope you all have a fun and Happy Valentines day! Things have been busy here on the farm. As you can see in the pictures above we welcomed two new baby goats yesterday both girls Ya. Today will consist of labeling candles, making soap, doing laundry, making strawberry pie and cooking a speical dinner for my husband. It was funny because last night I told my husband I was going to make the meal he had been asking for he looked rather surprised, he said well I was going to take you to the chinese restaurant to eat my reply I would just rather stay home and cook for you. He said that is fine with me I would rather stay home. I think that made his valentines day great. I love making my husband happy. Have a great day from our farm to you. Rebekah

WEBSITE

We now have an offical web page for the farm, soap and candles. It is www.hooverfarms.weebly.com I just listed all my soaps and they are now available for you to purchase. If any one needs a webpage for anything go to www.weebly.com. I found them through the Baking Homesteader and by the way check out her new herb page she also has soap. It is www.wiseleyusedherbs.weebly.com Back to the site it is very easy to use and very easy to list your products for sale. So go on over and check them out. Have a great weekend! From our farm to you Rebekah.

BASIC LOTION RECIPE

This recipe came from http://www.asonomagarden.wordpress.com/
1 1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup emulsifying wax
1/4 cup olive oil
24-36 drops essential oil
Melt the emulsifying wax and olive oil together temp will be around 155% set aside Warm water to
125% mix with wax/oil mixture at this point it will turn milky white. Add essential oil. I then put in my blender and blend for a few minutes. Then put in containers of choice. If it does not set up like lotion just reheat in the microwave till hot. Blend again and pour into containers. There are things you can add a little of and will not effect the consistency of the lotion. Some examples are vit. E, glycerin, cocoa butter. Below is a list of oils that can help preserve the life of your natural hand lotion.

Essential oils are the most natural antimicrobials you will find.
Preservatives for Cosmetics by David C. Steinberg, essential oils that have demonstrated antimicrobial activity include;
caraway,
cinnamon,
clove,
cumin,
eucalyptus,
lavender,
lemon,
rose,
rosemary,
sage,
sandalwood
thyme
Grape fruit seed extract
Re-posted from http://www.making-sense-of-scents-aromatherapy.blogspot.com/

Zesty Lemon Soap

Pictures of my latest soap. Zesty Lemon Soap With Lemon Peel. All my soaps are for sale if anyone is interested $3.00 each or 4 for $10.00 If interested you may email me it is on the left side of my blog Thanks. Hope you are all having a great week. From our farm to you Rebekah

ROAD TRIP

Hello everyone, This week held a road trip for the family. On Thursday we set out for Sterling Heights which is a suburb of Detroit. I found a man over there that sells lye for my soap making at a dollar a pound. Which I was paying $6.00 a pound so big difference. We were able to see the bridge which takes you into Canada so the kids thought that was pretty neat. After our 2 plus hours to get there we headed back South an hour to the candle supply store to pick up fragrances for soap and candles. By now the guys were having a grand time. Really they were pretty good about it but you will see why they were. This trip was not only for me there was something in it for them. We then headed south 30 minutes to Dundee where we at a great pizza buffet. Then on to Cabelas for the guys shopping. My daughter had a great time taking pictures of all the animals and the guys were able to find a few things they needed. So we left around 8:30 a.m. and returned home around 5:30 p.m. a long day but lots of fun. Hope everyone has a great weekend! From our farm to you Rebekah

WOOD CUTTING

Well wood cutting was the name of the game here on the farm today. Me, the Son and Hubby went to cut today. We were able to cut a truck and trailer load. Lots of wood to help keep us warm. The guys just got done unloading it all and son is off to take care of a raccoon at the neighbors. My daughter is not feeling well today. She seems to be running a low grade fever hope it goes away quick and no one else gets it. We have chores and 4-H meeting so the day is far from done. Wanted to let everyone know I have a new blog it is www.homesteadsoapandcandles.blogspot.com. I will post ideas links and tips there for candle and soap making. I will not post there as often as I do here. I mostly wanted to do it as a reference and information page. Another reason is I don't want to junk our family and farm blog up with that stuff all the time. As I said on the blog please be patient with me as it will take some time to get it all together. Hope you can all check it out. From our farm to you Rebekah

HOW THE SOAP TURNED OUT

Below are pictures of my latest soap. As you can see it turned out great. The peppermint did not set up like I wanted so I grated and redid it. It still turned out great. They all smell wonderful. I really feel the orris root helps hold the smell. The second bonus about the orris root is I don't feel you need to use as much scent. Enjoy the pictures and have a great night. From our farm to you Rebekah.

The front soap on the left is cool citrus basil with basil leaves, on the right is peppermint with peppermint candy. In the back on the left is cucumber melon with dill weed, on the right is warm vanilla sugar with raw sugar for scrubbing.

Granola

Well today I'm making granola. My son loves yogrut and granola. The yogrut turned out great yesterday. I have 2 gallons and one quart. I will share my recipe for granola.
4c.oats
2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 cup honey or brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or butter
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. vanilla
You can add whatever else you like. We put fruit of our choice in our own bowls when we eat. Other ideas are coconut, nuts, or sunflower seeds. If you use coconut or sunflower seeds cook it with the granola. Bake at 250% till browned.
Have a great day. From our farm to you Rebekah.

Yogurt and Butter

Well today I'm making yogurt and butter. The butter is all done and was great on my crackers. The yogurt is cooling then into the cooler for 12 hours and you got yummy homemade yogurt. The best part is it is from my own raw milk. I feel so blessed to be able to do all the things I do. I will share my yogurt recipe,super easy.
8 cups milk
1/4 cup plain gelatin to an 1/8 cup this depends how thick you want it.
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sweetener note if you want plain omit the vanilla and sugar.
1/2 yogurt starter just yogurt from the store then you can use your own once you make it.
2 quart jars
Heat your milk to 185% take off heat add gelatin, sugar, vanilla. Bring the temperature down to 110%. Add your yogurt starter. Then you will need to incubate yogurt for 12 hours. The temperature for incubation has to be kept between 90 to 110%. I do mine in a cooler filled with hot water to the rims of jars.
Have a great day and if you try this let me know how it turns out. From our farm to you. Rebekah

SOAP AND MORE SOAP

Well today I took my hand at soap making again. I found a recipe that makes just 8 bars. I love it cause I can try new things and if I don't like it I only have eight bars. The kinds I did today is cool citrus basil with basil leaves, cucumber melon with dill weed, peppermint with candy cane pieces, warm vanilla sugar with sugar for scrubbing. If anyone would like to try it the recipe is as follows:
2 cups lard
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbs Vaseline I used cocoa butter
1 cup milk or water
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs lye
dissolve lye in water get temp around 110% then warm first three ingredients to 110%.
Pour oil mixture into lye stir till trace or it looks like thick pudding. Then add fragrance and any other additives you want to. Pour in to molds and unmold in 24 hours. I do not insulate my soap. I also use orris root in my soap it is considered a fixative and helps hold the scent in.
Hope everyone is having a great Sunday. From our farm to you Rebekah