We have a little engine that could. A year ago we bought an old Craftsman riding lawnmower, 42 inch. We needed to get control of the lower pasture. Jim has been using the mower to go over the 8 acres in the pasture to mow it and mow down wild blackberry bushes and other weeks. It is slow and takes 10 minutes to go around one time at the outside edge. He has been doing it for several days off and on. We have 2 offers for bush hogs but need a trailer to get one to us and the other one won’t be here until the rain starts next week. Jim and this lawn mower with we call our little tractor have been amazing. It is still not done and some of the pieces fell of the mower today so he needs to repair it, but we have until Tuesday afternoon before the rain and snow come again. The picture here is of me on this little tractor mower and I have a trailer hooked to it picking up posts.
We know enough about the bottomland to know it floods in the spring. We want it mowed before that happens so the grass can grow in well for our cows. Then in April, we will move them to paddocks on wonder pasture. Next year it will be even better, and the year after that and the year after that.
Jim was able to even up the doorway today so we can finally get the trim up. That may happen on Monday or it may happen when the weather is bad outside. That is what we usually do. Clear weather, we work on outside projects. Rain or snow, we work on inside projects.
I also made bread, soaked our nuts and put them in the dehydrator to get crisp, and also make three meals. Oh yes, while Jim was mowing, I was putting wood putty in all the screw holes on the stairs so I can finally get them painted and stained. However, before they get done, I need to complete the stair wall, which is still sitting there with drywall and mud waiting to be smoothed out and painted.
Nutritional Information
Why do I soak my nuts that I purchase? In Nourishing traditions, she tells why. I first learned from the Home Economist who works for Weston Price. Nuts are very hard to digest because of certain enzymes that make act as inhibitors. Soaking deactivates substances that irritate the gut. Nuts contain the antinutrient called phytic acid and lectins. They make it hard to digest.
We found that Jim was very deficient in zinc and he ate a LOT of nuts. There are several anti-nutrients. These are nutrients that block the absorption of nutrients. Phytates (phytic acid) are found in whole grains, seeds, legumes and nuts. Lectins are found in beans, peanuts, soybeans, whole grains. For this reason, Jim was deficient in zinc because nuts block absorption of zinc. What to do? Soak the nuts.
Nearly all nuts and seeds that come into our home are soaked in salty water for 7-24 hours. Rinsed thoroughly, and then placed in the dehydrator for 24 -36 hours depending on the nut. The nuts are then easier to digest and no longer inhibit absorption. When we first tried this, we put them in the oven to dry and did not dry them enough. The almonds were mushy and the walnuts were terrible. But by using the dehydrator, the nuts come out crisp and taste amazing. We did a video on this while in Nevada but it was buried in with other things. Jim will add it to Monday’s video.