---
author: Eric Wagoner
date: '2000-03-12T10:44:09'
draft: false
title: It was a real homesteading
---

It was a real homesteading kind of day here at the country home. After getting laundry out of the way, I weeded the garden and mixed some unplanted beds. I'd wanted to plant several root vegetables (radishes, beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips), but the beds were still too wet from yesterday's storms. I baked two loaves of sourdough bread. [![Loaves](/legacy/images/legacy/weblog/images/loaves.gif)](/legacy/images/legacy/weblog/images/loaves.gif) I started a small wheel of gouda cheese [![Gouda](images/gouda.gif)](/legacy/images/legacy/weblog/images/gouda.gif) (ob [cheese making link](http://www.cheesemaking.com)) and made several pounds of cottage cheese. [![Cottage Cheese](images/cottage.gif)](/legacy/images/legacy/weblog/images/cottage.gif) I roasted a chicken and potatoes (lunches for the week!) using a new recipe that involved butterflying the whole chicken and roasting at 500 degrees. I collected a bunch of pecans from the front yard and made two loaves of sourdough banana nut bread. [![Banana Bread](images/banana.gif)](/legacy/images/legacy/weblog/images/banana.gif) Finally, I read in the new book I have, [_The Encyclopedia of Country Living_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0912365951/o/qid=952917640/sr=8-1/102-9420565-2119261) ([as recommended](http://www.larkfarm.com/homestead_books.htm) by Mike Gunderloy of [LarkFarm](http://www.larkfarm.com/weblog.asp)), on growing and processing grains. Several of my friends have a running joke inspired by my homemade pizzas -- I make the mozzarella, grow the basil & tomatoes, make the crust from scratch (using whey from the cheese). "_What,_ " they say "_you didn't grind the wheat into flour yourself, too?_ " It's coming, though this year it'll be amaranth, quinoa, and corn.