Hello I'm Susan, a single homeschooling Mom. Welcome to our High Country Homestead nestled in the Alpine district of Northeast Victoria.
When we relocated here, I was determined to embrace a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Beginning with a vegetable garden and raising chickens. Over time, we added sheep and eventually cows as our confidence grew.
Our aim is to produce all our own food, which we preserve. We bake everything ourselves and have recently ventured into the world of owning and milking a house cow.
We operate without fancy equipment; most tasks are tackled with picks, shovels, and rakes, yielding mixed results! We share what we’ve learned to give others the confidence to give it a go too!
Our days often swing from one challenge to the next, but they're never dull.
I write a monthly article for the local paper, which I also share on this Channels Community Page on the 1st of each month. Take a moment to give it a read...
I can see how well it works on the stubborn black spots on your stove. On mine there is a lot more black stuck on stuff. This method only works if I rub really hard and it takes a lot longer. I have found a special glass cleaning blade works better, but unfortunately I cannot remember (or find) the type I used!
Hello there, thank you so much for watching the video and for your feedback. Yes, you would have to use a bit more elbow grease if you had a big build up. I used to let mine go for months sometimes between cleans. And it was an effort to get it looking nice and clear again. These days, in the cooler months when it is being used regularly I try to do it weekly - that way it gets done 'at least' fortnightly, lol. And it is much easier to maintain. :-)
My heart goes out to you. Nothing describes the loss of a fur soul family member. Gaia lived her old years knowing she was loved and enjoyed her days frolicking amongst the flowers and fields. Your dearest fur soul companion reached a. good old age of 17 years and will always be remembered in your hearts ❤and memories. RIPGaia. 🌈 xxx
Thank you so much for watching Gaias video tribute and for your kind words. I tried to edit a different video / different topic for todays upload - but my heart wasn't in it. It is so strange not having her around constantly. xxxx
Thank you. It is so exciting watching the tree buds starting to swell, bulbs starting to appear above the surface, and flowers starting to form..... :-)
Hello again Julz. Thank you for watching the video and for reaching out. They are beautiful. I have been going down to check them everyday. The King Alfred Daffodils (they are mixed with), started opening yesterday. I think the Ice Follies will need a few more days yet! It's very exciting though......
Hello again and welcome back! Thank you for watching the video and for your question: The main differences between regular breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs lie in their texture, ingredients, and how they are used in cooking. Regular Breadcrumbs are typically finer and denser. They are made by grinding dried bread into small, even particles. The result is a crumb that is compact and can absorb more moisture. Panko Breadcrumbs are made out of crustless bread and have a light, airy, and flaky texture. This bread is then processed into large, coarser crumbs with an irregular shape, resulting in a crispier texture when cooked. Also: Regular Breadcrumbs: These are made from almost any type of bread, including white, wheat, or even specialty breads. The crusts are often included, which adds to the density. Panko Breadcrumbs: Traditionally, panko is made from white bread with the crusts removed, leading to a lighter color and texture. :-)
Hello there, thank you for watching the video and for your input! Yes indeed, I love a good ferment and I will often do a few throughout Spring and Summer. :-)
Hello there Jen, it was certainly a very interesting experiment. And I really wasn't expecting it to actually work. But you can see the difference quite clearly. Thank you for raising the question in the first place - there is no way I would have tried it otherwise. :-)
Thank you for following the idea up! It was certainly a success and oven glass can be so frustrating to clean. Ash doesn't have that heavy ammonia smell too. ❤
You would 'love' it here then Jen. With well over 120 acres bush land, we have lots of BIG healthy and enigmatic wombats on this property. Thank you for watching the video and for your comment. :-)
Thank you for the lovely comment, and I am glad you enjoyed it. I will be honest I was in two minds whether to upload this, because of the video quality. Filming on dusk with a 10 year old+ mobile wasn't the easiest. But it is a rare moment to see wombats out and about - and I didn't want to miss out altogether.... The music was pretty epic!! ;-)
Thank you so much for watching the video and for your comment. That is correct, it warms you when you cut it, load it, unload it, split it, stack it 'and' burn it.... Lol :-)
Hello Sonia, thank you for watching the video and for your question. No, it is bought milk. We allowed our milking cow to dry out in the months leading up to her calving. And unfortunately she naturally aborted. So no raw milk - for the time being at least.
My Heater Broke Winter whispers through the eaves, a gust, Of wind, a mess of leaves. The snow, a slushy, Blanket of mush, covers the farm in a damp, Hush. Inside, the heater's broken; it's a fright, As we huddle in blankets through the night. The hum of a microwave, not quite the same, As Winter's chill makes it a game. Midwinter On our homestead brings, chaos of not-so-simple Things. While outside, the temper flares, Inside, we grumble over broken chairs.
Hello there Sonia, thank you so much for reaching out. We are a bit higher than you are though . Quite often we have thick snow up at the house, and by the time you are 3/4 down the driveway - no snow at all. xx
Thank you for your comment. Australia is a vast land with deserts to snow and everything in between. We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful spot. :-)
Over the years, I've tried several commercial cleaners, but none have worked as well as ash for cleaning wood stove glass. There's a lot of information online about why this method is so effective. Most theories suggest it's due to the ash forming a weak solution of lye when mixed with water. In fact, lye has been traditionally made from wood ash and water for soap making, and it's still used by some people today. Lye is highly alkaline, and many modern cleaners are also designed to be alkaline. Additionally, the ash 'may' have slight abrasive properties that help clean the glass. Did you know that ash is also excellent for removing grease from pots and pans? It's a great tip for when you're camping!
Hello there, thank you for your question. Many recipes use both baking soda and baking powder. Even though both ingredients add air during baking, they act as a complement to each other, adding balance of flavor and texture. Baking soda also enhances browning and weakens gluten, helping baked goods spread out while staying soft and chewy. There is further info in the video description which may also help to explain things in more depth.
Thank you for your comment and a HUGE 'congratulations' to you on your purchase. I must admit, while I do enjoy a little warmth and flowers in the warmer months, I am a big fan of the colder seasons. I wish you all manner of success and hope you enjoy the coziness of Winter as much as I do!
🙂WOW...🙂Amazing! Excellent job! Thanks for sharing this wonderful video really fascinating We love it.🙂Respected friend we really enjoyed your video from start to finish.🙂Stay blessed!Keep it up!🙂God bless you abundantly forever 🙂Enjoy amazingly blessed week Stay happy and well protected.🙂Carry on! Your friend with 👍big like!🙂Stay connected!With best wishes🙂
Thank you so much for reaching out and all your enthusiastic comments. I am still learning 'You Tube' - technology is not my thing. I try to be as connected to my food as possible; in terms of natural, organic and homegrown. And to try and steer clear of expensive (and often poor quality!) pre packaged supermarket goods as much as possible. In this day n age where basic items are becoming hard to find in store at times - I feel it is important to try to help others how to get around certain kitchen difficulties and food shortages. Always good to be prepared. :-)
Hi Ginny, thank you for reaching out. I fed it the same way I would feed any 'healthy' sourdough starter - using a 1 to 1 ratio. So, in this particular instance I had 60g starter, 60g flour, 60ml water. But you could do 30g of each, or 45g. It really doesn't matter - the important thing is to have equal proportions. I hope that makes sense. :-)
Thank you for your comment. I still have a lot to learn about You Tube, so it is good to know that people are getting something out of the videos. Enjoy your trip around America. xx
