House On Hartford Homestead

House On Hartford Homestead 📍Lake Stevens, WA
🐰 Raising bunnies
🐣 Raising Chickens
🌽 Growing our garden

Oh hey IG! It’s been a minute since my last post! Homemade butternut squash soup is on the menu accompanied by some sour...
12/19/2024

Oh hey IG!
It’s been a minute since my last post!

Homemade butternut squash soup is on the menu accompanied by some sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches!

Love me some soup weather!

Forget-me-not fun fact: the yellow ring at the flower’s center fades to white after pollination, signalling to insects t...
05/15/2024

Forget-me-not fun fact: the yellow ring at the flower’s center fades to white after pollination, signalling to insects there’s no more nectar. The insects therefore learn to visit the flowers that haven’t yet been pollinated, ensuring no forget-me-not flower is forgotten

Nature is pretty cool, don’t you think?!

This weekend the kids asked for homemade sourdough biscuits for their sausage gravy. I couldn’t say no — I absolutely lo...
05/06/2024

This weekend the kids asked for homemade sourdough biscuits for their sausage gravy.

I couldn’t say no — I absolutely love when all my babies are sitting around the table admiring the love and work that goes into their homemade meals.

Thank you bug, .marie, for capturing this photo ❤️❤️

Just over here making old fashioned blackberry jam! If you’re local and want a jar, let me know in the comments!        ...
04/06/2024

Just over here making old fashioned blackberry jam!

If you’re local and want a jar, let me know in the comments!

You learn something new everyday! Everyone who has ever sewn has a tomato pincushion... our Grandmothers, mothers, aunts...
03/02/2024

You learn something new everyday!

Everyone who has ever sewn has a tomato pincushion... our Grandmothers, mothers, aunts, literally everybody, and I wondered why. According to folklore, people once thought the tomato was a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. So when people moved into a new home, they placed a tomato on the mantle. Since tomatoes are only seasonal, the ladies would create them from fabric and fill them with leaves and things from the outdoors.

During this same era, the ladies did all the sewing for their families. Their hand needles were very important, so they placed their important hand needle in their fabric “good luck” tomato and the tomato pin cushion was born.

The little strawberry that is attached is filled with sand, and is used to sharpen the pins and needles.

When I think of the pin cushion, I see my grandmother’s wrinkled hands, the bright red tomato next to her, sewing away. The tomato may not bring prosperity and good fortune but it definitely has some beautiful nostalgia. 🍅

When that ear flips and the crust crunches just enough 🤤 🤌🏼Y’all! This is my best loaf yet! My starter was insanely perf...
02/20/2024

When that ear flips and the crust crunches just enough 🤤 🤌🏼

Y’all! This is my best loaf yet! My starter was insanely perfect, and this loaf was made with a very easy ✨SAME DAY✨ recipe!!

To score this beauty, I used my brand new lame which made scoring a breeze! If you are in need of a new lame that’s ergonomic and super easy to use, I highly suggest this brand. Their attention to detail from the beautiful box, blade cover, amount of replacement blades and your choice of handle - it’s a must have tool in your sourdough journey!!

If you want this recipe, just say RECIPE below!

Don’t mind us and how quiet we’ve been on all our social media platforms — we’re in our sourdough era ✨Today is chocolat...
02/18/2024

Don’t mind us and how quiet we’ve been on all our social media platforms — we’re in our sourdough era ✨

Today is chocolate chip cookies 🍪 using sourdough discard!

Girls don’t chocolate and flowers today — we want baby chicks!!
02/14/2024

Girls don’t chocolate and flowers today — we want baby chicks!!

Since GMOs are sneaking their way into our foods, as of late, I threw out my beloved Best Foods Mayonnaise and decided t...
01/30/2024

Since GMOs are sneaking their way into our foods, as of late, I threw out my beloved Best Foods Mayonnaise and decided to make my own! 
Super easy ✅ 
Simple, clean ingredients ✅
Much healthier ✅
All you need is 
• 1 -1 1/2c of avocado oil
• 1Tsp Celtic salt
• Ground mustard seed (I eyeballed mine)
• Lemon juice (I eyeballed mine) 
• room temperature raw egg 
I used an immersion blender and blended ingredients right in my mason jar 🫙 moving blender up and down until mixed well (took about minute!)
Store in fridge up to 2 weeks and enjoy knowing that you’re enjoying something much healthier than the store bought version! This is a 10/10




From our family to yours, we hope you have wonderful thanksgiving weekend spent with those you love
11/23/2023

From our family to yours, we hope you have wonderful thanksgiving weekend spent with those you love

Who’s coming with me?!?
11/22/2023

Who’s coming with me?!?

Ok ok - I just had to and well …. I kind of like it!! lol - if you haven’t jumped on this little trend, do it!          ...
11/19/2023

Ok ok - I just had to and well …. I kind of like it!! lol - if you haven’t jumped on this little trend, do it!

Who doesn’t love warm, soft gingerbread cookies right out of the oven?! Simple and so darn good - comment below for the ...
11/15/2023

Who doesn’t love warm, soft gingerbread cookies right out of the oven?!

Simple and so darn good - comment below for the recipe to be sent to you directly!

Today we learned that our property was once part of the now defunct Northern Pacific Railroad! I always wondered what th...
11/13/2023

Today we learned that our property was once part of the now defunct Northern Pacific Railroad!

I always wondered what this property was used for and now we know — the Old Hartford area of Lake Stevens served as the main rail link from the famed Monte Cristo timber and mining resources to the world.

In 1905, a railroad spur was built by the Rucker Brothers Timber Company, linking Hartford with Lake Stevens. Two years later Rucker Mill was opened, located along and in the north cove of the lake (original pilings can still be seen in the old lake outflow area just south of the boat launch). In 1919, the mill, which became known as the “world’s largest sawmill,” burned and was partially rebuilt. When it burned a second time in 1925, the mill was dismantled and Lake Stevens lost the very industry on which it was founded.

Just sayin’
11/12/2023

Just sayin’

Want to bring something delish to the Thanksgiving table this year? Or are you wanting to give homemade gifts for Christ...
11/11/2023

Want to bring something delish to the Thanksgiving table this year? Or are you wanting to give homemade gifts for Christmas?

This is a MUST make! Super simple and tastes so damn good!

Ingredients
1- 12- 14oz. Bag of Fresh Cranberries
1- Cup Sugar (I used cane sugar)
1- Cup Water
2-Tbsp. Bourbon
1- Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Instructions
In an large pan combine your cranberries, sugar and water.
Bring to a boil
Reduce to a simmer and add vanilla and bourbon and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
Let cool before serving

Hello friends! We hope you had a safe and fun Halloween! 🎃 👻 In case you missed my announcement over the summer, we no l...
11/01/2023

Hello friends! We hope you had a safe and fun Halloween! 🎃 👻

In case you missed my announcement over the summer, we no longer have goats, which means we are NOT accepting your pumpkin donations for 2023.

HOWEVER 🙌🏼 Fall 2024 we will begin taking your pumpkins again for our feathered friends!

Thank you to all the people and small local farms who decided to recycle their pumpkins over the past 3 years - you kept our goat treat costs down and helped to naturally deworm our herd!

Can’t wait to see all your faces again next year!

GARDENING HACKS TO TRY NOW - Composted Manure is Garden Gold & Putting Your Waste to Work!Aged Compost Manure:If you wan...
10/23/2023

GARDENING HACKS TO TRY NOW - Composted Manure is Garden Gold & Putting Your Waste to Work!

Aged Compost Manure:
If you want to create the best growing space for your spring garden, start now! Even if you do nothing else in the garden from October through April, do these free garden hacks:

Hacking your own garden soil is not as hard as it sounds: all you need is some amazingly rich, composted, all-natural material to toss in your garden beds.

Layering the compost and other organic materials eventually transforms your garden soil into a wonderland of healthy microbes that your plants' roots love.

Rotted, AKA aged manure, is an excellent addition to your soil. It increases microbes and generally creates a more stable environment for your roots (don't worry, composted manure has no bad smells, it just smells like dirt). The only issue is how to get your hands on some.

Where to find aged manure?
Try searching for manure at a local horse or cow farm. Believe it or not, there are also manure share groups out there!

Always ask how long the manure pile has been sitting--it takes at least six months for w**d seeds and pathogens to be killed in a pile that has a core temperature of 140 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 60 days within that time period. Of course an older pile is always going to be better aged. Most farmers can give you an approximate estimate on how long the manure has been aging.

If you live in an urban area or cannot locate a farm nearby, packaged manure is easy to find. Most garden centers sell bagged composted manure or a compost-manure mix for a reasonable price. Bagged manure is heated during the composted process, which kills w**d seeds and pathogens, while retaining the basic benefits of the amendments.

You should not use raw manure fresh from an animal on your plants because most will burn the plants, although fresh goat manure is fine to use. Additionally, you should never use manure from meat-eating animals such as dogs or cats on your garden beds because it can increase the risk that you will consume bad bacteria.

Hog manure can contain parasites such as roundworms and other pests. You want to use rotted---or composted--manure from an herbivore source (such as cow, bison, llama, or horse) that has been aged for around six months.

PUTTING YOUR WASTE TO WORK\SEEK OUT FREE MULCH - Five sources for great ground cover

You don't need to look further than most convenience store parking lots to find poly bags of mulch for sale. But why pay $5 or more for a bag of shredded and dyed mulch when other sources offer a bottomless source of free mulch? Here are five sources for free mulch that you can track down no matter where you live.

LEAVES If you have trees, you have leaves (and if your neighbor has trees, you probably have their leaves too). Shredded leaves are perhaps the best mulch ever for your garden. In the fall, rake all the leaves on your property into a large pile and water it heavily. If you have warm weather through winter, water the pile occasionally. Once spring arrives, dig down into the pile and discover rotted leaf mold. Spread on your garden beds.

GRASS CLIPPINGS As you mow your yard, gather the grass clippings and place them in a pile at the back of your property. Turn the pile frequently and let it dry out. Once dry, you will have a nitrogen-rich source of mulch.

PINE BOUGHS & PINE NEEDLES Wait until fall to limb up any pine or evergreen branches, use them for holiday decorations, and then place them on top of the garden beds for the rest of winter. In spring, remove the sticks but let the pine needles stay on top of the soil as mulch. This is a great way to use last year's Christmas tree.

ANIMAL MANURES Aged manure is highly beneficial for your garden and can be obtained for free at local farms.

TOWNSHIP OR CITY WOOD CHIP MULCH Wood chip mulch created by road maintenance crews is available in nearly every city for free. For use as mulch, wood chips that have sat for awhile in a large pile are a better choice than fresh chips. You might see the pile steaming in the early mornings; this is a sign that the wood chip pile, much like compost, has heated up internally. Heat kills fungi and diseases, making the mulch perfectly safe to use in your gardens. If chips are not composted, apply an organic nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 1/2 pound per 100 square fee of chips so the garden does not suffer from depleted nitrogen.

Be sure to check with your city to see if they use roundup or other chemicals, you'll want to avoid those sources!

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Hartford Drive
Lake Stevens, WA
98258

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