Urban Homesteaders Being Hijacked by Ego and Greed

I run a country living website and produce a country living web series that addresses Urban Homesteading. To all of my readers. When you hear the phrase "urban homesteading" or "Urban homestead" does anyone in particular come to mind or do you think of it as a lifestyle? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

These days nothing at all surprises me when it comes to ego and greed.  Several years ago when I began the Under the Willow Tree community I came across dozens of blogs and websites that talked about "Urban Homesteading" and "Urban Homesteads". Obviously as the economy got worse the concept grew more popular and as it grew more popular more and more people began to share their urban homesteading experiences with the rest of the world. Some of them do a damn fine job of it too.

Research shows that urban homesteading isn't something new. The phrase goes back to sometime in the late 1700's or early 1800's and began gaining momentum in the early 1900's as people began populating urban areas in greater numbers.  In 2001 (or thereabouts) a Pasadena, California family began a website/blog about their urban homesteading experiences and as the world began to change and the economy began to tank, their website increased in popularity. They were actually doing a good job sharing their experiences until it went to their heads. From what I've heard the family is almost cult like with mom and dad and 3 adult children all living at home in an almost cult-like atmosphere. (This is what quite a few bloggers who have followed the family say). As time went on, the site wasn't really producing much helpful information for urban homesteaders but instead started focusing on how wonderful they are for what they do on their tiny piece of Pasadena property. There are several spots on the website asking for donations and volunteers and they sell much of what they grow to "restaurants and catering companies". So the whole concept of living simply and using even an urban setting to be self sufficient went out the window.

Prior to today many urban homesteaders had never heard of the "Path to Freedom" website or its operators, the Dervaes family. Apparently the patriarch of the family believes he founded the concept of "urban homesteading" and went ahead and trademarked the phrase and began cracking down on anyone using the phrase(s) "Urban Homestead" or "Urban Homesteading". Bad move. So bad in fact it will probably cost them the popularity and good reputation they enjoyed amongst their followers and their fellow urban homesteaders. When the Dervaes were asked about the trademarking of such a common phrase they directed everyone to an explanation in the FAQ section of their website that is nothing short of pure bullshit (pardon the language but that's what it is).

They were obviously confronted by quite a few angry people. Here's what they posted on their site:


“We filed our trademarks for the purpose of maintaining standards and for the protection of the term and concept.  We are still in this society that is ruled by laws and governments and, sometimes, you have to use those rules to protect the freedom of an idea before it’s too late.

We began to see the terms “Urban Homestead” and “Urban Homesteading” used as “green-washed bandwagon” terms solely for profit — even mentioned in an glossy magazine advertisement of a car. It bothered us to see the terms being used for ideas that no longer reflected the down to earth roots.
The final straw came in an email we received.  It was from the owner of a small business who created a product and named his little business with a great sounding title. Guess what? Big corporations thought it was a great sounding title as well and trademarked it and told him, he could no longer use the name he came up with.


In addition, more and more people began to use the term for profit and the public / media started to confuse our project with that of the others.  It was a matter of survival — trademarks keep the little people from being overwhelmed.


So, as the popularity of Urban Homestead and Urban Homesteading increased and began to label everything from television productions to big agriculture products, we couldn’t shake the warning bells in our minds.  The establishment of Urban Homestead and Urban Homesteading needed to be protected so we can all move forward as a movement.”

Here are their terms of use: 

If you aren’t using it to make money and are simply documenting your life or sharing your information, this would only require that you update  your websites and articles to properly cite our works and properly acknowledge if used.


When using these trademarked terms, the proper way to go about it is as follows:
Proper trademark usage should include the proper trademark notice [®],  and note in close proximity that the term is a protected trademark of Dervaes Institute or link to the site.


URBAN HOMESTEAD®
URBAN HOMESTEADING®


That’s it!  If you want to label a for-profit endeavor with the term, we ask that you contact us first.
Thank you in advance for respecting our legally protected intellectual  property rights. If you have been supportive of our ten-year online work in  the past, we appreciate very much your continued support.


If you have any questions regarding the use of Dervaes materials or trademarks, please contact us at (626) 795-8400. We would be glad to provide you with more details.


-----------------------------------------------------------


Additionally, when the angry hoards flocked to their Facebook page to voice their opinion, the Dervaes shut their page down. What's wrong, you don't want your followers to know your really just a bunch of hypocrites?  Shortly after the news hit the blogoshpere, Urban Homesteaders from around the web formed a Facebook page of their own to oppose the egotistical and greedy attempt to make people cite the Dervaes website anytime the phrase was used. I DON'T THINK SO!!!!!   Within an hour the opposing Facebook page had DOZENS of followers and all of them are doing exactly what I am here, they are spreading the word! Please, take a moment to click on the link and "LIKE" us.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Take-Back-Urban-Home-steadings/167527713295518 


The only thing I have to say to the Dervaes family is good luck trying to stop a movement like this. Your greed has now caused literally HUNDREDS of us to oppose what your doing and instead of enjoying the referrals and benefits of being part of a team, you instead acted like the very corporations you claim to be against. And for the record, I WILL NOT direct my hard earned website traffic to YOUR website in ANY cites containing the phrase "urban homestead" or "urban homesteading". If you'd like to benefit from my traffic, it'll cost you.  However, I plan to send this post to all 250,000 people on my mailing list.

You want exposure... you got it!


Urban Homesteaders Unite!


**Update**

You can follow the movement on Twitter at #dumpthederVaeses

And here is the original article found on OC Weekly
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/stickaforkinit/2011/02/pasadena_family_trademarks_the.php

Country Living 101 - Getting Started

When people think of country living visions of livestock and corn fields pop into their minds. That's really not what it's all about, actually that would be farming! LOL. Although, if that's what you want to do, we can help you there too!  Under the Willow Tree presents country living as living simply but comfortably, as self sufficient as possible, while slowing down enough to enjoy the world and life around you. Decor, gardening, crafts, cooking, etc. all of those things are part of your country living style and the sky is the limit with what you can do!


Country living is an attitude not just a new home decor. It's about taking the time to get to know your neighbors and in many cases, your family and learning how to live with less without being miserable in the process. It's about cutting the umbilical cord to the fast paced, high-tech, out-of-control world we live in and slowing down enough to enjoy the life we've got and the people in it.  Now that doesn't mean that you can't still own a computer or even an iPhone and iPod, but what it means is that these things are no longer the focus of your life and you don't NEED them to exist happily.


With so many people out of work these days and having to face life with less the fist thing that happens is depression sets in as the things they once considered important, like electronic gadgets, computers, Star Bucks, etc. slowly slip from their lives and their reason for living with them. How sad. The good thing is, these situations are forcing people to look around them and in doing so, they're discovering the joys of life without all that noise.


Some folks don't need to lose their jobs to realize they are ready to slow down and enjoy life. They're ready to create a new atmosphere that is less dependent on the "things" we've all become addicted too.

Seven years ago when my husband and I moved our family from the fast-paced, over-crowded, not who you are but what you've got, lifestyle of Palm Beach County, Florida, to a mountain top in the foothills of the Tennessee Smokey Mountains, everyone thought we were nuts. At first, we thought we had temporarily lost sanity too. I won't lie to you, it was a little bit of culture shock because EVERYTHING slowed down DRASTICALLY! 


Once I got over the fact that everything in town closed at 9:00PM and they rolled the sidewalks up until the next morning, and once I got used to all the businesses closing early on Wednesdays, I adapted and began creating a special place for my family up on top of English Mountain. When I couldn't find good Italian bread close by, I learned to make it. There are no corner stores or corner deli's in the mountains, I couldn't just run down the street anymore and buy a few pounds of Mr. Cino's delicious homemade Italian sausage, so... I mastered my own recipe. Little by little my life adapted to the simplicity of country living. I found that our lives became fuller and we were spending more time together. We're one of the last families who still sit down to dinner each night and talk. These things have improved the quality of our lives and have kept our foucs on the most important thing...family.  


We had moved from a beautiful, 2-story, Mediterranean style, pool home on a zero lot-line lot, to a 40 year old farm house nestled on 30-acres of rolling, partially wooded land, with views that STILL take my breath away! This was our dream and all of a sudden we were living it!

You need not move to the actual "country" to live a country lifestyle. Although, if you dream of owning a home and some property that's really "away from it all" then hang on to that dream, you'd be surprised at how many people are doing it these days. One of the most common things I hear from people who want to sell off their city life and move to the peace and quiet of the country is that they can't buy another home because of the real-state market, or because of bad credit due to lost jobs, etc. One of the great things about relocating to small country towns is that many of the people selling property are willing to owner finance. Under the Willow Tree is in the process of creating a database of "owner Finance" country property opportunities. Stay tuned for the release.


How Can I Get Started?


Here is one way to get started building your new country life. Let's say you are a city dweller but you want to slow down and start living a simple country life. The first thing you need to do is create a country living atmosphere. The space you live in will play a great part in changing your attitude. One way to develop a country living attitude is to take stock of the home you live in and ask yourself these questions:


How far do you really want to go with this new vision? 


Are you just looking to re-decorate your home to look more "country"? 


Or are you wanting to make drastic life changes that will allow you to possibly survive on one income while you or your spouse stays at home and raise your children or even work from home? 


Are you ready to learn some of the basics of "country living" like sewing, canning and preserving food, growing your own veggies, or maybe even raising backyard chickens, etc.? 


Are you longing to grow your own veggies, preserve the foods you grow and become more self-sufficient? 


Buy yourself a spiral notebook or a journal and write down your country living dream, EXACTLY as you see it. Prioritize the things you want to accomplish right away and list the things that are less important in order. This is going to become your Country Living Bucket List and Journal. Remember, you don't need to do everything at once. Set realistic goals according to your available time, budget, etc. The good thing is, as you move into this new lifestyle, you'll find your spending less and creating more.


The first thing that pops into most minds is "I don't have the money to make any changes!"


Well we might have a plan for that. Once you've decided to simplify you'd be surprised at the things you can do to accomplish your goals!


Start by going through your entire house, from attic to basement and if you have storage anywhere else, go through that too. Go through your things and begin a "Yard Sale" collection.  One of our readers made over $1200 selling stuff she had been saving for years that she didn't really need, but hung on to "just because".


This serves two purposes.


First, it is clearing the clutter and forcing you to get rid of stuff you've been saving that really has no purpose other than to take up space.


And second, it's giving you a shot of cash that you can use to make some cosmetic changes to your home OR money to buy "equipment" like a canner, sewing machine, gardening tools, etc. All things you'll need for country living!


If you live in the north where it's cold, that's OK, you'll have a good 4-6 weeks to organize your Yard Sale and believe me, the better organized you are, the more you'll make! If you're selling clothes, take the time to make sure they are clean, separated into groups for kids clothing, adults, etc. price everything so there is no questions and people can easily see your asking price. Many people will put an item down and walk away because they are embarrassed to ask how much.


Recruit the Family. Get the kids involved, have them go through their old toys and books, tell them they get a cut for anything they sell and even get your spouse involved. Most husbands have all kinds of "stuff" in the garage they can get rid of.  Keep everyone motivated by sharing your excitement over what you're going to do with the cash you earn. Make it a family project.


Of course scheduling your sale will be dependent on the weather. Plan to announce your sale a week in advance. Most newspapers allow free Yard Sale ads, Facebook Marketplace allow free local advertising, make a bunch of signs and the night before your sale, recruit helpers to hang them.


Most IMPORTANTLY!  Yard Sales attract EARLY BIRDS so MAKE SURE you are SETUP EARLY!! If possible and safe, set your sale up the night before maybe in the garage or carport and then just move the tables out in the morning.


Be weary of early bird shoppers who want everything for nothing. DON'T Give your best stuff away for pennies, simply tell the early bird that you will reduce the prices of stuff an hour before your sale ends and if they want to come back they can. These shoppers go to Yard Sales early and unsuspecting or inexperienced sellers are usually excited to have buyers or anxious to make money and will give their best stuff away for peanuts. DON'T FALL PREY TO EARLY BIRDS!! HOLD OUT and get as close to your asking price as possible.


I suggest that if you have enough stuff, do a two day sale and keep your tables/displays full. Make sure hanging clothes are hung up and displayed so people can see them, fold clothes that have been tossed about by shoppers. Keep your sale neat at all times.


DO NOT try to do the sale alone! Have some help, whether it be teenagers or a spouse, parent or neighbor. And DO NOT keep your money on you. Have enough to make change and keep putting the rest in a safe place in the house.


For more Yard Sale resources visit the Under the Willow Tree community by clicking here.


Now that your sale is over you can count your money!  Sit down with the family and if you haven't decided how your going to use the money to implement your new lifestyle have a family meeting. Order a pizza and make this a family affair. Trust me, it will make some of the best memories you've ever had!


The secret to great country living is to become more self-sufficient. Creating a country atmosphere in a city setting IS possible. We'll cover more of that in our next post.


In the meantime, check out our Urban Homesteading blog "City Cents" with Julie Charet. Julie is an urban homesteading expert and she's sharing her secrets to successful urban homesteading with our readers!

Love Is in the Air - Making Memories

Ahhh sweet memories. Is there anything more valuable than the memories you make with your family? I don't think so. This has been a bittersweet couple of weeks for our family. Our oldest daughter enlisted in the U.S. Navy and ships out for boot camp on March 9, 2011.  That's it...just like that, she's all grown up and off to serve her country... to date, nothing has moved me more than watching her take her oath of enlistment....


"I, Ashley Rose Leahy, do solemnly swear, that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States of America... against all enemies foreign and domestic...."  


Tears of pride streamed down my face while I tried to hold the video camera still in an effort to capture this most precious moment on tape. My husband tried unsuccessfully, from the back of the ceremony room to hold his composer, but a quick glance showed he had failed miserably too.  As we left the ceremony room to wait in the lobby area of the Military Processing center, he put his arm around me as tears streamed from my eyes and we mutually agreed that our baby as all grown up...we have to let her go and follow her dreams now.  


Upon arriving at home and seeing my two younger children, my heart swelled with pride and love. These little human beings are a product of the environment, love, caring and values we've spent the last 21 years (some of them not easy) enveloping them in.  Where did the years go? How could they all be so grown up and ready to leave home so soon? Whoa!!  We need to slow this process down a bit! 


I broke out the cookbook and asked Cassie (my youngest daughter) if she wanted to bake some Valentine cookies with her ole' mom... 


"Sure mom, as soon as i finish my homework..."


Two days later, I baked the cookies and she decorated.  As I was cutting the cookies, I wondered if this would be the last year we would get to share our little Valentine cookie baking tradition together.  I surely hope not. 


People...listen to me. SLOW DOWN.... text your kids and tell them to come on home and when they get there, spend time with them! Turn your computer off, power down the cell phone, get out the cookie cutters and spend some time with your kids...time goes by fast and before you know it...they are gone, off to follow their dreams. At least make sure you have quality memories to keep you company until they come home to visit again. 


Here is our cookie recipe and a picture of our labor of love.  Feel free to use it to make your own memories this Valentines Day. I share it from my heart to yours.... 




Cassie and Mom's Best Valentines Day Cookies

Cutout Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. 

Ice with your favorite sugar cookie icing and decorate with sprinkles, gel, or other fixin's.  Then brew a pot of tea or whip up some hot chocolate and enjoy! 

Old Fashioned Parenting Reaps Family Rewards!

Yesterday at around Noon EST, my first born child, my daughter, enlisted in the United States Navy. This article cannot contain the PRIDE I feel right now! This is the same kid who has struggled through the last 2-years of life undecided about what to do with her future.  She's extremely bright, she's always done well in school and has almost perfect grades for the year she spent in college, but like many other young people her age, she just hasn't been able to decide what she wants to do with her life.  Yesterday, all that changed. 

We weren't surprised when her recruiter came out of the testing room after Ashley had taken her practice ASVAB test (like a military entrance exam) and said "Wow! She did really well!".   I never doubted for a second that she would ace it :) 

For two years Ashley has walked around in somewhat of a daze bouncing between our house and her grandparents house trying to find her way. Within 3-days of suggesting the military as an option, her entire life has changed. She's gone from this introvert, moody, quiet person to blossoming with excitement and eagerness to take this next step in her life. I knew it was the right thing when I see the excitement in her eyes. I've never seen her look like that about anything before. I just KNEW she had FINALLY found her way.

As a mom, there have been many times when I have questioned my parenting skills and methods. I've always reverted back to old fashioned family values and traditions with my kids, the way my parents did with my brother and I. It's important to me, and will be to them one day, to know these values and family traditions so that they can be passed on to their children.  If you're a parent, you know it isn't always easy, heck, it's RARELY easy and if you have more than one child (we have 3), then you can relate to the mother animals that eat their young, ESPECIALLY during those turbulent teenage years. 

Yesterday, all of the blood, sweat, and tears become worth it. All of the hard work and persistence, all of the arguments, eye rolls, mumbling under her breath, etc. all became worth it when the child I least expected to do it, stepped up to the plate and made a serious adult decision, loaded with responsibility and challenges. She now eagerly awaits the next step in this most incredible journey she has chosen to take. 

I was a single mom for 7-years. During those years, I often worried that I wouldn't be enough. I worried that it would be impossible to instill the values that would develop good character and values that a in-tact family has. Then I realized that way too many families with both parents are failing to teach these precious traditions and values. After 7 years of being a single mom, I met and married my husband Michael who shares my sense of values and believes in the old-fashioned traditions that make a family so precious.  As Ashley signed her first set of papers committing herself to the military, we both sat with tears in our eyes. We did it! One down...two to go! And the other two seem to be heading in the right direction too! Our youngest daughter, Cassie is planning a career in law enforcement when she graduates in May, she's already a senior police explorer and her sisters decision has inspired her to consider enlisting as well since she can't enter the police academy until she is 21. She is going to decide on her 18th birthday in March. Either way, she has her life mapped out and our son, the baby, is enlisting in the US Air Force upon graduation in a little less than 2 years. Obviously, we've done something right. 

As my kids get older they are starting to appreciate the old-fashioned, family traditions that I have made part of our lives. People can say whatever they want about old-fashioned values, but when it comes to rearing kids, it's my opinion that they are invaluable in teaching them that there is more to life than iPods, XBox, and cell phones.  These conveniences have robbed and separated families from the most important traditions and simple activities that strengthened families 20 or 30 years ago. Too many parents are raising their kids via text messages and e-mail and there's something wrong with a parent who depends on Facebook to keep up with their kids daily lives. What good can come from this? How can parents be surprised when their kids go off and make major mistakes that will effect them for the rest of their lives like getting pregnant, using drugs, etc? Parents only have themselves to blame. 

When we moved to Tennessee and began living a simple country life, we allowed that lifestyle to spread to all areas of our lives, including our parenting.  It's obvious that it was the right thing to do.  My kids have iPods and cell phones, but we've taught them that these things are only THINGS... they will never replace the importance of our family dinners each night or our day trips to the national park or even doing chores around the house together. They certainly don't replace or even come close to being as awesome as a day spent in the kitchen with my daughter baking or cooking or out in the garden with my husband. 

NOTHING is more rewarding than the one-on-one face time I spend with my family. You want my opinion? Pick at least one day a week that cell phones, iPods, video games and TV are off limits and spend time with your family face-to-face. You'd be surprised at what you're missing, 

In closing, I want to say how VERY PROUD I am of my daughter. Way to go Ashley! The courage and responsibility it took to choose the path you've chosen was a wise and brave decision. We're so very proud of you and we know you're going to do a great job serving our country! 

Farm Fresh Eggs No Matter Where You Live

When my family moved to the east Tennessee mountains 7-years ago, I was determined to learn all I could about country living. I'm still learning and I have a ways to go, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. 

One of the first things we did when we moved to Tennessee was buy chickens. We decided on Rhode Island Reds because of the superior brown eggs they produced. Needless to say, we had a lot to learn about raising chickens but we learned a lot fast. Within 6 months of getting our little chicks, we were enjoying big, brown delicious fresh eggs. I've never tasted better eggs in my life! And these were the best eggs for baking too. Sadly, after a year and a half, my husband entered a 6-month para-military style police academy in order to join the police force  and we had to give our chickens away. The good news is, now that the kids are older and we've adjusted to our country lifestyle, we're going to get more chickens. 


These days, even city folks can raise chickens right in their backyard and enjoy the benefit of fresh eggs or fresh meat, depending on what you decide to raise your birds for.  Our chickens became pets so we only raised them for the eggs, but many people raise them for both. 


Chickens come in handy for a few things. 


1. They help you become a little bit more self-sufficient by providing you with healthy, non chemical or steroid injected eggs.  Add up the amount of money it would cost you to buy free-range, organic eggs and compare it to the cost of raising your own. In most cases you come out ahead and in the rare case that you decide to raise fancy birds or spend more on a coop, etc. it's worth the extra cost to know that what your eating is way healthier than the stuff you buy in the grocery store. 


2. Chicken droppings make excellent compost and natural fertilizer for your garden! Talk to anyone who uses chicken droppings for fertilizer and they'll tell you, it works better than the chemical laden fertilizers you buy at your local garden center. It's cheaper too! 


Chicken droppings are high in nitrogen,  adding it to the compost pile will turn it  into a rich addition that adds organic matter and increases the water holding capacity and  biota in your soil. Aged chicken manure can also act as a good fertilizer, providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to help your plants grow.




3. Chickens are good for pest control. As they hunt and peck around the yard they devour all those pesky insects eliminating the need for toxic pest controls or at least less of them. Always be sure to use natural pest controls. 


4. Their hunting and pecking is good for the soil. As they search for bugs, grubs and worms, they break down the leaves and large pieces of soil debris and aerate the soil.


Some of the benefits of farm fresh eggs are:



Thanks to a 2007 study by Mother Earth News that took egg samples from 14 different flocks, we have some pretty good data to back up the claim that free range or pastured eggs are better for you. Here are some of the benefits:


1) Less Cholesterol: According to the study there was 1/3 less cholesterol in the free-range eggs. This is good news for an egg lover like me who also has a family history of high cholesterol.

2) Less Saturated Fat: Mother Earth News found 25% less saturated fat in the pastured chicken eggs. Saturated fat is a buzz word in the food world now, with reason, so anything with less is always a plus.

3) More Vitamin A and E: Vitamin A helps in all sorts of areas including vision, skin health, immune function, and so much more. There isn't as much information out there on Vitamin E, but I think we can assume it does have a purpose.

4) Extra Omega-3s: We are constantly learning more about the Omega-3s, but there has already been a lot of research pointing to benefits for people with heart concerns. Double the Omega-3s is a good thing!

5) They Just Taste Great: I suppose this is more of an anecdotal thing, but I believe pastured eggs just plain taste better.

** The above information was found at the article: The Health Benefits of Farm Fresh Eggs" http://astrology.yahoo.com/channel/food/the-health-benefits-of-farm-fresh-eggs-237375/




So many people are starting to realize that our world is spinning out of control, being self sufficient is going to be a necessity. Not everyone can afford to or wants to live in the country on a farm. The good thing is, raising chickens in the city and in urban areas is becoming more and more common.  The first thing you need to do is contact your local zoning department to learn about the rules and regulations for keeping livestock in your area.

For more information on raising chickens visit the resources below:

Back Yard Chickens - http://www.backyardchickens.com/
The BEST online resource for raising backyard chickens, including breeds, hatcheries, and more.

DIY Chicken Coops  http://www.diychickencoops.com/raising-chickens
Excellent information for beginner backyard chicken raisers.

The Country Chicken - http://www.cyndilou6.com/
Information and resources for raising backyard chickens.

Stay tuned for more backyard chicken and urban livestock articles. As Under the Willow Tree grows we'll be adding more to these sections. Feel free to leave questions, etc. in the comment area. We'd love to hear from you.

Under the Willow Tree - Winter Day Wonders :: Fresh Pasta Recipe

Wow! What a winter we're having! When we moved to our country heaven on earth seven years ago, we chose the foothills of the Smokey Mountains in east Tennessee for the mild climate. This year, we broke records. It started snowing on Thanksgiving day and it feels like it hasn't stopped! 


I am not complaining. One thing I missed when I lived in Florida, was the change of seasons and this year, for the first time since I left my hometown of Buffalo, NY some 23-years ago, we had a white Christmas! It was gorgeous! 


What I love most about these wintry days is the time it gives me to cook and bake. The kids have had a bunch of snow days too so I get to spend time with my youngest daughter, Cassie, who also loves to cook with me. Yesterday, as the news was issuing Winter Storm Warnings, and the state was declaring Level 3 state-of-emergency for our area, Cassie and I broke out the pasta machine and decided to take full advantage of the time we were spending cooped up. We lit a fire in the kitchen fireplace, and got to work! 


Under the Willow Tree embraces the simplicity of country living. None of this is scripted, this is our life and we're enjoying every minute of it. One of the things I love most about country living is the closeness that's developed within my family. We've gradually become like those families you saw on television 30-years ago and to be honest...I am proud of that! I feel so so much pride when my daughters stand next to me eager to learn all of these old fashioned traditions. It brings me comfort knowing that they'll be passed on to my grandchildren. 


So anyway, on to the fresh pasta! You'll find this recipe on the Under the Willow Tree Community! (http://underthewillowtree.wall.fm/forum/topic/5)


Fresh Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water (add more 1 tablespoon at a time to make a stiff dough)

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl or Kitchen Aid, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten egg, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
2. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.  

We used a manual pasta machine for ours. 

In a medium saucepan, boil about 2 quarts of water, place your pasta in the boiling water for approximately 3-4 minutes.  Fresh pasta cooks much quicker than the pasta you buy in a box at the supermarket.  

** To store your pasta, let it dry for  about an hour then place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days.  You can freeze the pasta for up to 3 months. 

The more you work with the dough the better you'll become at this whole process. If you don't have a pasta machine you can roll your dough to the desired thickness and then cut it into strips with a sharp knife. The sky is really the limit with how you can work with this recipe. 

Add your favorite sauce and ENJOY!!

The one thing I like most about fresh pasta is the fact that I know what's in it. Unlike store bought pasta, there are no preservatives or other junk that you find in mass produced product. This is a simple recipe that ensures a healthy end result. 

Stay tuned for our upcoming homemade cheese series! That's right, we're going to be making cheese! 

Sometimes Progress is Only Possible by Taking a Step Backwards!

Happy New Year to all of my friends! Can you believe 2010 is over? My goodness the year flew by didn't it? For many, that's not a bad thing. But for me, it was all-in-all a good year. I did a lot of progressing this past year.   All it took was a little step backwards. 


Yep, I did say backwards. 


For me, it took watching the bottom fall out of the economy and realizing that with the way we were doing things, an implosion is imminent. Fortunately, the economic events of the past 18-months did not effect my family too much, but seeing how it effected people close to me was enough to make me realize that things have to change. I've been preparing for the amazing things that are headed my way this year and I am happy to say that progress is has been made. 


My blog will be taking a new direction. 


For the past 7 months I have been writing and now pre-producing the Under the Willow Tree Country Living eShow for the eChannelz Internet Television portal. What started out as a whimsical idea to share the joys of country living has turned into an entire production complete with a fully stocked online community, radio show and, come the end of January, a weekly eShow and live talk radio program. The Under the Willow Tree eShow is not only about the simplicity of country living, but will encompass much more and won't only be for people who want to live a country life, the content has now been written to appeal to anyone who wants to take a step back and learn to live more simply by learning how to be more self-sufficient.   


Let me explain....


Not too long ago, my daughter and I were having a conversation about what we would do if something happened that made it impossible to carry on the way we do currently. We were talking about how we would survive if there was a Hurricane Katrina like incident in our area. Although highly unlikely as we live in the mountains, but it got us both thinking and we took a look around our home to see what things we had that we could use to live and survive with should we be unable to access stores, water, food, etc. It was an enlightening moment and it made me realize just how unprepared we really are, regardless of our country home in the middle of the woods, to sustain ourselves for any length of time. The fact of the matter is, my husband is a police detective in a city 50+ miles away. It's safe to say that if something catastrophic did happen, me and the kids would be on our own for a while until he got home or until he was able to leave. As a police officer, terrorism specialist, and highly trained in emergency management, his skills would be greatly needed and that would mean the kids and I would have to fend for ourselves. 


Most people don't even think about it. They just assume the government will step in or that it'll never happen. Until recently, I thought the same way. But then, I watched a few documentaries about Hurricane Katrina and it was as if I had an instant wake up call. Not too long ago, people were self-sufficient. They were able to survive using their own devices. They lived without fast food restaurants on every corner and pre-packaged, microwavable meals. My new direction will help you reach back and bring forth the important things in life that so many of us have forgotten. 


Anyway, my blog will begin to focus on country living and the simplicity of this lifestyle. 


Now don't go running off just yet! Give it a chance, you never know, you might pick up a good recipe, gardening tip, decorating idea, or something like that and if you hang out long enough, I'll teach you how to can your own food! 


I hope you'll stick with me and get ready for the Under the Willow Tree eTV program that will air weekly starting the third week of January. Also, stay tuned for Country Living radio... I have LOTS of plans and lots of great topics to cover. 


It doesn't matter where you live, you can enjoy country living no matter where you are! I hope you'll join me!