Pure Vanilla Extract and 1st GiveAway

Pure Vanilla Extract ... have you priced that stuff lately? It can be quite expensive. I know some places offer it at a more than reasonable price but I think that's rare. We, at OMA Ranch have started making it and are offering it for sale. So ... in honor of our newest business venture we thought giving away a couple bottles of our product would be fun!!! The prize will be a 4 ounce bottle of Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract (two separate winners will receive one bottle each)

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL THE RULES:

Minimum Requirements: (Must be done in order to receive ONE entry to GiveAway)

• Leave one comment on this post

Extra Entries: (For each step you complete, you will receive ONE extra entry to the GiveAway)

• Follow this blog & then comment on this post again, to let me know you follow
• Share the GiveAway post with friends on Facebook & comment with a link to your post
• Tweet the GiveAway on Twitter & comment with a link to your Tweet.
• Blog about this GiveAway & comment with a link to your blog post

Important: (Deadline for GiveAway Entries)

• GiveAway will end at 11:59 p.m. (EST) on May 15th, 2011
• Random.org will be used to chose the winner(s)
• TWO winners will be announced (each winning ONE item) on May 22th (please leave your email address in your comments so you can be contacted)
• Winner has until May 25th to respond to winning announcement email. If winner does NOT respond a new winner will be chosen by using Random.org
• GiveAway open for U. S. A. residents only (sorry)
• For each entry, you MUST leave separate comments 

Washing "Machine"

The subject of laundry comes up a lot when people discuss being off grid. There are so many ways to wash clothes. It saves money but takes a lot of hard work. I'm happy working hard and so is the rest of my family. I can honestly say that there is nothing better than the feeling you get from accomplishing something by the sweat of your own brow!!!

Options for doing laundry -

1) Rain barrels in the back of a pick up truck. Add clothes, water & laundry soap. Shut lid tightly and then drive around, running your errands. You don't need a lot of water & washing takes very little energy. The rinsing is done the same way, in a second barrel. The wringing out of water ... well, if you're doing it by hand that takes strength & stamina ... it's a tough job but well worth it!!! (You can always get a crank wringer too). The above picture comes from HERE It's only being used here to display how to set your rain barrels in the back of your truck.

2) Plunger/Bucket "machine" - as simple as it sounds. Get a 5 gallon bucket, cut a whole in the air-tight lid ... enough room for a plunger stick to fit through. Put clothes in, add water & soap ... plunge. Not too hard. Again, the tougher part is going to be wringing water out of the clothes. (A lid is optional but it helps to keep water from sloshing out of the bucket)

3) There's also the reliable, old fashioned washboard method. Really it isn't as hard as one thinks, especially if you let the clothes soak a few minutes. You can always use a wringer type mop bucket to wring the water out too.

The above methods are great. However, a couple take longer if you have a larger than average size family.

My personal favorite ... (and something we hope to build soon)

4) The bicycle powered washing "machine." YES ... I get so excited every time I think about building this!!! You can build two different types ... one is like a normal bike, with handle bars like in the above picture. The other is as seen in the video. (We'll be building the one in the picture above)

Preparing the "field"

"Grant, I heard a story about two farmers who desperately needed rain. And both of them prayed for rain, but only one of them went out and prepared his fields to receive it. Which one do you think trusted God to send the rain?" Well, the one prepared his fields for it. Which one are you? Mr. Bridges continued. "God will send the rain when He's ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it." ~ Facing The Giants

My husband wants to come home full time. He wants to build our dreams, spend time with his family, and not have to punch a time card. I want to have my husband home full time. We have fun working together. I love spending all my time with him ... I miss him when he's at work. Our children want their daddy home. They love spending time with him, learning from him, working with him. It's time ... so we are "preparing our fields."

We've always had home businesses ... but we are clearing the path for a family business, more specifically a family "homestead" business. It's time we live off the land God has given us. We will soon be adding a "line" of products to our new "FOR SALE" page. 

We will be marking our calendar. Exactly 2 months after we sell our first homestead product, my dad will be cutting his hours in half. Exactly 2 months after that he will be giving his 30 day notice.  Exactly 30 days from then, he will be home full time AND ... we will go back to living on our homestead full time.

The above plan gives us 6 months (it will take us at least 30 days to release our first homestead product for sale) to get some financial things handled and prepare our place for our homecoming. 

We are all so very excited!!! We are preparing for your rain, Lord!!!