D. Logan

Full disclosure, I received a copy of this book to review. My opinions are in no way influenced by this.

I rarely do this, but I have to give this book a 10 out of 10 acorns!



I went into this book knowing nothing of the author or her blog. All I knew was that it was a cookbook and the overview. Before reading a cookbook, I like to flip through and enjoy the dish titles and eye candy of finished dishes. I wasn't disappointed. The dishes varied from the simple to the unique and the pictures were all beautiful. Colorful dishes and quirky life moments filled the book from cover to cover.

This initial flip through clued me in for how much I was going to enjoy this book. I set about reading, casually enjoying the story of it’s conception. The blogging background of its author was clear from the slice of life moments within the explanation. She laid out her philosophy and I found myself nodding along with what she said.

As I poured over the recipes, I was impressed by how often the list of ingredients was kept well within the scope of what I would want to have stocked in my pantry and larder. So many books I have read seem to delight in putting odd twists on things by adding some peculiar ingredient that only gets used in that one dish. Nothing is more upsetting than wanting to try a recipe, but not being willing to pay for a container of specialty material to do so. After all, if you don't end up liking it, the rest of that ingredient may go to waste.

More importantly, I found almost every recipe sounded wonderful. Some were simple dishes that other cookbook authors overlook. Some were more unique, but still well within reason. The instructions were easy to follow and were often a page or less. After some of the books I have used in the past, this simplicity of instruction was refreshing. (I sometimes wonder if people are padding out their word counts in some of the cookbooks by complicating simple processes.)

Two other things I really appreciated about this book were a section on pantry items and another set dedicated to growing things on the homestead. In the former, it was nice to see the basic ingredients addressed beyond just ‘buy something organic’ and instead showing you how to make such things if you weren’t already aware. Many cookbooks only go as far as stock and leave the rest up to you to research. That section makes this book feel even more inviting to share with beginners.

The second part mentioned talks about growing ingredients and managing the homestead with an honest assessment. It’s not an advanced explanation, just a simple overview of some key items and what you might need to know starting out. I hadn’t realized this section was here when I decided to review the book and I found it a nice touch. It plays to the heart of the cookbook's nature.

Everything about this book feels like it is there to help a homesteader. Not just a cook, but someone living off the land as best as they can and who may still be getting their legs under them. It has enough for someone who’s been cooking a while as well, so it isn’t just a book for beginners. I have to say that this is going to end up in having a special place in my collection. I have many cookbooks, but only keep a dozen or so where I can reach for them easily. The Prairie Homestead Cookbook has earned its place among them.

Conversation was had and may now be pending a separate conversation I am not a part of. The current iteration of things may not work for what Paul wants, so it is possible that much of what is currently there may be wiped and replaced with something else. There is a slight mis-communication where the expectation was for it to be exclusively possible inside of an apartment (IE: no parks, friend's yards, etc). I think we need to reconcile that difference between what is currently written and what is wanted prior to moving forward on the remaining un-written badge sets. :)

I will make further notes here as things are resolved.

Taking a short pause pending a conversation with Mike Haasl.

This badge focus’ on the expansion and improvement of community connections. There is an emphasis on building positive interactions and affecting positive community experiences. The skills involved include improvement of the public spaces, cooking for others, leading events, fostering community interactions, and generally working towards a more inclusive and enjoyable public connection with one’s neighbors.

Sand
Volunteer for a community service event.
Do at least 2 of the following:
  Make food or craft items and bring to at least 3 neighbors as a get-to-know-you.
  Host a neighborhood gathering where at least 8 individuals attend.
  Create a neighborhood borrow box (food, books, etc). (1 oddball point)
  Improve a public space or shared area.
  Host an educational event for at least 8 people for 1 hour min.
  Organize a collective garage sale or free swap event.
  Create public artwork. (1.5 oddball points)
  Create a safety map that includes emergency exits and fire extinguishers.
  Add one point to a geocaching list.
  Volunteer to help at a co-op or CSA for 1 hour.

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I added a number of badges to the forge and linked them back to the main page. I expect to finish one more tonight. I didn't get them all figured out while I've been doing all the extra hours at work this week however and will continue to post ideas here to bounce off of other staff.

The harvesting and preserving of foods from the wild. The gathering of fruits, mushrooms, seeds, nuts, mushrooms and vegetables from uncultivated sources. Practice fishing, trapping, and hunting respectfully. Practices that show restraint rather than stripping an area clean and which care for and improve the locations where we harvest.

Sand
Display sustainable harvesting practices on one of your gatherings. (1/3 rule)
Create a local map of unattended public fruit/nut trees and bushes.
Fresh List (Harvest 1)
  2 lbs local berries
  6 lbs local fruits
Dry List (harvest 1 lb fresh unless noted, dry, and store)
  2 lbs mushrooms
  Nettles
  Fruit, leaves, or flowers for Tea (rose hip, pineapple weed, mint, etc)
Make 1 cup of tea from any wild-gathered fruit, herb, or similar dried item.
Meal List (Prepare a dish using 1 cup of item(s) from this list.)
  Cooked wild mushrooms
  Edible flowers
  Wild Nuts (not English Walnuts)
  Starchy or tap root.
  Local wild greens
  Cooked fruit or berries
  Wild edible grains
Misc List (Complete 3 of the following)
  Catch and prepare at least 1 lb (before prep) fish.
  Catch and prepare one small animal (squirrel, rabbit, pigeon, etc).
  Craft 4 lbs of seed balls.
  Harvest and reduce tree sap to make 1 pint of finished syrup.
  Do 4 more from the fresh list (no repeats)
  Do 2 more of the dry list (no repeats)
  Do 4 more of the meal list (repeats okay)

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Iron

This badge focus’ on construction, cabinetry and other fine woodworking. Using dimensional lumber (no plywood, particle board, OSB, etc) the badge seeker will construct these items. While power tools, screws, and nails will be allowed, there is an emphasis on joinery where reasonable.

Sand
Wood-burned artwork
Complete 2 of the following:
  Crappy birdhouse.
  Lay 10 sticks of decking.
  Sturdy firewood rack.
  Two-step stool.
  Sturdy wall-mounted shelf for heavy things.
  Wooden box or crate.
  Install 40 sqft of boards as siding.
  Simple open toolbox.

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Making dramatic changes in the landscapes around you. As not all locations are possible to use larger earth-movers, it will initially focus on methods that allow an individual or group to work largely by hand to affect change on their environments.

Sand
Seek out a location where trail maintenance is required and obtain permission to work.
Dry-stack a small retaining wall.
Trail maintenance for 200 ft of trail.
Eliminate a pothole or puddle.
Add a small, simple switchback trail to a berm or steep hillside.
Sealed pond test.
Create each of the following manual earthworks tools:
  Bunyip water level
  Triangle level
Using the bunyip water level, create an elevation map of a small property.

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The PEA version of round wood woodworking is not dissimilar to the PEP version. It is still about using unprocessed wood to create new things without glue and largely without metal. As with the other badge, power tools may sometimes be used, though generally unpowered items are preferred. If required, it will be so noted. Much of it works green wood into a form, then allows it to cure after. Unlike the other badge, almost every project at the lowest badge is something small. The assumption is that initially, space will be at a premium. The badge is about developing the same basic skill understandings needed to move forward on larger projects once one is free to do so.

Sand
Widemouth sized sauerkraut stomper from a single piece of wood. (hand tools only)
Small compound mallet (smaller dry stick goes into a bigger green stick (head)) (hand tools only)
Carve a big, ugly, nearly useless spoon (hand tools only)
Cutting board or serving tray
Dry peg in greenwood project (build one):
 - coat hooks (4)
 - end table
 - simple coffee table
 - stool
Create homemade lincoln logs (saddle notch) 24
Two coat hooks made from small trees and the hooks are the branches on these trees (no need for any joinery)

Straw
Lightweight stool
<2 More larger projects TBA>
Create 3 more sets of homemade lincoln logs
Carve a nice, lightweight spoon you can eat with
Carve a nice wooden butter knife
Bowsaw frame
Roundwood sawhorse desk
Basic heavy kitchen chair with a back

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Iron

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Learning the skills needed to build larger projects in the future, this badge starts out with smaller projects that should be possible regardless of where you happen to live. There’s a strong focus on learning the skills that will later help build in your area, regardless of the particulars of your climate.

Sand
12 Adobe bricks (12"x6"x3")
Make a block of Roman cement from scratch.
Make a natural paint and paint a 4x8 area
Build a shed (can be done on behalf of a friend, family or neighbor) that meets all of the following standards:
  Rubble trench foundation with larger stone base to level and support the structure.
  20 x 8 ft of cob, straw bale, rammed earth, or cordwood wall.
  25 sqft of wood roof (cedar shakes, oak shingles, etc).
  Meets any local code requirements.
Make a small cob ball and give it the tadelakt treatment to waterproof it.

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