Heartwood Hills Farm

08/30/2026

I’d say my sourdough dough is quite happy this morning! 🥰

08/28/2026

Forgive the loud banging in the background. We’re getting our new roof finally after the 4th of July storm!! Hallelujah! It has been quite loud inside today which is why I’m outside working in the shade. It’s glorious today.

Fall is coming!!! 🍁

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08/28/2026

The reveal!!! We have freeze dried eggs folks!

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08/27/2026

Here we go!!! Let’s learn how to freeze dry eggs!

I scrambled up 20 eggs, not adding anything additional to them. Each tray held roughly half of the bowl, so 10 eggs. I had to start the machine up before putting in the trays to let the chamber start getting cold, which says is about 15 minutes.

The machine is very user friendly! It walks you through everything you need to do. It tells you to open this, close that, no second guessing what you’re supposed to do. Which is just what I need!!

Once I closed the drain valve on the outside of the machine and the door was latched, off it went!

One thing I learned already….it is NOT level where I have it sitting currently. That’s why I kept having the door swing closed on me as I was trying to load the trays. Having to hold the door left me with one hand to hold the tray full of liquid eggs. 😬 I only dribbled only a little. 😊

Next up, we shall see how the trays turn out.

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08/25/2026

Come learn with me!!

We purchased a new tool, albeit a fun one, like 4 months ago. We got it used from a friend, and I was excited to get one as I’ve wanted one for years! It took some time to figure out where I could place it so it’s usable. Ya know, steady room temperature (not in our hot metal shop building) and good air flow (so not wedged in a tight corner).

We finally gave it a temporary spot in the laundry room. Once the laundry room remodel is done (which is paused for bedroom remodel due to the storm damage), we’ll move it to its permanent spot in another area of the laundry room.

First things first. I wanted to run a test on it to make sure all systems are a go. Good news, it’s all good! So, next step…actually freeze dry something. 😬

Stay tuned as we do this together and learn what this new tool can do!

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08/19/2026

Saturday was the beginning of phase one, of many, of repairs after the storm that hit us on the 4th of July. We sustained water damage in our room from the holes in the roof, plus years of small leaks at floor level from poor drainage outside. So, we have removed the drywall and now the insulation as it was harboring a frightening amount of mold.

As with any home repair project, what you think will be a weekend project….quickly becomes a much larger project. *sigh*. We knew we would find a crack on the lower portion of the South wall, and we did. But we also discovered 3 others on the lower portion of the West wall. Which we had not anticipated. So, we have ordered the proper kit to make the repairs before we can put drywall back in place. That should arrive today or tomorrow.

There were many areas of rotten wood, and a whole mess of previous termite damage that we uncovered! Thankfully we treated for them years ago, but their handiwork has now been exposed. This is one of the “surprises” we found when we opened everything up.

Ahh the joys of homeownership. 🏠

08/18/2026

Decided to spruce up the wood burning fireplace. It was a wee bit messy, and gloves would be the wise thing to use however I didn’t plan well.

Regardless, I think she looks super spiffy now. It was a small, inexpensive jar I picked up at the hardware store. Product is called Imperial stove polish paste.

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08/15/2026

While making chicken bone broth today I knew I’d have some left over chicken pieces. I decided to take those “by products” and make a simple dinner of chicken taquitos.

In a bowl mix 2 cups shredded chicken, 4 oz of softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice, 1-2 Tablespoons of taco seasonings, and some salsa to make it mixable and not dry. I eye ball the salsa part. Warm your flour or corn tortillas, place approximately 1.5 Tablespoons of filling and roll up tight. You can either bake at 400* for 12-18 minutes until they are crispy and golden in color, or fry in oil until golden brown. I’m sure an air fryer would be an option, but I don’t have one so I can’t speak to that. **If you bake them like I did, give them a spray of oil on top or brush on to help them crisp up and get golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and maybe some rice and beans too! Just like a restaurant but so much better. Boom, easy meal!

08/10/2026