It's been a bit since I posted anything. I have had a few things on the go. Below is the making of a ginger tincture. This involves slicing/chopping or even grating up the ginger, putting it in a glass container and covering it with alcohol. I usually just use the vodka but this time I decided to try brandy as well. Make sure that all the plant material is covered with the alcohol and put a lid on it and leave for about six week. I shake the jars when I remember. After the six weeks, with either cheesecloth or a coffee filter separate the solids and the liquids and keep the liquid and compost the solids(though I may boil them up for a cup of tea before I compost them). The tincture will keep for years.
The birch sap is really starting to run now. This is what I collected the other day. When I bring it in I filter it through a sieve with a coffee filter in it to filter out any debris that may have fallen in the sap. I hope to have time in the next couple days to carve me up a couple more taps for the trees. I have four trees tapped now and would like to add several more. I have found that the sap is running in some of the birch but others are completely dry. Hopefully I will get enough syrup for at least a sample . Next year I plan to expand on what I am doing with this. Methinks that I will need a pair of snowshoes to accomplish more though.
In the future I hope to cover the building of the new humanure toilet as our bathroom gets finished. The chickens that I plan on getting as soon as I can get a coop built. As well as the changes once we get some of our property leveled(it has to be done). I hope to get started on the greenhouse and the garden.
