2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 37

Once again, it’s been about a month since I’ve updated you on the going ons here!

Let’s jump in and see what’s been going on here at the Suburban Steader Homestead!

This Week’s Milestones

Prolific Garden Harvest Continues

I told you about my prolific cucumber harvest in my last post. Well, I’m proud to report that those results have been consistent over the last month. We’ve harvested more cucumbers than we know what to do with. Fortunately, the folks at my work LOVE cucumbers and have been a great “dumping ground” for the overflow. I’m also seeing a lot of peppers that should be ready in the next week. We also had a good amount of volunteer cherry tomatoes (I didn’t plant any this year) and the broccoli is coming back for a fall harvest.

Cooking Class

Those of you who have spent a lot of time around the site know that I like to cook. In fact, I would say that the majority of the cooking duties have migrated from my wife to me. I’ll cook almost any kind of cuisine but really like to concentrate on homestead/rustic type food. That being said, I love to learn new things. I often complain about this God Forsaken Sandbar that I live on. It is horribly overcrowded, the politics suck and from a geographical point of view, it is strategically horrible. There’s a finite number of ways to get off this island in case of an emergency and, due to the overcrowding, it will become a total fustercluck if/when that kind of situation happens.

With that in mind, the wife and I signed up for a cooking class at Sur La Table. It was a grilling summer Italian type meal. I have to admit that I was kind of disappointed. I didn’t learn anything new with the exception of making a pecan blueberry scone type dessert.

I did, however, find the ultimate grill EDC item!

Fitness…Interrupted

Last you heard, I was eating a primal / paleo diet (most of the time) and lifting heavy weights with a program called StrongLifts.

I’m glad to say that I’ve been working through that program and have made some strong, strong gains. I’ve gone from square one to the following:

Squats – 285lbs – 5 sets of 5 reps each (5×5)
Bench Press – 225lbs – 5×5
Deadlift – 305lbs – 5×5
Bent Over Row – 145lbs – 5×5
Overhead Press – 130lbs – 5×5

These numbers aren’t huge when you consider I weigh about 250lbs. That being said, I’m moving in the right direction considering I haven’t lifted heavy in over ten years. I’ve already hit my first goal (Bench Press) and am well on the way to my Tier 1 (Short Term) Goals. Those are:

OH Press – 135lbs – 5×5
Bench Press – 225lbs – 5×5 (ACHIEVED!)
Squat – 315lbs – 5×5
Deadlift – 405lbs – 5×5

My Tier 2 (Long Term) Goals are numbers I want to reach in March 2019 when I turn 40. Those numbers are as follows (all single reps):

OH Press – 225lbs
Bench Press – 315lbs
Squat – 405lbs
Deadlift – 495lbs (really, I’m going after 500lbs – 495lbs is just 5 full plates per side)

I ran into a little bit of a snag last weekend while benching. My right shoulder is all dinged up. Might be something with my rotator cuff, might not. I’ve been babying it for a week and, as the Mrs can tesity, I’ve been a complete bear to be around. I watched this video today and it really motivated me to get back at it. I’ll probably get this thing checked out since it’s been about a week but it’s time to start moving forward with other lifts.

And, just in case you’re wondering what this has to do with prepping and survivalism…just remember this quote

New Business Venture

I’ve been using the Lanksy Sharpening System for the last few years to sharpen all my knives. Like I mentioned last time, I’ve decided to start offering this service for a fee. Here’s the information:

SERVICE LEVELS

Blades under 5in – folders or fixed blade

Basic Service – $10
- Matched Angle
- Stone Sharpened to 1000 grit≤
Master Service – $15
- Profiled to your specs
- Stone Sharpened to 1600 grit
- Stropped
Add $2 for blades over 5in
Minor rolling and chipping included (no extra cost)

REPAIRS

All knives requiring repair will be reviewed prior to work and customer will be contacted with a final quote. Basic rates are as follows:
- Significant rolling or chips add $2
- Broken tip – Quoted on a case by case basis

SHIPMENT

Please add $5 for each USPS FLAT RATE PRIORITY BOX you use so I can return in the same manner which includes tracking and insurance.

If you are local (I’m on Long Island, NY), we can arrange options for drop off and pick up.

PAYMENT

Local: Cash or PayPal (email below)
Shipped Knives: PayPal (email below)

Email me – dan AT suburbansteader DOT com for more information or to setup a job.

I had my first customer this week and delivered a great product to him. Here’s a few pics:

Next Week’s Goals

Fitness

I’ll be getting back into the gym as well as following up with a doctor if necessary. My diet has been going pretty well lately, but I’ll continue to monitor it to make sure I’m eating both clean and a little protein heavy. I’ll report back with my achievements as I progress.

Rolling Into Fall

The garden is dying off so we’ll be picking up the last of the harvest and then starting to think about putting everything away for the winter. I’m thinking about cover crop this year versus straw to avoid the rabbit problem I had in the spring. Any thoughts there? Does anyone use cover crops that can lend some information?

That’s it folks – Week 37 is in the books! How was your week? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 32

Wow – it’s been six weeks since I posted a weekly update here. There’s been a lot going on here including some weekend trips, considerable garden growth, an improvement in my fitness and a possible new business venture.

Let’s jump in and see what’s been going on here at the Suburban Steader Homestead!

This Week’s Milestones

Prolific Garden Harvest

I had just hung the cucumber netting on my last weekly update post. Well, I’m proud to announce that the cucumbers have been going nuts! I have been harvesting them on an almost daily basis. We are beyond our capacity to do stuff with cucumbers so I’ve been dubbed “The Cucumber Whisperer” at work since that’s where my excess harvest goes!

Long Island’s Beauty

I often complain about this God Forsaken Sandbar that I live on. It is horribly overcrowded, the politics suck and from a geographical point of view, it is strategically horrible. There’s a finite number of ways to get off this island in case of an emergency and, due to the overcrowding, it will become a total fustercluck if/when that kind of situation happens.

But, every once in awhile, I am reminded of the beauty that this place holds. We recently had an old college friend visit us so we went out east to the vineyards. The vineyards are in the middle of farm country and the drive is just gorgeous. The vineyards themselves are also just plain beautiful.

Sometimes this place isn’t so bad – but don’t let the Mrs know I said that!

Backpacking Trip Turned Day Hike

I was lucky enough to have the stars align and find a free weekend where one of my best friends, who lives in Maryland, was also free. We decided to do an overnight backpack trip at the Delaware Water Gap. For those of you not familiar with the area, the Delaware Water Gap is where New Jersey and Pennsylvania meet at the Delaware River. This area is a beautiful place with hiking and camping as well as swimming and fishing available. The Appalachian Trail (you remember my love of the AT) runs through it as well.

We met on a Saturday morning with the intent to hike to a place called Sunfish Pond. We were going to hang out there for a while and then hike about one mile to a campsite. We started by climbing to the top of Mt Tammany. It was a steep hike gaining about 1,200ft in the first 1.5mi of the hike. But the views were breathtaking!

We continued on the Kittatinny Ridge catching up on family and life all while avoiding large deposits of black bear scat and eating fresh blueberries and raspberries. We got to Sunfish Pond around 11am – much quicker than we expected. We hung out for a while – eating lunch, shooting the bull, swimming (technically you’re not supposed to but…) and generally just catching up with each other.

A Decision Point

By 1pm we had two options:

Hike to the campsite about 1mi away and set up camp for the night
Hike out the final 3mi and find something to do.

The campsite was of the boring variety – no water nearby, typically packed on the weekend and no fires were allowed.

My friend and I are both of the active variety. Setting up camp at 2pm and having nothing to do would drive us both crazy. We decided to hike out the 3mi and find something to do. The impending thunderstorms we were expecting that night didn’t do anything to dissuade our decision either.

We ran into a few waterfalls during our hike out. We even stopped for a second swim and it was wonderful!

We got to the trucks about 3pm and decided to head to a local restaurant for dinner and then head our separate ways. Sleeping in real beds that night sounded good! We enjoyed a great steak and lobster dinner with a few cold beverages and then parted ways. What a great day!

The drive home, however, was not great.

Fitness Goals Continue

I was running last we spoke. I haven’t run much since. I found that my body was really hurting and I wasn’t seeing much in the way of improvement. I did, however, move back to my strong suit – lifting weights. More specifically, I started a program called StrongLifts.

StrongLifts is a very simple program. You work out three days a week and perform three exercises each workout. After warm-up sets, you perform five sets of five reps (5×5) for each exercise. The workouts are as follows:

Workout A – Squats, Bench Press, Bent Over Row
Workout B – Squats, Overhead Press, Deadlift

You can also add assistance exercises but you don’t need much. The smartphone app that you can download helps you increase your weights at a slow, steady rate (usually 5lbs per week per exercise).

I’ve been on this program for about six weeks now and have seen so much improvement. Not only am I stronger than I was when I started but I feel better, have more energy and look better.

Eating a more primal / paleo diet has helped that last part. I’m feeling better than I have in years and highly recommend a fitness approach such as this one if you need a change in your fitness.

New Business Venture

I’ve been using the Lanksy Sharpening System for the last few years to sharpen all my knives. I have been incredibly successful in getting incredible sharp edges on my blades. I’ve decided to start offering this service for a fee. Here’s the information:

SERVICE LEVELS

Blades under 5in – folders or fixed blade

Basic Service – $10
- Matched Angle
- Stone Sharpened to 1000 grit≤
Master Service – $15
- Profiled to your specs
- Stone Sharpened to 1600 grit
- Stropped
Add $2 for blades over 5in
Minor rolling and chipping included (no extra cost)

REPAIRS

All knives requiring repair will be reviewed prior to work and customer will be contacted with a final quote. Basic rates are as follows:
- Significant rolling or chips add $2
- Broken tip – Quoted on a case by case basis

SHIPMENT

Please add $5 for each USPS FLAT RATE PRIORITY BOX you use so I can return in the same manner which includes tracking and insurance.

If you are local (I’m on Long Island, NY), we can arrange options for drop off and pick up.

PAYMENT

Local: Cash or PayPal (email below)
Shipped Knives: PayPal (email below)

Email me – dan AT suburbansteader DOT com for more information or to setup a job.

Next Week’s Goals

Fitness

My lifting will continue to evolve and my diet will continue to be refined. Would you be interested in hearing about some of the things I’m eating and the workouts I’m putting in? If so, leave something in the comments and I’ll be sure to figure out a way to provide you with that information.

Summer’s Wrapping Up

Next week is the last week of camp for the girls. After that, they will be heading to my folks’ house in MA for a week of “camp” at the lake. The Mrs and I will be heading up at the end of that week to spend a long weekend up there. I’ll be able to do some fishing, swimming a, d boating. I cannot wait!

That’s it folks – Week 32 is in the books! How was your week? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 26

The Suburban Steader Homestead was a fairly quiet place this week. This time of year is, unfortunately, not a busy one when it comes to homesteading activities. That being said, summer is a busy time so let’s check in and see what happened.

This Week’s Milestones

A Great Getaway

Mrs. Suburban Steader and I were able to get away last weekend without the kids. Her folks got them off the bus last week (last Friday was their last day of school) and kept them until Sunday. We made dinner Friday night and hung out because Saturday was going to be big!

When we woke up Saturday morning, it was pouring. When I say “pouring,” I mean I was contemplating building an ark! But, we were trusting of the weather reports that said it was going to clear up mid-morning so we headed East. I’ve never driven that long with my windshield wipers on high and still having trouble seeing.

Anyway, we got to Montauk, the easternmost point on Long Island, and had a great day. We climbed up the lighthouse and walked around the rock walk they have there. Then we went into town, had a great lunch and visited the Montauk Brewery. Overall, a great day with the Mrs. that was capped out with a great dinner at a local tapas restaurant.

Retirement – Kind Of

Like most Americans, I fly an American flag in my backyard. Well, the flag I had been flying for the last year or so has developed a tear and was ready for retirement.

I bought a new one and properly folded up the old one. There are two ways to properly dispose of an American flag according to the VFW. First, you can burn it yourself in a special fire and then bury the ashes. Secondly, you can bring it to a local VFW and they will take care of it for you.

I’m leaning towards the second option as I’m not sure I can bring myself to burn a flag myself, even though it’s perfectly acceptable.

How have you disposed of your worn, well-loved flags?

We’ve Got Climbers!

The cucumbers we have are doing great! And they’re starting to climb. I quickly realized that I needed something for them to climb up. After visiting my local big box store, I realized I had two options.

My first option was to buy some very nice metal trestles that the cukes could climb up. There were a few different options and they’d surely look good in my garden beds. Remember, in a suburban setting, aesthetics are sometimes as important as function. The downside was that this option would cost me over $100.

The second option I had was to buy a net and some long garden rods. Visually, this option was not as appealing, but it would only set me back about $16.

Well, for $16, I couldn’t resist the second option.

It was a little more complicated of an install simply because I had to connect the net to the rods. A few small zip ties took care of that issue. Once I was done, I noticed that this setup kind of blended into the background (the white PVC fence helps) and actually looked fine.

It’s always nice to save a buck!

Next Week’s Goals

Fitness

I’ve continued my running from last week and it’s definitely getting harder. At the same time, the “high” I get after the workout is better and better. Unfortunately, I’m fighting a summer cold at the moment. It makes the running hard and causes me to be tired and worn down. I’m hoping to beat this thing by this weekend so I can relax. I’m going to continue the running, despite my illness because I’ve found that, in the past, that working out through a cold actually helps me.

Fourth Of July Activities & Product Reviews

Next week is the Fourth of July so I expect to be spending some time around the homestead grilling and relaxing – perhaps with an adult beverage in my hand. I also expect that you’ll see a product review next week for some backpacking food that I used recently.

What kind of food do you like to take with you when you go backpacking?

That’s it folks – Week 26 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 25

I’m getting back on the horse here with my weekly updates. Week 25 was a busy one around the Suburban Steader Homestead. We didn’t do a lot of work around the house, but the week seemed to really be a whirlwind. We’ll get into it here:

This Week’s Milestones

Two Special Days

I spend a lot of time talking about how suburban homesteading isn’t always about the hardcore work that more rural homesteading operations endure. Instead, sometimes it’s about the little things.

First, I got to celebrate Father’s Day. It sounds selfish, but it is one of my favorite days of the year. Not so much for the attention that I’m paid, but I view it as a day to reflect on being a father and how lucky I am to have these two little girls in my life. I won’t lie though – the adoration, attention, and presents are nice as well! I slept in late, had a great breakfast, went for a short run and had lunch with my wife’s family. Then we just chilled in the backyard for the rest of the day. It was super relaxing and very nice.

The second special day was due to the fact that Mrs. Suburban Steader and I celebrated 13yrs of marital bliss. I am very lucky that this amazing woman has agreed to spend her life with me. We were able to go out to dinner (alone) on our actual anniversary and had a great night. Also, this weekend, her parents will be taking the kids and we’ll have some time to explore parts of Long Island. I think we might actually get out to the easternmost end of the island – Montauk.

Anyway, Happy Anniversary babe! Love you!

A Resolution With Relief

I don’t want to get into specifics here, but there have been some moving parts going on behind the scenes that would have had large consequences for yours truly in terms of career. It would have even involved an out-of-state move. This entire journey came to a very amicable resolution this week which results in our happy little family staying put on this little sandbar east of Gotham. It’s been a stressful journey and I’m happy with not only the decision that was made but the fact that we have a resolution to this saga. I can now concentrate on the things that are important to me – family and living a self-reliant life.

Garden Is Popping

We are in that gardening lull where everything is in the ground and nature is taking its course, so to speak. There’s the necessary watering and weeding but, other than that, I haven’t done much with the garden lately.

A few things are close to being ready to harvest. The kiddos have actually snagged a few blueberries and strawberries. The lettuce is ready. Snap peas are starting to pop. Broccoli heads are forming and the onions and peppers are really starting to grow. So is the eggplant.

The garlic seems is close to the point where I need to trim the shoot in the middle. And the herbs – oh, the herbs – they should be ready for their first harvest in about a week.

Overall, I’m really happy with how the garden is coming along this year. I’m looking forward to the harvest and to being able to reap what I sow.

Next Week’s Goals

Fitness

I’ve been pretty diligent about my C25K running program that I told you about last week. At the time of publishing, I’ve gotten through Week 3. Week 4 is where the program really turns and you’re running more than you’re walking. I’ve also been invigorated a bit by the Fitbit Surge that the girls and the Mrs got me for Father’s Day.

I’m looking forward to it as I am starting to remember the feeling of a runner’s high. It’s not so much a high, but a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction with yourself.

The next step in this journey is to get my diet in check. I’ve really loosened the reigns there and need to dial it in. With both of those parts of my life in check, I should get back into “fighting weight” and feel a little better as well.

Gardening

Nothing major happening here. The cucumbers need a trestle to climb. The snap peas will be ready to harvest very shortly and the carrots that have gone to seed need to have an eye kept on them so that I gather up the flowers at the right time. I probably also need to give a little TLC to the garlic as well. Overall, it’s status quo here.

That’s it folks – Week 25 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Weeks 22, 23 & 24

Holy crap! Has it really been three weeks since the last time I wrote an update? I guess it’s because I’ve been pretty busy around the Suburban Steader Homestead. With that in mind, let’s just right in and see what happened over the last few weeks!

This Week’s Milestones

Local Hiking

Long Island is far from a bastion of hiking. That being said, we do have some pretty cool state and county parks as well as other outdoor areas. In addition, there are a few good trails. The biggest trail on Long Island is the Long Island Greenbelt Trail.

This trail runs from the Long Island Sound on the north shore of Long Island (in Sunken Meadow State Park) to the Atlantic Ocean on the south shore of Long Island (Heckscher State Park). Its total length is 32 miles.

I’m lucky enough to live near the northern terminus of this trail and have hiked on it many times. This summer, however, I have decided that I will thru-hike it in sections. I’d love to actually do a straight through thru-hike of it (camping along the way) but the lovely State Parks on Long Island don’t allow us to camp in them unless on designated camping spots. Oh, and none of the camping spots are in areas of the parks that are on the trail. Lovely. Thanks, Long Island.

Anyway, I was able to get out on Memorial Day weekend and hike the first 10 miles of the trail. It was a great hike with awesome weather. I really knocked out the mileage and enjoyed myself. It was good training for what was to come!

Not So Local Hiking

I’m infatuated with the Appalachian Trail (AT). The idea that you can hike from Georgia all the way to Maine by foot is completely awe inspiring to me. I’ve had my fair share of chances to “touch” the trail and I even climbed its northern terminus (Mt. Katahdin) when I was in Boy Scouts, but I’ve never spent any time on it. That was until last weekend.

Friday night, I headed to northwest Connecticut and put in at the Undermountain Trailhead. This entrance point allowed me to hit the AT in just over an hour. I set up camp and spent the next day hiking up and over Connecticut’s highest peak (Bear Mountain – 2,323 feet) and then pass into Massachusetts and summit Mt. Race (2,365 feet).

Nothing like the big guys in the Whites, but fun and challenging all the same. I slept on the AT both nights in two different campsites. And I did the whole trip solo. So much fun!

Garden Is Growing

I got a lot accomplished in the garden over the last few weeks. First, my visitors seem to have gone on to greener pastures.

If you remember, these little guys nested in my straw which I used to overwinter my garden beds. Well, I have not seen them for the last few weeks. Let me rephrase that – I have not seen much of them for the last few weeks. There’s a constant rabbit presence in my yard (and in my neighborhood in general) but they have taken up permanent residence somewhere other than my garden. And that’s just fine with me.

The garden itself is growing in leaps and bounds. We’ve been peppered with rainy days and hot, sunny days so that’s really helped the plants grow. Even my peppers – where I thought all was lost – seem to have rebounded and may even be back on the mend.

I also got everything planted that I needed to. Cucumbers, cilantro, basil, sage – it all has made its way into the garden. Now it’s just a little TLC here and there and some patience.

Back On The Road Again

I’ve been slacking on my physical fitness lately. But I’ve recently recommitted myself to running. I hate running to be clear. But, as I joked with my friend the other day, I hate turkey necks more! So I’ve started up on the Couch To 5K (C25K) program and have gotten about two weeks done. I’m feeling well and I think I’m even looking a little better. Probably too soon for the latter though!

Next Week’s Goals

Gardening

Not much to do here but keep an eye on things and provide some weeding when necessary. I also will fertilize the garden boxes with some watered down liquid from my worm bin. The garden seems to love this stuff and it’s easy enough to spread with a pump sprayer from a big box store.

Workshop

There’s still a litany of projects in the workshop that can be worked on. I haven’t moved on the toolbox yet and I still have to make those knives for my girls like I mentioned previously. It seems that the desk project is on hold indefinitely. There’s lot to do here and, honestly, it’s getting a little too hot and humid to be doing work in the shop. I think shop work will be relegated to rainy weekend days at this point.

Get Outside!

I intend to continue hiking and running as much as possible. The weather is just too darn nice outside to not partake. I will continue the section hikes with the goal of completing the entire trail by the end of September. I’m also hoping to get a canoe trip and/or another backpacking trip in this summer! Lots to do!

That’s it folks – Week 24 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 21

Week 21 at the Suburban Steader Homestead was a busy one. The Mrs had to travel to Nashville for a few days this week. It’s always an adventure when she’s gone for a few days. I can handle things on the homefront; it’s more how the routine gets skewed so badly. And, if I’m anything, I am a creature of habit. But, the girls and I persevered! Come check out what happened around the homestead during Week 21 of 2017!

This Week’s Milestones

Homeownership Strikes Again!

Wasn’t I just complaining about leaks in my ceiling back in Week 15? Well, it happened again! Last Thursday was quite warm here – I believe it hit 90F! Last year, when we were doing the basement remodel, we sucked it up and installed central air as well. And 90F temperatures is exactly why. So, without hesitation, I turned it on Friday afternoon so everyone could sleep well that night.

My daughters told me their ceiling looked “gross” the next morning and this is what we found!

It hadn’t rained, so it was quite obvious that the air conditioning equipment was leaking. The brand-freaking-new air conditioning equipment! The brand-freaking-new air conditioning equipment that hadn’t been used yet!

The company that installed the brand-freaking-new air conditioning equipment sent a tech out and this is what he found:

Needless to say that the Mrs and I are not happy in the least. The tech, while initially rude to my wife (I was on my way home from work), fixed the problems he found and the unit is running fine. We have a GC which the AC company providing stopping by to assess the situation and set up any fixes. At a minimum, I would assume that some of the ceiling needs to be replaced and some of the insulation in the attic needs to be ripped out and replaced. I’m concerned about mold, to be honest.

Ahhhh, the joys of homeownership!

Sometimes It’s Good To Be The Suburban Steader!

I was contacted by a company called Legacy Food Storage to test out some of their camping food under the Bannock Outdoors brand. Of course, I had to oblige. I mean, how could I pass up the chance to get back out into the woods and have some (hopefully) good grub to go along with it! They were nice enough to send me this variety pack:

I’m not a huge peaches or berries person, so I’m not sure how much I’ll like the breakfasts. But the rest of it looks great. I can only hope it tastes as good as the packaging looks. I’ll let you know!

I Got Skills, Baby!

Spring is in full swing here on Long Island. Hell, the unofficial start to summer is upon us this weekend. That all means that grilling season is going full blast! I have been grilling a lot lately, but this week I freestyled some pork chops.

Free-styled? What does that mean?

It’s probably not a real term but it’s what I refer to grilling something without a plan. I came home from work and season the pork chops with a mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. A tiny dash of Chef Keith Snow’s Harvest Eating Steak Seasoning was also added.

I know that steak seasoning doesn’t sound right on pork chops, but believe me when I tell you that a touch of this stuff on pork chops is magic. I think it’s the dried orange peel.

I can guarantee that the end results tasted as good, if not better than they looked!

Next Week’s Goals

Gardening

The gardening goals for next week are the same as last week. I didn’t get around to getting much planted (my furry guests are still here) and I need to get the stuff out of my basement seed-starting area. Cukes, cilantro, and basil are all going to be moved outside this weekend and the trestles are going in for the snap peas.

Workshop

The toolbox is still sitting on my workbench and I’m still contemplating my next move. This decision is a big one and I want to make sure I think it through. If I strip it, I’ll never get that “patina” back that took my grandfather decades to put on it. On the flip side, I could have this thing look terrific with a sanding and proper finish. Decisions, decision, decisions.

I’ve had a few pocket knife kits from KnifeKits.com that I wanted to make for my daughters. I even have pink and purple G-10 for the handles. I might put the toolbox to the side and jump onto the knives while I contemplate the toolbox’s future.

The Mrs isn’t as keen on the idea of me building a desk for my daughter as I am. It’s not so much because she doesn’t think I can do it but that it would cause a problem since we only have room for one desk and we have two daughters. This whole project may require setting each girl up in their own room before I get started. And I’m not sure we’re all ready for that yet.

That’s it folks – Week 21 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 20

Phew! So glad this week is over. It’s been one of those weeks that just wouldn’t end. Work was a bear – nothing bad, just busy – and home life has been hectic as well. The Suburban Steader Homestead made some progress in terms of the garden and I even got into the workshop to make a fun little project. Oh, and my uninvited visitors are back! Com check out what happened around the homestead during Week 20 of 2017!

This Week’s Milestones

The (Uninvited) Guests Are Back!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve mentioned that I had some uninvited guests show up in my garden. These annoying yet cute guys set up camp in the straw that was used to overwinter one of my two raised beds. They had evacuated their burrow and I was moving forward. Well, take a look at this:

The little buggers are back! Somehow or another, they moved to my other (closer to the house) raised bed and are even nibbling on my lettuce plants. I can’t bear to remove them; and having little daughters who think they’re “SOOOOOO Cute!” doesn’t help the situation. I’m going to have to ride it out. The Mrs says she saw an “adolescent rabbit” (her words) hopping around the backyard yesterday so I’m hoping their moving to a newer, more permanent home.

Any tips on how to not get them to settle in the straw next winter/spring?

I Continue To Get Inspired In The Workshop

Most of you are aware that I live in the bastion of freedom (cough, cough) that is Long Island, NY. There’s a lot to not like about this place – we have limited evacuation roots off this God-forsaken sandbar, it’s vastly over-populated, housing costs are out of control and our Superior Leaders don’t believe we’re responsible enough to handle our Second Amendment right on a daily basis. But, every once in a while you can find nice things to enjoy here. Two of those things include the beaches and the vineyards.

Yes, we have vineyards! In fact, our wines are regularly put up against those from California (another bastion of freedom) and are considered superior in some instances. Anyway, you can’t live here and not find some kind of wine to enjoy. That being said, I was inspired by my old college buddy Bob (GreenRiverWoodcraft on Instagram) to build a “Magic Wine Bottle Holder.”

It was just a prototype made out of scrap 2×4 but it worked out pretty cool. I’m thinking about making a few for family members and would like to see if any of you would want to purchase one. I’m, of course, going to use a nicer wood than cruddy pine. Any takers? Probably looking at the $20 plus shipping price range.

Regardless of whether I ever sell these, it was a fun project and I look forward to doing more work in the shop.

Garden Is Banging

The garden continues to grow. The lettuce (despite my fury “friends”) is growing quite well and the snap peas are coming in great as well. I bought some eggplant and broccoli from the local plant store on Mother’s Day. Those went into the ground and seem to be growing quite well. I’m a little disappointed that my seedlings didn’t take that well for both of these, but it’s all a learning experience. Perhaps I should start both of these in the ground next year and not under the grow lights.

I’m getting very antsy to start eating some of my produce, but I have to wait a little longer. The snap peas should be blooming in a few weeks and then the lettuce will be ready as well. Carrots overwintered and can be picked any time.

Oh, I did use some of my “worm juice” to fertilize this week and that seemed to perk up everything, including the hurting peppers. I mixed one quart of the “worm juice” with three quarts of water and put it in an inexpensive pressurized sprayer like this one.

We’re getting there folks!

Next Week’s Goals

Gardening

I’ve got a lot still left to do on the garden (does it ever end?). The cukes, cilantro and basil starts need to get hardened off and into the ground. The trestles have to go up so the snap peas can start climbing. I also need to build or buy some more trestles for the cukes to climb on. I’ll keep working on the garden beds as well, making sure all my babies have as much nutrition as they need.

Workshop

I didn’t work on my toolbox project that I talked about last week. I’m leaning more and more towards sanding it smooth and kind of starting fresh. I did take the hand plane to an inside edge this week while out in the shop and it looked nice. I think I could make this thing look awesome. My big concern is the inside, but we’ll get there.

I also got a request from one of my daughters to build her a desk. I’m starting to research ideas online (Pinterest is great for this kind of research) and need to discuss with the Mrs on what kind of desk she’d like to see. I think it could be a good project though.

That’s it folks – Week 20 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 19

I can’t believe how quickly these weekly updates come. Seems like the last one was just yesterday. I guess that means I’m keeping busy. Week 19 y’all! Can you believe we’ve exhausted almost twenty weeks in 2017? Been pretty busy around the Suburban Steader Homestead this week. Come along and check out what went on.

This Week’s Milestones

The Workshop Is The Place To Be

I spent a lot of time in my workshop this week. It really is my sanctuary at times. If I’ve had a bad day at work or just need some downtime from the family, I’ll head in there, crank the radio and just relax.

I think the most important thing I did in the workshop was getting it clean.

You know what they say about cleanliness and Godliness. Even if you’re not a religious person, you know how rewarding a clean area can be to your mindset. I feel ready to tackle a new project and get after it!

I used my Self-Centering Sharpening Jig and handmade hand plane iron sharpening jig to sharpen my hand plane iron. Unfortunately, it looks like the modification I made to the self-centering sharpening jig didn’t work right and I ended up with a crooked iron.

Any suggestion on how to fix it?

Once I got the place cleaned up, I broke out my grandfather’s old toolbox.

It’s a pretty cool piece of work – looks like all the corners are rabbet joints and the entire thing (with the exception of one piece) doesn’t use any hardware to hold it together. I’m trying to figure out how I want to finish it.

Thinking about hitting it with the orbit sander and throwing some boiled linseed oil on it. What do you think?

Garden Getting Going

Despite the colder weather here (we’re hitting low 40’s at night), the garden is really cranking. The parsley and peppers were introduced to their final spots outdoors. Likewise, the sage got replanted into larger containers outside with the intent of them growing bigger and stronger before being placed in their final homes.

I’m having some concerns with my peppers.

The feedback I’ve gotten so far is that it’s probably just exposure to sunlight. I tend to agree with that except for two things:

These plants have been under UV lights during their entire grow phase.
I hardened these off quite extensively prior to planting.

Not sure if that all makes a difference. What do you think?

Guilty Pleasures

I’m not what you’d call a voracious reader but when I find a book I really enjoy I sure can sink my teeth into it. The Survivalist Series from Angery American is one of those series.

I recently picked up the eighth book in that series entitled “Home Invasion.” I’ve devoured over half the book in a few days and will, no doubt, be done with it before the end of the weekend. If you like any kind of apocalyptic fiction, you’ll like this series.

In fact, if you like that kind of book, check out some of these fiction books. I definitely recommend all of them.

Next Week’s Goals

Gardening

The cukes are growing strong inside. Likewise, the basil and cilantro are making a strong push under the grow lights. They should all soon be on the hardening process and eventually make their way to their final homes outside. I need to get some thyme started outside as well.

The rabbits have definitely left and I’ve been able to prep that area of the garden for transplants.

Workshop

The toolbox is the next big project in my mind here. I’m going to get the unit cleaned up with the vacuum and a damp cloth. If it still looks kind of crummy, I’ll break out the orbital sander and go to town. I’m really going back and forth in my mind about whether I want to remove the years of “patina” and character or not. Any feedback you have would be appreciated.

That’s it folks – Week 19 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 18

Another week, another weekly update from the Suburban Steader Homestead. Unfortunately, there wasn’t another post in between the weekly update post from last week, but such is life. It’s a combination of being busy at work, being busy at home and not finding something to write about that I can really sink my teeth into. I need ideas people!

OK, enough about that. You know what they say about excuses and rear ends. If you don’t, email me and I’ll tell you!

Let’s check into the going-ons at the Suburban Steader Homestead for Week 18 of 2017!

This Week’s Milestones

Back To The Workshop

I have been making an effort to get back into the workshop a little every night. It may only be for five minutes at a time or so, but it’s a definite stress relief. This week, I spent a little time building a hand plane iron sharpening jig similar to what Cody from Wranglerstar did.

The jig came out pretty nice but I do have a few things I would change. First off, I wish I hadn’t used the brad nails to connect the lip to the base piece. That just gives it a cheap, hacked together look. Second, the blocks aren’t perfectly cut. I’m working on using hand tools over power tools, so the edges are not perfectly straight. My skills are getting better, however.

To be honest, however, this jig was pieced together pretty quickly. I fully intend on coming back and building a nicer one once I get my hands on a rabbit planer (anyone have any for sale?).

But how does it work?

Well, the jig works great. It lines up perfectly and helps me set the same depth over and over again using my Self-Centering Sharpening Jig that I got from Amazon.

The problem I have is that the jig itself is not the greatest as-is out of the box. In fact, my hand plane iron now has a non-perpendicular edge to it. I’ll post a picture on Instagram later on that shows what I’m talking about.

I need to spend some more time modifying it. Wranglerstar (yes, I like a lot of his videos) did a video on how to do this as well.

[youtube_sc url=”XA_KDe7lsls” width=”400″]

If I can get the jig to work as well as Cody does, then I’ll really be in business! The next step will be getting some of those sharpening planes Paul Sellers talk about and building myself a proper sharpening fixture.

Fishing On The Mind

I’ve really been getting excited about the fishing season. If you remember, last week I showed you how I got my New York Fishing License. What I didn’t tell you is that I also got my license for Massachusetts which is where my folks live and where I grew up.

I am so excited to get out there that I’ve thrown my rods and gear in my truck so that I can get out any time the opportunity presents itself.

I’m actually thinking of buying a gun rack to hold them so it’s a little neater. What do you think?

We went to Massachusetts this past weekend for my nephew/godson’s First Communion. I brought my gear and got some water time in.

I didn’t catch anything – I think I got only one or two bites – but it was great to be back out there. I think I got my old man upset a little bit. He’s partially retired and lives on the lack but I got my line in the water first this year! I’m sure he’ll get more time in over the year, but it was nice to beat him to the punch for once.

Getting Back On The Horse

If you’ve been checking in on the Facebook page, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve been getting back into the habit of working out. It’s been great and I’m actually feeling a lot better. I was feeling run down, tired and generally crappy for a while and a big part of that is just not taking care of myself.

Part of getting back into shape – some would argue it’s the biggest part – is diet. I’ve had a lot of experience over the years with working out and nutrition (I used to power lift in my ‘past’ life). I’ve found that a high protein, low carb diet has always worked best for me. To that end, the Mrs and I are pursuing a Paleo-esque diet.

We’re not buying into the Paleo diet 100% simply because it can be expensive and sometimes we just need to balance out life with diet. That being said, I’m trying to follow the core principles of the eating plan (I hate the word diet) as much as possible. I’m also cutting out dairy and alcohol from my diet. That’s really difficult because I love cheese and craft beer!

Next Week’s Goals

Gardening

The Mrs has been a huge help this week with hardening off the veggies we still have indoors. To that end, I should be able to get the parsley and peppers outdoors. The eggplant, cukes, cilantro and basil all need to move into bigger pots but stay inside.

Our rabbit visitors seem to have departed, so I can start to prep the beds for transplants. Looking forward to all of this work and seeing the fruits of my labor.

I also found that the oregano and lemon balm I transplanted last year has begun to bloom. Looking forward to getting my hands on some of those as well!

Workshop

The workshop is always foremost in my mind – at least these days. I want to figure out the issue I’m having with the sharpening jig and then clean the place up. It’s a big mess right now and I need a clean workspace before I can even think about getting started on a new project.

That’s it folks – Week 18 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!

2017 Suburban Steader Update – Week 17

Wow! Are we at another week already? Last week was a busy week for us here at the Suburban Steader Homestead and this week wasn’t much different. Let’s check into the going-ons at the Suburban Steader Homestead for Week 17 of 2017!

This Week’s Milestones

Get Your Hike On!

My twin girls are a masters course on nature versus nurture. They have been together since conception and have been exposed to life in the exact same way. In fact, it was only two years ago when they were in Kindergarten (they’re in Second Grade now) that they were separated in school. Why am I telling you all this information? Because, despite being exposed to exactly the same experiences, they are as different as different can be.

One is a sporty girl (let’s call her M). She loves to play soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. M also loves to do stuff with me like running, swimming, hiking, camping, yard work and can’t wait to surf, wakeboard, and snowboard in the next year.

My other daughter is my little nerd (let’s call her J). And I say that as lovingly as possible (I am an engineer after all). She will gladly curl up on the couch with a book and read the day away. J likes being outside but isn’t much of an athlete. We constantly have to tell her about walking while reading her books is dangerous. I’ve actually seen her walk down the stairs while reading a book. I was scared that she was going to miss a step and crack open her head.

Back To The Hike

But, despite their differences, they both love to explore new things. I was able to take them to Bear Mountain State Park in New York last weekend and we actually climbed the mountain.

Now, before you get too impressed (sarcasm, folks!) Bear Mountain’s summit is at roughly 1,300ft and the trailhead is at roughly 200ft. It’s not a terribly difficult hike nor is it terribly long – I think it was about 4.5mi round trip.

The hike was great. We started up Major Welch trail, summited and returned on the Appalachian Trail (AT). That description sounds relatively easy, but the Major Welch Trail provided it’s own level of difficulty in that it was rainy and there were lots of rock outcroppings. I taught the kids (and my wife) how to make sure their footing was safe before moving the next one. M took to it like a duck to water and was flying up the trail. J was a bit timider and slow. She also didn’t like getting her feet muddy.

J took one spill off a slippery rock and started crying pretty loud. The Mrs and I calmed her down and we decided to take a break. We had just hit a false summit and everyone was a bit bummed. M was ready to go, but we got some raisins into J. After that, she was a rock star! She scampered up to the peak, climbed the lookout tower stairs (which were the worst part for Dad) and rocked on the way down.

Their First Time On The AT

The girls were pumped about the way down. This hike was their first time on the AT. I had told M and J all about it and they were very excited to be on a trail that ran all the way from Georgia to Maine. I have to say that I’ve hiked parts of it in New England (most New Hampshire) and the portion around Bear Mountain might as well have been a sidewalk compared to New Hampshire. There was crushed blue stone and “manicured” steps the entire way.

We finished the day with some great steaks on the old charcoal grill.

What a great end to a great day!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Yes, I’m a gardener and I’m wishing the rain away. Blasphemy, I know! But this last week has been non-stop rain. Unfortunately, that situation is not conducive to the point I’m at. I need to harden up some plantings and, to do that, I need some sun.

It looks like the sun will be coming out this afternoon for a while and the temps will really be creeping up – looks like we’ll be hitting 80F today (29-Apr)!

We should be able to harden off the seedlings and get them planted.

Civic Duty Calls

I had the pleasure of being called in for jury duty this week. Truth be told, I am one of those weird people who doesn’t actually mind it much. Over ten years ago I served on a grand jury and really enjoyed that opportunity. I got to see all kinds of cases come through there including murders, drugs, drunk driving and numerous other offenses. It’s very interesting to see how our court systems works – and how inefficient it is.

On this trip, I was brought up to final jury selection for a double murder case. It sounded quite interesting to be sure. Unfortunately, the case was expected to run from early May to the end of June. My employer does not pay for jury duty absences so I had to dismiss myself for financial hardship reasons. I was kind of bummed out as I would have liked to see how a criminal proceeding of that magnitude played out.

Next Week’s Goals

Gardening

I plan on getting the current seedling hardened off. I also have to plant my final crops – both for indoor and outdoor starts. The blueberries still need some loving – I have been so busy around the house and with work/jury duty that I haven’t gotten to them.

Workshop

I started building an alignment jig for chisel and hand plane iron sharpening similar to what Cody from Wranglerstar did. I’ll post pictures on Instagram once it’s complete. After that, I need to get the workshop cleaned up and then take a look at my grandfather’s old wooden toolbox. That should prove to be an interesting project.

That’s it folks – Week 17 is in the books! How was your week?

Thanks for reading!