Masl1118, Author at Healthy Living on Logan Farm

All the Gardens on Logan Farm

Masl1118 — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 02:03:06 +0000

I must say, I have been quite negligent of my blog, my site, my FB, even my instagram has not had much attention lately! I don’t really feel bad because everyday I am getting so much done and when the day is over – the work day, that is – at pretty much dark or even after some days, I am done myself.
I get up at the butt-crack of dawn, every day – Monday to Friday so I can get a few things done on the farm in the am and get to work as early as I can so I can get home to work some more – although I love this work, so it’s not bad – just tiring. On the weekends… well they are similar because those days are filled with work as well, we just don’t get up at actual butt-crack, its more like sunrise, and we even have a coffee before we jump in. Those weekend days fly by, but are so satisfying in all we accomplish and at the end of the day, we can sit back before dark and actually relax a bit and just enjoy.
The gardens that we created this year are amazing and huge! Some are not huge work – because they are mostly bee-food; wild flowers, perennials and sunflowers with a few edible veggies and fruits thrown into the mix, like pumpkins, squash, cucumbers and cantaloupe. This garden, at the front of our property is one of our newest additions and frankly, my favourite. I walk around it and through it daily, just to hear the sounds of bees and see the colourful flowers and the butterflies fluttering around. It is peaceful and brings me much joy every time I glance that way.
The other gardens in the middle part of our garden area, are the food gardens – growing mostly vegetables. These ones are the work! But work that definitely pays off and will for quite sometime. So far, we are laden in garlic, spinach, lettuce, peas and beans! The potatoes, onions, carrots and tomatoes will be next. My peppers are the only plants that are not going absolutely insane! We will get peppers, but not as much as everything else – I just started watering them using banana peels in the water overnight so potentially they will start growing like mad as well! We really aim to use natural methods only. Everything we grew this year in the gardens, was from seeds either planted directly in the ground or started early inside, with the exception of our cherry tomatoes (bought a 4 pack) and some of our perennials. The method we are using, I spoke about in a previous post – Gardening Adventures.
The Back to Eden method is not a new one, but it is fairly new to us. We started last year, with just a few rows, using the compost/mulch method. The premise of this method is that it keeps the weeds down, requires much less watering, if any and promotes growth using the nutrients in the compost and mulch. We liked it last year but knew that we had some work to do. So this year, we went all in with this method and did not till our veggie garden, used cardboard to smother any weeds or grasses growing on new beds and piled the planting beds with compost and a layer of mulch – which we added more to once the plants began to grow. I must say – we don’t have to water – even when it is super hot and hasn’t rained for a few days. Our plants are leafy and green, laden with flowers and fruit and not being eaten up by pests. We have multitudes of insects here – an extremely bio-diverse ecosystem that has pests but also has enough beneficial predator insects to keep the pests in check. Another method we used is companion planting – which also helps with pests. All in all – these methods are working and our gardens are proof of that! My counters, shelves, refrigerator and freezers can attest to it as well:)
The apple trees are almost ready to be picked and it is looking to be a very “fruitful” year! Thankfully our 2 big apple trees are different types and the fruit is ready at different times, so I will have time to can and press the first bunch before the second is ready for picking.
The bees help. They pollinate along with many other inspects. So a bountiful season is even more so when you also have beehives. We are feeding them and in turn, they are feeding us and not just in the honey I will harvest at the beginning of next month. The more they pollinate the plants , the more the plants produce. A happy plant – is one that is flowering. I visit the bee yard on a daily basis, even if to just stop and watch, say hello (yes – I do talk to them often and the flowers as well) I love watching the ins and outs and how busy each hive is – it is so interesting to me. I practice a very natural way of beekeeping and I rarely open the hives as I feel they do better without me messing with them. When I do open them up for necessary maintenance – they are calm and gentle and barely pay me any attention at all. Which to me – is a very good sign that all is well.
The chickens are another wonderful part of our farm – again, we feed them and they feed us plus they make awesome additions to our compost pile, which later will help us grow more food! Chicken poop makes great fertilizer! Next year, we will be adding ducks to our little farm – over by the gardens, as that way they can help manage pests (if needed) and duck pond water, makes for great all-natural ready made fertilizer. We will use their “used pond water/poop” and they get a nice fresh refill on a regular basis, plus duck eggs are awesome! It is another win-win.
I have not had much time over this growing season to attempt any new formulations, but I did receive some new eco-friendly packaging for my deodorant and hard lotion bars – which will soon be hard lotion sticks (much easier to apply). I finally made some more Goat’s Milk Charcoal Facial soap recently that is almost done curing as that has been a very hot commodity this year. I have enough plantain harvested and infused in oil to make a new batch of the much sought after “BooBoo Balm”. It will be in stock by the end of the month! And the Grapefruit and Geranium Body Butter will now be available in 120g re-sealable tins as well as the smaller travel size 60g as the requests for a bigger size kept coming in.

Thats it for today – I will post some awesome pictures and videos to this blog as well as on my instagram and FB page – Healthy Living on Logan Farm soon!

Bye for now folks!

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Garden Adventures

Masl1118 — Tue, 11 May 2021 22:45:31 +0000

There are a few different gardening styles going on here now on Logan Farm. Partly because we are adding to our gardens and partly because we are trying some new methods or should I say modified methods….
Last year, we started with some “Back to Eden” gardening. Which is one of the no-till methods that also uses deep compost and mulch. We had some success but the first year is the hardest and we recently learned that fresh mulch or wood chips can actually do more harm. Minimum 1 year old wood chips will give you the best start.
This year, we are modifying the method slightly with deep, wide and slightly raised beds that we can companion plant in and cover in a thick layer of mulch. The 16-18″ walk ways between each 42-44″ row – will be tamped down and covered in cardboard or newspaper and straw placed over to prevent weeds growing up in between. This is for our main vegetable garden.
We tilled up some new patches this year as well. 1 giant patch, where we will plant our meadow to feed the bees – Sunflowers, Lavender, Hyssop, Culver’s root, Poppies, Bee balm and wild flower mixes are going to go here and as they start to grow – we will mulch some of it and other parts will be free to grow naturally without our interference.
We added a fairly large patch at the back of the garden area and there we will plant Borage and Phacelia – again for the bees and to act a green manure to turn back in and create some beauty fertile ground for next year!
One small patch was tilled specifically for sweet corn. We are going to try planting the 3 sisters there or at least 2 of the 3 and also add in lettuce between the rows as well. The 3 sisters is a traditional method of planting used by Indigenous groups in North America – it uses 3 plants growing symbiotically to deter weeds and pests, enrich the soil and support each other. The 3 plants are maize or corn, winter squash and pole beans. Both Dave and I have wanted to try this method for some time and this is the year!!
We are also expanding our gardens around the house for visual appeal and of course, for the bees! Last year we expanded part of our front and side gardens, and this year we are going across the whole front and down the other side – mostly perennials are going in with a few choice annuals. One score – is I found at least 100 sedum autumn joy plants under my evergreen trees on both the west and north side of my property! They don’t even grow very well under there as they like the sun, so I am moving quite a few of them into our new gardens this year.
We have started seeds and they are in window sills in the house and in our gazebo getting as much sun and warmth as they can! Tomatoes, peppers, squash, lavender, rosemary, thyme, basil, mint and perennial mixes are just some of what we have growing now. Next year, we will invest in a green house to make all this so much easier or organized!
Last week we planted Cherry trees and Saskatoon berries and this coming weekend we are planting elderberry bushes. We are also moving about 40 trees around our property with a rented tree spade and skid steer! Holy moly – we are gonna be busy! I will take lots of pictures and even some video as it should be pretty interesting!
This is it so far and as we are only into the first week of May, I will be updating this post with more garden adventures as we go! Stay tuned!

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Healthy on the outside

Masl1118 — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 22:30:47 +0000

I have always had an interest in natural health and healing and all things alternative to main stream self-care. Wellness to me is using what nature has provided, and natural skincare is just the basis. Chemicals have become so normal in the every day products that we use, that we don’t even notice them anymore. Until you start to look them up and what each component does or doesn’t do – then you realize that maybe they aren’t so good for you. Well I realized that quite sometime ago and that is when I started making a lot of my own products. This was also prompted because after I had my second son, as I became more sensitive to preservatives and chemicals, especially make-up so I decided to really start going natural with the products that I use without spending an arm and a leg.
We originally started by making our own cleaning products using essential oils, fresh water and one of the best natural cleaners – vinegar. Vinegar is a chemical but at least it is one we know and can trust to be just what it is – acetic acid which is created by a natural chemical reaction – fermentation. Anyway, now that we have had a little chemistry talk – onto natural skincare products.
I began in natural wellness a few years ago with simple herbal infused oils and essential oils and I liked using these products so much that I started researching how to make more products.
First I learned the basics of making balms, ointments and salves – which are relatively simple as long as you have the right tools and raw materials – such as separate cookware for making the products and ingredients like beeswax, butters and oils. Once I had mastered those types of products, I added in soap making, which took some learning as it is more in depth and takes some practice, care and time.
All the while, I was doing research. On the best types and formats of skincare, that I could make with zero synthetic chemicals.
Soon came the hard lotion bars and body butter – which I love! These 2 products are so easy to use and really help the moisture get into your skin and stay there! They last forever and probably will never spoil – which makes them even more of a bonus.
Lotion – this one stumped me for quite sometime. I keep a journal of all the formulations and recipes that I make and lotion has been crossed off more times than I care to count. But finally – SUCCESS!! A few months ago, I made some absolutely fabulous lotion. I have been using it ever since. On my hands and my face. I used it myself first (as I do with all my products) and made sure it had a good shelf-life before I decided it is time to share it:)
I love this lotion – so smooth and fresh, it makes my skin feel lovely.
Most of all, in this blog – I want to share some of my favourite raw materials. These are the common ingredients that I use pretty much across the board when I am formulating products. The benefits of each one is amazing and great for all skin types.

Argan Oil: Great for skin and hair, argan oil is high in vitamin E, has a ton of anti-oxidant properties and helps with inflammation.

Avocado Oil: Is chock full of vitamins and beneficial fatty acids that nourishes your skin and may also help heal wounds and inflammatory skin conditions such as: psoriasis

Babassu Oil: Is packed with antioxidants and healthy fats, it is a great substitute for cocoa butter and is easily absorbed without adding heaviness to your formulations

Coconut Oil: Contains high levels of MCT (medium chain fatty acids) which helps reduce dryness and helps your skin to retain moisture. It protects the skin from environmental factores such as pollution and toxins and on top of all that – it is antibacterial and anti-fungal.

Grapeseed Butter: Contains vitamins, minerals and linoleic acid that helps to improve the resiliency of skin and works to tone the skin – adding firmness.

Grapeseed Oil: similar to the butter, grapeseed oil is nourishing and helps to tone, tighten and smooth skin.

Hemp Oil: Ultra-rich in omega-6 fatty acids – it moisturizes without clogging pores, soothes inflammatory skin conditions, promotes new cell growth and balances oil production.

Jojoba Oil: It is one of the best all around skin oils – non-comedogenic, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, moisturizing and hypo-allergenic. It softens rough skin and mimics your own natural oils so absorbs better than most skin oils. I use it in most of my products.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is rich in vitamins like A,D,K and E with a very high concentration of squalene which gives it an extra boost as an antioxidant. It fights bacteria while it moisturizes making it a great addition to any skin care product.

Shea Butter: High in vitamins and fatty acids, this nourishing butter is easy to spread and absorb and makes a great product for any skin care routine as it smooths, conditions and soothes while it moisturizes. I use it in pretty much every single item I make for skin care.

Tamanu Oil: Has multiple benefits, including healing wounds, smoothing scars, anti-aging, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. This oil is used in small amounts and has a deep earthy scent.

I use many essential oils in my products and formulations. Some I use more than others but I will create another post that focuses solely on the uses and benefits of specific essential oils in the future.

I highly believe that everything we use on ourselves should be of the highest quality and made with the most natural ingredients. Taking care to use products that nourish you on the outside will also help nourish you on the inside – after all, our skin is the largest organ in our body!

If you have any questions – please reach out! I love talking about natural health!

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What does healthy living mean to me?

Masl1118 — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 19:09:37 +0000

Healthy living, such a concept these days with fast food restaurants on every corner and skip the dishes or uber eats apps on your phone. Hey, I am not knocking them (well maybe a little) – have I ever used them personally, no, actually I haven’t. I don’t have then downloaded, and I likely never will. I stopped eating most fast food many years ago. Sure, I get the odd timmies or NY Fries on the road but it isn’t a common occurrence. Most of that type of food just doesn’t make me feel good. It tastes ok usually but afterwards, I feel sluggish and that is so not worth it to me. I am too busy to feel yuck after eating. So when I ask the question “What does health living mean to me?” Well first off – FOOD. Good healthy wholesome full of energy tasty food. Food that makes you feel good, with ingredients I can pronounce;)
Last year I read a book called “The French Don’t Diet Plan” by Dr. Will Clower and I decided that changes needed to be made. A lot of the info in the book rang true with me, especially the part about synthetic food or “false food” as it was called in the book. Food that had too many ingredients or ingredients that were unrecognizable as food, made me feel crummy. So I decided to revamp my whole pantry!
This was right around the time that the WHO declared a world wide pandemic of the novel corona virus COVID-19. Bad timing on my part – here I was loading up in the grocery store, reading every single label, trying to figure what was real food and what wasn’t and the world was about to get crazy!
That first shop took me forever, but it was worth every second and every penny (it was pricey). I will say real food is more expensive but in the long run, your health and energy levels will thank you and you won’t ever go back.
Over the next 2-3 months I stuck to my plan and shopped, cooked, and ate only real food. I learned to make bread (as did a lot of people) and homemade pizza dough and healthy preservative free cheesecake. I stopped buying and eating hydrogenated anything and msg laden snacks. I fed my family and myself real honest to goodness food. And everything the book said was true. The food tastes better and we feel good.
One thing I did notice is that it was not hard to find the healthier choices once you knew what you were looking for. The book was written in 2006 and I am pretty sure that back then, this whole escapade would have been way harder! The food industry is changing and has been for quite sometime. People don’t want artificial any more, they don’t want MSG and BHA and BHT and hydrogenated oil or non fat products full of fillers. The food industry has taken note over the last 10 years and has made changes – there are healthy choices out there! There are brands that stand by using simple ingredients, no artificial flavours and colours, no high fructose-glucose and no non-hydrogenated fats or oils.
There has never been a better time to be healthy. The world is changing, actually it has changed already! People want healthy choices and they want to know where they came from and even how to create them. So learn with us!
I am not suggesting you run out and buy this book or read it even (although it is a good read). I am suggesting that you read the labels on the food you buy and make the choices that are right for you and your family.
Before I started this endeavour, I already was eating pretty healthy, I have never really cared for processed pre-packaged foods except here and there, so it wasn’t too hard for me to make the flip. But once I did, I realized that there were many products out there that I thought were good wholesome choices and they really weren’t. So much learning in very little time. After the first few months of shopping and eating real food, it was not only easier as I learnt the brands that were good to buy and the ones that weren’t. You also learn what makes you feel good and what doesn’t. I ate a hot dog one day, in early summer of 2020, when my sister came to visit us outside social distancing – first time we had gotten together in months! So we cooked hotdogs and let the kids run around outside. Well I ate one, and paid dearly for it. What a gut pain I had – so uncomfortable for about 3 hours (I really am not trying to scare you), but I also haven’t had one since. It made me realize that what I was doing, how I was eating was right for me. Skip forward about 6 months and my husband Dave ate a hotdog and the exact same thing happened to him! He said to me after – that is the last hotdog he will ever eat.
There are a few things that I still do eat that might not be 100% perfect in the ingredient section but they aren’t that bad and they don’t make me feel discomfort after eating them so I keep them in my stash for just that time that I crave a snack.
In all seriousness, even though I could go on all day about this, I will leave it at – read the labels. Learn what is good for you and what isn’t – your body will thank you!
If you need guidance on where to start – send me an email. I have a list of the do’s and the don’t’s, which if I get enough interest – I will make a page with all that info.
But for now – I will sign off!
Thanks for following:)
Stay tuned for my next post –
Healthy on the outside

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