Vinegar Hacks

Did you know there are many vinegar hacks to make your life easier? Let's take a look at some of them this week. If you've ever wondered how to make vinegar, how to use vinegar, or are on the hunt for some clever vinegar hacks, you're in the right place. Vinegar is a fantastic multipurpose tool that every home should have, and by the end of this article, you'll be a vinegar pro.

Vinegar Hacks - 9/30-10/6/24

Monday, September 30, 2024

This is our mean, broody chicken. She pecks hard if you try to get eggs from her. She has been like this since last week.

Good morning! It is the final day of September and it will be 99° today. We started out the morning at 66° Fahrenheit at 6am and it felt amazing. 99° will not feel amazing.

We started the day off with pecan coffee and homemade egg tacos for breakfast. The coffee and farm fresh eggs are sold in our Farm Store. If you are in the area, come on by for both. If you need cast iron skillets, I have three left for sale, all brand new. I also have one beautiful air fryer left. It is one of those awesome ones with the basket that you line for easy clean up. We are open today from 9am to 5pm.

It is now 10:30am and it has already been a full day! I have had to deal with getting the pond pump fixed, cleaning the pond, cleaning out moths in seed storage, paying more business bills, getting large quantities of seed ready to plant out back for our bees and a leaking air conditioner unit. Now we are waiting for our pest control guy to come. We have moths and scorpions that we are dealing with now. Fun, fun, fun.

When the pest control team got there, they sprayed the building with the moth outbreak so that should help take out any eggs that moths may have laid in there.

We had a customer this morning who heard about us from someone working at the Tractor Supply in Devine so thank you to whoever that was! We always appreciate customer referrals.

It was an afternoon filled with orders. We got them all out except for a few that I got this afternoon. The mailman came early, around noon, so Matt had to run a bag of orders down to the Post Office at 3:30pm.

No more customers showed up today but that is okay because I was very busy. In fact, I ended the work day with a headache. I grabbed a quick dinner, got changed and we left the farm.

Vinegar Hacks - What Is It And How Do I Make It?

You can make your own apple cider vinegar.

Let's start with the basics: what is vinegar? Vinegar is a result of fermenting ethanol alcohol. Various types of vinegar, such as apple cider and white, come from different sources like apples and grains. The primary ingredient is acetic acid, which gives it its sharp flavor and potent cleaning properties.

Of course, you can buy apple cider vinegar at the grocery store. But making your own vinegar is easier than you might think. You'll need a bit of patience, as the process takes several weeks, but the results are worth it. For a starter, try making apple cider vinegar.

Begin by gathering your ingredients: apples, sugar, water, and a glass jar. Cut the apples into pieces and fill the jar about halfway.

Dissolve 1 tablespoon of sugar per cup of water and pour this solution over the apples until they're submerged.

Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or a paper towel secured with a rubber band to allow airflow while keeping out debris and insects.

Let the mixture sit in a warm, dark place for about 3 to 4 weeks. Stir it daily and check for bubbling, which indicates fermentation.

After this period, strain out the apple pieces and return the liquid to the jar for another 3 to 4 weeks.

Once it smells and tastes like vinegar, store it in a bottle with a tight cap in a cool, dark place. There you have it – homemade apple cider vinegar!

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Good morning. There is so much tragedy in Florida, North Carolina, and other areas hit by Hurricane Helene over the weekend. God bless President Trump for going to Georgia yesterday and for bringing in supplies. He is getting the ball rolling, helping people, while Biden naps and Kamala continues to raise funds for her failing campaign. We have a leader and, hopefully, the American people will vote him back in office in just over a month.

The dock workers went on strike at midnight from Maine down to Texas and Biden said he would not intervene on America's behalf so there you have it.

David made brisket and egg tacos for breakfast this morning. I need to get ready for the day and get on the orders.

Matt is getting ready to feed the bees.

At 9am, Matt donned his bee suit and I grabbed the phone. We walked out to the bee area and Matt opened the hives. Both of the food dishes were completely empty of sugar water. In fact, he used all of the sugar water that was left. The bees kept on coming out and going into the hives. I videoed everything. I will let Matt edit that and put it up on our YouTube channel. Now, we have to make sugar water for the bees.

The meat chicks are enjoying all of the space. They are eating a lot and growing quickly.

The meat birds are getting big. Tomorrow, they will be four weeks old.

I have spent most of the day on orders again. No customers but we just had a visitor at 4pm. He parked sideways and got out of his car. I went out and he asked if I had sheep. I said no and he said, "Well, there are three in the road and they will get hit." I thanked him for letting me know and immediately went out to the road and looked up and down. He left. There was nothing, not even a car on the road. I went over to the pond and looked again. Nothing. I wonder what his game was or how three sheep could run so quickly...

I keep seeing this on Facebook and the sentences are good tips for life:

If they don't invite you, don't go. If they don't tell you, don't ask. Late invites, don't accept; you were not part of the plan. Know your place in people's lives.

Good advice that I wish I had years ago. I think it would have saved me a lot of grief. It is better to sit at home by yourself than invite yourself where you are not wanted...

Vinegar Hacks

White vinegar is actually clear and it needs to be made with alcohol or grain.

Vinegar isn't just for pickling; it's a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. It adds a bright acidity that can enhance the flavor of many dishes.

You can use vinegar to make delicious salad dressings. Combine it with olive oil, mustard, honey, and a pinch of salt for a quick vinaigrette.

Marinate meats in vinegar to tenderize them. The acetic acid breaks down tough muscle fibers, making your cuts juicier and more flavorful.

Next time you're making a pot of beans, add a splash of vinegar. It enhances the flavor and balances the richness.

Vinegar also works beautifully in baking. Use apple cider vinegar in baking cakes and muffins to react with baking soda, helping your goodies rise. I once knew a woman who made pie crusts with apple cider vinegar. She claimed it made them light and fluffy. I never tasted one of her pie crusts. Now, I make a really good pie crust but I have never added vinegar to it.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

This is a Tecoma Kalama Blood Orange flower that I planted by the pond in a pot. We had them for sale.

Hi there! It is 3pm and I am about to begin my workday...I took Trump on an early walk this morning. Then I stratified some seeds which are now soaking in hot water. They are Pride of Barbados seeds. I took some photos of things around the farm and then I had to get ready for an appointment in Jourdanton this morning. After that, I shopped for some groceries, came home, put them away, did some social media posts, and a few other job related tasks.

Just a few minutes ago, I received a text from David asking me if his phone was in the truck. I looked in the truck and did not find the phone so I went into his office to tell him I could not find his phone in the truck. He looked at me as if I were from outer space and started laughing. He said he had his phone and he must have sent that days ago. I looked at the date--September 17! And I just now got it. Talk about very slow high speed internet!

Now I will start mailing out orders.

Dave Ramsey flew to New York City this week to interview President Trump. Here it is:

Vinegar Hacks

Here are some vinegar hacks for your home.

Now, let's talk about vinegar hacks to clean your home. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, making it a great non-toxic alternative to harsh chemicals.

Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle for an all-purpose cleaner. Use it on kitchen counters, bathroom surfaces, and even glass.

For clogged drains, pour half a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of vinegar down the drain. After it fizzes, flush it with boiling water.

Got stubborn stains? Soak them in a mixture of vinegar and water, and watch them lift away.

Remove hard water deposits from showerheads by soaking them in vinegar overnight. Just attach a bag filled with vinegar to the showerhead with a rubber band.

Vinegar has many unexpected uses around the house. Here are a few vinegar hacks to make your life easier.

Deodorize your garbage disposal by grinding ice cubes made of vinegar. The acidity will neutralize bad odors.

You can also freshen up your laundry. Add half a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle to soften clothes and remove odors.

Get rid of pet odors by spraying a vinegar and water solution on affected areas. It neutralizes smells without harming your furniture.

Keep pests at bay by spraying vinegar around doorways and windows. Ants and other insects dislike the acidity and will stay away. The vinegar does not kill ants. It hides the smell of pheromones so ants can't find the trail that other ants left behind.

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Our fall corn is growing.

It is now 4:30pm and 92°. So it is a bit cooler today if you call 92° a bit cooler...It has been a very busy day and this is the first time I have found a few minutes to update the blog. There have been a lot of Amazon orders today so thank you to all who are ordering. We had one family who came for some seeds in addition to the mailman, the UPS man, and the Amazon man. Matt has been busy planting and getting things ready outdoors for additional planting. David has been on the computer all day long updating things.

Today the meat birds turn four weeks old. They are beginning to fill out. The other animals are doing well. There is really nothing new that I can think of. It is almost time to close up for the day so I will build this for now.

I planted five more Pride of Barbados seeds today since I have five empty pots. Four of the seeds in those pots did not germinate and one came up but died. The other five are doing well.

I made rainbow trout this evening. It was very good. We enjoyed watching the second episode of Hell's Kitchen. Gordon sent home the right chef tonight so I was pleased. Gordon's shows are so entertaining.

Late this afternoon, we heard that the longshoreman's strike is over. The amount of money the union is demanding those workers make is insane. Yes, they do work that is important but so do many other people. The only thing such a huge raise does is insure that prices will continue to go up because the owners and others affected down the line have to pass the cost on to the consumer.

Vinegar Hacks

Add water to vinegar before cleaning. It is a natural disinfectant.

Vinegar isn't just for inside the home; it's a garden superstar as well. Below are some vinegar hacks for the garden.

Use vinegar to kill weeds. Spray undiluted white vinegar directly on weeds. Be careful to avoid your plants as it can harm them too. This works well for weeds above ground. Unfortunately, the vinegar does not penetrate the dirt to kill the roots.

Clean your garden tools by soaking them in vinegar, removing rust and grime.

You can also use vinegar to change the pH of your soil. For plants that thrive in acidic soil, like azaleas, mix one cup of vinegar with a gallon of water and pour it around the base.

How can you store your vinegar? Store homemade vinegar in a clean, airtight glass bottle in a cool and dark place to maintain its quality.

Keep vinegar away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent spoiling. Proper storage can make your vinegar last indefinitely. We keep ours in the pantry with the doors closed.

Wondering about its shelf life? Properly stored vinegar doesn’t expire, thanks to its high acidity. However, for the best flavor, use it within two years.

Let's dive into even more vinegar hacks. Did you know you can use vinegar to clean your microwave? Simply microwave a bowl of equal parts vinegar and water for a few minutes, then wipe away grime with ease.

Vinegar can also help remove sticker residue. Soak the area with vinegar for a few minutes and then scrape it off.

If you're dealing with lime deposits on your faucets, soak a cloth in vinegar and wrap it around the affected area. Let it sit for an hour before wiping clean.

You can even use vinegar to polish your silverware. Soak them in a mixture of vinegar and baking soda for a few hours, rinse, and buff them until they shine.

If you run out of fabric softener, add a cup of vinegar to your laundry. It softens fabrics and reduces static cling.

Friday, October 4, 2024

This is our Alma fig tree. A customer gave us this one a few years ago. It is producing figs right now.

It is finally Friday. The air feels cool at 6am but it is supposed to get up to 98° again today. I took Trump out by my plant area this morning. He went behind the pool and got stuck. He could not turn around and had such a hard time backing out. He finally made it. I picked him up and carried him back in. He weighs way over 30 pounds now. We will have to block off the space between the pool and the bottom of the back deck so that does not happen again. We did it on the other side for this reason.

Today, as far as I know, there is nothing on the agenda other than filling orders and doing social media. David and Matt have more planting to do, mostly in the back for the bees to feed on.

Time To Plant Bluebonnet Seeds For Spring!

Bluebonnets in beautiful blue--a Texas classic. This past spring we had the most beautiful display of gorgeous bluebonnets in our yard and all around the county.

Texas A&M Aggie maroon bluebonnets. Aren't they so cheerful. We love them! Yes, we have the seeds!

Here are the purple bluebonnets. They will look fabulous next spring!

The new Royal Blue Bluebonnet seeds are flying off the shelf. We had to order new ones already. Aren't they spectacular?

The wildflower seed orders are starting to pour in because October is the month in which you should be planting them for spring blooms. Some of our four colors of bluebonnet seeds are going quickly. If you are smart, you will order them very soon. The purple and royal blue are the most popular. We also have the regular blue and the maroon bluebonnets.

Let's Help Hurricane Helene Victims

President Trump along with Franklin Graham and the Samaritan's Purse team were in Valdosta, GA earlier this week helping out.

Starting on Saturday, October 5 through Saturday, October 12, we will be giving 12% of all of our sales to Samaritan's Purse, who is already on the ground, helping folks who need the help. I thought this would be a good organization to give the money to. While Biden was at the beach earlier this week and Kamala was flying to a campaign fund raiser in California, Franklin Graham and his team, along with President Trump were on the ground in Valdosta, Georgia, comforting Hurricane Helene victims.

In addition to the 12% of all sales, David will match every penny with an additional 6% out of our own pocket, not the business money. Won't you please help us to help those who have lost everything by ordering some seeds or coffee during the coming eight days? Here is the newsletter David sent out this morning:

I have been wondering how we at David's Garden Seeds® can help the Hurricane Helene victims. What group could we support to best help and how will we know the money will get to those who need it?

Maybe you have been wondering the same thing.

My wife, Juanita aka Mrs. David's Garden Seeds®, follows Franklin Graham and Samaritan's Purse and suggested that we give money through them. They are already on the ground in the devastated areas helping.

From midnight CST tonight to midnight October 12th CST, we will donate 12% of all sales, plus I will match with an additional 6% from my own paycheck.

There is a tip function on the website. Any tips given during this time will also go to Samaritan's Purse, but I will not match those donations.

At the end of the following week, we will send out a newsletter with the amount raised. We will also leave contact information for Samaritan's Purse so you can verify that we did send the funds.

Thank you for supporting our small business as well as helping out our fellow Americans who have lost everything.

David Schulze, Owner

David's Garden Seeds®

David barbecued some chicken thighs for dinner. They came out good. When we first got married, he used to grill chicken a lot but has not done so in years. We watched the next James Bond movie, Licence To Kill, the final one with Timothy Dalton. I think he made a pretty good Bond but the next movie has my favorite Bond!

Vinegar Hacks

Vinegar adds flavor to foods.

Vinegar isn't just for cooking and cleaning; vinegar hacks have some surprising personal care uses too.

Use diluted apple cider vinegar as a toner for your skin. It balances your skin’s pH and helps clear acne.

It can also help with dandruff. After shampooing, rinse your hair with a solution of equal parts water and apple cider vinegar to reduce flakes.

Wondering about common issues with vinegar hacks? Vinegar sometimes develops a gelatinous substance called 'Mother' during fermentation. It's perfectly harmless and can even be used to kick start another batch of vinegar.

If your vinegar smells off or develops mold, discard it. It’s pretty rare, but it can happen if it’s contaminated or improperly stored.

Experiment with different bases for your vinegar. Try making it with wine, beer, or even pears for a unique twist!

Saturday, October 5, 2024

All of our tomato plants that didn't sell look great after they've been planted. They start looking bad in tiny pots. Just put them in the ground and voila!

Good Saturday morning. We will be open today from 10am to 2pm. I have lots of eggs if you need some. Come by and get your fall and winter seeds. Remember that 12% of all sales will go to Samaritan's Purse for victims of Hurricane Helene over the next week.

The day flew by. I did orders in between customers. No plants or eggs were sold but I did sell seeds, water, chocolate pecans, chips, and coffee.

I got this photo while watching Trump on the Benny Johnson coverage. If you need a good news channel on YouTube, go to Benny Johnson.

Around 5pm or so, President Trump took the stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, where, 12 weeks ago, he was shot. He went back to finish the speech and it was incredible. He went on for two hours and he was on fire! Elon Musk made an appearance along with a jump and a short speech. That was awesome. JD Vance, along with Eric and Lara Trump, were also there and made some speeches. It was a history making moment in time that I know the people in Pennsylvania will always remember.

This evening, we had chicken breasts stuffed with broccoli and cheese. They were very good. Svengoolie is starting all of the Frankenstein movies and we are still Frankensteined out from all of them last fall so we moved on to the next Bond movie. It was the first of four with the best Bond in my correct opinion, Pierce Brosnan.

Vinegar Hacks

I clean my coffee maker with vinegar each month so it will brew faster.

Here is one of my favorite vinegar hacks. Clean your coffee pot with vinegar once a month to keep it running smoothly instead of using commercial coffee pot cleaner. When it starts taking a long time for the coffee to come out, it is time to clean it. Pour vinegar in up to the two cup line on your machine. Then fill the rest with water. Turn the coffee pot on. As soon as you hear the water coming through to the pot, turn it off and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Then turn back on and run it through the brewing cycle. Dump and fill with water to rinse it all out. I rinse mine three times to make sure all of the vinegar taste is out.

Let's get into some specific recipes so you can cook with vinegar. How about a classic coleslaw? Mix shredded cabbage and carrots with a dressing of apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, and a touch of sugar.

For a quick pickled cucumber recipe, combine sliced cucumbers with white vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Let them sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Another must-try is balsamic glazed chicken. Simmer balsamic vinegar with honey until it's thickened, then brush it over roasted chicken for a flavorful finish.

So there you have it! We've covered how to make vinegar, how to use vinegar, and the various vinegar hacks that can simplify your life.

Remember, the key to making vinegar is consistency. Don't rush the fermentation process, and ensure your materials are clean to avoid contamination.

Whether you're cooking with vinegar or using it to clean, this versatile ingredient is invaluable. Its natural properties make it a safe and effective option for countless uses.

Sunday, October 6, 2024

Look at that gorgeous pink this morning while I was out feeding the animals!

Good morning. It is 8am and I am completely finished with all of the animal chores! Can you believe that? The air feels so cool and without humidity. Yesterday at this time, I was dripping wet and today I am not sweaty at all. What a wonderful change. It is currently 71° here but it will go up to 93°.

David is listening to a good TV pastor and he just talked about how there is nothing like an old, dead church singing Amazing Grace. They are a church going through the motions, treating each other badly, talking about each other behind their backs, and playing church on Sundays, ignoring those they hate. I've been in those churches before. Have you? If you find yourself on one of those churches, run, don't walk. Go find a good one. Do not stay in the dead church because it will drag you down. I can testify personally to this. Get out while there is still some life in you.

We went to Sunday School for the first time at this new church we have been going to. It was a pretty good class. After church, we were invited to join some of the people at Charlie's Daughter for lunch.

We got home and at 3pm, David announced he was going to the viewing of a friend in Leakey this afternoon, instead of going to the funeral on Monday morning. I had already changed out of my nice clothes. I had to get dressed again and off we went to Leakey. Matt was kind enough to come over and feed all of the animals.

The Frio was way down. We drove around a bit out there and went by the old church which is no longer a church, where David pastored back in 1996 from February through October of the same year. I cannot believe the old pastor called us to come down from Michigan and turned our lives upside down. When he called, we packed up and moved there because it was David's dream church, the church he grew up in. Turns out, the old pastor was no longer right in the head. He installed David as the pastor in a big ceremony and said that he and his wife were moving away. Only they didn't. The whole thing was a huge mess.

The old pastor had him thrown out as he decided he wanted to take over again. That was a huge mistake for us to go there back then. I think it would have been okay if the pastor and his wife had kept their promise and moved but they kept their home right by the church. He got bored and wanted it back. Then he installed a very strange couple as pastors, a husband and wife team who had no ministry training and were tourists that summer who hit a deer by the old pastor's house. They became fast friends and then for the entire summer, that man tried to convince David to leave so he could be the pastor.

Finally, they worked together and got the Constable to throw David out of the church or he would be arrested. There was nothing Christian in any of this. It was one of the most awful times of our ministry period. After several months of pastoring at this church, the husband ran off with one of the women in the congregation and divorced his wife. The church closed and now it is some sort of museum and event place. The whole thing is just unbelievable. This is the main reason I hate going to Leakey.

A back road in Leakey with a great view.

The Frio river is low today.

We went to the viewing. Then we left to see the sun set behind the mountains as we drove away. We got home after 8pm. It was a long day.

Sunset in Leakey as we were leaving to go back home.

Vinegar Hacks

Do you use vinegar to clean your home? These days, many are foregoing chemical laden cleaners and using natural vinegar to clean with.

One common myth is that vinegar is a cure-all for health problems. While it has health benefits, it's not a magic solution. Always consult a healthcare professional for medical issues.

People often think vinegar is too acidic for cleaning granite surfaces. This is partially true; undiluted vinegar can be harsh, but diluted solutions are usually safe.

Vinegar is remarkably economical. A gallon of white vinegar costs only a few dollars and can replace multiple cleaning products in your home.

Using vinegar can also cut down on waste. One bottle can serve many purposes, meaning fewer products to buy and throw away.

Everyone should know how to use vinegar because it's simple, effective, and safe. From cooking to cleaning to personal care, vinegar is a jack-of-all-trades.

It's environmentally friendly. Vinegar is biodegradable and won't contribute to harmful chemical buildup in your home or garden.

Finally, using vinegar makes you self-sufficient. Knowing how to make and utilize this household staple can empower you to reduce reliance on store-bought products.

Thanks for sticking with me through this vinegar hacks journey! Now that you know how to make vinegar, how to use vinegar, and some fantastic vinegar hacks, you're ready to tackle any vinegar-related task. This versatile, budget-friendly substance is truly a home essential. Cheers to your new vinegar adventures!

Return from Vinegar Hacks to DIY Laundry Soap

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