I was Couchsurfing at a house in northern Germany when I met the first person I had ever heard say, "Ich stehe nicht auf Plastik." The phrase means, "I do not agree with," or, "I am not keen on" plastic. It was the most bizarre comment to me at the time. This was 2011. The … Continue reading Not so keen on plastic in my food
Apache Junction may not seem like much, but for history buffs like myself, this little nook of Arizona has a slew of history to be uncovered. Shadowed by the eerie Superstition Mountains, Apache Junction sits at the intersection of the Apache Trail and U.S. Route 60, which runs roughly parallel to the better-known Route 66. And … Continue reading Visiting Arizona’s Historical Superstition Mountains
The mighty Prickly Pear holds within it a powerhouse of benefits. It is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber, low-calorie and contains antioxidant compounds. My desert tortoise uses the juicy cactus pads as a main source of nutrients, the local birds have figured out how to drill into the fruits and extract the sweet, almost … Continue reading Harnessing the power of the Prickly Pear
I remember my grandma would always try to make sure I had healthy food when I went to her house. I'll never forget one specific occasion she said, "Oh Kaysha, look at those chubby little fingers!" I can't remember how old I was, but my ice cream and over-eating habits began to catch up with … Continue reading It’s okay to eat chocolate sometimes
My first attempt at goat's milk soap turned out to be a success. Today, after curing for six weeks I took my hard work to the tub for a test run. It creates a rich lather, it's creamy, moisturizing and stays together well in the shower. It is perfect for sensitive skin and eczema! Luckily, … Continue reading Kaysha’s Lavender Goat’s Milk Soap Recipe
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." - Hippocrates First, we need to talk about Ginger. Let's talk first about how ginger is proving 10,000 times stronger than chemo in some cancer research and how it can attach to and fight cancer stem cells. If that's not enough to make you want to include … Continue reading Ginger Pear Blueberry Super Smoothie
Images of Fight Club came to mind at the thought of dealing with lye. Maybe I've seen the movie too many times. I watched all the YouTube videos of ladies talking about how to safely use lye in their soap making and became convinced that it really isn't that big of deal, and I could … Continue reading The dreaded lye
There she was: a goat in a stanchion with a full udder, ready to be milked for the first time. Behind me was the culmination of about two years of dreams and planning to get to this moment. Of course after the initial excitement of baby goats wears off, you have a couple of weeks to wait … Continue reading To the rhythm of the squeeze and stream
Because of the desert southwest's recent onslaught of abnormally hot weather, I've found myself searching for non-traditional methods to keep the animals cool. It was 116 degrees at my desert home on Tuesday. We're far from the city's concrete metropolis and surrounded by cactus, bushes and dirt, but little shade. Luckily our temperatures didn't hit … Continue reading Watermelon goat’s milk pupsicles
In order to produce milk, a dairy goat must give birth. She will continue to produce milk after the kid is gone as long as she is still milked daily. I bought Nilah, my Nigerian Dwarf Goat at around 10 months old, and it would finally be her first time kidding. It was my first time, too. … Continue reading The birth of Ely
Poesie Sans, Souci 