At our farm, we process all our meat from field to fork. Processing your meat at home is more time-consuming than using a local butcher, but for us, the advantages far exceed the time spent. Philip has spent years studying and practicing butchering techniques. While there is certainly some skill required in identifying muscle groups…
Around our house, venison is the staple red meat in the kitchen. While we love venison in all forms, one of my favorite meals is classic country-fried venison. When it comes to wild game, keeping the seasonings simple allows the flavor and tenderness of venison backstrap to shine. Backstrap, also known as venison loin is…
Being good stewards of the land and our resources is an important part of our off-grid lifestyle. As an avid hunter, Philip works hard to provide meat for our family each year. Before our move to the homestead, we were limited not only by space of what we could transport for processing but also limited…
Wild game is a great way to add high quality meat to our diet. Philip is an avid hunter, who dedicates himself to providing our family with plenty of venison to last the entire year. By definition, venison refers to the meat of all antlered animals: including deer, moose, caribou, antelope, and elk. However here…
Throughout the holiday season, there are a few recipes that are featured at every one of our family gatherings. This non-alcoholic Christmas punch recipe is one the whole family looks forward to. While it is certainly served at every Christmas dinner, it’s the perfect holiday drink throughout the winter season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s…
As the days grow cooler, one of my favorite activities on early morning walks in the late fall is to search for frost flowers. My first discovery of frost flowers was on one of my earliest trips to Kowalski Mountain when Philip and I were preparing for archery season. At first glance, frost flowers might…
When it comes to comfort food, meatloaf is at the top of the list of well-known comfort foods. Not only is it good for you, it tastes great and is a great way to stretch your grocery dollars. At Kowalski Mountain, we have an abundance of venison, naturally, we make our meatloaf with this lean…
As with most homesteads, preserving food is a primary focus of a homestead lifestyle. At Kowalski Mountain not only do we raise most of the meat that we consume, but Philip is also an avid hunter. While we have multiple freezers, that limited freezer space is a hot commodity! Whenever we can, we like to…
By simple definition, a quilt is two layers of fabric that are stitched together. Typically they have a layer of padding in the middle for warmth. Quilt designs can be a simple design or elaborate depending on the purpose or means of the quiltmaker. Throughout history, quilting has been a means of providing warm bedding…
Fall has finally come to the homestead and buck fever hits hard this time of year. Philip is an avid hunter and while he certainly scopes out the best bucks each year. Hunting on the homestead is not about trophies, it’s about filling our freezers with wild game. While using a local meat processor is…
