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- Life-Changing Hacks: Practicing Gratitude + Honing Active Listening + Gourmet Salad Bar Tips You Can't Miss! 💗
Life-Changing Hacks: Practicing Gratitude + Honing Active Listening + Gourmet Salad Bar Tips You Can't Miss! 💗
How do you prepare your soil for planting? 🚜
Cedie Omaña
June 05, 2024
How do you prepare your soil for planting? 🚜 |
In Today's Edition:
Homestead Tip 🌱
Poll Results From Last Sunday! 📊
Personal Development: Cultivating Gratitude 💗
A Steady Family: Hone Your Family’s Active Listening Skills 👂
The Steady Home’s Guide to Cooking From Scratch: Build-your-own Salad Bar 🥬
Brought To You By:
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Homestead Tip of the Day:
Want to make some super tasty and healthy food for your chickens or farm animals? It's pretty easy, and you can use stuff you might already have! Start with grains like corn or oats. You can usually get these from farmers nearby. Then, mix in some protein like peas, lentils, or even crushed eggshells (they're great for calcium). Don't forget to add some alfalfa—it's good for fiber and minerals.
Poll Results From Last Sunday! 📊
What’s your go-to method for extending the growing season?
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Using cold frames
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Row covers
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Greenhouses
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Planting hardy varieties
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Others (Feel free to specify)
via @beehiiv polls
Guess what's coming up in our next newsletters? More fun polls! We can't wait to hear your thoughts—they really keep things interesting and give us inspiration! 😉
Personal Development
Cultivating Gratitude 💗
Feeling thankful is one of the easiest and best ways to feel happier and less stressed. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you look at life more positively, build better relationships, and feel healthier.
Why Gratitude is Good for You:
Better Mental Health: Saying thank you for the good things in your life can help you feel less sad and worried. It makes you focus on what’s going well instead of what’s not.
Less Stress: Being grateful helps you appreciate what you have, which can make you feel less stressed. It helps you stay calm and happy.
Stronger Relationships: Telling others you’re grateful for them makes them feel good and helps you build stronger friendships and family ties.
More Resilience: Gratitude helps you handle tough times better by focusing on the positive. It makes bouncing back from problems easier.
Healthier Body: People who practice gratitude feel healthier and have fewer aches and pains. This is because being thankful reduces stress, which is good for your body.
Tips for Cultivating Gratitude:
Keep a Gratitude Journal: Write down three things you’re thankful for every day. These can be big or small, like having a delicious breakfast or getting help with homework.
Thank Others: Take time to thank people who help you. Write a thank-you note or simply say, "Thank you." It makes others feel appreciated.
Practice Mindfulness: Spend a few quiet minutes each day thinking about what you’re grateful for. It helps you stay focused on the good things in your life.
Create a Gratitude Routine: Make gratitude a part of your daily routine, like during meals or before bed. Everyone in the family can share something they’re thankful for.
Use Visual Reminders: Put sticky notes with gratitude reminders around your room or house. They can help you remember to be thankful.
Gratitude Jar: Make a gratitude jar where everyone in the family can drop in notes about things they’re thankful for. Read them together at the end of the month or year.
Positive Affirmations: Start your day with positive statements like, “I am thankful for my friends” or “I am grateful for a new day.”
From The Steady Home Gang
Share the Steady Love 💚
Got a friend who's practically a plant whisperer? 🌿 They belong with us at The Steady Home crew!
We're all about swapping stories, seeds, and turning our gardens into neighborhood showstoppers! It's like getting a daily high-five from Mother Nature herself! 🏡✨
Proudly Presented By:
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Learn how to use plant-based stuff instead of eggs and milk so your desserts taste great and are kind to animals. This guide makes it easy with simple steps and helpful tips.
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A Steady Family
Hone Your Family’s Active Listening Skills 👂
Active listening is a powerful tool that can significantly strengthen family bonds. It goes beyond just hearing words; it's about truly understanding and empathizing with each other.
Here are some effective strategies to help your family master this essential skill.
Core Active Listening Techniques:
Give Full Attention: When a family member is speaking, put away distractions like phones or tablets. Make eye contact and use body language that shows you're engaged.
Don't Interrupt: Let each person finish their thoughts without cutting in. This shows respect and allows them to express themselves fully.
Use Encouraging Cues: Nod, smile, or use brief verbal cues like "I see" or "Mhm" to show you're following along without interrupting their flow.
Reflect and Paraphrase: After they finish, summarize what they said in your own words. This confirms you understood correctly and shows you were truly listening.
Ask Open-Ended Questions: Use questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. This encourages more sharing and shows your genuine interest.
Pro Tips for Family Active Listening:
Family Listening Circle: Once a week, have everyone sit in a circle. Each person gets uninterrupted time to share while others practice active listening.
No-Advice Night: Set a night where family members can share without receiving advice. The focus is solely on listening and empathizing.
Role-Play Scenarios: Act out situations where one person shares a problem and another practices active listening. Then, discuss how it felt.
Empathy Jar: When someone feels truly heard, they put a marble in the "Empathy Jar." Full jars earn a family reward, encouraging good listening.
Lead by Example: As parents or older siblings, model active listening. Children learn this skill best by observing it in action.
The Steady Home’s Giggle Chamber
As a farmer, I hear lots of jokes about sheep.
I’d tell them to my dog, but he’d herd them all. 🐶
The Steady Home’s Guide to Cooking From Scratch:
Build-your-own Salad Bar 🥬
Project Overview: Creating a build-your-own salad bar is a fantastic way to get everyone in the family excited about eating greens! Let's set up your family's salad paradise!
What You'll Need:
2 to 3 types of greens (romaine for crunch, spinach for iron, arugula for a peppery kick)
Protein options (grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, chickpeas, tofu cubes)
Colorful veggies (cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, shredded carrots, bell peppers)
Hearty toppings (quinoa, brown rice, roasted sweet potatoes, corn)
Crunchy bits (sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, crispy onions, croutons)
Cheese choices (feta, goat cheese, shredded cheddar, parmesan)
Fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, mint – let kids tear them up)
Fruity touches (apple slices, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries)
3 to 4 homemade dressings (see recipes below)
Steps to Set Up Your Salad Bar:
Prep Your Greens: Wash and dry your greens thoroughly. Tear larger leaves into bite-sized pieces. This is a great task for little hands – tearing lettuce is fun and safe!
Cook the Proteins: Grill chicken, boil eggs, or drain and pat dry the chickpeas and tofu. Older kids can help with grilling (supervised) or peeling eggs.
Chop the Veggies: Set up a veggie chopping station. Assign tasks based on skills: kids can slice cucumbers with a plastic knife, teens can handle bell peppers, and adults can oversee.
Prepare Hearty Toppings: Cook quinoa, rice, or roast sweet potatoes. Kids can measure grains, stir pots (carefully), or toss potatoes with oil.
Arrange Crunchy Bits: Open bags of seeds and nuts, or make croutons (cube bread, toss with oil and herbs, bake). Great for teaching measuring skills!
Grate and Crumble Cheese: Older kids can grate cheddar (watch those fingers!), while younger ones can crumble feta or goat cheese with their hands.
Herb and Fruit Station: Kids love tearing up herbs – it's sensory and fun. They can also peel oranges or slice apples with apple slicers.
Mix the Dressings: Here are some simple, no-cook options:
Honey-Mustard: Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp mustard, 1 tbsp vinegar
Ranch: Mix 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp each dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder
Balsamic: Shake 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp honey, salt, and pepper in a jar
Lemon-Herb: Blend 1/4 cup olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove, 2 tbsp mixed herbs
Set the Table: Lay out all ingredients in separate bowls. Use muffin tins for smaller items – it's organized and cute! Don't forget serving spoons and tongs.
Salad Bar is Open!: Let each family member build their dream salad. Encourage trying new combinations – who knows, cucumber might become a new favorite!
Let’s Keep It Reel!
Do you enjoy having a good laugh? Check out these humorous farm-related videos I've put together just for you! 😂
When you started gardening but are afraid of insects:
@steph.mariee Its their garden now 😭😭😂😂#garden #gardening #gardentok #plants #plantsoftiktok #fyp #organicgardening #beginnergardener #gardenmeme #humor #comdey
When your farm dog is so hardworking, he also wants to herd other people's sheep:
@murphythecollie he just cant contain himself 🐑🐑🐑 #murphythecollie #sheepdog #sheep #farming #britishfarming #dogsoftiktok #meme
POV: You run a farm, so it's kind of typical to find a sheep inside your house:
@houseofhighlights This is great 💀 (@graceewilson4_) #farm #prank #sheep #farmlife #funny
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