Ready for the rain

After 4 days of rain and snow, we were able to collect around 2200 gallons of water off of our roofs!  As we wrote about in a previous post, we got our new cistern and gutters set up just as the first drops of rain from the last storm started to come down. Using an average of around 25 gallons a day for showers, laundry, dishes, for a family of six, plus our animals and small garden, the water we collected should last us about 3 months if it doesn’t rain again. And all this water was given to us, we just simply collected it. Even if it is just for your garden, think about setting up a barrel or a small cistern to collect the natural rain water and utilize this precious resource we are given.

We all buy things that we need, wether it be a bag of groceries, kitchen utencils, new socks, furniture, a gift.  I recently realized just how much I spend at the big corporate stores, just to save a few dollars. When money is tight it can be hard to chose that little local shop and pay extra for the same thing you could find at say Wal-Mart. But even with the extra cost, when you chose to take the step and buy that household item or gift from a small business, you are getting an item of higher quality that will last longer, and you are most likely helping support the needs of a growing family or the pursiut of one’s dreams. Take the time to think about what and who you are supporting with the money you spend.

It requires imagination, skill, passion and a great amount of risk to step out and compete with the big corporate interprises. But the small guys offer quality and personal care that can’t be found in mass production. Consider the challenge of buying your everyday purchases from those who are taking the risk to compete with the giants and provide their customers with lasting satisfaction and so much more than what they came to purchase.

We are one of these small family buisnesses in Taos, NM. Because we work from home either Milling or making and selling our handcrafted Woodworks and Knitting, we are able to homeschool and allow our children to participate and learn from our business.

While Noah was making sawdust, I spent the weekend finishing up some of my handmade crocheted and knitting pieces. All available in our Etsy Shop.

100 % Acrylic Girl’s 2T-4T Newsboys hat, handmade by Anna Hughes

Wool and Acrylic Blend coffee cozy, by Anna Hughes

Women’s All-season Hat

Over the weekend Noah started working on a couple new napkin holders. He is hand carving them out of lumber he milled from a local Taos, NM salvaged Siberian Elm tree. Stay tunned for the final products to be posted in our Etsy Shop.

Cutting out an original design for a Siberian Elm napkin holder

Hand carving

Aspen walls in an entry

Aspen boards in a private entry, sustainably harvested from NM National Forest, Milled, cured and installed by Noah Hughes

We locally harvested and hauled the trees, milled, cured and installed these beautiful aspen boards. The unique natural colors of aspen fills this entry with an inviting warmth. If you are interested in having some aspen lumber milled for your project, Contact Us we would love to work with you!