Using sticks, logs and other natural materials for garden supports and trellises

Use all natural materials to build garden supports and trellises in small and large garden spots. 

http://lizstevens.hubpages.com/_1u9mpimfdt8jz/hub/Gardening-Garden-Plants-Building-Natural-Trellises-Supports

Country Store | General Store | Old Fashioned | Country Home | Products

Cottage Craft Works .com brings back the old fashioned products that you might remember from the old country store visits.

The old fashioned country store was the main stop for a Saturday trip to town.

It was the one place that as a kid you enjoyed browsing the glass jars filled with liquorish and hard candies.

A bottle of pop could be had for just a nickel, and the cracker barrel was always open for a quick snack.

Dad  was always glued to the new shot guns and hunting gear.  That brown hunting jacket with the patch elbow protectors and extra pockets would come in handy for the upcoming hunting season.

 He would always end up at the meat and cheese country to take home fresh sliced meats, today it would be a huge hunk of thick sliced bologna, 1 lb blocks of different cheeses, and a slab of bacon.

Mom always toured the fabric isle as she headed over to the dry goods and garden tool section.  The Planet Junior hand push cultivators, sure looked fine.

As she stood in front of the sewing section her hand would brush over the top of the new treadle sewing machines as if she was sending a mental thought over to dad that perhaps this might make a great Christmas gift, but then she would always turned to the mixers behind her as if she couldn't really decide.

It was decided before we left the house that this day would be when we would take home the new set of wash tubs along with a yard and a half of fabric to make Anna a new Sunday dress.

The old wash tubs had been passed down from our grandparents and the one tub sprung a leak that dad just couldn't keep them sealed.  Anna had just out grown her current dress.

These are the mental images that many may have remember of the Old Country Store or what others called The General Store.

It was a place where people could find almost anything for the home, farm, or ranch.  From home gardening, canning, and making home cooked breads and jams.  The old country store had it all.

Amazingly they were not that big, but the shelves would be packed from floor to ceiling with merchandise.

In fact there were ladders on rolling racks down both sides of floor to ceiling oak cabinets.  

As a kid you would want to jump on and take a ride down the rails when no one was looking, but never could seem to pull that one off in such as wide open space.

Most of the food items that were bought and sold were just the staples needed to take home to cook and bake from scratch.

The home garden supplied the fresh vegetables, excess vegetables  were canned and stored away for the winter months.

Chickens provided fresh eggs and when the hens became past their prime would end up in the stew pot.

Fresh milk was as close as the morning walk out to the barn, and fresh meat would come by slaughter or wild game.

Back at the country store a kerosene can would be filled for the oil lamps, and another can would be filled with white gasoline for the clothing iron and Coleman lanterns used for outside chores after dark.

The old country store today is mostly gone but not forgotten.  It was a time and era where things like the old wash tubs were just made to last for generations.

Planed obsolescence was not even in the thoughts of manufactures.  Plastics hadn't even been invented.  Products were either made of wood, metal, or ceramic.

Cast metal was used for kitchen mixers, with stainless steel mixer blades and whisk.  Galvanized metal used for buckets and wash tubs.

Even the kids toys were made of either wood or metal.  Hunting calls and gun stocks were also made of wood.

There’s a real feeling of wanting to turn back time for many who want to escape back into this early era  of time when self-sufficiency was the way of life.

Even if it’s a desire to live more healthy self sufficient or to decorate a country style home, these old vintage products that use to line the shelves and walls of an old country store are in high demand.

While the old country store is no longer a source back-to-basics online stores like Cottage Craft Works .com are fulfilling the self sufficient living dreams for many.

With over 5000 products of everything under the sun for the home, garden, farm and ranch people can once again find the type of stuff that was all American made just like it was in the early to mid 1900s.

Many of the items like the Singer treadle sewing and Hoosier cabinets are reproductions of the originals.

The blue stripe pottery crocks, bowels, and churns are still made in a small family owned business. Each item is hand turned and fired just like it would have been made in the early times.

Self sufficient kitchen products include all the popular hand crank kitchen gadgets from that era and new Amish made hand crank mixers that are powerful enough to make several loafs of bread at a time.

American made garden tools include four styles of hand push cultivators from the past, including a reproduction of the famous Planet Junior Cultivators that were considered the Cadillac of garden cultivators ever made.

If you just need some new replacement cultivator handles to fix up granddads old cultivator you will find them at Cottage Craft Works as well as many other replacement parts for ice cream freezers, Heller Aller water pumps, Aermotor Windmills, and so much more.

Off-grid living products such as hand water pumps, solar panels and even a wind powered air compressor are available.

Cottage Craft Works carries the ever popular roller egg chicken nesting boxes made of thick galvanized metal.  As the chickens lay their eggs they actually roll forward into a protected compartment until they can be picked up.

You can still purchase the old fashioned oil and gas lights, as well as butane and gasoline clothes irons.

If you're into horse and tack Cottage Craft Works carries Amish made bridles, harnesses, and pads.  You can also purchase buggies and wagons or just the hardware kits to build a pony cart or a wagon box.

The authentic Amish buggy lap robes are very popular for anything outdoors from camping to fall and winter outdoor ballgames.

The buggy and wagon seats are very popular for either  a working wagon or for bench seating.  You can purchase the complete seats or the hardware kits to build your own.

If hunting is your joy, you will find one of the largest selections of Amish made hunting and game calls on the market.

Replacement gun stocks are a specialty as well as both leather, nylon custom holsters and gun cases.

For rugged outdoor gear Dan’s hunting gear offers some of the toughest coats, chaps, and bibs made of 420 denier briarproof nylon.

So log on to www.cottagecraftworks.com and sit back for a trip in time back to the old country store.

Solid Wood Sewing Machine Cabinets | Best Buys | Sewing Cabinets

Our Amish built sewing cabinets made from solid hardwoods are a real bargain compared to the particle board cabinets being sold.

Check out both and compare before you buy.  Read more about the differences by viewing my Hub on Hub Pages at the link below.

http://lizstevens.hubpages.com/_1u9mpimfdt8jz/hub/-Sewing-Cabinet-Solid-Wood-Sewing-Room-Furniture-Organization

See our selection of Amish sewing cabinets including our very popular reproduction Singer Treadle sewing cabinets. www.cottagecraftworks.com

Hand Pumps | Water | Wells | Windmill Pumps | Windmills

USA Made hand water well pumps and windmills are still pumping fresh water in remote locations where electricity is not available.  They also make a wonderful water backup during power outages.

Read more about the different types of water well pumps and windmill applications at the link below.

http://lizstevens.hubpages.com/_1u9mpimfdt8jz/hub/Hand-Pump-Water-Well-Pitcher-Deep-Well-Pumps

Water well pumps and windmills can still be purchased at www.cottagecraftworks.com

Sewing Cabinets | Hardwood | Solid Wood | Custom Made | High End

Before you buy a sewing cabinet do your homework.  You can purchase a high end Amish custom made sewing cabinet at the same price or cheaper than particle board. 

There’s just no comparison in the quality craftsmanship of an Amish sewing cabinet to what is being sold in sewing machine stores.

The prices being asked for particle board sewing cabinets just doesn't make any sense at all, except it’s being made for a niche group.

Compared to the same quality of a particle board desk in an office supply store to these particle board sewing cabinet price point just doesn't match up.  

You can purchase a solid wood desk for this type of money and in fact you can purchase an Amish solid wood oak sewing cabinet at or below this amount as well.

At Cottage Craft Works .com we offer Amish sewing cabinets starting at around $1600 up to under $2500 for the most deluxe cabinet with serger lift and stowage compartment.

Even with freight delivery we can place a custom made future family heirloom in your sewing room for what you would have purchased in particle board laminate cabinet for.

Amish sewing cabinets still use old world dove tail drawer construction with full extension high end drawer pull outs.  Particle board cabinet drawers are butt jointed glued and stapled.

Doors are built with rail and panel construction instead of being pressed molded and covered with a plastic cover.  You can even select from four door styles.

Hardware is still mortised into the wood instead of just screwed on the top.

Accessories trays and spool racks are made of wood on pull out slides instead of cheap plastic screwed on the back of the doors.

Do your own home work.   Shop the particle board cabinets and then compare to our solid wood cabinets.  www.cottagecraftworks.com

Self Sufficient Living, how to get started, what it means

See our Hub Page article on self sufficient living basics on getting started toward self sufficiency.

http://lizstevens.hubpages.com/_1u9mpimfdt8jz/hub/Self-Sufficient-Living-Green-Living-Going-Off-Grid-Sustainable-Living#comment-11984230

Find over 5000 old fashioned products including books on all types of Amish self sustaining living at www.cottagecraftworks.com

Rainwater and Gray Water Collection Systems

Rainwater collection systems are already the way many depend on their water supply.  As our population continues to grow and the water supply levels drop, this may become the way of life for many more.  Gray water collection will likely enter into water conservation in coming years.

Click on the link to my Hub Page article to read more.

http://lizstevens.hubpages.com/_1u9mpimfdt8jz/hub/Water-Conservation-Water-Well-Cisterns-Rain-Water-Holding-Tanks

Be sure to see all of our Heller Aller hand water pumps for a dependable hand pump. They are USA made and have been in business since the 1800s.  We also carry the Aermotor water pumping windmill.  Just like the well pumps they have also been made in the USA for as long.  Click Here to learn more.

Off-Grid Power Plants Cost and Considerations.

http://lizstevens.hubpages.com/_1u9mpimfdt8jz/hub/Off-Grid-Country-Living-Frugal-Lifestyle-Products

Homemade Ice Cream | Maker | Pie Crust | Roller | Crimper | Fry Pie Maker

There’s probably not a more traditional summer treat than a big scoop of homemade ice cream on top of a homemade hot fruit pie.

The good old fashioned ice cream makers are hard to find these days and replacement parts for the old White Mountain freezers are very hard to locate.

Like most things that were once American made ice cream freezers have been economized to the point they are almost a seasonal use item that may last only a few summers.

Whatever happened to the ones that were American made of thick wooden slabs and heavy duty gear boxes that would last a family for at least couple generations?

Well we found them actually still being made deep into the Amish communities.  The Amish love big church and social gatherings out underneath shade trees on a hot summer day.

What better way to cool off than a big dish of homemade ice cream.  Add a few fresh strawberries and you have a treat that will last for the rest of the weekend.

Country Ice Cream Freezers are Amish made and come in sizes from 1 qt all the way up to 20 qt.  The 20 qt size is even available mounted on a wagon complete with a John Deere Hit and Miss motor.

Cottage Craft Works .com is an online general store that specializes in old fashioned country products that are made and used in the Amish communities.

They carry all the Country Freezer models and even carry a 6 and 8 quart model in an electric version that probably won’t be found anywhere else on the Internet.

They also carry all the replacement parts for both White Mountain and Country Freezers.

While visiting the site take a look at The Little Pie Maker.  It’s also an Amish made hand crank machine used in the Amish communities to add a fried fruit pie to go along with that bowl of ice cream.

It’s a commercial grade machine that’s in reach of the home to small commercial kitchen budget.  It will fold and crimp  3-1/2” x 5” pies  as fast as you can make and load the pie dough.

Master Gardeners, who are they and how to become one yourself. No degree required!

In return for their training and certification. Master Gardeners volunteer time back to the community to help others.

If you live close to a large university or county extension office with an active Master Gardener program, have time to volunteer, and want to meet new people, this might be a great educational program for you.

Through local county extension offices affiliated with state universities local community people who love to grow flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, and gardening, and who are willing to volunteer to help others can receive extensive training to achieve the certification of a Master Gardener.

It’s a perfect opportunity to learn a new chapter or life journey while meeting new people without having to enroll into expensive college level courses.

People of all ages and walks of life join these county extension programs to learn about the culture and maintenance of plants that work best in their zones.

It’s a perfect opportunity for the retired or for the youth committed to learning new back to basic skills while giving time to others.

There’s hardly any college level programs available for free or such low cost that gives so much to an individual and to a community.

Some Master Gardener programs may require a token fee of around $50 to cover the cost of books and supplies.

Some programs will also require a small annual fee under $20.

Becoming a Master Gardener, might just give a person a good second career or supplemental income.

Many garden centers and nurseries seek out and hire Master Gardeners to assist and advise customers on plant questions.

As people are becoming more concerned about the safety and increasing cost of vegetables, they are returning back to old fashion gardening skills.

A Master Gardener program helps people get back-to-basics of growing things themselves.

Others are interested in maintaining the perfect yard and balance of seasonal colors through healthy plantings.

From a beginner to a long time gardener it’s at best difficult to keep up with new growing techniques, more tolerable varieties and control of plant diseases.

Master Gardener students receive a university designed curriculum training on all types of plant diseases, beneficial and non-beneficial bugs, planting and plant care.

Classes are usually held on campus or at the extension office. Students might attend class one night per week for up to three months, and then have additional training in the extension office greenhouse and gardens.

They are then required to maintain a certain number of continuing education to maintain their Master Gardener Certification. Depending on the state requirements continuing education hours should be around 10 hours per year.

In return for the training Master Gardeners agree to volunteer a minimum number of hours per year working in the extension office gardens, greenhouse or in the office helping the public with gardening and plant questions. Most states only require as little as 50 hours per year.

People also meet many new lifelong friends who share in similar interest. Besides the extension office experience, they help in the green houses and manicured gardens that greet new visitors seeking information about plantings.

Master Gardeners also participate in annual plant sells, conferences and public events to educate the general public about all aspects of growing.

If you enjoy plants, the outdoors, live close to an active Master Gardener program, and have time to train and then volunteer. You might want to contact your local Master Gardener Coordinator, just Google Search County Extension Office or Master Gardner programs for your area.

You can find all types of old fashioned garden tools, hand push cultivators, carts and wagons at www.cottagecraftworks.com

Amish Kitchen Products | Non-electric | Off-Grid | Kitchen Tools | Gadgets

Cottage Craft Works Country Living General Store will surprise you with an emporium of all types of   Amish kitchen tools and gadgets.

If your looking for simple back-to-basic kitchen counter top appliances and gadgets, this store will intrigue you for hours.  Cottage Craft Works .com has some of the hardest to find non-electric kitchen tools, gadgets and appliances.

From American made pressure cookers, canners, to heavy duty commercial grade hand crank conversion mixers and food processors, Cottage Craft Works has went deep inside the Amish communities to find and bring to the general market items that will satisfy the prepper to vintage kitchen lover cook.

                                                        www.cottagecraftworks.com

The Popular Little Dutch Maid Mixer has been sold around the world.  It's a hand crank mixer that will mix large batches of bread dough and mashed potatoes as well as general mixer uses.  Add the optional slicer and shredder to have a complete hand crank off-grid food processor.

For the Kitchen Aid lovers, an Amish hand crank conversion mixer is also available, or you can have an old mixer converted.

The Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Drainboard is an extremely popular product, read the review and see just how practical and popular this drainboard has become.  Like many of the Amish products at Cottage Craft Works you won't find it any where else on the Internet.

The Little Pie Maker is also a very popular Amish made product.  Since it was first offered home kitchens as well as commercial kitchen owners and caterers have been extremely pleased to finally have a heavy commercial grade pie roller that didn't cost them a fortune.

USA Stoneware Pottery at Cottage Craft Works, provides a large selection of the old fashioned mixing and batter bowls, crocks, and churns.

You will want to spend time looking over the many different kitchen products at Cottage Craft Works .com

Amish Products | Amish Home Products

Everything Amish- this unique online Amish product general store will fascinate you for hours looking through all the old fashioned products made and used in the Amish communities.

Whether you're looking for off-grid non-electric or old fashioned reproduction Amish products for the home you will likely find it at the back-to-basics general store.

Working directly with over 100 Amish shops from across the Midwest, Cottage Craft Works brings you high quality hand crafted Amish products that you may have thought no longer existed.

And if you need something custom made, you will find ready and eager to assist customer service to help you with all your project needs.

From woodworking to stainless steel fabrication Cottage Craft Works has provided custom made products to homes, business, as well as commercial and industrial users.

Product pages are also very custom friendly.  By using drop down boxes at the bottom of the product pages you can select such things, as size, color, woods, and additional features.

You can even build a complete box wagon, add the bows and canvas to make it a covered wagon, or even add a chuck box and order an Amish built authentic chuck wagon.

                                                        www.cottagecraftworks.com

Amish sewing cabinets are a specialty for Cottage Craft Works.  They are the only Amish furniture outfitter that will build custom cabinets with choices of hardwoods, door and drawer fronts, and cabinet configuration for both left and right hand sewers.

The popular stunning reproduction Singer treadle sewing cabinets receive raving reviews.

Exclusive and original products. Many of the products at Cottage Craft Works are exclusive Amish products that you will not find anywhere on the Internet.  From the J & P Coats reproduction Spool Cabinet to The Little Pie Maker, Cottage Craft Works has developed relationships with Amish shops over the past 30 years to make practical heavy duty products.

Its the type of products that once you have them you will wonder how you ever did without them.  The Amish made stainless steel drain boards are another popular item.  These heavy duty kitchen sink drain boards will only enhance a new stainless steel kitchen while providing protection of new granite counter tops and kitchen cabinets.  Extra large drainboard size allows plenty of room for a standard drying rack with space for long kitchen utensils.  Need one built different just click on custom size using the drop down box at the bottom of the page and send them your measurements.

Need a replacement gun stock?  Yes you will find them at Cottage Craft Works as well as one of the largest online selections of hunting and game calls, leather and nylon gun holsters and gun accessories.

The Amish hand carved gun stocks were even featured in the March 2011 issue of Outdoor Life Magazine.