FTM Intro

MapleMomma · December 2014

Hello ladies!

I've been watching from a far for awhile, but wanted to introduce myself. I am a ftm, due in February, team green. DH and I live on a farm with cattle, crops, and maple woods. He also owns a construction company. I will stay at home once baby is here.

So far for my cloth stash I have:

12 NB aio grovias
12 fuzzbunz (I think like 24 inserts)
12 grovia hybrids (24 inserts)
100 double flannel wipes.

3 pail liners (pul fabric)
1 small wet bag

I made my own laundry detergent (borax, baking soda, Epsom salt, grated castile soap)

I plan to make my own diaper cream with beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter, & jojoba oil.

And I have 2 more small wet bags on the list to be made.

Anything in missing? Suggestions?

Smallllmin · December 2014

Welcome!

You'll definitely want more wet bags ...oops I'm oblivious.

Have you considered trying prefolds and covers? A lot of people seem to like those for the newborn stage.
Also, coconut oil by itself makes a great diaper cream... and it's less work!

stoneycakes · December 2014

Welcome to the board! There's another regular poster here whose name starts with Maple so don't be surprised if people start asking you food questions

MapleMomma · December 2014

stoneycakes said:
Welcome to the board! There's another regular poster here whose name starts with Maple so don't be surprised if people start asking you food questions

I can handle food, craft/stamping/sewing/cricut, and HR/FMLA leave questions.

stoneycakes · December 2014

Mapleme said:

Hello other Maple! Welcome to the board and to CDs!

It's dueling Maples!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj9ghC2SgbY

km_md · December 2014

Welcome to the board!

redrockmama · December 2014

Welcome, I'm a little jealous,I wish I lived on a farm.

CLLDLL · December 2014

Welcome! Congrats on your pregnancy. I second trying prefolds or even flats for the NB stage.

Speaking of maples, I listened to a fascinating podcast about a new method of harvesting (is that the right term?) sap for syrup. Apparently you cut the top off a young tree, leaving enough for it to regrow next season, and put this gas mask looking device on top of it to suck out the sap. I can't imagine driving by and seeing a whole tree farm with "gas masks" on. Anyway, fun fact of the day.

stoneycakes · December 2014

CLLDLL said:

Welcome! Congrats on your pregnancy. I second trying prefolds or even flats for the NB stage. Speaking of maples, I listened to a fascinating podcast about a new method of harvesting (is that the right term?) sap for syrup. Apparently you cut the top off a young tree, leaving enough for it to regrow next season, and put this gas mask looking device on top of it to suck out the sap. I can't imagine driving by and seeing a whole tree farm with "gas masks" on. Anyway, fun fact of the day.

Hm. That must be a way to cheat and get sap from a young tree because you're not supposed to tap them unless they're something like 12" in diameter. Did you guys know you can tap your own maple trees in your yard? There are a lot of different breeds of maple trees that you can make syrup from. My dad did this when I was a kid and we only got like a 1/4 c of maple syrup from the gallon of sap we collected, but it was an awesome experience.

stoneycakes · December 2014

Stop copying me, Maple.

MapleMomma · December 2014

Mapleme said:

CLLDLL said:
Welcome! Congrats on your pregnancy. I second trying prefolds or even flats for the NB stage.

Speaking of maples, I listened to a fascinating podcast about a new method of harvesting (is that the right term?) sap for syrup. Apparently you cut the top off a young tree, leaving enough for it to regrow next season, and put this gas mask looking device on top of it to suck out the sap. I can't imagine driving by and seeing a whole tree farm with "gas masks" on. Anyway, fun fact of the day.
I'm sure the other maple can speak more to it, but if it became a thing, it would completely transform the industry. Currently sugar maples need to be 40ish years old to produce sap for syrup, but this method can use young trees. So a single farmer could clear cut a swath of land, plant trees in neat farm rows and start harvesting before too long. That would be totally different from the current practice of buying (or inheriting) a mountain with a mature sugarbush and planting new trees for future generations. I don't think I like the idea of what that would do to the Vermont landscape.

I would think that it would change the whole flavor of the syrup. The maple woods we tap (40 acres) have been tapped by our family for 135 years. We obviously plant new trees every so often. But likely my baby will have babies by the time the trees I plant are tapped.

Also- I highly encourage people to try tapping the tree in their front yard. It will give you a whole new appreciation for how it is done. However, your syrup will likely not turn out like ours, because by the time you collect enough sap to boil it will have started to go bad. (we boil ws we pull it off the trees)

@Mapleme‌ where do you live?

MapleMomma · December 2014

@Mapleme‌ I actually live in Long Rapids, MI. You must be in Vermont?

Smallllmin · December 2014

So jealous of all you farmers.
All I want for Christmas is chickens.

...oh, and diapers.

MapleMomma · December 2014

farmrsboywife said:

Smallllmin said:
So jealous of all you farmers.
All I want for Christmas is chickens.

...oh, and diapers.
I want a pig.. I don't think I'm getting it.

Last year I got a cow for Christmas. Her name is Annie and I adore her!

Smallllmin · December 2014

MapleMomma said:

So jealous of all you farmers.
All I want for Christmas is chickens.

...oh, and diapers.
I want a pig.. I don't think I'm getting it.
Last year I got a cow for Christmas. Her name is Annie and I adore her!

Best. Christmas. Evar.

Also, can I come over? It sounds way more fun than where I live.

freezorburn · December 2014

Welcome! Looking forward to hearing more about life on the farm.

You probably want 24 more NB diaper changes. You might consider prefolds or flats, with a few fitteds thrown in. Very reliable and economical.

There are a few ladies here who have experience using homemade detergent, so you might start a thread to ask about what has worked for them. I think Castile soap is one of those ingredients that people get mixed results with, depending on what other factors you are dealing with (water quality, type of machine, etc.).

Kelly11235 · December 2014

Yeah I was going to mention the castille soap too.

If your inserts start getting stinky or not absorbing well, come on back and we'll help you figure it out

Cloth diapers are really pretty simple, unless you make them difficult.

Mmmmm maple syrup *drool*.

ArmyMedic7588 · December 2014

Ugh. All this talk of farms makes me miss home. Currently live in NJ (please don't judge me... I hate jersey too. Sorry to any Jersey moms, but I'm not from here). Grew up on a dairy/cattle farm in south central PA. Can someone adopt me (and hubby and LO) for their farm?

Smallllmin · December 2014

ArmyMedic7588 said:

Ugh. All this talk of farms makes me miss home. Currently live in NJ (please don't judge me... I hate jersey too. Sorry to any Jersey moms, but I'm not from here). Grew up on a dairy/cattle farm in south central PA. Can someone adopt me (and hubby and LO) for their farm?

^^ This!
Except I'm on LI...
Not sure which is worse lol.