Mini- Homestead

A New (Blog) Home

2011-11-11T10:49:00.001-05:00

I've moved the blog to Mini-Hearthstead. All the archives will be moved there over time, and this site deleted, so please update your bookmarks. All new posts are at the new site.

Thank you!

Independance Day Challenge, 2 October 2011

2011-10-02T11:20:00.001-04:00

The past week or two I've been focusing on getting the house neatened up - back to where 'clean' is easy to maintain & piles don't breed when I blink. Yule is coming, school has started, and the days are getting shorter. Everyone is enjoying the fall & winter recipes I've started making again. Next up, getting warmer clothes out. All I have right now is shorts!

1. Gardening: Nothing, just keeping things watered.

2. Waste not (preparations): nothing.

3. Want not (manage your stores): Refreshing my stash in Ravelry, so that I can use it as a reminder of what I have & where. Applying a bit more logic to storage locations as I go, and frogging projects I know I'll never finish.

4. Build community: Met a new neighbor.

5. Eat the food: I'm actually planning meals lately - always a challenge for me. I found a recipe for the ground elk so one day soon we'll have elk meatball sandwiches. Part of the focus has been to eat out the fridge/freezer - both are extremely full. I want to make pumpkin pie, and can't, because there's no room in the fridge for it! Three people can't eat the entire pie in one sitting, after all.

6. Crafting: Did a few stash-busting projects, and will restart another hibernating project here shortly.

Independance Day Update - 18 Sept. 2011

2011-09-18T22:27:00.000-04:00

It's been a quiet weekend, rainy and pleasant. I've caught up on some of my reading as I wait for new books to come in. Fall is sneaking in slowly, and I'm starting to pull out clothes and linens for the cooler weather. Mostly because I want to; 60-70'f isn't really cold except that it's cooling off from 90'f and it's damp. And I really want it to be closer to 50'f. Yes, my favorite seasons are fall and winter.

1. Gardening: Checked the sweet potatoes on the balcony. The ones I've kind of ignored all year. All the originals are still edible, and I pulled a fingerling-sized new one. The rest are still in the pots to give them more time to grow. Still - SUCCESS! I can grow sweet potatoes on our shady balcony! With more attention, I should get a reasonable harvest next year.

2. Waste not (preparations): nada

3. Want not (manage your stores): zip

4. Build community: zilch

5. Eat the food: Shepherd's pie, apple pie, spaghetti. Nice warm favorite foods. Yum.

6. Crafting: Making Sweetie a basic-but-warm wool hat. He needs it in the rain/drizzle we've had the last couple of days.

Independence Day Challenge: 5 Sept. 2011

2011-09-05T13:29:00.003-04:00

It now looks like both Katia and Lee will miss us, which works for me! We are still ready, if a bit shorter on cat food. I'll get more end of this week.

1. Gardening:
**Pulled up the tomatoes (all done, except the Sungold. VERY happy with that variety!) & bell peppers (all done). Pulled carrots, which really could have used more time in the ground but they had to be pulled per our schedule. The pink-eye peas are attempting to grow but the deer have other ideas.
**On the balcony, I bought some impatiens and planted them so there is something pretty to look at. They'll last till first frost, then I'll plant pansies and start planning for spring. The sweet potatoes are still growing well and the herbs are thinking about forgiving me after this summer's neglect. They are not happy.

2. Waste not (preparations):
**Scanning family photos and some documents onto the portable hard drive. In case of hurricane evacuation, we can grab the hard drive and the control journal and be able to reconstruct a lot of things. We'll still loose a lot, but at least we won't loose as much.
**We're working on re-assembling the Singer 66 I have - we had to break down the table; now we are working on replacing the destroyed parts and re-assembling it.
**Bikes have been assessed; we need fenders and possibly chain guards for winter (rainy season) riding. Also need to see about ponchos or other ways to keep the legs dry.

3. Want not (manage your stores):Canned 18 pints of venison stew, using our carrots & onions. This gets the venison out of the freezer, where it laid in wait to fall on you as you opened the door. Also it used about half the carrots we harvested.

4. Build community: giving a friend the info for a farmer that offers beef in bulk that's grass-finished.

5. Eat the food: Yes. I've stayed on budget for food except what I spent on fast food; better planning on my end will take care of that. Hurricane season, and that last close call, are giving me incentive to eat out of the freezer. Tomorrow, venison roast in the crock pot =) Leftover will revisit as a potpie. I miss fall & winter's foods; can someone get the weather to cooperate?

6. Crafting: Spinning my Icelandic fleece, and today I'm washing the fleece I bought last month. I'm still working on the Dragon stocking when I get larger chunks of time.

Independance Day - 30 August 2011

2011-08-30T18:23:00.003-04:00

Hurricane Irene went past us on Saturday. We didn't even lose power. Why would it? We were prepared =) Which is just as well, since Katia might visit next week.

Many of my neighbors seem to think that electricity, either from the grid or from their generator, is a requirement. Our plan of attack is to live without electric, and so we use oil lamps instead of flashlights, solar-heated camp showers, and a camp stove for cooking. Also, we have the setup items for a sawdust toilet, which saves some water. You could also use the water from washing dishes or laundry to flush.

~~~

I'm modifying my version of this checklist again - I do so little gardening that I'm changing it to one item rather than 3. So far, the nice shady patio seems to do best growing leaves & sweet potatoes.

1. Gardening: Cleaned up the balcony, removed dead plants, starting thinking about what to plant over the winter.

2. Waste not (preparations): Bought more lamp oil, more Coleman fuel, and another oil lamp. The new lamp leaks so I will be exchanging it, but otherwise we're quite happy with it. We are staying prepared for hurricanes for the rest of the season.

3. Want not (manage your stores): Water: We have 9 days of water, and I may get more. The store-bought water is kept until about 6 months before its expiration and then we drink it and buy fresh. So far, this is all fresh. I'd like to make up some camping-type foods, as well, that I can have ready if we do lose power for a few days.

4. Build community: Nothing. I hibernated, as a rest from (comparatively) large amounts of seeing the very large extended family.

5. Eat the food: Yes. I can't remember what I've cooked most times, but we are eating out of the pantry!

6. Crafting: I re-started a cross-stitch project - a dragon stocking. Can we hope it's done this year?

Independance Day Challenge 13 August 2011

2011-08-13T14:04:00.002-04:00

I haven't been posting as regularly for a small host of reasons. I've made two trips to New England this summer, the car died and hasn't yet been replaced, and I feel like I've gone full-tilt for two months now. Today is a rest day, so I'm puttering about doing various things in between bouts of computer games. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

1. Plant something: Nothing. Lack of access to garden: 10 miles = 1 hour by bus.

2. Harvest something: A bit of tomatoes and bell peppers. The tomatoes are nearly done, same with the cucumbers. We won't grow cantaloupe again unless it's in the backyard - we've grown it, just to remove all the overripe ones! We just couldn't harvest them in a timely manner. The pink-eye peas are doing very well with the neglect they're getting, though.

3. Preserved something: I can't remember when we made things, but we made sweet relish, and I'm aiming for more pickles and to dry sweet bells and tomato paste today.

4. Waste not (preparations): Getting in better shape by riding my bike. Also, up north I found a food mill with 3 sieve-pieces for $18 and an older enamel tea kettle, that I brought home.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Does catching up on cleaning count?

6. Build community: nothing.

7. Eat the food: Enjoying venison given to us by a friend.

8. Crafting: Almost done spinning singles with the SeaGlass fiber I bought in New Hampshire last year, and getting closer to done with spinning singles with the Icelandic as well. I am attempting to work on my lace gloves but the are a challenge! Also, I'm crocheting seat pads for our kitchen chairs. It's a brainless project, which is nice.

Independance Day Challenge 1 August 2011

2011-08-01T19:14:00.003-04:00

Our garden doesn't look like much right now, with half of it ripped out and the rest looking tired! We need to see about getting some fall plants started soon.

1. Plant something: pink-eye peas. Prepped a few more areas for the next round, as well.

2. Harvest something: cantaloupe, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, last of the green beans, chard, first of the carrots.

3. Preserved something: Canned up some tomatoes - 4 pints diced, 2 pints of 'tomato drippings' to use in winter broths.

4. Waste not (preparations): Not sure if this falls here, but for a while our main mode of transportation will be bicycles & the bus. Interesting to get groceries this way =)

5. Want not (manage your stores): Better organization (an ongoing challenge!)

6. Build community: I talked to someone about canning food while at the grocery store - she seems more willing to try it now, said it doesn't sound as hard as she thought. Yay!

7. Eat the food: Homemade lo mein with fresh veggies from the garden (peppers, chard, green beans, carrots). Snacking on cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and cabbage stored in the fridge since harvest (still good as new)

8. Crafting: Working on the Twin-Leaf gloves; had to restart them in a yarn better suited to the pattern.

Catching up

2011-07-20T22:08:00.000-04:00

I'm back! Sorry about the long break; I knew I'd be gone a few days over the holiday to visit family but wasn't expecting to get swamped when I got back.

1. Plant something: Nothing recently.

2. Harvest something: Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, green beans, cucumbers, Tangerine tomatoes, Sungold cherry tomatoes, beets, turnips & swiss chard.

3. Preserved something: Dried green beans, sweet bell peppers, zucchini and squash chips. Canned 24 pints yellow squash. More is waiting to be done, we just need time! We did get 4 more trays of pint jars because we were out.

4. Waste not (preparations): nothing.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Looking for bare spots so we know what we should put up for winter.

6. Build community: Talking with others at the community garden.

7. Eat the food: Yellow squash. Endless snackings of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Green beans.

8. Crafting: The 'Cold Shoulders' shawl is pretty much done; I just need to add the button to close it with. I've re-started my Twin Leaf fingerless gloves in a different yarn that is better suited to the pattern.

The Zucchini Bat

2011-06-27T20:09:00.004-04:00

This is what happens when you don't keep up with them. We were there last Thursday; then the car broke down and we didn't get there again until tonight. The 16-inch-long, 3 1/2lb 'bat' was the same size as the smaller one 5 days ago. These are off the same plant.

Also, just for fun I've added a page called "Harvest 2011." I'm keeping track of the harvest, plus the prices (commercial and organic) with a running total at the top. It's interesting to see the numbers, and know we'll benefit all year from the garden. Anything not eaten fresh will be put up for winter - that's why we have a 40-foot row of tomatoes!

Harvest Note

2011-06-24T19:18:00.001-04:00

Our garden is just getting started with production. We've lost a few tomatoes to worms, and had a few things not come up. There are still bare spots in there. I didn't pay for all of the seeds and seedlings, but we have put $100 or so into the garden for trellising, mulch, and the like.

Today, I decided to weigh our current harvest - what we haven't eaten yet, and harvested this week. I'm also listing what these items cost locally. Our food is organic; prices listed are commercially grown and then Organic.

2 heads Cabbage (3lbs):

$.69/lb = $2.07
Organic:$1.69/lb = $5.07

14 oz Turnip Greens:

$.99/lb = $0.86
Organic not available

7lb 14oz Yellow Squash:

$1.99/lb = $15.67
Organic: $2.99/lb= $23.55

3lb Zucchini:

$1.99/lb = $5.97
Organic:$3.50/lb = $10.50

9 Cucumbers (5 3/4lb):

$.79 each = $7.11
Organic: $1.69 each = $15.21

12 oz Tomatoes:

$2.99/lb = $2.25.
Organic: $4.99/lb = $3.75

11oz SunGold cherry tomatoes:

$.30/oz = $3.30
Organic not available

Total Commercial Value= $37.23

Total Organic Value = $58.08, not including cherry tomatoes and turnip greens.

Looking at the price ratios (commercial vs. organic), it looks like Organic cherry tomatoes would be $.49/oz, so $4.90 for our harvest. Turnip greens tend to run half the price of collard greens, which they do offer organic, so half that price would be $1.25/lb = $1.09, bringing the total for Organics to $64.07.

$64 in food, plus what we've already eaten. And we're just getting started. Nice!

Prices for this post came from the online section of Harris Teeter stores in Virginia.

Ripping a Seam - Skirt Modification

2011-06-23T22:20:00.001-04:00

I made a skirt following these instructions - mostly. Instead of linen, I used cotton eyelet fabric with a lining of plain white cotton (since you could see through the eyelet, even where it was solid!). So instead of flipping the waistband over to form the channel for the ribbon tie, I sewed the plain cotton to the eyelet (front sides together), flipped the plain cotton to the inside of the skirt, and added two small grommet holes for the ribbon to come through. I then sewed the two layers together again about an inch below the first seam, forming the ribbon channel.

This all worked great, till I put it on.

I take long strides. Too long for the way I had made the skirt. So, I need to add a slit to the back of the skirt, where the seam in the 'tube' is. That's what I'm showing here.

1. Decide how long you want the slit to be. I made mine about 6 inches long. Using a fabric pencil or tailor's chalk to mark the length on the fabric. Don't worry, it will wash out.

2. Rip out the existing seam up to the mark you made. You'll need a seam ripper - they are inexpensive, and are sold at any fabric store.
Use the seam ripper to pick out one or two stitches, then pull them apart with your fingers. After about a half-inch to an inch is loose, you should be able to see the stitches much better and can use the seam ripper to pull them out easily. Be careful not to rip the fabric! In this picture, you can see two stitches on the seam ripper, one right behind the red knob.

2. Iron out the wrinkles and folds.

3. Iron in the folds that you want. This will make hemming easier.

Fold once, 1/4" to 1/8" towards the wrong side of the fabric. Iron.
Fold again, the same way. Iron.

4. Re-enforce the end of the seam you just ripped open, so that it won't rip farther. I did this by sewing over the last half an inch, turning the fabric, and re-sewing what I'd just gone over. I made sure to lock the stitches both where I started and when I finished.

Lock stitches by sewing 3 or 4 stitches, and (1)sewing backwards over them, and then sewing forward again; or (2) lifting the pressure foot and moving the fabric so the needle is once again over the place you started sewing. Option 2 works on sewing machines that don't sew backwards, like mine.
Turn the fabric by making sure the needle was through the fabric, lift the pressure foot, then turn the fabric and put the foot back down. Once the foot is back down you can start sewing again. This is great for sharp corners, as well.

5. Hem the edges of the slit.

Looking at the wrong side of the fabric, hold the ironed folds so that they are flat on one side of the seam. Line this up with the sewing needle, starting at the bottom of the skirt, so that you're sewing towards the waist of the skirt.
Sew the hem in place, at the fold farther from the edge. You can see what I mean about the hem in the picture below.
Don't forget to lock your stitches!
Repeat on the other side.

Our Garden - Pictures!

2011-06-21T19:18:00.004-04:00

Photos from 6/20:

South-east corner, above. Left to right: Chard, butternut squash on trellis, green beans, snacking tomatoes, onions.

Northeast corner, above. Left to right: Tomatoes, onions, carrots behind the onions, cucumbers, cabbage behind them; fresh tilled spot with beets behind.

North-west corner, above. Left to right: Various peppers , a zucchini in between bare spots, a bare 1/3 row in front of the carrots, then the canning tomatoes.

Snacking tomatoes - we have one each of Sungold, Tangerine, Sugar Baby, German Striped, and another red slicing tomato. These are just for eating fresh; the canning tomatoes are Big Bog to be pressure-canned this year. Everything is organic! The mulches are straw and wood chip; pine mulch is next. This is a learning year =)

Chicken notes

2011-06-20T17:32:00.001-04:00

My friend has chickens - two breeds right now: Rhode Island Reds and Delawares, as well as the Bourbon Red turkeys. The links have nice information about the breeds but don't mention the sounds. Did you know the Rhode Island Reds cluck/chirp and almost sound like they're purring? While the Delawares squawk and are much louder! They're also twice as big.

The turkeys - they make a bit of noise but to me it was no problem. And they gobble back at you, which is kinda fun =)

I think they breed for white 'dark meat' on some birds - I've seen birds I know were pastured, and the 'dark meat' was as pale as the breasts. For those of us who like dark meat - on the Delawares and the Bourbon Reds, it's a nice red color. See? I don't know about the Rhode Island Reds, though.

Independance Days - 19 June 2011

2011-06-19T12:09:00.003-04:00

1. Plant something: Put stalks of spearmint in a pot to root & start me a new plant - just have to keep it watered! The empty places in the garden are tilled and will be planted later in the week.

2. Harvest something: Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, cucumbers, Tangerine tomatoes, Sungold cherry tomatoes, cabbage, baby turnips & greens.

3. Preserved something: nothing left to preserve yet; we're eating it all!

4. Waste not (preparations): nothing.

5. Want not (manage your stores): nothing.

6. Build community: Spent a day at farmer-friends, giving her a day off and learning from her. I know how to cure the onions, and how to tell if the cabbage is ready to harvest or not.

7. Eat the food: Turnip greens, yellow squash. Eating a lot of melons right now but they're all from the store right. Sliced cucumbers are a favorite snack & we've gotten the first ones from the garden!

8. Crafting: I finished the Gir hat, and started a 'Cold Shoulders' shawl. I also made lace-fabric fingerless gloves to go with daughter's formal gown, and lace-fabric 'sheers' for her window. No, she's not 'girly,' but black-and-red curtains always look nice =)

Day of Surprises

2011-06-06T17:27:00.000-04:00

Saturday was like Yule for me!

I had a major find at the thrift store, of something I have been wanting, and it's even more helpful than I had hoped. According to various internet sources, it's an Accordion Sewing Box from the 1950's:

All we need to do is replace the 'pull handles' it used to have on the side. We've already bought brass drawer handles for it.

Also, my Blue Mountain handcards came in the mail today:

Independance Day - 5 June 2010

2011-06-05T15:59:00.004-04:00

Just a quick update today - we've got a day full of thunderstorms and much-needed rain. Nice soaking rain in there with the downpours, which is good. We did get more wood mulch for the garden, plus the trellises we need. They'd be put in today, but it was raining at dawn, so we'll do that as soon as the weather lets us!

1. Plant something: Nothing this week.

2. Harvest something: Endive. Note to self: deal with freshly harvested food THAT NIGHT. Do not allow to rot on kitchen counter.

3. Preserved something: Nothing this week.

4. Waste not (preparations): Nothing this week.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Better organization of house. I cleaned all the things on Saturday - enough that I had sore muscles afterwards!

6. Build community: nothing.

7. Eat the food: yes =) Nothing special, no new foods/recipes.

8. Crafting: Lots of sewing, working on Grr hat. I'm on my last two started-and-stalled sewing projects!

Indepedance Days - 22 May 2011

2011-05-22T11:38:00.003-04:00

The garden is well-started. We need to put up the trellising for the squashes & cucumbers, and when the plants are tall enough we'll get another bale of straw for mulch. It comes with wheat seeds, but the weeds (wheat seedlings) will at least be easier to pull from damp ground, and since we're still hauling our water up there it's worth it to shade the soil and keep the moisture longer. We're still under moderate drought here, according to the US Drought Monitor.

I've also been focusing on the house. I've felt for awhile that it was getting out of control - drifts of stuff piling up in corners or around furniture. It's aggravating for me when it does this, so I've been going through, straightening up and putting things away. Almost nothing ever gets put back exactly where it came from, so when I dust (by moving the items and wiping down the shelf) it's amazing how much less goes back on the shelf and how much neater things are. And I've made some good progress on piles that had to be dealt with rather than put away. Very satisfying to accomplish this.

1. Plant something: I don't think we planted anything this week, actually. I need to check the garden and see what we have left for room to plant more.

2. Harvest something: The turnip thinnings.

3. Preserved something: Just the strawberries, so far.

4. Waste not (preparations): Nothing this week.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Organizing the pantry and just the house in general.

6. Build community: Finding & buying from the local lady with the strawberries.

7. Eat the food: Turnip greens. Ponsett -yes, everyone else spells in pancit, and you can use really really thin rice noodles from the Asian section of the store. Yummy & very easy.

8. Crafting: Sewing - I've done half the sewing pile I had, and finished all the pillowcases. Lots of this stuff has essentially been sewing seams where needed.

Getting the Garden Started

2011-05-20T20:53:00.000-04:00

Note: Original post was attempted on April 18. I wanted to add pictures. I just got the pictures in the computer. Please forgive the delay, and enjoy the post, yes?

We're starting with this:

The first day, we went out and edged the plot, raked it well, and removed any weeds or roots we found. The second day, we weeded and then hoed and raked the beds - removing weeds and then chopping any roots we missed. We're calling it 'preventive weeding' - anything that we get now, is less weeding we do later! Since we go in the evening, anything on the top after Day 1 or Day spent the day withering in the sun - it's mid-70's here both days.

We got compliments while we were working - and I found it neat that a younger couple might do the preventive weeding after seeing us do it, while the older couple with the plot next to ours commented they'd done it yesterday.

Day 3 we planted what we have and watered it. We'll keep going back nightly to water and weed to keep up on things. I still have to order herbs, and find potatoes to plant. (note: never found them, too late in my area)

A good start:

First Harvests

2011-05-19T23:06:00.003-04:00

From the garden: A mix of turnip and chard seedlings from thinning our plantings today. Very yummy when we steamed them for dinner!

From the balcony, a scented bouquet. Clockwise, from top left is rosemary, lemon balm (in the 'center'). cilantro, chives, orange mint, and basil. All the herbs were dried for later.

Strawberry season is in full swing, but I don't have pictures because they don't last long enough! Strawberry shortcake desserts, and we have put up 3 dozen half-pints of jams plus dried some as well. And I'll likely put up more - very yummy!

Independance Days - 15 May 2011

2011-05-15T16:14:00.000-04:00

We've been going to the garden about every other night, keeping it weeded and watered. So far all the seeds are coming up fine!

1. Plant something: Cantaloupe, green beans.

2. Harvest something: Herbs from the patio. Strawberries at the pick-your-own farm.

3. Preserved something: Dried the herbs, made strawberry jam.

4. Waste not (preparations): Not really much in this area right now.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Getting together what we'll need to put up the garden's bounty.

6. Build community: Being friendly at the community garden. I'm delighted to see the diversity there!

7. Eat the food: Strawberry shortcake!

8. Crafting: Working on the Grr hat, and on my lacy fingerless gloves.

Teaching Myself to Sew....

2011-05-04T19:01:00.000-04:00

from books and what I remember of a long-ago 8th grade home ec. class. I remembered to lock my stitches and how to sew a hem. That was about it.

I've made a couple of t-shirts, and even adjusted the pattern. That wasn't hard because it had a line saying "add length here" which is what I needed! The one I chose also has three choices for collars and sleeve lengths - which makes it very flexible. The shirts I've made are comfortable and look good. None have sleeves yet, because when I tried to add them I found out they won't fit me without adjusting the pattern. While I do have a book that tells me how to do it, I haven't been that brave yet!

I've also modified pillow cases, made a couple from an extra sheet, and done some basic repairs. If it's fixable and not something I'll be heartbroken to loose, I'll try fixing it and count it no-loss if it doesn't work. So far, so good!

Have you tried to teach yourself something new?

Independance Day 2 May 2011

2011-05-02T19:49:00.003-04:00

The community garden seems to be getting a great response - They started with 20 plots; now there are 78 plots tilled and most of them have something going on. We've got about half of ours in the ground. More seed to plant still, and I want to get a bale or two of straw to mulch with.

1. Plant something: Lots of things! Still more going in, and I need to get seeds and straw for mulch.

2. Harvest something: nothing yet.

3. Preserved something: nothing yet.

4. Waste not (preparations): Making sure we finish eating the leftovers.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Re-made my custom shopping list and used that this month. I'm less likely to forget stuff we need.

6. Build community: Meeting the other folk at the community garden.

7. Eat the food: Yes. LOL still can't remember what we've eaten, other than trying a recipe for lo mien last night. It came out pretty good!

8. Crafting: Finished the commission blanket. Next up is my fingerless gloves.

A New Garden

2011-04-19T18:41:00.002-04:00

Our town finally has a community garden. Newly tilled and fenced, but no water on site. We have a plot, 18x40 feet, facing south. I called my farmer friend for help and we planned what would go where. Since we keep the plot till Nov. 30, we'll have a second round going in when the first round comes out. I'm told that the fall garden will be even better than the summer garden!

Right now, I have about 20 feet of space for herbs. We're growing a double row of green beans, 2 hills of zucchini, 3 of yellow squash, a row of mixed tomatoes, a row of white potatoes, plus carrots, cukes, cantaloupe, butternut squash, onions, and several other things. A fair bit will end up in the pantry - tomatoes, winter squash, onions, potatoes, the herbs and so on. Some of the herbs were chosen for eating fresh - savory doesn't store well, same with chervil, and I'd like to try those. And of course, there are tomatoes, cukes and Ambrosia cantaloupe for eating fresh!

I'm growing both hybrid and heirloom varieties this year. Since I cannot save seed this year and need the best production for putting food up, it's a good compromise.

Hybrids are "plants produced by impregnating the pistil of one species with the pollen of another" (source: About.com) - you can create hybrids in your back yard. GMO is what I try to avoid; those are the ones that are "modified using genetic engineering techniques" (source: Wikipedia) - not something you can do in the backyard! I wanted to clarify that as there is sometimes confusion between to two terms.

Farmer's Market as Training

2011-04-18T17:26:00.001-04:00

I use the Farmer's market as training. All this fresh, local food. I don't even have to grow it. But, how on earth do you cook some of these things? Eggplant? - well, purple is a cool color, but, um, ya - weird food. Zucchini? No idea.

So, I buy a couple here and there of the different things. An eggplant in the fridge until I'm no longer afraid to cook the weird thing. Squash, over and over, till I'm forced to learn new things it can do. Keep the tomato drippings - if they came off tomatoes that yummy, they should be good for something! - Ah, yes, broth for winter's soups.

After doing this for two years, I know not to plant eggplant in our sunny garden, since we don't eat it yet. Summer squash will get planted, and I'll learn more ways to cook and store it. Sungold tomatoes? German Striped slicers? Yum! Cabbage, too, so that I can put up homemade sauerkraut - it's the only kind I can eat. Green beans get a double row, because they'll end up dried or canned in the pantry.

Right now? It's Egg Season (spring). I have 5 dozen eggs in the fridge - yes, five! - so I'm training on how to serve them all! And quiche would be good but isn't on the menu (because of the dairy in it). Hmm... Perhaps I ought to start baking...

Indepedance Day - 17 April 2011

2011-04-17T18:03:00.003-04:00

We get a sunny garden this year! We have a plot at the new community garden, and will be growing food there to put up for the winter.

1. Plant something: Nothing this week. There are, however, trays of plants on the patio that need planting.

2. Harvest something: Nothing.

3. Preserved something: Diced bread for stuffing.

4. Waste not (preparations): Planning the sunny garden and what we should put up for next winter. Writing down ideas for the fall garden, because we will keep the garden plot until Nov. 30.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Re-organized the second pantry so I can find the food =)

6. Build community: My farmer friend helped my plan my sunny garden. I'm helping her when she needs me, too.

7. Eat the food: Is it bad I can't remember what I'm cooking lately? But I am cooking, from scratch and from the pantry.

8. Crafting: Working on the commission blanket.

Independance Day - 10 April 2011

2011-04-10T12:45:00.002-04:00

After I get home from work and take care of the evening routine, I really only have time to work on one project if I still want to relax before going to bed at a decent hour. Makes sense, seems obvious.... but it wasn't.

1. Plant something: nothing this week. I did buy seedling plants of chives, cilantro, basil, and a patio cherry tomato which will get planted sometime this week.

2. Harvest something: a turkey egg at a friend's farm, brought in and put in the incubator. She's trying to get a breeding flock of Bourbon Red turkeys started from the pairs she has now.

3. Preserved something: Nothing this week.

4. Waste not (preparations): Nothing this week.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Nothing this week.

6. Build community: Spent the day helping my friend with her farm yesterday, soaking up information.

7. Eat the food: Usual cooking at home daily (all the meals).

8. Crafting: A bit of spinning and crochet.

Meat Pot Pie - Leftover friendly!

2011-04-07T17:36:00.000-04:00

I had to find a dairy-free version for our family. This is a very leftover-friendly meal! It’s popular, and flexible - I’ll happily put in leftover veggies. Leftover greens are good, too; you can also add turnips or parsnips. The meat is usually leftovers, and the broth is homemade.

Also, if you make too much filling, freeze it in 3 to 4-cup amounts (a quart canning jar of broth with meat or veggies; with both it’s too much) and that’s the right amount.

Pot Pie Recipe

Makes one 9” pie. Can be modified, of course, to make smaller ones.

2 pie crusts
4 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 cups shredded chicken
2 cups chicken broth
about 2 cups of mixed veggies/leftovers
(OR 2 carrots, diced; 2 small potatoes, diced; and 1/3 cup peas)
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning

1) In large saucepan, melt butter (or heat oil). Add celery, garlic, & onion and cook until they start to soften. Add flour, and cook for another minute for the flour to begin to brown.

2) Add broth, a bit at a time, stirring as you go. Add veggies (except peas) and continue cooking as sauce thickens. Add more flour if needed.

3) Remove from heat and add chicken, peas, and poultry seasoning.

4) Put bottom crust in pie pan. Pour in filling, add top crust. Flute edges and cut steam vents.

5) Bake @ 350F for one hour. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Poultry Seasoning Recipe:

makes about 1/2 cup

2 tsp ground sage
1 1/2 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground marjoram
3/4 tsp ground rosemary
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Mix well. Store in glass jar, out of the sunlight.

Ahead of the Bean

2011-04-04T20:02:00.001-04:00

For years, I was unwilling to buy dry beans. I had no idea what I was supposed to do with them, or how to incorporate them into my schedule. I finally decided they were inexpensive enough that I could afford to destroy the food on accident.

It never happened (destroying food, I mean). It's easy to use them. I decide dinner one day in advance anyway; if I make it two days then I have time to soak the beans. Or I can soak extra beans and freeze them, then when I need them it's thaw-and-cook. So now on Taco Night we have homemade refried beans instead of the brand-name canned stuff. I'm still learning the recipe but I have the beans soaked, in the freezer and waiting for me. The home-soaked beans have a better texture than canned ones, as well.

To soak beans for a recipe that calls for canned beans, use about 1 cup of dried beans and remember that they'll need to cook a little longer than the canned beans. Keep an eye on how soft they are to adjust the time, or cook them a little in advance before adding to the recipe (see cooking directions below).

To be 'ahead of the bean,' I will soak a bag of beans starting on Friday, with a change of water on Saturday. The water from the soakings can be re-used for watering plants, if desired. On Sunday I put the beans in fresh water on the stove and cook until they mash easily against the side of the pot with a fork. Not smooshy-soft but with a bit of resistance before they mash. They are then cooled and packed into pint jars with water to cover (remember that 1" to 2" of space at the top). Then label, date, and freeze. I use pint jars for this because one jar is enough to make the refried beans or to add to soups & stews.

Cost-wise, most dried beans run about $1 a pound here. Canned beans run about $1.50 a can, and that bag of dried beans will make two to three cans worth of beans. So that $1 bag of beans is equivalent to $4.50 worth of canned beans. Plus, I've never seen cranberry beans or many other delicious varieties available canned.

Independance Days - 3 April 2011

2011-04-03T19:36:00.002-04:00

1. Plant something: The last of the beets are finally in the ground.

2. Harvest something: nothing, but the Swiss chard looks delicious...

3. Preserved something: Nothing this week. We've been eating out of the freezer rather than filling it.

4. Waste not (preparations): Improved management of finances, working on decluttering again.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Noting what we're eating and what we're not to help me plan what to put up over the summer. I see piles of tomatoes in my future...

6. Build community: Telling folks that our city finally has a community garden. Yes, I have an application in and am waiting to hear back from them.

7. Eat the food: tacos, endless sweet tea, yellow rice served with chickpeas.

8. Crafting: A bit of spinning, a bit of work on the commission blanket.

Spindle by Zebisis Designs

Freezing & Utilizing Leftovers

2011-04-02T21:30:00.001-04:00

Our only freezer space is the freezer on top of the refrigerator. Just to make life fun, the fridge is the however-old one of questionable maintenance that came with the apartment. Dependable, not too much of an energy hog, but still not exactly top of the line. Things do get freezer burn if we're not careful. There's also the option for avalanches if stacking isn't done well! I thought it would be useful to post an overview of what has worked for us when it comes to utilizing our freezer. I'm also including ideas on how to stretch leftovers, so that not-quite-enough becomes plenty for all.

I'm gradually using more glass than plastic when storing food. With glass, it's extra important to leave space a the at the top of each jar to allow for the expansion of the food as it freezes. I always leave at least one inch, preferably two inches, at the top. When I haven't allowed enough space, I've often thawed the food so I can throw out the jar because the bottom broke off! In those instances, I throw out the food too, just to be safe. I don't want to take chances with glass shards.

Quart jars hold 3 cups/24 ounces, which is two to three servings depending on the food. Pint jars hold 2 cups/16 ounces. I will re-use commercial glass jars for this, or I use my regular canning jars. Be careful with the commercial jars as I've found them to be a bit less sturdy than the canning jars. I cool off the food in the fridge, and then transfer it to the freezer.

Keep in mind that some foods will soften due to being frozen. I believe this includes pasta and beans. Detailed information on freezing foods can be found here.

Leftovers

Leftovers are frozen by serving amounts whenever possible. Don't forget to label and date the packages, and to keep them rotated. Not everyone needs to be able to identify frozen broths by color, even if I had to learn the hard way!

Single Servings:
Some leftovers are intended as single-servings, often for me to take to work for lunch. For these, I will set the food up ready-to-eat: Leftover chicken with the stuffing and veggies in the same dish, either side-by-side or stacked; spaghetti with sauce on top and perhaps cheese; etc. Essentially thaw-and-serve. I can take the food out at bedtime, put in the fridge overnight, and then take it to work with me for lunch the next day. I do not refrigerate it at work as it is still slightly frozen and will finish thawing in the morning, while it also cools my drink. I've done this with rice dishes, spaghetti, meats, and veggies - just about anything. Often I pack the food with a pat of butter on top as the extra moisture while reheating seems to help. Then again, I like butter on just about anything, so your mileage may vary on that one.

Multiple Servings:
When there are enough leftovers for a second meal, I will often freeze it in Quart canning jars. For the three of us, one quart jar with an added side (say, soup with garlic bread or a salad) is enough for one meal. For two of us, just the quart jar is enough. For a larger family, or unexpected company, you can adjust from there. Plan on two quart jars for dinner for four, and add sides to feed five or more.

Planning on three people, and your parents stop by? Salads and bread for everyone, and add pasta to the soup while it heats. You could also add a can of veggies to stretch it; I keep canned carrots and potatoes on hand for this reason. They need heating rather than cooking, so they'll cook at the same speed as the rest of the soup.

To freeze soups, I add 2 cups of solids and then pour in the broth until the jar is full (1" to 2" below the top). The jar is labeled with the contents and date, and frozen. Meats are often shredded or diced, then packed gently into jars and frozen. Veggies are frozen in the juices they cooked in, or in vegetable broth or water depending on what I have. I make sure the water covers the veggies so that they'll be in the best shape when they come back out.

Soup can be used for planned-overs by using it as the base for a potpie. Follow the directions for the potpie with these substitutions: drain the broth of your soup into a measuring cup, and add water if needed to get the amount of broth needed for the soup. Use where the recipe calls for broth. Add the solids from your soup when the recipe calls for the veggies, keeping in mind that it may not need quite as much cooking time since your veggies are already cooked. If there is meat in your soup, you will not need to add meat to the pie filling. Follow the other directions as given. This turns two or three servings of soup into six to eight filling servings of potpie!

Planning a From-Scratch Pantry

2011-04-02T13:56:00.000-04:00

By which I mean a pantry stocked (to whatever extent) with food you can use to make homemade meals, snacks, and deserts. I’ll also discuss planning what you need to can and dry for your pantry.

Getting Started

Track current usage
What are you eating? Is it from scratch? If not, do you have a recipe? What ingredients do you need?

Frequently made recipes
What do you like to eat? You should keep ingredients for a batch or two of family favorites in the pantry. I'd keep enough for 2 of each meal, in case you don't get to the store to restock before you want it again.
Create a sample one-month menu/ grocery list.

Example: pet supplies. I know we need about 18lbs cat food, 2 14-lb bags of litter, and about 4 bags of treats. I can get everything in one trip – and since it’s to the large pet store, that makes it a time-saver as well. This will last two months (sometimes more) for our two cats.

Example: Vegetables. During winter, I like to serve a can of veggies with dinner. So, 5 nights x 14oz cans = (5 nights x 30 weeks) in pints (16oz each) = 150 pints of assorted veggies, add 10% for extra coverage - 145. I’ll take that and round it off so that I run full batches of 8 pints – so, 144 pints of assorted vegetables is what I’ll need, if I can everything myself. Note that this doesn't allow for fresh veggies, which is always preferred. I'm still learning how to estimate what we need, so the first few times/years it will be a learning process.

Example: I’ve had to change from getting groceries weekly, to monthly. I knew the change was coming and kept track of what we use each week, and used that to estimate what we’ll need for the month. I mentioned the cat supplies and veggies above; I also know that I like serve meals in a pattern – two nights are leftovers, one night based on beef, one night meatless, three or four nights based on chicken. Times that by four and I know what to buy for the month. When sales come I do make exceptions and stock up as much as our small freezer will let me.
Expand the list to cover 12 months, allowing for seasonal variations - lighter foods in summer's heat, more soups and savory meals to fight back winter's cold.
Make your own convenience foods.

Example: I cook much more chili in the winter. I have other recipes I only make in winter, or fall, because they suit the weather. Chili is easy to make; a few rounds of 7 quarts each should be plenty for the winter. I like chili-mac for lunches sometimes, so I may also can some half-pints for that. This is also something where I can make a canner full, and then make more when that runs out.

Example: Healthy quick meals can be prepped by making and canning soups, chilis, and meatballs. Home-canned meat can be used as a basis for quick meals, and increase your use of local pastured beef – for me, this is seasonal, with spring being the hardest time to get any. Also, if your freezer is full you could can the sale meats.

Drying Foods

Benefits: Food dried in season retains nutrients and flavor throughout the winter, and takes up a fraction of the storage space. This is especially nice when you have limited storage space. Some foods also take less of your time to store this way.

Example:Tomatoes and greens can be rinsed, patted dry, and sliced quickly before placing in the dehydrator. Then, you just take out the dried food when it's ready.
Soups (as well as other recipes) can be made ahead in dried form, rehydrated & cooked. I have at least two recipes I’m going to try –I will dehydrate all ingredients, package them together, and see how they come out after simply putting the dry mix in the slow-cooker with water or broth. If it works (I believe it will), I‘ll have wonderful, homemade, dinners for the times I forget to thaw food or plan ahead. Those are the days where I’m drinking my coffee before work and go “Eek! What are we eating tonight?” Dump things in slow cooker, add broth or water, turn on. Come home, stir well, serve. That sounds nice, yes? You can also look for "Gift in a Jar" or "Dinner in a Jar" type recipes, and use these the same way.
Unique candies – candied and dried fruits & fruit leathers. We made candied watermelon rinds one summer. Delicious!

Independace Days 27 March 2011

2011-03-27T14:50:00.003-04:00

Earlier this week, it was trying to hit 70'f.

Today, it's trying to snow.

sigh

1. Plant something: Beets.

2. Harvest something: Nothing.

3. Preserved something: Freezing of leftovers, for later.

4. Waste not (preparations): Getting together a list of what we need to go camping. Also looking for seeds for the patio - greens in our summer heat can be a challenge.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Trimming the magazine cache, and reading. I have too many read-me book piles. Again.

6. Build community: nothing yet.

7. Eat the food: Tried homemade Stovetop-copycat stuffing; almost worked and will re-attempt shortly. Winter Bean soup. Tonight, brussels sprouts and sausage. Easy to cook, delicious, not cheap - probably $8 for the pan, and the two of us finish it - maybe 4 servings? We consider it a treat; it's perfect for this weather.

8. Crafting: Working on the commission blanket, my fingerless gloves, and spinning.

Planned-Overs

2011-03-23T20:05:00.000-04:00

Planned-overs is what I call it when I make too much food one night, so that I can turn it into something else for another night's dinner. Right now, I have chicken broth, salsa, leftover soups, summer-fresh diced tomatoes, and cooked beans in the freezer waiting for us. If I take them out tonight they'll be ready for tomorrow.

Roast chicken is a good illustration of this: I cook the chicken in my oval slow-cooker. That night, I remove all the meat, then add more water to the crock and make sure all the bones are covered. I set it to cook on low for 10 hours and leave it until I get home from work the next day - it will automatically go on the warm setting until I turn it off, so it will still be warm. I pour the broth through a strainer and into a large container and discard what gets caught by the strainer. The broth is put in the fridge for 24 hours to chill. I skim the fat from the top, and freeze the broth. Often I'll freeze a quart canning jar with 2 cups meat and 2 cups broth, label it, and it will be the base for chicken soup or pot pie later on. My "leftovers" become, quite frequently, two to three other meals which may generate their own leftovers (potpie lasts two nights, here; it's very filling).

Roast beef is much the same way. Cook a roast in the slowcooker, with enough water to cover, and it will make dinner with a delicious, meaty broth that can serve as the base for wonderful stews and potpies. Cook the broth with lentils, barley, carrots, and sauteed onions and it's a wonderful, easy meal. Don't leave out the spices when you cook the meats; just keep them in mind when you decide what to use the broth for so that the flavors will complement each other, or blend - not fight.

Dry beans can be made ahead - soak, cook, and then freeze in 2 cup amounts (the same as a store-bought can) and you get better quality food that's nearly as easy for half the price.

Spaghetti sauce or chili can be made in large batches and frozen in 3-cup portions - dinner for two, or serve over rice or pasta for three. Add a fresh salad and you'll enjoy the compliments without the work.

Monthly Meal Planning - Options Version

2011-03-22T22:20:00.000-04:00

Here is my version of meal planning: I plan monthly, and choose what we're eating a day or two or three in advance. It allows for whimsy and cravings in a planned menu, and that is key to its success for us.

This is how I do it:

I make a list of the recipes we like so that I don't forget any of them, or have my cookbook nearby.

On a sheet of paper, I make a chart - 7 days by 5 weeks. Each week, two days say "Leftovers." I try to schedule one day with chicken, one with red meat, and one or two meatless meals. The remaining day or two is "planned overs" (leftovers that you have plans for when you make them). I list five weeks instead of four, because some months do look like they're five weeks, and also it gives us a couple extra dinner options. Good for company visits, or if we just don't want something on the menu.

The nice part: Each weekend, get a piece of paper to write down the week's meals on. Look at the menu, and keep in mind the weather forecast. Decide what you want to eat that week, write it on the week's menu, and check it off the monthly menu. Keep in mind that anything more than two days out is flexible.

It might go like this:

"Well, it's warmer this week but Thursday looks chilly and rainy; let's have Winter Bean soup to fight off the chill. Monday we'll have roast chicken. I'll make stock from the bones to use for the bean soup, and freeze the leftover meat. Tuesday we'll have Yellow Rice & Beans, Wednesday will be leftovers. Friday we can have spaghetti or sausage grinders, and then eat those leftovers Saturday. Sunday we'll have pot pie made from the meat & more of the stock we froze from Monday's chicken. "

Monday: Roast Chicken. Shred & Freeze leftover meat; make broth from carcass.
Tuesday: Yellow Rice & Beans
Wednesday: Leftovers - oops, very busy day; ate on the run, froze the leftovers instead...
Thursday: Winter Bean Soup using homemade stock
Friday: Sausage grinders or spaghetti
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Chicken Pot Pie, made from Monday's planned-overs.

I have had the "eek! food run!" days several times. I'm now convincing the slow-cooker that it needs to cook dinner for us more often.

Portions are guesstimated at 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of meat or starch, or about 8 ounces (1 cup) of anything else. I like to serve the meat with veggies & a starch, or two veggies. Starches could be pasta, grains, rice, stuffing, rolls, garlic bread and so on. During the summer, veggie choices will vary depending on what's at the farmer's market. Portions can have built-in cushions - if you make extra rice, you can add it to soup or stir-fry another night; leftover veggies or meats can be saved for soup or stock; a lunch can be packed up and frozen for another day.

At the beginning of the month, I make sure we have everything on hand to make the meals I've listed. You can do this as often as you get paid; our budget is set up for the big grocery trip once a month, and weekly trips for milk & perishables. Once a week is about the most I want to go - I find I spend too much money if I'm constantly getting 'just one thing.'

Once I'm home from shopping, I'll do any prep that's needed. I chop & freeze any bread that wasn't finished to use later for stuffing, croutons, and so on (still learning this one!). I make sure the freezer contents won't fall on you when you open the door. Then - I get a cold drink and curl up with a book until it's time to start dinner.

Spring Planting

2011-03-21T18:00:00.001-04:00

We prepped the balcony for planting today. The seeds will actually go in on Tuesday, which according to our local planting calendar is a better day for that.

We swept, hung the manger planters, and re-arranged the furniture. The lowest level of pots (black & grey) will be sweet potatoes - I've started a sweet potato in water to grow my slips, since I only need two or three. The two pots above the black pot have herbs in them: Orange mint above and lemon balm below. The one on the grey pot will be planted with collards, as will be another 12" pot near the rosemary. The planters will be planted with cold-tolerant beets, spinach, and a lettuce mix.

The Swiss Chard was planted last spring and survived our winter just fine. I'll add more to this pot, and start adding leaves from them to my spring salads, too.

Lemon Balm:

Independance Day - 20 March 2011

2011-03-20T16:00:00.000-04:00

1. Plant something: Something should be planted this afternoon. We hung the planters and re-arranged the balcony a bit. I've got a sweet potato in water to grow slips - I really only need two or three, so too small of an amount to order. They'll be great though; sweet potato vines spilling out over the pots and around things. Lots of kitty hiding places, too.

2. Harvest something: nothing, but at least the planters are ready!

3. Preserved something: Soaked way too m any chickpeas, put about half in the freezer for later. Some went to a night's dinner, the rest will go into chickpea & carrot salad (new recipe!).

4. Waste not (preparations): All preparations right now are focused on "budget" and "use monthly meal plan." Why does no one ever mention that if you make a list of about 25-30 meals, and just choose off the list the night before, it works just as well as a more structured meal plan? You know, the kind that doesn't work in this house?

5. Want not (manage your stores): Switched the house over to "Summer." Changed out sheets, blankets, and clothes. Donated half a dozen tops I won't wear any more and gave myself a wonderful excuse to knit up some sweaters for myself for next winter =) Also, I'm happy to note that the new storage unit configuration is working well - I can still find and easily get to the things I need, without exhuming the entire unit. Much better!

6. Build community: ah the quiet....

7. Eat the food: Cooking was a bit better this week. I forgot to do my monthly meal planner and it has completely messed me up this month.

8. Crafting: The first part of the commission blanket is finished. While I wait for the rest of the yarn to come in, I'm working on my fingerless gloves and I've picked up yarn for another pair of projects, as well. Also, I'm making a point of spinning for a least a few minutes every night.

Independance Day Challenge 6 March 2011

2011-03-07T22:06:00.001-05:00

I'm in a bit of a hibernating mood. Not wanting lots of outside contact or to do much; hot chocolate, a book, and a rainy afternoon sound wonderful.

1. Plant something: Nothing. Wanted to put up planters, so of course it's pouring rain out. (Sunday)

2. Harvest something/ 3. Preserved something: too early still...

4. Waste not (preparations): Paid off one credit card in full.

5. Want not (manage your stores): Realized we ran out of veggies, and bought mostly seasonal fresh veggies (squashes, root veggies) and not so much of the commercially canned stuff.

6. Build community: Nothing.

7. Eat the food: Would you believe I can't remember what I've cooked this week? The only thing I remember is that a supply of diced root veggies can be added to soup, and the rest of it roasted - half hour's work, two or three night's dinners. Cool.

8. Crafting: Working on the commission blanket, and on writing my recipes down so they can go in the binder. Next up is the finance's cross-stitch stocking that I'm making. I think I'm about half-done with it, but it won't get finished if I never pick it up to work on it...

Independence Day Challenge 28 Feb 2011

2011-02-28T18:25:00.003-05:00

1. Plant something: Nothing. Still need to hang the new planters. I'll direct-sow then. This weekend?

2. Harvest something & 3. Preserved something: nothing =)

4. Waste not (preparations): Prepped dried pinto beans (now cooked & in freezer) so that they're ready the next time we want refried beans.

5. Want not (manage your stores): We did fairly well with not eating out much, and not making many just-one-thing trips to the grocer. The monthly 'options list' version of a menu works for us. Yay!

6. Build community: Checked on a new local meat source (beef/pork). Getting local chevon (goat meat) again would be nice, too. Heck, having a goat would be nice (milk!), but I don't think they'd stay on the balcony...

7. Eat the food: Cooking from scratch, finding recipes that use what we have. Winter Bean Soup was very good; I used a pinch of anise seed for the fennel. I've really got to learn to put up more veggies; dried greens and tomato slices do not a meal make....

8. Crafting: More spinning =)

Independance Day 20 February 2011

2011-02-20T18:08:00.003-05:00

In the garden: I've decided not to order any garden seeds this year. I have local organic sweet potatoes and want to learn how to grow slips from them, because I know they will do well on the patio. We have seeds for greens and some root veggies. I want to get the manger planters hung and use those for lettuce, radish, chard, and beets as soon as I can direct-seed. The two biggest pots will get the sweet potatoes; the others we'll try the collards and/or broccoli. And we already have all the seeds for this, so no need to order more.

Preserved something: Nothing, other than usual freezing of leftovers.

Waste not (preparations): I'm staying up with the finances (keeping up the budget, not spending money we don't have). Not the usual, but all I've really done this week.

Want not (manage your stores): We've been maintaining (mostly) the written inventory for the second pantry. We've finished the home-canned diced tomatoes already - I was expecting to run out early, since I knew we didn't get enough put up. Also, we finished putting up the items that came back from off-site storage. I've neatened up my fiber storage and cleaned off the sewing machine.

Build community: I have been home all week; was very sick the first few days but fine by Friday. I didn't want to get anyone sick!

Eat the food: Peanut butter cookies. Chili, tacos, dirty rice. Nice normal foods, but we've managed to not buy anything except milk, cereal, and cup-o-soup since the big shopping trip at the first of the month. Yay! Success!

Crafting: Still working on the commission blanket. In better news, DFH bought me a new spindle for Valentines Day. The box came with two spindles and a bit of roving which I've already spun up. Yay! The spindle is great =)

Independance Day Challenge - 8 February 2010

2011-02-08T21:03:00.004-05:00

It's been a quiet week. We're still putting away the last of the items that were in storage. They are in cardboard boxes, and I won't put those in a unit that's had water damage 3 times in a year or so. I bought them my 'standard' plastic bins. As much as I try to avoid plastic, for this I haven't been able to.

Plant something/Harvest something: Nothing. I'm watching to see what freezes and what survives on the patio, does that count?

Preserved something: The freezer is filling - homemade broths, mostly. This is the time of year when I get over-stocked on broths that we spend all summer nibbling away at. It tends to run out in late summer.

Waste not (preparations): During tonight's power outage (all 2 hours or so) I taught DFH and DD how to use the oil lamp, and realized that I ought to have more non-electric light sources 'to hand' instead of 'in the top of the closet.' I'm also going to keep an eye out for a silver or silverplate platter to hang on the wall behind the 'candle shelf' to reflect more light into our main living area.

Want not (manage your stores): Mostly keeping up with the inventory system we set up. Working on better organization in all areas - the attached storage has standardized, clear bins with clip-on lids now, and a basic description ("Home Decor," "Yule Decor," "Blankets," etc.) is taped inside of it (on the narrow end) so that we can read it from outside the bin without having to move them. The desk area has been straightened and has better storage. I'm working on getting the recipe cards onto paper sheets, and into the recipe binder I was given for Yule.

Build community: nothing, still focused on home.

Eat the food: Learning to cook beans and rice more. Both to be frugal, and to play with food - I mean, to learn new recipes! Yea, that's it. Learn new recipes.

Crafting: I made mesh bags with tulle I found at the thrift ages ago, and used the bags to wash the alpaca fleece I bought last December at a farmer's market. One is drying, the other is still soaking out dirt. They liked their dust baths, yup! Also still working on that commission blanket.

Avoiding Auto Debt

2011-02-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

Over the years, one thing that has helped keep our finances afloat is the lack of a car payment. I haven't had one since 2000 or so, and going back to about 1995 I can see where that payment or the lack of one has made the difference between being independent, or needing help to get by. Since we live in a car-centric area, living without one is difficult - not impossible, but difficult.

My last three cars have all been paid cash; the last two were bought from people I knew. They were about $1000 each - if they were under that, I quickly paid the difference in repairs! The one I'm driving now, I got a deal on (a sympathetic co-worker sold it to me) and paid $700. Followed two weeks later by replacing the timing belt and a couple other items, to the tune another couple hundred. Normal maintenance, just without warning. I don't mind; I'm getting decent cars and driving them till they're ready to be junked. At that point, I get the next one and sell the old one to the junkyard for $100 or so.

Dear Fiance recently mentioned that the current car is getting up there in mileage (142,000+), and perhaps I ought to start thinking about needing another one so as not to be caught off-guard. I agreed this would be a good idea - I don't remember any car lasting much more than 200,000 miles miles, at least that I've owned. So I checked the local paper. Twice. There was nothing listed under $1500, and all of those were 120,000 + mileage. Not what I was expecting! So I pulled up Kelly Blue Book, and compared prices first to an advertised car (they were asking full Blue Book price for fair condition) and then to my car. Mind you, I have never priced it before. The price on the one I have is comparable to what's currently being offered in the paper. Because of some minor damage (all cosmetic), my car is actually a better deal than what I could replace it with right now.

So, I've reassessed. We do still need to save towards the next car - but $2000 instead of $1000. The car I have will continue getting good care, and I'm going to go ahead and fix some of the annoying items as I can - reglue the headliner, and get the AC fixed. I haven't had working AC in a car since I had a car payment, but the summers are just getting too hot for me and I don't want to deal with it anymore. Since this car has 142,000 miles on it, and I average 7,000 miles a year or less, the car has about 8 years left before it hits 200,000 miles with my current driving habits. If my driving habits change, I'll have to adjust the plan accordingly. And every year or so I should start pricing my car, and seeing what's available in the area for replacements so that I can increase the replacement fund when it becomes necessary. I have no guarantee this car will last to 200,000 miles, but taking good care of it will certainly increase the chances!

Independance Day - 1 February 2011

2011-02-01T19:00:00.001-05:00

The weekend was busy, and I didn't have time to look at the blog. We're out of the rented storage unit but still have to properly put everything where it belongs, rather than chucking it in a convenient corner.

Plant something/Harvest something: Nothing yet. Planting can start in March; right now I need to plan.

Preserved something: Freezing leftovers before they can go bad. I'm going to have a couple nights where this means dinner just needs thawed =)

Waste not (preparations): Preparations right now are all financial - balancing the budget and the checkbook, reducing debt as fast as we can.

Want not (manage your stores): Maintaining the inventory for the second pantry.

Build community: Spreading the word about a new local CSA.

Eat the food: Eating out of the pantry and finding new beans & rice meals to try. The menu planning experiment continues! Last month, it was successful 3 weeks out of 4.

Crafting: Still working on the commission blanket.

Independance Day - 23 January 2010

2011-01-23T11:49:00.000-05:00

The seed catalogs are here. I need to see what seed I have, and what I'd like. And where I'm going to plant it!

Waste not: making an effort to use leftovers. Learning to better use our open-face fireplace (ya know, the kind they say not to use because it's so inefficient? that kind.)

Want not: Sorting through stored items, and doing the mental planning to re-arrange the way items are stored around the house.

Build community: I've been hibernating. Which, granted, isn't that far from usual. I like my cave.

Eat the food: Chicken pot pie. Using a planned menu to select dinner from. Trying new recipes.

Crafting: I'm working on a blanket on commission. Not something I'll do much of but the money will be nice.

Independance Days January 11, 2011

2011-01-11T18:27:00.003-05:00

Plant/Harvest/Preserve something: nothing

Waste not (preparations): I found good flannel at the local thrift and also a sturdy picnic/project basket with a lid. They've got a good stock right now of winter coats (wool trench coat, $15!), comforters, and blankets. They said they've been selling slow despite the cold temps locally.

Want not (manage your stores): I'm learning to cook with dried beans. It really is easier than it sounds, not much more pre-planning than we're already doing.

Build community: Hoping that My Farmer will start a CSA; I'll be able to cut down actual farm market trips in mid-summer's noon heat, since I mostly buy from her already.

Eat the food:I'm playing more of those games called "rubber meat" and "leftover surprise" - sometime it's the same game, like when last night's roast beef and the night before's greens meet in tonight's beef & veggie stew. Tomorrow: Pot pie!

For January, I planned meals for the month (not the order, just XX many options) and used what was on hand as much as I could. So far, so good - this has always been a challenge for me.

Crafting: My break is over. I'm working on a commissioned crochet blanket, then on to my fingerless gloves and cowl before making us all earflap hats. If, of course, I don't change the que order again.....

Independance Days - January 2, 2011

2011-01-02T22:22:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

Plant/Harvest/Preserve something: Nothing.

Waste not: Lots of leftovers for lunch & dinner.

Want not: The home is insulated as best we can. I've started a new budget, using a new spreadsheet. So far, so good!

Build community: Still not much, still hibernating.

Eat the food: I made a menu for the month, and bought groceries based off that. Hopefully that means I won't be making frequent stops at the grocer this month. We're also learning to cook with dried beans rather than store-canned.

Crafting: I've been sewing. The repair pile has been taken care of, and the car pillows I'm making are about half done. Those are for long trips in the car, made of scraps (an old pillow cut in half, remnants of cotton 'decor' fabric). Sturdy enough for the abuse they'll get, and easy to clean.

Windows Update

2010-12-30T17:47:00.001-05:00

Having gotten the windows done just in time for the snowstorm last weekend, I'm happy to say they work wonders. The entire house felt warmer, and the chill that used to stay in the air (even with the heat at 70'f) is gone. The heat is turned down a bit and we're still more comfortable. In the evenings we sometimes use the fireplace for supplemental heat in the main area. It gets toasty warm and even the cat curls up to watch the fire dance.

I'm now planning on getting a window film for the patio window. It's too large for the shrink wrap. the film has the bonus of helping block heat gain in the summer, plus a smaller-but-still-there effect with keeping the heat inside in the summer. Since we are in the South and this is largest window in the house, blocking heat gain is a good thing. I just need to find out when it goes on (while it's warm out?) and what it's going to cost.

Related Links:
Gila Residential Film - this page lets you see what they look like as well.
3M Residential Film - they also have security films.

Both also have privacy film options.

Independance Day Challenge - 29 Dec. 2010

2010-12-29T22:36:00.003-05:00

I've shortened this list a bit, to reflect that it's winter and there is no food coming in right now. We got a rare, good snow (east coast blizzard) and we're enjoying the effects - the way it changes the play of the light and the colors of everything around.

Want not: I bought a snow shovel, and cleared the front steps Monday. We didn't need to run to the store for anything before the snow hit. Yay!

Waste not: We've eaten lots of leftovers, and I'm made meals from whatever is to hand.

Build community: I'm playing hermit, staying home.

Eat the food: I made a delicious toss-together soup with roots, barley, lentils, and dried greens cooked in elk broth and 'tomato drippings' (from canning) that I had frozen. Homemade pumpkin pie with homemade whole wheat crust. Lots of leftovers.

Crafting: I've done a bit of sewing. All yarny crafts (knit, crochet, spin) are on break till the first of the year.

Windy Windows - not anymore!

2010-12-24T10:39:00.004-05:00

I've finally finished the windows.

Wow. I can't believe the difference it's making. We may not need those insulated/blackout curtains for our room after all. The room got warmer with the plastic up, before I picked up the hairdryer. It's windy out today, and I could see the plastic moving...

I watched this video before I did it. That did help. I learned that part of the reason you leave the extra is so that if it pulls off the tape (or pulls the tape off the frame) as it shrinks, you can re-stick it. My hair dryer is several years old - I can aim it straight at my hand without burning my skin, which the one before could do. So I learned that after the initial "make sure the edges really did seal to the tape" phase, to aim the dryer directly at the plastic from about 3 inches away. That got results.

All told I spent an hour or so on one window. Please measure each window before you go to buy the supplies. When the package says "Enough for three 46x62 inch windows!" it means 3 pieces of plastic. Our bedroom window used half of a package meant for a patio door. At least I have a piece to apply next winter - or possibly next summer, to keep the A/C costs down....

Another Step Warmer

2010-12-22T10:18:00.005-05:00

The outlets & switches are done. I use foam insulators from the hardware store - $2.16 for a six-pack, and I bought 3 each for outlets & switches. I have leftovers, but I will simply put those into my toolbox and use them when we move again.

Before & After:

If there is too much open space on one side, I cut the edge of a switch cover and taped it on the insulation. I learned that North walls need to be done first, then the rest of the exterior walls, then the interior walls. There have been one or two that had actual breezes coming through the outlets.

For the cable hookups, I used a switch cover and cut a slit from the bottom to the center opening. Worked great.

Airlock is up

2010-12-21T12:23:00.003-05:00

We could feel a difference within five minutes of this being hung. We've also learned that we can't hear the neighbors as well as before (bonus!).

I used two 7ft+ lengths of 54" flannel-backed white vinyl. The backing is thicker that what they called 'tablecloth vinyl' and it cost a bit more., but I feel the thicker backing will help insulate more. The pieces are hung flannel sides together, held by the clips. The hall is 42" wide, so the extra 12" allows for better contact on the sides, to keep the colder air out of the living area. The vinyl means that any water that gets on the fabric will just slide right off without me having to wash it.

The bar & clips are a bit sturdier than needed - we had done this before, using a thick blanket, and needed the strength then.

Breakdown:
Vinyl: approx. 14 feet (4.6 yards) at $9.99 a yard, with 50% off coupons. Cost: $25
Closet bar: $15?
Curtain clips: $15? These are one of the sturdier options.

Total cost: $55.

Pretty good, especially when all the items can be re-used without damage for other projects when they aren't needed here any longer. We will probably keep this up year-round at this apartment.

Independance Days - 20 December 2010

2010-12-20T08:46:00.002-05:00

The spinning rests between Mother's Night and the beginning of the New Year. Solstice is coming, and the days will once again grow longer.

Plant/Harvest something: Nothing; the ground is frozen - we got an early snow! I did get out there and clean things up, though.

Preserved something: nothing.

Waste not: apple desserts made with apples that are good but interesting. Soups made with homemade broths and lonely root veggies.

Want not:Still getting the things we need to insulate the house. Thankfully Home Depot and Joann's shouldn't have the crowds the mall does.

Build community: Nothing much. I'm being a homebody, and staying away from the insanity of the area we live in - so close to Christmas, so close to the malls and so much retail, I'm staying home whenever I can!

Eat the food: Finding all kinds of ways to eat eggs, since I ended up with extra. We're eating out of the pantry as much as we can. Leftovers, planned overs, interesting combination.

Crafting: I finished our niece's blanket, and haven't picked up anything since. Until the New Year I'm taking a break from yarn and spinning. I want to work on my love's cross-stitch stocking sometime this week, and do some sewing.

Cleaning the House, on the Cheap

2010-12-19T11:40:00.000-05:00

As I've changed the way we do things, I've become more sensitive to the chemical smells in so many things. The last time I went down the cleaning products isle, I held my breath because it was so strong.

Now, I clean with baking soda and vinegar. My cleaning tote has a spray bottle of 50/50 water/vinegar, a tub of baking soda, and lots of rags made from worm-out bath towels. I also keep on hand paste toothpaste (not gel), borax, and lemon juice. This is also quite a bit cheaper; I seem to remember that a full re-stock of cleaning agents once cost me $150 about 10 years ago (memory could be foggy, I'll admit). Now? $20. Maybe.

The spray cleans any surface I can wipe down. The baking soda is for anything needing scrubbed. Combining the two gives fizzies for hard-to-clean stuff, including pipes.

I've used these techniques in two apartments, one 40 years old with ceramic & tile, the other 20 years old with a plastic tub/shower insert thing (yuck!). It works well on both.

Windows: Use the 50/50 spray and newspaper. I've heard that a drop or two of liquid soap in the mix is also helpful, but I haven't tried it.

Tub & Sinks: I scrub them with backing soda and enough water to make a paste, and rinse with full-strength vinegar if it’s bad. That cleaned out the mini-scratches on a 40-year-old bathtub that nothing else touched. If it’s a ‘maintenance’ clean (i.e., barely dirty) I’ll rinse with water.

Also, this same treatment works on the tub walls. Use the spray bottle for the initial rinse, for easy application - it will still fizz. Just rinse everything with water at the end.

Faucets: Use baking soda like you do for the sink. If it has heavy soap scum on it, scrub well and rinse with vinegar, then with water, and then polish with a clean, dry cloth.

Toilet: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into the bowl, and pour 1/2 cup vinegar onto it. Close the lid and walk away for half an hour. Come back, give it a quick scrub, and flush. If it's really bad, scrub before & after. I've also poured some vinegar in the (clean) bowl just before bed and let it sit all night if I think it needs it.

Pipes: In the drain, pour 1/3 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup undiluted vinegar. I try to get the baking soda into the pipe, and kind of drizzle the vinegar it. I want it to clean the pipes, not the sink! When it's done I rinse with very hot water from the faucet.

What's the toothpaste for? If (ok, when) I get a watermark on wood, I rub the paste toothpaste on it, just thick enough that I can't see through it, and wait. Usually for a couple hours. It will pull up the watermark, and you'll never know it was there. Buy this when you see it; at least near me it's a bit hard to find.

Borax I'm still learning to use, but it is very useful and a laundry booster as well.

Lemon juice will help brighten whites, and remove stains. Especially if you apply it and put the item in the sunshine. Wash again afterwards, as the lemon juice is acidic and may damage the item if left on too long.

Insulating an Apartment

2010-12-17T14:20:00.001-05:00

I've spent three days watching trees dance in cold, whipping winds, and we had actual snow accumulation yesterday, along with icy rain. In this area, that's usually a month or two away - this is early! And next month will be colder. The Old Farmer's Almanac says we're in for a bit of a cold winter this year, and January will be the coldest. I don't want to pay as much as we did for last year's bills.

So, I'm doing more research on how to insulate our apartment. I've bought insulated curtains for DD's room, and picked up some socket/switch insulators. We've got a towel at the base of the front door until maintenance gets the door sweep fixed, and I plan on getting vinyl fabric to make a waterproof airlock curtain for the front hall. We've turned the heat down and eat more soup.

Putting a blanket on the water heater and insulating the pipes from it wouldn't hurt, either, but it's lower on the list. It's inside, so it's at least room temperature, but this will still help.

Related Links:
5 Ways to Insulate Your Windows for Winter at Apartment Therapy - a great site for anyone living in apartments!
Weatherizing Your Home: Weatherstripping
Resealable (Cat Proof) Magnetic Window Insulation Tutorial
Applying Temporary Insulation (video)

Independance Day Challenge - 28 November 2010

2010-11-28T18:41:00.000-05:00

It's been a very quiet week. I've been enjoying the rest, and getting ready for Yule.

1. Plant something: nothing

2. Harvest something: nothing

3. Preserved something: Dried lots of kale and turnip greens.

4. Waste not: I failed here; threw out a lot of food that got lost in the fridge.

5. Want not: Went shopping. Realized I didn't want or need anything there. Left.

6. Build community: Spent a day with one of My Farmers, who has become a Friend as well. I learned I really do like the sounds the hens make - they almost seemed to be purring (hensong!) All the items purchased that day were locally produced - mohair for spinning, handmade soap for DD, a beeswax candle, hand-blown beads to make mother's gift.

7. Eat the food: Sampled Bourbon Red turkey yumminess. Brussells Sprouts with Sausage. Kale and sausage soup. Ended up not cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner... for all two of us.

8. Crafting: Working on niece's afghan. Spinning.

Turkey Tasting

2010-11-28T15:13:00.004-05:00

I was recently given just a bit of leftover turkey to try. Not a big deal on the surface, but this was pastured Bourbon Red turkey.

Oh my yum.

Bourbon Reds are a heritage breed, and they are on the Slow Food Ark of Taste. All of this is great, but it doesn't inspire me to pay something in the $100+ range for one turkey. Tasting it, on the other hand, worked great. Remember turkey flavor? Remember dark meat? I haven't run into either in years. Dear Fiance can have the breast meat - which has actual Turkey Flavor - and I'll have the dark meat. Works great.

Now, the challenge: To find, and budget for, a Bourbon Red turkey for Yule. Right after Thanksgiving, which will be the hardest part! And yes, they are good enough to pay the $100ish for, plus drive a couple hours to pick one up. Yum.

Dark meat and breast meat (leftovers, not fresh from the oven) from a Bourbon Red turkey:

Independace Days, 21 November 2010

2010-11-21T18:25:00.000-05:00

1. Plant something: nothing yet

2. Harvest something: a bit of chard

3. Preserved something: dried lots of greens; cooked & froze pumpkin & extra potpie filling.

4. Waste not: veggie scraps into a freezer bag, to make into stock.

5. Want not: nothing this week

6. Build community: Making plans to visit local farms - does that count?

7. Eat the food: Rubber chicken, greens, turnips and potatoes and eggs.

8. Crafting: Finished the mittens, working on the afghan again.

Anyway, November edition

2010-11-20T16:44:00.001-05:00

Sharon's Anyway Project

My goals for November (anything in italics is Sharon's):

Domestic Infrastructure - Finish decluttering the storage. I've inventoried the food, craft supplies & projects-in-progress will be next.

Household Economy: Paying cash for this Yule. Refilling the BEF (basic emergency fund). Not going over budget this month!

Resource Consumption: Trying to stay out of the stores as much as possible.

Cottage Industry and Subsistence:

Subsistence: learning to knit mittens & socks.
Cottage Industry: Still researching, looking at possibilities.

Family and Community: "Pretty much what it sounds like. How do we enable those to take the place of collapsing infrastructure?"

Outside Work: "Finding a balance, doing good work, serving the larger community as much as we can, within our need to make a living."

Time and Happiness: I need to learn to not over-schedule my weekends. I hardly get to rest even one day a week.

Independance Days 16 November 2010

2010-11-16T17:27:00.004-05:00

The weather is finally turning cold, and the sun sets while I'm a work. Winter is cozening up to us.

1. Plant something: nothing

2. Harvest something: a bit of chard

3. Preserved something: dried chard, kale, turnip greens

4. Waste not: saved veggie trimmings for broth - I've actually never done that before. Checked the freezer, ate saved leftovers. Use frozen bananas to make muffins for breakfast.

5. Want not: Small bag of donations in the car for the thrift store.

6. Build community: did some research for one of my farmers. Found another farmer who has free-range chicken and pork, and will be raising lamb - and might be selling fiber!

7. Eat the food: Roast chicken, cooked kale, root stew, tomato-and-lettuce sandwich, apple muffins, yumminess.

8. Crafting: Making convertible mitten-gloves for DFH.

A Saturday Afternoon

2010-11-13T16:34:00.004-05:00

Peanut brittle from the farmer's market, mittens for my love, homemade banana muffins, first harvest of Swiss chard, and cotton fabric for a new project underneath all.

A Pair of Pillowcases

2010-11-10T20:13:00.000-05:00

We use king size pillows, but we only have full size pillow cases. I decided to extend those to the needed length, and so went out and picked up quilt fabric to add to the pillow cases. I chose 'fat quarters' that JoAnn's has for sale and simply matched them to the pillow case I'd brought with me.

First I ironed the pillowcases inside out, making sure the seams were flat. Then I cut off the seam on the narrow end, where I will add my fabric.

I get the fabric and make sure it's folded so that I have enough length (it works one way, but not the other, due to the way it's cut). I iron it that way and then use my quilting supplies to trim it square.

I'm using french seams on this project, as I don't have a serger.

I hem one short end of the quilt fabric, creating a finished seam, and then turn it inside out.

The pillow I have right side out. The quilt fabric goes inside the pillow, right side facing in. I match up the seams - the side seam on the pillow with the short one on the quilt fabric. Next, sew down both long sides, starting from the seams and going down. Don't finish them, just stitch the pieces together. I leave the bottom (the long seam) open while I do these sides.

Once both sides are done, pull the quilt fabric out of the pillow and sew shut the open end of the quilt fabric. You want to make this seam just a bit longer, say 5/8", than the outside edge of the pillow. This is your seam allowance to finish the seam and hide the fabric edges.

Trim the extra fabric on all the seams down to about 1/8".

Turn the pillowcase inside out, and tuck the fabric quilt back inside the original pillowcase. Sew the seams from this side to create the french seam on the inside. The frayed edge of the fabric should be completely hidden inside the seam. When the side seams are done, pull the quilt fabric out again and finish the last seam.

Enjoy your new pillowcases!

Two pillowcase pairs I made this way. The crochet afghan was made for us by my mother.

Late-season canning

2010-11-08T12:17:00.004-05:00

We canned up the last of the late tomatoes yesterday. I say 'last,' because this time I totaled three jars of diced tomatoes. She's had a bit less every week, highs now are in the low 60's, and she is north of me. Tomatoes like heat; this isn't it. Total, we did two batches of whole tomatoes and just over a batch of diced tomatoes. Two pints of something strongly resembling tomato sauce are put up and there are extra diced tomatoes in the fridge and freezer. I'm thinking about pureeing the bunch of them and seeing if I can get soup out of it.

I'm still not done canning for the winter. I want to can up our own pinto beans, chickpeas, and blackeye peas. We need more homemade convenience foods (we ate them all!). I want to put up canned carrots, plain and sugared, and sweet potatoes the same way. All of this, thank heavens, can be done when I'm ready; all but the potatoes will come fresh or dried from the grocer. The pumpkins I want to put up are sitting on the floor behind me.

The winds are blustering outside, the air is crisp and wonderful. I love this weather, and the comfort of having food and fiber put up to care for my family over the winter.

Fiber, here, being blankets, sweaters, socks, yarn...

Independance Days - 8 November 2010

2010-11-07T20:50:00.001-05:00

I got a lot done this weekend. Hallow'een is put up, the candy is gone, and the house is dressed for fall. Warm clothes and blankets are out, and water stays ready for tea. We've turned the heat on, barely, with temps outside getting down to the 30's but not much over 50 - the house won't stay warm enough without the heat on.

1. Plant something: sigh...

2. Harvest something: ... still nothing. It may be too late for outdoor planting until spring.

3. Preserved something: More tomatoes! Pumpkins are lining up for their turn.

4. Waste not: Lots of leftovers this week. The fridge & freezer were bursting...

5. Want not: More repairs to items we have. Winter clothes and extra blankets came home from the off-site storage. I did a massive-for-me clean Saturday and the house feels & looks much better. Some piles seemed to disappear on their own while I did this, which is a nice bonus. I'm working on the remaining, much smaller piles.

6. Build community: nothing. It seems like everyone nested this week.

7. Eat the food: Chevon slow-cooked in homemade Barbeque sauce; mashed potatoes, turnip greens with bacon. Apple muffins with last fall's canned apples. Breakfast tortillas with local eggs & yellow tomatoes.

8. Crafting: Mittens for my love. Just that one project because he needs them!

Late Summer Tomatoes

2010-11-04T20:47:00.001-04:00

Applesauce, compared

2010-11-03T18:30:00.000-04:00

This post was started last fall, when we got that 120lbs of apples. I thought it was posted until recently; it seemed appropriate to post it during (or at least near) the current apple season.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mott's Unsweetened Organics, 8oz:
100 cal, 28 carb, 0 protein, 2 fiber, 0 Vitamin A, 2.4mg Vitamin C, 0 Calcium, 200mg potassium.

My home-canned applesauce, via recipe entered into CalorieCount:
236 cal, 63 carb, 1.2 protein, 10.9 fiber, 245 IU Vitamin A, 21mg Vitamin C, 28mg Calcium, 485mg potassium.

I'm not sure what the canning process might change here, but just off this... wow.

Independance Days 1 November 2010

2010-11-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

The weather has been varied - highs in mid 80's to mid 50's. The cool, crisp weather is what I like best. I need to do a pantry inventory and some meal planning, then make sure I'll have at least most of what I'll need.

1. Plant something: nothing, still need to get planters up. I really need to get better about this.

2. Harvest something: nada

3. Preserved something: 14 lbs of tomatoes, canned whole. My fiance helped and enjoyed working on it with me. Yay! We now have all the whole tomatoes done, and I found a store with tomato paste in glass jars. Next up is diced tomatoes, then soup & ketchup. I also have pumpkins and dried beans waiting to be canned, and I'm stocking up on jars again. Current plans will use all I currently have.

4. Waste not: Juice from the tomatoes we canned will go in the freezer for later use in soups as kind of a one-veggie stock. I'm thinking it would be good in the crockpot with beef?

5. Want not: The thrift pile is slowly growing. Clothing had sewing repairs done.

6. Build community: Spoke with a lady at the store about local foods, gave her one of my farmer's cards and websites to find more food.

7. Eat the food: Root stew. I've barely cooked this week, and I can feel it - more tired, more bleh feeling. Tonight is Tacos and most of that is local (meat, lettuce, tomatoes)

8. Crafting: Fixed 4 items from the sewing pile. Two easy items left; the remainder will take a bit more work. I'm doing easy crochet projects while we watch TV.

going BPA-free

2010-10-27T19:00:00.002-04:00

I've set myself a challenge of removing, gradually, all the plastic from our kitchen. Trash bags are ok, but I'm looking to replace all the plastic storage containers and utensils. We don't really use plastic cups, so as those die they just won't be replaced. The utensils are being gradually switched out, as opportunity arises.

BPA is a consideration for this as well. It's found in plastic bottles, thermal receipts, and as a liner in cans - including soda cans. Yuck. I checked, and it seems that the only vegetables locally available in glass are sauerkraut and pickled beets, not quite what I had in mind... For this, and to avoid the embedded energy of frozen foods (embedded in freezing it, keeping it frozen, transporting it, and making the plastic bags), I turn to canning our food or purchasing it fresh.

So far, I've gotten each of us two metal water bottles, have picked up glass storage containers with glass lids, and have started using canning jars for storage as well. World Market has some larger clamp-top containers available, as well. We have two already, and will be going back for more. One 3-liter container is much easier for bulk dried-food storage than several 1-quarts!

Related Links:

BPA - Wikipedia article

How to Avoid BPA Exposure in Receipts

No Silver Lining - An Investigation into Bisphenol A in Canned Foods. Includes link to a 29-page report (pdf). Cost and brand of the food had no relation to the BPA levels.

Book: Make your own Root Beer and Soda Pop at Lehman's

BPA in the Headlines - blog post at Easy Being Greener.

BPA in Cans - has a list of companies without BPA, and those who do use it. The information is a year or so old, but it's also the best list I have been able to find.

BPA Danger may be greater from tin cans than water bottles- at Treehugger.

Independance Days - 25 October 2010

2010-10-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

Moving home-canned food to the main pantry has really helped us eat it. We are now out of chili and nearly out of beef stew. I'll count that as a good thing!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Planted: Nothing.

Harvested: Nothing.

Preserved: 20 pints whole or diced tomatoes. Froze tomato sauce & 1 pint diced tomatoes.

Waste Not: Roast beef, into stew, into pot pies. I could have done better had I frozen half the roast after the first meal; that would have given me probably 5 meals or 10 to 12 servings total, from the base of a 3lb roast.

Want Not: no thrift drop off this week.

Eat the Food: Tomatoes, cookies, goat milk, turnip greens, sauerkraut.

Community Food Solutions: just the usual.

Crafting: I made various hotpads and washcloths for farmer gifts - very nice to have something so quick to work on, after big projects. I'm also working my way through my sewing repairs pile.

Late Tomatoes

2010-10-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

One of my farmers planted a late crop of tomatoes, and I'm canning some for the winter. All of my help comes from books and the internet, so it can get interesting.

I bought 55lbs on Wednesday. I have lost about 10 lbs of tomatoes from waiting too long, and nearly had a ginormous mess on my hands.

The weekend's goal was some whole tomatoes, and the remainder in diced tomatoes. I let the food tell me the amounts; it just depends on the condition of the food. I have learned to core the tomatoes before skinning them - they maintain their shape better. Also, if one or two have split skins the rest should be about ready. It's better to think "loosen the skin" rather than "split the skin." The learning process means I have tomato juice to freeze - I've heard that freezing it means the water will rise to the top, making it so there is less to boil down later. If I could remember the rest of that piece of information, I'd be doing even better!

I canned whole tomatoes on Saturday, diced ones on Sunday. One day's experience cut my time spent in half.

Final Totals:

10 lbs of waste
11 pints of whole tomatoes from roughly 18lbs of small tomatoes
9 pints of diced tomatoes plus one in the freezer (it wasn't quite full)
a pot of tomato - soup? sauce? - in the freezer. I already reduced it by half, and will see if I can make it into tomato soup for one night's dinner.
enough tomatoes to make tomato & macaroni for lunch today =)

Independance Days - 18 October 2010

2010-10-19T18:54:00.000-04:00

The storage unit is dried out, finally. It took over a week. The wall may be OK after all, once it's washed with bleach to kill the molds. Nothing will go close to it since this is now a reoccurring problem. I've gone through all the seasonal decorations and gotten them to reasonable amounts. I added one stack of plastic bins and it's on 1x6 boards (found items) so they are off the floor for air flow. I say 'stack,' even though it's only two bins right now. OTOH, the off-site storage is still half full. Stuff is still going back, as well. I've got to spend some effort on that this weekend; I want to empty it before the end of the year (this month, if I can!).

I have moved some of the home-canned food from the storage pantry to the one I actually look in when I'm planning dinner. That should help with eating stored food. Now, what to cook with dried turnip greens?...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Planted: Nothing. The new planters aren't up yet, and all the others are still occupied.

Harvested: Nothing.

Preserved: Nothing, but planned out what I'd like to put up for tomatoes.

Waste Not: Another box to thrift, plus an old lamp.

Want Not: DFH found me a couple more Yule tins for the storage pantry. I keep dried beans and the like in them, and they make me smile =)

Eat the Food: Grass-finished roast beef, veggies, winter squash. I have been cooking more from the pantry, I just can't always remember what I made.

Community Food Solutions: Does it count that I'm now a year-round customer for my three favorite farmers? Two are continuing to come down, even though the market is officially closed; the other can deliver her soaps to my area.

Crafting: Finished DD's shrug, finished a cozy for my coffee mug - the mug is thin, and too hot to hold when it has coffee in it. This will take care of that, and hopefully the coffee will stay warmer longer to boot.

Disaster Prep: Water

2010-10-19T10:29:00.003-04:00

Water
During a hurricane, the public water is likely to become contaminated due to flooding. Since we are on the second floor, we may be protected against our home flooding, but if the power is out there is no guarantee that the pumps will work to push water "uphill" to our home. Thus we need water storage and purification. The minimum needs are two gallons per person, per day, with additional for pets. The two gallons are for sanitation, cooking, and drinking. While they do distribute water & ice in these situations, you have to find out about it and get there before they run out.

For water storage, we currently have empty Gatorade bottles and four trays of 16.9oz water bottles. I know we need to improve this. I'd like to get water purification tablets, as well as a larger water purifier. For purification, the Berkeys are apparently the best on the market. Here are directions on how to make one at home - don't skimp on the filters, either. They'll help keep you healthy, and anything that just promises 'better flavor' won't work for what you need in this situation.

Independance Days - 4 October 2010

2010-10-04T18:30:00.000-04:00

I'm starting the Independance Days posts again - I'm much more aware of how we're doing when I make these. We've had rain all week - five days straight, some of it "the sky is falling!" downpours. Our attached storage unit has developed a leaky ceiling and will need a wall replaced again (same one, too). I'm very glad I had just straightened it - I rented an off-site unit, moved a pile to that one, and put a shelving unit in the attached one. With that, and consistently moving to using plastic (aka waterproof) bins, all we lost was some empty cardboard boxes. Yay!

I very much have to figure out a better way to utilize my pantries; I feel like I don't know where anything is. And I have no ideas how to improve it, yet. We really need to start eating the stuff I've put up. That is more my fault, as I'm the cook. That's a goal this week - at least one meal from storage.

Planted: Nothing.

Harvested: Nothing. The basil isn't tall enough yet, and I'm not even sure on the other herbs to be honest.

Preserved: Canned a dozen jars of local green beans.

Waste Not: Donating to thrift as I clear out storage. I had ordered an extra dehydrating book on accident, and gave it to one of my farmers. She was delighted!

Want Not: An umbrella. A formal outfit for DD, who will need it this year. Thank heavens for sales! Also ordered the yarn to make a shrug to go with the outfit. She has good taste; merino/silk blend in a nice, deep black.

Eat the Food: Apple cider. Chevon (goat) sausage. Root stew.

Crafting: Finishing afghan squares that are part of a group project.

Independance Days through 7/18/2010

2010-07-18T13:30:00.003-04:00

It's staying in the 90's to low 100's. We woke this morning to the power off but are glad it was back on at noon. The water did stay on throughout, but we made sure we'd have been ok if it hadn't.

This is two week's worth of updates, since I missed last week.

1. Plant something: Nothing, it's just too hot. I am careful to make sure the plants get enough water to help them deal with the heat.

2. Harvest something: Nothing - letting the plants grow some more, first.

3. Preserved something: Basil, a bit of mint, a dozen red/green peppers, all from the local market.

4. Waste not: recycling, leftovers,

5. Want not: One bag waiting to get to the thrift, and another to the local SPCA (they accept donations of items they can use or sell; you can get cat carriers there for ex.)

6. Build community: went to farmers market.

7. Eat the food: Good so far.

8. Crafting: Still a bit to do on the afghan, and the leaf-heart squares. I'm doing sewing repairs and trying to hold off on my cross-stitch. I want to do it, and yet all this other stuff is here, and ... Also, I re-arranged the stashes (yes, plural) yesterday. Easier access and the spaces look bigger. Win!

Just In Case, and Pet Evacuation Planning

2010-07-14T18:00:00.000-04:00

I bought Kathy Harrison's Just In Case, and it's been very useful. It's the best one I've read as far as realistic support and information for someone trying to be prepared while living in an urban apartment in hurricane country.

The only weakness I could find, for us, was that I'd have liked more information on evacuating with pets. We have two cats, so I've been planning for them, and have needed to do a bit more than what she mentioned.

If we need to evacuate, we will bring the cats. We would rather not board them while we're out of area (even in the new area), but I'm not certain my family members would be willing to let the cats visit =). So, the plans are to get both cats up-to-date on shots. My criteria for needed shots is the minimum requirements for boarding at a kennel, so I will be calling kennels in both our bug-out locations and checking what they need, as well as keeping their information (the health records, and the kennel information) in an easy-to-reach location so we can get it on the way out.

Also, I'm making sure that we have enough food and litter for the both of them. I have a puppy-training crate that I will un-bury, and they can fit (tightly, but they'll fit) in that while we are staying with someone. I'd like a larger cage, with more space for their comfort, but can't afford that right now. There is a food bowl that bolts to the side, and a hamster-type water bottle as well. They sell disposable litter boxes that can be used in it, and I have extra fleece for them to curl in.The carry-bag is out where it will smell 'normal' and they can become used to it - Daemon has taken to sleeping in it :) I still need to get harnesses or collars and train them to those, as well.

For the record, I have no affiliation with Kathy Harrison. I simply bought her book, and find both it and her blog useful and enjoyable.

Links:
Just In Case Book Blog (Kathy's blog)
Just In Case Book.net (site for the book)
American Veterinary Medical Association: Disaster Preparedness
Ready.gov: Pet Items: page and PDF file

Independance Day Challenge - 6 July 2010

2010-07-06T18:41:00.001-04:00

Another heat wave, with a few days of high 80's in between. I'm keeping cool as best I can, not doing much in the heat of the day.

1. Plant something: Repotted the oregano and aloe.

2. Harvest something: The first snippets of herbs...

3. Preserved something: ... dried for winter.

4. Waste not: recycling, leftovers,

5. Want not: nothing here.

6. Build community: went to farmers market.

7. Eat the food: We've not done so well this week; one melon lost uneaten, the other needs snacking in the fridge. All the squash is still in the fridge needing eaten (tonight?).

8. Crafting: I think the afghan is done - I'll know when I find the remaining squares (I finished them and put them "aside." I wonder where that is?). Making progress on the leaf-heart squares. I also made crochet stitch markers with copper wire and shell pieces from the beading section at the craft store. So far, so good.

Independance Day - 27 June 2010

2010-06-27T17:33:00.000-04:00

The heat is worse this week; upper 90's to low 100's and humid. Not fun. I'm keeping an eye on the balcony to make sure they don't get heat-stressed.

1. Plant something: Nothing.

2. Harvest something: nothing.

3. Preserved something:nothing.

4. Waste not:recycling, leftovers. Does thrift shopping count? I found more indigo glass clamp-top jars, a 1947 book of folk songs with the music, and a Whirlypop to make popcorn with.

5. Want not: Dropped items at thrift store.

6. Build community: went to farmers market.

7. Eat the food: Tomato sandwich, bean salad (new recipe trial; failed), more chard. I didn't cook much this week.

8. Crafting: I washed all of last week's fabric and started sewing my linen dress pants. I'm being very careful with ripping out seams sewn wrong (I'm learning as I go). I've read a lot this week, rather than much crafting.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

2010-06-23T20:40:00.000-04:00

As I was drinking my morning coffee, my mind wandered back over the things we've begun, and the things we'd still like to do. We eat (mostly) locally, cook most of our meals, use homemade cleaners, and try to keep down the electric bill (try, only because I'm not happy yet with the progress). The lights that aren't on dimmers are all CFL, and we use natural light as much as possible. We recycle, buy many items second-hand (reuse), and only buy what we need. I fix clothes, rather than replace them, and re-use the fabrics when repairing is no longer possible.

We are saving as much as we can, getting out of debt, and working on being prepared for emergencies. Last year, we weren't. I'm glad it wasn't a bad storm year.

We'd like to preserve more local foods for the winter. I'm also interested in possibly switching to homemade laundry detergent. My skin is fairly sensitive, so I have to be careful what I wash fabrics with. We want to restore the Singer 66, and get an old handcrank as well. We have more plans, as well, for farther on.

What are you looking forward to doing?

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you'll land among the stars."

Independance Day Challenge - 21 June 2010

2010-06-21T18:25:00.000-04:00

The cicadas (appropriately enough, the name translates to "buzzer") have started to sing. Even the sound means 'heat' to me, and the weekend was 90's and humid. I tried to get errands done before the heat kicked in until I realized no one is open that early :( I originally wanted to be done and home at 10am. On the other hand, I got lots done around the house!

1. Plant something: Lobelia and white impatiens. I re-arranged and cleaned the patio Saturday morning, and Sunday picked up these cool-white trailing flowers for prettys. I also potted the lemon balm outside and gave everything some fertilizer and cool drinks.

2. Harvest something: A bit of basil.

3. Preserved something:nothing.

4. Waste not:recycling, leftovers.

5. Want not: Another bag is slowly being filled for donating.

6. Build community: went to farmers market.

7. Eat the food: Making more Tabbouleh - it went over very well. Swiss chard, and fried yellow squash; fried mushrooms and eggs. I'm practicing a bit more scavenge-cooking: I scavenge the fridge and make a meal from what I find there. This is different from direct eating of leftovers, at least in my mind, in that I aim to end up with a Meal, versus eating re-heated foods.

8. Crafting:I'm working on my Hedgerow Sock, and the two leaf-heart afghan squares. I also picked up a sewing book that covers adjusting patterns, making your own, and modifying a one-size tailor's dummy to fit a specific person. Since I need to do that, it was an extra bonus. JoAnn's had a sale, so I picked up fabric for tops and a couple of small bags.

Independance Day - June 16, 2010

2010-06-16T22:12:00.004-04:00

We've taken apart the Singer 66 table, for repairs. Except that after closer examination, it's getting refinished. It won't hurt the value - someone already refinished these - and the disparate pieces will match. And, I'll have a gorgeous table to show off :)

1. Plant something: nothing.

2. Harvest something: Nothing. The chard looks good, and the orange mint looks happy.

3. Preserved something: Chicken broth.

4. Waste not: recycling, leftovers.

6. Build community: went to farmers market.

7. Eat the food: Tabbouleh - new recipe for us. Ingredients were from the farmers market and the nearest Indian store. Also tacos with a lot of local food in there. I'm making an effort not use commercial canned food this summer, and also learning new recipes. The tabbouleh is served cold, which is wonderful when it's mid-90's and sticky outside.
.
8. Crafting: I've started a new sock pattern, and am still working on the afghan. I need to make time to sew and cross-stitch, somehow; I have so much in my head that I'd like to see get made!

missing pictures and computer surgery

2010-06-10T09:55:00.001-04:00

I haven't been able to post any pictures for a while because the computer that can read the camera's memory card is down. As it also has all my old pics saved on it, I can't borrow any of those, either. After that computer is fixed I'll be able to do more.

If the repair is replacing a worn out power box like I think it is, then I'll know to replace those after 6 years. This will be the second computer to have that problem at that age. Nice to know!

Independance Days Challenge - 9 June

2010-06-09T20:41:00.001-04:00

I managed to declutter the front closet, and found a few things to donate. Progress is being made...

1. Plant something: nothing.

2. Harvest something: I pulled up the straight-to-seed broccoli. I really ought to plant those a couple months earlier.... Also, checked and noted when to plant cool-season crops for fall/winter harvest. I also picked up lemon balm (live plant) this week.

3. Preserved something: Made calendula salve over the weekend.

4. Waste not: the usual

6. Build community: went to farmers market. Attempting to get coworkers to buy more from there - local honey, sweets, breads, seasoning mixes, meats, eggs, baking mixes, sewn items, soaps, jewelry, plus the fruits & veggies :-)

7. Eat the food: Local meats for dinner, with local squash. Local turnip greens with local onions and bacon. Local egg salad sandwiches for lunches.
.
8. Crafting: I worked on the yule afghan while playing my computer games, and avoiding going out into the sauna - I mean, going outside. I was *so* happy to see rain Sunday night, and feel things cool off for a bit :)

A Different Point of View

2010-06-07T19:15:00.000-04:00

Perhaps I have an unusual point of view. Prepping, to me, does not involve lots of cans and boxes of commercial foods, specially sealed seeds, and such things. It's always been more of an 'older' point of view, of having enough food that I have put up to get through the next year or two (ideally) with minimum estimated food incoming. That way one bad year in the garden wouldn't leave a family in a bind.

My guiding thought for prepping and homesteading is, and has been, "What can I produce on our farm?" Now, that farm is all in my head - I'm limited in what I can grow on the balcony. In place of an actual farm I used my mental image of a New England farm of the late 1700's. I chose this based on my own curiosity of both the time and the place, along with already having some very basic knowledge and knowing that they tended to be maintained mostly by the family living there and not a lot of hired hands.

For food, that means thinking in terms of what is fresh, and when; and what keeps in the root cellar and for about how long. What can I make from what the farm produces, and what would need to be bought? Snickerdoodle cookies, for example. Cinnamon needs to be bought. Granulated sweetener can be made from boiled down maple syrup, and honey or maple syrup used in the dough. Flour can be grown in the area; baking soda would have to be bought. Salt would be another purchase, but perhaps could come from the Atlantic shore.

In winter we eat more chicken - think of thinning the flock over the winter. In summer I eat more eggs - egg salad, fried eggs, etc., as I would to keep up with the flood of eggs this time of year. The farmer's market provides us with a great deal of fresh, local food, and I attempt to keep up. Fresh veggies for most meals, salads, and putting up for winter's needs as well. Learning to cook meals that don't need meats to be filling and nutritious.

I think, too, of seasonal chores. In the spring, to make more soap - I prefer goat's milk soap, and spring is when we'd have the extra milk for that. In spring, summer, and fall, to gather dye herbs and dye the spring shearing and last winter's spinning, and have the wools and flax ready to be spun on winter evenings by the fire.

Even if I'm not able to do all of these things, the awareness of the work helps my life be more mindful, and helps my mind prepare for things we'd like to do in the future.

Independance Days - 3 June

2010-06-03T21:17:00.003-04:00

Still lots of reading. I'm slowly working on an afghan, and on straightening the house. It needs a declutter again, we'll have to do one over the summer.

1. Plant something: nothing.

2. Harvest something: nothing.

3. Preserved something: Nothing.

4. Waste not: the usual

6. Build community: went to farmers market. (yea, these first few are kinda basic most weeks)

7. Eat the food: Lettuce on everything. Lots of sandwiches, without using deli meats. Mashed turnip-potatoes. Local meats for dinner, with local squash. Hoping to get chard next week, as well.
.
8. Crafting: Um. Yea. Lazy this week, I was....

Diaster Prep Update

2010-05-26T19:40:00.000-04:00

Life, Rescheduled....

Well, we found another oil lamp at the thrift store. It's being cleaned now. That makes 4 table-style oil lamps. We need kits for them (extra wicks and such) but I think we may be ok with those now. I do want a Alladin lamp or two, and a reflective lantern.

Our next planned prep order is a multi-fuel camping stove. One of the reasons we chose that one is that we can use gathered fuel. We won't be dependent on what the stores have stocked, or if they are open in the first place! I want to see if I can cook on that when it's in the fireplace - that would give us a good place to cook with inclement weather. I do expect to use it more on the patio, though.

We've ordered the hand-powered washer and are waiting for it to arrive. We will need to do something for line-drying, but the retractable line was out of stock so I still need to get that. One collapsible rack doesn't hold as much as I'd like, although it will do the job.

Independence Day - 25 May

2010-05-25T19:24:00.002-04:00

It's been a quiet week. Mostly I've just been catching up around the house with different projects and the piles of books that are always around.

1. Plant something: nothing.

2. Harvest something: nothing.

3. Preserved something: Nothing.

4. Waste not: the usual

6. Build community: went to farmers market.

7. Eat the food: Strawberries, roast beef, salads.
.
8. Crafting: Finished my mossy shawl. Nearly finished a tank top from the sewing basket, and picked up items to make a pair of linen dress pants.

Independance Day 17 May 2010

2010-05-17T17:31:00.000-04:00

1. Plant something: Rosemary seedling from the farmer's market.

2. Harvest something: nothing big enough. The chard is growing decently, so I'm happy there.

3. Preserved something: Nothing.

4. Waste not: leftovers. Also, cleaning/re-organizing areas for ease of use and reducing what we keep. The knife drawer shrank by 2/3, my shoes by half, and I've just started.

6. Build community: went to farmers market, first one for the season. Reminded co-workers about it. Hugged my farmers =) Brought DFH this time, too, since he had the day off.

7. Eat the food: Salads, homemade cake & frosting, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh strawberries in everything - Yum!

Re-organized the pantry and cleaned the fridge. Being less boxed in about meals, to better use food. And, admittedly, to make it less work for me to cook so much from scratch!

8. Crafting: Working on my mossy shawl. Went through the sewing-project basket.

Disaster Preperations

2010-04-20T17:30:00.000-04:00

We live in hurricane country. We may not get a lot of big ones, but even Isabel, at Level 1, left me without power for 9 days and my mom for 14 days. The hurricane hit on Tuesday, and I went back to work Monday. Leaving work early the night before the hurricane, we were told, would result in immediate dismissal. I was unable to prep that night, so I had to have it all done in advance (didn't quite happen).

While I was able to stay at a place with a generator that time, I can't count on that again.

DFH and I were talking this past weekend about what we need to be prepared. Prepared right where we are, and using Isabel as one of the guidelines. I used basic Areas and we'll list what we'd need to fill those areas without electric:

Areas (no order):
Food, and the ability to cook it
Water, potable
Shelter
Light source
Communications
Sanitation
First Aid
Activities

Now, the biggest needs are water, sanitation, first aid, shelter, food. You can live 3 days without water, 2 weeks without food, and lack of sanitation can really mess with you (infections & illness). Communications are important, and activities are sanity-saving. Especially if you have kids! Official recommendations were once to be able to take care of your family for three days; now it says 3-7 days. Two weeks may be better - remember Katrina!

I'll post later on what we discussed for those areas. Have you talked about it with your family? Have you made plans?

Independance Day - 4-19-10

2010-04-18T23:31:00.003-04:00

1. Plant something: nothing this week.

2. Harvest something: nothing.

3. Preserved something: Nothing.

4. Waste not: leftovers.

6. Build community: nothing.

7. Eat the food: I'm learning to cook with sourdough. Still. Tonight I'll make new starter as I apparently destroyed the last one. Learning to eat from the pantry better - I think the last 2 weeks have been dairy-and-salad grocery lists.

8. Crafting: Worked on a gift afghan. Cleared out the 'repairs' sewing basket. Finished a lap blanket for me.

Independance Day 4-12-2010

2010-04-12T17:30:00.000-04:00

1. Plant something: Radish, spinach, red chard. Germination on the previous planting wasn't as good as I'd like other than the lettuces.

2. Harvest something: nothing.

3. Preserved something: bone broths, chicken & ham.

4. Waste not: leftovers, broths. Made trail mix for DFH from items already in the pantry.

6. Build community: nothing.

7. Eat the food: I'm learning to cook with sourdough. Still. Tonight I'll see if that latest experiment produces edible bread.

8. Crafting: Nothing. Yesterday was spent outside, walking. Lovely weather and I survived the pollen.

Preparation: General disaster preparedness, especially given this year's hurricane forecast. Yesterday we brainstormed a list of items we don't have that we think we'd need. I'll do a separate post on the plan layout later.

Independance Day 3-30-2010

2010-03-30T17:30:00.000-04:00

1. Plant something: nothing. However - I have seedlings!

I did, at least mentally, figure out which planting pots to keep and which to re-home. They aren't very useful when I don't have room to store them all, let alone use them.... and several are too small for the likely uses. I'll get it down to what will actually get used.

2. Harvest something: nothing.

3. Preserved something: nothing.

4. Waste not: Added meat pies to my skill set, for using of leftovers. Yum!

6. Build community: Monthly order from local farmer.

7. Eat the food: I'm learning to cook with sourdough. I'm also trying to quit going to the store so often; it's costing ALOT to do that. Getting "just one thing" has annihilated my grocery budget. Yes, it's that bad.

8. Crafting: Frogged two items. One didn't work, the other I used the wrong yarn and that killed the project. I'm working on spinning more often, and also re-starting DFH's wool mittens - amazing how one can screw up when one has put it down for a month. I put a massive dent in the sewing repair pile as well.

Waking up the Garden

2010-03-17T17:30:00.000-04:00

I went out this weekend and checked on the garden.

The rosemary is OK, and I'll give it a bit of a trim later. One of the chives plants came up; the other has 3 leaves. We’ll see how it does. The parsley barely survived and was finally moved somewhere out of the wind where it will still get light. Somehow, I don't think it liked being in a 4" pot on the coldest, windiest corner of the balcony.

I planted Red Ruby Swiss Chard, overseeded with spinach, and put lettuce in another pot. Basil is started in the house, and everything else is on the balcony. I'll put out more lettuce & spinach in a week or two, try to keep those on continuous harvests. I know that the cool balcony let me keep harvesting lettuce into June or July.

I’m in zone 7b and keep forgetting I can start seed indoors in February here…

Independance Day 3-16-2010

2010-03-16T20:11:00.002-04:00

1. Plant something: Ruby Red chard, spinach, lettuce mix.

2. Harvest something: nothing

3. Preserved something: nothing.

4. Waste not: Eating of leftovers. Root stew.

6. Build community: nothing.

7. Eat the food: Apple pie. I made 'quick' white bread; I had forgotten how filling homemade bread is. Root stew, with foods bought at the market that are still good. Re-hydrating last summer's local tomatoes and enjoying them on my sandwiches.

8. Crafting: I'm working on a granny-square afghan for a Yule gift, a blanket of flowers for the bed. Most of the Yule gifts will be food; I'll do a bit of prep over the summer but the most will get done in November.

I'm also working on a kerchief for me, and DFH's cross-stitch Yule stocking. Those three are what is currently active. RAK's? Ohhh, different story...

Habits

2010-03-15T19:58:00.004-04:00

... That I've changed. A bit at a time, and then you look things over and are surprised with what you accomplished :)

I use olive oil applied with a cooking "paintbrush" instead of cooking spray. Using seasoned cast-iron helps, too.
We use dish clothes and cotton towels instead of sponges and paper towels. I put out fresh ones last thing before bed each night.
We use fabric napkins. For the three of use, I have about a dozen napkins. I wash them with the towels (hot water) and as long as I keep on laundry we don't run out.
I make breakfast bars or muffins as take-along breakfasts.
All the cleaning is done with vinegar and baking soda.
I don't use dryer sheets. I air-dry the fabrics that cause the static, and have no problems. The fabrics in question all seem to be polyester, rayon, or another man-made material.
Clothing is repaired, then later re-purposed, whenever possible.
Food shopping is seasonal, local, and organic... in about that order. We feel the additional cost is off-set by the savings: we don't lose hours at work or pay the doctor.
My favorite place to shop (other than the bookstore!) is the local thrift store.
Gifts are handmade whenever possible.

What kind of changes have you made?

Are you "Brown"?

2010-03-15T17:30:00.001-04:00

I've never heard of this before:

Browns as a group often share a set of beliefs that are catching on, much to the chagrin of global marketers. Browns take a moral or ethical stance toward these issues, and are often rooted in beliefs that are radically decentralized, local, and emphasize self-sufficiency. They don’t keep their houses cold and grow their own food as a publicity stunt. They are ambivalent, at best, about using mainstream media outlets to explain what they are doing, and why.

But, -yes. Very much, yes, this is how we think, my love and I.

(found via Peak Oil Blues)

Independance Days 3.3.2010

2010-03-03T17:45:00.000-05:00

The Independance Days Challenge has restarted for the new year. Here's my first week's report:

1. Plant something: Sweet basil, indoors. I need to remember to start sprouting those commercial potatoes, or find some organic ones; I can’t plant enough to order seed potatoes so I plan on using slips. Root vegetables, herbs, and greens get along alright out there so that's what I plan on growing.

So far, it looks like the parsley and chives on the balcony have survived the winter.

2. Harvest something: nothing

3. Preserved something: nothing, but making plans and gathering recipes. We could use more home-canned convenience foods. I ordered another book, and visited Creative Canning for ideas.

4. Waste not: Eating of leftovers. Old dining set went to thrift and we bought a new one that’s far more useful for us. Old computers were scavenged for parts and now await a trip to the recycling. Also I created printable inventory sheets, to help with grocery shopping but also with what we preserve and when we eat it, since I plan on dating & keeping them.

6. Build community: ordering meat & eggs from a farmer that attends the local farm market during the summer, and makes drop-offs during the winter. All meat & eggs are purchased this way now.

7. Eat the food: chocolate cake with strawberry and raspberry preserves from last fall. Heavenly. Beef stew, home canned. Apple pie and applesauce. Dried fruit snacks. Starting to remember all the peppers I dried, and cook with them.

Snow update...

2010-01-30T18:13:00.007-05:00

It snowed all day today, we got about 8" by 2pm when we went for a walk. We didn't go out otherwise -reports of accidents and people "driving" sideways across the overpass are sufficient to keep us home. We love this weather - the way the light looks, the quiet of the snow. Being out it, kicking it up, throwing it at each other (it wouldn't pack for snowballs), playing :-)

We've got to move somewhere with Winter, rather than a cold rainy season.....

Snow?

2010-01-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've been working, since the beginning of last summer, on expanding the pantry. The eventual goal is to have enough to get through the winter, with only occasional visits to the store. While I'm not there yet, we do have a fair stock. It's very reassuring to have.

Case in point:
Down here, snow is rare. At least, rare enough to cause seeming panic for most of the area - I've seen places close for 4" of snow, that wouldn't close when a hurricane was coming that night. Yesterday the weather started calling for 5-10 inches of snow, starting tonight around 9pm. We discussed it last night - we needed milk, Coke, and to fill the car with gas. I checked this morning, and we have plenty of milk. That's it. Today's update is 100% chance of snow, accumulation of 8-12 inches, starting around 7pm. I'll go at lunch, grab what we need, and just go straight home tonight. Dinner is already cooking - last night's leftover elk in it's own broth, with root veggies and barley. There's two other soups in the freezer, and homemade pumpkin pie in the fridge. We'll have a nice quiet evening, enjoy the snow, and avoid being on the roads - it doesn't bother me to drive on snow, but others? I don't want to find out the hard way.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T11:45:00.000-05:00

I know I've been quiet - we had our Yule this past weekend, and I'll be visiting family for Christmas, so I won't be posting until next week or so. Everything is fine, just busy.

Take care, and Happy Holidays to all!

An Apple a Day.....

2009-12-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

I've just finished working my way through all the apples we picked. We got 20 pints unsweetened applesauce from the Fujis - they didn't need anything added to make delicious sauce! The Granny Smiths were used for dried apples slices and canned apple pie filling, plus apple crisp for desert a few nights. Dehydrating apples make the house smell wonderful.

And even after all this time, I have 6 apples to keep for eating fresh. Yum.

Trying to peel the apple in one curl sounds like taking things to a small extreme. After peeling 30lbs of apples, I've noticed it actually makes a lot of sense - I'm less likely to cut myself, I loose less apple flesh with the peel, and the apple looks better when I'm done. Plus it's just fun to try!

Final results:

3 apple pies

dozen fresh apple snacks

18 pints Fuji applesauce, unsweetened

8 liters dried apple slices (estimate, might be 9)

13 Qts. Apple Pie Filling

4 Pts. Apple Pie Filling

4 Qts. Apple Slices in medium syrup

A Yuletide Meme

2009-12-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

1.) Have you started your Christmas shopping? Yes.

2.) Tell me about one of your special traditions. We've started making a gingerbread house every year. I like to serve cinnamon rolls on Yule morning, and might look into stollen for that instead (make ahead! yay!)

3.) When do you put up your tree? The day after Thanksgiving with the rest of the Yule decorations, at least so far.

4.) Are you a Black Friday shopper? No, I put up Yule decorations that day.

5.) Do you travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay HOME. After one holiday visiting 5 houses - well, that won't happen again.

6.) What is your funniest Christmas memory?

7.) What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time? The full length How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The half-hour version is banned.

8.) Do you do your own Christmas baking? What’s your favorite treat? Yes. Favorite treat so far is my nutty Sugar Plums, for which I've never seen the recipe. Honey and spices and nuts (no fruit) rolled in cocoa or powered sugar, and taste better after a few weeks to let the flavors meld. Yum.

9.) Fake or Real Tree? Fake, due to fire codes. I strongly prefer real ones, and generally get a live wreath to hang inside, plus 'tree-scent' candles to get the scents.

10.) What day (as a Mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done? It doesn't.

11.) Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? Only a couple, often for stockings.

12.) What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas? All the yummy food :) Hanging out with loved ones.

13.) What Christmas craft do you like the best? You mean I have to pick just one?

14.) Christmas music? Yes or No. And if yes, What is your favorite song? In small doses, yes. Favorite songs - Adeste Fideles, in Latin; and Let it Snow, by Bing Crosby.

15.) When do you plan to finish all your shopping? A week before Yule, as we're traveling for the Christmas and Yule is several days earlier.

Any blogger is welcome to participate in this meme, even if you haven’t been tagged yet. Just simply copy and paste the questions into your blog, and then answer them. Then tag 5 or more of your favorite blogs, and leave them a comment telling them they’ve been tagged. I wasn't tagged; just playing along - care to join me?

When you post your blog, please spread some Christmas cheer, and leave a link back to Heather’s Top Ten Christmas Blog, and the blog that you were tagged by.

Independance Day - Nov. 29

2009-11-29T15:12:00.003-05:00

It's been a quiet week. Thanksgiving was about half local, half easy food. Still had piles, even for just the two of us.

1. Plant something – nothing.

2. Harvest something – Nothing.

3. Preserve something – Drying brussels sprouts, lemon slices, shredded cabbage, turnip greens.

4. Reduce waste – Regular recycling and eating of leftovers. Still playing heater-chicken; days have been in 50-60'F range.

5. Preparation and Storage –Does decluttering count?

6. Build Community Food Systems – nothing

7. Eat the Food – Apple pie, roast chicken, pumpkin pie, turnip greens with bacon, mashed potatoes & rutabagas that I remember from childhood.

8. Crafting – Cross-stitch, arguing with sock yarn again. I mean, working on knitting socks :)