I spent time this past week reading through blogs I'd set aside to read deeply. Last week I explored the blog Frugal Measures and over the weekend I read through the oldest posts of "Down To Earth" blog. Both are good blogs overall. Frugal Measures sticks to food storage, gardening and sewing overall.
Becky shares a lot of the conference notes on home, budget, and food storage in among her posts, as well as her own notes and recipes. I happen to agree with a good bit of what is taught in her faith: get debt free, live within your means, create food storage and acquire a knowledge of skills that will stand you in good stead. It's all good, sound advice in my opinion.
What were my two take aways from her blog? A solid reinforcement of my own feelings and opinions. Food storage should be about what your family will eat and the foods that your family enjoys. It's not just about stockpiling food against future need, but properly using and rotating said goods.
I'm reminded of the bags of dried beans sitting on my pantry shelf. I shared not too long ago that while I intend to use them, I will not hurry to replace them. John and I seldom eat dry beans. I'd be far better to spend my money on the foods we're most likely going to eat. And food storage is not just the stuff on the pantry shelf. It's what you store in your freezer as well. Just as I've always said, her church leaders also recognize that pantry/freezer storage is as good as, if not better than, money in the bank, a sort of extended emergency fund.
I also took note of a reader's desire for a way to keep her carpet from getting heavily soiled during an extended power outage in her area. I remember feeling antsy about our carpet during a week long power outage. It wasn't possible to sweep the entire surface with a broom. I'm ordering myself a carpet sweeper in my next lot of Amazon items next month.
Happily, while she spoke of increasing skills in the home, I had the opportunity to do an alteration on a pajama top for an acquaintance. This expanded my sewing skills beyond my abilities. I didn't do a perfect job but I did do a fair job, one that I'm not in the least ashamed to claim as mine.
I also made up my mind while reading her blog to take up crochet, because I think it could prove to be a useful skill to know. I've watched a simple demonstration on a YouTube video that Becky shared that made me sure I could do this. I will need to buy some yarn and then I'll start practicing.
My second review is on Rhonda Hetzel's "Down To Earth". Again the advice is simple enough: cook at home, pay off debt, create a food storage, learn to grow and sew. It's sage advice for all that it sounds so old fashioned. Let's face it, there's a great deal to the old fashioned advice!
I do not believe I shall ever see the need of aquaponics in my life, and John is unconvinced of the need to create a large garden when food is so readily available in stores, but I am convinced to return to my simple bit of pot gardening that produced carrots, tomatoes, lettuce and peas for us one year. I think I can slowly win him over.
So there's my little bit of gleaning from the first week of boot camp in my home. Simple enough and yet impactful if I'll only do these things.
7 comments:
Gardening is also a good skill to teach/model for your grandkids. I was stunned to visit a middle school class and NOT ONE KID could tell the teacher where potatoes came from. McDonalds? The Grocery Store? were the only answers. When she clarified that she meant from the garden, no child had ever seen a potato vine or knew that they grew under the soil. Ditto for every single vegetable she named, except, for some off reason but perhaps due to cartoons and Bugs Bunny, carrots. It was shameful and frightening that these kids could not fend for themselves if they had to, and that they have zero appreciation for what farmers do and how hard small farmers labor.
Thanks for sharing your insights. Good advice! I want to try to do some square foot gardening this year. I love home grown tomatoes.
Mabel, you are right. Kids need to know where their food comes from. I know some schools have gardens but in our rural area, many of the children have parents or grandparents who do garden. I just wish the school served them real food anymore!
Kathy, Square foot gardening is a great idea too. John has no desire at all to garden over much and he has a real horror for some reason of a large garden that puts out enough food to preserve or freeze. I've no idea why. I don't recall our family gardens ever being overly large but we always had more than we needed for that moment. My ex husband and I had a tiny garden not more than 3 feet wide and perhaps 8 feet long and I put up green beans, tomatoes, squash and black eye peas from that little plot plus we had all the fresh foods we could handle too.
I love both of those blogs. They are inspiring and teach me things every once in a while.
I had not read Frugal Measures before. Thanks for recommending this site.
My grandfather had an enormous garden and worked hard at his full time job. He didn't know any other way. He also grew peaches and apples. My grandmother canned every summer. I can remember her canning vegetable soup to last the winter. They also had chickens. They grew enough to feed the family and to share with their grown children with families and neighbors. It definitely had its rewards. Neighbors were close and always helped if they had an emergency or any bartering would help either or both families. The thing I remember most is that he never complained. They were simple, country people, but they managed to put every child they had through college.(eight) I think there is a certain satisfaction in being able to walk out to your garden and gather your food for that day. It just feels good,like people used to live.
Don't let anyone dissuade you from growing your little garden.You will be glad you did it.
Shell
I think I would've enjoyed gardening if I had had the time and been a young stay at home wife. I tried a garden when we moved here from the city (I was 42), but I just never enjoyed it. I had much more enjoyed the city container gardening I did! Now, I do lettuce & tomatoes. My husband nailed leftover rain gutters to an old wood pallet for me so I have 3 rows. Perfect and the bunnies can't reach them! I think I'm also going to do cucumbers this year. I really just like fresh salads in summer.
My sewing skills are improving regularly. I've been pleased with my small accomplishments, but I think I need to spend more time to truly up my game!
Annabel (at Bluebirds) posted that wonderful tutorial for crocheted edging and that's on my list of skills to master for this year. I've wanted to learn that for years and I think her instructions are perfect for me.
Post a Comment