homemade and homegrown

[DrakeMaiden]

Hey cruelshoes, that wouldn't be the Dead Milkmen's logo would it?

 

[cruelshoes]

Quote:
Oh yes it is!

"You look like Minnie Pearl , just you and me punk rock giiiirl..."

 

[doodledo]

I try really hard to cut our grocery bill as much as possible. If you didnt have to eat we would all be millionaires.
I go to produce auctions and buy there in bulk. Last year They had those big cardboard boxes that are in grocery stores with watermelon in, anyhow they had them with cantalope. Well I ended up with 144 lopes at .32 each! I froze, gave away, made cantalope jelly which 1 recipe I tried turned out fine the other one well it is great on ice cream.
Start small and like (I forget who said this) but do what you like to do or else it will be a huge chore.
Your child is small enough to make his/her clothes. Make your Christmas gifts and if you want add some jars of jellies to their gift.

Now on the bread making. Man I suck. My loaves only come out about 3" high or else its just heavy. I would really like a good white/wheat flour recipe, anyone got one? I personally dont like bread machine bread for some reason.

 

[Kristina]

Well I'm really excited about trying out some things I've read on the thread!! I love how the thread has been going

It's interesting to me to see what everyone does! Thinking about it I think I want to defenitely try all the cooking stuff....I LOVE to cook stuff and hopefully successfully can. LOL! I sure do wish I could get my sewing machine going. It never did work well and that was bouhgt brand new

I think I might leave the soapmaking to someone else and just buy it

Hmmm...well now I'm going check on the other topics!

Edited to add...I will be making our christmas gifts this year

I'm BIG into scrapbooking so I'll be making recipe books as gifts with a jar of homemade pepper jelly for all the adults in the family

 

[JenniferJoIN]

Wow. I was impressed with DB and I's garden and you guys have blown that out of the water!!! I was just happy to have fresh veggies for a month (then they all died!). You've made my thinkin' cap start up!

 

[hotcacti]

For the beginning canner, I would suggest sticking to jellies, pickles, and salsas. The reason being: they don't have to be pressure canned. Anything high in sugar, acid, or salt can be canned with the water bath method.... ie covering in boiling water for the recipe determined amount of time. For everything else, I just blanch and freeze. You can find loads of helpful information and recipes on the internet. You don't need any special equipment to start these types of canning -- although a deeppot is required for the water to cover the jars

This summer was our biggest garden yet! We grew white, red and golden potatoes (in barrels), broccolli, cauliflower, cabbage, green beans, purple beans, a couple types of cucumbers, baby carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, grape tomatoes, okra, all colors of bell peppers, bananna peppers, jalapeno peppers, cantelope, zuchinni, summer squash, and some other squashes.

My son and husband hunt deer, and I purchased some "responsibly raised" beef and pork from a friend of mine. (Responsibly raised is her term for no maintenance antibiotics, hormones or chemicals).

It was soooo great to make meals all spring, summer and early fall with nothing but the items from our fresh garden and meat from our freezer. --- all raised or harvested by ourselves! Such a fantastic feeling!

 

[ams3651]

I've only been back out to the country for 2 years but Im trying to do as much as i can. I have a garden but due to injury this year I only got tomatoes in. my dad plants corn on the farm that my gram freezes as well as can tomato juice, whole tomatoes, relish, red beets, and other things. Of course I have my chickens for eggs, apple trees my grandfather planted many years ago that im still trying to get back to producing good. I want to get a bread machine, I caned apple sauce but it didnt seal. my family hunts so we have venison in the freezer about 8 months of the year and my uncle raises hogs and shares with the whole family. I want to put in another apple tree and cherry tree and blueberry bushes.

 

[Bammony]

I own a bread machine but only use it to knead the dough for me. I put it on the dough setting then put it out and put it in the bread pans to rise. I hate how the bread machine cooks the loaves. I make all the bread our family eats. I really want to try to make pasta next month (once Christmas is over with).

 

[AngieChick]

The best collection of bread recipes I have found are in "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking". It has very clear instructions and takes you step by step with a "beginner's loaf", which is delicious. I have started grinding my own grains for all of our baking, but it does require the investment of a grain mill (there is no real finding these gadgets second hand at a good price). I have to say that I use my bread machine for dough for things like pretzels, etc., but not for bread any more. It just doesn't get the same rise for my 100% whole wheat loaves. Plus kneading by hand is good for your arms. All of our bread is home made now. I also stopped buying processed foods for in the kids' lunches, now they take home-made pretzels, cookies, tofu salad, all whole grain and chock full-o-nutrients. I also canned a ton this year and froze as well. Canning is very easy, the Ball Blue Book is a must. Make sure that it's a fairly recent copy, as the methods have improved in safety through the years. I have a hand crank pasta machine that is used every week. The whole wheat pasta I can make is so much cheaper and better than store bought.

I plan on expanding my garden next year, but we won't be in this house past October, so I am trying to not over-commit to it. I'm going to mostly be growing veggies in pots and tucked in amongst the flowers in existing beds. I have a friend in the country on well water that I will be cooperative gardening with on her property this spring and summer. This will work until we find the right piece of property for ourselves and can grow enough produce for our family on our own land. We have gardened together before and it's worked out great. I help with expenses and starts (I start some seeds here, they start some there), and initial labor as well as weekly weeding in exchange for veggies. I'm sure that there are many people that would be amenable to garden-sharing if you lack the space to grow it yourself.

 

[ChickenToes]

I agree with everyone else, growing a garden and canning is a must when you are trying to be self-sufficient. I even keep my herbs growing all year long inside the house.

I do make soap as well, but I do not make the fancy-pants soaps that most other people make. (I love fancy-pants soap, but I shudder at the thought of buying 3 different expensive oils just to make a batch of soap.) I make a plain soap using lard and add a bit of fragrance oil to make it smell nice.

I bake all our own bread, and it's easy. Kneading bread is a great way to take out your frustrations.

I don't buy food or cake mixes that come out of a box, either. If I can't pronounce an ingredient on the label I try not to buy it. Everything is made from scratch.

I use a half-and-half vinegar and water solution to clean windows, mirrors, sinks, and my bathroom vanity. I use a water and bleach solution to clean and disinfect counter tops. I use bleach to clean the toilet. I use vinegar and hot water to mop my floors.