Just curious who else is living super frugal

[DennisK]

Been below 30 the last few days. Snow is up to the knees of every horse. ANd me too ! lol Finally got smart when my heans were not drying in 12 hrs when I needed them again. Pulled out a white trash bag from my reused supply-- cut into two sections and wrapped around my calf. ANd tied with old shoe strings from tossed sneakers kept in the utility draw. LEgs were MUCH dryier and MUCH warmer!!

1100feet cleared via snow blower. ANd car now parked at the bottom of the drive!!

Wished I had some of your weather here in Central California - a rather serious drought here.

 

[Arielle]

I wish CA has some rain too. I'm guessing 70% of the veg and fruit we eat is from CA

 

[perchie.girl]

I wish CA has some rain too. I'm guessing 70% of the veg and fruit we eat is from CA

we got some rain just recently enough to bring some of the lakes up a foot or two But when they are down fifty feet it will be a few more years of rain.

Most of our water comes from the Colorado here in Southern Southern California.. and up in around fresno where most the fruits and veggies are grown it comes from Northern California aqueducts.

The farmers get the lion share of water for sure... So far so good.

Though I hear the rice farmers in around Sacramento are hurting

 

[DennisK]

I have been slowly growing a little vineyard by propagating cuttings from the vines that I have growing. This winter, I was going to harvest enough cuttings to quadruple the number of my vines, but now I may have to just burn my cuttings. The big growers in my area are currently pruning – we sure could use some of Arielle's weather.

 

[DennisK]

Some frugal fencing & a frugal barn. All discarded material for free and pallets for little cost, some of those free as well. Some new nails, however I also went so far as to straighten nails and using those.














Frame and roof was an old covered sand box from my work, cost me tearing it down.

This post has caused me to enter into an activity that is, for me, on the verge of becoming an obsession. I was thinking how fortunate that some folks have a source of free material – here in California, NOTHING is free. But then I realized I was wrong. There is a vineyard that processes bulk wine at the start of our county road, and they have a FREE WOOD sign by one of their gates. Closer examination revealed pallets and oak slats about a 1/4” thick, 2.5” wide and 3' long. I think the oak slats are what they use to ferment their wines inside large industrial vats instead of oak barrels. I believe the oak slats gives the wine a tannic quality which is usually provided by the oak barrels. These slats looks like they might be used for fencing; so I am collecting them, along with the pallets that carry them.
I have no plans for the pallets, yet, but I'm sure they will come in handy sooner or later.

 

[perchie.girl]

@DennisK

I am in California and I regularly get free stuff... For instance when I was moving to my property I knew I was going to be building animal shelters... So I chatted up a garage door guy... He happened to be redoing single car garage doors for a condo complex...

When I moved to my house I had five single car garage doors loaded up on the truck. They are about eight by eight give or take a little. They are framed for strenght and have cross bracing and they are made of five eighths thick ply wood already painted.

Back then even I could move one about and get it on a pick up truck... now not so much.

But consider garage doors they are made of plywood and may have some chunks or divits in them but heck plywood is plywood.

deb

 

[DennisK]

@DennisK

I am in California and I regularly get free stuff... For instance when I was moving to my property I knew I was going to be building animal shelters... So I chatted up a garage door guy... He happened to be redoing single car garage doors for a condo complex...

When I moved to my house I had five single car garage doors loaded up on the truck. They are about eight by eight give or take a little. They are framed for strenght and have cross bracing and they are made of five eighths thick ply wood already painted.

Back then even I could move one about and get it on a pick up truck... now not so much.

But consider garage doors they are made of plywood and may have some chunks or divits in them but heck plywood is plywood.

deb

There is a garage door shop in Hollister - I'll have to stop by to see what they are doing with the old doors.

 

[LindaB220]

I never looked at the diabetic exchange diet--so I am no help there. I dropped the material in recycling when I got home. SHe lost me at 300 carbs a day and peanut butter and crackers for snacks. TAT would send my blood sugars soaring for sure!! THru Atkins and reading the entire book and rereading it over and over as it is mostly a reference guide, I have increased the variety of vegies we eat, have a better understanding of food allergies and definitely eat much better. BUt then I have control of the foods purchased , for the most part.

I gave up margarine abut finally bout 25 years ago in exchange for butter. And DH took a bit longer, lol, but only buys real butter now. NO trans fats.

Youngest made an awesome "cake" yesterday: chocolate, butter, eggs and coffee. OMG!!!! A 15 out of 10!! And very easy.

You have so many skills and opportunities to put food on the table!!! I love turnips. Just don't eat them often because of the high carb level but they certainly are a good food!! GLad they seem to hold in the ground well as storage. Definitely a help right now.

Gir!!!! , turnips has got to be the best thing in the world for you. Do you do net carbs?

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/turnips-carbs.htm

 

[erinszoo]

Bought mushrooms for 79¢ a pack today. Gonna slice em and dry them ready for throwing in soups and stews and sauces. Also had cherry tomatoes 59¢ a pack and carrots 49¢. Last week we got 12 heads of cauliflower for 79¢ each. I blanch and freeze those.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: IT is all about total net carbs for the day. I can choose what they are. THese days I'm on the "see food diet".Gaining lots of excess pounds Keeps me warm when I"m outside though!! lol Need to get back into the very low net carb and get this wt off AGAIN.