Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Tikkijane]

YOu might consider high bush blueberries, though the wild birds  will help themselves too. 

For me I'm expecting to have the low bush be part of the freeranging chickens diet.  BUt I am wondering if we will get any of the berries for ourselves . . . .

I'm thinking about netting. ...

 

[Arielle]

TO the soap makers-- where do I buy lye??? Criso I cn get the frocery store now that I have a reson to buy the stuff again!!

 

[Aacre]

TO the soap makers-- where do I buy lye??? Criso I cn get the frocery store now that I have a reson to buy the stuff again!!

Try a hardware store. Just make sure it's 100% sodium hydroxide.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: THank you!


Speaking of hardware stores-- we have 4 automotive supply stores and now only 1 hardware/lumber store-- the second one closed ( ACE) and one of the automotive stores bought the building which was bigger than their original.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm looking for sugarlesss preservation methods. Which means I have lots of old methods to find and learn. One change in my thinking is to allow for fruit sugars. . . . I really would like to know how the homesteaders of 200 years ago before sugar was available kept their food. Surely not all methods will be possible. BUt the little gray cells are churning . .

Have you found Pomona's Pectin? It uses calcium instead of sugar to complete the gel process, so you can use as little or as much sugar as you want.

You have me thinking-- based on some eaerly American history, the "kitchens" actually had a fire going most of the time, even in summer, and perhaps ther is a clue here somewhere about the drying process-- not sure of the specifics though. . . more musing about how to dry items in NEw ENgland where we have about hal hte summer days that are humid, and the others more dry; and come fall, the rainy season starts again.

Perhaps that is why ciders were often made; and fresh apples stored in barrels.

Talked to a friend today. She is from Poland and mentioned how her mom made sauer kraut. She had a big oak barrell that made enough to feed the family for a year. Not sure where to get food grade barrels these days. My mother used heavy clay . . . . cylinders-- not sure of the techinical name-- and made cucumber pickles.

Perhaps drying was a regional process . . . ?? Wonder if there is a way to dry using a small fire-- boys would love that . . .lol for all of 1 day!!! lol THen it would be a boring chore!!!!!

Smoked fruit??

You might want to do a google search on solar food dryers. That was on my summer bucket list, but the summer is quickly getting away from me. They can be made quite easily. Re: the wood fire in summer time NE kitchens: a lot of folks had what they called "the summer kitchen" which was not a part of the main house. To keep the heat out of the house, and I imagine to cut down on the fire risk. I'm guessing that the summer kitchens were well ventilated. Does your oven temp go low enough? Mine is gas, and does not, but some electric do.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I have an electric do really like that I can set the temp to 150-- that is the temp I dry my granola. It contains egg whites so I like a bit of heat to process the eggs for bacteria, but the slowness to dry all the eggs whites.

I can keep a pot on simmer all week long too-- but hate to think of the electric bill so . . .

LOVE LOVE LOVE the solar possibilities!!

Pomonas pectin?? THat is a new one for me!! WIll scout out for that one!!

When we were designing our house I looked at many old New England designs. I noticed that the chimney was set in the middle ofhte house. To maximize the trapping of heat from t he fires. THe southern designs put the chimney on an out side wall. THough now I wish I had a summer kitchen! Dang it is getting hot here now--- and this is the time of year I think of moving back to Maine!!

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

I have an electric do really like that I can set the temp to 150-- that is the temp I dry my granola. It contains egg whites so I like a bit of heat to process the eggs for bacteria, but the slowness to dry all the eggs whites.

I can keep a pot on simmer all week long too-- but hate to think of the electric bill so . . .

LOVE LOVE LOVE the solar possibilities!!

Pomonas pectin?? THat is a new one for me!! WIll scout out for that one!!

When we were designing our house I looked at many old New England designs. I noticed that the chimney was set in the middle ofhte house. To maximize the trapping of heat from t he fires. THe southern designs put the chimney on an out side wall. THough now I wish I had a summer kitchen! Dang it is getting hot here now--- and this is the time of year I think of moving back to Maine!!

I've never heard of Pomona's pectin--but I will be looking for it/ie ordering it online if I have to. I'm just starting my canning for the year and it'd definitely be handy. For the food grade wood barrels, have you tried contacting a local winery? They may sell you a used one.

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

This is my super frugal drying method---my herbs hang in my kitchen where there is good circulation and it's always quite warm and dry due to me cooking all the time. BUT I cheat a lot, and I take a cookie drying rack and put it in my car (after I harvest the plants in the am), crack the windows, and let the sun/glass do its trick. It's an AMAZING solar dryer. I've dried my marshamallow roots that way and they are beaucoup thick, so I'm thinking I'm going to try apples and such next. Trick is making the window cracks small enough for flies not to get in to the car

. I'm thinking about shutting crinoline or netting in the door (so that its pulled over the window gap but held taut by the top and bottom of the car door.

 

[LindaB220]

I've never heard of Pomona's pectin--but I will be looking for it/ie ordering it online if I have to. I'm just starting my canning for the year and it'd definitely be handy. For the food grade wood barrels, have you tried contacting a local winery? They may sell you a used one.

It isn't cheap. But it makes 11 pints for 1 oz pkg. Use honey, fruit juices etc in place of sugar

http://www.amazon.com/Pomonas-PUP-O...sbs_gro_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1XHBX5VMD3BB31629X03

A 3 pk is $17.68

 

[LindaB220]

This is my super frugal drying method---my herbs hang in my kitchen where there is good circulation and it's always quite warm and dry due to me cooking all the time. BUT I cheat a lot, and I take a cookie drying rack and put it in my car (after I harvest the plants in the am), crack the windows, and let the sun/glass do its trick. It's an AMAZING solar dryer. I've dried my marshamallow roots that way and they are beaucoup thick, so I'm thinking I'm going to try apples and such next. Trick is making the window cracks small enough for flies not to get in to the car

. I'm thinking about shutting crinoline or netting in the door (so that its pulled over the window gap but held taut by the top and bottom of the car door.

What a terrific idea. That will cut a lot of time..