Just curious who else is living super frugal

[PlaidBattleAxe]

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

Eek! Momentary sticker shock. I honestly think it'd be worth it to try, atleast once. Thanks for the link!

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

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

I wanted a stainless steel dehydrator in the worst way, but they are all hundreds of dollars and I don't have that spare cashflow---- this is the next best thing for me lol.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Ingenious!!!!!

I'm trying to envision a screen box to set over the dehydrating foods . . .

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

Ingenious!!!!!

I'm trying to envision a screen box to set over the dehydrating foods . . .

For drying food outside on a picnic table type set up, I've seen people take window screens and frame them in (so that they're raised up to allow for space over the food). I've never tried it, but I think that's what I would do. Sort of like a screened lid that just sets over something.

 

[lazy gardener]

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.

I love your car dryer. You could probably shut a piece of cheese cloth in the door, and let it drape down, tape in place if needed. I bet your car smells nice too.

For drying food outside on a picnic table type set up, I've seen people take window screens and frame them in (so that they're raised up to allow for space over the food). I've never tried it, but I think that's what I would do. Sort of like a screened lid that just sets over something.

Screens can be picked up wicked cheap at the habitat for humanity store. They'd need a good cleaning. Or you could use cheese cloth. It wouldn't be as durable, but it'd be inexpensive.

 

[lazy gardener]

The solar dryer uses a black painted box, covered with glass, angled to catch the most sun. It takes in cool air at the bottom, the heated air rises up and into the dryer which is vented at the top. some of them have baffles designed to keep the air in the solar collector a bit longer to build up more heat. I imagine it's a bit of a learning curve to get the heat and venting right.

 

[lazy gardener]

BTW, my summer kitchen is my deck: Gas grill with side burner. I do a lot of foil packets for veggies, zucchini gets sliced lengthwise, marinated, and thrown on the grill with the meat. Any thing that needs to be cooked in a pot can go on the side burner. I cook breakfast in the house, but generally don't cook any supper meals inside. Grill stays set up all winter. I keep it shoveled out so it's ready to go if the weather allows. Pizza on the grill is super yummy!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: You have me dreaming up what to try to dry !! We have days of blazing sun this week!!

 

[Arielle]

The solar dryer uses a black painted box, covered with glass, angled to catch the most sun. It takes in cool air at the bottom, the heated air rises up and into the dryer which is vented at the top. some of them have baffles designed to keep the air in the solar collector a bit longer to build up more heat. I imagine it's a bit of a learning curve to get the heat and venting right.

ROFL-- since adding chickens to my life I have learned far more things that I dreamed I would. I did my first wiring to make an incubator and I have used an LG for years. yup, a big learning curve for both. Brain churning . . .

 

[Arielle]

BTW, my summer kitchen is my deck: Gas grill with side burner. I do a lot of foil packets for veggies, zucchini gets sliced lengthwise, marinated, and thrown on the grill with the meat. Any thing that needs to be cooked in a pot can go on the side burner. I cook breakfast in the house, but generally don't cook any supper meals inside. Grill stays set up all winter. I keep it shoveled out so it's ready to go if the weather allows. Pizza on the grill is super yummy!

On the pizza, HOW do you keep the dough from falling thru??