Just curious who else is living super frugal

[erinszoo]

@lindaB220 talk to me about using shade cloth please. It gets sorching here right about the time tomatoes, melons, and squashes are trying to set fruit which reduces our yield to almost nothing for two months. Do you leave it up all day? Or do you put it up in the afternoon? How does it work?

 

[perchie.girl]

@lindaB220 talk to me about using shade cloth please. It gets sorching here right about the time tomatoes, melons, and squashes are trying to set fruit which reduces our yield to almost nothing for two months. Do you leave it up all day? Or do you put it up in the afternoon? How does it work?

When we lived in Las Vegas we planted everything in the shade..... along the fence that only got morning sun. Our tomatoes just had shade and water and they grew six feet high and eventually the lenght of the fence.

I would suspect using a 50 percent shade would do the same and I would position it so they could get the morning sun and as the sun rose the shade would cover the plants.... Possible a hoop shelter that is covered with the shade cloth....

50 percent will still allow 50 percent of the sun in so I wouldnt worry about taking it down.

I have always lived in dry hot climates so I have no idea how that would work in a humid climate....

deb

 

[erinszoo]

thanks! That's kind of what I was thinking but didn't know. I can't imagine the humidity would make that much difference. I already know that keeping the soil cooler by tight plantings helps with tomato production, so the shade cloth should help that much more.

 

[erinszoo]

Anyone else make their own cold and flu help?

I made shower bombs, homemade vicks vapor rub, and cough syrup today. It was all simple with supplies I had at the house.

Shower bombs
2 cups baking soda
2/3 cup water
Mix and divide into twelve muffin cups. Silicone liners work best but at least paper liners are needed to remove the disks from the pans. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove from paper or silicone as soon as they can be handled. Then add 5 drops eucalyptus oil, 5 drops menthol oil, and 5 drops lavender or lemon oil (or whatever scent you like). When completely cool, repeat. These can be thrown into the shower or bath with you to help with congestion.

Vapor Rub
1/2 cup coconut oil in solid form (place in fridge if not solid)
Whip with mixer until light and fluffy. Place in jar and add 10 drops eucalyptus oil, 5 drops menthol, and 5 drops of any other oil you like. I used lemon and rosemary. Stir well and store in glass jar. Use as you would vapor rub. Spreading it on your feet at night and then wearing socks to bed helps a lot.

Cough syrup
1 cup honey (raw preferred)
juice of 3 lemons
1/2 tsp dried ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp tumeric
Mix together well and take by the spoonful for coughs and sore throats.

Essential oils aren't necessarily cheap to begin with but they last a long time and you don't use much for each thing so it goes a long way. I make my own cleaning solutions with them too.

 

[Talithahorse]

Did someone say goats eat crabgrass????? I have the most gregarious grass in all the world. Every year it is a battle in my garden between me and the grass. Every year, no matter what I do the grass wins. If goats would beat back the weeds in my garden area during the winter that might give me the edge... I love composting the horse and chicken manure but the weeds.... Anyone else use goats to get rid of weeds/ grass in their garden area in between crops? The chickens turn it over nicely but the weeds....

Kids want goats bad and we are probably looking at getting a couple dairy type goats. Kids are leaning towards Nubians. I want good natured and preferably without horns as we are beginners in the goat experience.

 

[perchie.girl]

Did someone say goats eat crabgrass????? I have the most gregarious grass in all the world. Every year it is a battle in my garden between me and the grass. Every year, no matter what I do the grass wins. If goats would beat back the weeds in my garden area during the winter that might give me the edge... I love composting the horse and chicken manure but the weeds.... Anyone else use goats to get rid of weeds/ grass in their garden area in between crops? The chickens turn it over nicely but the weeds....

Kids want goats bad and we are probably looking at getting a couple dairy type goats. Kids are leaning towards Nubians. I want good natured and preferably without horns as we are beginners in the goat experience.

While goats will nibble on grass some they are more browsers of anything leafy and woody they can get ahold of.... They love Roses especially rose hips.

Sheep are better at grass grooming. There are several breeds of Hair sheep too. Dont need to be shorn either. While they arent quite as freindly as goats. They do get friendly with handling. They are a little better to "contain" too.

deb

 

[Beekissed]

Katahdins...they are as friendly as goats but much more calm and docile. They eat grass and browse with equal measure and pleasure and are the easiest livestock I've ever had. They don't require grain feeding and thrive better on an all grass diet, all year round. Easy keepers, sweet, sweet animals. The good part about them is that they mow everything and sort through it as they mow, so even most of the weeds and undesirables get clipped off short to the ground as they graze. It's amazing to watch as they graze and you can see what's been rejected shoot out the sides of their mouths and they never even slow down....munch, munch, munch...and all the while the stuff they don't like is getting clipped like a lawn mower and thrown out the side.

My lawn and orchard never looked so good!

 

[perchie.girl]

Katahdins...they are as friendly as goats but much more calm and docile. They eat grass and browse with equal measure and pleasure and are the easiest livestock I've ever had. They don't require grain feeding and thrive better on an all grass diet, all year round. Easy keepers, sweet, sweet animals.

Hi Bee....

deb

 

[Beekissed]

Hi Bee....

deb

Hey, Deb!!! How's every little thing?

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Down to just the horse now.... Mountain lions got my goats.... Still no chickens either.

I cant do anything till grandma doesn't need me any more. Shes now 98... In July she will be 99. Still going strong. She developed Wet Macular degeneration and they are sticking needles in her eye every five weeks in hopes of stopping the progression. She can read things like bills and instructions but she cant read books any more or watch TV which is pretty traumatic for her. We went to the Braille institute and got her a book reader and books.... Its ALL free for those who are in need.

The books come on USB and the whole thing is easy to operate even if you have never used an electronic device before. Shes a romance novel lover....

Not my personal fave.... We have to turn the TV up in here when she gets to the "juciy" parts.... Whew. But shes happy and thats all that counts.

The books are returnable by popping them in the mail box... no postage needed. And once you get started they send them to you in the mail so you only have to go there once to get started. Eventually once I get loged in to the Library of Congress I can down load any book that has been translated to usb to a thumb drive... It takes a special decoder to read it like in her reader.... But thats the only limitation...


deb