Just curious who else is living super frugal

[Arielle]

Quote: Too funny. I still get embarrassed when DH goes to town in his dirty farm clothes.

THe saving grace is that we rarely appear in town together so (hopefully) few people know he is mine. lol

Quote: Management skills need to be taught. THey are not learned by osmosis.

Sorry you had the misfortune to be homeless as a child. Glad you found your way.

I think hand outs instill more of the same. Took me some time to see it. And it comes from personal experience. A hand up, not a hand out. Pay it forward is far more uplifting.

 

[boxofpens]

I wonder what the watered down wine does for grape vines. You have some interesting experiences. From what I understand, growing grapes from seeds will yield unpredictable varieties. I think this is intriguing as you may chance across a new beneficial variety. What kind of grapes are you growing?

You know, I had zero experience with grapes when I first planted them. And I still feel like I have pretty much zero experience. Ha Ha. I just figured oak trees do well with oak mulch, pine trees with pine mulch, pecan trees... etc. So, since I was starting out with small grape vines, I'd give 'em some grape "mulch", so to speak, and see how they do. In nature, grapes would mulch themselves with leaves and fruit. I didn't have any grape leaves, but I did have some fermented fruit. They must like it because we actually got a really nice harvest from the 1st year on. We have Reliance, Concord, and Catawba. We also have some Mustang growing around our creek, but I haven't had the time to collect any cuttings. I'm just now trying my hand at rooting cuttings. I too heard/read that growing from seeds can be unpredictable. When we moved to the country, I collected most of the seedlings to bring with me, but something ate them. ALL of them. We've only been here a few years, and just put in our new grapes last year, so I don't have any seedlings yet. Other than lillies and banana trees, keeping plants alive used to be a constant battle for me. Then I stopped fighting nature, and began trying to replicate it. Last year I starting reading about permaculture, and began tying that in as well. We're going to be making a trip to CA in a few weeks, and I'm going to keep my eyes open for any discarded grape cuttings laying around

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
What part of California.... If you are going to be around San Bernardino and Colton there are acres and acres of abandoned grape vineyards.... Big business in the fifties but the land got too valuable so you will see vacant lots with about an acre of Grape vines that look to be over a hundred years old. Some will have shoots... NO one will object to taking cuttings.

deb

 

[boxofpens]

Management skills need to be taught. THey are not learned by osmosis.

Sorry you had the misfortune to be homeless as a child. Glad you found your way.

I think hand outs instill more of the same. Took  me some time to see it. And it comes from personal experience. A hand up, not a hand out. Pay it forward is far more uplifting.

I totally agree about a hand up vs. a hand out. If you have to work for it, you appreciate it more.

 

[boxofpens]

What part of California....  If you are going to be around San Bernardino and Colton there are acres and acres of abandoned grape vineyards....  Big business in the fifties but the land got too valuable so you will see vacant lots with about an acre of Grape vines that look to be over a hundred years old.  Some will have shoots...  NO one will object to taking cuttings.

deb

Whittier (sp?), Glendale, & West Covina areas. Never been to those areas before, so not sure what's around. We're driving in from Texas, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled the entire route.

To everyone else: I'm sorry for taking up so much of this thread lately. I've actually been lurking here for weeks trying to wade through all the pages in my down time. I made it to somewhere around page 78 then couldn't stand it any longer and just skipped to the end.

 

[Arielle]

Glad you jumped in!!!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Not taking up too much there are alot of people here, just like the rest of us, to learn. and participate. When something pops up that I can contribute to I am here....

deb

 

[DennisK]

Whittier (sp?), Glendale, & West Covina areas. Never been to those areas before, so not sure what's around. We're driving in from Texas, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled the entire route.

To everyone else: I'm sorry for taking up so much of this thread lately. I've actually been lurking here for weeks trying to wade through all the pages in my down time. I made it to somewhere around page 78 then couldn't stand it any longer and just skipped to the end.

I don't think I've read anywhere that we must limit our entries in this forum; so if you have a thought you want to share, it would be most welcomed - no limits.
Last year, I came across a vineyard that just pruned their vines. Cuttings were lying all along the road; so I took some home and started them in a row about a foot apart. The problem with this is that I don't know what kind of grape they are. This year, I must transplant them in a permanent place, but where, and do I really want this variety – whatever it is?

 

[LindaB220]

Quote:
Yes, you are doing it just right. Keep your stash away and keep a few out for her to appropriate. lol Some people have habits that will never change. You love her but realize that she carries baggage that thankfully you don't have. I think that every family has one or more of the needy people. (Always needing this or that, mostly money. ha) I've always been a reader and saved a lot of my books. When I moved in with my DD and her family a LOT of my stuff had to go. But her kitchen is small and not a lot of storage. I've decided that I don't need these books, now that I have Kindle (love it) so I'm going to box up the books for the storage room and use this large wood bookcase as my pantry this year now that I'm going to have a good sized garden. First to buy the freezer and then the pressure canner. Then I'm set. I can't get into too big of a hurry because I'm going to bite the bullet and get the right knee surgery that I've been running from. Can't put it off anymore. And my health is so good otherwise. If I do it in Feb maybe I'll be in shape my April to at least start a straw bale garden or raised bed garden. So I won't have to stoop over so much and not dig so much. If you can, go to youtube and look up Steve Gamlin. He has tutorials for No knead Bread. Five minutes at night and in the morning stir down and sit for a while and then bake. It costs me $1 to make the best easiest bread ever.

 

[boxofpens]

I don't think I've read anywhere that we must limit our entries in this forum; so if you have a thought you want to share, it would be most welcomed - no limits.
Last year, I came across a vineyard that just pruned their vines. Cuttings were lying all along the road; so I took some home and started them in a row about a foot apart. The problem with this is that I don't know what kind of grape they are. This year, I must transplant them in a permanent place, but where, and do I really want this variety – whatever it is?

IMHO if it grows and produces something, keep it. Somewhere. It may not be your chosen variety, but I'd be excited to have any fruit. I try to keep anything that's beneficial in any way. Even if it just produces mulch or shades a chicken coop. All organic matter is welcome. Even the decaying roots of plants break down and feed the microbes in the soil. I don't pull dead plants in my garden up anymore. If they die in a freeze or due to the heat, I just chop the top off, let the roots break down where they are, and plant other crops around them. Why move it to the compost just to turn around and move it back after it breaks down? I just let it compost in place. I'm surprised at the plants that pop back up the next year from those "dead" roots. If you decide you don't want your cuttings, I'll take them off your hands I don't care what they are. I'm open for a trade . I can trade ya'll some Texas honey or maybe some of my super awesome cranberry/serrano pepper preserves . My husband's a dentist and we trade out dental work sometimes, but I doubt you're close enough for that . I wish I could find someone to barter with for hay around here. That would be awesome!