Self-sufficient households; help!

[dacjohns]

Quote:
I lived in Alaska three different times. 1955 to 1964, 1975 to 1978, and 1991 to 1994. It is expensive and like you said, just about everything has to be shipped. Self sufficiency is a way of life. Raising what food you can and hunting and fishing are almost necessary. It is easier now that it was in the early days but it still isn't a place for the fainthearted. For those living outside of Anchorage and Fairbanks it is even more so. Not sure how I view the panhandle though. I guess they are pretty dependent because of no land access.

Alaskans, I admire you.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
LOL funny you shoudl say owning a mule... we drove by Subway yesterday and 'parked,' outside tied to the handrail were two horses saddled up waiting for their owners...who were inside enjoying their Subway for dinner! ... we are considering buying a hackney horse/pony and a carriage as our farm has an 1870's hackney stable and small paddock with a drive-shed next door at the edge of the property by the house... just needs a bit of renovating!

 

[chicks rule]

Quote:
This is chickcrew's recipe:

Here is the recipe I use. The soap will set up and look like chicken fat, so all you have to do is keep it stirred for a couple of days and it should be alright. Also I heat up a little in a pot slowly and then add it to the wash. I use a front load washer.


Homemade laundry detergent. This fills a 200 ounce detergent bottle. Please read all instructions before making.

What you Need:
1/3 Bar ZOTE soap (you can get this on the spanish isle at Dollar General for $1 a bar and you get 3 helpings from it)
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax (you can get this at you local grocer for about $3 in the cleaners isle)
1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (this should be near the Borax for about $3)
3 Quarts of boiling water (you will also need 5 more quarts of boiling water)
Big "old" pot

Directions:
Put 3 quarts of water in the pot and bring to a boil. Grate soap into the water and stir until melted. Add Borax and stir until dissolved and then add the washing soda and stir until dissolved. Cook for about 1 hour until it begins to resemble honey (it will stay pink). Put 1 quart of boiling water in a 5 gallon bucket and then add the mixture and mix well. Add 4 more quarts of boiling water and mix well. Let stand for 12 hours before using. Let cool for a couple of hours and then you can use the top of a milk jug for a funnel and fill your detergent bottle. Pour slowly. When it is set it will resemble chicken fat, but don;t be concerned, you can put some in a small pot and heat it up slowly on the stove top and bring it back to a liquid. This is what I do because I have a front load washer and it works well for me. Use 1/2 to 3/4 cup per load.

If you would like to have a scent, just add about 10 drops of any essential oil that you may have.

This is a low sudsing detergent which is great because it helps lengthen the life of your washer.


We also do other things like hang out our clothes, make our menu for the month and shop big once a month, we drive as least as possible, we make our own bread,laundry detergent (as listed above), our own fabric softner, I make clothes for the kids, we recycle as much as possible, we raise chickens and ducks and we have small turkeys right now, etc. The list goes on.

Last edited by thechickcrew (06/20/2008 7:11 am)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Alaska animal lover]

Wow dacjohns, were you here for the earthquake?

 

[Cassandra]

Quote:
Can you add it to your washer in the chicken fat state? Or does it have to be liquified before using it?

I want to try some liquid next time, but I don't want to have to melt some every time I wash clothes (which is several times a week.)

Cassandra

 

[ninjapoodles]

Those of you who dry your laundry outdoors...how do you deal with pollen? Or do you not have it in your area? I would love to dry laundry on a clothesline, but the idea is laughable here--it would come back in dirtier than it went out, just from all the pollen that would be coating it! And even if it didn't look dirty, we'd all be sick from sneezing.

 

[okiemommy]

I DO have hard water, AND I am using a half a cup!!! Still not impressed. We DO have highly soiled laundry, we have a farm and we have to work on it, I also have a 3 year old that "helps" and Liquid Tide will take ANYTHING out. I really wanted this stuff to work, but I can afford to buy laundry detergent better than I can new clothes. I have enough stuff left to try the liquid before I give up totally.

Bummer

I hope the liquid works for you

Thanks Chicks rule! I too am curious, if you have to melt it every time you wash or can you just stick the chicken fat looking stuff in there?

Ninjapoodles, We have the same problem, blowing dust and pollen.

 

[lovemychicks9]

Quote:
I believe it is on page one or two of this thread. I really like the liquid and it makes 2 gallons of it. Trudy

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
Sure was. Earthquake on Friday, my mother's birthday on Saturday, Easter on Sunday. Quite the weekend. Lots of memories.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Another liquid laundry detergent(this one doesn't have to be reheated for use.)

1/2 bar FelsNaptha
1/3 c. Borax
1/3 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (don't stress this one if you can't find it....just double up on the Borax and the recipe is just as effective!)

6 qts. water

Grate FN soap and combine all ingredients in the water, let heat until soap is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Separate the mixture into 2- 1gal. jugs (I use SUN detergent bottles, as the pour spout can be removed easily for taking the mixture, the cap is handy for measuring the detergent, and the opening just happens to fit my canning funnel!) I also keep 3 on hand. That way one is in use while 2 are empty for a new batch.

Fill to top with tap water and shake vigorously. Let sit for 24 hours. Shake well again before use. It will have gelled clumps that break up easily and dissolve readily in your wash. This will not suds, leaves clothing soft with no need for softener (even line dried clothing) and no added smells.

Option: The original recipe calls for an optional essential oil scent but I have found, though it makes the detergent smell heavenly, it doesn't carry over to the clothing. If the detergent is working properly and breaks up oils in the clothing, a carrier oil for essential oil will break up and dissipate also. This soap smells wonderful on its own!

Depending on what you pay for your ingredients, this will yield 2 gal. of detergent for under $1!!! Each jug is a 40 load jug.....so 80 loads for under $1.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------