What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[Rillowen]

This and blood or blood meal attracted something to dig it up at night. Not sure if raccoons, opossums or skunks.
I do this in beds I'm not using that year.

I dont use blind meal for that reason, I havnt had any problems with the bonemeal, even though we have lots of carnivorous diggers around here. I even tested it, tried sprinking a large amount around a grass clump I didn't want to have to tackle it spring... did nothing. I have heard mixing it with ash kills the smell. I do that when I actually use it, and bury it at least 6 inches deep. I always scorch the bones just a bit at 350 at the end of my oven dry time, so I wonder if that kills the smell.

 

[Sally PB]

Well, it sounds like if you want to start growing Purslane again, there is a way to do it safely even if you have to start with a cutting from a parking lot plant. It sounds like a healthy plant to eat and free for foraging. I'm planning on looking for some this spring and transplanting them into pots on our deck.

The other thing I love about purslane it's a low-growing plant. I helps shade the soil to keep in moisture and keep out other weeds.

Someone remind me in the early spring, and I'll get a picture of purslane as it just comes up. It's tiny, and i get it in clumps, as it's from the prior year's seeds.

Since bone broth extracts out more of the minerals from the bones, they will likely compost faster.

I use bones twice (or more!) to make batches of bone broth. I can tell when they're "done" because I can mash them with my fingers. Then they go into a bag to add to the mash snack I make for the chickens. They love the bone bits.

I'll look into that bone broth. As for composting, I really don't care if it takes years to break down the bones. We toss all our chicken soup bones out into the chicken run as well. I have no idea if those boiled bones compost faster than the fried chicken bones, but it seems like that would make sense.

Yes, look into bone broth! I can make it for nearly free, other than the time and electricity to do the cooking. I save any kind of bones that we get in a bag in the freezer. I also save the ends of garlic and onions I cut off, ends of carrots and celery. I add black peppercorns, a bay leaf, and about 1 tablespoon of ACV. (The ACV draws minerals out of the bones.)

This is where I learned about how to make bone broth in my Instant Pot. You can also do it in a crockpot.
https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-bone-broth/

Chicory root is a nice one to ease in as well, its pretty easy to identify (being the only tall blue flower i have ever seen!) And the root makes a very nice digestive aiding tea, high in fiber, that tastes a bit like coffee.

We have a lot of chicory out here. I'd try the tea ... but I think the roots contain inulin, which gives me gas. It's an ingredient in a lot of protein bars. I made the mistake of eating two such bars instead of lunch. Whoooooeeee! I did NOT make that mistake again. ONE bar only from now on.

 

[fuzzi]

I second the bone broth recommendation. I make mine in a slow cooker aka Crock Pot, set on low for about 12 hours. I break the smaller bones, cover them all with water. I only use peppercorns and ACV. Adding different types makes a richer broth, so if I'm making chicken broth I add a beef or ham bone.

 

[Rillowen]

I second the bone broth recommendation. I make mine in a slow cooker aka Crock Pot, set on low for about 12 hours. I break the smaller bones, cover them all with water. I only use peppercorns and ACV. Adding different types makes a richer broth, so if I'm making chicken broth I add a beef or ham bone.

Oh also, for storage I pop it on the stove to simmer on low for a few hours without a lid, then take the concentrated stuff and pour it into ice cube trays. The frozen concentrate is a bit softer than ice so sometimes has to be scooped with a spoon, but it still makes excellent frozen portions! (And takes up way less room)