Aug. 21, 2008
Have you heard of Luffa?
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Hello dear friends!
I tell you, the weather has been rough around here... our garden has suffered. It hasn't helped that Shannon and I have not been ourselves either. We are thankful for what we have been able to get out of the garden, what we have been able to preserve for the winter. One thing that is doing quite beautifully though is my Luffa's. Dear Rhonda Jean sent me a package of seeds when we had a swap and I am so excited to harvest these once they have dried.
Silly as it may sound, I always thought luffas were a type of sponge from the sea. I had NO idea it was something to grow in the garden.
Her site has some great info on how to prepare these for use.
You let these dry on the vine and then once dried you can harvest the seed and peel the skin. Then you soak them in a bit of bleach water and let them dry... after dried they are ready for use or for gift giving.
I would love to get my own soap made so I could give a gift of soap and luffa.
But I am having a terrible time trying to find lye. Any ideas where I can buy this. I have tried Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart... I can't find it.
Thanks for your visit. May God bless you and your Homestead.
From my Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
Heritage Acres Farm
Comments
Aug. 21, 2008 - Luffa & Lye
Posted by CatherineAnn
Chas,
Growing luffa would be fun! We do the bird house gourds, and the vines and flowers are gorgeous, not to mention the added bonus of a fun and useful craft from the harvest :) .
I purchased Roebic Crystal Drain Opener which is 100% lye from Lowe's. I had to hunt for it, but it was wayyyyyy up on a shelf in the plumbing section. Good luck, it took me a while to find it, too. Shipping costs make it not feasible for me to order it online, though there are several sites that sell it- though in large quantities and with hefty shipping prices. www.lehmans.com is one source.
Hugs,
Catherine
Edited by CatherineAnn on Aug. 21, 2008 at 09:01 AM
• Permanent Link
Aug. 21, 2008 - lye
Posted by Anonymous
Lye can be found in some of the smaller hardware stores. You can also order it online. I had a horribe time finding it at first too. Good luck with your luffas! I had no luck in growing them the one year I tried.
Luann
• Permanent Link
Aug. 21, 2008 - lye source
Posted by Anonymous
We found lye at Menard's (hardware store) in the Chicago area.
• Permanent Link
Aug. 24, 2008 - lye
Posted by Anonymous
Stores in many areas around the country don't carry lye anymore because it's used to make meth (it's next to impossible to find here in Oregon). There are lots of places you can order it online, though - most of the soapmaking supply places carry it.
• Permanent Link
Aug. 25, 2008 - Buying Lye
Posted by sarajeen
Due to it's use in making meth, lye is no longer sold retail in stores. You have to buy it direct from the manufacturer or a soap-supply place on the internet. Many places will limit the amount you can buy as well, and if you try to order more than allowed, will report you to the drug authorities. I did some research and ended up buying it from Boyercorporation.com, they sell Red Crown lye, and although you have to buy a large quantity, it was the cheapest I could find. My aunt and I split the lye and the cost.
• Permanent Link
Aug. 26, 2008 - Yes,
Posted by sherry
I have heard of them but always wanted to grow them. I just haven't done it yet. I thought about it again this year. I didn't know some of the facts that you shared. Thank you for sharing. Wishing you much success on your growing.
Blessings,
Sherry
• Permanent Link
Sep. 2, 2008 - lye
Posted by Anonymous
You can try your local chemical company. Unfortunately you have to generally buy in bulk, but it's fairly inexpensive. ( I paid 35 dollars for a 50 lb bag here in Reno) There are 2 types you can use for soap making, sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, most soap recipes will let you pick and choose.
• Permanent Link
