Last night we had a hard frost and I am thinking I need to bring in the pumpkins and squash that are on the front porch, I like them there for decoration but I fear they will freeze and be no good. Time to decorate the inside of the house for fall I guess.
The most interesting thing that happened in the last couple of days was our decision to drastically cut our electricity use after reading oklamouse's posts on minimal electricity use and how it affected their electric bill. We are not cutting back quite so much but we are trying our own experiment for a month. I still use the stove,dishwasher, washing machine and some other things. For us it is mostly just lights and the clothes dryer. Lights are off limits and I would have typically stopped using the clothes line by now I am keeping it up and DH is going to put a line up in the basement and we are trying to get more wear out of our clothes between washings. We have a game with the older kids and whenever you accidentally turn on a light you get a mark and the one with the least marks at the end of the month wins. It is amazing how often we reach for a light switch and we often left them on. We also unplug everything when not in use so none of those little lights that are on everything are lit. It may be hard to see the difference though as it is starting to get cold and the heat pump and furnance are running some know.
A couple of things I did the last few days are; Monday made butter and tortillas, Tuesday canned the plum ketchup, and today I am going to make bread. I got a Bosch a few months ago and I love it, yes I am using it today. We also try to make all our bread products with fresh milled flour and my grinder is electric and I used it this morning too.
Yesterday's dinner about 99% homeraised, I love that! Pork chops from our last pig, carrots from the garden, baked potatoes from the garden, milk from our goats and butter from our cream, oh and plum ketchup on the chops . The sour cream for the potatoes was storebought and I think that is all. In the The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery, one of the books that has influenced my life the most, she calls them independance days. The days when your food is your own, that is what I strive for. It doesn't happen as often as I like but it is the goal.
Time to get away from the computer, my bread dough is ready to be put in the pans.
"Homestead" Projects going on right now -
Raising Meat Birds
Raising Calf
Milking Goats
Saving Cream
"Homestead" Projects recently finished -
Canned the Plum Ketchup
Made Plum Syrup
Dried Plums
Made Plum Jam
Happy homesteading!
Untitled Comment
Posted by gabbie427 on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at 10:13 - Link
How wonderful to be able to cook all homeraised items for dinner (except the sour cream. LOL)!!!!
We are going to be more diligent about the electricity used as well. Turning off lights, drying clothes on the line, or inside on the drying rack, and most of all unplugging all electronics unless being used. I hope this will help get out electricity bill down some more. Not using the AC as much has already helped.
God's Blessings,
Amy Jo
Untitled Comment
Posted by Happyhomemama on Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 11:39 - Link
Thanks for commenting on my blog, I added you as a friend, I hope you don't mind.
Ramblings about what goes on around here.
I am a Christian homeschooling mom of five, we live on 6 acres with Nubian dairy goats, chickens, a garden, and various other critters.
We also try to make all our bread products with fresh milled flour and my grinder is electric and I used it this morning too.
. The sour cream for the potatoes was storebought and I think that is all. In the The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery, one of the books that has influenced my life the most, she calls them independance days. The days when your food is your own, that is what I strive for. It doesn't happen as often as I like but it is the goal.
