freemotion
Food Guru
Yeah, that's what happens when one is self-employed and work is scarce....everyone still needs to eat, so my time is spent on getting that done for as little money as possible! 
What did you do to save $ today?
- Thread starter annmarie
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FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
That's how I got into doing way more than I had in years. For me it was getting layed off and not finding another job.
I am straining the juice I started a couple of days ago through a jelly bag. Canned a total of 20 quarts of plums, loosely packed so I get lots of juice. Canned 12 pints of peaches. Need to go pick more peaches today.
big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
Wow FarmerDencie,
You are a good neighbor! Some folks just need to vent once in a while. That was nice of you to listen. And score! You got fresh figs etc. How cool is that?!
Free, I stupidly put sprouty garlic cloves in the ground this spring and they turned out great! It is better to wait till fall so you can get them nice and cold, but spring planting works too. I think the flavor won't be as yummy tho.
I will remind you because I am a garlic-aholic no vampires here! I can't wait to see how your fermenting process goes with them.
You are a good neighbor! Some folks just need to vent once in a while. That was nice of you to listen. And score! You got fresh figs etc. How cool is that?!
Free, I stupidly put sprouty garlic cloves in the ground this spring and they turned out great! It is better to wait till fall so you can get them nice and cold, but spring planting works too. I think the flavor won't be as yummy tho.
I will remind you because I am a garlic-aholic no vampires here! I can't wait to see how your fermenting process goes with them.
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
We are garlic lovers also. We harvested ours last month. Got a bumper crop this year 
Last year's crop was pityfull. But we were able to make it last all year. Gave SO strict instructions not to give so much away. I put a basket on the counter with a sign 10 cents each! I think that helped get the idea across.
But this years bulbs are nice and big and we have plenty. Still not enough to just give away, considering this is how we make our little bit of money to get by on!
Last year's crop was pityfull. But we were able to make it last all year. Gave SO strict instructions not to give so much away. I put a basket on the counter with a sign 10 cents each! I think that helped get the idea across.
But this years bulbs are nice and big and we have plenty. Still not enough to just give away, considering this is how we make our little bit of money to get by on!
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
bbh, I used to always put sprouty garlic in my garden and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't work so well. Then I met SO, now he is a serious garlic grower!!! No more wimpy garlic plantings for me. Only the biggest and the best get planted now, and it pays!
We sort through it shortly after harvest and put the best aside labeled "planting garlic" so we don't mistakenly use it or sell it or worse yet give it away....
We sort through it shortly after harvest and put the best aside labeled "planting garlic" so we don't mistakenly use it or sell it or worse yet give it away....
freemotion
Food Guru
So where do you recommend that a newbie garlic grower get her bulbs? I'm thinking Whole Foods? Should I buy some now, so it will be sprouty by October? Oh, when do I plant it?
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
I would buy garlic from a farm stand, if you have such a thing where you live. Or go the catalog route. You can get some nice varieties that way. And they usually know when you should plant them in your region.
freemotion
Food Guru
Thanks. I will be on the lookout. Our planting conditions are the same as New York, but not quite the snow of the mountains.
Today I cut hay, tomorrow I rake it up. I also attempted to make a batch of cheddar, but messed up royally somewhere along the way, not sure what I did, but the chickens are happy! They got half today, and will get half tomorrow. I might've tried to make mystery cheese from it, but I really didn't mind for some reason, it was too nice to be inside anyways. I have my fresh whey, so I am happy.
So instead of stirring curds, I worked on my big hayrack for the goats. I need to go back to the scrap pile tomorrow and get a few more pieces, the eight boards I brought home tonight, along with a huge wheelbarrow of saplings for the goats' dinner, weren't quite enough. I hope to finish it tomorrow. Maybe Wednesday, getting that hay in will be more important. I have a faculty meeting, blah! Unpaid work, that is all it is.....
Today I cut hay, tomorrow I rake it up. I also attempted to make a batch of cheddar, but messed up royally somewhere along the way, not sure what I did, but the chickens are happy! They got half today, and will get half tomorrow. I might've tried to make mystery cheese from it, but I really didn't mind for some reason, it was too nice to be inside anyways. I have my fresh whey, so I am happy.
So instead of stirring curds, I worked on my big hayrack for the goats. I need to go back to the scrap pile tomorrow and get a few more pieces, the eight boards I brought home tonight, along with a huge wheelbarrow of saplings for the goats' dinner, weren't quite enough. I hope to finish it tomorrow. Maybe Wednesday, getting that hay in will be more important. I have a faculty meeting, blah! Unpaid work, that is all it is.....
VT-Chicklit
Lovin' The Homestead
I started stripping back the extra leaves from some of my brussels sprouts today. I then chopped the leaves up and gave them to my chicken girlies. They just love the leaves from crusiferous veggies. I also put the piles of mowed grass from my yard in between the rows of beans in my garden. It will help keep the weeding down to a minimum.
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
Besides weeds, I fed my chickens the last of last years pumkins. I decided to save some of the seeds, since it was such a good keeper and very fleshy. I am still straining the plum juice I made. It is taking a long time. Might have to ferment it next. I got more than a gallon, I'll have to do some research and maybe get some wine making yeast.
I talked DD out of going and taking her cat to the vet tonight. She (the cat, not my daughter) has a puncture wound, that is not swollen and not bothering the cat. I told her to just let the dog keep licking it. If it doesn't swell and doesn't bother the cat, just keep an eye on it. Told her I'd look at it tomorrow. Told her if she felt she had to do something, than she could apply a hot compress with saline solution.
Vets tend to want to give antibiotics for every little thing and next thing you know, the week's grocery money is gone.
I talked DD out of going and taking her cat to the vet tonight. She (the cat, not my daughter) has a puncture wound, that is not swollen and not bothering the cat. I told her to just let the dog keep licking it. If it doesn't swell and doesn't bother the cat, just keep an eye on it. Told her I'd look at it tomorrow. Told her if she felt she had to do something, than she could apply a hot compress with saline solution.
Vets tend to want to give antibiotics for every little thing and next thing you know, the week's grocery money is gone.
