Comments on: Independence Days Update:Almost All the Way Home

By: Tammy and Parker

Tammy and Parker — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:36:53 +0000

We’ve had the craziest season so far. Soooo cold for so long. The apricots aren’t even ripe here yet.

I have all kinds of things in the garden. But nothing harvested yet. I’ll be able to bring in the first zuchs by next week…..I think.

I put out an all call for trades with neighbors for garden produce, fresh herbs, homemade bread in trade for unsprayed fruit they might have an excess of.

Looks like I’ll have a ton of apricots (when they finally come on), cherries, apples and pears. Keeping my fingers crossed for peaches too!

And I officially have a dehydrator to preserve them in!

We planted some free for the taking raspberry bushes this spring, and have cleared out a spot for strawberries.

Purchased 50 pounds of oats and 20 pounds of spaghetti this month.

Hit the yard sales today and came home with jammies for Parker for .25 a pair! Also picked up some stuff to use in homeschooling.

Still hoping to come across a cheap cherry pitter.

Tammy and Parker
http://www.prayingforparker.com
@ParkerMama on Twitter

By: Karin

Karin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:47:28 +0000

Better late than never…where is the summer going??

http://fleecenikfarm.blogspot.com/2010/07/independence-days-challenge-in-thick-of.html

By: Billie

Billie — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:58:08 +0000

Laurie,

They have a monthly Metro Pass but it assumes you use the Metro and not just the bus system. For just the bus, it is actually more expensive. They have weekly bus passes but the last time I checked (before they just raised the prices) it shaved 1.50$ off the weekly price. Even before the transit authority raised their prices, I figured I would barely break even monetarily with the weekly pass and now I am sure I will not.

I just live too close to work to make it worth it. I have a co-worker that takes the bus and he said he was saving a ton of money over driving but he lives maybe 2 times further away.

By: MaryK

MaryK — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:10:57 +0000

I’m starting to freak out a bit because the grapes are ready NOW and I have to make grape preserves and juice. I have vegetables to put up, tomato sauce to make, salsa to get ready, the herbs need to be gathered and dried and I just don’t seem to have enough time!

Planted: Kale, more green beans, beets, butternut squash, more crookneck and zuchinni.

Anything else is a big blur!

By: Diane@Peaceful Acres

Diane@Peaceful Acres — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:38:23 +0000

Sharon, I enjoyed Independence Days. Was it in there I saw a Bread & Butter Pickle recipe with a tip on crispy pickles? Do you list it here on your blog? If not I suppose I can run up to the library and get the book again. Thanks.

By: Laurie in MN

Laurie in MN — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:15:44 +0000

Billie:
Have you checked to see if the bus lines offer a monthly discount pass? I know the MTC here in Minneapolis/St. Paul does, and that can cut your cost waaaaay down if you bus most days of the month.

Otherwise, it sounds like you have a good plan started. I hope you can read or knit or something on the bus. I get motion sick reading in vehicles and didn’t knit when I was taking the bus regularly. I listened to music, though, which was kind of a nice way to end the day.

By: Jallibunn

Jallibunn — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:02:39 +0000

Fish CSA? Never heard of one (surprise, not so relevant in Montana). Tell me more! How does it work?

By: Brenda@Coffeeteabooksandme

Brenda@Coffeeteabooksandme — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:53:54 +0000

I love OSV! I live in the Midwest and my daughter lives within an easy drive of OSV, once in awhile she will text me saying she has taken the grandchildren there for a few hours.

She uses both (OSV and the grandchildren) to lure me into traveling to New England.

By: Billie

Billie — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:15:32 +0000

Sharon,

I think I will start with two days a week – those two days that I don’t go to the gym. That extra hour of travel will get me home at the same time as if I went to the gym so I won’t notice the extra time as much.

Billie

By: KC

KC — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:21:38 +0000

I’ve been away from home (on retreat for 3 weeks) , but have stopped back home again a couple of times to harvest onions and plant parsnips and greens. After very dry spell, we are finally starting to get a few storms and refilling the rain barrels again.

planted: parsnips, mixed greens (for fall planting), green beans

harvested: onions, garlic, dill, green beans, kale

preserved: curing onions and garlic

waste not: received compost and cardboard from retreat center

want not: same

build community food systems: garden talk among friends.

eat the food: someone else has been doing all the cooking this week!