Saturday, October 25, 2008

Resourceful

My mom picked up some canning jars at a lawn sale. They must have been from LONG ago because as you can see they were priced at $1.99. Well I guess it is ok that I invested in lots over the summer because they do not loose their value. I think she said she paid $3/box.
Before last year I only had a couple canning jars kicking around my cupboards. Now you never know where you'll find them! I even bought some of the 1/2 gallon ones...they have so many uses, I'm addicted. They also sell the plastic covers so after you open a jar you can replace with that so the metal doesn't get rusty prematurely. They also work great for dried goods: beans, almonds if you buy in bulk, flour, sugar. I even drink out of them. Nothing like ice water with a straw straight from a mason jar. I also like to store broth and soups and stew in them. By summer I will have them filled with goat milk. I CAN'T WAIT!

We were not able to get into the butcher for 3 more weeks for the meat birds so John decided that today was the day. While I worked and the kids were in school he processed all 30 meat birds. That is a whole lot of work to do by yourself! He's the man I tell you!!!!
Total weight was about 120lbs and we did not have much money tied up because John bought extra birds and sold them which paid for a bunch of their feed and the cost of our birds and he did the processing which saved us $90.
Our freezers are maxed out. Not sure what we will do when he gets his deer and oh yeah the pigs?????

Just made my third batch of homemade laundry detergent. I will not go back to store bought. 1 batch last me about a month and costs only a couple dollars. It also gets my clothes squeaky clean! It is environmentally friendly the materials used in it's makings are borax, washing soda, and fels naphtha soap. Then their is 3 less plastic jugs that have to be produced. I also really like the all purpose cleaner. I have learned that the way to make all these homemade things work is to do it in quantity so you do not have to add these to your already busy weeks. Always looking for ways to save time and money! Last batch I made made enough to fill a half gallon jug, I used an old vinegar container. Now when my squirt bottle is out I fill it up quickly and viola I have just save myself $3 and that is one less isle I have to go down in the grocery store. Slowly I am distancing myself from the grocery store shelves....


On a final note I'd like to share of few good post I read this week



*7 reasons why it is better to buy used goods
*making pumpkin puree
*roasting sunflower seeds
*childhood memories and pumpkin pickles

ENJOY THE WEEKEND!

10 comments:

Jodi said...

I think I'm going to try making your laundry detergent. Though I did stock up a few weeks ago at Walgreens (buy 1 get 1), so it may be awhile before I need any..

Canning jars are one of my absolute favorite kitchen items! We've slowly been building our stock of them. We even got some for free on freecyle earlier this summer (yet we still ran out of empty jars by the end of summer).

And - don't you love a full freezer?!?!

Throwback at Trapper Creek said...

Way to go Maine Man - he's great! That's a good deal on the jars, I always buy more if I can get a good deal, some get broke and you never know when you will have a windfall.

Yeah for well-stocked a well stocked pantry and a full freezer before winter sets in :)

Anonymous said...

How fun!

Amy said...

Well now we all know what to get you for Christmas! Mason jars are nice. I have two blue ones that were my grandmas. I don't can though.

Don said...

I too am collecting canning jars. I have quite a few of them right now (maybe 150?) and my aunt told me she has basement shelves full of them that she would love for me to take. I need to go get those!!

Your husband is THE MAN! That is a lot of work. I am thinking about getting another batch, but will have to wait til spring.

You guys are awesome

Mandie said...

Sounds like a lot of work! I love canning jars too. There is something so homey about them. Canning jars and chicken wire, some of my favorite things.

frugalmom said...

Cant ever have too many canning jars....can you? This season I didnt get nearly enough filled up tho. Im thinking that by Jan I will be saddened by that even more.


Exciting to think that next summer you will have some filled with goat milk!

Anonymous said...

We just discovered the fun of half-gallon jars. We moved our beans and stuff from tons of old peanut butter jars to just a few mason jars! I haven't found any of them on the cheap yet but I always take any jars people will give me!

Anonymous said...

Dang!!! That is alot of birds!! Bet he wants to get that plucker built now, doesn't he?! :)

Country Girl said...

JODI, A GOOD IDEA IS TO KEEP SOME STORE BOUGHT STUFF AS BACK UP IN CASE YOU RUN OUT SO IT IS NOT SUCH A RUSH TO MAKE SOME UP. YES I LOVE MY FULL FREEZERS!

NITA, HE IS SOMETHING ELSE. HE DOES MOST OF THE THE DIRTY WORK THANKFULLY.

PINE POD, THANKS WE HAVE LOTS OF FUN HERE!

AMY , CAN'T SAY I'VE EVER SEEN A BLUE ONE, I'D BE HOLDING ON TO THEM FOR SURE!

DON, YOU HAVE ME BEAT! SPRING IS MUCH BETTER FOR RAISING MEAT BIRDS. THIS BATCH HAD TO STAY INSIDE :(

MANDIE, I AGREE!

FRUGAL MOM, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO GOAT MILK. TO BUY FROM A LOCAL FARMER IT IS $4.00/ HALF GALLON.
ANY EXCESS CAN GO TO THE PIGS!

WARREN, NO THEY ARE NOT CHEAP BUT I LOVE THEM!

FARM MOM, HE DOES AND KEEPS TALKING ABOUT IT...HOPEFULLY BY SPRING!