What a year 2014 has been! Here are 10 small steps toward self sufficiency that I took this year.
1. Hens: This year I collected free or inexpensive young hens, and built some coops for them very late in the year from scrap or low cost wood. $ Money saving tip: Shop cull lumber at home improvement stores, and Habitat for Humanity has a lumber available. I have found that there are many people that don't want to bother feeding their poultry for the winter and the prices are low or free. There is also one rooster and for 2015 I am hoping to have a broody hen and chicks, to sustain the flock.
After some shopping, I located super large kettle for processing the meat when needed. I don't heat or light the coop, and have started getting eggs in January! With 2 large apple trees, I save as many apples as possible, and have been quickly coring them before giving them to the hens along with their regular feed from a local grain mill here. They love them! No more apple's need to be wasted and fewer end up in the compost heap; I sort them into A,B, and C grades. More on apples later!
I also have three small rabbits, and use their manure in the garden. They eat any greens so nothing goes to waste. All the hen safe pulp from the juicer goes to the hens and rabbits, they especially love the carrot pulp. $ Money saving tip: Collect pulp from organic juice bars for hen / rabbit feed.
2. Don't use the dryer. I haven't used a clothes dryer in over 3 years. Dryers use more energy than other appliances. This year, I began turning on a fan after hanging the clothes up on the racks to dry inside. The fan has the benefits of introducing more humidity into the home in winter; our winters are crackling dry. The second benefit of using the fan is that is acts as a swamp cooler in the summer! I will rarely if ever turn on the central air and haven't needed to do so.
3. Cold Frames: This year I built several cold frames, using the polycarbonate from an unused green house kit I decided not to put up for several reasons. Currently I have arugula, lettuce, peas, kale, onions, and chard growing happily under a foot of snow. After I harvest, the snow is replaced to insulate the cold frames. I also keep several pots on a south facing porch, protected with plastic and harvest them throughout the winter.
4. Root cellar: I have started storing the extra apples, potatoes, and carrots in a root cellar. Next year I hope to add more items that have been grown in the garden. This saves trips to the grocery store giving me more time and energy for other things. I also have a winter supply, and seed potatoes for spring.
5. Sourdough bread: Baking your own bread from sourdough also gives independence from the grocery and the added preservatives while boosting your immunity. I have also found a basic recipe and use that for the balance of the bread making; and use healthy freshly ground flour. Any extra sourdough is used for pancakes, and I also make peanut butter sourdough dog biscuits.
6. Gardening and Green Drinks: I have started making green drinks throughout the summer, using various herbs and mints in the garden. So many perennial plants are edible and provide a bountiful, inexpensive refreshment and energy! Almond trees and grapes were planted this year, along with several other fruit trees. One of my favorite new recipes uses Basil seeds for cooking.
7. Food preserving and Cooking: With the apples, plums and grapes, I have been making canned and frozen applesauce, grape and plum juice, and dried fruit. Any extra produce, including corn, went into freezer garden soup and ratatouille. I also learned how to make Kombucha, and apple cider vinegar. I use the vinegar as a cleaner also. Use local honey, and swap out the sugar!
8. Bees! The garden is now benefiting from a honey bee hive to help with fruit tree and garden pollination.
9. Foraging: A favorite forage is rose hips, invaluable for high levels of vitamin C. The rose hip syrup is divine in tea. Other foraged items are various seeds, English Walnuts and grass hay for wintering animals.
10. Rain water storage: keeping a few 5 gallon buckets out for rainwater comes in handy for spot watering the garden. The animals like drinking rainwater and prefer it over tap water.
Happy 2015!
