Maple Grove Farm

As Plans Develop

Last night the girls and I were able to get everything set up to make soap today.  Yes, I did find the lye.  It was stashed in a box in my husbands shop.  I need to get some more of the oils we will be using.  I am trying to determine if I want to buy an electronic scale to measure everything and a hand blender to mix it.

I tried finding a hand blender at Goodwill yesterday, but was unsuccessful.  I did find several other items that I can re-use from others.  One was a very nice pasta maker that I have been wanting for a long time.  It was about half the price of a new one.  I also got a really good pot which I think I will use for scalding chickens when butchering time comes.  DD1 got a little bike which she is really enjoying.  Now she can really keep up with her little brothers.

I don't feel so bad about purchasing a few items that are only wants when we are re-using items that others have discarded.  We are not environmentalists in the common sense, but as homesteaders I think we are more aware of the land and or impact on it.  We understand that all of the things we buy may some day have to meet the garbage can and thus the landfill.  We hate that we have to send things to the landfill.  For about a year we did not even have garbage service but right now we do.

Homesteading really fits in well with reducing trash.  If you replace your canned goods with home canned items, you reuse the jars and only discard the small metal lid.  When you freeze your own meat it is usually wrapped in paper which is a lot less trash than those styrofoam trays meat comes on from the store.  If you use cloth diapers and cloth wipes you reduce that items from your trash. We even use a wide supply of cloth rages and don't buy paper towels.  Cloth napkins instead of paper napkins grace our table.  Think about how much trash is generated by convenience foods.

This morning I got a small amount of sewing done.  I finished half of two dresses.  I have a total of four dresses to finish for all the girls for this spring.  My niece needs more sewing done, so even though I would normally be done with sewing until next winter I have to keep on plugging along until it is all done.

Today we'll be doing our monthly grocery trips.  I hope your homestead is productive today. . .