So, it's the last day of the month and I haven't done an Independence Days Challenge update for weeks now! Because I've been sick for so long, I feel like I haven't actually done anything at all, but I started jotting down some notes and there were actually a few things I got done over the last month, so here is my March update.
Read more about why I am participating in Sharon's Independence Days Challenge, here.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plant something:* Horseradish, golden chard, rocket, curry plant;
* Ordered winter veggie seeds, seed potatoes & shallot and saffron crocus bulbs to plant when I am better.
Sow something:* Nothing as such, but I have sorted through my seeds for the winter plantings of brassicas & root crops etc.
Harvest something:
* Eggplant, chillies, herbs, herbs, herbs, cherry tomatoes, a little kale, the last of the green tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spring onions, a couple of pumpkins & some starfruit (what little the Queensland fruit flies didn't get to).
Preserve something:
* Made Brinjal (eggplant) pickles to use up the (almost) last eggplants from the garden.
Waste not:I think we have been generating more waste than ever lately, so many packaged food items and kids' treats! Ah well, our local council has just announced that they will be instigating a new waste collection service soon, which will include the option for one of two smaller-sized rubbish bins, and reduced rates if we opt for one. Our current wheelie bin is 240 litres (63 gallons), and we can opt for either a 120 litre or 80 litre bin (21 gallon), which is what we will be going for - our regular bin is usually almost empty anyway.
Just for comparison, the old-style round, lidded bins we used to have before wheelie bins were introduced were 60 litres! I'm quite sure we only had one with a spare for if we had a party or something, and I know none of our neighbours had FOUR bins which is the equivalent of the current bin size - many of which are now overflowing in our street on garbage day, and the houses probably have less people in them than they did 30 years ago.
The council is also introducing green waste bins, not that we need one since we compost, but it's nice to know that the neighbourhood lawn clippings won't be going into landfill any more.
Want Not:Being ill for so long has really brought home to me how much I control & organise the food situation in our house. Any number of processed (& junk) foods have crept back into the house because I have not been cooking nor buying the groceries; I'm grateful that I have a partner who has been able to juggle work and doing these tasks so I'm not complaining, but it did make me realise that I need to share more of how and why I do things around here so that if there is a next time, we are more prepared. I also
really need to buy a chest freezer so we have more ready-meals on hand!
Anyway, whilst I was sitting around not able to do much I:
* Taught hubby how to make yoghurt;
* Found a very old index card box I bought years ago, and copied out my commonly used recipes (including homemade toiletries, kitchen and laundry recipes) onto recipe cards to keep in the kitchen for hubby (and, in future, the kids) to refer to. Now they are all in the one spot!
* Taught myself basic crochet.
* Purchased:
- four x 1 litre glass freezer containers on sale;
- a vintage stove-top waffle iron (& tried it out - yum!);
* Cleaned out the crisper in the refrigerator and repacked it so we (hubby) can see what we have more easily.
Eat the Food:
* Nothing interesting here to report at all! We have been eating very basic, quick to prepare meals whilst I have been ill such as grilled chicken and salad. Plain but good;
* Cooked up a bulk batch of chick peas to freeze and use later in hommus etc.
Learned a New Skill:
*
Made liquid castile soap for the first time;
* Signed up for the
GNOWFGLINS Fundamentals eCourse (based on the principles in Sally Fallon's book,
NourishingTraditions). I've so far learned how (and why) to soak nuts and seeds, and how (and why) to make and use soaked flour amongst other things. Being a visual learner I am finding the lesson videos really helpful and the forum discussions are terrific;
*
Taught myself to crochet using YouTube videos, and crocheted three dishcloths;
Building Community:
* Unofficially joined a local CSA to supplement our flagging veggie garden while I have been sick (i.e. a friend has been buying boxes for us). We are joining up officially next week when the new year registrations commence;
* Joined a new organic bulk-buying Co-Op (yay!) since the last one I joined moved their pick-up point out of my area.
Future Plans:
* Oh so many! I've been doing so much reading whilst I have been crook and my head is filled with ideas, LOL. Primary amongst them will be grinding grains for flour and experimenting with water kefir grains (which is in an upcoming
GNOWFGLINS lesson).
Cheers,
My regular bicarb soda 'shampoo' and rosemary-infused vinegar rinse.
Another of the 'spinach substitute' leafy greens, but not bad at all in a quiche with other mixed greens.
Another edible weed, although generally nicer in spring. All parts are edible, but pick the leaves when they are young, before the plant flowers and they become bitter.
Since Cardamon is a tropical plant, I doubt it will ever produce pods this far south, however the leaves still give dishes a lovely cardamon flavour. True cardamon is Elettaria cardamomum; if you want to grow it don't confuse it with the ornamental cardamon-leaf ginger, Alpinia calcarata, which is often sold as Cardamon but doesn't produce pods.
Nice as a side dish, stir-fried with garlic and soy sauce, when you've had to prune back your rampant vines. Waste not, want not :-)
Not to be confused with the Curry Leaf Tree (an Asian plant which I also have), curry plant is actually more closely related to sage. It gives a very mild curry flavour to dressings & such.
