30 Day Homesteading Challenge - October 2021

Britesea

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They're out of NY. For a while, I was able to buy it at Walmart, but they don't seem to carry it anymore. I'll probably have to order it online now. I don't understand why everyone thinks sugar is indispensable in mayonnaise. The original recipe never had a speck of it.
 

tortoise

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Calling "uncle" today. I found the top of my dining table today! Kitchen counters are still piled with dishes, as DS14 still is mysteriously unable to get them clean. I have a meeting to prep for tomorrow and I'm way behind on my writing deadline at the end of the month. This challenge is taking a back seat today. Maybe for a few days.
 

tortoise

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This challenge has been more challenging than I expected because of its design/order/pace. I have objections. :gig Can I play it like bingo please? :gig

Here's my update. I'm going to call this challenge completed. A similar challenge is worth repeating. It feels good to try something new and make some new goals.
  1. Replace one meal - IDK which one, my goal in SS living is not depending on grocery stores, so this is a constant
  2. Repair a hole - I found holes and I know how to darn them, but it hasn't bee a priority lately.
  3. Plant [another] edible - 2 trays microgreens, 6 1020 flats of greens started in winter greenhouse
  4. Identify [another] edible - I bought two books on foraging in my region and shelved the topic until spring.
  5. Replace one pantry item - flour, vanilla extract, almond extract, granulated sugar
  6. Begin a ferment - sourdough starter, kefir
  7. Bake bread - check, check, check, check, check
  8. Research animals - have sheep, still researching better ways to move and manage them. I want to DH to build a chute, I have ideas and picked up Temple Grandin's book on moving small herds/flocks. Also did some prelim research on AGH and decided that's still distant future.
  9. Kitchen practice - sprouted whole wheat bread, blanch almonds, grain mill/make flour
  10. Save kitchen scraps - made bone broths and kept the batch going 18 days until the first bone disintegrated, saved the good bone for future batch, otherwise I was lazy and gave kitchen scraps to chickens/goats.
  11. Start compost - n/a? only thing I could think of was building a hot box for my greenhouse, but that's low priority / not happening this year.
  12. Build one thing. :gig
  13. Sew something - I have the tools, supplies, knowledge and no time for it.
  14. DIY cleaner - I don't need cleaner now. I make a vodka/vinegar/water unscented cleaner. DH hates it.
  15. Reuse waste - I used a box to make a thing for DS6's violin lesson? does that count?
  16. Relax :gig
  17. Dehydrate - sprouted wheat berries, spinach, bread cubes and bread crumbs
  18. Line dry - I got my drying rack out of the basement. Is that good enough?
  19. Shop local - I switched to getting cream line milk in glass jugs. It's not terribly local - 100 miles away. I buy it from a local bulk food store. I am switching from granulated sugar to local maple syrup and local honey.
  20. Find a class - I read books.
  21. Write a goal - growing grains
  22. Library card - n/a. check?
  23. Get a fruit tree - not the season for it. Some young apple trees were girdled and didn't survive 2020. I picked a local nursery to buy fruit trees from in spring.
  24. Buy in bulk - 25# wheat berries.
  25. Meal plan - :gig meal planning is the most anti-SS activity IMO. I plan by opening the fridge and picking out the things that will spoil first and then figure out a way to convince my family to eat them.
  26. Connect with others - I'm going to have to count a private message to a forum member who lives in my area, even though we haven't met in person. Between 4-H and living in a rural agriculture area, I feel connected enough even though I'm not really. if that makes sense?
  27. Plan garden - check!
  28. Budget for garden - purchased seed
  29. Watch documentary - :gig who has time for that? I read books?
  30. Reflect - every day.
 

Hinotori

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For documentary, try Alone in the Wilderness.


Well it's not really one, but, it's soothing to watch and shows a guy living mostly self sufficient.
 
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