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My solar oven gets to 300 and up to 350 depending on clouds and how often I turn it to follow the sun. Because you can't just set the oven temp, you may have to adjust cooking time accordingly. If the oven is at 300 and your recipe calls for 350, you will add time to your recipe. I have baked...

Another cost saver that is also an emergency prep is my Solavore solar oven. I got it this summer and I like using it because the energy is free and cooking outside doesn't heat up the house and make the A/C run more - so it saves on propane and electric. I also like that it is another means of...

I think I am out of moderation status now. :)

We did not have a TV for a couple of years when I was a kid. Dad called them idiot boxes and didn't want one, although everyone had them. Ultimately he caved to pressure from my brother. But for a time we were screenless in an era when everyone had screens. We did a lot of fun things and made...

Thanks @frustratedearthmother - yes you should try ALDI. Now that I shop there, I wish I had started years ago. I police our electric also. The A/C is turned off and windows are opened whenever temperatures allow. Ceiling fans are cheaper to run, so when possible we do that. When the A/C is on...

I am curious about how many posts I must make before I get out of moderation status? I post, see that my post is in moderation status, and leave, figuring any conversation is going to be a long while. I understand why moderation is necessary, as there are so many spammers and trolls. So not...

Prices are going up, up, up! I am changing some things and doubling down on others to make ends meet. One thing I have started doing very recently is doing stock up runs to ALDI. There is one within driving distance, and the prices are dramatically less than other grocery stores available to...

My DH made my nestboxes out of an old bookcase. It was a small bookcase, two shelves. He put dividers on each shelf with plywood. This created a set of 4 nest boxes. He then added a lip on the fronts of the boxes. These nests are thus enclosed on all sides but the fronts. Hens have happily laid...

@Beekissed - Had to start over with chickens due to a predator disaster. :( We re-worked the chicken home, and hopefully it is safe now. I got buff Orpingtons this time around - had some years ago and loved them. We keep chickens mostly for eggs. They are 5 weeks old, so we are a long way from...

Thanks, all, for the welcome! We raise a lot of fruits, cherries, apples, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, rose hips, elderberries, etc. My veggie gardening is moving to raised beds - easier on me. I focus on greens, herbs, beans, tomatoes and squashes, primarily. Also...

I joined this site years ago and then forgot about it. I stumbled back on it and have been reading a bit. I figured I would stop lurking and actually post. I am a long-time homesteader, organic gardener, chicken wrangler, etc. We live in rural Illinois.