What did you do to be/become more self-reliant today?

[OzarkEgghead]

Tortoise,

I wasn't a fan of squash either...until I decided to candy it like holiday yams. I cut up my fresh butternut squash into slices about 1/2" thick, scooping out the seeds and using a paring knife to slice off the rind. I usually cut the solid pieces in half so that they cook as evenly as the rings where the seeds came out. I arrange the slices in a single layer in a large casserole or rimmed cookie sheet. In a separate bowl, I heat 1/4 cup butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar in the microwave just long enough to soften/melt the butter. Then I mix in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp mace or nutmeg (nutmeg for a more subtle flavor, mace for more punch) & 1 Tbsp flour. Spoon the mix over your squash pieces & bake at 350F for 45-60 min, or until they're fork tender. For an occasional twist, especially when the Fall apples start coming in, I add apple slices in with the squash slices. The brown sugar & nutmeg or mace compliment them just as nicely as they do the squash!

 

[Denim Deb]

That does sound good.

 

[Britesea]

It does sound good. Try adding a tablespoon of whiskey to it too!

 

[Beekissed]

Today I took 3 trips to the closest large town, 20 miles away, to collect leaves. Bags and bags of leaves left out on the curb for the trash service. So far, in three days of collecting, I've picked up 181 large bags of leaves, pine needles, lawn clippings, sawdust, etc. to place on my BTE garden.

Will continue to collect them until the Lord indicates "Enough!" or the supply runs out. I had prayed for a way to get my leaves from the yard onto the garden in large quantities without killing my back with the raking of it all and this was the Lord's immediate answer to that prayer...and He just keeps giving and giving and giving!

That's one of the things I did today to receive God's sufficiency for me(no self sufficiency to be found here). Right now my garden looks like I'm starting a landfill...going to be something to empty all those bags. I've stored some for winter bedding, filled the coop, will use some bags to create a warm place in my spare pen for the new pup to sleep this winter, will fill the coop again before the snow flies, and the rest will go on the BTE garden.

God is so very good!!!!

 

[Denim Deb]

Bee, once I get my garden set up the way I want it, I'm going to be telling the neighbors they can dump all their leaves there. Glad God sent you the leaves.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have a source for produce from a wholesaler that is "close dated" and gets chucked instead of sold. (all cold, bagged/boxed, etc.) Nice. Chickens & piggies love me, but this week I was able to get huge amounts of fresh mixed salad greens, cole slaw, and fresh asparagus bundles. The asparagus was beautiful and I blanched & froze almost 20#. Two pineapples are waiting for me to cut and cook or process. Put couple pounds of the slaw in a small container to use with me boston butt that was cooking and the other 60# the pigs are still working through. LOL Everyone loved the lettuces, celery, raw cabbage, 80# of tomatoes, etc. YES--big truck load. Will go there Mon for another load. Never know what's there but, always nice produce &/or fruit. Talk about spoiled?? My pigs sure are.

Always wanted an asparagus bed, this is easier.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm a little bit jealous!

 

[Beekissed]

Very! What a wonderful score! It's a shame so much good food is wasted or thrown away, but it's great that someone is able to take it home and recycle it into more food via the pigs.

 

[Denim Deb]

Wish I could find a deal like that! But then again, even if I could, right now I just don't have the time to do anything w/it.

 

[Mini Horses]

It's a very nice deal and can be overwhelming. In summer, heat creates issues with many things, storage wise. Now that it's cooling off, it is easier to use at a slower pace.

When I see things - 50# of potatoes with 2 bad in the bag, can't sell it -- you kinda get the idea. Shame that the wholesaler loses money, I can see why the restaurants don't want to take close dates and not use it all, etc. Our food system has flaws but, some just can't be easily solved. Much of this is certified organic too. It's a great connection for me that I "happened" upon.

I can tell you this, based on what my chickens & pigs eat, an acre of tomato plants would be useful Guess that's an excuse to plant more. They are sure gobbling them up! I'm trying to find a farmer with a patch of pumpkins that I could get the unsolds. They keep nicely for a good long time...and the goats like those also.

I've gotten some great things this way -- freezer has been filling. One week I got 10# of chopped red onions. They sell them in trays of 5# each, two to a box, and I broke those down into 1 to 2# pkgs for the freezer. Cooked up about 15# of already chopped cabbage one week and got about 15 each of those red, yellow, orange sweet peppers which I chopped and froze. Those are the ones we pay $1.50 each in the store!! Since they supply mainly restaurants, most things are partially prepped for use. I'm loving it.