What did you do to save $ today?

[4morefromless]

I cooked my $5 pumpkin that I bought at the farmer's market. I had never used that kind before but the guy said it was good for pies and I vaguely remembered having seen an ariticle about pie pumpkins that pictured a dark orange pumpkin. He called it a Cinderella pumpkin.

I got 10 cups + 5 cans of beautiful orange pumpkin puree which will go for pies. Canned pumkin was $2.99 this week at grocery
I got seeds for roasting
I got 2 generous portions of chicken treats which some claim act as a wormer
I saved some seeds after checking seed catalogues and identifying it as a French heirloom Rouge Vif d'Etampes.

Pumpkin prices will go down after Halloween but if can find another like this I won't wait. It was very thick walled, not a lot of seeds but they were large and the taste and color are wonderful. I hate I passed up the peach colored with warts because the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds identifies it as one of the tastiest squash they've tried. (Galeux d'Eysines)

I have collected old pumpkins from folks fall yard displays for my chickens (get the hay and corn too sometimes). My chickens love them and it cuts the feeds cost.

 

[TanksHill]

My neighbor grew one similar. I think this one.
http://rareseeds.com/vegetables-p-z/squash/winter-squash/musquee-de-provence-pumpkin.html

I saved seeds and have planted for 3 years running with no luck. I think for next year I will buy a packet of seeds and try again. I was amazed at how meaty and flavorful it was.

g

 

[4morefromless]

Tankshill, the one I had was a deeper orange but otherwise looked identical. It was the meatiest one I have ever cooked. I read were several of the ones with the deep lobed shape were listed as good for cooking. Hope my seeds come up and that it is not a hybrid that looks like the heirloom variety. I may try to sprout one as a test.

 

[lorihadams]

my mom swears by the Red Warty Thing variety....she did one last year and said it was wonderful...a pain to crack open but very tasty and meaty. I got one to try this year. We got a big pumpkin for a little over $4 and I got 12 cups of puree from it and gave all the seeds and innards to the chickens and they loved it! I tried planting some this year but the squash bugs got most of them before I could get to them but I'll definitely plant more next year.

 

[yourbadd]

Today was a good savings day for us...

My Mom is a pack-rat and has several huge storage totes of old Halloween costumes that the kids rummaged thru to find what they need for this year. We'll have a hippie, a ninja and a chicken soldier(my 8 yr old is a little odd!!)

I mentioned that I was starting to redo my bathroom and my SIL marched me into their garage and gave me 3 gallons of premium Sherwin Williams paint that will match my new shower curtain. She used to work there and they are mis-tints she got free.

I already have painting supplies so I'm gonna get started tomorrow!!

 

[snapshot]

Can we see photos of the chicken soldier? That one takes imagination!!!! Photos of all three please!

 

[ORChick]

Got 2 buckets of freebies from the local farm stand - discards for animal food. A bunch of peppers that only need minor nicks trimmed away, some seemingly perfectly good carrots and a couple of cucumbers. I haven't had a chance to check the bottom of the buckets yet, but I figure there is still a lot of "people appropriate" food in there, as well as lots for the chickens, and anything else will go to the worm bin. They also had mushroom "seconds" at 99c/lb, so I grabbed all the decent looking ones to either dry or saute and freeze.

 

[cabinchick]

Went to the local ReStore, bought a shop light hanging fixture - brand new - for $5.00. Brand new still in the box. My chickens should love it, it's for the coop

 

[yourbadd]

Here's my little chicken soldier!! He's ready to defend innocent hens from the stew pot!!!

 

[SD Farm Girl]

I LOVE the chicken soldier.