IDC for June 2009

IDC for June 2009

Plant Something:

* Spinach in Bucket Garden

Harvest Something:

*Harvest Spinach
*Harvest Radish
*Harvest Lettuce

Preserve Something:

Can
*Strawberry Jam- 8 pints
* Grape Jelly- 4 pints and 4 Jelly Jars

Frozen
*6 Quarts Strawberries

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:

*Recycling

*Rain Harvesting

*Meal Planning
*Got Pressure Canner tested. Replacing seals and valves

Preparation & Storage:

* Stocking, rotating and replenishing Food Storage Supplies
* Purchased OTC Meds and Hand Sanitizer for Survival Supplies
* Matt purchased another Jet Boil Stove for our Bug Out Bags

Eat the Food:

* Stocking, rotating and replenishing Food Storage Supplies

*Making our own Bread
* Eating Food from our Garden

Learn Something:
*Canning Class- Jams and Jellies
*Matt is attending HAM Radio Classes

IDC #1

Independence Day Challenge #1 for May 2009


Plant Something:
*Everything is in the Garden and planted.
The cucumbers and watermelons are a little slow to start but otherwise everything is growing.
*Will plant more Spinach in Bucket Garden

Harvest Something:
*Thinned Radish
*Harvest Spinach


Preserve Something:
Nothing this week


Reduce, Reuse and Recycle:
*Recycling
*Rain Harvesting
*Meal Planning


Preparation & Storage:
*Organized Survival Supplies and made Evacuation Lists
*Bought camping cookware and utensils off of eBay for Bug Out Kits
*Bought 2 Gallon Container and flat of Water Bottles for supplement Water Storage.


Eat the Food:
*Working on rotating food supplies and replenishing.
*Eating Spinach from Bucket Garden

Goals for 2009
*Buy a Generator- done
*Stockpile more Food
*Grow wider variety of food
*Freeze more food
*Can more food

October Independence

October 2008 Independence Summary

Planting, Harvesting & Preserving – To date:
Canned
Strawberry Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Grape Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Orange Juice Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Banana Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Dill Pickles- 8 Quarts
Sauerkraut- 10 Quarts
Steak Sauce- 3 pints
Tomatoes- 5 Quarts Tomato Sauce
4 Quarts Spiced Tomato Sauce
4 Quarts Tomato Quarters
Carrot Pepper Salsa- 5 Pints
Green Tomato Hodge Podge- 3 pints, 1 Quart
Pickled Green Tomatoes- 1 pint, 1 Quart
Applesauce- 6 Pints
Apple Butter- 8 Jelly Jars

Frozen
Strawberries- 6 Quarts
Blueberries- 2 Pints
Green Beans- 3 pints
Carrots- 7 pints

Dried-
Dried Veggie Seasoning- 1 pint
Beef Jerky- 1 pint
Tomatoes- 5 Jelly Jars
Candy- Loupe - (Dried Candied Cantaloupe)
Green Peppers



Preparedness & Planning –
Reading information on how to prepare for and reduce risk of Pandemic Flu
Changed Water in our 55 Gallon Emergency Water Container
Researching Alternative Cooking methods

Managing household & reserves –
Rotating Stockpiled Foods- Eating the replenishing.
Cleaned and prepared Furnace for Winter

Keeping it Local –
Eating food from our Garden
Buying from Local Farmers and Farmers Markets

Learned New Skill or Tried Something New –
Canning Class- End of Season Harvest
My first ever, homemade from scratch Apple Pie!!
Making Applesauce and Apple Butter

Misc. & Handcrafting -
Researching and reading articles and books on survival, homesteading and back to basic skills.
Incorporating new skills, practices and methods into day to day life.

September 2008 Independence Summary

September 2008 Independence Summary

Planting, Harvesting & Preserving –
Harvesting Carrots, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Peppers, Pole Beans from the Garden


Canned
Strawberry Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Grape Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Orange Juice Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Banana Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Dill Pickles- 8 Quarts
Sauerkraut- 10 Quarts
Steak Sauce- 3 pints
Tomatoes- 5 Quarts Tomato Sauce
4 Quarts Spiced Tomato Sauce
Matt's Salsa- 2 Quarts

Frozen
Strawberries- 6 Quarts
Blueberries- 2 Pints
Green Beans- 3 pints
Carrots- 7 pints

Dried-
Dried Veggie Seasoning- 1 pint
Beef Jerky- 1 pint
Tomatoes- 5 Jelly Jars
Candy- Loupe - (Dried Candied Cantaloupe)
Green Peppers

Preparedness & Planning –
*Level Billing for Energy Bills
*Matt made Fishing Kits, Snare Kits and Fire Starting Kits for Survival Packs
*Survival Skills Test when Hurricane Ike came to town and left us without power for 27 Hours.
*Replenishing supplies used during Hurricane Ike.

Managing household & reserves –
*Rotating Stockpiled Foods- Eating the replenishing.
*Got more shelving for storage in the basement.
*Organized food supply on new shelving

Keeping it Local –
*Eating food from our Garden
*Buying from Local Farmers and Farmers Markets

Learned New Skill or Tried Something New –
*First Worm Compost Harvest
*Made Candy- Loupe - (Dried Candied Cantaloupe)
*Canning Class- Apples
*Canned Tomatoes

Misc. & Handcrafting -
*Researching and reading articles and books on survival, homesteading and back to basic skills.
*Incorporating new skills, practices and methods into day to day life.

August 2008 Independence Summary

August 2008 Independence Summary

Planting, Harvesting & Preserving –
~Harvesting Baby Boo Pumpkins, Carrots, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Peppers, Pole Beans from the Garden
~Made Beef Jerky
~Dried Tomatoes

So far to date:
Canned
Strawberry Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Grape Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Orange Juice Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Banana Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Dill Pickles- 8 Quarts
Sauerkraut- 10 Quarts
Steak Sauce- 3 pints

Frozen
Strawberries- 6 Quarts
Blueberries- 2 Pints

Dried-
Dried Veggie Seasoning
Beef Jerky
Tomatoes


Preparedness & Planning –
~Reviewed or prepared household disaster or emergency plans
~Working on food storage lists and buying guides for a year’s worth of food stockpile
~Researching Companion Planting for Garden Next Year
~Firearms Review and Training
~Procured and Modified Remington 870 Shotgun for vehicle usage

Managing household & reserves –
~Rotating Stock piled food on shelves and in the Freezer. Eating then replenishing.
~Stocking up on Meat

Keeping it Local –
~Eating food from our Garden
~Brought Meat from Bowman and Landes
~Buying from Local Farmers and Farmers Markets

Learned New Skill or Tried Something New –
~Making my own Kefir
~Canning Class- Tomatoes
~Made Beef Jerky
~Made Steak Sauce
~Dried Tomatoes

Misc. & Handcrafting -
~Researching and reading articles and books on survival, homesteading and back to basic skills.
~Incorporating new skills, practices and methods into day to day life.

July 2008 Independence Summary

I have seen these lists in the homesteading blogs I read. I find them very interesting and wanted to do it in my blog too!

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July 2008 Independence Summary

Planting, Harvesting & Preserving –
Harvesting Lettuce,Tomatoes and Peppers from the Garden

Canned
Strawberry Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Grape Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Orange Juice Jelly - 7 Jelly Jars
Banana Jam - 7 Jelly Jars
Dill Pickles- 8 Quarts
Sauerkraut- 10 Quarts

Frozen
Strawberries- 6 Quarts
Blueberries- 2 Pints

Dried- so far all of these were just experimental. No real amount worth reporting.
Onions
Green Onions
Mushrooms
Apples
Raspberries

Preparedness & Planning –
Matt is working on a "rig" for me
Matt organized and tested Emergency / Survival Gear


Managing household & reserves –
Working on clearing out Freezer to make room for products of Harvest.
Matt reviewed, organized and tested Emergency / Survival Gear
Using Clothesline to dry clothing
Rain Havesting for watering plants

Keeping it Local –
Finding local Farmers Markets and Farms to purchase things from.
Brought some locally raised Pork.
Got a Food Dehydrator from using Freecycle


Learned New Skill or Tried Something New –
Made Jams, Jellies, Pickles and Sauerkraut.
Researching Covers for the Raised Beds.
Vermicomposting- My Worm Farm!
Canning Class- Pickling

Misc. & Handcrafting -
Researching and reading articles and books on survival, homesteading and back to basic skills.
Researching covers for the Raised Beds.