Finding Free (or Next-to-Free) Food

I'm sure everyone has heard it before, but a remarkable amount of food can be found for free...if you know how to keep your eyes open for it, and/or be willing to put in a little bit of effort in gathering it. For instance, in the friends of social media websites, such as Facebook, oftentimes someone will post if they have too much of something.

Such a thing happened to me just the other day - partly the reason for the long time between updates. A friend on Facebook posted that she had pear trees that were dropping fruit abundandtly and most of it would go to waste, as it was rotting on the ground. She therefore invited everyone on her friends list to message her if they wanted any pears, and she would tell them her address.

Of course it didn't take long for my husband to message, being as the word "free" is a very good word in our vocabulary! And, thanks to this Facebook friend, I gathered more than one bushel of pears without having to pay a cent. All that was required was going to her house and picking them (which, I am very thankful to say, her sons took care of most of the actual tree-picking, as I am so afraid of heights my feet cannot touch the second rung of a ladder.)

Out of this bounty came thirteen pints of sliced pears in light syrup, along with six half-pints of pear jam for winter eating - as seen by the pictures below.

13 pints of sliced pears in light syrup

6 half-pints of pear jam

Now, even if you don't have a large friends list, you can still keep your eyes out for different types of free food. If you drive past an area with fruit trees, nut trees, or even what looks to be an abundance of something, consider stopping and asking if you can have some - if you gather it yourself.

You can also get free food if you happen upon a local farm market. I'm not talking about a community-run farmer's market, but an actual farm stand. Ask if they have any on-the-ground produce that they are planning on leaving. You can also ask if they allow "gleaning", which is the same thing - gathering free produce that otherwise would have gone to waste. Remember, unless it's completely rotten, it's good for something. For example, some of the pears that I came into possession of had bad spots, but they could still be chunked up for jam. The best saying I have ever read is "Even imperfect fruit is good for jam."

You can also find produce, as well as other food, for nearly free, though some small cost is involved. Nearly every store has an "overflow rack" (as I like to call them) where the produce that will not be fit for sale soon is located. Often, to get rid of it, the store has priced it extremely low. At my local store tonight I discovered 1-lb containers of strawberries for $0.55 and under - just what I needed to make another batch of strawberry jam. Four pints should cost under $4.00, including sugar and pectin, since I was already in possession of jars and lids. That's less than one pint of organic jam, and I know exactly what went into this batch. I'd do a happy dance, but I sprained something the last time I tried. Rest assured, I am very pleased and look forward to jammin' it up :)

Other than blundering into free and next-to-free produce and fruit, our garden is producing handsomely as well. Here are the photos of tonight's harvest: Tomatoes, beans, pumpkins, okra, and red cabbage. There were also some peppers, but those didn't make it any farther than the dinner table :)

There is still more work to be done. I'm off to put up that batch of jam, as well as do up a bread starter for baking tomorrow. I can't imagine how pioneer women did all the work that had to be done - even with modern conveniences I'm still tired!

Family Favorite: Minestrone Soup

This soup is incredibly good year-round, refreshing in the summer and warm in the winter. Originally it was a vegetarian recipe - you can leave the beef out if you are a vegetarian or simply prefer a meatless soup.

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 carrots (depending on your liking of carrots)
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint jar (or 15 oz can) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pint jar (or 15 oz can) tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
3 tsp. dried parsley (chopped)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups water
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup small pasta, such as small shells or elbow noodles
2 cups cubed, cooked beef (leftover steak or roast beef works extremely well in this recipe!)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place onion, carrot, and celery into large soup pot or stockpot. Add olive oil and saute for 4-5 minutes, then add garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except the pasta and beef and bring to a boil. Add pasta and beef and boil 12-15 minutes or until noodles are cooked to desired firmness.

Ladle into individual bowls. It can be topped with grated or shredded parmesan cheese, if desired.
Best served with hot, fresh bread.

This soup makes a big batch and always keeps well for reheated lunches for about 2-3 days afterwards. We have shared this soup with family, friends, and neighbors for a good long time. A little on the spicy side, but very filling.

Original Recipe from Taste of Home Magazine, Feb/March 2010

Book Review: The Backyard Homestead

Book: The Backyard Homestead (Paperback, 367 pgs)
Editor: Carleen Madigan
ISBN: 978-1-60342-138-6

Are you wanting to start a garden but don't have much space? Perhaps the thought running through your head is, "We only live on less than an acre...can we really do something with it?"

Well, if that's the case, then The Backyard Homestead is the book for you!

Ms. Madigan has delightfully presided over a book that takes first-time gardeners and those wishing to have a homestead or make a start in being self-sufficient through the different processes, from growing food to producting meat and eggs on their own property, to preserving the harvest and what could be produced even on a small scale. Trust me, the numbers are staggering, given the amount of land! With several layouts and diagrams of backyard homesteads that start from 1/10 of an acre and go up to 1/2 of an acre, Ms. Madigan shows others how it can be done.

That would usually be enough for any beginner; however, it doesn't stop there. The Backyard Homestead takes the time to explain the differences in animal breeds and, while not having full-color photos, has intricate and detailed diagrams showing various components of homestead living, from planting and harvesting grain to how to make your own beer, all from materials planted and grown no further than your own backyard. Each animal that is explained in the book also has a picture, making it easy to distinguish between breeds for animal husbandry.

One of the points I enjoyed most about this book was that it was written in simple terms, in easy to understand English. Some books seem to create the task of homesteading as daunting, which indeed it can be, but The Backyard Homestead shows how each task is broken down and done in its own way to contribute to self-sufficient living as a whole. Though the diagrams are detailed, they are not technical, and it will not feel as though you are reading another how-to book or a set of put-together furniture instructions.

The Backyard Homestead, most importantly, is the book to read before you begin adventuring into the world of homesteading, no matter how much land you own...but don't get me wrong, even if you have already started, you will still find yourself learning something! Specifically geared for those who want to become self-sufficient, but must do so on a small scale, this book shows you how to make your dreams of raising most of your own food true - even in the suburbs. It was a great read, packed full of information, and will undoubtedly become a featured addition to our home library.

Houston, We Have Made Butter!!

Today I attempted an experiment to see whether or not it was actually possible to create butter in a short amount of time from heavy whipping cream. Now, I have made butter before from heavy whipping cream, I mean, who hasn't? You put some cream into a jar and shake it for what seems like forever, and then suddenly, BAM! You have a lump of butter in some strangely milky substance.

So, I poured heavy cream into the Kitchen-Aid mixer, added some yogurt as a starter (the kind labelled "active cultures, aka the kind with stuff in it that, as you are bringing it home from the store, taps you on the shoulder to turn down the air conditioning in the car), and set it to the highest setting on the mixer.

At first it just sloshed around, and to be completely honest, I had to turn the mixer up to the highest setting gradually, as I didn't really want to be wearing the cream or have it decorating the walls of my kitchen. So, after a few minutes of sloshing, it stopped sloshing and started to form soft peaks...and get thicker. And thicker. Soon it looked like cheese curds rolling around, or like a piecrust after you've added the water - all doughy and ball-y and...well, you get the picture.

It was about at that point where I turned the mixer off and scraped everything back into the center, since it was looking yellow on the inside and white and soft on the outside. Anyone who's ever owned a Kitchen-Aid probably shares this one teeny little complaint about it - it whips the inside to the point where the outside gets left out.

I turned the mixer back on after that and watched as what looked to be gooey cheese curds rolled around...and around...and around. Just when I got to the point where I thought it was done (and I swear if you blink, you'll miss it), a lump of butter was suddenly getting whacked around the bowl by this mixer set on an impossibily high setting, sloshing liquid around everywhere.

I had made...butter!!

Quickly I shut off the mixer and ran for a cloth to wipe any surfaces that had been deluged in the "end liquid", aka buttermilk, a very tasty substance that is a byproduct of the efforts to make butter and wholly usable in the kitchen for just about any recipe that calls for buttermilk. The butter was basically in one lump in the mixer tines, with several larger chunks swimming in buttermilk, so I laid the mixer attatchment into a bowl (gently!!) and then headed to the all-handy kitchen strainer to strain out the buttermilk and collect the smaller, but still very usable, lumps of butter.

After the actual production of butter comes the one step that causes the most "ewwwww..." of people that I know attempting to make butter: the washing. But it is a very necessary step, as butter with buttermilk still in it can turn rancid quite quickly, and then what will the efforts have been for in the first place? Not much, I can tell you that. So, therefore, I used a wooden spatula (you can use this instead of butter paddles, as they accomplish the same purpose), and transfered it to a wooden cutting board where I proceeded to run water over it for a few minutes as I turned, mashed, turned, mashed, and then turned and mashed again...and again...and...well, you get the picture. It took a lot of turning and mashing, but the water finally ran clear, which is what it was supposed to do.

Another method of washing the butter is to fill a bowl about halfway with water and sloosh the butter around in it, then drain and fill again, slooshing until the water runs clear. But I have the equipment for the other method, and to be honest found it quite satisfying.

Since I don't own a butter mold I rolled the whole thing up in waxed paper and pressed it tight. What the process really consists of is scooping part of the butter onto the paper, sprinkling a little kosher salt on it, and then scooping some more, although if you wanted to go without the salt I don't see the harm in it. Roll up the butter when it's done and wrap the waxed paper around it tightly, then put it into the fridge. Rumor has it that you can even freeze butter, though I've never actually done that.

To be sure, we'll have to eat the butter soon, as it doesn't have any preservatives in it, really, but speaking honestly, I don't see a problem with the butter being gone soon. In fact, those that I live with are already fantasizing about getting the butter gone so that I will make more - and this time they can actually watch!

Okay, so, just to provide a cost breakdown, I've found store-bought butter anywhere from $2.98 (lowest price) for a pound to as high as $4.09 at some stores, depending on the brand. I spent $3.36 for a carton of heavy whipping cream at WalMart plus $0.50 for a small container of organic yogurt with live culture. So, altogether, I spent $3.86.

While realizing that it doesn't seem cheaper, per se, to make the butter, I have a justification: remember that byproduct I told you about?? Yeah, that, the buttermilk. Think about how much even a pint of buttermilk costs. I got it for free. So, if you look at the fact that making butter leaves you with not just one product but two, it's definately a deal-saver. As an added bonus, you're not picking up product after product at the store - you buy one and you get two!

So there ends the tale of our first butter-making experience. Next time we'll have pictures to post that show others just how easy it really is - we would have had some this time, but the camera would not cooperate, no matter what we did.

Thank you everyone, more coming soon!

Don't Become THAT Neighbor

In every community, there is a house.... you know the one I'm talking about. The one that holds the neighborhood family that everyone goes "oh, my" about. The ones that hold large and loud parties that go long into the night. The ones that are loud even at 5:00AM on a Saturday morning. The ones with the dog that does its business on everyone else's yard...and they don't bother to pick up after it.

Take care that in becoming self-sufficient, you don't become another "oh, my" family - at least not in a bad way.

Self-sufficiency is an admirable goal - otherwise we wouldn't be reaching for it, believe me. But while a loud party might not be an issue for us with our neighbors, we still have to live next door to people for possibly the rest of our natural lives, and we'd like this time to be pleasant.

My point is that in the quest for self-sufficiency, there are still some neighborly guidelines to adhere to, just like in anything else. While Michigan (where we live) does have a Right to Farm act that supersedes a squawking neighbor's complaints, I'd like to avoid the issue entirely, as I'm really a very non-confrontational person that would most likely wilt at my neighbors storming around being angry at me.

Therefore, the following are advisable, especially if attempting to set up a mini-farm in the middle of suburbia, no matter what the acreage is you're living on.

1. Get to know your neighbors. Even if they are rude the first time you introduce yourself, at least you'll know what you're dealing with.
2. Talk to your neighbors. Hand in hand with #1, except on a regular basis. For example, when we were considering getting chickens, I went to both of my next door neighbors as well as the ones across the street. All of them were happy I had asked, though they all had the same stipulations: Chickens were fine, roosters were not, and the mess had better stay in my own yard. However, if I had gotten the chickens first and then asked, I doubt the reactions would have been the same.
3. Know your rights. As I said, Michigan has a "right to farm" act which supersedes most complaints, even a township or city ordinance. Other states may have basically the same thing, but in different wording. However, I doubt the "right to farm" act would help me if something has greviously offended the neighbors other than their disagreements over my lifestyle. Fortunately, I live next door to an avid gardener who does not mind my raised beds.
4. Stay within the boundaries. The property lines should not be a mystery before you move in - or after. Plant within them, not on them, especially with trees that can drop things into the neighbors yard...or on their heads. In our subdivision, as in many others, there are also certain areas considered "community property". They belong to everyone, not just to us, and I highly doubt that anyone will appreciate a cow grazing there...though it might add some ambience to the scenery.
5. Keep it clean. Just because you're getting dirty doesn't mean you get to leave the yard looking like a nuclear bomb was dropped on it. Rotting produce and dirty animals do not only stink for you, but for your neighbors as well. Compost bins should also be kept closed and sealed and checked regularly to avoid nasty surprises for everyone.
6. Be quiet. Don't blast the radio at full volume and cuss at the top of your lungs when you prune off half the oregano plant instead of the weed you were trying for. Get an iPod, and keep it down.
7. Finish what you start. While a project in progress probably won't bother the neighbors in the short-term, leaving the yard looking like a landfill in the name of self-sufficiency may not help too much. Start only what you know you can finish. While leaving something undone or taking 2-3 days to accomplish a project might not matter, you can be assured that leaving the garden untilled and rotting over the winter will matter - to everyone.
8. Share. Neighbors love to get free stuff - whether it is an overflow of produce, fresh-made products, or even a cut of meat, don't forget that these people have been courteously watching what you do, and probably drooling over it. Sharing the bounty will make them even more likely to appreciate your efforts - and less likely to disagree over that fruit tree that grew a little too close to the property line...
9. Consider taking some things elsewhere. Depending on the size of your tract of land, you may not want to keep some animals there. Pigs and sheep, along with cows, need at least 1/4 acre all their own to graze on and wallow in and...well, whatever else it is they do. Your neighbors will not appreicate your pig, no matter how much they may like you. Consider another plot of land to let the animals roam or going in with another family on a large livestock animal that may need to be raised elsewhere - you'll like that you spared yourself the headache.

The bottom line is, you can be as self-sufficient as you want, but your life can still be miserable if your neighbors hate you. Take a word of advice and get things in order before laying out the garden and ordering the chickens - you'll be glad that you did!

Self-Sufficiency Defined

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (presumably the most recent version, they're usually pretty good about updating it), self-sufficiency is defined as being able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid.

So, in layman's terms (or in plain English, however you want to call it), to be self-sufficient, presumably, you wouldn't need to look anywhere outside the boundaries of your property or house to  acquire or maintain what you need. Personally, to me, the definition of "outside aid" is a little fuzzy. If you own your own cow but need help butchering it to make steaks, are you still self-sufficient? The definition would seem to suggest that you are not, yet you have done 100% of the work towards getting your own beef with the minor exception of 50% of the actual slaughtering work (messy business for some). Even in pioneer times, it was a frequent occurance of farmers to 'trade work' for butchering season - did that make them any less self-sufficient? Not in my book.

We all know, of course, how hard it can be to be self-sufficient in today's day and age, at least for those of us living in urban or suburban environments. Many even choose their living environments because of the abundance of easy, available resources to fit their needs - from the grocery just down the street to the workplace not too far away. It's sometimes hard to believe just how much of this country was founded on the principle of giving a man 160 acres to farm for 5 years, since most of us now live on tracts of land that are far, far less than that. For city dwellers, some may not even have a "tract of land" that measures any larger than a standard-sized balcony in an apartment.

I also find it interesting in the dictionary that a synonym for self-sufficient is "independent", which in all honesty, I find to be...well, wrong. I don't think that to be independent is to be self-sufficient, or the other way around. The words share similarities, but I don't think that they are interchangeable, which the dictionary seems to suggest.

I guess, to me, self-sufficiency means that, from start to finish, I can do something without having to ask for help - I am self-sufficient in that subject. For example, I can make pickles from the cucumbers in my garden without having to ask anyone for assistance. However, I still have to go to the store and buy the vinegar, as to my knowledge there are no vinegar trees or shrubs around to grow on the property. I also must (at this time) go and buy the garlic, as well as the jars and lids for preserving them properly, as I am a fan of being self-sufficient but not a fan of death by food poisoning.

Does having to buy a few things make me not self-sufficient in the subject of pickles?

Not really, at least the way I see it. I have done my level best to preserve my harvest through the winter and feed the family, and in this house, that's what counts.

The moral of the story, at least to me, is that while the definition of self-sufficiency may say one thing, it must be interpreted to mean whatever it means. It is highly unlikely, unless one spent their entire life learning all trades and skills, that one would be able to make everything from start to finish needed to preserve and enhance their entire harvest through the winter. But are they still self-sufficient? In my eyes, yes. They have planted the harvest, tended the harvest, reaped the harvest, and preserved the harvest to the best of their ability. Even if they had to trade for jars to preserve the harvest, or buy sand and straw to store the harvest, they still took care of things themselves. Best of all, they now have a harvest they know the exact location of and the day-by-day notes of its care, from start to finish.

What, ladies and gents, could be more self-sufficient than that? :)

Welcome One and All!

I would like to welcome everyone to our brand-new blog, Suburban Quest!

Please join us in our tasks and plans as we attempt to become self-sufficient without leaving the suburbs.

I'm sure some people are asking...why not just leave the suburbs? Buy a farm, get some acreage, have some space around you to do what you want?

My answer is usually the same no matter who asks the question: Have you noticed the housing market lately?

Unfortunately, selling the house and moving are just not an option, much as I sometimes wish that they were. Plus, when we bought the house, we absolutely fell in love with it. After seven years, we've invested a considerable amount of time into it, if not money, and the thought of packing it up and leaving it, even if for greener pastures, doesn't sit well. Heck, let's be honest, packing in and of itself doesn't sit well!

There is another factor at play here alongside a downturned economy and somewhat depressing housing market - even if we were to embrace a 100% self-sufficient lifestyle, for the time being, food still needs to be put on the table and the bills paid. That means at least one person in the family has to leave the home to work, and therefore leads us into another pitfall - access to roadways and (at least some) part of civilization. While I'm sure we could find a spot that would suit us, I'm not entirely sure the cost of gas and other resources wouldn't be more eaten away as we attempted to "live our dream" on a large scale.

So, here we sit, on 1/3 of an acre, in the middle of suburbia - a planned subdivision, no less! - in Southeast Michigan, not that far away from Ann Arbor or Detroit, doing our best to at least pretend that we live somewhere out in the middle of the rural countryside. Follow our exploits (some happy, some sad, some hilarious), as we attempt to try, over the long-term haul, to become less dependent on what we can run to the store and buy, and more dependent on what we can do for ourselves. Will it work? Will it fail? I don't know, but I'm sure willing to give it a shot!

Thank you everyone - have a good day!