If you eat, you need to read this post. Many of you know that I was an Army Officer for 11 years-and a tenent of the Army writing style is “Bottom line up front”–ie start with your main point. So here it is: Over 50% of the US is being effected by the worse drought… Keep Reading
Menu Plan 7/18
I have to admit something to you all. I lied to you. Last week’s menu plan was a partial fiction. That’s right. Last week the Frugal Upstate household was NOT at the Frugal Village Homestead. Instead we were at a cabin in the Adriondacks with my lovely Mother-in-law and Grandmother-in-law. I figured it wasn’t in… Keep Reading
Cooking with Princess ~ Encouraging Your Kids to Cook
One of my big goals this summer is to get Princess (age 11) and Buddy (age 9) more involved in helping around the house. You’ll see me talking and writing about it a lot this summer! One of the things I’ve been interested in teaching them is to help with cooking. I know that by… Keep Reading
Quick Tip: Keep Cool Cooking Outside
When the weather is hot and you are trying to keep the house cool-cook outside! Our grill has a handy single pot burner on the side-I think it’s supposed to be for cooking BBQ sauce or something-but it’s big enough to use my spaghetti pot on! So just by stepping out on my deck I… Keep Reading
Menu Plan 7/9
So each week has it’s own considerations-here’s what I’m working with 1. The weather is forecasted to be a *bit* cooler this week-the beginning of the week should be in the low 80’s (with nights dropping into the mid 50’s!), then the second half in the mid-high 80’s. So I could probably use the oven… Keep Reading
Around the Web: Wildcrafting/Weekly Weeder Series at Common Sense Homesteading
Lately I’ve become quite interested in herbal medicine. Don’t get worried-I’m not likely to eschew hospitals, antibiotics, vaccinations and regular check ups any time soon-but I do like knowing about alternative options and how they might work together with a modern lifestyle. I can grow or wildcraft a lot of the materials myself-so that can… Keep Reading
June Grocery Benchmark Report
It’s time again for the Grocery Benchmark Report. Actually it was time for the June grocery benchmark about 15 days ago. . . and I recorded the data at that time. Then life exploded with end of year kids stuff and massive garden tasks and the data just sat there. But never fear, I am… Keep Reading
Menu Plan 7/2
Summer is in full swing! The garden is starting to kick it up (I think squash is on it’s way). The kids are in day camp and life is good! So each week has it’s own considerations-here’s what I’m working with 1. Scouts, Dance, etc are all done for the year, which opens up the… Keep Reading
Early Summer Update
Well, the kids have been out of school officially for a week-and it’s been total chaos around here. What have we done in a week? *We’ve gone camping overnight to beat the heat. *I’ve mulched and weeded 3 gardens (well almost done with the 3rd-thats on the list for today) *We’ve gone raspberry picking (7lbs… Keep Reading
Free Audio Book Site!
Recently in my wanderings around the internet I came across a really great site-Books Should Be Free.com Now I’m sure you all know by now that I’m a reader. I really, really love to read. But I get terribly car sick if I try to read in the car, and if I’m the one driving,… Keep Reading
