Trying Out My Green Thumb

A few weeks ago I decided to start some vegetables from seed. The seeds I had were all "approved" for growing in pots, however I realized I would need a lot of pots to grow the number of plants I started, and that just wasn't a frugal idea.  I searched the internet and found quite a few good ideas--ever think about planting in a reusable grocery bag?  I considered it due to our backyard not having consistent day-time sun; I could easily move the bags around to catch the light, but decided I wanted something more permanent.

 I found box planters but at $40 a piece, that wasn't practical either.  So, last weekend I decided to build a raised garden bed myself.  I picked up six pieces of 4-foot cedar fencing, trimmed off the tops, cut one in half and nailed the pieces together.  The remaining three fence slats went on the bottom with space left for drainage.  Once I got the box together, and after talking with my friend Amy and my neighbor, I realized that my one box just wasn't going to cut it.  So, I build another box using 6-foot fencing.  Each box was lined with heavy grade plastic.  I cut several holes along the open spaces and covered each with rocks to allow for drainage without losing soil. So now I have two garden beds on my patio awaiting my beautiful new seedlings.  The girls have thoroughly enjoyed helping and watching the seeds grow.  Today they noticed our spinach surfaced and were quite excited.  Maybe this will get them to eat it!  I was hoping to get the seedlings in the ground yesterday, but it was so cold the past few days.  Maybe tomorrow.  I also plan to surround the boxes with chicken wire and top my fruit box with a netting that is supposed to keep birds out.  We have a lot of deer, rabbits, raccoons and other friendly creatures, so I worry I won't have much left by the end of the season.

       

This is all a learning experience so we shall see how it goes.  I'll keep you updated on its progress throughout the spring and summer.  I don't think my garden will prove to be so "profitable" this year due to the start-up costs, but hopefully as the years go by, I will reap the benefits.  If nothing else, it will certainly provide many hours of fun, learning and memories for my girls and I...which is the most important thing of all.  

Going Organic...Part 2

Anyone made the switch to healthier meats, dairy and eggs?  I know these items are significantly more expensive than conventional, but I cannot tell you how much better they are for you.  Another way we curb the extra cost of organic food is to have a meat-free meal at least once a week (usually some sort of pasta dish).   Last week our meat-free Monday was baked ziti lasagna.  Instead of using lasagna noodles, use cooked pasta of your choice (12 oz).  Toss the pasta with a jar of sauce, pour half in the bottom of a casserole dish, top with ricotta mixed with parmesan, pepper and shredded mozzarella, then add the rest of the pasta.  Cover and bake at 350º for 30 minutes.  Top with more shredded mozzarella and bake until melted.  There is always plenty left for lunches later in the week.

After making the transition to meats and dairy, the next step is to look at your produce.  Certain fruits and vegetables absorb more pesticide residue than others, so if you are on a tight budget it is only necessary to buy certain items that are organic, conventionally grown items are fine for a lot of produce.  Thinner skinned fruits typically contain more pesticide residue while thicker-skinned fruits/veggies have extra protection from the pesticides reaching the flesh.  The Environmental Working Group conducts studies on pesticide residue each year and puts together a list of the "Dirty Dozen."  According to the group, you can reduce your exposure to toxic residues significantly if you switch to organic when buying these twelve items. 

Dirty Dozen +:  Apples, Strawberries, Grapes, Celery, Peaches, Spinach, Bell Peppers, Imported Nectarines, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Blueberries, Lettuce.

The one item on this list that I typically do not buy organically is grapes.  They are hard to find around here and when I do see them, they are very expensive.  I will only buy them if they are on sale.  I do buy organic raisins though (Whole Foods sells them in bulk for much less than pre-packaged)

What's not necessary to buy organic? 

The Clean Fifteen: Asparagus, Avacado, Cantaloup, Cabbage, Sweet Corn, Eggplant, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Mushrooms, Onion, Papaya, Pineapple, Sweet Peas, Sweet Potatoes.  Conventional bananas are also a safe bet.  When washing fruits and veggies, especially conventionally grown, wash them thoroughly with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water.  (Keep some in a spray bottle for convenience sake.)            

                                                                                          Environmental Working Group

Oh, and another helpful hint when shopping for organic produce, know the codes: 

Happy Organic Shopping!

Going Organic..How to Do It

Well, it is now May and my budget app just reset itself... with $2.00 left to spare from April!  Once again, I broke down my spending and over 66% of it was spent on groceries (just over $550), which is much better than the $700 I was spending!  What really helped me was planning out our menu every week and only buying what we needed.  Before, I was just going up and down isles and picking up things that we typically use and coming up with meals as I shopped.  This clearly was not not working; I ended up buying way more than I ever needed and it began to pile up in my pantry.  As I stated in a previous post, I go to Whole Foods once a month to stock up on organic/non-GMO items I cannot get at Giant Eagle.  Even though I just went to Whole Foods the middle of April, I decided to go again today to get my monthly trip there and to Target back to the first of the month.  This time, I only spent $267.00 (as compared to almost $400 last trip!).  I took a look at last month's receipt and figured out where I could cut back.  My most expensive purchase last month was Spectrum Organic Mayonnaise at $11.99 a jar!  Today, I picked up their non-organic mayonnaise and read that it was third party certified GMO free, so that was a savings right there (still $6.99 a jar, but worth it to me).  By reading labels closely you can sometimes find non-organic items that are still non-GMO certified.

I was having a discussion with my uncle about organic living, and he stated that it's good for those who have the wealth to afford it.  I got to thinking about this, and I believe it is not so much about wealth, but rather on smart spending.  My husband and I are both teachers, so by no means are we "wealthy."  So how do we do it?   I have decided to dedicate some of my upcoming blog posts to giving tips on how to  shift to a more organic lifestyle in baby steps, without breaking the bank.   First, before I give my first bit of advise, I should explain that one of the primary reasons we can afford a 90% organic diet is the fact that we do not spend money on sodas, snack cakes, cookies, sugary cereals, chips, and other unhealthy snack options.  90% of my cart is filled with foods from the stores perimeter (think fresh, raw foods). Neither one of us drinks, smokes or partakes in any other unhealthy habit that sucks money from our budgets.  I highly recommend looking at your pantry and taking note of what is filling your cabinets, (and eventually your family's bellies).  Where can you cut back?  The sugary soda filled with high-fructose corn syrup or artificial chemical sweeteners?  The greasy or sugary snacks that zap our children's energy?  If you permanently cross those things off your list, you have extra money to put towards healthy organic fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat.

Which brings me to my main point for today.  If I were to only be able to afford to switch to one organic food category, I would definitely go with meats, dairy and eggs.  These days animals are fed horrible combinations of food that aren't part of their natural diet and are often filed with GMO corn.  Cows are injected with growth hormones and antibiotics which then turn up in milk and muscle tissue.  Look for beef that comes from pasture-raised cows that have not been treated with rBGH (read more about this here in a previous post) and hormones. If you have to drink milk, I would highly recommend one that is not ultra-pasteurized nor homogenized.  The more treatments milk goes through the more unhealthy it becomes. We love Snowville Creamery--it's as close to raw as you can get here in Ohio, and even better the creamery is located here in Ohio along the Ohio River ($3.39 for a half gallon).  Another common brand here in Ohio is Hartzler Family Dairy (located in Wooster, Ohio).  This dairy bottles their milk in glass jars, which you can return for cash back or credit towards your next bottle. This milk tastes so fresh and natural! Another milk tip: go for the whole milk.  Skimming milk is another process that destroys more nutrients.  As for eggs, have you even been to a chicken/egg farm?  Talk about gross!  I was appalled by the living conditions these hens were facing...not to mention the filth!  Always look for free-range, vegetarian-fed, organic eggs.  They really do taste better and you will be amazed at the orange, not yellow, yolks! Yes, I know you can get a whole gallon of milk for less than $3.39 and a pound of cheap ground beef for $1.99 per pound, but if you give up that 12 pack of soda, those 3 boxes of snack cakes or a bag of Oreos, switching to organic can be manageable!

Anyone up for this challenge?  Make this change for your health and the health of your family, while standing up to unhealthy practices the FDA has allowed to enter the food industry.

Have I Lost My Mind?

So my husband thinks I have lost my mind.  While he was out running errands the other night I was thinking about how I might plan a garden in my small, suburban backyard.  I am anxious to be able to walk out my door this summer and grab fresh tomatoes, lettuces and maybe even some berries.  In my search for different small-space set-ups, I got to thinking about how nice it would also be to have a few chickens so we could also have fresh eggs every day.  Big Monkey is always asking about a pet, so they could serve two purposes.  My search of gardens turned into a search for "suburban chickens."  I found many different chicken coops that are inconspicuous that would work perfectly in our yard.  When Big D got home I excitedly told him about my desire for chickens and he looked at me with this blank stare.  I kept going on about how great they would be and how easy they are to take care of.  He continued to stare at me, gave a long pause and then asked, "Did you totally lose your mind while I was gone??"  No matter how I tried to explain it, he couldn't be convinced.

I have been doing so much thinking about my life lately...my career, my family, our food supply, the horrific things that are happening in our society...and I just want to move my family out in a remote, country landscape, grow a huge organic garden and have a whole yard filled with free-range chickens.  I would be at home with my kids and find serenity in a quieter, slower-paced life.  I have been reflecting a lot on my profession and where the state of education is going.  All over the media "I" am being slammed and told that I am making too much money, that I don't do my job, that I have it easy and only teach so I can have the summers off (which by the way is laughable)...the list goes on and on.  It is very disheartening and wears me down.  So what does this have to becoming frugal?  My hope is that I can save up enough money to one day be able to work part-time and be available for my kids.  It breaks my heart thinking about Big Monkey starting kindergarten next year and not being able to be a room-mother or help out at class parties or go on any field trips.  I hope that neither one of the girls looks back on their school years and feels cheated that their mommy wasn't more visible at school; I know I will have enough guilt of my own to last two lifetimes.

For now, though, I will find the happiness and blessings that are around me, be thankful I have a job, plan my little garden on the patio, and do the best I can to find my sanity.

Budget Buster!

As of Sunday, my pantry was getting pretty bare and a few of our basic items that I get at Whole Foods were gone.  I probably could have gotten another week's worth of meals out of what I had, but I can't go without my 365 Strawberry Cereal Bars, which happens to be my breakfast every morning.  I only make this trip once a month (even though I got a month and a half out of my last trip), so I decided to stock up on everything.  I looked at my inventory, calculated how many of this and that I would need for the next month and made an extensive list.  I estimated that I would be spending around $300.  I decided to try buying a few things in bulk this time: oats, brown rice, orzo pasta, and raisins.  I also buy spices in bulk because I found myself throwing away nearly full bottles of different spices that had been hanging out in the pantry for years...some probably from my single days!  I only pay $.25 or so for just the right amount of seasoning.  Once it was all said and done, my bill was just shy of $400!  I couldn't believe it...this was going to bust my budget for sure!  It killed me even more to think that I had to then go to Giant Eagle for lunch meat, cereal, creamer and fruit (Whole Foods' organic fruit is more expensive than theirs).  After another $40 there, I was pretty much over my budget for groceries.  All I can say is I hope these groceries last a lot longer than a month.  I guess that will be my next challenge.  

I went from having only spent $160.00 to $607.00 in a matter of 24 hours.  Not what I was hoping for! Now I am off to pay my Sprint bill...so that will leave me with only $140.00 left for the month.  We'll see if I can pull this off!  So much for that purchase at Gymboree...on the other hand I do have Gymbucks to spend...

Frugal in an Organic World

Before I get on topic, I am going to get off-topic..."Blogger" has a way of tracking the countries my "audience" comes from.  Most recently, I discovered that several people who have read my posts live in France, Germany, Russia and Great Britain.  Pretty neat that people all over the world have access to my worthless knowledge!  I'd love for people to start leaving comments so I know who you all are :)

Now on to my topic.  I may have scared a few away by my last post.  Hopefully you don't think I am some nut-job, but I am truly concerned about Monsanto's power.  Anyway, I have found a few resources that I plan to refer to as I continue to do my shopping.  I have discovered that as long as I stick with Whole Foods store brand organic foods (labeled as 365), I am avoiding GMO's the best that I can.  By sticking with store brand, I am technically saving...typically paying the same price as I would for a conventional name brand.  If Whole Foods brand isn't an option, there are shopper's guides out there that can help you choose non-GMO brands.  (Most grocers have their own brand of organic foods now.)  Here are links to a few if you are interested:

                                            

                                                     

                                            

                                                           (NonGMO Project's website)

As well as eating organically, I also make sure that my cosmetics, soaps and shampoos (especially for the girls) are free of yucky stuff.  If you are interested in getting rid of the toxins lingering in your make-up bag and shower, there is a website for that too!  The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a database that rates the safety of thousands of beauty/cleansing products for adults and children.  It has an easy search option, so plug in your favorites and see how safe they are.  As for me, my morning make-up routine involves six things:  BASIC mild cleanser, giovanni Organics moisturizer and foundation, mineral veil, blush and mascara all from bare minerals.  In the shower, I use Whole Foods brand body wash (grapefruit citrus) and a variety of shampoos and conditioners.  The photo below shows the selections I currently have in my closet (do I have a problem or what?)  Oh, and not to forget the most important part of my morning routine, my deodorant.  I haven't used an aluminum-containing brand in years, and this is by far the best one I have found.  The only down-side is I can only find it at Wal-Mart. 

     

Are these more expensive that conventional brands?  A bit, but not necessarily.  As for my cosmetics, the moisturizer is around $5.50 and I always make it last twice as long by wetting my fingers a bit before applying it.  It stretches the cream quite a bit further.  I use it full strength when my skin is super dry.  My make-up is $25 a pop...YIKES!  But, again, I use it sparingly.  It is all powder form, so I find I don't need nearly as much as I was using other products.  Also, I use more on special occasions and less on an every day basis.  I buy it once a year because my parents always stock me up at Christmas time!  My shampoo and conditioner costs around $6 each but again, I try to use less and went back to washing my hair every other day.  The deodorant isn't quite $3. 

As for my girls,  I use BabyGanics Moisturizing Therapy baby wash (it's super creamy and makes their skin so soft!) and they are now using the same shampoo and conditioner I use.  When they were babies, I used Burt's Bees wash and shampoo which smells heavenly!  Here is the link to the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics database:

Questions, comments or suggestions?  I'd love to hear them!

Monthly expenses thus far: $162.66...feeling success!

Taking a Break From Frugality...

...to bring you a very important public service message!  This is a documentary I came across recently.  While the country and media was focused on whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, Obama signed a bill that basically allows Monsanto to continue to harvest and sell genetically modified crops even if courts have deemed it unsafe for consumption.  It puts them above the law! But we the American people heard nothing of it.  

I have to admit that I watched it in its entirety Wednesday while I was home sick.  I have highlighted the important details but I encourage you to at least watch the last 45 minutes!  If you care at all about the future of the food you are putting on your tables and into your children’s mouths, take the time to watch!  Monsanto is a huge company who is setting out to purchase all seed companies which in turn allows it to control all the world’s food supply.  They are greedy liars who only think about their pocketbooks but they are POWERFUL!  Former Monsanto employees manage to get jobs at the FDA, falsify research and silence anyone who questions their actions/research.  Even the media has been silenced by their power.  What they do should be on the front page of every newspaper and the top story on the nightly news.  If you aren’t aware, this is the same company that created DDT, Agent Orange, PCBs, Aspartame and more.  The company was caught in lies about the safety of these chemicals and no long-term research was completed.  The research that was completed is even questionable.  We now know the dangers all of these have on the human system.  Are we really going to take their word that GMO’s are safe??  Here are the highlights from the video:

• Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) is a genetically engineered hormone that is injected into cattle to increase milk supply.  Along with this comes mastitis, or inflammation of the milk glands.  This introduces PUS into the milk.  Because of the mastitis, cows need to be treated with antibiotics.  There is a substantial increase IGF-1 growth hormone which has been linked to an increase in some cancers. Young girls getting breast cancer?  Could this be why?

• Monsanto employees have been known to obtain jobs within the FDA, EPA and other high power positions in our federal government.  In one instance, Monsanto employee Margaret Miller oversaw a report on rBGH only to take a position in the FDA to aprove her own report!  

• Monsanto has a way of silencing those who question their actions and any media who attempts to write stories that may reveal who Monsanto really is.  They have fired people, moved them from positions and have threatened them/tried to buy them out to silence them.

• If you were a food producer and decided to add a drop of natural food coloring to your ingredients, you would have to go tests and research to prove your food is safe and then that ingredient would have to go on the ingredient label.  Ingredients that are GM DO NOT have to be labeled on the ingredient label.  

• Genetically modified seed has had its DNA changed...this may result in a similar crop, but is it natural?  These seed are modified so that they can resist pesticides/herbicides or produce their own insecticides.  When you bite into that corn, you are biting into an insecticide producing organism....there is no way of removing this! GM organisms are also susceptible to invasion species and super weeds which can withstand the pesticides.

• GM crops are labeled as “substantially equivalent” which means they are almost identical to their natural counterpart, therefore they do not need to be identified as GM.  Substantially equivalent?  Is that like saying an orange is substantially equivalent to a tangerine, so we don’t need to let consumers know exactly what they are consuming?

• NO conventional cotton seed available to farmers in many parts of India.  Monsanto controls nearly all the cotton seed market in India.  Farmers are forced to buy their seed at 4 times the cost of conventional cotton, forcing them to take out loans to purchase the seed, which have high interest rates. This is ruining many Indian villages.  Between 2005 and 2006, India reported that 600 cotton farmers had committed suicide because their farms went bankrupt. That number continues to increase. In another year, they saw another 682 suicides. Monsanto is making farmers dependent on their company.

• Monsanto controls most of the seed manufacturers.  They are setting out to control all food.   “If they can control seed, they can control food.”  Indian author Vandana Shiva is working to help India free themselves from Monsanto

• MOnsanto is also creating a fear in American farmers.  Those who plant Monsanto GM crops, are required to sign contracts and cannot reharvest seed.  They must purchase new seed every season.  If they are caught reseeding or are to have reseeded, they will be questioned and sued.  Thus causing many to go bankrupt. 

• Organic crops can no longer be trusted due to transgenic contamination, which is the cross pollination of GMO and organic crops.  Pollen can spread a kilometer or more.

• GMO’s have already contaminated Mexican corn in isolated areas where it was assumed the corn was pure. Mexico has banned GMO crops but they cannot stop the trade from US crops because of the NAFTA Free Trade Agreement.  This corn brought in from the US (which is genetically modified) cost half as much as traditional mexican corn, so mexican consumers will likely go for the cheaper, thus putting Mexican farmers out of business.  If Monsanto is successful in taking over the seed market, Mexicans will be forced to not only use Monsanto’s corn but also buy their fertilizers and herbicides because the crops won’t grow without them. Traditional Mexican corn doesn’t need any fertilizers or herbicides to grow effectively.  Traditional corn will be uncontrollably affected. Monster plans are surfacing in Mexico and invading the fields that have been used to grow pure corn for centuries.  Farmers in Mexico, as in India, will certainly suffer.  

• Monsanto collects royalties on each ton of soybeans produced in Brazil and Paraguay.  While Monsanto claims their GM crops will help with problems such as deforestation, and other environmental issues, there has been no let up in Paraguay’s deforestation. They have instead seen an expulsion of many small farmers. Insecticides are sprayed right up to peoples front doors and are killing livestock and other valuable crops, not to mention causing health issues, especially among children.

• Countries all over Europe, Canada, China, Japan, Mexico among others have banned the harvesting/selling of GM seed and crops.  

Scary?  Yes, indeed.  What is to become of our food supply if Monsanto is successful in monopolizing the food industry?  Consider signing a petition and telling Obama enough is enough!  Click the link below to sign and find out how to get involved...and consider sharing this post or the link below on Facebook.

                   Bring Monsanto Down

Fail

Well, I can record another "fail" in my book of frugality.   We were out of town this weekend and like usual I left a much needed item at home and had to make a trip to the store.  I should have been smart and gone to Walgreens but instead Target sounded like a much better stop.  I couldn't resist the children's clothing section and of course found some adorable dresses for my monkeys.  On my way out of the store the guilt started settling in.  Hadn't I just promised myself no more clothes for the girls?  Between what I bought last year on clearance and stuff I bought over the last month or so, the girls are set for the entire summer!  (Not to mention both of them can still wear a lot of their stuff from last year.)  So, when we got home today, I dug through their Easter basket goodies and pulled out multiple knicky-knack junk items to return...the dresses will take their place.  See, I can find clever ways to justify my spending :)  Isn't that being frugal?

On another note, I wanted to share a recipe for an easy pancake mix.  We have pancake night in our house several times a month, and I have not bought a boxed mix in over three years.   It is super simple and they taste delicious.  I always double the recipe so we get lots of extras that I can freeze and have on hand for quick breakfasts during the week.  

Wheat Pancake Mix

3/4 c. whole-wheat flour

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 T. sugar

1T. baking powder (or less if you like them flatter)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 1/2 c. of milk (I often need a bit more)

2 T oil (I use organic canola)

Combine dry ingredients.  Measure out the milk and whisk in egg and oil.  Pour into dry ingredients and mix together.  Add more milk if necessary.  Cook on a griddle or skillet as you would any other pancake mix.  

I will often mix several batches of the dry ingredients and store in ziplock baggies in the fridge.  

Enjoy!