Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Cutting the Grid Apron Strings One Appliance at a Time
Ive been thinking a lot about reducing our electric and natural gas bills as of late. Who hasnt? Its a crazy world out there and prices keep rising, not to mention the fact that as a culture in general, were very vulnerable in the area of electricity and fossil fuel dependency.
Our goal or focus as a family has been to 1) reduce our utility bills and 2) to become less dependent on utility companies in general. Living "off grid" meant either going with solar or wind power and producing our own energy. There really wasnt any other alternative in our minds.
But after reading a few blogs, conversing with Brenda of Freedom Acres Farm, and then reading Michael Bunkers book, Surviving Off Off-Grid, Ive learned a lot over the last month and its changed my mind a bit about our choices.
Going on solar power or wind power should only be seen as an intermediate step because youre only trading one dependency for another. isnt to say you shouldnt use solar power, wind power, or some other alternative power source, but it isnt the grand solution to end all issues. Seeing solar as a way to ease into a life of less dependency is a more realistic option. And before one can even consider an alternative power source, youve got to cut back on your current dependency. Brenda really helped me see the need for this (thanks, Brenda!).
Now if I were to suddenly go through my house and trash every electrical appliance or gadget, Id certainly have a mutiny on my hands, quick as a wink! And I wont attempt to list all our energy dependent appliances, but what Im trying to do is cut the apron strings to the grid one appliance at a time. Let me give you an example...
has been our coffee pot for the last several years. Its usually used on a daily basis, heating the coffee for about 2 hours before the hot plate shuts off unless we think about it and turn it off manually (not often). We like it a lot except that it stopped working the other day despite my regular cleanings and maintenance. Normally, we would have immediately gone out and purchased something similar, but this time, I talked with my husband about considering alternatives.
One option that we already had in the back of a cabinet is a French Press. I purchased this a couple of years ago when we were traveling, attending a retreat, and I needed my own low-acid coffee. Its a straightforward alternative in which you place the grounds inside the bottom, pour boiling water over them, stir, let steep for a minute, and then gently press the plunger down over the grounds. You can then pour your coffee. The French Press is easy to clean and simple to operate.
The drawback to the French Press is that it cant go directly onto a heat source (at least mine cant), the glass could easily break, and it doesnt keep the coffee hot. Think of this as an immediate coffee maker in which the coffee should be consumed as soon as its brewed. Mine will make about 3-4 regular cups, so its fine if you have a small group. However, if you want another cup, youd need to start over.
A second alternative was an old fashion percolator; my husbands preference. We purchased this stainless steel model at an army surplus store before our camping trip to the coast. Another uncomplicated device, which holds coffee grounds in a basket containing small holes, while pumping heated water up a tube into the basket, allowing the water to wash over the grounds and then drain through the holes back into the pot. The cycle repeats itself until its brewed to your preference. Since the holes in the basket are small, large grounds dont come through, but smaller grounds do. Some opt to use a paper filter inside the basket to prevent this.
Now you might be thinking that this little change isnt much and so why bother? Whats the difference in a little ol coffee pot? Its a small change indeed. But little things add up over time. Imagine changing 12 of your appliances over the course of a year? One per month? That would start to make an impact, now wouldnt it. Maybe not in terms of the world, but in your own immediate world, it certainly would! And if youre considering solar power, youre more than likely going to need to reduce your electrical usage if you want to go off grid anyway.
If we were to install solar realistically (and believe me, weve looked into it with 3 different companies), we could only generate 60% of what we are currently using. Wed still need to purchase the additional 40% of electricity - ON A GOOD DAY! That means, to be totally off-grid, wed need to reduce our energy consumption by 40-50% before the solar was ever installed. Puts things into perspective a bit more, doesnt it?
A power meter will help give you an idea of how much each appliance is using in terms of kilowatt hours and how much thats costing you as well. We purchased ours, but I understand some local libraries will allow you to check these out if they have them. A quick google search showed me several right off the top. Once again, you may feel that your appliance isnt using that much electricity, so why bother. But a drop on the bucket adds up!
Obviously, each person will have that one appliance they just dont want to give up and theyd rather pay to use it. is exactly why we should be allowed to govern our own lives and not have the government tell us what we can and cannot use. Whats important to me, may not be important to you and visa versa. But its good to know there are alternatives, what they are, how to use them, and if possible, obtain them as a back up. Just in case.
What appliances have you cut off from the grid and what did you replace it with? Sharing ideas is what helps each of us think outside the box!
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| Photo Credit |
Going on solar power or wind power should only be seen as an intermediate step because youre only trading one dependency for another. isnt to say you shouldnt use solar power, wind power, or some other alternative power source, but it isnt the grand solution to end all issues. Seeing solar as a way to ease into a life of less dependency is a more realistic option. And before one can even consider an alternative power source, youve got to cut back on your current dependency. Brenda really helped me see the need for this (thanks, Brenda!).
Now if I were to suddenly go through my house and trash every electrical appliance or gadget, Id certainly have a mutiny on my hands, quick as a wink! And I wont attempt to list all our energy dependent appliances, but what Im trying to do is cut the apron strings to the grid one appliance at a time. Let me give you an example...
has been our coffee pot for the last several years. Its usually used on a daily basis, heating the coffee for about 2 hours before the hot plate shuts off unless we think about it and turn it off manually (not often). We like it a lot except that it stopped working the other day despite my regular cleanings and maintenance. Normally, we would have immediately gone out and purchased something similar, but this time, I talked with my husband about considering alternatives.
One option that we already had in the back of a cabinet is a French Press. I purchased this a couple of years ago when we were traveling, attending a retreat, and I needed my own low-acid coffee. Its a straightforward alternative in which you place the grounds inside the bottom, pour boiling water over them, stir, let steep for a minute, and then gently press the plunger down over the grounds. You can then pour your coffee. The French Press is easy to clean and simple to operate.
The drawback to the French Press is that it cant go directly onto a heat source (at least mine cant), the glass could easily break, and it doesnt keep the coffee hot. Think of this as an immediate coffee maker in which the coffee should be consumed as soon as its brewed. Mine will make about 3-4 regular cups, so its fine if you have a small group. However, if you want another cup, youd need to start over.
A second alternative was an old fashion percolator; my husbands preference. We purchased this stainless steel model at an army surplus store before our camping trip to the coast. Another uncomplicated device, which holds coffee grounds in a basket containing small holes, while pumping heated water up a tube into the basket, allowing the water to wash over the grounds and then drain through the holes back into the pot. The cycle repeats itself until its brewed to your preference. Since the holes in the basket are small, large grounds dont come through, but smaller grounds do. Some opt to use a paper filter inside the basket to prevent this.
The percolator can go directly on the heat source, keeps the coffee hotter, and can serve more people. Plus, you dont need to start over for that second cup.
Now both of these alternatives require an initial purchase, both of which probably required some kind of fossil fuels to fabricate and deliver. But neither require an on going fuel source other than the simple heating of water, either in the pot itself or another receptacle. An open flame from a campfire would do the job. Neither of these options would I leave on for 2 HOURS to brew. Im actually hoping to try the percolator on my wood stove this winter to see if it will get hot enough to actually work. If so, thats a heat source Im already using, but I would be using it for more than one purpose.
Both options brew coffee differently than a drip coffee maker and thus both cause the coffee to taste a bit different. I dont know how to suggest testing this to see which is to your liking other than asking around to see if a friend has one of these to borrow. There will always be those who insist one is preferable over another. Let me just say, were foodies to a certain degree, and a good cup of coffee is to be relished, but the truth be told, in time, youll adjust to whatever you have - a probably like it.
One thing to consider if you are opting for the French Press... get a thermos. The kind that they use in coffee shops. Fortunately, I already had one and this did not require a new purchase (see mine in the photo). I cant tell you the number of times Ive used this thing! Well worth the purchase price, I can assure you! In the winter, I use it for my hot beverage bar if Im not using my electric tea kettle (which Im reconsidering now!). Just heat one large batch of water each morning, pour it in the thermos, and you have hot water all day long. Instead of using electricity several times a day, youre only using it once a day, unless of course, you decide to heat your water on the wood stove!
Now you might be thinking that this little change isnt much and so why bother? Whats the difference in a little ol coffee pot? Its a small change indeed. But little things add up over time. Imagine changing 12 of your appliances over the course of a year? One per month? That would start to make an impact, now wouldnt it. Maybe not in terms of the world, but in your own immediate world, it certainly would! And if youre considering solar power, youre more than likely going to need to reduce your electrical usage if you want to go off grid anyway.
If we were to install solar realistically (and believe me, weve looked into it with 3 different companies), we could only generate 60% of what we are currently using. Wed still need to purchase the additional 40% of electricity - ON A GOOD DAY! That means, to be totally off-grid, wed need to reduce our energy consumption by 40-50% before the solar was ever installed. Puts things into perspective a bit more, doesnt it?
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| Ryobi Power Usage Meter |
Obviously, each person will have that one appliance they just dont want to give up and theyd rather pay to use it. is exactly why we should be allowed to govern our own lives and not have the government tell us what we can and cannot use. Whats important to me, may not be important to you and visa versa. But its good to know there are alternatives, what they are, how to use them, and if possible, obtain them as a back up. Just in case.
What appliances have you cut off from the grid and what did you replace it with? Sharing ideas is what helps each of us think outside the box!
 |
| Simple Lives Thursday @ GNOWFGLINS |
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Apple Treats for Chickens
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Broccoli and Cabbage and Kale Oh My! BRASSICAS by Laura B Russell
I've long known the health benefits of brassicas (which includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and collards), and in fact plant them each spring for our chickens and ducks because they are so nutritious for people and animals alike. But it wasn't until recently that I decided to add more of them to our family's diet for the same health reasons. Unfortunately, food has to taste good for me to eat it and a big steamed plate of broccoli just wasn't appealing.
[continue reading]home garden plans Automatic Chicken Coop Door Chicken Coop Plans C
home garden plans: Automatic Chicken Coop Door - Chicken Coop Plans C...: Automatic Chicken Coop Door - Chicken Coop Plans Construction The video & picture below is the Concept Plans. Detailed Plans for ...
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Detailed Plans for Construction for FREE
Monday, 11 May 2015
Surprise A New Co Blogger!
Shell be writing a weekly post, most likely on Wednesdays, and sharing from her own homesteading and farming experience. And oh, yes! Does she have experience!
Kate has spent plenty of time around farming, food, and even food distribution, including:
• several months in Indonesia working on an organic farm where they grew bok choy, broccoli, and other vegetables
• a local organic farm (see her first post below)
• an assistant to the chef at a latin American restaraunt (including large event catering)
• a site manager for a organic farm food distribution group (much like a CSA)
• she is my co-beekeeper, often tending them herself when Im unable to
• and if I can let another cat out-of-the-bag here... shes headed to Virginia in December to visit Polyface Farm and the Salatin family for a couple of days (wish I could schlep her bag and go along!)
• she is my co-beekeeper, often tending them herself when Im unable to
• and if I can let another cat out-of-the-bag here... shes headed to Virginia in December to visit Polyface Farm and the Salatin family for a couple of days (wish I could schlep her bag and go along!)
As an anthropology and journalism major, Kate is a fabulous cook, an avid reader, and a prolific writer. I think shes really looking forward to joining us...
Welcome, Kate!
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Growing Leafy Greens
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| Tangleweed Farm |
By dawn most Tuesdays and Thursdays during the past summer, you could find me on my hands and knees in the middle of the "greens" field on the local farm where I work. Every six weeks we would rotate-in seven to ten more rows of lettuce, spinach, arugala, chard, and braising mix, so there would be a continuous harvest of greens from June to the end of October.
Most can be harvested 1 - 2 cuttings per week for up to six weeks. After that the greens grow too tough to eat without cooking them to death.
Most can be harvested 1 - 2 cuttings per week for up to six weeks. After that the greens grow too tough to eat without cooking them to death.
Lettuce
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| Tangleweed Farm Lettuce Mix |
If you control the curly leaf in the seed mix by combining your own variaties, you can balance your crop for a nice harvest. If you use a standard lettuce mix, the best method to prevent an over abundance of curly leaf is to wait until the seedlings are about two inches tall and thin as you weed around the plants. Both of these things aerate the soil around your lettuce making it both stronger and healthier.
Youll know the lettuce is ready to harvest when the greens are about three inches tall, unless youre growing head lettuce. Its easy to harvest by cutting an inch and a half above the soil line. Just remember with any green, never cut it when the ground is wet because the roots on greens are more delicate than a lot of other vegetables and if you cut when the ground is wet, you could lose the entire plant.
It will take a week in midsummer and two in the fall for the lettuce plant to grow back. As it does you will want to cut above the last line or it will not grow back right. In six weeks you will be able to taste the difference between the first cutting and the last cutting.
My favorite tool to harvest any green is similar to a hand held sickle. The blade is about two inches long and curved at the top. For left handed gardeners, this can also double as a weeder because it is sharpened on both sides, so it flips over nicely.
Spinach
Spinach is one of the most versatile vegetables! You can use it in soups, salads, sauté it, cream it, and it freezes well, too. However, its a bit trickier to grow in that the weather determines the flavor. Cold springs and early autumns grow the sweetest spinach because the cooler early morning temperatures trap the plant sugars in the leaves instead of making them grow larger or being used by the roots. The larger the spinach leaf the more fiber you will be eating, which is why baby spinach is the sweetest; it has less fiber. Like lettuce you can cut several times on the plant before it gets too tough to eat. My mom likes to grow the greens out after they are too tough for human consumption and harvest them to feed to our animals. Ive noticed they like to see her coming!
Chard, Arugala, and Braising Mix
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| Leafy Green Crops at Tangleweed Farm |
In my humble opinion, arugula is a royal pain. Its either too buggy or too small. It never grows back like you want it to or it grows so much that it turns the peppery green flavor into a bitter mess. The good thing about arugala... youll easily know when it is no longer edible because the outer stalks get thick and prickly. Chicken feed for sure!
For some crazy reason people (like my Mom) love this peppery leaf... so we grow it on the farm and at home. Its certainly resilient, but you have to make sure the plant is harvested clean of all its leaves or instead of producing new tender growth, the old leaves will get thick, prickly, curling around the plant, making it more difficult for new leaves to develop.
On the farm where I work we grow a special mix of greens (bok choy, arugala, and purple kale), perfect for sautéing and mixing with vegetables. We package them together because they compliment each other perfectly, bringing a wonderful array of flavors. In this mix, the arugula can outgrow the bok choy and kale, but by trimming the tops you can get an extra harvest of arugula. The goal with the combination is to keep everything the same size, so that the greens are proportionally mixed.
There are so many more different types of leafy greens, but these are probably the most common in American cooking and they suit many of the nutritional needs we may have. The environment these greens grow in helps them develop specialized phytonutrients for the physiological needs of the people living there. Much like bees develop honey with antibodies for different allergies, greens are nourishing, full of everything that is good for you. So I hope you enjoy growing and eating plenty of local leafy greens this fall!
looking forward to carbon regulation
(for any non-Alaskans) The state is in the process of trying to get a natural gas pipeline built from the North Slope. The oil pipeline was finished in 1977 and ever since has been the states lifeblood -- taxes and royalties from oil production provides the vast majority of state revenues. For almost as long, Alaskans have been talking about building another pipeline, this one to transport the natural gas from the North Slope and Beaufort Sea. The gas pipeline is expected to cross into Canada, connect with existing Canadian pipelines, and eventually bring gas to the US. Its expected to cost about $20 billion. The last governor, Frank Murkowski, negotiated a deal with the three main oil producers on the slope, but lawmakers didnt like it and it failed. Our new governor, Sarah Palin, is trying to pass legislation that would set up a competitive bidding process for prospective pipeline builders. Its called the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, or AGIA. The bill lists about 20 criteria to which any applicant must agree. . . .(for everyone) On Monday, the resources committee in the House took up a stack of amendments to AGIA. One of them, pushed by Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, would require any company that wanted to build the pipeline to detail how it would implement "practices for controlling carbon emissions from natural gas systems as established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency." (Under the proposal, the governor would then pick a winner based on how much money each project would bring the state and the likelihood it would actually work.)
The amendment seems pretty forward-looking since the EPA only recently learned it could regulate carbon.
The committee is planning to vote on the proposal tomorrow.
The Float Test How Old is That Egg Test for Freshness
In a perfect world, your chickens would lay eggs in their nesting boxes each morning, you would collect them, bring them into the house and prepare them to eat. Mmmm, fresh eggs every day like clockwork!
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