Monday Message

"Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own." (Ezra Taft Benson)

I feel we need to be building our skills now more than ever. I have been wanting to get more skills and build on the ones I already have.

I am trying to learn more of sourdough. This is a group of many doing sourdough and the links to follow along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaczuUG3oSM&list=TLPQMTcwOTIwMjJRF7mMiA9xQw&index=2. 

2leelou Creates - https://www.youtube.com/c/2leelouPreserves

9 Acre Family Farms - https://www.youtube.com/c/9AcreFamilyFarms

A Good Life Farm - https://www.youtube.com/c/AGoodLifeFarm

Alderman Farms - https://www.youtube.com/c/AldermanfarmsNet

Bacon Grease Goddess - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrsP2fOblI3tV-nCiXf5X_g

Becoming A Farm Girl - https://www.youtube.com/c/BecomingaFarmGirl

Fermented Homestead - https://www.youtube.com/c/FermentedHomestead

Freedom Homestead - https://www.youtube.com/user/mom2miniwheets

Good Times Homestead W/ Jen & Steve - https://www.youtube.com/c/GoodTimesHomestead

Hamakua Homestead - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1A8f6r8PpCiDjKDM0IHnhw

Heather Cooan - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ1bI2HxYBkpTB4qkY1MXTA

Hidden Oaks Homestead - https://www.youtube.com/c/HiddenOaksHomestead

Lorella - Plan Bee Orchard and Farm - https://www.youtube.com/c/LorellaPlanBeeOrchardandFarm

Mennonite Farmhouse - https://www.youtube.com/c/MennoniteFarmhouse

Morris Patch Of Heaven - https://www.youtube.com/c/MorrisPatchofHeavenhomestead

MyTableofThree - https://www.youtube.com/c/MyTableofThree

Pursuing Gut Health - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCxm8PG6n4laznoeKjCjiQ

I have been learning from each of these.

Something else I have been learning more of is trying to perfect a pattern.

The top was a test, I had altered it to fit better. It has been a learning experience for sure.

I have my next fabric ready to cut out.

I don't have a lot of stretch fabrics but some scraps so will see what I come up with. I am trying to build my sewing skills.

I also am always searching for more budget friendly recipes and building up my files.

What things have you been working on? I have been trying to learn beading here...    

I am working on a berry stitch marker.

We all need to be working at learning new skills.

Missy is still startled by high prices, she says be more frugal than ever.

Gus continue to build his skill at catching squiggly cat toys but did say he is building this skill and we all should be actively building skills

Monday Message

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others." (All is Safely Gathered In pamphlet)

I think back over my years about how trying to build my skills have been so very important to our family. With ups and downs in our finances, my ability to do things with these very skills got us through rough times. Think back on your hard times, what did you do to make it through?

I so wish I could have learned a lot sooner but there was no one to show the way, that is why I feel it so important to teach things to others.

These days you merely have to type in a thing on the computer and all you need to learn it is right there before you.

Now that I am older do I still need to build skills?? You bet I do! Almost more than ever before. With a limited income we must stretch that budget. These are all things you never out-grow.

So if you find yourself in tight times, what can you do to offset it especially with these higher prices?

I have a lot on my blog, it goes back years and years and years so go back through the posts.

Prices are high and going higher with no stopping in sight. How do you manage? Well the first thing is that some of the more expensive recipes you have been fixing will have to be set aside for a while. Get out your file of recipes and go through it. I am sure you have favorite recipes that cost a lot less. For me that is chili and cinnamon rolls.

You can find budget cookbooks and bread books here - https://www.freereadfeed.com/ Or visit your library. Find frugal cookbooks, put your feet up and find recipes that are frugal and look great.

Ask relatives for some frugal recipes, you will have quite a collection.

Tomorrow (as I'm writing this) the high will be 63, I think that might be a good day for chili.

What are your favorite frugal meals? Let us know in the comments below.

Making bread is pretty frugal so build that skill.

I have been tying to make this stitch marker never having beaded before. It took me nine attempts to do this...

I will still perfect it.

These are garlic chives, very pretty.

Then something amazing happened that never happened before...

Our lilacs bloomed again. This is amazing, the weather has gone amuck. 

With times being hard and getting harder, I think we need to make every little bit count, it is doing the best we can.

Missy says ponder ways you could be more frugal.

Gus said build those skills and if you don't have a sewing machine look at yard sales and thrift stores - be sure to try before you buy.

Monday Message

"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)

Yes, do watch for sales and try not to waste anything - dry it, freeze it, whatever just don't toss it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg84PXfab5w - I was watching this podcast and she used a gravy packet and that reminded me I need to share this with you...

I would pick up quick cooking magazine free from the library, I loved them, they had a section on bread machine recipes and one on making mixes. I love their gravy mix. I thought I would look it up and here it is...https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ready-gravy-mix/ I keep a quart jar of beef and a quart jar of chicken on hand all the time right next to the SOS mix.

https://extension.usu.edu/sanpete/files/Soup_or_Sauce_SOS_Mix.pdf  - this is the SOS mix.

The more we can do for ourselves, the better things will be for us with prices going up.

If you wanted to make gingerbread cookies for example, do you have all the ingredients in your house right now to make them? Or chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies?

Could you make brownies or cake from scratch? Can you bake bread? Do you have enough ingredients on hand to make your own? Do you have something to put on homemade bread? Homemade jam - yum! Could you make cinnamon rolls? Do you have the ingredients to make chili or homemade chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles? Do you know how to make crackers?

Do you have pots and pans? A rolling pin? You might think it a funny question but eating out used to be cheap, so people would just eat out and did not even have the equipment to make macaroni and cheese.

If you find yourself not having pots and pans, be going to thrift stores to get what is needed...cake pans,  bread pans, cupcake/muffin tin pan, bowl and wooden spoons for mixing. Do you have measuring cups and measuring spoons, sauce pans?

I know everyone is in a hurry to get rid of items when cleaning out but think twice before getting rid of things. Make sure you don't need them first. It will be a lot harder to fix food without them. Find pans used by going to yard sales and thrift stores, be on the lookout for any winter clothing you might need too as it is starting to be that time of year.

Now that the temps are falling, ingredients to make soup is a great thing to have in your storage.

One of our favorites is...

Busy Day Soup Mix

To make up...

In a pint jar, layer three to six chicken or beef bullion cubes

1/4 c. Lentils

1/4 c. ABC pasta

1/4 c. yellow split peas

1/8 c. barley

1/4 c. green split peas

1/4 c. wide noodles

1/4 c. dry onions

Add a few bowtie pasta in the top.

Store in the jar.

Cook 1 pound hamburger or chicken in six c. boiling water, to this add contents of jar.

Simmer about one hour season to taste.

So since this is something we like to have, I make sure I have all the ingredients on hand to make it, plus I make up jars of it ahead.

I still am organizing here, I put looms on the wall behind the big loom.

Learn your sewing skills even if to just sew on a button.

The garden is starting to slow down so I do what I can.

We need to keep working on storage and skills.

Missy says get some yarn and see what you can do with it.

Gus says ponder what you have in house and what you need to add to it.

Monday Message

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. We could refer to all the components of personal and family preparedness, not in relation to holocaust or disaster, but in cultivating a life-style that is on a day-to-day basis its own reward." (President Spencer W. Kimball)

We are going back into the heat this week...I am not a fan.

I got a free book on sourdough this week. The recipes looked great but there was no recipe for doing the actual sourdough itself, so I went to my favorite site for doing sourdough. I would have still gone to this site even if there had been a recipe for it in the book. I was just really surprised that a whole book on sourdough recipes would not have the recipe for actually making the sourdough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wytD_5PX7Lo&t=455s - this is day 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqwj9WaNLhs&t=340s - day 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnSuel2jL2g - day 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnSuel2jL2g - day 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=latf83yz9YM&t=1136s - day 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjEHrVQWMio - day 6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92LlJiJ1XxQ&t=12s - day 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bftksODx2zw - day 8a

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ctTPV_oLbQ&t=49s - day 8b

I have done this gal's version of sourdough and it always works well (you can see the pic of it at the top). She does a great job of teaching.

Find what skill you want to enhance and work to build it. We live in such a great time where we can watch on the computer things to help us learn.

http://storethisnotthat.com/dry-youll-like-dehydrating-class/ - I have mentioned these before but they are so good to watch and learn I thought I would put them in here again. This is a great skill to help you stretch your food dollar especially now. Dehydrate your excess garden produce and leftover produce from your groceries.

http://storethisnotthat.com/everydayfoodstorage/ - I love these gals. If you scroll down there are great recipes using food storage.

This week I worked up some cucumbers from the garden.

The gardens all around this year have struggled because of drought conditions but I am making every bit count.

My husband loves a peanut butter and pickle sandwich. I am not brave enough to even try one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f5zfcEG9YU I thought you would like to see how this gal makes everything count and how she uses her skills.

I have still been organizing and deep cleaning. This week I worked in the sewing space...

I think I will really like working in here. With things this way I have a lot more elbow room.

Missy says find a cool place to be, hers is right in front of the fan. She is kind of a fan hog and she doesn't care who knows.

Gus is still fine tuning his skills for catching a skittery cat toy.