weekend a the stead

bfast- kasha with cream, fruit, coffee
lunch-- breakfast burrito, nachos, pepsi
dinner- pizza, wings, pepsi

still playing the never ending battle with bind weed and thistle. I think they are winning. BUt I will not stop fighting. THe beds and yard are beginning to show signs of productive life.. looks like a good year.

We brought the popup camper up into the driveway on Friday afternoon toair it out and give it a setup. It looks like it handled the winter pretty well

Junior and I took a bike ride to the nearby mall since he wanted to go to the game store.. We rode the bike up there ans enjoyed a little time together. We hit up the used book store, the REI (overpriced) of course the game store and we also noticed that starting next SUnday they will be hosting a farmers market every Sunday.. GOnna have to check it out as a customer.. Its only a 20 minute bike ride.

the nuts are coming out....

Be afraid.. Be vewwy vewwy afraid..when Joe yuppie starts doing what we have done for decades.. Scary.

check out these 2 links

Crisis spurs spike in 'suburban survivalists'

Urban homesteaders swap sod for edible landscapes

trailer park eggs benediction

Bacon grease
2 slices of wonderbread
2 eggs
2 kraft singles
2 slices of cheap baloney
mayonaisse


Fry 2 slices of baloney in bacon grease, till hot throughout. Set
aside.
Tear a hole in the centers of your slices of wonderbread. Toss in the skillet
with some hot bacon grease. Fry for a short time, turn. Break the eggs and drop
them on the bread with the yolks in the
holes. Fry as you like your eggs. At this point these are called one-eyed
Egyptians. Lay a slice of fried baloney on each and a kraft single. Top with
Mayo and serve.

One of my other favs is Braunschweiger with onions on wheat bread with mustard and a cuppla cold ones

a dumpster diving video

wait til you see the smile on the face of the guy who found a case and a half of free beer... Now that a dumpie day..That and some free smokes is heaven

new experiment this year

Sunday update
I worked in the yard this morning and planted some sweet corn, mini squash and some red corn like the pic above.. Just to try something new.
hoping for more rain to keep the newly planted a good start.

I am now going to take some time off and take a pool shower.. I prefer to save money where possible.

Sunday at the 'stead

bfast- Braunschwieger sandies, coffee
lunch- fried eggs, sausage, hash browns, water
dinner- home roasted chicken, potatoes, fruit ad juice.
I spent yesterday working in the yard, cleaning weeds, and headed over to the Wallie world for some supplies.
Transplanted some beans and stuff into other areas of the yard.
Enjoying the second day of a 3 day weekend

one of my favorite foods of all time

Along with oatmeal and tortillas potatoes have got to be one of my favorite foods. I love them raw, boiled, fried, baked , nuked etc. Not only are they good for you and they store well. At this time of year they are cheap.. 99 cents for a 10 pound bag of Idaho russets this last week.. We bought 2 bags and are going back to get two more.. 20 pounds of potatoes are a good stock..

10 reasons to eat oatmeal for breakfast

Over 40 studies show that eating oatmeal may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. According to Quaker, all it takes is 3/4 cup of oatmeal each day to help lower cholesterol. The soluble fiber in oats helps remove LDL or "bad" cholesterol, while maintaining the good cholesterol that your body needs. In January 1997, the Food and Drug Administration announced that oatmeal could carry a label claiming it may reduce the risk of heart disease when combined with a low-fat diet.


The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs a considerable amount of water which significantly slows down your digestive process. This result is that you'll feel full longer, i.e. oatmeal can help you control your weight.


You probably already have oats in your kitchen. It's estimated that eighty percent of U.S. households currently have oats in their cupboards.


New research suggests that eating oatmeal may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. In fact, the American Diabetes Association already recommends that people with diabetes eat grains like oats. The soluble fiber in these foods help to control blood glucose levels.


With the exception of certain flavored varieties, the oats found in your grocery store are 100% natural. If you look at the ingredients on a canister of rolled oats, you will usually see only one ingredient... rolled oats.


According to recent studies, a diet that includes oatmeal may help reduce high blood pressure. The reduction is linked to the increase in soluble fiber provided by oatmeal. Oats contain more soluble fiber than whole wheat, rice or corn.


Oatmeal contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and is a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates and iron.


The fiber and other nutrients found in oatmeal may actually reduce the risk for certain cancers.


Oatmeal is quick and convenient. Every type of oatmeal can be prepared in a microwave oven. Even when cooked on the stovetop, both old-fashioned and quick oats can usually be made in less than 10 minutes. And what about instant oatmeal… a hot breakfast in under a minute... incredible!


Oatmeal can be absolutely delicious! Whether instant, cooked on the stove or baked in the oven, the combination of flavors you can fit into a serving of oatmeal is limited only by the imagination. Visit Mr Breakfast's Oatmeal Collection to see just 60 of the ways you can start to enjoy oatmeal today!


http://www.mrbreakfast.com/article.asp?articleid=27

Wednesday afternoon blahs

Its been quite hot here the last few days and Babylon has been inundated with a mandatory attendance at a motivational conference.. How demotivating. They are even scrimpiing on the provision of free food.

By the time I got home all I wanted was to drink a coule of motivational beers and eat dinner watch tv and sleep.. Too hot for anything else.
I have been watering the fresh transplant in the evening and in the morning. So far they are surviving.. It is supposed to cool down anr rain for the next few days. Amen for the free water if it comes.

comfort foods and the depression

As for the luxury items I find alot of those in the dumpies for free or at the eviction throw aways.

check out this article

WASHINGTON (AP) - In the midst of the recession, there are some products that people apparently are unwilling to do without. Like chocolate.

And comfort food.

Strong sales of Spam, Dinty Moore stew and chili helped Hormel Foods post a 6 percent increase in grocery product sales in the first quarter of the year. Kraft Foods reported double-digit growth in macaroni and cheese dinners, while Hershey's profits surged 20 percent.

People are also buying gold coins, gardening seeds, running shoes and guns.

Wine drinkers are still sipping, though they're choosing cheaper vintages and drinking them at home.

In short, consumers have trimmed household budgets and put off major purchases, but they're willing to shell out for small indulgences.

A man whose company, Envirosell, monitors shopping behavior says in nearly every recession, the focus shifts to home, hearth and things that provide immediate happiness. As he puts it, "Lipstick and chocolate are small rewards that make you feel better."
(Copyright Associated Press, All Rights Reserved)

Sunday sabbath and bindweed removal

bfast- donuts coffee and fruit
lunch cream cheese jelly burritos, iced tea and fruit
dinner pork chops green beans salad iced tea

I HATE BINDWEED and THISTLES.. takes a good strong hoe, and a good back to get rid of them .. Yet they come back several times during the summer.

I planted some more beans and lettuce as well as am still prepping the big bed for corn, squash and more beans.. Next week or the following we will be puting the tomatoes and peppers into the ground pots..

The neighborhood yard sales is this weekend so I picked up some cd walkmans for the missus for $1 each and a crucifix necklace that was handmade.. The only thing better than cheap yard sales are dumpsters the week after. lots of good freebies.

sowing and sprouting in the yard

bfast- oatmeal, peaches and coffee
lunch-- hot dogs and chili, chips, water
dinner- orange chicken and fried rice with veggies

I got home from Babylon last evening and as is my usual headed over to the garden and saw even more sprouts coming up.. The green beans from last year , the lettuces , the carrots and even the kidney beans I rescued are all sprouting.. I gave the thorough but gentle watering in the early evening and let them be..

Anyhoe there is nothing quite as wonderful as the soil beginning to produce its wares.

reader input wanted

I would like to invite any of my readers out there to submit ideas and suggestions on how to make this site more useful to y'all.

I am working hard to make this a valuable site and a daily read for all who come on by

Building compost can be very satisfying

bfast- yogurt, fruit coffee and toast
lunch- hot dogs, mustard, salad, water
dinner- homemade hoagies, chips/dip homemade lemonade

The winter ivestment in the compost bin has been a success. filled the raised bed and several pots with good ol homemade compost yesterday in prepping for the summer grow cycle. Now those poor compost bins are empty and ready to start building again. I left some old compost to start the new in the tubs and will begin again..
Meanwhile the rich compost from the bins is such a beautiful shade of black and is moist to the touch as it should be.
Not like the supplemented dried out crap we buy from Wally land.

Anyhow we snagged some more chives and mint plants from the dumpie behind "wholey paycheck" market(I put them in some hanging pots) as well as some overripe carrots (good for soup stock and squirrel treats) along with some greens for the birdies. gotta love the spring time.

When all you have is time and ... no money.try urban foraging

bfast-apple butter burritos,fruit and coffee
lunch- dumpster found apple and orange chunk of day-old found french bread, water
dinner- roast chicken, fritos and water

Taking a clue, as well as some of the title from an online blog I visit almost daily I attempt to give my readers a different method of finding the gear and supplies for your homestead for an even lower cost.
Spring is here and the yard sales, evictions and foreclosures are growing leaving people with no other option than to leave on the curb many of the unecessary belongings that once graced there homes. Another goos resource lies with the transient society that lives in apartments and rental units who suddenly , for various reasons, decide to move along. Another good resource.

I have found the first weekend of the month and the week of the 15th of the month works well for discoveries in the dumpsters. The first weekend is when they move out on their own. The 15th is when the eviction process cause the move. Both are quite profitable for the patient dumpster diver. Elecronics, computers, garden supplies etc are just some of the more profitable finds that can save you lots of money and only take time. Camping supplies, storage bins, pots pans etc have alos been part of the booty as well as work clothes, coats, boots etc. ALL for free

As for the rest of the time dumpstering behind groceries stores, 5 and dime stores, wallie world, Kaines mart etc can also bear fruit, as well as grocery staples overripe veggies, baked goos and even sell by date frozen meats etc. Even the local health food store and natural market tend to have open dumpsters filled with produce, fruit, floral plants, including herbs, etc. All available for the determined.

So while I am not giving you links to online places where you can shop from the computer, I can offer you a means to self-reliance by just being more observant in your daily regimen. Granted if you want to try to supplement your search online you can always go to your local www.craigslist.org and your local freecycle group.

HAve some fun and save some money

Saturday morning blahs

bfast- oatmeal, donuts, coffee
lunch- pulle chicken sandies, potato sala, cole slaw and brownies wih lemonade. free and worth it.
dinner- roast chicken, potato salad, fritos and water

the week in Babylon is finally over and time to do some serious dumpieing. The economy here in town is getting worse so will have to be a scrounging more.. for resale.

Swine flu has infected CO which was only a matter of time but am not too concerned as of yet. Avoid congested places.. SOunds good to me.