Simple living

[abcowboy]

Moss, Bubba does that with her herbs, she said to tell you not to wash them till you take them out to use them! Give them at least 4 - 6 hours in the sun to dry, vacuum pack, then into the freezer...

[MossRose]

Cowboy - tell her thank you!! That's excellent. I can't wait to try this.

[scottish lass]

I have not frozen garden herbs, I did by some herbal bags for colds and have some in the freezer for when needed - of course I forgot all about them! I would imagine the woody herbs freeze better.
I have frozen compound butters - they are great to have in the freezer - make herby butter and just cut off a slice as needed.

[MossRose]

SL - that sounds delicious. I haven't made herb butter yet, but what a good idea. I recently started buying the Kerrygold Irish butter. I know - bad for my carbon footprint, but the flavor is wonderful, and it's healthy. Until I find something that is locally cultivated that compares, I'm remaining loyal. It's just that good. I bet it would make excellent herby butter.

I downloaded a book from the library a couple of days ago called Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family. I found it intriguing because they advise doing things opposite of what I have been doing. I usually spend an entire day cooking and then freeze for later. It works great, but it is a big commitment of time - especially with warmer weather on its way. This book says you should freeze first - cook later. So rather than making chicken Marsala and then freezing, they say you should make the sauce, pour it into a freezer bag with the chicken, seal and freeze. Then when you are ready, thaw in the refrigerator and cook when you get home. Kind of like homemade TV dinners.

I see value in both ways. What do you all think? Maybe there's a place for both. Any suggestions that save money and time are greatly appreciated.

[scottish lass]

I do like good butter MR! and it IS good for you - so enjoy! Have fun with flavoured butters - you can do so much and if you freeze them you can do lots of different kinds.
I also cook bigger meals and freeze portions - I have not heard of freezing first though...intriguing...

[MossRose]

Composting. I used to do it at my house and that was easy. I had space. Now, I don't know what to do. Apartment living = not much space. There are very expensive "kitchen composters" but that's not going to happen. I am not going to pay over $200.00 for a composter. So - any thoughts on how to compost in a small outside area without breaking the bank? I still bury a lot of things rather than throw it down the garbage disposal, but I am looking for a way to get that "black gold." I finally have a garden plot again and compost would be so welcome.

[abcowboy]

Moss, this might be something that works for you? http://cultivatecentral.com/2014/04/...-your-balcony/

[abcowboy]

Moss on your 10 month milestone!

[MossRose]

Hey Cowboy - thank you. Haven't checked in in a few days and missed this. It's been crazy busy here, but all good. I appreciate the shout out. Hope all is well in your world.

[Samstone]

bump

where you be Mossy??

[Spiritfree]

Drinking makes life so complicated. Our health suffers, our relationships become toxic or at the very least unhealthy, we lose our passion, and our finances take a beating. It takes time to put everything right again after getting sober. Now that I have some AF time behind me, I realize that I need to concentrate on the day-to-day details. I ignored a lot of things during my drinking years, and created a real mess that I now need to clean up. But this post is about more than just being practical, although that feels good for a change, it's about living an authentic life - one based on our internal values, not what we've been sold.

So I wondered if anyone was interested in sharing ideas about living a more simple, organic, holistic, and sustainable life. I would be grateful to hear any and all suggestions.

These are things I have been trying to incorporate into my life:

1. Support my local farmers. I'm lucky - I live in farm country. I found a new indoor market yesterday that allows me to buy ethically raised meat, dairy and eggs from a local farm. I am grateful.

2. Open my damn mail!! During my drinking years, I was an ostrich about my finances and that was a disaster. I had bill collectors climbing all over me due to my financial neglect. It was awful and of my own doing. As many of you know, I lost everything including my house. No more of that nonsense. Now, I open, read, and address everything that comes to my mailbox. As dumb as it sounds, this was my biggest challenge. I was too afraid to deal with my bills because of past experiences, so I just didn't bother. Not advised. I now have a cute, decorated bag that holds bills to be paid (makes it more palatable), and a shredder that takes care of junk mail. This a daily ritual for me.

3. As an extension to the above - I no longer buy things I don't need. No more impulse shopping. I make a list and I stick to it. If I want something (and that's ok), I must be able to comfortably afford it first. If not, I need to save until I can. Absolutely no credit whatsoever. I have to say, the few "want" purchases I have made lately have been very rewarding because I have had to wait for them. And for the first time in my life, my savings account is growing. That is fun. I also decluttered my home recently, so I have a fresh start.

3. Grow my own. This is a new hobby for me, but I invested in a few grow lights and have converted a spare bedroom into an indoor garden - microgreens and herbs all winter long. It keeps me busy, and it's all organic. This summer, I will have a nice 20 x 20 ft. plot in an organic community garden. I plan to learn to can. That way I can enjoy my harvest all through the winter, and will be less reliant on big agribusiness.

4. Reach out to people. This was another hard one for me. I'm an introvert by nature, so it's easy for me to climb into a shell and shut others out. Now, I answer my phone. I make calls. I make plans. It's working out quite well. I heard from both of my sons today. A simple phone call and I realized that life doesn't get any better that

So - how have you simplified your life? I want to hear everything. This is my new passion. Living, cooking, gardening, finances - all of it. I spend quite a bit of time on websites and forums discussing these issues, but I thought it would be nice to bring this discussion to MWO. Here are a few sites I visit daily and recommend:

Frugally Sustainable — A Resource for All Things Frugal and Sustainable

DIY Natural - Homemade Natural Cleaners Beauty Products and More

Wellness Mama | Simple Answers for Healthier Families

Vicki Robin | Transforming Your Relationship With Life (co-author of "Your Money or Your Life" A life-transforming book)

Peace to you all. xx, Moss

Moss -I hope you are still around on MWO. This is a great thread and post. Thank You. --sf--

[Oscar Oshannassey]

I am bumping this brill thread in the hope of initiating some discussion on permaculture and living in big cities as i do.

[SKendall]

Moss, I can relate to everything!

[MossRose]

I have been away from MWO for quite some time, so I was delighted to see that this thread is still alive.

Oscar - I live in a city, and am interested in permaculture too. I would love to learn more. Let's start the discussion.

My newest passion is foraging for wild edibles. I have found a teacher, and tomorrow, a group of us are going for a hike to forage. My friends think it's hilarious that I am happy to eat weeds. But I am excited. Free, healthy food. What's not to love? So, any experienced foragers out there. I would love some advice. Oh - and recipes.

[abcowboy]

Take a look at this guy Moss, he's on the other recovery forum I go to, he has many great articles, tips, etc.

The Perennial Agriculturalist: zea