Independence Days Challenge

Independence Days Challenge-

I haven't done much of these posts, so here's a bit of a hodge podge of things we're working on...

1. Plant Something- 

Nope, no fall gardens here, too hot. 96 two days ago :(

2. Harvest Something-

1st Patty Pan heritage squashes about ready, lots of apples, big bowl of tomatoes a couple days ago, more coming! Nectarines and pears are getting ready. Our rhubarb also made a come back and is turning pink! Maybe another week or 2...

girls enjoying the garden

squashes

Lemon Boy tomatoes

3. Preserve/Store Something-

Canning apple slices, applesauce and apple butter next weekend, Labor Day :) Lots of labor here! Freezing extra meats, whole grain rolls (great with winter soups), muffins and misc. stuff. Stocking up pantry closet of misc. items. Fermenting apple vinegar. I may do a second batch.

4. Manage Reserves- Get a Good Deal/Barter/Stock Up/Prep-

Got some great local peaches and tomatoes last week. Got work clothes clearance priced. Oddly, as always, summer clothes are going off the racks and winter coming in. It's 90 ish so it's summer for me! I refilled some prescriptions a few weeks early before my deductible rolls over in a week. Saved a few hundreds of $$$ on co-pays :) Score!

5. Eat the Food- Try New Foods/Recipe- 

We've been eating lots of fresh apples from our tree! Two desserts done so far, so today I made a new apple muffin recipe, I thought I'd freeze some, fast and simple- Cooks.com I tripled the recipe and it made 16 large muffins. I also  modified it- I used 1/3 each: WW, Oat and Unbleached flours & added fresh ground nutmeg and 1 cup pecans-

I also used this long time fave apple pie recipe modified for a crumb cobbler, it has orange juice! Stephenson's Apple Pie recipe  Everyone LOVES it! Still cooling.

Made the fried fish BLT's from my last post-

 yummy!!!!

6. Build Community Food Systems-

Bought local fruits/veggies, selling extra eggs at work. I also gave my kids apples and eggs.

7. Recycle/Re-Use-

Recycled odds and ends of decor after painting interiors, my daughter adopted a few things this week, ebayed a few more things, box ready for charity.

8. Skill Up- 

Dave learned from his brother the easy way to remove/replace some of our damaged siding, so we can paint in the spring. You cut the nails with a sawzall so as not to damage the adjacent pieces. Worked great!

9. Regenerate What is Lost/Salvage Something-

Repairing house siding, so we we be in good shape in the spring to paint. Dave was able to also patch some areas with the used siding for smaller areas. Some of the beat up siding fell apart in his hands. This side takes the brunt of the storms-

new siding on the bottom

banged up siding on the top, actually the bottom, oops

new siding up, will paint soon for the winter