photo by Durgan

Food is something you might take for granted. As a country, we’re fortunate. But if you’ve ever gone through a weather emergency or financial hardship, you know you aren’t as immune to a food shortage as you’d like to think. If you’ve ever participated in Scouts, you might have learned a bit about wild foods and edible plants. While it seems insignificant because of the abundance of food available in our daily lives, identifying food sources in nature is an important frugal skill to have — not just for emergency survival but for their frugal, organic, nutritional and medicinal value, too.

If you’re looking for a fun activity this summer, you can learn about wild-food foraging. Involve the whole family during a nature hike, camping trip or neighborhood stroll. You don’t have to gear up like Survivorman and trap and roast a desert critter. But it’s good to know plants that are free, edible and available in nature and which are poisonous or protected. You can bring a camera, journal, specimen jars, binoculars or a flower press, too.
Here are a few small ways to get started.

LEARNING RESOURCES: Go to your library, and look for books on wild-food foraging and edible plants. I recommend “The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants” by Samuel Thayer. It includes excellent pictures and his experiences, which makes it a practical field guide for beginners. Call your local cooperative extension or nature center, and see whether they have any classes on the topic or plant experts or naturalists who will share their knowledge. Visit naturalist Steve Brill’s Web site (www.wildmanstevebrill.com) for informational articles, recipes and additional resources, too.

NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNTY: Foraging doesn’t have to be out on forest trails. It can encompass simply asking around your community. You can contact farmers, grocery stores, u-pick farms or your neighbor and ask whether you can glean their excess. Maybe you have driven by a home that seldom picks their fruit or nut trees or have a neighbor who has wild berries. Just ask. Fallen fruit and unharvested vegetables rot and can be a chore to clean up, so they might be more than happy to give it away. If needed, you can offer to volunteer some time to help them in exchange for food. You can place an ad in your local newspaper or on craigslist.org or freecycle.org, too. On the flip side, please, if you have an abundance of food that you would otherwise throw away, donate it to a local shelter or food bank.

BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS: Normally, we think about wild foods such as blueberries, blackberries, grapes or walnuts. But there are many additional edible flowers or plants available, such as crab apples, wild asparagus, onions, leeks, roots, dandelions, rhubarb, milkweed, herbs, cattails, seeds or sumac, to name a few. You can make delicious dishes such as salads, sides, jams and beverages.
Here’s a recipe for sumac lemonade.

Gather about half a dozen clusters of ripe sumac berries.
Place them into a bowl or pitcher and pour cold water over them. (Use more water for a milder drink and less water for a stronger lemonade.) Take a spoon or fork and crush the berries thoroughly. Place the bowl in a cool place and let it sit for a while to let the berries infuse into the water. Let it sit longer for a stronger taste.
When the taste is to your liking, cover the container with cheesecloth and drain the liquid into another container. You can then throw away the remnants of the berries that have been trapped in the cheesecloth. If you want to sweeten your lemonade, you can add sugar until it is to your liking. –Durgan, Ontario

Even if you don’t plan to supplement your meals with wild food or if the kids only collect pine cones and leaves, it’s the perfect opportunity to teach kids more about nature.

DEAR AUDREY: You can use water and soap, water and garlic or water, soap and garlic. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons liquid soap, 1 quart water, 2 heads chopped garlic and boiling water. Combine soap and 1 quart water in a bucket. Set aside. Put garlic in the bottom of a jar and cover with boiling water. Put a lid on the jar and set it aside overnight. Strain and add garlic water to the soap water. Pour into a spray bottle and apply to plants.

DEAR SARA: I have a question about powdered milk. After it is reconstituted, how long does it last. Does it spoil like regular milk? I just bought some for the first time and mixed up a pitcher last night. It actually tastes pretty good — a pleasant surprise. — P.P., New Jersey

DEAR P.P.: It does spoil. Store it in an airtight container and keep it refrigerated. My experience has been that it doesn’t taste right after three to four days. It’s still good, but it doesn’t taste the same. I haven’t stored it longer than that, so I did some homework. According to Carnation, once mixed, it’s good for five to seven days.

DEAR SARA: Can cooked macaroni be frozen? We love macaroni salad during the summer, but our apartment becomes a humid sardine can once it gets to be about 75 F. I got to thinking about ways to cook ahead for the summer. Have you frozen cooked macaroni successfully to later thaw and use in a salad or for anything else? — L.M.H., Maine

DEAR L.M.H.: Yes, you can freeze cooked macaroni. For salad, I would freeze it plain and not in a prepared recipe. Mayonnaise and salad dressing don’t freeze well. Cook your pasta al dente, drain and let it dry a bit to prevent ice crystals from forming when it’s frozen. Toss a bit of olive oil with it to prevent sticking. Place it into an airtight container or zipper-type bag and freeze it. When you’re ready to use it, you can rinse it under warm tap water or boil it again to reheat it.

Thicker pastas such as penne work best. I don’t like to freeze plain pasta for long periods of time, though. It tends to get mushy. I suggest using it within a couple of weeks after freezing it. For recipes such as spaghetti or lasagna, I prepare the recipe and then freeze it.

DEAR SARA: How do you make fresh creamed corn? My ex’s father had a huge garden, and he grew corn. He would freeze his corn in freezer bags, and it was so good! He says he just scraped it off the ear, but no real whole kernels came off. It was more like creamed corn, and I’ve really been craving some lately. — Jessica, Washington

DEAR JESSICA: You can buy a tool called a corn creamer. They’re not expensive. They run about $10. I’ve seen some on eBay for even less. You can also use a sharp knife, hold the cob vertically and cut downward. You want to cut the tops of the corn kernels off during the first sweep and then cut the remaining part of the kernel in the second sweep. You can use a spoon or the back of your knife for the second sweep to avoid cutting into the cob, so you’re only getting the milk and pulp.

Frugal people know how to make things. It’s not just a way of combating costs. For many, these are basic life skills and a way of life. A little self-reliance goes a long way. It’s easier to start out small and build your way up. This sets you up for success instead of burning out from trying to do or learn too many things at once. Take a look at what you buy on a regular basis. Consider which items you can comfortably make yourself.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. You’ll notice that once you master one skill, it often overlaps and helps you master another.

GARDENING: It isn’t for everyone, but it’s well worth giving it a try. If you’re limited on space, grow in containers. Try a simple tomato plant and see how well you do. You can save seeds and learn to propagate, too.

PRESERVING: You’ll waste less and be able to enjoy your garden food throughout the year by home canning, dehydrating, freezing and knowing how to store your food. It’s nutritious and makes great gift items, too. To get started, I recommend “Ball Blue Book of Preserving” (Alltrista Consumer Products, 2004). It contains recipes for condiments, syrups, sauces, pickles, etc.

CLEANING SOLUTIONS: Simple supplies, such as vinegar and baking soda, can clean most of your home. Using them not only saves money, it’s gentler on the environment, too.

SEWING AND NEEDLEWORK: Being able to create is a valuable skill. Mending and repairing gives your clothing and linens an extended life.

MIXES: Making homemade baked goods tops the list of must-know frugal skills. They can be frozen for future use, and nothing beats the aroma of baked goods in your home. There are master mixes to make pancakes and waffles and starters to make breads and cakes. Here’s an Amish friendship starter recipe.

Amish Friendship Bread

Starter:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar

Bread:
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 small box instant-vanilla-pudding mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins, chocolate chips or nuts, optional

Cinnamon sugar:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

For starter:
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a deep glass, plastic container or half-gallon zipper-type bag. Stir in milk, flour and sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover. Your first batch of starter has fresh yeast, so skip 10-day directions and go directly to splitting your starter. Don’t refrigerate or use a metal spoon.

Day 1: begin or receive starter
Day 2: stir with wooden spoon (or squish baggie)
Day 3: repeat day 2
Day 4: repeat day 3
Day 5: add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk
Day 6: stir with wooden spoon (or squish baggie)
Day 7: repeat day 6
Day 8: do nothing
Day 9: do nothing
Day 10: add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk

Put 1 cup of starter in each of three containers. Give two away and keep one. This will begin their day 1.

For bread:
To the remaining batter, add vegetable oil, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, milk, vanilla-pudding mix, cinnamon and salt. Beat until well blended. Add 1 cup raisins, chocolate chips or nuts if desired. Grease two loaf pans well, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, coating bottom well. Pour batter into bread pans, and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar onto tops of loaves. Bake at 325 F for 1 hour. — submitted by Jeannie, Kansas

“There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” — Anais Nin

Gardeners are optimists. I realized that as I planted four bare-root perennials. They’d been sitting in a bag for way too long. I completely forgot about them until I was moving a peony bush to a sunnier area. (I should do this in the fall, but was shovel happy) I opened the bag that was still right where I left it weeks ago, and they didn’t look good. But I planted them anyway. I’ll stay hopeful. My mom and daughter watched as I smiled and plunged them into the soil. I told my mom not to ask me why I was bothering in the face of such hopelessness. That’s how I garden: trial and error and with plenty of faith. I’ve made my share of mistakes. Maybe they won’t grow, but I have some time before I find out. Hope and faith are my favorite things about gardening. And about life.

Have you ever had the feeling that something wonderful was going to happen? Maybe you’ve asked others whether they’ve ever felt that way, too. They don’t have a clue what you’re talking about and look at you as if you’ve lost your mind. Not grandiose thoughts, but positive, happy and tangible thoughts, like anything was possible. The best moment isn’t when it actually happens. It’s right before. That’s how I feel about my perennials, too. The odds can be stacked high against me, but my faith defies those odds. I won’t lose hope simply because someone tells me it’s impossible. My hope breathes energy into my decision to do what most people wouldn’t waste their time on. There’s incredible joy during the anticipation.

I hear what many people are saying to me through their letters and personal stories. I’ve been listening, and I understand. Many of you are uncertain about the future or are struggling and beaten down by the cost of living, unemployment, disability, overdue bills or health issues — or you are “trapped by the system.” You’re not alone. But don’t let others define you, and don’t bury your head in the sand. You have to define yourself, own your life and hold yourself accountable for the choices you make every day. If one decision doesn’t work out well for you, try another. Learn from your mistakes, but don’t dwell on them. You’ve got to earn what you want, and that takes a deep desire to do so. It becomes a priority, and you’ve got to want it more than you fear failure.

It can be frustrating. Maybe you feel that nothing is ever going to change. It might take a long time, but you can’t make progress if you never even try — or worse, you give up too soon. Sure, there are rules. I can’t hang my perennials from a rope and expect positive results. So play by the rules, and when the first green leaves begin to unfurl and you see that it wasn’t completely hopeless, success is yours. The happiness you feel wouldn’t be possible without the contrast of your struggles and the history of how it came to be. It’s bittersweet. Most of all, keep the faith.

According to J. Trent of the University of Nevada, Reno, newsroom, Manoranjan Misra, a professor at the university, has developed a process to extract biodiesel from used coffee grounds. While we wait for them to be used as an alternative fuel, here are a few ways you can reuse your grounds.

PIN CUSHION: Make your own pin cushion with a teacup filled with used, dried coffee grounds. Cover and glue fabric onto the teacup and edge with ribbon or lace.

BREW TWICE: Add a scoop or two of fresh grounds to your used grounds and rebrew a second pot of coffee. Not strong enough? Combine with cocoa for a mochalicious treat.

FIRE STARTERS: Combine spent coffee grounds with melted leftover candle wax. Shape into a ball and place into newspaper tied with raffia for home use or tissue paper for gifts.

DEODORIZER: Don’t have a spare box of baking soda for fridge odor? Use your coffee grounds instead. Place them into a small container with a lid that has small holes poked in it. Bonus points for reusing a container from items such as cottage cheese, margarine, whipped topping or yogurt. The grounds will deodorize your microwave, too. Simply place them on a plate, close the door and zap for one minute. I use them in the microwave after nuking hot dogs. They’re good for preventing freezer odors, too.

CLEANER: I’ve mentioned before using them to scrub and wash your hands, but you can use them to exfoliate your face, knees, elbows and feet. Use them to scrub pans and counters, too. To keep the grounds out of your drains, put dried grounds into a spare section of pantyhose and tie it off. Add some dish liquid and scrub away. Work quickly to prevent staining.

NO-SLIP WALKWAYS: During winter, scatter coffee grounds instead of salt on sidewalks and steps.

INSECT CONTROL: Sprinkle around the exterior of your home to deter ants. No need for poison.

SWEEP HELPER: Spring cleaning often involves cleaning seasonal porches, fireplaces and garages. Scatter coffee grounds to limit the dust.

KIDS’ CRAFTS: Mix 1 cup used, dried coffee grounds with 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt and 1/4 cup sand. Slowly add up to 3/4 cup water until you have a mixture the consistency of bread dough. Form a chunk of dough around a “treasure” — small toys, cool stones, etc. It looks like a brown rock if you let it dry for two to three days. Kids have a blast breaking them open to find the treasures. Odilia in Nebraska shared this activity, and I’ve tried it. Make sure that the ball has dried and hardened thoroughly; otherwise, it peels rather than breaks.

BAIT-BOX BOOST: Say that three times fast. Add some coffee grounds to the soil in your bait box to keep those little guys happy and wiggling.

Optimism is planting succulents and an african violet in the same terrarium. Wow. I sure know how to live on the edge. lol

This is the bubble bowl that I purchased at the thrift store last week for $1.60.

I’ve heard that succulents shouldn’t do well in a terrarium and that they will rot. I’ve successfully grown succulents in an open terrarium, so I don’t agree with those that say the conditions are too humid. Lots of sunlight (not direct sunlight) is the key. And of course, being careful not to overwater. I placed pebbles on the bottom for drainage and don’t anticipate any problems. (well except maybe the african violet, but I can easily yank it out and for now I’ll enjoy the blooms)

I also kept some african violet leaves for cuttings. Many prefer to propagate in soil, but I like to see the progress, so placed my cuttings in a clear glass. The glass is covered with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap has slits cut into it for the leaves. This allows the leaves to rest without touching the water.

You can make your own simple journal, purchase one, or use software to log all of your information. It’s a great tool to use to reflect on how your garden has changed too.

Choosing a Journal

There are many journal options. You should decide what best suits your gardening style and needs. Some people will want a journal that is practical and functional, while others will want a fancier keepsake. Some gardeners enjoy using software and spreadsheets and some use calendars.

The following are some examples for you to decide on:

Homemade Spiral Bound- You can decorate a plain composition book. You can add manila folders or staple a document envelope for any loose papers you want to organize.

Shoebox or container- A great way to organize your seeds, as well as serving as a central place for all your garden information you’d like to save.

Homemade Binder with Printable Pages- Inexpensive and practical. Can customize it to contain what you want.
http://www.homesteadgarden.com/printable-garden-journal.html
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/home/orl-db-plantprofiles-pdf-createyourgarden_journal,0,1876896.htmlstory?coll=orl-utility-homegarden

Hardcovered Store Bought- Beautiful illustrations. Don’t have to assemble. Great gift idea.
Gardeners Five Year Journal
My Green Thumb Gardening Organizer

Software- Paperless so doesn’t take up any additional space. Added features like data analysis and easy search.
http://www.primasoft.com/deluxeprg/goodx.htm
http://www.mygardenjournal.com/
http://www.gardentracker.com/

Spreadsheets- Great for straightforward organization of information. Easy to update and print.
http://www.yougrowgirl.com/grow/seedstartingchart_lazy.php

Online Garden Planners- You can blog or use an online planner that allows you to save information and journal too.

What to Journal

You can create a journal that is as basic or as elaborate as you want.

The following are ideas that you can log:

Weather (frosts, droughts, rainfall)
Locations of plantings
Seed packet information
Seed starting dates and germination
Photos
Garden Quotes
Garden catalog pages
Newspaper clippings
Recipes
Bird and wildlife sightings
List what’s blooming and when
Perennial division dates
Receipts for plants
Magazine clippings
Book Lists
Websites
Wishlist
Hints and tips
Contact list and notes on suppliers.
Chore list

A homemade binder is practical and functional to use as a journal. It’s incredibly frugal to make it yourself too.

Here are some tips to help you create one:

Use a three ring binder with plastic insert covers. You can then add your own personalized touch to the cover.
Add pocket pages, as well as tabbed dividers. This works well for clippings and receipts. You can divide your binder into months.
Use printables
Add graph paper to plan and draw your designs.
Photo album sleeves to protect your photos
Lined paper to write notes or musings.
Pencil/pen case

Your journal can serve as a conversation piece when you have garden guests. It becomes not only a great tool, but a record of history. It can be a cherished memento or thoughtful heirloom to give to a loved one.

Starting a garden journal during the winter months can help you pass the time until spring.

“Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle …
a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl.
And the anticipation nurtures our dream” -Barbara Winkler

*Editor’s note You might also be interested in Gardenscape on a Shoestring.

Know What You Like and What Works

Drive around your neighborhood and see what’s out there that grows well in your zone. You can jot down what you see on index cards, so they are organized and handy. Start gathering page clippings from magazines and collect some pictures of the designs that interest you. This can help you decide what garden style you like. You’ll have an easy reference for plants and placement too.

Select Location and Color

Next, look at your notes and clippings and choose the color scheme you‘d like to have in your garden. Don’t forget to keep in mind if you’re designing and planting in shade, sun, or partial shade or partial sun. Are you looking for something bright and vibrant or something more calming and soothing? Consider starting with a foundation of shrubs and accenting with some perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses, and annuals for more seasonal color. Perhaps, you want all flowers. Decide on a shape that complements your house style. Straight styles give a more formal appearance while curves give a more informal feel. If you don’t feel confident selecting colors, you can use a color wheel to help pick contrasting and complementing colors.

Budget and Create a Plan

Decide how much you are able to and want to spend on your new garden. Do you want to start with a foundation and add to it gradually? If so, start with purchasing your most expensive plants and shrubs first. Use these as a focal point for your garden. Start watching for sales and discount plants at garden centers and nurseries. Tell everyone you know that you’re starting a garden and would love it if they could give you divisions of their perennials or seeds they have saved from their garden. Let family and friends know that you have a wish list of plants that would be the perfect gift idea. If you have access online, do a search for seed swaps. Many gardeners love to help a new gardener. Many are willing to send seeds for the cost of postage or will trade for something else that you may have that they are looking for. A great resource for free items is http://www.freecycle.org Look for a group in your area, join the group, and post letting the group know that you would be interested in garden plants and seeds. You may get lucky and find that a member of the group has already offered some plants up for grabs. Don’t forget to ask your local garden club when they are having their sales too. You can also start some plants from seed yourself. Many seeds are very easy to direct sow and a little can go a long way.

Here’s a partial list of easy to grow seeds:

Candytuft
Asters
4 o’clocks
Sunflowers
Pansies
Violas
Impatiens
Dianthus
Larkspur
Salvia
Cupid’s Dart
Morning Glories
Moonflowers
Zinnias
Calendula
Marigold
Cosmos
Sweet Alyssum
Bee Balm
Poppies
Nasturtium

Don’t forget if you decide to sow into containers, there are many inexpensive containers such as yogurt containers, milk jugs, egg cartons, and plastic ice cream buckets. You can also call your city and see if they have free mulch available. Don’t hesitate to strike up conversations with your neighbors while you’re out for a walk. You never know, the topic of gardening may come up and they might be more than happy to offer you some seeds or divisions.

Design Away

Now you’re ready to design. You can sketch out your idea beforehand. Keep the following in mind as you design.

Scale- Judge the size of the area and choose plants that aren’t going to be too large, too wide, or too small for the area. Keep in mind the plant’s size when it’s met it’s mature growth.

Balance-Don’t place your plants where one area is too compacted with plants and another area is too airy. Try and achieve a good balance of small, medium, and large plants. Balance offers visual stability. It can be created with space between plantings or the visual weight of your design. This can be created with lines so that your garden is pleasing to look at from all angles.

Focal Point- Your focal point will be the area that your eye is drawn to first. This can be your prized flowers, tree, or shrub.

Rhythm- This is visual flow. The eye wanders throughout the entire garden design, but comes back to the focal point. It can be achieved with repetition and contrast.

Harmony-Unity- This is when plants have a way of appearing connected and a part of one another. This can be achieved with color, texture, groupings. Unity is lost when your plants look too separate or your color choice makes one plant look lost amongst the rest.

Color- Color impacts the entire design process. Use a color wheel if you don’t feel confident selecting colors that go well together.

If all of this is too confusing and overwhelming, check out some garden catalogs. Many have suggested designs. It’s also best to place your containers out and arrange and rearrange where you want to plant them before you start digging.

Accessorize (Homemade Garden Art)

To add some interest and whimsy to your garden, consider some homemade items or trash to treasure works of art. Ideas such as making your own stepping stones, garden markers, terra cotta bird baths or toad houses, painted rocks and pavers, and fun wind chimes are simple projects that can add a lot of interest to your garden area. Look around for unique items you could add to your garden such as milk cans, wooden chairs, ladders, tricycles, wagons, trunks, roofing shingles, mailboxes, or even dressers. The sky is the limit on what you can create. Use your imagination.

There you have it and you didn’t have to hire a pro, spend thousands of dollars, or take years to achieve a pretty garden. You won’t be a new gardener for long. Soon, it will be you sharing starts, cuttings, seeds, divisions, and tips.

As seen in The Sun Journal http://www.sunjournal.com/specialsection/land06/20060414212.php?DirID=841