My frugal week-Boy am I tired.....

**freyadog** · 08-09-2008, 09:23 PM

I have been determined to make every nickel count and not spend and put back all I could for the coming winter and what ever else that throws itself at us so this has been my week. My week started off with swapping goats milk for apples. Then plundered the garden. Put up 14 pints of apple butter, 6 pints of applesauce, 6 pints of apples for pies, 6 pints of squash, 14 pints of turnipgreens, 4 pints of turnips and of corn. Also 2 dehydrators full so far with spiced apples that I will use for snacks and to put in granola. Strung my string beans up to dry.

Packed four u-haul boxes of food stuffs for mom to take back to Fla, with her next week. At 76 her ss doesnt go too far. Sewed up all the holes in mom's clothes that she brought with her for me to repair.

And that was just the easy stuff.

Most of our food eaten this week has been from our own land including meat. It is such a good feeling to know that we have gotten this far.

Dug the rest of the onions and garlic out of the garden. Left the potatoes in until October.

Washed only large loads of clothes. Had to give mom a nudge on this as she likes to wash small loads everyday.

Snapped up 2 rabbit cages, a 5 cd player, and cooler from the dumpster. Oh and a storm door.

**prftstrngr** · 08-09-2008, 09:28 PM

Wow you had a busy week! Your mom sounds like my MIL with the washing. I swear when she lived with us she would throw 2 things in the washer and do a full load if I wasnt watching her! Apple butter sounds good....is it hard to make?

**3tomboys** · 08-09-2008, 09:33 PM

Sounds like a very busy week but rewarding.

**mamamia** · 08-09-2008, 09:47 PM

Whew!! And you have every right to be tired. But I'll tell ya, it really paid off for you! You got so much accomplished. And that haul from the dumpster?

How good is that?

I'd be thrilled to find a door in decent shape. They're really not so cheap and I need one in garage! So job very well done

So be proud of yourself and get a good night's sleep! You need to get that energy back, because I have a feeling you're gonna be dancin' in the morning

Theresa

**Jamauk** · 08-09-2008, 10:04 PM

What a great week ~ very productive! All of this hard work will pay off this winter when you are enjoying your harvest & the rest of us (well me, anyway) are complaining about produce prices!

**Texasgirl** · 08-09-2008, 10:14 PM

Wow you have been busy!
I would love to have a big garden.

**emily_hope** · 08-09-2008, 10:20 PM

You deserve a big pat on the back! Marvelous job. I don't believe I could have gotten all that done.

**freyadog** · 08-09-2008, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by prftstrngr

Wow you had a busy week! Your mom sounds like my MIL with the washing. I swear when she lived with us she would throw 2 things in the washer and do a full load if I wasnt watching her! Apple butter sounds good....is it hard to make?

Apple Butter is the easiest thing in the world to make. Grab your crockpot. Peel and core apples until the crockpot is overfollowing literally. I cook mine in a big oval crockpot but any size will do. I turn my pot on high and let the apples cook for a few hours. After they start to cook down a little I add sugar(depending on how sweet the apples usually about 4 cups), cinnamon and ground cloves. I add this to my taste. Stir every few hours until bedtime and then put your pot on low. Let it cook all night.

The next day, I usually let mine cook about 12 hours total, pour hot apples(it will be dark) in a huge bowl and take your mixer and blend smooth.

Prep jars
Have clean jars, lids and rings ready. Pour apple butter within 1" of top of jars. Clean around the rims to make sure you will get a good clean seal. Place lids and rings on your jars. Place jars in a large pot (I use my big stew pot)so that when you add water the water will be over the tops of the jars about an inch or two.

Bring to a good boil and let it boil for 10 minutes. Turn off and take jars carefully out of the water bath. You are done.

**Persimmon Lace** · 08-09-2008, 11:09 PM

That's how I make mine too, only I don't add much sugar if the apples are really sweet. The crockpot is a great invention!

You deserve at least a 15 minute break!

**FrugalMomof3** · 08-09-2008, 11:50 PM

Wow you sure did have a busy week but your stocked up for sure. Glad you were able to help your mom out and teach her a few things. I am proud of you

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-10-2008, 01:04 AM

Wow Barbara!

I could never imagine being able to pull something like that off. I envy you because you're able to use from the land for almost everything that you've done this week. I think that's my goal for when we retire or when the youngest gets moved out...move to a place where the land is pretty big and I'm able to at least have a good garden and lots of resources to be extremely frugal.

I hope your good fortune continues into the winter and beyond.

**WV_mom_of2** · 08-10-2008, 08:27 AM

What a great week! Busy and very productive! I love making apple butter although we use a big copper kettle and do it on a fire outside(which makes a TON).

Congrats on a productive week and take the day off and rest up!

**cmdarlin** · 08-10-2008, 08:38 AM

Wow! You've been super busy!! I feel like such a slug here. I have so much I want to get done but can't seem to get motivated. The heat just drains me. It looks like today won't be too bad so I'm gonna try to get in our garden some today and weed. I probably have more beets in there that I could be picking for canning. I don't care for them but DH loves them.

The apple butter sounds good!

Debbie

**DonnainME** · 08-10-2008, 08:46 AM

WOW. You did wonderfully.

Our garden didn't get put in everything we wanted to - that will change next year.

We pulled all of our potatoes yesterday. I will definitely put more in next year.