Photobucket" border="0">(Be sure and go and visit Amy at Homestead Revival for lots of more Barn Hops.)
These past two weeks have been so busy, but I would be hard-pressed to tell you exactly what I have been busy with. I know I have been busy sitting outside and enjoying this absolutely beautiful wonderful weather we are having. And also, busy with strawberries. Yep, strawberries.
I innocently walked into ALDI to do our grocery shopping and lo and behold they had strawberries for 49 cents a quart! It took me awhile to process the low price and then I started throwing those berries in my cart. I told Mark I don't know that you can GROW them for 49 cents a quart!
The next day began strawberry processing day which didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would. I had some help from the kiddos so it went pretty quickly. James designated himself the taste-tester. He did a fine job of it too.
We ate lots of them and then I froze some sliced and some whole for smoothies. Two days later I went back for more and then on Friday I went back and got almost the last ones. While there I saw they had 5 pounds of potatoes marked down to 59 cents. Some of them were already bad, but I grabbed two bags. I used my little food processor to shred them to freeze. I looked at them later and they had turned black. Not very appetizing to say the least. Does anyone know why this happened and what I can do to prevent this in the future?
I also cooked some chicken breasts one day this week and froze all the broth. I really want to learn how to shop from my pantry/freezer and this was an easy thing to do.
Lastly, and definitely the most fun was getting six new chicks to replace our older hens. We are still getting lots of eggs from them, but I know that won't last so we are thinking ahead. And plus, what would spring be without new chicks????
(Sadie isn't so sure about the new chicks yet)
I am also linking up at Frugal Days, Substainable Ways, and Raising Homemakers so be sure and stop by there also.
I am linking this post up at Amy's Preparedness Challenge for March. You can go and see what are others are doing to be ready on their own little homesteads.
Awwww...I love the chicks. I want some.
ReplyDeleteAwesome deal on the strawberries! I don't think you can grow them for that cheap either! I am jealous of all you southerners with your strawberries already! We still have to wait a couple months for ours to come in up here in Maine. And the chicks are adorable! I am hoping to get some this spring too...just need to find a place to put them! About how much feed to 6 chickens go through? That is how many we would be getting, but I have no idea how to figure out how much they will eat, or how much it is going to cost me to buy :-)
ReplyDeletea little saltwater rinse would prevent the browning of the potato. Lemon juice works as well. It is an oxidation thing....
ReplyDeleteI do potatoes the same way when we see a good deal. They get ugly, but it doesn't change the taste. When I freeze apples I douse them with Lemon juice and it keeps them pretty.
ReplyDeleteBethany
forty-nine cents????? I need to find this place called Aldi!!!
ReplyDeleteStopping by from the Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways Wednesday Blog Hop! http://queenofsavings.com
ReplyDeleteAldi has great prices! Of course your selections are limited and things come in and out very quickly. You have to get there right away during German days or everything is snatched up. I wish I had one closer but I can pass one on my way home from work.
ReplyDeleteWe dehydrate our potatoes. I think I did 30 lbs by the end of the season. I peel them but you would not have to. Then I slice them and par boil, rinse and lay out on the dehydrator trays. You could do this with hash brown cuts too I would think but need to see how to keep them from falling through.
http://movingontothepast.blogspot.com/2011/09/dehydrating-10-lb-bag-of-potatoes.html
This is what we can do with the peels http://movingontothepast.blogspot.com/2011/10/seasoned-potato-peels-no-waste-during.html
We do this for a lot of vegetables. They are so pretty and useful.
http://movingontothepast.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-dried-up-and-ready-to-go.html
Great job on being sustainable!
Hi ~ I'm coming from the preparedness challenge! Nice job with all of the food prep. And you will have fresh eggs in a few months! Our chickens and ducks are laying well, but we aren't adding new chicks this year. Nice to meet you. Great blog!
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