Independence Days Update

I participate in Sharon Astyk’s Independence Days Challenge.  This is our weekly update, and since I was out of town for a good hunk of the week, it isn’t very long.  The photo above is of the beet greens that I sautéed before freezing.

Plant Something—nothing went into the ground this week.

Harvest Something—zucchini, bell pepper, cucumbers, beets, our first red tomatoes, various herbs, bush beans, filet beans, red onion, green onions.

Preserve Something—canned pickled beets, put up zucchini, green onions, and beet greens in the freezer.  Yellow squash to go in the dehydrator today.

Waste Not/Managing the food reserves—Added more beans and pasta sauce to the pantry stockpile, we continue to use leftovers, compost, use the rain barrel, and recycle.  I made an effort to bring all of the recyclables home with us from our trip.  When eating at a restaurant we always try to ask for them not to bring Styrofoam or plastic straws to the table.  I guess it is a force of habit because they almost always leave one, and our 3 year old has it opened before we realize what has happened.  I try to pack up those items and bring them back home to recycle. Every little bit helps!

Want Not/Prep and Storage—My hubby staked the last of the tomatoes.  We thinned and deadheaded the garden as needed. 

Ate the food—Delighted in making homemade biscuits for my grandmother to sample this year’s strawberry jam.  Made homemade cinnamon rolls for hubby, and he was a very happy man.  We enjoyed pickling the beets for the first time.  We’ve been eating the cucumbers as soon as they come out of the garden or else I would have some of those pickled by now too. 

Build Community Food Systems—Sorted through and organized the food pantry at church.  We were able to make quite a few purchases this week with our coupons and add a significant amount to the stores there.  Met another local couponer—Coupon Katie—and accepted her blood glucose meter.  I donated 6 or so of the meters to our friend and egg farmer (also an internist) for her patients.  The next batch will go to Catholic Charities via Father Reagan.  My friend Jennifer of Coupon Mommie is holding a coupon workshop on July 9th, and I’ve been helping to get the word out about that.  Our church opened up the vegetable cart this week, which is used to raise funds for our various outreach programs.