neverhomemaker: green

Showing posts with label green. Show all posts

Adventures with Mommy Cloth

>> Thursday, January 4, 2018

When I was writing up tutorials on how to use cloth diapers back when Ada was a baby, I got a rather flippant comment. A woman (who thought using cloth wipes was a gross, terrible thing -- it's not, by the way) said that if I was subjecting my kid to the use of cloth wipes . . . I, too, should be using cloth for my toilet trips and monthly period. At the time, I shrugged her comment off as snarky snark. But from time to time, I had thought about the idea of using cloth for myself, at least in some way.

No, I'm not using cloth wipes instead of toilet paper. But I did recently invest in a starter pack of cloth pads (there are so many kinds!) that I intend to use overnight during my period. I've heard really good things about cloth pads on forums and on Facebook groups. I hate pads in general, but I cannot get used to wearing tampons at night.

And I know I'll get a lot of comments or emails about menstrual cups. That's a topic for another day. I've tried various cups and none of them feel comfortable. Instead Cups actually do feel good, but they are relatively expensive and aren't reusable. (Are there any silicone cups in this shape?) I have a rather severely tilted uterus, and I wonder if that has something to do with it (and how my cervix is positioned). I'm actually planning to look into sea sponge tampons. The only reason I haven't taken the plunge is because I'm hoping to get pregnant soon, and I don't want to invest only to not use them. (Wishful thinking, eh? Update on this soon -- we have to skip a few months of trying. Blah!).

I called this post adventures with mom-cloth, but I haven't yet used these guys. Consider this the first installment. I purchased a set of 6 cloth pads from Teamoy that also came with a wet bag/carrying bag. Upon first inspection, they seem of very good quality. Snaps and fabric similar to cloth diapers. The absorbent part is fleece and seems very comfortable. I spent less than 20 dollars, which seems like a steal compared to other brands I've seen (and the reviews are really good!).

For reference, I bought the large since I'm going to use them overnight. I'll report back with my feelings later on in the month! I'm interested to see how they do with leaks. I'm hopeful they'll be the solution I'm looking for.

Have you tried mom-cloth?

Homesteading // Zero Waste Family

>> Friday, February 3, 2017

I got very much off track from my original posting plan for this week. I hope you don't mind if I skip around a bit. I get compelled to go in different directions depending on what's pulling me most in my everyday life. Right now, it's simplification and minimalization. I am pretending that's a word. And actually, these have been homesteading goals of mine for several years. Executing them with kids, though, proves difficult in my book.

I'm sure you've noticed that I've flirted with zero waste in the past. It's a goal of mine that I keep highly regarded in my head. And when it comes to actually doing it, I make good efforts. But it falls flat because life is hectic and -- let's face it -- cutting down on garbage and other waste is really difficult.

Strides we've made:

Bringing our own bags for grocery and other shopping. Including produce bags. (Here are more ways we've tried eliminating plastics.)
Buying produce from a CSA where we fill a huge bag with the foods versus getting them packaged in the store.
Using DIY "plastic" wrap to cover goods in the refrigerator.
Trying to buy foods in bulk when possible. But I'll get to that in a moment.
Cloth diapering -- at least some of the time. Again, I'll get to that.
Using or fixing the things we have versus always going out and buying new.
Carrying our own water bottles (always) and coffee mugs (when we remember).
Using a cloth towel system versus paper towels.
Making many of our own cleaners, like laundry detergent, dish washing detergent, and all-purpose spray.

Even with sticking to most of these changes most of the time, we still have way more recycling and garbage than I'd like to admit. I am happy that we have made the efforts and at least lessened our impact. That's a start. So, in 2017 . . . I'm looking to keep this conversation going. I'm looking to do better. And I've love hearing from you.

Here are the three areas we struggle with the most.

Buying all or even most of our foods in bulk isn't possible. I did visit some local mom + pops, and the prices were too high. The ingredients are high-quality, that's for sure. I have to stick within our budget AND try to lessen waste. And sometimes these things are at odds. Aldi, for example, has such great deals on food. But it seems like everything is packaged up in boxes upon boxes. When I come home, I always feel like our recycling bin is bursting.
Cloth diapering is a love/hate thing over here. I wrote about it yesterday on Instagram. We actually had stopped doing cloth in Eloise's third month because life got crazy. I am attempting to start back up, but I have trouble committing because she doesn't seem as comfortable in the diapers. I also cannot seem to get the best wash process down with our extremely hard water. That said, diapers are SUCH an awful thing to keep tossing in the trash if I have cloth diapers just sitting in drawers. I hope to do an update after this month's trial goes.
Being out and about just seems to invite waste, like coffee cups, takeout containers, and etc. I am thinking some of this stuff will naturally lean out once we're making most of our own meals again and not spending as much on entertainment money. (Yup! This is the month we are finally starting to make sense of our debt!)

I've decided that my best bet is to set one goal each month to see if we can smash it. This month, I'd like to work on meal planning in such a way that we aren't using as many foods in packages (pasta, cooked beans, frozen veggies, etc.). This includes baby food, which I have definitely gotten lazy about. I've been buying tubs of it versus just mashing my own. It's so easy and would save a lot of money.

Anyway, accomplishing this goal obviously won't eliminate all our waste, but my goal is to see if we can go a whole week before filling the garbage and recycling bins.

I'll give an update in March along with my next goal!

Cleaning With Baking Soda Basics
Cleaning With Vinegar Basics
Homesteading Stuff You Can Buy at the $1 Store
DIY Natural Lotion Cubes
10 Smart Ways to Use Epsom Salts
Our Composting Arrangement
Powerful DIY Laundry Detergent
5 Green Cleaners That Work
5-Minute Homemade Deodorant
8 Ways We've Eliminated Plastics
Cleaning Produce The Natural Way
Chemical-Free Clean With Castile Soap

Green in 15: No More Paper Towels

>> Tuesday, February 9, 2016

I've been meaning to post about our no paper towels system for ages. It's not that it's complicated or fussy. It was laziness on getting a good photo. I figured I need to get over that part and just post about it already! So, here's my latest installment of Green in 15, all about banishing paper towels from your home.

Here you go:

NO MORE PAPER TOWELS

Basically, we have 25-35 assorted towels. Some are flour sacks, some are nubby bar cloths, some are tea towels, and there are a few stray rags and washcloths in there, too.
We hung a fabric tote (similar to this one) containing all towels using some hooks in the closet right off the kitchen. I think this space was originally a utility closet, but it's quite small. Our vacuum doesn't fit very well, so I like using it for this purpose.
Underneath, we have a slim Simple Human Trash Can lined with a diaper pail liner to collect all the dirty rags.
You take a clean rag, use it up, and when it's dirty -- toss it into the bin. Easy, right?
When the bin gets full, we grab the liner and take it downstairs to wash everything. We usually have a good stock of towels to use on wash day (and only do laundry once or twice a week).
We don't take the time to fold the towels. We simply toss them into the bin. We use the towels for general kitchen cleanup, napkins at dinner, and general cleaning tasks.
Though they're all tossed in together, we use the nubbier cloths to do heavy cleaning, the flour sacks for everyday kitchen spills and even helping bread rise (in place of plastic wrap), and the tea towels for napkins. It's not always perfect, but it works.
To wash, we use our homemade laundry detergent and pour some vinegar into the rinse. They don't smell, though some do have stains from heavy use.

And that's really it!

You may already have towels on hand and some of the other supplies you need to get a system like this going. Mostly it's a matter of finding nooks and crannies to store everything into. You could probably sneak something like this on a smaller scale underneath your kitchen sink or in an unoccupied kitchen cabinet.

Those of you who don't use paper towels, what do your system look like?

// RELATED

Green in 15: Revamping Your Cleaning
DIY Natural Lotion Cubes
Powerful DIY Laundry Detergent
Cleaning with Vinegar
5 Green Cleaners That Work
5-Minute Homemade Deodorant
8 Ways We've Eliminated Plastics
Cleaning Produce The Natural Way
Chemical-Free Clean With Castile Soap

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Green in 15: Revamping Your Cleaning

>> Wednesday, February 3, 2016

So, I had this idea the other day. It came out of a conversation I had with a woman at the grocery store when I was buying a gallon jug of vinegar (on sale for $2.50!). She asked: "What in the world are you planning to do with all that vinegar?" And I was like "What CAN'T I do with it?!" I proceeded to list off all my uses, and I think she got a bit freaked out by my enthusiasm.

When people think about making all their cleaning supplies from scratch, it can become overwhelming. It's a lot like cooking everything from scratch. But with a little practice and some smart recipes -- it becomes second nature. We've been using vinegar, baking soda, and some other basic cleansers to do the bulk of our home cleaning for several years now. It takes very little effort to make the switch.

Green in 15 is a new series of sorts I'll be sharing that gives you some activities you can finish in just 15 minutes (or fewer) that will lead you in the right direction. Today, I thought I'd start with the absolute basics: Greening your all-purpose cleaning processes using vinegar. While you're at it, you can also start banishing paper towels with a few tips.

THE SUPPLIES

Vinegar (approx $3 per gallon, or less)
Water (free-ish?)
Isopropol alcohol (got mine at the $1 store)
Rags (free if you have 'em or $12 for a pack of 24)
Old spray bottles (free if you have 'em)

COST: Between $4 and $16

THE RECIPES

#1: All-Purpose Cleaner -- Just fill up half an old spray bottle (you can also buy them on Amazon -- here's a 3-pack of plastic or some nice glass ones) with vinegar and the rest with water and maybe a few essential oil drops. Give a good shake and use for cleaning countertops, tabletops, and -- really -- anywhere else. It's ALL PURPOSE!

#2: Window Cleaner -- I add a bit of alcohol to the all-purpose mix (a few tablespoons works -- I make a smaller spray bottle of it for this purpose) and that helps windows stay streak-free!

#3: Dish Rinse -- I mentioned in our 5 Green Cleaners That Actually Work post that we make our own dishwasher detergent. We fill our rinse basin with plain vinegar mixed with essential oils. Works like a charm and takes two seconds.

#4: Veggie Wash -- If you don't like the Castile Soap Method for cleaning fruits and vegetables, you can make an easy spray wash using around 3 parts water, 1 part vinegar (hmm, sounds a lot like the dilution above -- score for multi-purpose!)

#5: Bathtub Cleaner, Etc. -- I also use full-strength vinegar in our bathroom for most cleaning (tub, tiles, shower surround, sink. For tough jobs, I combine with our natural scouring scrub.

Want more in-depth info? Check out my homesteading post about Cleaning with Vinegar. It includes these recipes plus 10 more uses for your gallon of the stuff.

CLOTH VERSUS PAPER

For most of your cleaning tasks, a good, nubby washcloth or rag will do the heavy lifting. We keep a bin of the clean ones in the kitchen utility closet. We keep a bag of the dirty ones hanging on the door of that closet. Then we wash them every couple days. Keeping around 24 rags is a good number if you're wiping down surfaces regularly. You may find you need more or less depending on the size of your home and your cleaning habits.

Just grab a clean rag and get to cleaning as you normally would.

Oh! Someone had asked me how we deal with occasional cat episodes. We use our rags (we have a few that have been around longer and are dirtier). We just rinse them out well after cleaning the cat mess and clean them with the rest.

I'll be sure to snap some photos and share more about switching from paper to cloth soon. It's dreadfully dark and rainy here today and all my shots are coming out quite depressing.

// RELATED

DIY Natural Lotion Cubes
Powerful DIY Laundry Detergent
Cleaning with Vinegar
5 Green Cleaners That Work
5-Minute Homemade Deodorant
8 Ways We've Eliminated Plastics
Cleaning Produce The Natural Way
Chemical-Free Clean With Castile Soap

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Homesteading // Spring Is Near

>> Friday, March 13, 2015

We had over two feet of snow on the ground just a few days ago. It’s melted to less than six inches, and I’m starting to see brown blades of grass peeking out. Along with the earth’s thawing, my own body and mind are warming up to the idea of being outdoors again. After the winter we’ve had, it doesn’t even seem real that we’ll soon be able to walk around without all the bulk. And I certainly have a lot I want to do with our “land” (errr, backyard) and there are tons of other projects that extend indoors as well.

I plan to share some of our spring goals soon, but I thought I’d first give you an update on how we did with our winter homesteading goals . . .

Research Chickens: I did some good reading about chickens and feel like I have a handle on the things that are involved with finding them, making a place for them to live, caring for them, etc. That being said, I think this year isn’t the time to get started with the endeavor because our attention is definitely sucked in too many other places. My conclusion is that raising backyard chickens isn’t something to take lightly, so I think we’re going to push out the timeline a couple years.

Make Soap: Instead of making soap, I opted to get friendly with beeswax, making candles and ornaments, and all different types of lip balms and salves (like Natural Vapor Rub). I’m even considering making the ornaments for sale next year because I had so much fun and friends + family seemed to really like them. Since I had spent a chunk of money on getting supplies for these projects, I figured I’d wait on the soap stuff -- maybe I’ll add this one to my spring list.

Make Cheese: I did make cheese! Just not mozzarella. We love Indian food, so in an effort to stop eating out as often, I tried making paneer at home using this recipe. It worked out pretty well, but didn’t hold together quite as I had hoped. It kind of reminded me of when I tried making it a few years ago except it was in more solid form. Overall, I’m excited to try some different cheeses.

Plan Garden: This year I’m going to stick to the confines of our current raised bed garden which is about 6 feet by 10 feet. I found a nice garden layout guide that I’m going to loosely follow. Right now I’m starting my seeds indoors versus buying plants like we’ve done in the past. I’ll be honest, I’m worried nothing will grow indoors or that the cats will eat any sprigs that do pop up. Only time will tell! At least the seeds were all 50% off.

Knitting, Etc.: I had a lot of fun knitting with my Martha Stewart Loom Kit this winter. I made two hats for myself, one for Stephen, and a hat and cowl set that Ada wore to school most every day. It was sort of amazing that we all actually wore the stuff I made because I’ve knitted in the past but just never finished anything. I think I’ll probably slow on the knitting when we’re outdoors more, but I’d like to extend my skills next year into some more intricate stitches and projects.

And don’t miss . . .

Cleaning With Baking Soda Basics
Cleaning With Vinegar Basics
Homesteading Stuff You Can Buy at the $1 Store
DIY Natural Lotion Cubes
10 Smart Ways to Use Epsom Salts
Powerful DIY Laundry Detergent
5 Green Cleaners That Work
5-Minute Homemade Deodorant
8 Ways We've Eliminated Plastics
Cleaning Produce The Natural Way
Chemical-Free Clean With Castile Soap

* Here’s the image source for the 1800s garden above.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

5 Winter Homesteading Goals

>> Thursday, November 20, 2014

Now that winter is almost here, my homesteading projects have slowed considerably. I used to spend quite a bit of time outdoors gathering up our garden’s tomatoes. I’d also spend hours in the kitchen on the weekend making recipes to fill our freezer with or otherwise preserving our CSA foods for the season ahead.

With the cold, we’ve retreated. But that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped my progress toward my goals. Instead, they have shifted to stuff I can do indoors. I’m sure I’ll have more to add to this list, but for right now, I’m trying to keep the focus simple and plain. If you have experience with any of these items, I’d love to hear from you! Sharing knowledge and skills is one of the greatest (and FREE!) gifts we can give one another.

1. Research Chickens

This may be premature, as I haven’t yet checked with our town for local ordinances, but I’d like to consider raising a few backyard chickens. We eat so many eggs each week, though I have read that the price and upkeep of the chickens doesn’t necessarily save lots of money on eggs. I also think the experience would be worth it. There are a lot of pros and cons, so this winter I’d like to do the initial research to see if chickens might be a good fit for our family and our goals. Friends who have chickens (and I know quite a few!), I’ll likely be pecking at your brain for ideas!

2. Make Soap

Along with the DIY Lotion Cubes, Natural Vapor Balm, Homemade Deodorant, Green Cleaning Supplies, and other things I’ve been mixing in the kitchen, I’d like to try my hand at making soap. And after I get the hang of basic soap, I’d love to expand the idea to make my own shampoo bars!

3. Make Cheese

I had everything ready and set to start making cheese in the fall, and the weekend I planned to do it got swallowed up in a house full of sickness. There are few ingredients needed, it’s mostly the time and attention that I need. With so many months indoors, I’m sure I’ll finally get my chance. Here’s the recipe for homemade mozzarella I planned to start with.

4. Plan Garden

We have a small raised bed garden in our new backyard. This year, the previous owners had planed the thing full of mostly cherry tomatoes. We enjoyed them, but next year I’d like to expand and diversify. Several of you have recommended the book Square Foot Gardening, so I’ll be picking up a copy to aid in my education on the matter. I think we’ll still keep the operation somewhat small this year, but hopefully grow as we learn more. Of all veggies, I’m most interested in sprouting up some dinosaur kale!

5. Knitting, Etc.

If you follow my other blog, you know I recently picked up the Martha Stewart Loom and Weaving Kit. Of course, most of my occupation with the thing is just a hobby. But I’d love to learn how to create more than basic scarves and hats. I found this cool mitten tutorial on YouTube, and I even have aspirations of stitching together a sweater someday. Wool is my favorite fiber, and I’d love to create a homemade stock of woolen items for all these chilly months we experience every year. Plus, it’s relaxing!

And don’t miss . . .

5-Minute Homemade Deodorant + Review

>> Monday, August 11, 2014

Over the last several years, I've tried a number of natural deodorants from rolls to sticks to powders and beyond. I decided to go the natural route when I was nursing Ada. Something about having her so close to all the chemicals and scents didn't sit well with me. And after doing a little research, I decided that I didn't want to rub that stuff into my skin anymore either.

I've had OK-ish results with the products I've tried, though some of the sticks actually burned my armpits. No joke. A rash with peeling and burning, which I would have never expected from a natural product. Of all of them, I've had the best success with Lush's powders, including The Greench and The Guv'ner.

I ran out of powder recently + thought: What about making my own? Well, the following "recipe" takes less than 5 minutes to make + uses ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. It also works pretty well, just see my review below!

HOMEMADE COOLING DEODORANT
The essential oils keep your pits smelling fresh + feeling cool.

You need . . .

4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 to 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder*
2 to 3 tablespoons baking soda
10 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Instructions . . .

Combine the arrowroot powder and baking soda in a small bowl. If your skin is especially sensitive, consider using only 2 tablespoons of the arrowroot powder and baking soda.
Pour in the melted coconut oil and mix until well combined + no lumps.
Drop in your essential oils and keep stirring. Then pour into a glass container and store in your refrigerator.
To use: Remove from the fridge and break away a little piece. Rub into your armpit and return container to the fridge.

// REVIEW

The recipe above is similar to most all the natural deodorant recipes you will find on the web. The only downfall in my opinion is that you need to keep it in the fridge so it stays firm. I did come across this variation using beeswax that is basically the same, but is stabilized and can stand on your shelf without melting. It's not THAT big a deal to me, and keeping it in the fridge increases its cooling effect.

Now, I'm not going to lie. This deodorant doesn't keep your armpits 100% completely fresh all day long on the hottest days of the year. But it DOES work as well -- if not better -- than the natural products I've bought at the store. No joke -- and especially better than the stick brands I've purchased, as it doesn't irritate my armpits (no burns) and costs way, way less.

I recommend applying it 3 to 4 times a day for the best results. The asterisk next to arrowroot powder above means you can also use cornstarch if you wish. I've read that some people experience yeast infections using cornstarch while others do not -- just be aware of that possibility. My choice to use peppermint extract is my favorite part of the whole thing because it feels -- well -- fantastic.

After a couple weeks of using this deodorant, my armpits are soft, I haven't had any bad skin reactions, and I have a ton of the jar still left over. So, I'd estimate the cost of maybe 2 to 3 months of deodorant at $1 (if that much)! So, it's at least worth a try, especially considering you may have most of these ingredients on hand.

Have you tried natural deodorant -- whether homemade or store-bought? What's your experience? Or what's your favorite recipe? And don't forget to check out all the ways we use castile soap for our home + body cleaning!

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Homesteading: Chemical-Free Castile Soap

>> Sunday, August 3, 2014

As I was sitting on the beach last week, I caught up on some reading material. Or, rather, enjoyed some super old magazines (2010 style!) that I found laying around my in-laws' house. One of them was Health Magazine, and I caught a snippet about personal care products, etc. -- shampoos, conditioners, face wash, shaving creams, toothpaste, etc. -- and exposure to chemicals. We're making our own efforts to green our home, including making our cleaning sprays and soaps, so I hope you'll follow along as we move forward and (likely) make some missteps.

The gist: Two environmentalists, Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie, conducted a relatively informal study, switching from their crunchy soaps to more conventional products most of us use every single day. Their findings were published in a book titled Slow Death by Rubber Duck which explores the "secret danger" of everyday things. I'm not an alarmist or anything like that, but their results were certainly astounding at times, showing major increases in things like BPA and phlatlates when exposed to plastics and other "hidden" dangers.

Let's focus today on one of my favorites: CASTILE SOAP! It's yet another one of those awesome + budget-friendly Green Cleaners That Work.

// GENERAL USES

We often just squirt our castile right out of the bottle for basic cleaning, especially of hands. But the more we've used castile, the more we've learned that diluting it to the right ratio can help get a better clean for a number of different purposes. Here are some ways we use castile in our home.

#1: Shampoo -- just dilute it with water in either a 1 part soap, 2 parts water or 1:3 ratio. Some people have better luck using a citrus hair rinse that helps break up the soap for a shinier finish.

#2: Baby Wash -- since Stephen and I like the stronger peppermint variety, when we wash Ada, we either use plain castile or lavender. Something a bit less intense. I follow the same dilution as I do for our shampoo above, or just squirt some in the bath for bubbles.

#3: Dog Shampoo -- we don't have dogs, but I wanted to share that one of my friends uses this same method on her dog, and it works great. Greening your home includes your pets!

#4: Veggie Wash -- if you've ever seen those pricy spray bottles in the produce section, try this at home. I take a standard spray bottle and put in a heaping tablespoon and fill the rest with water.

#5: Body Wash -- I usually just use bar castile soap (peppermint is my favorite) for this one, but if you'd like a liquid solution, just squirt into a loofah. Pretty simple and very clean.

#6: Foaming Hand Wash -- my mom taught me this one: Just put a tablespoon or two of castile soap in your foaming dispenser and fill the rest with water.

#7: Shaving "Cream" -- I take a few drops of the soap directly onto my skin and lather it with water before shaving. No chemical-laden creams for me!

#8: Laundry Detergent -- going to make you guys wait on this one, but we use castile soap in our laundry detergent. I grind up bar soap and combine it with a few other ingredients for clean clothes.

#9: Floor Cleaner -- I use around 1/4 cup soap into 2 gallons of hot water for mopping our kitchen floors. I haven't tried this method on wood, though.

#10: Car Wash -- I squirt around a 1/4 cup of castile soap into a bucket and fill the rest with hot water to wash cars. I don't wash our cars often, but it does the trick and I don't feel as bad when I rinse it off onto the pavement and grass.

// WHERE TO BUY

I've mentioned many times that our family regularly uses Dr. Bronner's brand of castile soap. It's widely available and comes in a variety of essential oil scents. (And for a more castile soap usage ideas and dilution ratios, be sure to check out Dr. Bronner's "cheat sheet" -- anything from clearing congestion to deterring ants in your home.)

Two of my favorites include:

Peppermint Liquid Castile
Lavander Liquid Castile
Unscented Bar Soap
Tea Tree Bar Soap -- great for acne-prone skin!

While I was researching less expensive options for this post, however, I came across a new castile soap to try: Dr. Brown's. It's cheaper on average -- in fact, some of the types I found cost half of what I usually pay.

Here are a few options to investigate:

Peppermint Liquid Castile -- $7.99 per 32 ounces
Tea Tree Liquid Castile -- $8.99 per 32 ounces
Lavander Liquid Castile -- $8.99 per 32 ounces

// HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you use castile soap in your everyday routine?

If so, how do YOU use it? I read that people even brush their teeth with it -- so there are seriously 1,000,001 ways you can use this chemical-free cleaner. And what brand is your favorite? I've also come across a few methods for making liquid castile soap at home (in a slow cooker, of all places!). Might have to try that out someday.

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Kitchen Waste: How Do You Handle It?

>> Thursday, July 31, 2014

How do you handle kitchen waste? It's something few of us really think about, as we just toss whatever is leftover into the garbage can. Or maybe into the sink to run through the garbage disposal. Some of us dutifully compost organic scraps to feed our garden nutrient-dense soil.

Us? Well, I've had a garbage disposal in my kitchen since I was a kid. After enough plumbing disasters (plumbers hate garbage disposals), we stopped putting food down the drain, and we haven't looked back. Composting is a big issue to tackle in a single post, so I thought I'd start with the initial stage: the garbage bowl!

You may not know it, but Rachel Ray didn't invent the whole garbage bowl thing. In fact, my high school boyfriend's mom used one back in the 90s, which is when I first saw one in action. Sure, you can buy brightly colored melamine bowls and for this purpose. For ours, I picked up an old (pretty!) bowl at a local thrift shop, and I think it set me back a grand total of $2.

// NOTES

Any bowl or bucket or bin will serve as an excellent garbage bowl, but it's best to choose one that can hold a day's worth of waste. Think around the size of your medium to large mixing bowl.
I prefer glass, ceramic, or metal bowls because we're trying to eliminate all plastics (we've been close for quite some time) from our kitchen. And, yes, eliminating plastics is another post I have in the queue.
A garbage bowl is a great time saver. You can take fewer trips to your garbage can while preparing food and still keep your work area clear of debris.
Speaking of garbage cans, using a garbage bowl can also be a jumping off point to -- yes -- composting, if that's something that interests you.
I'll be writing a full post on the next stage of this process soon. If you'd like to get a jump-start, helpful books include The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener and Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting.
We had a large compost bin at our old house -- and we're on the hunt for a smart solution for our new yard. This worm composting system intrigues me -- does anyone use one?
Limited spacers: If you live in an apartment or small home, you can also try one of these compact steel compost bins. (And if you're on a budget, you can get a basic composting solution for under $10, it's plastic, but sometimes you have to pick your battles.)
Foods you can compost include: fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, nut shells + peanut hulls, tea leaves, and much more.
Foods to keep out of your garbage bowl (and compost bin): Yogurt, cheeses, fish, meat, bones, and any non-food items, like tags and ties.

So, how do you handle your home's food waste?

And if you follow a similar system -- what do you do with it? I know some cities even have compost pickup sponsored by their local waste management facilities. That sounds pretty cool. It looks like pilot pickup programs are popping up all over the country, so I'll have to keep my eyes peeled on that one!

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Homesteading: 5 Green Cleaners That Work

>> Thursday, July 17, 2014

New house, new + many more surfaces to clean. We had all but depleted our homemade cleaning stash while moving out of our old place. So, Stephen and I took some time to replenish our stores within the last week. Mixing everything together at once got me thinking I should share the mixes we use all in one handy post.

Here we go!

I'd say we've been making our own cleaning supplies on and off for the last 4 years. Mostly on for the last 2, though we do get lazy about it on occasion. What keeps me using the natural stuff time and time again is its effectiveness paired with the cost savings. There are lots of recipes and mixes for green cleaners out there, but we choose to make the ones that require the fewest, most LIKE ingredients, if that makes sense.

The first natural cleaner we made was an all-purpose spray cleaner. Now, I suppose I should also mention that we like to use a large stash of bar mops/rags for all our cleaning. We have a bin in our kitchen where we store the dirty rags and wash them once or twice a week. I'll get into some more specifics of our cleaning routine in another post.

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

Borax: Also known as Sodium Borate is a naturally occurring mineral and shouldn't be confused with Boric Acid. It is highly alkaline and, as such, can cause mild skin irritation if you are sensitive. More info here.

Washing Soda: Also goes by the name Sodium Carbonate. It's a known water softener. You can actually turn baking soda into washing soda by baking it at 400 degrees F.

Baking Soda: Also goes by the name Sodium Bicarbonate. It has a number of cleaning applications when combined with warm or cool water. It also helps lift delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Castile Soap: One of my favorite things EVER, castile soap has innumerable uses for the body and home. Basically it's just a natural, olive oil-based soap. You can learn more about it here, and our favorite kind is Dr. Bronner's brand.

Essential Oils: Can be used in a wide variety of applications from cleaning to medicinal purposes for the whole family, etc. In cleaning they add a nice, fresh scent without chemicals. Beware if you own cats, though, essential oils can be harmful, so keep your cleaning supplies out of their paws.

ALL-PURPOSE POTION

2 cups water
2 cups distilled vinegar
20-40 drops essential oils

Combine all ingredients and store in a spray bottle. You can pick one up at your hardware store, use an old one that is emptied, or I've been eyeing these cool Full Circle bottles that include a tiny juicer for adding citrus cleaning power. Cool! To use: Spray liberally on most surfaces and clean with rags.

I use a similar mixture for windows and glass but add a few tablespoons of alcohol for a streak-free finish. I was skeptical, but it works like a charm.

DISHWASHER DYNAMO

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
distilled vinegar to rinse

Combine ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a Ball jar or other container. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load; fill rinse basin with the vinegar separately. I add some drops of essential oils to the vinegar for scent on occasion, which is why you see a separate container with the vinegar mix.

Oh, and these days I'm digging eucalyptus and peppermint. If you find you're getting a residue after dishes have washed, you can consider adding some acidic ingredients to help -- we haven't had enough of an issue for it to matter.

DISH SOAP DANDY

2 cups Dr. Bronner's or other castile soap
1/4 cup water

I don't have this one pictured because we inherited some dish soap from our previous owners, thus we didn't need to many a new batch yet. Anyway, I sometimes use just plain castile soap for dishes, but I have found if you water it down a bit it tends to wash away a bit more easily.

SUPER SCOUR

1 cup baking soda
1/3 to 1/2 cup borax
1/4 cup coarse salt

I grew up in a Comet household and remember the burning and stinging of that chemical stuff -- this is much better! Combine ingredients and store in a jar. You'll want to wet whatever surface you're cleaning (tub, tile floor, sink, etc.) with water or even vinegar before sprinkling on and letting sit for a few minutes. Then use a bristle brush to scrub and rinse clean with more water.

TOILET TORNADO

This one is right off the back of the borax box: Simply toss 1/4 cup borax in your toilet bowl and scrub around with a brush. Let sit for 30 minutes to overnight and then flush for a super clean toilet.

In my next cleaning post, I'll tackle some laundry soap options and a few more specialized cleaners like wood spray and magic eraser alternatives. And in yet another post, I'll delve into the personal care DIY stuff we're doing these days. It goes beyond the No Shampoo Method, and we've been trying some new stuff that has worked . . . and other things that, well, haven't!

What's your favorite DIY green cleaner?

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Spinach Mac 'n Cheese

>> Thursday, November 7, 2013

I finally found my camera charger (!!!), as evidenced by the quality shots from yesterday's roasted apple for 1 recipe. However, we're sliding backward today with a INSTA-dinner recipe inspired by last month's delicious Curried Delicata Mac 'n Cheese. We've been making this comfort dish every week, so it was time to tweak it to starve off boredom.

I'm always amazed at how an entire container of spinach purees down to this:

// PUREE INSTRUCTIONS

I just bought one of those large bins of baby spinach at Wegmans and then placed it all in a large pot with about 1/4 cup boiling water. You can use other greens if you like -- you'll likely have to change up the spices + salt if you use, say, kale which is much more bitter.

Anyway, I covered the pot for a minute and then mixed the greens a few times until everything had wilted. I poured the entire contents of the pot -- yes, water and all -- into my food processor and blended until smooth. In all, it made just about 2 cups of radioactive-looking sludge.

Hmmmm. Maybe I should use another word for sludge?

SPINACH MAC 'N CHEESE
Serves 4-6, or dinner for 2-3 for 2 nights!

What you'll need . . .

2 cups spinach puree, instructions above
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used a mixed bag)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 cup milk (soy milk is delicious), unsweetened
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or more depending on your preference
salt + pepper to taste
1 egg, whisked
1 tablespoon butter or Earth Balance
16 ounces elbow or shell pasta
breadcrumbs, whole wheat

Method . . .

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch square baking dish or a 2-1/2 quart round and set aside.
Start a pot of water to cook your pasta. Just cook it al dente, around 8 or 9 minutes.
While your pasta cooks, combine your puree, cheeses, milk, and seasonings in a small pot over low heat. Mix until totally combined. You may adjust it with more/less milk as desired. Ours was around the consistency of thin fondue.
Then drain the pasta, put the tablespoon of butter or Earth Balance back into the pot, return the pasta too -- toss and pour your cheese mixture over top.
Mix gently. Then slowly pour the egg in while whisking so it doesn't cook unevenly. Add more spice if you like.
Cover with breadcrumbs -- the more the better, in my opinion.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake another 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

I think I should have posted this recipe for Halloween. It sure looks spooky. But the spinach and garlic make it taste delicious + each serving boasts a ton of veggies. Of course now my mind is wandering to ideas like PESTO mac 'n cheese, which I'm sure I'll be making in the near future. This recipe is kid tested + approved, too.

More unexpected greens: Green Smoothies + Green Pancakes + Green Waffles + Green Oats.

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Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto, 2 Ways

>> Tuesday, June 25, 2013

It's CSA season, so our fridge is teeming with beautiful seasonal produce. So much of it, in fact, that I'm frantically trying to come up with good ways to use it all. Maybe "frantic" isn't the right word, but I hate wasting food we get from the hands of farmers we know + love.

Pesto is a favorite of mine because it's adaptable and forgiving. You can use so many different nuts, greens, and other additions to make it new and different. You can add flavor a bit at a time so it doesn't get out of control. It freezes well, too. So, though this recipe makes four 1/2 cup servings -- I kept two in the fridge for the week and sent two down to our upright freezer for safekeeping.

Bring on the greens!

GARLIC SCAPE + SWISS CHARD PESTO
// 2 ways // feel free to use other nuts, greens, or seasonings!

What you'll need . . .

(vegetarian version)

5 garlic scapes, chopped
1 cup swiss chard, leaves only, cut off stems
1/4 cup coarsely processed almonds
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon, juice only
salt + pepper, to taste

(vegan version)

5 garlic scapes, chopped
1 cup swiss chard, leaves only, cut off stems
1/4 cup coarsely processed almonds
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon, juice only
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt, to taste

Method . . .

Prepare all your ingredients. (Or just half if you want less or just one type of pesto.) The great thing with this recipe versus some of my others? You don't need to cook anything.
Make your first batch by tossing all the ingredients (except the salt, pepper, and other seasonings) into a food processor and pulsing until you reach your desired consistency. I left this pesto pretty chunky because we're going to be using it on pasta and on pizza -- if you're like it drippier, add more olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Set aside + repeat same process with other pesto ingredients, from start to finish.
Then divide your finished pesto into two portions each and store in airtight containers. (Alternatively, you can place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 6 months or more.)