Independence Days Challenge Update 6/23/08

I decided to follow Sharon’s lead and switch the end of the challenge week to Sunday.  So reporting will be either Sunday evening or shortly thereafter.  So, this week I get to count two weekends!   Hehehe…

Planted: seed into garden:  5 color silverbeet chard, texas grano onions.  Transplanted seedlings into the garden:  buttercup squash, 5-color silverbeet chard, texas grano onions, sprouts from neighbor’s spring onions, Ping Pong tomato (tomato exchange with friend), principe borghese tomatoes, butternut squash, delicata squash, jalapeno (trade from friend), thai green lettuce, cilantro, cayenne pepper, detroit dark red beets, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower.

Harvested:  Nothing.

Preserved:  Nothing.

Stored: Dog food.

Managed:  Tried to order more buckets and gamma seal lids from the co-op, but my order got lost until after the deadline – will try again next month.

Prepped:  Got major tuneup/brake job on truck.  Since I’m in the process of buying a Geo Metro, the truck is becoming more of a tool for the future than for daily transport.  Bought a half cord (split with ex-boyfriend) of firewood, from friends who are trying to clear for fire safety around their newly built house.  Cut/loaded another half cord (again, split with ex) of dead lodgepole and white fir from nearby Forest lands.

Cooked Something New:  Made rhubarb sauce using local rhubarb bought at the farmer’s market.  Brought the sauce to a potluck where it was poured over hand-cranked vanilla ice cream.  I had two tastes of it, but that’s all, because the potluck host asked to keep the remainder of the jar when I left!  (it was good)

Foster Local Food Economy:  Participated as a seller in a new farmer’s market for my community.  I sold squash starts that I had bought from Azure Standard (bought them in 6-pack each, decided 4 of each was enough for me, sold 2 of each).  Also sold bell pepper and cayenne pepper starts I’d grown from seed, plus also a few aloe vera babies sprouted from my houseplant.  It will be a month or more before there is much in the way of produce coming from local gardens (so far, lettuce, spinach, rhubarb is about it) so I offered the seedling starts just to help the market get going.

Reduced Waste:  In addition to kitchen composting and using urine for garden fertilizer as well as deer repellent, I took what I thought was a dead laptop in to local repair guy, who is reviving it.  I will either keep it and use it, or sell it or give it to someone, which will not only postpone it going to the landfill, but will hopefully avoid someone (me or someone else) buying another computer as soon as they would have otherwise.  Used leftover catalogue CDs from library as deer/bird repellent by suspending them above garden fence (as promised several times already, photos coming soon).  Attempting to feed elderly, tooth-challenged cat moistened dry food (which we have lots of) instead of canned moist food (which has lots of packaging and also spoils easily in the heat).  This is only partially successful, since the cat changes his mind daily about what he will eat…  I arranged my one day per week in the County Seat for the Forest Service project to be the same day that material needs to be shuttled between the main library and the branch library where I (also) work — now I shuttle the deliveries each way, since I’m driving that route anyway.  This is a win-win:  no one has to make a special trip over the hill and back, as they were before, plus I get my mileage paid for even though I need to go anyway for the other job!

Learned a New Skill:  Nothing I can think of.  Oh wait, I did learn how to start a balky lawnmower by removing the air filter, squirting in gasoline or starter fluid, balancing a flat rock over the air filter opening, holding down the safety handle, pull-starting the machine, then while still holding the safety handle, removing the rock and replacing the air filter, using a screwdriver one-handed to tighten it…  Think it’s time for a scythe, eh?