May 6, 2011

This month I finally started our Sam's membership. The way we shop, it works for us. We grocery shop once a month and I don't like to buy everything every month. Shopping for bulk makes it easier for me. I was really good too when I went. I got almost everything on my list and very few things that weren't. JB and I have been working on the design and material list for a home built "soup can storage rack". This will definitely make better use of some of my shelf space. I won't have to worry. About can stacks falling over or rotating. We are making a first in/first out style rack, load in the top and pull from the bottom. I have also been putting my Food Saver to work repackaging bulk amounts of rice, flour, sugar, and popcorn. The vacuum sealing combined with 24 hours in the freezer protect them from contamination from bugs, moisture, and air. It also allows me to purchase bulk but store it in convenient sizes for my kitchen containers.
JB fixed the tiller. It took a little work, but he got the new engine mounted and it runs great. Then a bunch of storms came thru so we haven't done anything else. It's been hard for me to get outside and get any work done. Between the kids being home and the new puppy, I am finding it harder than last year. Plus this year I have been putting housework first, weird for me. I haven't been going to pick blackberries either. Part of it was that I was really discouraged when I realized that the first area ready was sprayed and killed by the company that maintains the gas pipeline repressurization station on our property. I really wish they would have talked to us about it first. Several months ago they asked about brush hogging it, fine. But that's not what they did. They sprayed a plant killer. And the blackberries were almost ready too. These are all wild blackberries, not cultivated. I would be really mad if I had planted them and then they sprayed them. JB said that we are technically supposed to maintain that area, and I was going to mow it, after blackberry season. I need to talk to them about not spraying on my property again. Right now it's not a big deal, it's not near my garden area, but eventually we will be getting goats and that is right by one of the areas I will keep them. I will be rotating them around the property so they always have plenty to graze and help with the brush control. So in the future I don't want to risk poisoning my animals.