FreeCycle mania - glass windows

Another item I received from a fellow FreeCycler is a set of windshields that came off an old speed boat. What do I have planned for them? I'm going to try to build a solar heat grabber and use it in the summer time for a solar dehydrator.

With a solar dehydrator I can dry a lot of veggies and herbs along with fruits that I pick or buy. I've used my organically grown herbs before for Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, and for other occasions. Of course, I use them in my daily cooking as well.

Last week, I dehydrated enough green onions to fill the dehydrator. Of course, since dried food is much smaller, it wound up being a quart of chopped, dried, green onions. I've used some of them already and they are loaded with great flavor.

So, if I can get the solar dehydrator built I can dry a lot of foods to use later and to give away, without using any electricity at all.

Technorati Tags: gardening,dehydrating

Combating high gas prices

Can gas prices go any higher? Of course they can...and they probably will. What can we do to combat this or at least save on the gasoline we really must use.

Try combining all errand trips into one. You've heard this before so it's no big news, but are you really doing it? As long as your car is parked and not running, it's not burning expensive gas.

If you live in town, take the bike down off the hitch bike rack and start riding it. I mean it. Is there any good reason to drive a few blocks if you can walk or ride your bike? Besides the exercise and fresh air, you can know you are saving gas and reducing your carbon footprint on the planet.

Car pool. Want to see it again? CAR POOL! Anytime you can ride someplace with someone else, do it. If a couple more people join in, then you can split the gas cost among you and save money, plus get a few more cars off the road.

Technorati Tags: gas prices

4 Gift giving

There are so many new babies in our family now. Every year several are added and the family just keeps getting bigger. Our family gatherings are so much fun, but there are times I can barely remember the names of all the new children or who they belong to!

Along with babies in the family, friend and co-workers are busy getting busy, it seems, because there are also a lot of babies being born to those at work. Which leaves me wondering --- how do the actual grandparents, aunts, and uncles ever keep up with all the names/

It might make it easier if,  every time a baby comes into the family, the parents make sure to announce it, plus invite someone to be the godmother or godfather. This way, whoever accepts that invitation can purchase a godmother gift that will help trigger their memory.

I can just imagine a personalized rattle or a storybook with the child's name being given and helping the giver to remember the details. It's important, in my opinion, to include these kinds of gifts and also be someone in the family who can share this information with others.

Technorati Tags: gift

FreeCycle mania - rabbit hutch

I have always found a few things on FreeCycle from time to time. Lately, though, I've been getting some things I really need to help with going off grid and being more self-sufficient.

Last week, I got a rabbit hutch. It's large and heavy, but in good shape. It's big enough to actually house two bunnies. My thought is that it will be good for two does and I can fashion another one for a buck. I'll probably also need a separate hutch for kindling (rabbits giving birth) so the doe who is bred will feel more secure.

As our rabbit population grows, I can either butcher the rabbits for meat or sell them to offset the cost of feed. I'm hoping to be able to expand from 2 does and a buck to  5 or 6 does and a buck. The free hutch gives me a very economical beginning.