Finally, Farm Fresh Eggs!

Just as I resolved to do this year, I snagged myself two dozen eggs from a local farm. It was so easy, I don't know how it took me so long to get around to doing this. I often take backroads to get home from work. The drive is so beautiful. Today, I took a very small detour to pick up some fresh eggs. I didn't know exactly where I was going on a chilly dirt road with nothing but dark trees lining the path, but eventually, a wide meadow opened and the stars were so bright, I could see the where I was supposed to go to get the eggs. A light was on in the barn. I parked far from it to take in the beauty of the night, walking along the dirt path, dreaming for a bit that it was my own property...

Six dollars later and I had two dozen fresh eggs in my hands. This really is a good deal for me. I typically pay well over $3 for one dozen eggs, sometimes close to $5, because I really like to buy the free-range organic kind. But they are soooo expensive! I'm not sure these eggs that I bought today are organic (I didn't ask) but they are local. That's important. Of course, after I've explored around to some other farms, I hope to find one with organic free-range eggs, but in the meatime, these eggs are worlds better than what I've been getting all these years.

Once I got home, I immediately cracked into them and made some over-easy eggs. A-maz-ing. One of the eggs was SO huge. There is no way to show a photo of an egg on a griddle without it looking slimy and greasy, so ignore that fact and just LOOK at how ginormous these pair of eggs are on this skillet!



Some day, I'll be gathering my own eggs from my own chicken. But in the meantime, I'll be supporting a local farm by purchasing my eggs there.

A Pinch of This, A Pinch of That, A Pinch of Pennies

Did you know that spices supposedly last only about six months? Some might be okay after a year. But do we even know how long the new spices we buy have been sitting on the shelf before we bought them?

I have to admit, I'm pretty sure I have a jar of Italian Seasoning circa 2002. I'm pretty sure because we bought that spice rack when Keith and I got married. Yikes. We have long needed to revamp our spice rack. We obviously had some pretty old and faded spices that have been sitting around for way too long, unloved and unsavored.

Today was grocery day, so we decided to update the ol' spice rack. I made such a killer deal purchasing new spices at the Market that I have to share.
Thing is, you don't have to shop at the Market to save $$$ on spices. As long as you know where to get some good bulk spices, you're in for a satisfying spice bargain. All you need are some old spice jars. You might as well bring in your own spice jars to the store, rather than use a million little baggies to load up. You'd preferably be transferring the spices to jars at home anyway, right? Those little baggies really mess up a cupboard and it's not easy to find what you need when the bag is slumped behind and under the honey bear or, even grosser, stuck TO the honey bear. (Why do honey bears always leak honey? That's a question for another time.)

Keith and I emptied and cleaned out all of our old spice jars and hauled them to the store with us. We immediately got in line and asked the clerk to tare one of the jars so that we knew the weight of what should be reduced at the time of check-out. Most clerks don't mind doing this, but if they do give you an eye-roll, you should find a friendlier clerk or go to a different store.

After we made note of the weight of the jars, we went to the bulk spice section and loaded up with everything we needed. Jars of spice can typically be pretty pricey (about $4-$6 each), especially the organic variety, but we walked away with ten full jars of various spices for only four cents over five dollars. That's right. Ten jars for $5.04. Roughly 50 cents a jar. Fresh and beautiful spices, half of which were organic.



Here's the cost breakdown:

Organic Dill Weed - $0.26
Organic Thyme - $1.23
Organic Oregano - $0.52
Organic Hot Chili Powder - $1.37
Organic Parsley Flakes - $0.14
Sweet Basil - $0.11
Paprika - $0.54
Curry Powder $0.28
Whole Coriander - $0.43
Whole Rosemary - $0.16

Has anyone ever paid so little for spices? Maybe not since the 50's. At these prices, we should be able to afford to revamp our spice rack every 6-months, no sweat! Next time I need to restock my spice jars, I might try Penzey's . Mom raves about the quality of their spices, and I'm lucky enough to live within 10 miles of one, while she has to mail-order hers.

No matter where you shop for spices, I hope these little tips will help you save a few bucks! Start the new year with fresh herbs and spices in your cupboards. And you can save even more $$$ eating at home with all those lovely herbs and spices to pinch and dash with.

Where did I go wrong?

26 As a 1930s wife, I am Poor Take the test!

2009 Begins!

I've started the new year with many resolutions. Last year I ignored the idea of resolutions, but I have so many plans for this year, that I really need some sort of structure to follow, if I'm going to succeed.

Here are my 2009 resolutions:

1. Become a Morning Person

This one is probably the most difficult one for me to achieve, but I always try for it. I'm a notorious night owl. I can stay up late, late, late. But getting up in the morning is the HARDEST thing to do. Reasons why I need to become a morning person are that I now have to get to work a whole hour *earlier* than I did last year. And, last year I was consistently late for work, even with the extra hour to sleep in. This year will be interesting. So far, I've done well, though. Also, I need to make the most of every hour of my day now that I'm bogged with so much school. I also need to find time to get to the gym, and waking up early allows me to do that. Which, brings us to my second resolution...

2. Revert my body back to the shape it was in two years ago (i.e., go to the gym 3-4 times a week).

I miss my old routine of daily gym. It was so nice when I worked next door to a gym. It's not as convenient for me now. My gym is about 15 minutes from my house. Nevertheless, my health is so important to me. I'd like to (A) be able to wear my hiking backpack without seeing my gut hang over the waist strap, and (B) be able to wear a tank top in summer without being self-conscious. Furthermore, if I'm planning on doing fieldwork when I graduate, I need to be able to trapse around in all sorts of terrain without looking like a fumbling fool.

3. Find a local chicken egg farmer to get eggs from (at *least* one dozen a month should be fresh farmed).

Well, this one is obvious. Farm fresh eggs are better for the environment and they are also really, really yummy. Those dark orange yolks that you just can't get in store-bought eggs... mmm....

4. No more plastic produce sacks (use fabric reusable ones).

I buy a lot of produce, and I've used a lot of those flimsy produce sacks. I feel guilty every time I reach for one. No more! I've sewn several produce sacks for use, so that should get me out of that guilt-zone.

5. Drastically reduce the purchase of plastic container items (buy bulk and make stuff from scratch instead).

Keith and I collected all of our empty plastic containers and glass containers that we bought throughout last year. There were containers for spaghetti sauce, salsa, hummus, guacamole, sour cream, yogurt... on and on. At the end of the year, our cupboards were bursting with potential trash. Just used by the two of us! We've been using these empty containers as tupperware and they're useful to store home-made soups and dry beans, oatmeal, etc. Most of these things that we bought could very easily be made at home. How hard is salsa and hummus to make, really? Not at all. This also leads to my sixth resolution:

6. Do not buy bottle spaghetti sauce - gotta make it from scratch (reduce the glass bottle waste!).

This one just makes sense for same reasons as number 5. I do love Newman's Own, but I'll have to try to come up with a Holland's Own.

7. No more frozen foods (frozen food boxes are not recyclable).

Number one reason: Frozen food boxes are not recyclable. This bit of info shocked me the first time I learned it. The seamingly cardboard containers apparently contain some sort of wax that keeps the cardboard from becomming soggy. This voids their chance of being recycled. I look back at a time when I used to buy a TON of gardenburgers, frozen Amy's meals, no-chicken nuggets... I thrived on those things. But, again, these are things I don't need and I could easily make home-made versions that are better. So - out with the frozen foods!

8. Replace one cup of coffee with one cup of tea every day.

Tea is a lovely drink, and I need more of it. I love my coffee, don't get me wrong. But tea is easier to haul on backpacking trips and I need to ween myself a bit from the highly caffeinated lifestyle that I used to rely on.

9. Maintain the worm compostin bin.

I've got to keep my worms happy. I tried a worm composting bin a couple winters ago, and I was in over my head. I've researched a ton on how to maintain one properly since then, and I've started it over again. My new compost bin is 4 weeks in and it looks great so far! A little practice, patience and education should go a long way. I think my garden will be happier if I can utilize the benefits of the compost bin. Plus, this whole vermiculture thing has helped me slowly learn to get over the squeeling reaction that I have when I see a bug. (Earwigs, however, will ALWAYS gross me out. They will always be the exception.)

10. No more hangovers.

This last one is a sad one for me to admit to make. But, really, I needed to make it. I think I imbibed a bit too much last year, and amazingly, I'm making it a public goal to refrain from over-drinking.

Sheesh

I just couldn't make the 2008 deadline. Well... that was an update of my JUNE, anyway. 2008 was wonderful. It was also very stressful, but that's not the important part. It was fun, fullfilling, and full of success, growth and happiness. But isn't every year? By some degree, anyway?
I guess that's the point. Here I am. It's almost 2 in the morning in the year 2009, and I'm FINALLY reflecting on the past year. SO much to reflect on. More to come.