For Such a Time as This, part 20: Take Notes

I recently read a post by Annabel over on The Bluebirds Are Nesting On The Farm titled "Put It To Good Use."  I read it through one time and knew that there were so many helpful suggestions that I needed to read it again and this time take notes.

Here are some that I wrote down for future reference and reminders:

*    Repurpose plant pots for vegetable growing pots.  I do this, but I wrote it down as a reminder not to overlook the obvious!

*    Fill empty jars with dried foods.  I'm working on doing this with half-gallon and gallon size jars as I don't process/can food in them.

*    Attach shelf over inside door frame of bathroom and use for storage.  This has actually been on my 'to-do' list for quite some time, but I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet.  I added it to my notes as a reminder to get it done!

*    Use old metal/iron bed head and foot stands as trellis' in the garden for climbing plants such as cucumbers.  Here again, I have one of these in storage that I've been wanting to repurpose for this use.  Another reminder added to my notes to get it done!

*    Annabel's aunt's idea of using an old wheelbarrow to start seeds in is priceless!  If this idea has ever occurred to me, I had forgotten it.  I'm adding it to my notes for future reminding.

These are only a few of the suggestions and ideas in Annabel's post, I highly recommend you pop on over there, read it and take some notes.  For such a time as this, we need to take notes and keep them in an organized way for several possible reasons, such as we might not always be able to access or find information we're looking for online.

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

My second blog:  From This Heart of Mine  

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram.  I often share photos on Instagram that are not shown here.

I have another blog:  From This Heart Of Mine where I try to encourage others in their spiritual walks.

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such A Time As This, part 19: Mindset

I have a frugal 'mindset' when it comes to our income.  I like to get the most bang out of it and stretch it as far as I can.  

Here are some ways I/we do that:

Shop thrift stores for items we need

Recycle, Reuse, Recycle, Reuse, Recycle

DIY everything we can

Shop clearance and markdowns first

Accept affordable substitutes over a first choice that is unaffordable

Cook from scratch

Keep a well-stocked pantry

Ask for discounts ... like the soil in this picture.  Hubby asked about getting a discount on busted or torn bags of soil and was offered 50% off each bag.

Accept that these guidelines sometimes mean that I/we need to walk away from something that we want.

For such a time as this, we need to pull out all the stops and work on our mindset.  Our mindset will either hinder us or help us during these difficult times.

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

My second blog:  From This Heart of Mine (Part 3 of how I set up and utilize a prayer journal can be found HERE.)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram.  I often share photos on Instagram that are not shown here.

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such A Time As This, part 18: Back-ups!

I had some left-over stewed squash that needed to be used and the first thing that came to mind was 'make a squash casserole.'

I knew I had all the ingredients needed for the recipe except milk.  We are not milk drinkers and unless I'm making yogurt or we get on a milk and cereal kick, there really is no reason to keep it on hand since our 'cooking' needs for it are minimum. So, when this recipe called for milk, I fell back on my 'milk' substitution standby ...

I went to my pantry, pulled out a can of evaporated milk, grabbed an empty jar and began making a milk substitution.  The ratio is one can of evaporated milk to one can of water.  I mixed both in the jar and proceeded to use what I needed for the recipe.  Since I had remaining milk left in the jar, I'll purposefully look for recipes that call for milk and use it up

within the week.

For such a time as this we need to have back-ups for the things we use and DON'T use a lot of!

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

My second blog:  From This Heart of Mine  (In today's post, I'm sharing part two in how I set up my prayer journal.  You can read about it HERE.)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram.  I often share photos on Instagram that are not shown here.

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such A Time as This, part 17: Don't Listen to the Naysayers!

Because of our sandy soil, we do a lot of gardening in raised beds and 25-gallon containers.  And, while it's true that you can't grow as much in raised beds and containers as you can in a row garden, it sure beats nothing!

I'm getting ready to start fall planting and am working on cleaning out the remnants of our spring/summer raised beds and container garden. The chickens love it when I do this as they and the compost pile get well fed!

I have 3 raised beds that are cleaned, empty, ready to have the soil amended and replanted, but there are 2 others that are still working hard ...

this one is producing/growing butternut squash ...

(This is just one of several baby butternuts that are in this raised bed.)

and this one is growing/producing sweet potatoes.

Don't listen to the naysayers that say you can't grow food in raised beds and containers.   Yes, it will mean you'll have to learn new ways and methods and it will take a different mindset.  It will also take creativity and effort on your part, but it can be done.  For such a time as this, don't let the naysayers convince you that you don't have any options for growing your own food because you don't have the right soil, live in the right place, have enough acreage or the large equipment needed.

You do have options; it can be done!

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

My second blog:  From This Heart of Mine  (In today's post, I'm sharing part one in how I set up my prayer journal.  You can read about it HERE.)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram.  I often share photos on Instagram that are not shown here.

I have another blog:  From This Heart Of Mine where I try to encourage others in their spiritual walks.

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such A Time As This, part 16: We can't always have what we want!

When it comes to meal planning, I try really hard to work with what I have in my pantry. 

Here's my method ...  

First, I go to my pantry (not the grocery store).

I look at what I've got and at what needs to be used whether it's in the refrigerator, freezer or on a pantry shelf.

I make out the menu based on the above and if there's anything I don't have that I need, I try to find a substitute or change the menu.

That's it.

I work hard at maintaining a pantry where I can menu plan using this method.  Eighty percent of the time when we go to the grocery store, we shop for loss leaders and or items to stock up on.

Being able to purchase items as loss leaders or in bulk helps us beat the rising costs of food.  Does that sometimes mean we need to forego something we would like to have?  Yes, sometimes that does happen, but that's okay as it doesn't hurt us to wait.

For such a time as this, we need to realize that we can't always have what we want, when we want it!

(picture: fresh 'cut off the cobb' corn ready for preservation)

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram.  I often share photos on Instagram that are not shown here.

I have another blog:  From This Heart Of Mine where I try to encourage others in their spiritual walks.

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such a Time as This, part 15: Bartering

 This week I had the opportunity to barter this freezer meal of sweet and sour meatballs over a bed of rice (Here's the recipe that I use, it makes a yummy freezer meal.) ...

... for corn fresh from the field.

We were given well over 100 ears of corn which we brought home and preserved.

(I'll be making a couple more freezer meals for this family as one just doesn't seem enough for all the corn we received!)   We don't have room to grow corn on our property, so this was a great blessing!

I like to keep these kind of  aluminum serving pans on hand to make and deliver freezer meals in or for freezer meals for us!

For such a time as this we need to look for opportunities to barter or swap what we have for what we don't have or for what we'd like to have!

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such a Time as This, part 14: Check Out the 'Discards!'

We stopped at a farmstand today and as is normal for me wherever I shop, I look around for clearance, discards, discontinued, etc items.

While looking around at the farmstand I found a 'last chance' section.  The items on the shelf were damaged or past their prime and were half price.  That's where I found these carrots ...

I felt of them and decided that they were still useable.  We finished our shopping and headed to the check-out counter but instead of charging us 50% off the original price they gave them to us free of charge along with this cantaloupe that had a ding in it ...

The ding was very minor, and we enjoyed it with our main meal of the day after we got home.

It was delicious and there is plenty to enjoy over the next few days as well!

What about those slightly limp and discolored carrots?

I turned them into 8 pints of carrots for our pantry.  There wasn't anything wrong with any of them that sitting in a bowl of water for a little while didn't take care of!

For such a time as this, we need to check out the 'discards' wherever we shop!

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such a Time as This, part 13: Start Doing This Now!

I’ve been thinking about the holidays we celebrate in October, November and December and have started preparing for them now … in June!

(picture:  this is the first block in the 'santa hat' quilt I'm making for my 'Christmas in July' month long project.  Instructions on making it can be found HERE. Yes, it's free!)

For the special foods, clothing, etc we like to have during each of the earlier mentioned holidays, I’ve been making ingredient lists, clothing needs lists and gift giving lists.  I've been purchasing said items and or making said items a few at a time and putting them away until the appropriate holidays.  I’ve set aside a lidded tub and am placing the shelf-stable ingredients/items, etc in it.  This will ensure that we have what we need and won’t run the risk of said items being hard to find or in some instances, completely unavailable when each holiday arrives.  For the food ingredients, they will be set aside and away from our 'working pantry,' where they'll be safe from being used before their intended time.

For such a time as this, we need to starting preparing for the holidays now so we're not left disappointed or frustrated over availability or in some cases simply unable to afford them.

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such a Time as This, part 12, It's Time to Get More Frugal

Hubby’s vehicle was a few miles from being empty of gasoline, so we pulled into a gas station to fill up.  Fifteen minutes later and a $90 hit to our budget we were ready to go.  Depending on the amount of driving he has to do with his work, this tank of gas may or may not last one week. 

(picture:  yarrow growing on our property)

It didn't take us long to decide that it’s time for us to get more frugal!  Yes, MORE frugal, we have to find ways to cut our expenses further, so later I headed online for some inspiration and watched this video from Simple Farmhouse Life podcast.

While we already do most of the things, she talked about it was a good reminder and encouragement to stay diligent.

Stay diligent?  How does one go about doing that especially in today’s economy?  For those who’ve been long time readers of A Working Pantry, you know that when I’m presented with a dilemma, I make a plan of attack and that’s what I’m working on now!

The goal is to cut our expenses in order to offset rising prices.  The process is the steps we plan to take to reach that goal.  It can be easy to write out a plan, the hard part though comes in sticking with it long term. 

That means my plan has to be realistic and doable for my family.

That means I need accountability

That means I need inspiration

That means that I need to acknowledge and accept that sacrifice, substituting and sometimes doing without is going to be a part of the process.

So, here goes, my plan and the steps to achieve aforementioned goal: 

(1) to consciously look for ways to ‘not spend money’ every single day.  Each day I plan to ask myself, ' how can I not spend money today?'   That's it, my very focused and specific step! Some days this will be easy, some days it won't. (Please know that I'm not talking about not paying our bills or not buying prescription drugs/medications, but for us, everything else is on the table and up for scrutiny.)

(2) for accountability, to post here on A Working Pantry what that looks like in everyday life at my house and

(3) for inspiration, I’ll be reading and researching, online and off, ways I can maintain and meet my goal.

It's on folks!  It’s time to shift into survival mode and this is my plan!

For such a time as this, it’s time to get more frugal!

Do you have a firm plan in place to get more frugal?

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such a Time as This, part 11, Find More Uses

During my daily morning garden walk I noticed that the lemon balm needed harvesting.  I pulled out my garden clippers (similiar to these) that I keep in my gardening apron and set to work.  While enjoying the fragrance that comes as the result of working with lemon balm, I began thinking about what I could use it for other than in teas and herbal remedies.  Were there other uses for my prolific pot of lemon balm?

Once inside, I started researching and found other ways I could use this lemon scented herb other than in teas and herbal remedies.  Here are a few I found …

As an ingredient in making butter spreads

As an ingredient in cookies

As an ingredient in bath and or shower salts and scrubs

As an ingredient in potpourri

As an ingredient in seasoning blends

These are just some of the ways my research led me to, but the number of ways to use lemon balm is not really the point of this post.  The point of this post is to encourage us to expand our knowledge of ways to use what we have.

For such a time as this, we need to find more uses for what we have on hand.  Lemon balm is my example, can you give one?  What have you learned to find more uses for?

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.

For Such a Time as This, part 10, Rise to the Occasion

Food keeps going up in price … dig deep

Gasoline keeps getting more expensive … dig deep

That feeling of anxiety about the future keeps hanging around … dig deep 

Rise to the occasion and dig deep, for such a time as this

Think you can't dig any deeper ... reassess and try harder (we're all having to do this)

Shop wiser

Fill your pantry

Grow whatever you can, anything is better than nothing.  (picture:  second planting of squash is almost ready to start harvesting.)

Learn new skills

Practice old skills

Repurpose and recycle everything you can

Waste nothing

This is what ‘rising to the occasion’ looks like at my house, what does it look like at yours?

If you find this series helpful, please share it with others.  If we all do what we can to help each other whether it be through writing, sharing, teaching, coming along beside each other or any other means, the world will be a better place!

Until the next post,

patsi

A Working Pantry

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27

A Working Pantry is a way of life, a lifestyle if you will!

My pantry is intentional, purposeful, simple, practical, frugal and what works for my family.  It’s the food items and household supplies that keep my household running smoothly ready and available when they are needed.  It’s my contribution to our family’s economy and my work-from-home ‘job.'

You can follow A Working Pantry on Instagram. 

You can view my privacy policy HERE.

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay and it helps me keep my pantry well-stocked!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means.