Coffee, Tea or Ivy? The Weekly Challenge Update

My coffee carafe planter
Using the new format that Sharon came up for the independence challenge- note: Cook Something New has become Eat the food (I assume that you harvested)Preparation and storage took over for the two categories Prepare something and Store Something- makes sense to me!


Sharon's Independence Day's Challenge-
1. Plant something: Basil, acorn squash, pumpkins, summer squash
2. Harvest something: Just some sprouts. And a nibble of lettuce.
3. Preserve something: Nothing
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce or compost something): Made a planter out of a coffee carafe; some coffee grounds into the compost from starbucks
5. Preparation and Storage: Built one more raised bed for the pumpkins (moving them into the backyard from the front this year)
6. Build Community Food Systems: Hoping to learn more about the “P-Patch” at next weeks Sustainable Burien meeting.
7. Eat the Food: Ate the sprouts I picked this week on a nice salad

Melinda’s Growing Challenge Planting time- Acorn squash, pumpkins, summer squash. Will be planting my seed started tomatoes tomorrow, weather permitting

MELINDA'S BUY SUSTAINABLY CHALLENGES: Getting the gardening purchases out of my system. Little info-mercial watcher that I am, I did by a “Garden Aug” to attach to my drill. Billy Mays is the devil.

Crunchy’s sustainable food budget challenge: (last post for this challenge) Well, I had $39 to last the final week of April. I did not make it. Groceries- $29, Freezer/Pantry Items (Estimate) $20, Coffee Stops $3, lunch at work $9 I went $22 over the budget for the month of May. Not too bad, but I really need to look at my spending habits (And coffee stops might have to be the first to go!)

Bay Leaves and Gardening- The weekly challenge update

Bay Laurel
I was going to do a sexy shirtless pic ala Crunchy, but decided I would save you from that. That and I am not sure that what I think is lambquarters is lambquarters. Didn' want to stick a lambqurter in my mouth only to find out it was something like poison oak.
Instead I took pics of my cabbage boxes and one of the Bay Laurels I planted

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge-
Plant Something: 2 Bay Laurels, "jalapo" peppers, Kung Pao peppers, fennel, Sunflowers (for the birds); started watermelon seeds; corn, radishes, carrots, cabbage plants
Harvest Something: Some corn salad plants that wintered over ; Chard -Yes I am overrun with chard!
Preserve something: Tried dehydrating Chard following Chile’s process, and the last of the parsley for awhile; Made my own Frozen Mashed potato cubes. Bought a big block of Cheese, sliced it and grated part of it and froze the grated cheese for use later, small jar of Bay leaves from my Bay Laurel plants

Store something: Mixed up some of what I call Mel’s Mix for potting. I use it in hanging planters. It’s pretty good in raised beds as well. Put it into 5 gallon buckets.Shredded some cheddar cheese and froze it -Yes I know it will be crumbly!

Manage Reserves: Bought a Neuton Mower and plan on selling the old tractor! SAY IT ISN’T SO! But if I get the yard they way I want it I really won’t need the tractor anymore. Got a price quote on gravel for the front yard and driveway. Dirt and rocks don’t come cheap!
Cooked something new- Papaya sorbet. Yes, I copied my McDougall fave with a new fruit
Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce or compost something): Been making planters out of found objects, recycling other planters, Used the box my Nueton came in as weed block in one raised bed, used some pizza boxes as weed block in others.Got some new blades for my Cuisinart for nothing (mom was giving her Cuisinart to Salvation Army and her blades fit mine)! Now I can grate my own cheese in bulk and broccoli as well.
Learn a New Skill: Took a “Solar Primer” class for the home put on by Seattle City Light and NW My Cabbage planters

Seed. Very informative. Also Very expensive.

The class discusses the incentives here in Washington on adding Solar Photo Voltaic and Solar Hot Water. Venture to guess I would go with Hot water to start, energy later. Found out through the class my garage and my house are good candidates for both!
Work on Community Food Security: Offered some of my leftover plant starts on free cycle

Melinda’s Growing Challenge Got more things planted- 2 Bay Laurels, "jalapo" peppers, Kung Pao peppers, fennel, Sunflowers (for the birds); started watermelon seeds; corn, radishes, carrots, cabbage plants

MELINDA'S BUY SUSTAINABLY CHALLENGES: nope. Not this week. Bought the Neuton Lawnmower and lots of garden stuff (compost, soil)

Crunchy’s sustainable food budget challenge: Not as great this week- Groceries $42, breakfast out at a local creperie- $8; lunch bought at a retirement party for a bunch of folks at work $12, Pizza $5; Didn’t pay for coffee stops at all this week, used gift cards Total this week =$67, $106 left in budget so grand total = = $39 left for the last week in the month!

Onion Soup MMMMMMMM Good- The Weekly Challenge update

Spring Onion and Potato Soup
A pretty good week this week. Things are sprouting up and growing.


Sharon's Independence Days Challenge-
Plant Something: Started some summer squash reminescient of my AuntShirley's Syrian Squash she used for stuffed squash, Carrots, peas,runner beans, Pepper plants,Started pumpkins,
Harvest Something: Some Chard, sproutsPreserve something: dehydrated some more parsleyStore something: dehydrated parsley into jar
Manage Reserves: Repaired the water line to the garage and my backyard spigot (need to insulate that line befor next winter
Cooked something new: Spring onion /Mashed potato soup:
Very similar to the "leek potato soup" recipe I use

Olive oil- 2 tablespoons
Garlic- 1 clove grated or ½ teaspoon of dried
Spring onions- 4-6
Chile powder-½ teaspoon
Potatoes - two good sized ones
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
Salt to taste No more than ¼ teaspoon
Pepper (white or black) - ¼ teaspoon
Milk or cream- ½ pint

First, clean and chop the onions. Green stem and all
Put olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onions and garlic.
Fry them over a low to medium heat until the onions are soft.
This will take about ten minutes. Stir frequently so that none of the ingredients brown. Peel the potatoes and chop them into cubes. Click on the picture to enlarge it and see the size of the cubes more clearly.
This can be done while the leeks are being fried.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan with the exception of the milk / cream.
Bring the soup to the boil and then let it simmer (just barely boiling) for the remaining cooking time. Add milk or cream and serve

Reduce Waste(recycle, reuse, reduce or compost something): Made a couple more upside down planters for pepper plants; used some old lumber (fence boards) to add a level to my potato condo
Learn a New Skill: Nope
Work on Community Food Security: Nope

Melinda’s Growing Challenge Everything is
coming up great. Started some squash and pumpkins from seed, my shallots
and potatoes are popping up to say hello, garlic looks fine, got peas and
runner beans started, carrots planted. And I still haven't killed the
tomato seedlings! And my Broccolli and Cauliflower look good! Did buy some pepper starts as I forgot about starting some from seed

MELINDA'S BUY SUSTAINABLY CHALLENGE: Just some pepper plants (not from seed) and some eye bolts at the hardware store. Got a new planting spade at the dollar store as well as some planting pots and accessories.

Crunchy’s sustainable food budget challenge:
Store= $52, items from freezer and pantry- Estimatated $25; Lunch out- $4 (Yes I am a cheap date),
coffee stops- $6 (there were more trips, but I had a gift card from my boss)=$87 Total
So $193 left in budget from last week, - this week $87- Total $106 for the rest of the month. Sweet!

Upside Down Tomatoes- The Weekly Challenge Update

This week I made some great Upside down tomato planters thanks to Cheap Vegetable Gardener; Discovered some potatoes sprouting in the potato condo. And my scallions are sprouting too!

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge-
Plant Something: Columnar Apple trees, peas, elderberry bush, strawberry plants, zucchini plants, tomato plants(not my seed plants)
Harvest Something: Some carrots (wintered over) Some Chard
Preserve something: dehyrdated some parsley
Store something: dehydrated parsley into jar
Manage Reserves: made some upside down tomato planters
Cook Something New: My take on McDougalls Bean Tacos
Prep Something:
Reduce Waste(recycle, reuse, reduce or compost something): Made some topsy turvy tomato planters; made a clock out of a collectable Altoids tin,
Learn a New Skill: Learned how to make upside down tomato planters

Work on Community Food Security: For a friend’s birthday, I bought him 4 tomato plants (he and girl friend just moved to a house and wants to garden) and some seeds and tools. Best part of all- no wrapping involved!

Melinda’s Growing Challenge- Got my columnar apple trees planted- LOL looks like I planted three sticks- Hopefully they will be full of apples next season; also planted peas, strawberries, zucchini, some tomato plants for topsy turvey planters.

MELINDA'S BUY SUSTAINABLY CHALLENGE: Not much this week just a clock kit and some duct tape.

Crunchy’s sustainable food budget challenge: $18.50(10.00freezer goods- home froze and boughten, breakfast out (car club meeting- $8.50); Trader Joes Food Items-$30.00; food I took for party 18.00 Starbucks visits $9; lunch at work-$6 Total spent- $90
$283 - $90= 193 left in budget

Johnny Appleseed I Ain't- Weekly Challenge Update

Not a pic of my columar apple tree, but with a little luck...

What a week! I had to work this weekend so didn't get much done on the challenge front. I did however get some neat plants! And I got some things planted!
Sharon's Independence Days Challenge-

Plant Something: Sprouts, Planted some “Walla Walla Sweets” onions, My artichoke. My columnar apple trees are in and they need to get planted as well as an elderberry bush and strawberries. I will plant them Monday as I have some free time.

Harvest something: some sprouts

Preserve something: nope

Store something: Nope

Manage Reserves: In the process of building some new raised beds.

Cook Something New: Not this week

Prep Something: Got busy in the compost bin- added chicken manure and turned the compost.

Reduce Waste (Reduce,Re-Use, ReCycle,Repair) : Got some steel truck wheels off Free-cycle- which I plan on turning into Foot stools;
Learn a New Skill: Learned the GrowVeg.com thing


MELINDA'S BUY SUSTAINABLY CHALLENGE: got my columnar fruit trees, an elderberry bush, and strawberries from Raintree Nursery which I got using a gift certificate, bought some topsoil and some chicken manure. The topsoil goes in the garden; the chicken manure goes in the compost bin

Melinda’s Growing Challenge- tomato starts are still not dead- got my columnar fruit trees, an elderberry bush, and strawberries from raintree nursery

Crunchy’s sustainable food budget challenge: Okay so far- my budget is $283 after figuring out that I am 1.5 people. So far, we have lived out of the freezer, I am guessing about $10 – I did have breakfast out yesterday- So add another $8.50 to the total

NEW CHALLENGE

La Crunchy Chicken is starting a Sustainable Food Budget Challenge. There is a limit to how much you can spend on food (mine is $283- I figured that out by taking the amount for two people and dividing it by three, and adding 1/3 of the amount to buying for one- since I dont always make dinner for two) Anyway sounds like a good challenge for the times-The rules are fairly loose, but the goal is to buy sustainably grown food: 1. If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic. (I always ask in the supermarket- the Produce manager runs when he sees me walk in) 2. If not ORGANIC, then Family farm. 3. If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business. 4. If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, (luckily I have a green grocer in the neighborhood) then Terroir: purchase foods famous for the region they are grown in. 5. Hit the farmers market before the supermarket. (not so easy in this neck of the woods- The closest farmer's market is the world famous Pike Place Market in Seattle- Burien's doesn't open until May:( Anyway I am game.
And, For you home improvement junkies, If you are willing to "Git 'er Done" - Abbie is promoting Jena's Git'er Done Challenge over at Becker Farm's Blog- I am shying away from that one for the simple fact I got too much to do on the house as it is- I don't need that kinda pressure! That and anything that encourages comparison to me and Larry The Cable Guy will be sorely met. Besides... I am not cutting the sleeves out of all my shirts!