The #everybitcountschallenge Week 2.

Jessica has a new post at Three Rivers Homestead (You tube) and each week I learn something!   

Over the last seven days I realised how many greens I have available to harvest.  I am finally going to make my own green powder to add into recipes.  I will be doing this especially for thekids in the family.  We love our greens but I think there are so many ways to add in even more.  As I very often make spaghetti sauce and meat sauce it is very easy to throw in a couple of grated zucchini,  a few handfuls of chopped spinach or whatever greens I have on hand.  They bulk it out as well.  But even the snoopiest child is not likely to detect it!  If they were too I'll chop it smaller or just add powder!   Each day I am picking greens towards my dehydrated and green powder project.


Some of the ratty leaves and stems go to the chickens as their share and they love it all.



Monday.

I made Lemon Butter which used up eggs and some of the lemons from the swap table.


I got four and a half jars.  Two were frozen and the rest made up deserts and treats.

Tuesday. 

I made up two lots of dough... a Gluten free batch and a double regular batch.


I made pizzas for everyone and rolled out and lightly cooked spare bases to freeze.   I am not sure if I should freeze dough or make bases and freeze those?   But pizza bases are very handy as very often all kinds of left overs make good pizza toppings!

Wednesday.

I made a double batch of Muffins and froze 8.

Thursday.

I vac sealed some of the dried apple I did at the end of summer. (Finally!) 

Friday.

I had rice in the freezer.  I thawed that and put away another jar of rice.   Also added dried apricots to my collections of dried fruits.




Saturday.

I harvested Chard for my dried greens. 


Sunday.  

I made Scones and froze half. 

I am going to give myself 5 out of 7 as  5 things were actually added to my food storage and a couple are kind of on the way! 


Each day I am doing something towards Spring cleaning as well!  So I have two challenges going!    

I have another post by Laine that I hope to get published tomorrow or Wednesday.   It is so nice and just like old times reading her letters again!  

What did you manage to add to your pantry over the last week?  Every bit counts! xxx



 

Comments

  1. I love my green jar. I just mix it up - whatever is dried gets powdered and put into the jar. Silverbeet, turnip tops, beetroot tops, carrot tops, celery and celery leaves, parsley all go into the jar. I just shake it up to mix it all when I go to use it. Great for adding nutrition to soups, especially the MOO cup-a-soup mix, and lasagne sauce.

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    1. Dear Cath,
      I got some more into my jar today. And tomorrow I am filling the dehydrator with Stinging Nettles. I have young fresh ones so that are going in!
      I will keep it in mid for Moo mixes, good idea! With love Annabel.xxx

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  2. Hello Annabel,

    Your posts motivate me to go on, even on days when I feel extremely tired - but so pleased at the end of the day. I work a full time job so I divide my harvesting, preserving and cooking/cleaning to small steps every day - and every bit counts!

    As we have an abundance of apples I dehydrate a lot of them and from the apple spines and peelings I made apple jelly, with a sweet lemony taste. Approved by my husband! And the rest goes to my golden ladies (chickens). Nothing goes to waste here.....

    I harvest every day tomatoes, chilly, mint, basil, lettuce, celery, thyme, tarragon, lovage and air dried them in the shadow - the house smells so nice of mint. And for the chickens I dry nettles that I will turn to powder and feed them in the long snowy winter months - I feel like I am already thinking at winter and warm jumpers although it is very hot weather we still have.

    I sowed some lettuce for the fall garden - I did this all summer long at 2 weeks distance so I constantly have fresh green lettuce that we love and use a lot.

    If every bit counts challenge is outside the kitchen then I am preparing for winter in the craft area, too. I put together all bits of yarn and fabric and am settled for the long months - knitting, crochet, sewing, gifts making and finally start making the memory quilt from my mother*s clothes and fabrics. It will be a labor of love and journey down memory lane. Miss her and her practical but sensible approach to life during these terrible days.

    Have a nice and abundant week. With love from Laura_s_world in Romania

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    1. Dear Laura, With working full time a little bit when you can is very good. Wonderful to get more lettuce in and use the left over warm weather!
      I think apple jelly is so beautiful! And now you have your chickens they will enjoy and benefit from every scrap!
      You are harvesting such a great variety! I am drying nettles... this is the first time for me! You helped me decide I should be using them. I will put photos in my Friday post. They are fresh and so healthy and just washed with half an inch of rain.
      It is a good plan to have plenty of yarn and work to be busy with in the winter. I imagine that is a time you get lots of needlework done. This is what makes winter nice for me I am very happy working on something when its terrible outside. Your Mothers special quilt will be an absolute treasure.
      I hope the new week has started off well! With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  3. Hi Annabelle, I love this challenge! Looks like you have been very busy too. Good job.
    I wanted to ask about subscribing to your blog. I used to get the emails all the time but haven't lately. I don't see a subscribe sign up either, Can you help me with this? Thanks,
    Bobbi

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    1. Dear Bobbi, When my blog changed this meant everyone had to re subscribe, sorry about that. On the home page top left you should see lines... click on those for a subscribe option. I am looking at it thinking I might have to improve it though...
      Thank you so much for following and I am glad you like this challenge! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  4. The week was so busy that I can hardly remember any details. There were a lot of grocery deals so every trip.out we grabbed some more supplies for the pantry. In the midst of all that we got everything done to be away at the lake house for two weeks. Most notable we're half price insect baits that always keep on hand and $1 half pound blocks of cheese of which we bought 12. Extra perishable foods were canned or frozen before leaving. Now we are just going to enjoy our time away but we will be on the lookout for opportunities here as well.

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    1. Enjoy your time at the Lake house! Fantastic deal on that cheese!! I agree, where ever we are if we keep our eyes open, opportunities present! xxx

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    2. I hope I'm replying to Cookie's post...so sorry that you and your husband have Covid. My husband and I both had it at the same time in July and my frozen meals (thanks to Annabel's encouragement) really saved us!

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  5. Dear Annabel
    The only thing I got done this week was to make 2 pints of pesto. My husband came down with the virus a week ago this past Sunday and I tested positive on Friday, so it's been a tough week. All prayers for us are greatly appreciated. We are resting, staying hydrated, and thanking the Lord that we could get treated with monoclonal antibodies. The meals I had put away in the freezer are seeing us through this as will all the bone broth.

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    1. I am sorry, Cookie, that you and your husband are ill. I will lift you up in prayer. So thankful you have freezer meals.
      Many blessings to you,
      Glenda

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    2. Dear Cookie, I am so sorry you are both sick. I will be praying. I am glad you could get the antibodies! I am hearing good reports on those and hope this is helping you. It is great you have healthy meals put away. Eating well, soup... so so important when sick. The bone broth would be the best thing of all. Thinking of you both. With love Annabel.xxx

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    3. Dear Annabel and Glenda,
      Thank you so much for your prayers. With love, Cookir

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  6. JulieT from Minnesota29 August 2022 at 15:39

    I added to my food storage every day. A little every day all adds up. Sunday-large container of roasted tomato sauce for the freezer. I roasted my yellow cherry tomatoes with garlic and onions and blend it up. Monday-canned 13 quarts of apple pie filling (from my free gleaned apples). Tuesday-froze a gallon of tomatoes. Wednesday-canned 7 pints of applesauce (from my free gleaned apples). Thursday-dehydrated chives and canned 4 pints of green beans. Friday-Froze another gallon of tomatoes. Saturday-canned 25 quarts of dill pickles (from small cucumbers that were ordered and paid for this spring from a grower). Plus I got another beaded snowman ornament completed and my. Granddaughter with my help sewed a dress for fall.

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    1. Dear Julie, Well done! Yes it is amazing how this works and adds up! Roasted tomato sauce sounds wonderful. You are like me... I gleen so many apples each year! Nothing better! The apple pie filling would be so good. You did so much. A wonderful week you must be thrilled with! Helping your Granddaughter sew a dress is beautiful. Time together as well! She will remember this forever. With much love Annabel.xxx

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  7. Annabel, you are so industrious. I love your blog. I learn so much. It is amazing how much a little adds up. I canned green tomato and zucchini relish from a few green tomatoes an one large zucchini from my garden. I got 6 half pints of green tomato relish and 4 half pints of zucchini hot dog relish. We don't eat hot dogs anymore but the relish is good with fish and in meat salad spreads like tuna or ham. It is just me and my husband now so these will last the year. I am freezing red tomatoes as they come in one or two at a time. Once I get enough I will make them into sauce with the remaining peppers and onions. I dehydrated zucchini slices and shreds along with some basil. I planted some more lettuce and spinach for a fall/ winter harvest. Fingers crossed they grow and we can beat the bunnies to the yummy greens. Blessings.

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    1. Thank you so much Marley! Well done on the relish! Hopefully you will get loads of greens before the weather cools. I think so... lettuce is especially fast! It all counts and it all helps. Tomatoes, peppers and onions... (you could add zucchini as well) will be a beautiful and useful sauce. I hope to be doing the same after Christmas is my time when the tomatoes are ripe! xxx

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  8. Thank you for this challenge! I have really enjoyed Jessica's channel. Thanks, Annabel, for the reminder of making green powder.
    I have been canning apple sauce and apple syrup daily. Such a blessing to see my pantry grow.
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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    1. Dear Leslie, Apples are so useful. I love apple sauce. Last night I gave Chloe and apple pie from the freezer for their dinner. Apples just keep on giving! Your daily work on this really built up your pantry! With love Annabel.xxx

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  9. Dear Annabel, I love this post. Thank you for the encouragement! I must try and make green powder, as I have a very fussy eater here. I am always amazed by what you do and achieve. I love the sound of the pizza bases, yum! Maybe partially cooked bases?? As they seem to be like that in the shop. I will have to try.
    I haven’t achieved all that much. However was able to put away scones and ham and cheese scrolls in the freezer. Poor DH is having a rebound of covid it seems like. He had it 3 or so weeks ago and now has a shocking sore throat. I’ll try and do some more cooking tomorrow. Lots of love, Lily

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    1. Dear Lily, With the powders or even with just flakes you can hide so much in meals. For a fussy eater take a look at Jamie Oliver seven veg sauce. Its brilliant and kids tend to love pizza and pasta and it is so full of goodness.
      Scones and scrolls in the freezer will be very handy! I hope your husband gets better quickly... a lot of people seem to get this rebound. My daughters family did. Lot of rest and fluids etc. With love Annabel.xxx

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  10. Annabel, first I’ve never commented before but I have read your whole blog and look for it every week. I love your ideas and your life stories. How luck you are to have your family near you. One thing in this weeks post about foraging. If you dry and save stinging nettles, do they lose their sting like if you boil them first? Interesting to keep them as dried!
    Thanks, Dale

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    1. Dear Dale, Thank you so much! You have done amazing to read my whole blog! I feel like I should move some content ie how we came to move to the farm... from my old blog, The Bluebirds are Nesting, over to here. Im so glad now I have written all this adventure down! I am cutting the nettles with gloves and scissors then I just lay them on the dehydrator as they are. Once they are dry the stinging factor is gone and I shred the leaves from the stems into my jar. They are very good as a garden fertiliser as well so I am using some to make a green tea type liquid for the garden. I have known for years they are full of goodness and known people to regularly use them in soups and meals but I was always too chicken. Now I feel like I have upped my game and want to use healthy things that are available to me. Mixed in as part of a green powered or mix I think is a really easy way to do it. I will have some photos in the post tomorrow! Many thanks Dale, love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Oh Annabel, don’t worry, I read that whole blog too and followed you to the new one! Dale. ❤️😀

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    3. I am making tomato sauce in the Crock Pot as I write this. I haven't decided yet whether to can or freeze it. I would prefer to can it, but it has a small amount of onion, so would I have to pressure can it, and for how long?

      I thought I would give you my book report on "A Green and Pleasant Land," which is a report of homegrown food in England during World War 2. Interesting topic, kind of boring book, but some interesting takeaways--
      (1) Before World War 2, most Brits grew ornamentals and not many grew vegetables.
      (2) Even with lots of government encouragement, a relatively small number of these gardeners grew vegetables during the war. Among those who did, many grew veggies for only a year or two. This surprised the heck out of me because I'd always thought a huge number of British households were growing food throughout the entire war.
      (3) Many acres were plowed up for allotments (community gardens) but not all of the allotments were taken and used.
      (4) Vegetables could be grown throughout England for about 9 months of the year, although sometimes with considerable effort.
      (5) The government really stressed growing greens and root vegetables (which also produced greens). This was how to keep the harvest going for 9 months.
      (6) Canning wasn't especially popular--most families didn't have access to the equipment--and home freezers were rare to nonexistent. Thus the emphasis on growing produce that was either eaten fresh or stored in root cellars.
      (7) The government didn't particularly encourage planting fruit trees because they take up space and don't produce for the first few years.
      (8) Foraging was encouraged, but it didn't account for much of the annual harvests. Those who have read "Jambusters" (a more enjoyable read) will recall that Women's Institute members foraged blackberries from hedgerows and made jam that was sold to the public.

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    4. Annabel, I’ve read all of your earlier one too, followed you to the farm. Dale

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    5. Dear Maxine, I would freeze it... I cant advise on canning sorry. Thanks for sharing what you learned from that book. I know that a lot of canning was down in community situations like town halls. Wartime farm is a good series on You tube, I loved that. I am going to look for the book Jambusters! That sounds really good! Many thanks! Love Annabel.xxx

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  11. I froze it!

    You will really enjoy Jambusters! It is actually a scholarly piece, but so well written and with so many personal stories that you will enjoy every page. A Green and Pleasant Land was also a scholarly work on an interesting topic (to me) but lacked the personal touch.

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