| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| knittinchick |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 4:55:21 PM
I know that being a farmgirl is green, but does anyone do green things on purpose, not just because they have to? If you do, please share! I want to see if anyone has any new ideas. Here's what I do:
I recycle whatever I can
I get books from the library so that I will not have to buy a brand new one or I buy from Half Price Books
I use re-fillable water bottles
I unplug appliances
I have a compost pile that, once it gets warm enough, am going to add worms to
Please share your green ways farmgirls!
God's Blessings,
Megan
At heart, I am both a sassy city girl and a down-home country gal. |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| batznthebelfry |
Posted - Feb 23 2011 : 9:06:22 PM
Wow a lot of great things you all do...I grew up in Oregon back in the 1970's when they were the 1st State to re-cycle so I learned in my teens how important it was. I go to thrift shops or make my own clothes...old worn out clothes & re-make into something else or use as rags for cleaning up in the shop, hen house ect. I shred all my unwanted mail & put it either in the compost or in the gardens...I put plastic peanuts in bags & use those bags as insulation in places like the hen house, shop, basement, I also use them in flower pots. I use my paper feed bags to put my recycling in for the trash man. I use bubble wrap in pots that are on my porch & don't get watered very often...I tend to forget them....this lets them hold the water longer & they don't die off on me. Bubble wrap is also used for small areas under the sinks ect as extra insulation. I use my dishwashing rinse water after the dishes are done to water indoor plants & to refill the pot on the woodstove. I make my own cleaning supplies & powdered laundry soap.
Rose the best place to find glass anythings is a thrift or second hand shop...yeah it is getting harder to find good glassware. I hat to say I have plastic in the house but hubby breaks glasses....but I do recycle them when the time comes...its amazing what you can use a plastic glass or dish for around the house, yard & so on....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
| prayin granny |
Posted - Feb 02 2011 : 2:39:37 PM
Trying also to do most of what has been mentioned. Hoping to also, little by little add glass jars for storing things. I found a great health food store where I live and I can buy what is needed there from their bulk bins, pasta, beans, flour, sugars, baking mix, etc and it is all organic as well. Can buy what is needed without the waste and the pkg to throw away. If I can find some 'flour sacks' and remake some into smaller bags, that could be used to measure out my purchases.
Also, use green cleaners. Will check out that site, as I would love to make my own.
Have a great afternoon!
Blessings, Linda
www.scatteredlittleblessings.blogspot.com |
| Greenwoman |
Posted - Jan 30 2011 : 5:08:57 PM
So nice to read all the ways we are all trying to live lighter on the planet! We do the usual--recycling, cloth napkins and grocery bags, clean everything with baking soda and vinegar, etc.
In addition, the hubster's big ole pickup truck is fueled by 100% used vegetable oil. Since he drives it to work AND it's used for all manner of farm hauling, this is a big deal for making our lives more eco friendly. We're installing a solar panel on my studio to run the lights and the refrigerator (it's a wee refrigerator). And we're both studying more sustainable ways to grow food and heal the land we live on--utilizing methods from permaculture and organic gardening, learning about building soil, etc. We heat with wood as well--mostly we find wood that's been taken down at construction sites, or scrap lumber from a custom milling operation near here. We use no-till growing methods, and build everything we can with reused, salvaged materials. We keep our chickens in "chicken tractors" so that they are healthier, use less food, and spread their rich little fertilizer pellets all over the ground instead of having them piled up until they are yucky, toxic, and problematic. We also preserve as much food as we can. We also use herbal remedies as often as possible to treat minor illnesses, etc. We try to cook from whole foods almost all the time. And of course, trying to limit electricity use always makes sense. I'm still working on being more conscientious about that!!!
Michelle
http://greenwoman.wordpress.com |
| vmfein |
Posted - Jan 28 2011 : 4:00:29 PM
During the day when I am in the living room I do not turn on the lights until around 4 pm. The windows bring enough sunlight that I can see until the sun starts to disappear. I can even usually read a book by just the sunlight. During that time if I am not in any other room there are no lights on in the house. |
| MTNSunshine |
Posted - Dec 19 2010 : 12:15:31 PM
Rose have you tried a antique store? That's where I get most of my glass items or the goodwill. Sometimes I hit the jackpot at a yard sale but not always. ;o) happy hunting.
Proud FarmGirl #914 ;o) |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Dec 07 2010 : 04:29:35 AM
We turn our thermostat down when not at home (or up, since we live in Florida, it is hot often). I hand wash dishes when it is just hubby and me. We do a lot of the things already mentioned like using cloth bags for shopping or no bags at all. I have a garden for veggies. We cut down on driving to necessary trips like the store and the bank, which are all close by to each other. We use our fireplace a lot in the winter, using wood hubby has chopped from our yard (dead growth). We try to make our house draft free by putting towels and other things along the bottoms of the exterior doors. I use my upstairs bath to hang clothes. We recycle as much as possible.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
| rough start farmgirl |
Posted - Dec 07 2010 : 03:27:14 AM
This topic was a great reminder of some of tips I had forgotten over time. Thanks farm girls.
Marianne |
| countrygirl10 |
Posted - Nov 15 2010 : 03:10:18 AM
What a lot of great ideas!! I use many of them too and found some others that I will use.
I live off grid on solar. And with that comes the mindset that you conserve.
I have switches that turn anything that has a phantom load off when I'm gone or at night or it's not being used.
I use my wood stove during the winter and the wood comes from my place by thinning and trimming and using downed wood.
I compost all fruit and veggie scraps and want to start using worms next year. I wash my own dishes instead of having a dishwasher. I don't use anything (eg crockpot) that uses a lot of heat. I do have a toaster and microwave but because those are short use times they don't use a lot of amps.
Thanks for more ideas,
Ellen
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| KayB |
Posted - Oct 19 2010 : 8:31:01 PM
Our problem is the city we live in doesn't recycle. I called about it one day and was told they only recycle motor oil. How ridiculous is that? We try to take everything over to the in-laws' house as they do have it.
I use Freecycle online quite a bit. I give away books and other things we don't need that way. So far, I've been unable to find anything we need, so I guess we're in good shape.
We do have some plastic 55-gallon barrels that hubby got from where he works that we are going to collect water in. We have just installed guttering and need to get the downspouts to go into the barrels. We are also collecting the water from the washing machine and using it too since I use homemade detergent.
We are putting in a garden come spring and that is going to be a new experience. Then I hope to be able to can. Do you really need a pressure cooker for that? They scare me to death!
We use cloth napkins and rather than spend a bunch on them, I make them myself.
Going to composting.
Have my own reuseable shopping bags and use them for everything!
I've been reading the "Gorgeously Green" books and the one by Barbara Kingsolver(?) and am learning a lot.
When I'm on my computer, I play my radio station over the computer, also.
I turn off my computer when not in use and then turn off the power strip.
I'm thinking about "going green" regarding my banking and some of my bills, but I'm afraid I will forget if I don't have the paper in front of me. Any suggestions there?
KayB
Life's a dance you learn as you go |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Oct 17 2010 : 05:16:21 AM
You can find glass pitchers at Walmart but they don't have lids. I have found plenty at the Containerstore.com I am not positive that is the right address but you can always Google glass containers.
I have used old pickle jars in the past to store things in. I mostly use canning jars and I do have some of the plastic lids but I also use the metal ones for storing. Most plastic does not let off the Dioxides unless it is heated (microwave)or cooled (refrigerator or freezer) I do use Tupperware for storing as it is not the clear plastic, which is the biggest culprit. Only for pantry storage though.
I do many of the things you gals posted. I detest using plastic bags so take my own when shopping.
farmgirl sister#43
O, a trouble's a ton or a trouble's an ounce,
Or a trouble is what you make it!
And it isn't the fact that you're hurt that counts,
But only--how did you take it?
--Edmund C. Vance.
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| Woodswoman |
Posted - Oct 15 2010 : 5:35:46 PM
Oh, I LOVE this topic!
I teach science, and work in being green whenever possible!
I help run our schools organic community garden, and have our own garden at home as well.
I have 7 beehives, and make candles, etc.
I recycle, have a compost pile, and a worm bin.
I use a clothesline, buy windpower through my electric company, and shop at consignment shops whenever possible.
I'm not ready to give up my car yet, but I want to get a hybrid when its time to replace it!
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
| MissLiss |
Posted - Sep 06 2010 : 6:41:20 PM
Just since I'm noticing a lot of people asking about glass storage items, go to Crate and Barrel. I just bought two glass pitchers there (with air-tight lids) for less than $10 each. We just fill one with tap water and stick it in the fridge to keep it cold and the other holds juice. They also carry those old fashioned refrigerator storage boxes that are glass. Not sure how much those are but am asking for a set from the hubby for Christmas. Crate and Barrel is a great place to buy basic plain glass anything. Also got my butter dish there.
Melissa ~ Farmgirl #724
Mother Hen to The Knitty Gritty Farmgirls of the Inland Empire
http://fabulousfarmgirl.blogspot.com/ |
| Jeanna |
Posted - May 05 2010 : 09:16:23 AM
I do pretty much all the things listed. I also gather pinecones and melt down the very ends and coat the pinecones in them for firestarters. I also recycle bigger items that are still good by giving them to someone from freecycle or to a local thrift store that is for a good cause.
Jeanna
Farmgirl Sister #41
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau |
| homsteddinmom |
Posted - May 05 2010 : 07:14:05 AM
I recycle al my tin cans from veggies and things, pop cans are recycled. I reuse my 2 liter bottles for rabbit water bottles. I ahve changed all my lights to CFL. I run my cealing fans and fans in the windows to keep us cooled off right now. of course raise our own fruit and veggies, and we raise chickens for meat and eggs. Rabbits for meat and we reuse the rabbit poop for composting with. Goats for vegetation control and meat. Dry clothes on the line or dry racks inside if it is raining. i use old socks for cleaning with. we heat with wood with wood that was thrown away from a wood shop. we collect rain water for watering plants and things. I know there is more but alot has been said already...lol
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm! |
| Sourceress |
Posted - Apr 27 2010 : 9:54:10 PM
Rose,
Target has some glass stuff - I don't know about pitchers, specifically (although I'm pretty sure I've seen one there), but I have gotten a whole bunch of really nice large square jars like the ones my grandmother used to store flour and sugar and so forth in, and I am pretty sure they have Pyrex mixing bowls (which are not only glass, they are extremely non-reactive glass). You can also usually find Pyrex stuff at the supermarket. I'm in the process of trying to rid my house of as much plastic as possible, so I've been gradually replacing my plastic food storage containers with glass or metal containers. Pyrex makes glass food storage containers in all sorts of sizes that come with plastic lids (okay, so it's not optimum, but it's a start - at least the food isn't touching the plastic unless you flip it upside down or pack it really full or something.), and I've been getting those, because they're similar in size to the containers I'm trying to replace, and I don't think my family is ready for anything more esoteric. Anchor Hocking also makes glass food storage containers. I also save empty glass jars to reuse for storing things if they have a really good lid.
For old-fashioned glass mixing bowls, try thrift shops, flea markets, and antique shops. My sister found a whole set identical to the ones she'd inherited from our grandmother at an antique shop (and later gave it to me because she didn't need that many mixing bowls). My dog broke my favorite bowl from that set, and then several months later, I found an almost identical bowl at the local Goodwill. The local Goodwill has become one of my favorite places to shop, because you never know what treasures you'll find there, especially if you're looking for vintage dishes and cookware.
I also prefer glass drinking glasses, which are available all over the place - try Target or Bed, Bath, & Beyond, or yeah, just about any department store if you want to buy them new in sets (although I don't think they paint things on them). However, I have boys, so real glass glasses don't last very long in my house. I discovered I can buy glass drinking glasses at Goodwill for next to nothing, and then I don't feel bad if they get broken. And since at this point none of my glasses match anyway, it's not really an issue if there isn't a whole set of something (although frequently there is, even though Goodwill sells them all as individual pieces). You can also buy mugs and plates and bowls and cups and all sorts of things. (I originally checked it out while scouting for cheap cups the boys could use for a cider stand. I was inspired by one of last summer's MJF magazines to use real cups instead of throw-away ones, and just give them to the customers as souveniers. We ended up never doing our cider stand, but maybe we'll do it next winter. Or have a lemonade stand this summer. Who knows?)
Anyway, on the subject of cups - for those who have very small children - toddlers just learning to drink out of cups instead of bottles - try using coffee mugs instead of sippy cups. My eldest spent about a month and a half in a Waldorf kindergarten, and one of the neat ideas we got from them to was serve drinks to small children in mugs. Coffee mugs are fairly bottom-heavy, and in fact, they're pretty solid no matter how you look at it. They don't tip over very easily. They're not made of plastic (unlike just about every sippy cup I've ever seen). Unless you throw them very hard at a cement floor, they're actually pretty difficult to break, but if you're worried about it, you can put away your nice ones and your sentimental ones, and use the freebies with company logos which you don't mind breaking, or if you don't have any of those, you can always go to Goodwill and buy something cheap. Essentially, although they're not good for car trips, they're perfect for little kids the rest of the time. They're sturdy, they don't tip, and, well, the fact is, most kids who are old enough to be drinking out of sippy cups are perfectly capable of drinking out of regular cups. Once we wised up to mugs, I gave away all our sippy cups because frankly, they were more trouble than they were worth. And plastic, to boot.
And while they've managed to break just about every glass I've brought into this house (minus two or three survivors who have not yet met their demise), I don't believe we've actually lost a mug yet. If we have, it was only one or two over a period of about 4 years. They're incredibly durable.
I have a bunch of thoughts on being green, too, since it's something I've been doing for at least half my life (and there were early signs... :D ), but I'll have to come back and write about that later.
Lis
*the Sourceress*
unschooling mama to
Corwyn (4/99)
and Galen (5/01) |
| HorseLady |
Posted - Apr 27 2010 : 9:08:55 PM
Where does one find glass anything these days? Everything is plastic. I tried to find a glass beverage pitcher everywhere, and couldn't find one. I didn't go to some pricey department store, maybe they had them, but something simple like that. And I sure can't find glass mixing bowls anywhere. They used to sell sets of 4 drinking glasses, but I haven't been able to find any of those in years. They used to have such cute things painted on them, pretty designs. Sorry, I'm a little off subject............
Hug a horse or a dog today! |
| maryohio3 |
Posted - Apr 27 2010 : 05:48:55 AM
I use my clothesline when sunny
recycle cans and bottles
use junk mail and olds unwanted paper as kitty litter
plant our own food
crochet plastic bags and anything else I can into new items
make my own cleaners
we make as little trips into town as possible
Mary
we love thrift stores
alter the hand me downs to fit my younger children
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| grammagoose |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 12:23:34 PM
Thanks Kris, when I tried I found Eartheasy. Kind of the same I think? |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Mar 22 2010 : 08:59:59 AM
Kimberly, let me know if you find a method for drying clothes. It rains almost all the time here and with 6 people in the house it is kinda hard to dry them all by the fire. lol
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Friendship is not something that can be bought, it is earned. |
| CherryPie |
Posted - Mar 21 2010 : 09:06:58 AM
All my "green" ways have been mentioned - cloth bags, no paper towels, cutting down on plastic use, air drying clothes on sunny days (gotta find a good method for not sunny days, which in Washington can be many days), reusing, reducing and recycling, composting, but I know I could do more. I'm trying not to be fanatical about it, just incorporate it into our lives and add new ways to reduce our footprint.
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher, Eager Podcaster
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/
Podcasts at http://thefannyfarm.blogspot.com/ |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 21 2010 : 08:23:04 AM
Sandy, go to Home Safe Home. There is a whole bunch of great recipes for cleaning at the weekly Green Recipes post. I just use plain ole baking soda to clean toilets and sinks and pots and pans. Also vinegar to wash windows. I hope that helps you. I need more washing powder so will be making more of that soon. Also try the lavender vinegar rinse for your washer. I love this.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Annab |
Posted - Mar 18 2010 : 03:52:29 AM
We compost 'cause we don't have a food disposal and the chickens love it!
I carry my own gorcery bags csuae they keep the stuff upright and better organized in the back of the truck
We have always turned off lights when not in the room. Have been doing this since the 70's
I'm still able to wear shoes and clothes from many many years ago due to the durability of the fabric and timeless cut of the outfit that doesn't get outdated due to trend
We grow most of our summer stuff 'cause it tastes better, it's more convenient and it's a hobby we both enjoy
And when you live out on the boonies, you have to consolidate trips to town. I'd rather get it all done in a morning than spend my weekends running all over the place multiple times |
| grammagoose |
Posted - Mar 16 2010 : 2:12:34 PM
Hi Kristin,
Would love "recipes" for your cleaning products. And Maggie would you share your souce of glass storage containers?
Thanks,
Grammagoose |
| knittinchick |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 5:57:26 PM
Oh yeah I also try to use cloth bags as much as I can.
God's Blessings,
Megan aka Loretta Rae
At heart, I am both a sassy city girl and a down-home country gal. |
| maggie14 |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 5:35:36 PM
Lets see...
We shop with cloth bags or papper bags and not plastic.
We also have a compost thing.
turning off the lights when not in use.
We use glass bottles and cups. We use no plastic in our house. Glass only. :) Sometimes it is hard with lids though.
We are growing most of our own food.
We only use natural products to clean our house with and ourselfs. :)
We buy our clothes at Goodwill or other places like that.
We go to the library a LOT and buy our books half price.
And this is all I can think about right now at the moment.
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Friendship is not something that can be bought, it is earned. |
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