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Across the Fence:  keeping the cost down...........  |
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Twinsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Debbie
Wyoming
USA
116 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 09 2010 : 07:28:54 AM
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I am trying to go as organic as I can for our family. It is expensive, how do you go organic and keep the cost down?
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AliciaNak
True Blue Farmgirl
405 Posts
Alicia
Elko
Nevada
USA
405 Posts |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2010 : 07:57:37 AM
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If you are buying at the store, there are lists of the most heavily "sprayed" vegetables and fruits out there (apples are one), so that you can make better informed choices of what to spend your "organic" money on or no.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Twinsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Debbie
Wyoming
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2010 : 08:04:45 AM
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I will be raising a garden this year and trying to be as self sufficient as we can. It just seems everything is so expensive. What are ways you all are keeping just day to day costs down?
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2010 : 08:29:34 AM
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I put in a greenhouse last fall for 4 season produce. Big investment up front but I had something from there even with us having the third worst winter ever(all organic). Sprout for fresh salad fixens. I make my own (organic) deoderant, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, cleaning products, bread, cereal, hard cider, preserve, ferment, and freeze everthing that comes my way. I am getting away from make up and things that smell (perfume, room spray,dryer sheets etc.)Not eating meat or dairy keeps those costs down, and dried organic beans from the co-op are very cheap. If I need something I ask around and I am always surprised what a friend or relative has they do not use. Save your seeds from the garden and plant next year. Friends always have extra seed. Eat wild, there are tons of wild organic produce right outside your door. Take a class in wild edibles. There always seems to be a free one at parks or our co-op. I love lambs quarters, better than spinich. I am getting rid of things like microwave, tv, food processer, they use electricity and doing by hand gives you great arms. Hang out laundry- save on electricty and no artificial dryer sheets. I could go on, because this is what I am devoting this year to. Living organic and self sufficient. Good luck, saving starts to become like a game afterwhile.
Jane
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2010 : 3:07:14 PM
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I hear ya, about it being expensive! I try to buy what I can, but it gets frustrating. Last week, a five pound bag of store brand flour was on sale for $1.67, and the same store brand but organic five pound flour was $6.99. So, I try to buy as much organic as I can without breaking the bank, and always check my labels, trying to go as "natural" as possible. I make alot from scratch, but always have because I love to cook. I shop with coupons, and plan meals around the store flyer. When things we use are on good sale, we stock up, too.
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2010 : 5:51:18 PM
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Buy in bulk where you can and don't buy prepackaged foods - that saves a bundle right there. I never have been able to afford to switch to organic milk although I would love too, but teenage boys drink a lot of millk. Also grow your own or go to the farmer's market.
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2010 : 6:23:49 PM
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All of the suggestions here, plus we barter for a lot of the food we don't grow ourselves. Make friends with people who grow their own, that way you can trade for what both of you don't have.
Isn't it amazing that its still MORE money to eat healthfully? It drives me up the wall. I'm the woman in the grocery store that you hear about, mumbling to herself, causing a scene...ok - just kidding. But seriously, the trip to the grocery store and comparing organic and non-organic prices is so frustrating. My dad says they are trying to "cull the herd" and "kill off the poor people". He's a colorful kind of guy. :)
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Farmgirl Sister #1086
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.wakeupstartlearning.blogspot.com
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2010 : 05:34:31 AM
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I compost all my yard and kitchen scraps and use it for fertilizer. I bought all heirloom seeds last year and saved seeds from my harvest for this year. I am lucky to have a co-op where I buy in bulk and their organic local produce is the same price as the big box stores. Whatever I don't grow, I buy at the farmer's market when it is in season and can or freeze. It may be a little costly up front for equipment, but check out thrift stores and Craig's list for used stuff like canners and butter churns, etc...Once you buy it you have it. My big project for this summer is building a greenhouse from salvaged windows I got off of Craig's list. I am starting it after my garden is in. It should be ready for growing some winter crops. Now, if I could only grow coffee!
Why not go out on a limb, that's where all the fruit is! "Mark Twain"
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922 |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2010 : 07:22:22 AM
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Do compost your yard debris and kitchen scraps, it will make great fertilizer. My garden is organic and I try to grow a very large one to be sure I have enough to put up for the winter months.
This summer check around and see if anyone has extra fruit trees and are overflowing with fruit, offer to pick the fruit. Most people don't want it sitting on the ground attracting pests. I did this last year and ended up with 30 lbs of cherries, 22 lbs of yellow plums, and 60 lbs of pears. By doing this I have a little extra money to buy the produce I don't grow and get it put away, like peaches. We dehydrate some of our cherry tomatos each year, so in the winter we can rehydrate them to use on pizzas and in salads.
If you have a local mill you can go and by large bags of flour. I grind my own wheat so I purchase the berries, but when I am at the mill I always buy a 50 lb bag of organic unbleached white flour- cost per pound- .99 cents!!! Also start making your own bread, belive it or not it is cheaper to make than buy and you know every ingredient in it! Plus it tastes so much better!
Just start with one change at a time and don't beat yoursef up if you can't buy organic. We Love fresh apples and that is something we buy year round and I don't buy organic because if I did it would cost me about 16.00 a week for apples. So sometimes you just have to comprimise.
Good Luck-
Lillian
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Twinsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Debbie
Wyoming
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2010 : 08:57:13 AM
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Thank you all for your responses. You are right Lillian, I need to just make one change at a time. That is a great price for flour at your mill. We do not have a mill around here.
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Across the Fence: keeping the cost down........... |
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keeping the cost down...........
