Independence Days Challenge - Week 3

This is my Independence Days Challenge update for week 3, March 15 - 20th. I'm going to start posting my updates posted on Sundays for the previous week. The weeks seem to be fairly random, depending upon the folks participating. Sharon (The Chatelaine's Keys) is offline currently, so I don't know when updates from others will be available. For myself, this is a useful exercise, and even though a lot of it has been routine for awhile, it's helping me seek other opportunities for independence, as well as keep track of it all.

1. Plant something –

• rosemary from pot to herb bed
• seeds started indoors:
  
• Sweet Basil
• Cantaloupe
• Lavender
• Oregano
• Peppers
• Thyme
• Roma tomatoes
• Rutgers tomatoes
• Watermelon

2. Harvest something -

• rosemary leaves
• broccoli
• carrots
• turnips
  

3. Preserve something - nothing for week

4. Waste Not–

• line dried laundry
• kitchen scraps to chickens and compost
• grass clippings to compost
• old cardboard boxes for mulch and leaves. Last year I found this worked very well for keeping weeds down all summer. In addition, using them this way means less trips (less gas) to the recycle center.
• made the door to the chicken yard with odds and ends of lumber. Looks like it too :)
• reused a kitchen sink we found when 1st cleaning out the chicken coop. Same size as the old one, but much newer.
  

5. Want Not –

• prepared front yard Mediterranean herb garden for planting by adding sand, kelp meal, and wood ashes. Turned and hoed it.
• tilled big garden
  
• weeded peas and cabbage
  

6. Build Community Food Systems –

• blogging about it
• talked to neighbor about our chickens
  

7. Eat the Food –

• fresh rosemary for soup
  
• split peas from storage for soup
  
• soaked rolled oats and rolled spelt for breakfasts
• carrots in salads
• steamed turnips and broccoli
• sourdough molasses cake - adapted from another recipe

Sourdough Molasses Cake

1/2 C organic palm shortening
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 C raw sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C blackstrap molasses
1 & 1/2 C unbleached all purpose flour
1 C sourdough starter

Cream shortening & sugar. Add egg, molasses, & sourdough starter; mix thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together & add, mixing well. Bake in greased & floured 8x8 inch baking pan at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Independence Days Challenge - Week 3 copyright March 2010
by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com/