Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

http://getcrafty.com/columns/kayte_terry/feedsacks_a_tradition_of_recycling_and_r.php

[Photos and links hidden in the article to more craft sites..
This site is awesome with all its articles....granny]

Feedsacks: A Tradition of Recycling and Repurposing
comments (6)
Written on September 13, 2007 2:31 AM

Several years ago, I was scrolling through the vintage fabric selection on Ebay when a particular auction caught my eye: pounds of colorful scraps of patterned fabric called feedsacks. I got lost in the kaleidescope of fabrics for sale and immediately placed my bid. That first box was my introduction into feedsacks and I have never turned back.

somefeedsacks
Just a few patterns in my growing feedsack collection.

Although I had now become an official feedsack fan, I had no idea what the term actually meant so I did a little research and learned that the fabrics were actually from sacks of flour, sugar and animal feed. These feedsacks were recycled by generations of ingenious women who transformed this mundane consumer packaging into clothing, quilts, curtains and more.

I have always loved patterns and since feedsacks were popular for so long, a feedsack collection is akin to a catologue of pattern styles over many decades. From swirling Art Nouveau designs to more geometric deco motifs to the poodles and classic cars that populate 1950’s feedsacks, a feedsack collection is akin to a catologue of trends and design styles of the 20th century.

A brief feedsack history lesson: between 1840 and 1890, cotton feedsacks started to replace barrels as packaging for farm and food packaging. Initially these feedsacks were plain cotton except for the stamp of the logo of the company. Faced with a family to clothe, a home to make and very little money to spare, women of the time repurposed these cotton fabrics for their household needs. They often soaked the feedsacks in lye or bleach to get rid of the labels. This was difficult process and sometimes some of the label remained, resulting in some comical tales. In the article Feed Sack Quilt History: Feedsacks, Frugal and Fun, Judy Anne Johnson Breneman writes about a woman who was out walking with her beau and fell, revealing the words “southern best” on her undergarments!

By the 1920s, manufacturers caught on that women were re-using the feedsacks for their sewing projects and started printing patterns on the sacks. They also printed their labels on paper, making them easy for women to remove. By the thirties, feedsack mania hit an all time high: textile designers were hired by feedsack manufacturers, sacks were produced with pre-printed patterns for dolls, stuffed animals, appliqué and quilt blocks, and feedsacks were sold and traded by women looking to get the perfect print.

According to Janet of Primrose Design, there is a popular urban myth claiming that 15,000 feedsack patterns have been printed over the last couple of centuries. One of Janet’s pet projects over the year has been to document as many of these patterns as she could get her hands on. You can her collection of patterns on her website. No one seems to know if there were indeed 15,000 feedsack patterns but consider this: at the height of feedsack production, there were thirty three mills producing the fabric and feedsacks continued to be popular into the 1960s. In other words, there is no shortage of feedsack patterns to choose from!

Today, modern crafters are reclaiming a little bit of these rich histories by using scraps of feedsacks in their work. Katie of Buttonpom finds feedsack fabrics “appealing because they remind me of my childhood. I remember my grandmother owning suitcases full of feedsack and we’d pick through the stacks to find a fabric that suited our current project. Recently my grandmother finally gave me a large stack of feedsack to use on my own and that is how I began to incorporate it into my work.”

bagbuttonpom
Katie makes adorable accessories like this “Petite Handbag” with feedsack accents.

Kaite of Katinkapinka also learned about feedsacks from the women in her family. “I first learned about feedsacks (and the process of recycling them) through my mom,” she explains. “When i was young she aquired a batch of quilts that had belonged to my great grandmother...they were all patchwork quilts and made from such tiny little squares, triangles and diamond shapes, each one a different color and pattern. I used to lay on my bed and marvel at all the different designs and my mom would point out her favorites and give me her best estimates for dating each little scrap based on their prints. She explained how most of them came from feedsacks which had been made into dresses and aprons that her mother and grandmother wore until they practically fell apart, then they were cut up for smaller clothes for the kids and finally made their way to the quilts. The backs of the quilts were made from the plain white cotton feedsacks with just the grain labels on them...faded almost completely out but you could still make out what they had been.”

The evolution of feedsacks from packaging to fabric to quilt or dress also appeals to the DIY ethic of recycling, re-using and repurposing. Jennifer of JCasa loves to repurpose “old quilts, especially those that are too time-worn for use in their current form. it is so cool to think of the different purposes these fabrics have served over time and how i can create new pieces to extend their lives even further.”
listtakerjccasa
Jennifer’s adorable list-takers are made with a mix of feedsacks and solid linen and can hold a legal pad, business cars, pen and pencil or whatever else you need to get through the day and stay organized. You can find all sorts of adorbale organziers, puches and home accessories in her shop.

Though recycling is often important to crafters of today, this approach to feedsacks is obviously not new! What’s most fascinating to me is that feedsacks have always been part of a tradition of recycling. We could definitely learn a few things from these crafters of yore: in the past, women were resoueceful and made what they needed with materials they already had. Using feedsacks “reminds us of a simpler time when nothing was taken for granted and every bit of every little thing had a purpose and was used up ‘til there was nothing left,” says Kaite. “It was the true beginnings of our modern day upcycling.”

skirtkatinka
Kaite was extremely lucky to find a large enough piece of feedsack to make this sweet wrap skirt. Back in the day, women traded fabrics to get the yardage they needed for a project. Clothing was pieced together from a couple different feedsacks of the same pattern.

Are you ready to jump into the feedsack frenzy? You can find feedsacks on Ebay or at flea markets and antique sales in varying sizes. Most are small scraps that were probably on their way to becoming a quilt. You may think that these scraps are too small to be of much use but feedsack fabrics look wonderful as a patchwork. You can easily make small crafts such as pincushions and eye pillows or simply use them as an accent with solid colored fabrics. If you really want to go wild, make a quilt! A modern style quilt with vintage fabrics would really be divine.

If you would like more information on the history of feedsacks, check out the following articles. I used them as a guide for my abreviated feedsack history lesson.
Feedsacks!by Kris Driessen
Feed Sack Quilt History: Feedsacks, Frugal and Fun by Judy Anne Johnson Breneman
Feedbags: Rags to by Joan Kiplinger

Or ask your mom, your grandmother or the nice older lady who lives in your building about their feedsack projects. The best way to learn about the craft traditions of our past is to learn from a person who lived them. The DIY community owes so much to these resourceful ladies of the past and it is so important that their stories, their techniques and their crafty wisdom live on for many generations to come.

comment by pennycarnival on August 10, 2008 6:30 PM:

I’m a journalist and wrote an article on this topic a few months ago for my local newspaper. The museum here was trying to find old clothes made from flour sacks, since our town has a long flour history.
For the story I also interviewed Arlene McComas, who writes the blog www.heartrockshome.com. Arlene acquired hundreds of old flour sacks several years ago and makes all sorts of things with them—bags, aprons, etc. She uses every bit of them, down to the scraps and the thread. (One thing she makes with the scraps are clothes for little clothespin dolls.)
A photo of one of Arlene’s bags is included in this post I wrote here:
http://pennycarnival.typepad.com/penny_carnival/2008/06/howdy.html

Thanks for the great post!

Now, this could catch my attention for awhile, looks like fun and would make exciting quilt materials.........I like surprises.

Bill had a silver solder wire with a high gold content, we melted it and poured it into a bucket of chipped ice or cold water.

50 cent or silver dollar sized amounts.

Got several interesting shapes and several got remelted, ugly.

One is a perfect angel, just as she came out.

granny]

http://getcrafty.com/columns/nancy_flynn/print_your_own_fabric_shibori.php

[Photos and links to more sites...LOL]

Print Your Own Fabric: Shibori!
comments (1)
Written on July 12, 2007 2:14 AM

I haven’t forgotten about my promise to learn something new every two months and share it with you! I’ve been so busy with the learning that I’ve taken forever with the writing, and I hope to make up for that in the next few weeks. I’ve been saving up for you, so stay tuned for weekly posts on new crafty techniques to try for the rest of the summer!

The first few will be a series, inspired by Bitter Betty Industries’ Hand Printed Fabric Swap. I thought this was a brilliant idea and signed up right away. Unfortunately the swap is closed, so while you can’t get the benefit of several fat quarters of handprinted fabric in the mail, I’ll share what I’ve learned in my hand printing and dyeing adventures so you can try it yourself. For a look at what the other swappers are doing, including beautifully carved stamps, check out the Flickr group.

Instead of sticking with one method and dyeing/printing several yards of fabric the same way, I decided this was a good opportunity to try out a few different printing and dyeing methods that have been rattling around in the “crafty projects to get to” box in my head. Namely:
*Shibori
*Tea Dyeing
*Gocco fabric printing
*Honest-to-goodness screen printing

While I normally believe in buying the best materials available for your budget, in this case I decided to buy a 25-yard bolt of 36” wide muslin from JoAnn’s. Probably not the best quality fabric, but certainly a good palette for a beginner. I knew I’d have plenty to work with, and wouldn’t feel so guilty or anxious about screwing up “nice” fabric that I’d be paralyzed by indecision. I wanted to be able to jump right in and be as messy and adventuresome as possible. I set aside my first yard of fabric for a shot at shibori.

Shibori!

Despite several flash-in-the pan moments of being in style, for the most part tie-dye maintains its reputation as a head shop fashion staple. This is a shame, since so much can be done with what we think of as tie dye. Enter shibori: the ancient Japanese technique of bound-resist dyeing. In shibori, instead of t-shirts scrunched with rubber bands and knots, natural fiber fabric (often kimono silk) is bound and stitched with cotton, linen or hemp thread and then dyed. It has a much more respectable reputation, and is taught in textile design programs. What sets it apart if you encounter it without knowing any history is that it is much more subtle than tie dye. Typically the colors used are pure and harmonious (no clashing day-glo rainbows here!), and the dye patterns have a delicate, intricate quality. The level of precision involved in traditional techniques is mind-boggling. True shibori takes time, patience and very, very good eyes. Lacking patience, I melded some tie-dye methodology with a common shibori pattern before I’d even delved into the resources generously suggested by the professionals in the All Things Shibori Flickr group. So blame for improper technique can be assigned only to me! But it was fun, and the results seemed to me amazing for an impatient and imprecise beginner. I am definitely inspired to try again, perhaps with a more intricate design.

Seat-of-the-Pants Shibori
Materials:
1 yard natural fiber fabric (cotton, linen, silk), washed with detergent and dried- it is KEY to wash the fabric before dyeing, because some fabrics have coatings that will resist dye if you don’t wash first.
1 bottle Rit dye in midnight (you could use the dry packets too, just follow the directions on them in lieu of the ones provided here for the dye process)
A box of rubber bands
A pencil
A bucket for dyeing
Boiling water for dyeing
Rubber gloves to keep the dye off your hands
A stick or wooden spoon for swishing the fabric around in the bucket.

1. Grid out your pattern by making pencil dots at even intervals on your fabric. Mine was a grid of 4”x4” squares. I staggered every other row so that it wouldn’t be just lines of one pattern.
2. Pull up and twist the fabric at each dot, then bind the twist with a rubber band. Keep your twists a relatively uniform height of about an inch. It is fine if a nub of fabric is sticking out at the top of the twist—this actually looks neat in the end.

3. Keep going until you’ve got a pretty, smocked-looking length of fabric like this:

4. Prepare your dye bath according to the instructions on your dye. I fudged a little because I didn’t want to use my washing machine (it would pull the rubber bands right out!), nor did I feel like simmering and stirring for AN HOUR on the stove. Nor was I dyeing a pound of fabric. So I boiled up about 8 cups of water, poured in ¼ cup salt and ¼ bottle of the dye and let it sit for an hour, stirring gently every so often to keep the color uniform. This seemed to work fine.
5. Rinse out the fabric in cool water until the water runs clear. I have a stainless steel sink so it was fine to do in there. Be aware that if you have white porcelain it can be stained by the dye and require immediate treatment with bleach. Rinse in cool water outside, or in your bucket if you are worried. Be gentle so that the rubber bands stay in place.
6. Gently remove the rubber bands and untwist the twists. It should look super neat, like little star bursts of white in the blue ground.

7. I recommend drying on the high heat setting in your dryer to set the color a little bit before washing and drying the finished piece. No doubt about it, you will lose some color and perhaps a bit of the definition in the white parts of the design when you wash again, but I think that the high heat before re-washing helps keep it more true.
* Be sure to wash the finished piece with other very dark things you don’t care too much about, because Rit does bleed in the first few washings and you don’t want to ruin anything precious. If you are using the finished fabric to make a quilt or other piece of wearable/usable art that will be laundered, definitely wash and dry it at least twice before you get started, to avoid it bleeding onto other fabrics in your piece.

For the record, I must repeat that this is not traditional shibori technique, but a little hybrid to dip your toe in. For a wealth of information on the traditional styles and methods of the art, please check out the following resources (by no means exhaustive, so if you have favorites please share in the comments!):
Online:
*All Things Shibori Flickr Group
*Shibori Girl
*World Shibori Network
*Karren K. Brito’s blog, Entwinements

In Print:
(provided by helpful members of the Flickr group)
Shibori: The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing Tradition Techniques Innovation by Yoshiko Wada
Shibori: The Art of Fabric Tying, Folding, Pleating and Dyeing by Elfriede Moller
Shibori: Creating Color and Texture on Silk by Karren Brito

Check in next week for adventures in Gocco stamp ink for cloth!

http://getcrafty.com/columns/eat_drink_be_merry/open_source_fashion.php

Open Source Fashion

Written on November 13, 2007 3:12 PM

“That is stunning,” exclaimed Kimberly, as we were browsing Indian inspired clothing in the downtown New York store Dosa. Kimberly is one of those women who can pull together an outfit that is part thrift shop, part Comme des Garcons, in a brilliant, playful, Annie Hall sort of way. (I aspire to look half as good as she does; yet my Gap basics and Salvation Army cast-offs end up looking more mismatched that magnificent.) The outfit we were particularly taken by was a caftan shirt and drawstring pant, only instead of the obvious sheer, pastel colors with beading you’d expect, they were created with clashing modern floral prints––country-western goes sixties meets Far East. It was that brilliant.

“You can totally make this,” whispered Kimberly, who has never operated a sewing machine. “Easy for you to say,” I replied. I have never attempted anything so complex as these clothes, with darting and straight lines, and gasp, a pattern. I prefer jumping on the sewing machine with some fabric and having a go, to varying degrees of success. But with my family’s financial forecast looking dismal, handmade boutique chic—to the tune of several hundred dollars––will always elude me, unless I start sewing, and sewing well.

Thankfully, there are now resources for the novice sewer with grand ambitions like myself. Indie-inspired clothing labels like the New York based Built By Wendi, are beginning to offer patterns along with their collections. At builtbywendy.com you can shop her collections or buy the pattern. In addition, the brand’s owner, Wendy Mullin wrote a sewing book, called Sew U, with cute illustrations and straightforward instructions for super-hip clothes, including Jeans.

While checking out craft sites one night, looking for patterns that might help me make the caftan outfit, I stumbled upon across a truly cool craft phenomenon––Open Source Sewing, which is a fancy way of saying sewing patterns that are (mostly) free to download on the Internet in PDF form, as well as free of copyright infringements, so that you can swap them across a new community of DIY sewers. Open Source Sewing sites like Burdastyle.com are places where people like me-and those who can actually sew well—can get together, share ideas and offer help to other burgeoning designers of their own looks.

As of yet, I have not found the pattern for the pants and caftan top of my dreams, but I did find a modernist country fabric right down the street at a sweet, if pricey, fabric shop called Purl. In the meantime, I used my old-school make it up as you go sewing technique to make small eye pillows for the children in my son’s pre-k yoga class. They finished product was far from perfect, the seams were all over the place and the fabric bunched a bit. The kids however, didn’t even notice, and their teacher said they had the best Shava-asana ever with their lavender scented flax seeds encased in soft orange crazily-sewed eye pillows.

Cross-posted at http://mealbymeal.blogspot.com/

Jean Railla is the original founder of getcrafty.com and the author of the domestic manifesto Get Crafty (Broadway Books). Please come visit me over at my ode to food, drink, crafts and family—Meal by Meal. I update it almost daily.

Tempted?

http://www.google.com/search?q=Open+Source+Sewing+sites&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

http://www.google.com/search?q=Burdastyle.com&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

This is one of my favorite searches:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=free+sewing+patterns&btnG=Search

Another favorite:

http://www.google.com/search?q=free+toy+patterns&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=ZJn&sa=2

I am so glad that the old and good sites are still around, Doll Makers Journey is a favorite:

http://www.google.com/search?q=free+doll+patterns&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&sa=2

http://www.getcrafty.com/viewtopic.php?t=10560

PostPosted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:31 am Post subject: Self-Publishing

Has anyone self-published a book? How did it go? What did you do to promote your book?
_________________
http://www.reneegray.com

http://www.lulu.com/content/2188059

Bethbee

Post subject: yep

I’’ve self-published my book Rabbit Food Cookbook.
It’’s a lot of work to research, cost out, distribute, and promote, but then again it does have its merits. One is that you can make more of the sale price of each book, and also you can control the whole process more. You can also create smaller print runs and see how your book sells. The amount of research and work required depends on what kind of book it is. The easiest book to have printed is one that is perfect bound. I have always been interested in printing and understanding processes, so it has been an interesting opportunity to learn something. Let me know if you need any pointers!
_________________
________________________
bethbee.etsy.com
Beth Bee Books

There aren’t enough hours in the day, but I still want to sleep and watch tV like everyone else.

artontherun

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject: Self-publishing on Lulu.com

My father-in-law published his first book on lulu.com. I know they have several different ways of going about it all on the one site. I’’m not sure which route he took, but he was happy with the results. I recommend the site!

Hope that helps,
Lyndsay - Art on the Run
_________________
website
lfchilde

PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:19 pm Post subject:
Reply with quote
I’’ve also heard of blurb.com for self-publishing. It’’s really easy to use.
_________________
Dyan

http://beingfrugal.net/

Tightwad Tuesday: A Memorable, Yet Frugal, Thanksgiving

Posted by Lynnae on November 4, 2008

If you’re new here, you may want to find out more about me. Also, please consider subscribing via RSS or email. Thanks for visiting!

Thanksgiving.jpg

A memorable Thanksgiving doesn’t have to break the bank.

It’s November already, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you will be hosting your family this year. I love hosting Thanksgiving dinner, but if I don’t watch it, the expenses quickly add up.

Here are some tips for a frugal, relaxed, and memorable Thanksgiving.
Plan Ahead

The time to start shopping for Thanksgiving dinner is now. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, you’ll be seeing sales and coupons for many traditional Thanksgiving foods. Clip those coupons and match them with sales to get the best deals.

And when it comes to buying a Turkey, plan to buy it when you do your weekly grocery shopping. Most grocery stores run specials where you can get an inexpensive turkey, if you spend $50 or more. It’s a great deal, if you’re already doing your weekly shopping. It’s not a great deal, if you buy $50 worth of stuff you don’t need, just to get the deal on the turkey.

By spending a little bit of money each week leading up to Thanksgiving, you won’t be hit with the huge Thanksgiving grocery bill at the end of the month.
Focus on Relationships

Good food on Thanksgiving is an important part of the day, but try to make your focus on enjoying each other’s company. Participate in traditions that build your family and your relationships, yet don’t cost a lot of money.

My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is our Thanksgiving journal. Each year, everyone who attends our Thanksgiving dinner has to write down what they’re thankful for in our journal. It’s fun to look back and remember the things we were Thankful for in years past. And in the future, our children will be able to enjoy the written thoughts of their grandparents.

Other frugal, yet meaningful traditions are going around the table and telling everyone what you’re thankful for or having everyone sign the Thanksgiving tablecloth in permanent ink. These traditions will provide memories that last far beyond Thanksgiving leftovers.
Prepare Your Meal in Advance

I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner, but I don’t like to miss out on all the visiting that takes place on Thanksgiving day. My solution is to make as much ahead of time as possible. The night before Thanksgiving, my meal is pretty much all prepared and in casserole dishes in the refrigerator.

On Thanksgiving day, I cook the turkey, and then warm up the side dishes as the turkey is resting and being carved.

Some great make-ahead recipes are:

* Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (very fattening, but the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had!)
* Yummy Yam Casserole (another staple at our house)
* Bread and Celery Stuffing (I’m a traditionalist, when it comes to stuffing. Almost any stuffing can be made a day ahead, though.)
* Cranberry Sauce (I’ll never eat canned again!)

With a little planning, you can have a frugal Thanksgiving that you’ll remember fondly for many years to come.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/PrintFull.aspx?RecipeID=9154&servings=12

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Submitted by: Carol Evans
Rated: 4 out of 5 by 102 members Yields: 12 servings
“You can make these ahead several days and store in the fridge. If baking cold, let stand 30 minutes first. Originally submitted to ThanksgivingRecipe.com.”
INGREDIENTS:
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes,
cooked and mashed
2 (3 ounce) packages cream
cheese

8 ounces sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons onion salt
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine mashed potatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, onion salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well and place in a large casserole.
2. Cover and bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 50 minutes.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/4/2008

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/PrintFull.aspx?RecipeID=18537&servings=8

Yummy Yam Casserole
Submitted by: LIZALOUISE
Rated: 5 out of 5 by 139 members Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
Yields: 8 servings
“I call this the ‘recipe with legs’ because every time I serve it, the recipe is requested. Even those who dislike yams and sweet potatoes love this tasty dish! This dish can be frozen, but freeze it without the pecan topping. Defrost before baking.”
INGREDIENTS:
4 pounds yams
2 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 ounces pecan halves
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Poke yams in several places with a fork, then cook them on high power in microwave oven until heated through and soft, about 20 minutes. When cooled, remove skins and place the yams in a large bowl.
3. Beat yams until smooth. Then beat in one egg at a time, blending after each addition. Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup melted butter, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg; beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 3 quart casserole dish. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on top. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar and drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over the top.
5. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until browned and bubbly.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/4/2008

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/PrintFull.aspx?RecipeID=13693&servings=10

Bread and Celery Stuffing
Submitted by: Carlota Chmielewski
Rated: 5 out of 5 by 393 members Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes Ready In: 2 Hours
Yields: 10 servings
“A basic bread stuffing which incorporates a generous amount of chopped celery, onion and seasonings yielding enough to dress a 10 to 15 pound turkey.”
INGREDIENTS:
1 (1 pound) loaf sliced white
bread
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 onion, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth
DIRECTIONS:
1. Let bread slices air dry for 1 to 2 hours, then cut into cubes.
2. In a Dutch oven, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until soft. Season with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in bread cubes until evenly coated. Moisten with chicken broth; mix well.
3. Chill, and use as a stuffing for turkey, or bake in a buttered casserole dish at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/4/2008

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/PrintFull.aspx?RecipeID=9111&servings=11

Cranberry Sauce
Submitted by: Toni
Rated: 5 out of 5 by 159 members Yields: 11 servings
“A Thanksgiving classic. Originally submitted to ThanksgivingRecipe.com.”
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces cranberries
1 cup white sugar

1 cup orange juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/4/2008

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/10/10-ways-to-reduce-stress-without.html

Go to DLM Home
Welcome to Dumb Little Man! Each week we provide a handful of tips that will save you money, increase your productivity, or simply keep you sane.

10 Ways to Reduce Stress Without Spending a Dime
Did you know that a recent Stanford University study conducted by cellular biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton concluded that “over 95% of all illnesses occur because of stress in the body’s autonomic nervous system”?

Did you also know that stress can seriously accelerate the rate at which you age because of the incredible strain it puts on your body?

Stress was already at alarming levels before these past few months, but it’s now at critical levels for so many of us. There is no escaping the media coverage of the planet’s recent economical debacles and everyone, at some point, will feel some pain in their pocketbook.

So many people have lost the value of their homes, or they’ve lost their homes due to hurricanes, fires or bankruptcy, they’ve lost the value of their life savings and in some cases they’ve even lost their jobs to recent cutbacks. It’s quite unsettling to hear financial experts compare this period to the crisis of 1929 and it’s equally scary to hear the head of the most powerful country in the world sound the alarm on the current financial situation.

Most of us have never (EVER) thought about how dangerous stress can be to our health and very few of us make the conscious effort to manage stress so it doesn’t take over our lives.

Normal levels of stress won’t harm you, but high levels of stress can lead to these negative health conditions:

* Heart palpitations
* Panic/anxiety attacks
* Chest pain
* Dizziness
* Depression
* Irritable bowel syndrome
* Spastic colon
* Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
* Chronic fatigue (constant tiredness)
* Chronic headaches
* Insomnia
* PMS - Premenstrual tension

Stress can also change your personality and affect how you interact and deal with others. When you look at problems like anger, irritability, aggressiveness, verbal abuse, mood swings and road rage, you can see how they can be brought on by too much stress in your life.

When stress gets out of hand, it’s time to find practical ways to slow down and lower your stress levels.

I know that money is tight for a lot of us, so I’ve compiled a list of 10 easy and free stress-reducing activities you can do right now to help lower your negative stress levels:

1. Turn off the TV: This might sound obvious but watching the financial news channels all day long will only increase your stress level since they report on the latest downs in the stock market on a minute-by-minute base.

2. Go for a walk: This time of the year is so precious, especially if you live in an area with tons of trees. Take time to reconnect with Mother Nature and take time to escape from all the bad news.

3. Call up a friend: Sometimes, just the fact of spending time with a friend over a cup of coffee or a walk can make a huge difference to the way you feel. Don’t underestimate the power of human contact and friendship when times are difficult.

4. Take advantage of free events: Each city has a list of weekly free activities that are open to the public. Grab a newspaper and find out which ones might interest you and go out there and discover something new!

5. Hang out at your favorite bookstore: This is an activity I’ve always enjoyed so much. You can spend hours just browsing and looking at the latest books. Who knows, this might spark your creative juices!

6. De-clutter your home: Most North Americans have closets and even garages filled with products that they’ve bought and never used. In many cases, a lot of us still have sales tags on items that are just sitting there. This might be the perfect time to clean up your home and organize a garage sale or you take your clothing to secondhand stores. Remember that someone’s junk is someone else’s treasure. Also, because times are tougher, many people will turn to secondhand stores and garage sales to find affordable items for themselves or to give as gifts during the Holidays.

7. Treat yourself to a hot bubble bath by candlelight: This is such a relaxing activity. If you take as little as thirty minutes to soak away your worries, you’ll feel like a new person.

8. Bake your favorite cookies or your favorite cake: Nothing is more comforting than homemade desserts and cookies. Why not take time to make some and take the time to enjoy them. The activity of baking will get your mind off of things and your hands working. Now, you might have to buy a few extra ingredients that you don’t usually store in your pantry, but this stress-reducing activity should not cost you much.

Note: If you are stresses everyday, please don’t eat a cake everyday. This is for occasional use only!

9. Brew a special cup of tea or coffee and sit down in your favorite chair: Grab a book or your favorite hobby magazine and take some “me” time. Even if you’re able to take 30 minutes of “me” time while the kids are away at their piano lessons … this will do you a world of good.

10. Update your photo album: We usually take photos of the happy times we want to remember. By updating your photo album and putting in recent photos you’ve not had the time to file yet, you can be transported to those times where you were happy and smiling. The feeling from this activity will surely lift your spirits and lower your stress levels.

Sometimes the simplest things can be extremely effective and because there is no (or little) investment of money, you can start putting these stress-busters to effect immediately!

[Krizia] Written on 10/22/2008 by Krizia. Krizia is an aging-well and stress management expert. You can catch her daily banter on Beauty Match where she’s currently the Editor-in-Chief of this online magazine.

Mayor launches Capital Growth to boost locally grown food in London.

Project set
to create 2,012 new food growing spaces for London by 2012
Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Rosie Boycott, Chair of London Food, today launched
an innovative scheme to turn 2,012 pieces of land into thriving green spaces to
grow food by 2012.

Capital Growth - the first initiative delivered by Rosie Boycott in her capacity
as Chair of London Food - aims to identify suitable patches of land around London
and offer financial and practical support to groups of enthusiastic gardeners or
organisations who want to grow food for themselves and for the local community.

African Urban Harvest: Agriculture in and around African cities, 2002-2006 (forthcoming
book)

Amid the multiple changes affecting sub-Saharan Africa in the last couple of decades,
how has the demonstrated importance of urban agriculture in African cities changed,
how far is farming better integrated into urban environmental management and city
governance and what is its future role in addressing the needs of low-income urban
households and modernizing cities in the region?

Women Feeding Cities - Mainstreaming gender in urban agriculture and food security
(forthcoming book)
Poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition have become critical urban problems. To
confront this major challenge, food production in and around cities is an important
strategy, contributing not only to food security and adequate nutrition but also
stimulating supplementary income generation and social inclusion among low-income,
vulnerable households in urban and peri-urban areas.
Women make up the majority of urban food producers in many cities around the world,
especially predominating in household subsistence farming, with men playing a greater
role in urban food production for commercial purposes.

Paul Stamets, mushroom maven, speaks with Maria
Maria Keating, our in-house bug lady, recently took a very inspirational five day
mushroom identification course with mycologist Paul Stamets, at HollyHock, an education
retreat center on Cortes Island, B.C. The fall course, now an annual event, was
packed with information on the many fungal innovations and products that Paul’s
company, Fungi Perfecti, specializes in. Paul’s latest book is titled ‘Mycelium
Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World’.

Where Industry Once Hummed, Urban Garden Finds Success
PHILADELPHIA - Amid the tightly packed row houses of North Philadelphia, a pioneering
urban farm is providing fresh local food for a community that often lacks it, and
making money in the process.
Greensgrow, a one-acre plot of raised beds and greenhouses on the site of a former
steel-galvanizing factory, is turning a profit by selling its own vegetables and
herbs as well as a range of produce from local growers, and by running a nursery
selling plants and seedlings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All stories can be found here.
City Farmer News [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001kghqOhMh0f63zg_efwrhMWhwWi1ca79w36RbpG4P6lQBLqUu6XH0q5S-4cgDDKsbILRQiH72ah7nnc82ftDSkBlxoRZvkmqJwbY_31nGoS3OLHVB9vOedw==]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture

How to Make Ends Meet When You Can’t Find a Good Job

Posted: 05 Nov 2008 05:00 AM CST

Want Ads.jpg

You need to get creative to make ends meet, while you’re looking for a job.

The following is a post I wrote for My Two Dollars a year ago. Fortunately, a lot has changed for my husband and I since last year, and my husband once again has a good job. And I bring in extra income, using the skills I learned during that difficult time.

When my husband lost his job three weeks ago, we had no idea how long he’d be out of work. We also knew we didn’t want him to take just any commissioned sales job that wouldn’t pay much or last long. At the same time, our emergency fund is running low, and we need some form of income while we’re waiting for a good long term job opportunity to come along. Here are some suggestions for finding income that have worked for us.

Declutter your house and sell what you can on Craigslist. We have a lot of stuff. Too much stuff for our house, actually. So we’ve begun the process of decluttering, and we’re going to sell what we can on Craigslist. So far we have a lot of toys and a piano ready to go. I’m also eyeing our large collection of CDs, VHS movies, and books. These things won’t bring in a lot of income, but when you’re unemployed, every little bit helps.

Look for freelance writing gigs. If you’re a blogger, you can already write. Check out the job boards at Problogger.net and the list of freelance jobs at Freelance Writing Jobs. Another option is to rewrite some blog posts and submit them to Associated Content as non-exclusive articles. Again, it doesn’t pay much, but it’s not much work either.

Scour Craigslist for short-term jobs. My husband just applied for a job presenting wine at a wine tasting event. It’s part time for a week, but at $20 an hour, the pay isn’t bad. He’s kind of excited about the change in pace from his normal sales job, too.

Contact former employers, if you have a good relationship with them. My husband contacted a radio station he used to work for, just to see if there was any work available. His old employer hired him to run the board for high school basketball games. The pay is pretty good, and my husband really enjoys the radio work. He also contacted his former employer at an advertising agency, and the owner is now looking for some freelance copywriting opportunities for Jim.

String together a couple of part-time jobs while you look for full-time work. Jim will be starting a part time seasonal job soon, in addition to his radio work. They pay isn’t great, but between the two jobs, we should be able to survive until something better turns up.

A few more ways to find a small paycheck are:

~In-home childcare
~Your local school district as a substitute assistant
~Temp-Agencies
~Blogging, though it could take a while for the money to show up
~Give lessons (music, tutoring, any skill you have that someone else may need)

You need to weigh the pros and cons of each opportunity for your own situation. You need to ask if you are better off working part-time or drawing unemployment from your last job. You also need to find out about any state or city regulations in regard to anything you do out of your home.

The point is, though, if you are willing to think outside the box, a lot of times you can make ends meet, even if you can’t find an ideal job right away. And who knows? By exploring unconventional opportunities, you may just pick up some skills that help you land a great job in the future.

Photo by cogdogblog.

MELAMINE CONTAMINATED FOOD PRODUCTS (06): WORLDWIDE ex CHINA
************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

[1]
Date: Mon 3 Nov 2008
Source: BDNews24.com (Bangladesh) [edited]
http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=67301&cid=2

The presence of melamine hazardous to health has been confirmed on
reexamination in China-made Yashili-1, Yashili-2, and Sweet Baby-2 powdered
milk, advisers said on Monday [3 Nov 2008].

Health adviser AMM Shawkat Ali and commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman
said at a press briefing further examinations were carried out in Thailand
on samples, which tested positive.

Samples of powdered milk of 8 brands were sent to 3 laboratories of the UN
Food and Agricultural Organization’s (FAO) Bangkok regional office for
reexamination. The results of the tests reached authorities on Sunday [2
Nov 2008]. The FAO tests did not find melamine in the 5 other brands.

Before the FAO tests, a test at Dhaka University had found melamine in
those 8 brands. Two other laboratory tests found melamine in only one
brand, Yashili-1.

The High Court on 23 Oct [2008] ordered the government to immediately stop
the sale, marketing, and display of 8 foreign brands of powdered milk —
Australia’s Diploma and Red Cow, Denmark’s Dano Full Cream, China’s
Yashili-1, Yashili-2, Sweet Baby-2, and New Zealand brands Nido Fortified
Instant and Anlene. The government, accordingly, banned sales and marketing
of those powdered milks.

A high level meeting at the health ministry decided on Monday [3 Nov 2008]
to review the tests results. After the meeting the health adviser said, “As
the results of the 3 tests conducted in the country laboratories varied,
the samples of those 8 brands were sent to FAO for reexamination. Three
more tests were conducted at the Bureau of Quality and Safety of Food,
Department of Medical Science and Department of Public Health, Thailand.”

“Four out of 6 tests provided identical results — 67.33 milligrams
melamine per kilogram in Yashili-1, 0.02 mg per kg in Yashili-2, and 0.28
gm per kg in Sweet Baby-2 powdered milk.” [Another site
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.info/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=49859
has slightly different figures: 0.28 mg/kg in Yashili-2 and 0.20 mg/kg in
Sweet Baby-2. - Mod.SH]

Shawkat Ali said melamine was not found in the 5 other Australia, New
Zealand, and Denmark-made brands. The governments of Australia, New
Zealand, and the European Union sent a letter to the Bangladesh government
assuring it of no possibility of melamine presence in their brands, the
health adviser said. The next step will be taken in line with the court
directive and the government is preparing to submit a report through the
attorney general in a day or 2, the adviser added.

About the rumour of [the presence of] melamine in raw milk, the health
adviser said, “The government has been keeping an eye on the issue. The
government is putting more emphasis on local production of child food
instead of import.” Asked about the acceptable level of melamine in human
body, he said there was no internationally determined level. Some countries
fix the acceptable level of melamine on the basis of body’s weight.
“However, Bangladesh government wants to ensure zero level of melamine in
child food.” About the test conducted at the Dhaka University, Shawkat Ali
said the equipment there was not capable enough to test the presence of
melamine.

The commerce adviser said the court would be informed of the presence of
melamine in the 3 China-made powdered milks. “After the next directive of
the court, import of these milks will be totally banned.”

Presided over by Shawkat Ali, chief adviser’s special assistant Mahbub
Jamil, health secretary AMM Nasiruddin, director general of health
department SM Faiz, and others were present at the meeting.

Melamine is not soluble, but if it is very concentrated it forms into
crystals. Permanent liver damage can be caused when crystals suddenly form
into large numbers of tubules in the kidneys of children that have consumed
melamine, causing chronic kidney failure and requiring dialysis and even
kidney transplants later on in life.

—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

******
[2]
Date: Sun 2 Nov 2008
Source: The Epoch Times [edited]
http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/united-states/melamine-contaminated-biscuits-sale-6600.html

Melamine-contaminated biscuits still for sale

A product contaminated with melamine is still being sold in the US. Crispy
Jacobina Biscuits in 3.88 oz packages tested positive for melamine by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The biscuits are sold through
Everlasting Distributors Inc. of Bayonne, New Jersey, a major distributor
of Chinese food products in the US. The company issued a press release
through the FDA dated [29 Oct 2008] about the contaminated biscuits.

However, as of 2 Nov [2008], no notice was posted on the company’s website
about the contaminated biscuits and the product was still for sale.

No illnesses associated with the biscuits have been reported yet.

Melamine is an industrial chemical that is not intended for human
consumption and has caused over 50 000 illnesses in China. It can cause
kidney crystals, kidney stones, and death in high enough doses when
consumed over a prolonged period of time.

[byline: Genevieve Long]

—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

[see also:
Melamine contaminated food products (05): worldwide ex China 20081030.3425
Melamine contaminated food products (04): Worldwide ex China 20081027.3391
Melamine contaminated food products (03): Worldwide ex China 20081020.3324
Melamine contaminated food products (02): Worldwide ex China 20081004.3129
Melamine contaminated food products - Worldwide ex China 20081002.3107]

.................tg/mj/sh

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