Two Brave Souls & Turning the Tables

Before I headed out of town a couple weeks ago, I asked if anyone wondered about anything that we do (or don't do for that matter).

I really think more of you must think we're weird or a bit crazy and have questions about us, but only two of you spoke up.  Here's what you asked and some answers...

Michelle commented..."First, I want to say that I love, Love, LOVE your blog, and hope you will continue in the way you've been doing things. Another topic I'd like to hear more about, though, is your religious heritage. Also, do you know much about planting "by the signs?" I've never done this, but my great grandmother did, and she claimed it was scriptural. I'm on the fence about that issue."

As far as my religious heritage goes...both sets of my grandparents were/are Mennonite and raised their children (my parents) as such.  My parents have remained Mennonite and raised my four siblings and myself in the Mennonite church as well.  My grandmothers used to wear coverings to church, as did my mother when I was growing up, but they no longer do.  This was the only physical distinction between us and anyone else. 

My little family attends a Mennonite church as well and we value our denomination's distinctions, but I am a Christian first and foremost, then a Mennonite.  A really helpful website about Mennonites can be found here.  For a more expounded answer (from me), you might like to read an interview I did with Sarah over at Clover Lane last year found here.

As far as planting "by the signs", I've heard of this, but don't know a whole lot about it and have never tried it.

A couple questions from Vicki included..."I would love to know several things! (This might get a tad bit long!) The first thing I want to know is what you do with foods that you can or freeze but just don't want to use later in the year?"

If the food is something that I know we'll use, I'll keep it even if it's older than a year (although this is NOT recommended). If it's something new I canned that we ended up not liking, I feed it to the chickens or compost it before it gets old. 

"Second, is it a chore to come up with menus that use the food in your pantry/freezer and how do you do that? (I'm so guilty of going to the store and buying fresh when I should be using what's in our freezer/pantry and would love to learn to STOP DOING THAT! I'd also love to see menu samples please - especially winter ones - and how you come up with them (your thought process)."

Finding recipes that showcase what you've canned or froze is crucial.  It can be time consuming, but once you have a list of recipes that your family likes that uses what you have on hand is very worth the time.  Searching online by ingredient and in cookbooks gets you started but the key is to write down the winners and keep those recipes in a binder or box so you don't have to reinvent the wheel every year.

Planning your menus each week around what you have is the best way to use all that good food and hard work you've stored away.  Since this is how I cook throughout the winter, many of my recipes here are based on what we have on hand.  Your recipes may look differently because of what you choose to grow, but recipes are out there!

"How, exactly, do you get by with not buying things from a grocery store?...Do your kids BEG for things from a grocery store because you serve all homemade stuff? ...What do you buy from the store, both during the winter and all year long?"

We DO shop at the grocery store!  Just not for vegetables and fruits (except for the occasion when a staple crop fails or doesn't store, like onions) and rarely for meat.  Over time, we've learned how much fruit and vegetables we need to put up (or chickens to harvest) to get us through the year, but this takes time to discover.  Our kids enjoy packaged snacks when they get them at someone else's house or on trips, but know that we don't eat that way at home.  We're not overly strict (in my opinion) when special occasions come up, but we do try to maintain healthy eating habits at home.  Our kids understand that different families make different choices.

As far as what we buy from the store- it's basically the same all year:  baking supplies (sugar, flour, oats, etc.), whole wheat bread (I love the idea of making bread, but that's where it stops), cheese, pasta, rice, lentils, milk, canned beans, spices, tortillas, and special ingredients like sour cream, green salsa, etc. that certain recipes call for.  We certainly don't live completely self-sufficiently, so we are very thankful for our grocery store:-).

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May I take a turn?  I did this once awhile back and LOVED getting to know you all better.  If you're feeling brave today, tell me this...

1) Winter, spring, summer or fall?

2) Who pays the bills at your house- you or your spouse?

3) What saying or phrase are you known to over-use?

4) What was your favorite TV show as a kid?

5) If you could only grow one fruit or vegetable, what would it be?

6) Can you find gray hairs if you look?  Please tell me you can.

7) Do you blog?  If so, where?

8) If you went to college, what did you major in?  What do you now wish you had majored in?

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