Gardening As A Whole Curriculum

Now that spring is here, most states are starting to thaw out and warm up. This an excellent time to begin a garden, no matter how small, and teach the kids about botany, art, vocabulary, water conservation, nutrition, and so much more. I’m a firm believer in getting the most bang for my buck and most use out of every moment. Each lesson you teach your kids can incorporate many subjects, not just the most obvious one at hand. Gardening is no different. The house we live in now has a nice back and front yard, but even when we … Continue reading

Make A Frugal Greenhouse

With all of our trips to local parks and gardens, I have really been itching to have a garden and grow our own vegetables. My grand plans will have to wait until next year, when we can install some protective fencing. Otherwise, my garden will wind up feeding the deer and the bunnies. But, I’m going to get started anyway, growing some things indoors. I checked into buying a greenhouse to help start my seeds and nurture the young “plantlings” indoors. But, the whole greenhouse set up can get very expensive. So I found a way to be a bit … Continue reading

Saving Produce to Save Money

Don’t throw it out! Is half of your summer produce winding up in the trash? The summer heat can shorten the life of fresh produce. But, if you have a few secrets in your kitchen, you can reduce your produce waste. I recently posted an article in the food blog called “Fun with Celery.” In that article, I gave a surprising but simple tip on how to make your celery last twice as long. The article made me start thinking about how we used to waste a lot of produce. I would by a variety of fresh and healthy fruits … Continue reading

Growing My Italian Kitchen Garden

Yesterday, was a big day for me. I got to enjoy the wonderful breezes and dappled sunlight filtering through the trees outside. It was the perfect day to get a good start on my herb garden. I like growing herbs, because the store-bought kind are so expensive. Dried or fresh, herbs are one of those grocery items that seem to cost as much per ounce as gold. By growing the herbs myself, I save on both the cost of the herbs and the cost of making trips to the store to buy them, since it seems I never have the … Continue reading

Frugal lessons from The Amish: Growing Food

Since most Amish live on a farm, they are used to growing food. But farm or not, Amish women always maintain a kitchen garden, where they grow delicious foods for their families. Potatoes are a staple that is usually served in the afternoon as part of the biggest meal of the day. Canned vegetables that were once grown in the garden are also a very big part of the Amish diet. The Amish are so good at farming, that they often grow extra crops for tourists to buy, such as pumpkins and gourds in the fall. Because the Amish tend … Continue reading

Growing Basil

Coming from an Italian background, I absolutely love basil. The sight and aroma of fragrant herb makes our kitchen feel warm and homey. When I am preparing meals, it is so nice to be able to just pluck a few fresh leaves whenever I need them. One of my favorite things to have for lunch is some lightly toasted Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil, topped with fresh mozzarella and whole basil leaves. It is so yummy and easy to make. In the middle of the day, while preparing peanut butter and jelly or chicken fingers for the kids, I … Continue reading