Yeti’s Mammoth Cave Alternative (Y.M.C.A.)

Frugal  –adjective
1.     economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: a frugal manager.
2. entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

100% self-reliance is a lofty goal in any homestead.  So lofty that if we fall short we will still be happy with the results.  Today was one of those days when I dropped the ball and fell short.  In other words, I spent money.  Not only did I spend money, I did the unthinkable.  I impulse shopped.  In our growing philosophy and economic situation, this is a we bit of a sin.  On the bright side, it was one of those little sins.  Kind of like a white lie.  Yes, I made a few impulse purchases.  But they were such good buys and made so much sense for the kitchen that I had to share.  Before I do, I think it’s time to start recording our growing philosophy.

Homesteading Commandment number 1

Live Apart – Make kith of kith and kin of kith. Strive for self-reliance. In all matters, look first to your self, then to your kin, then kith, and finally to folk before looking for outside.

Like all good philosophies, ours borrows from age-old wisdom.  It’s a good choice since plagiarizing modern day authors tends to promote lawsuits.

2 Corinthians 6:14

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” – King James Version

We believe consumerism is the bane of living free.  When we have a need, we turn first to ourselves.  Do we really need to make a purchase or can we grow, raise, or build what it is that we need?  Does a family member (kin) or friend (kith) have a tool that we can borrow?  Can we purchase that tool from someone of like mind (folk).  Only when we answer ‘no’ to these questions do we consume goods from the open economy.  Even then, we try to spend as locally as possible.  The Wal-Mart down the street might not seem like a boon to the local economy, but they employ a lot more of our neighbors than a store in the next county.

And now a word from our sponsors (well not really)

That said, I confess today’s sins.

Kitchen Slicer - $3.99 from Harbor Freight

It is kind of funny.  In the back of my mind, I thought I’d recalled Aimee saying she needed one of these things.  Turns out, what I remembered was her saying she ordered one.  On the day of my impulse purchase, she had received the one she purchased on line.  She hated the thing and loves the one I brought home.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=99871

French-fry Potato Chopper - $7.99 from Harbor Freight

The red skin potatoes are starting to come in.  The kids and me are French fry addicts.  So this seemed like a good purchase.  Then I tried to use a knife to slice enough potatoes for the kids and me.  All of a sudden this seemed like a great purchase.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93001

References

Frugal. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Frugal (accessed: June 25, 2009).

admin Survival Homesteading

The John Parker Memorial Turtle Farm

We seem to have developed a new hobby, collecting turtles.  It started as a rescue when we found a three legged turtle.  With two three legged cats on the farm, a three legged turtle seemed to fit in.  That was turtle number one.  Aimee found him in the middle of the road, brought him home, and told me over the phone that she had a present from John Parker for me.

So who was John Parker?  He was the glass blower from the Ohio Renaissance Festival who passed the year my wife and I were forced out.  He was an old cantankerous coot who my children adored.  The only thing that compared to the beauty of his glass was the stories he spun.  Always with a punch line and always based in some factual event of his life.  Prior to his last year at the Ohio Renaissance Festival, I was camping at the Kentucky Highlander Renaissance Fair.  There, a turtle crawled into my bedroll and gave me the fright of my life.  That turtle now lives at the Ohio Renaissance Festival where John Parker had just about adopted it.  By the time John passed, several others at the festival had taken a liking to it and started feeding it.  From what I understand, he has become rather large and the fish population in that pond is finally under control.  Back to the turtle farm.

So that one red eared slider was joined by a second and then a third.  The third, who we named Cracker, is a true rescue.  We have very high hopes for him as he is healing well after being hit by a truck.  So we are paused at three water turtles, all red eared sliders.

Then came the land turtles (box turtles).  The first seems to be recovering from being hit by a lawn mower.  The second, well he was just too darn stupid to be left to its own wiles.  The second we found in the middle of the street content to follow the white line down the middle of the road.

So plans have begun for a turtle pond separate from the main pond.  One where the land turtles can roam the lawn looking for bugs and the water turtles can frolic.

admin Free Companion Animals

After much delay, the RWB 2K7 swords and athames are ready to be shipped.  I could apologize and mention loosing the smithy in Ohio.  I could apologize and mention the move.  I could apologize and mention the time in the hospital.  Instead I will just apologize for taking on more than I was able in a timely manner.  It’s always been a problem with me, but since the accident it has been a major problem.

If I do not hear from you within a few days, I will start shipping to the address I have on file.  Please keep in mind I will be shipping 13 swords at about $20.00 each and 13 athames at about $10.00 each for a total of $390.00 in shipping fees.  Not asking for a thing other than understanding.  It will take me a couple weeks to be able to afford the shipping.  If any of you are going to the Kentucky Ren. Fair I’ll be there each weekend and would love to save the shipping.

Again, I would rather hear from you, not only to confirm the address but to hear what has been going on in your lives.  But if I don’t, I will go ahead and ship to the address I have.

Please write to: ajdrew (at) this URL.  Include your mailing address and an update on what has been going on in your lives.

admin Old business / Old life