Seed Savers Exchange

http://www.seedsavers.org If you are already thinking about next years garden like I am check out this site for the seed savers exchange. You can become a member for only $35 a year and have access to some unique varieties of plants and vegetable seeds handed down through the generations from our ancestors.

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations. When people grow and save seeds, they join an ancient tradition as stewards, nurturing our diverse, fragile, genetic and cultural heritage.

Heirloom vegetable is a cultivator that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings.

Craft Fairs

Well, our last craft fair is coming up this week end. Saturday Dec. 13, we will be at my work. There is a craft fair in what use to be the Eastern Mountain Sports retail space to benefit the Conway Area Humane Society.

Here is a picture taken at the Craft Fair at the North Conway Community Center. We have also attended the craft fairs at New Suncook School, and Bartlett Elementary School.

Attending Craft Fairs has been interesting, we have gotten a chance to meet a lot of fellow crafters and have handed out lots of business cards to some of the many at home crafters in the North Conway/Fryeburg area.

Looking for some festive fall craft ideas check out this site.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/thanksgiving/

I especially like the pinecone wreath. Start the adventure with an outdoor scavenger hunt to collect some of the supplies you will need:

Grapevine wreath
Pine cones, leaves, acorns and any other item from nature that will give your wreath your own personal touch.
Hot glue gun
Wired edged ribbon

How to make it:

Hot glue the pine cones two to three wide across the grapevine wreath, depending on the size of the wreath and your preferences. Be sure to put plenty of glue on the bottom of the pine cone to give it enough stability.

Let the wreath sit and dry for awhile.

Add any other items from nature you collected (acorns, leaves etc)

Add the wired edged ribbon in and around the wreath. Tie a piece in a bow and add to the wreath by either tying on or hot gluing it on the wreath.
Be sure to hang with a heavy duty hanger as this wreath will be heavy!

Tips:

The pine cones could be spray painted prior to gluing.
Orange and black pine cones with added trinkets or ribbon would make a great Halloween wreath.
Silver and gold pine cones with added trinkets or holiday ribbon would be perfect for a Christmas or winter wreath.
This project will take a lot of glue sticks. As a note, it's best to work with clear glue sticks so that the glue does not show. Use a heavy duty glue if possible.

Eat Locally

One of the greatest things about Fall/Winter, is it gives me an excuse (sometimes) to stay inside and catch up on some reading.

I am currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com

Another great read that's got me thinking about what I buy and from where. I had already started getting our milk, eggs, cream, butter and some vegetables at Sherman's farm, a near by farm that I use to go to as a child with my best friend, when her Mom worked there in the summer as a strawberry picker. It's grown quite a bit since then from a road side farm stand selling jam and relish to a mini grocery store.

http://www.shermanfarmnh.com/index.html

Next year I intend to grow more vegetables, do more canning and have already put more thought in to my purchases and buy locally whenever possible.

In Maine, that shouldn't be so hard.

For more on how to buy locally check out http://www.mofga.org/Resources/FindLocalFoods/tabid/221/Default.aspx

The Secret - The Power of Positive Thinking

Just read a good book, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. If you haven't read it, it's and easy read and very motivational.

"The Secret teaches us that we create our lives, with every thought every minute of every day. Living The Secret offers tools and ideas to help you live The Secret and create the life of your dreams. "

http://www.thesecret.tv/index.html

Recycling Crafts

Found a great link to HGTV for recycling craft ideas. I haven't had a chance to check them all out yet, but I really like recycling fabric and greating card coasters.

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_lnb_gutter/text/0,1783,HGTV_3938_4766,00.html

Depression Era Tips

The other day on the radio they were talking about how people who grew up in the depression era of the 30's are better equipped to deal with the current changes in the economy.

Here are a couple of good articles with some pointers on how to reduce, reuse, recycle and cut back.



http://www.greendaily.com/2008/10/08/depression-era-tips-could-also-help-the-planet/


http://money.cnn.com/2004/01/27/pf/saving/savingsecrets/index.htm


Here's some of what I'm doing to save:


Buy in bulk


Shop at thrift stores/give items my family no longer needs, uses, or fits into to thrift stores for other to enjoy


Turn left overs into second meals

Make my own snacks (granola bars, cookies) rather than buy expensive prepackages snacks

Drive less, walk more/take short cuts

Don't turn on lights as early, turn off unused lights/electronics

Keeping the heat off as long as we can/keeping temp down a couple of degrees. Heating with wood more/only using heating oil as back up.

Making chemical free cleaning products (saves on packaging, buy supplies in bulk, cost less, and good for us)

Make coffee at home and bring meals to work rather than buying these things out

If you've got a good cost saving idea, let us hear it.

Halloween Costumes

Getting ready for halloween and found this great site for childrens costumes. My favorite is the recycled costume.

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/halloween_ms_costumes/