Self Sufficiency for a Fit and Healthy Lifestyle [Forum Archive]

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Self Sufficiency for a Fit and Healthy Lifestyle

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Posted by: boilermaker

Well I bounced this idea around in my workout journal and it got a lot of positive feedback so I’ve decided to go forward with it.

A large portion of IM is dedicated to diet and nutrition. Everyone here who is serious is striving to learn about and maintain a healthy diet to help them reach their personal fitness goals. As we all know, vegetables and herbs are an important part of any healthy lifestyle and also a way to add flavor and style to the dishes we create. I am an avid gardener and I thought that it would be helpful to the IM community and myself to journal my gardens and share and receive information with others. I am not a degreed horticulturist or master gardener, but I have been successful in the past growing herbs and vegetables for myself and my family. I did sell fertilizer and pesticides to golf courses for three years and can help people with their turfgrass issues if they have questions.. Gardening is something I enjoy doing and the benefits are really rewarding.

Most of my gardens are some sort of container style setup. I also do some flower and perennial gardening and while these might receive some discussion, the focus of this journal will be on things we can consume. I know a lot of you live in apartments or don’t have huge areas to dedicate to a garden, so I thought the container aspect would appeal to many folks here. I think many people would be surprised if they knew how much they could grow in a few small spaces. You’ll also save some money at the supermarket during the growing season and over the winter if you choose to can some of your harvest. The flavor and quality of home grown vegetables is far superior than you will find in the produce section of the supermarket and the amount of work isn’t that time consuming. You can really make it as simple or elaborate as you like.

Here is how I’d like to present this journal:

• Use the winter months to detail a few veggies and herbs each week and detail their basic space and growing requirements as well as how they can be used.
• Take some pictures of my garden areas and we can discuss what is needed to get started before spring arrives
• Journal my gardens from seed starting and planting through harvest. I’ll take weekly photos of development and we can discuss things as they come up

My goals for this journal are:

• To share what I know with the IM community and learn from others. I’m not an expert gardener and welcome any inputs and participation from the community.
• Generate interest from people in the IM community who have never tried gardening before and help them grow some of their own food and save a few bucks at the grocery store
• Have IM members share ways to jazz up that boring can of tuna or glass of ice tea the healthful way.
• Put a little pressure on myself to keep my gardens looking sharp all summer

I hope a lot of people get involved here and share their thoughts and ideas. Feel free to post any photos or information that you think would be helpful to others.

Posted by: boilermaker

Before anyone tries to be funny, I'll just head this off right away. This journal will not be used for the discussion of the growth of recreational use plants, in any way, shape or form.

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Posted by: Pylon

So, mostly just a place for fruits to hang out?

Posted by: P-funk

what kind of garden can you have in michigan in the middle of winter?

Posted by: b_reed23

Can't wait to follow along!!

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-funk

what kind of garden can you have in michigan in the middle of winter?

Quote:

Here is how I’d like to present this journal:

• Use the winter months to detail a few veggies and herbs each week and detail their basic space and growing requirements as well as how they can be used.

The winter will be to generate interest and help educate people who have never done this before.

Posted by: Archangel

I'm in my Friend!!! Forgot to tell you, I pass Lupine Ct. everyday, its like 3 minutes from my house!!! Talk about a small world, shame you don't still live here!!!

Posted by: boilermaker

B: Glad to hear it. I expect mucho contributions of your vast knowledge in here.

Archie: Good to have you. Do you have a garden? Check out my old house. It's 1124. Say hello to all my old neighbors for me. That would have been fun if I still lived there. But, Michigan is home for me so were glad to be back around family. Especially with the little one.

Posted by: Devlin

Thanks Boiler. I'm definitely looking forward to this journal and the container approach since I live in an apartment. Plus loking forward to saving money at the grocery store and having fresh veges & herbs close at hand. Nothing beats fresh veges.

Posted by: b_reed23

Hi Boiler...was gonna post this in your journal, but the new server won't let me....grrr..

I start my beans, and watermelons from seeds, but I use tomato plants...I do a lot of canning...tomato juice, ketchup, and some not so healthy salsa...lol..do you do any canning from your garden??

I am looking forward to how to grow herbs..I've never done it before

Posted by: boilermaker

Hi B. I got a 1000 watt metal halide grow light from a friend to use this winter, so I'm going to try and start alot of my stuff inside this year to get a jump on the season. I canned alot of tomatoes this year, but haven't done any tomato juice or ketchup. Hopefully you can show me how to do that. I grew a bunch of herbs last year. They are really pretty easy.

Posted by: Pylon

That's a big bulb. How about pics to get us started?

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pylon

That's a big bulb. How about pics to get us started?

I'll take some shots tomorrow, Pylon. Yes, that is a big bulb! I hope I don't burn my house down with it.

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Hey Steve! I can't wait to see this going!!

What about chooks?! Can we think about how to squeeze some chooks into an apartment...

Oh.. Oh

And a milking cow!! I would LOVE a milking cow!! Back on the farm my next door neighbour used to have a milking cow - fresh milk straight from the udder + milo in a cup =

And what about things like home-made things like breads/cheese/yoghurt?! We could do a whole 'self-sufficiency' thing where people can pipe up with info on preserving, growing, cultivating, hunting and producing!!

only if you want... I don't want to over-run your journal idea... so just tell me to be quiet if you are not interested

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Hey Steve! I can't wait to see this going!!

What about chooks?! Can we think about how to squeeze some chooks into an apartment...

Oh.. Oh

And a milking cow!! I would LOVE a milking cow!! Back on the farm my next door neighbour used to have a milking cow - fresh milk straight from the udder + milo in a cup =

That all sounds great (sans the milking cow and chooks thing.....not at my house anyway!!!!

) Don't worry about overrunning "my journal" I want this to be like you said, an active community type self sufficiency journal where we all learn from each other. It's not about me, but about helping each other out.

Is there a way for me to change the title to make it more inclusive of these ideas?

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

That all sounds great (sans the milking cow and chooks thing.....not at my house anyway!!!!

YAY!

(well..

for the cows and the chooks...

)...

Quote:

Is there a way for me to change the title to make it more inclusive of these ideas?

You can't do it (at least I don't think you can... ) but you can message one of the Journal Forum moderators and ask them to change it for you....

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

You can't do it (at least I don't think you can... ) but you can message one of the Journal Forum moderators and ask them to change it for you....

How about "Boilermaker's Garden Space and the IM Self-Preservation Logs"

Suggestions welcome

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

How about "Boilermaker's Garden Space and the IM Self-Preservation Logs"

Suggestions welcome

Hmmm...

"IM's I'm Self-Sufficent log"

"Building an Independent Body"

"Working out Self-sufficency"

I suck at names!

(epp... running late now!

)

Posted by: Pylon

I dig all these idea...though I'm not sure what a chook is...

How about "Boiler's Earth Freindly World" ?

Posted by: CowPimp

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Before anyone tries to be funny, I'll just head this off right away. This journal will not be used for the discussion of the growth of recreational use plants, in any way, shape or form.

Good, because I was gonna start one of those. I don't want you getting in on my territory. Hehe. Kidding of course. Interesting idea for a journal.

Posted by: boilermaker

O.k., the title has been changed to open up the scope of do it yourselfing with regard to fitness and health. So feel free to post away with tips and suggestions. I suggest that if you start a new topic, such as "garlic chives" which I will be detailing soon, that you identify it in the title box so the thread is easy to search.

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Good, because I was gonna start one of those. I don't want you getting in on my territory. Hehe. Kidding of course. Interesting idea for a journal.

You can have that territory for yourself, Cowpimp.

Thanks, I figured since everyone tries to eat healthy and likes to save money, we should have a place to learn about and share ideas.

Posted by: Pylon

I think it's a heckuv an idea.

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pylon

I dig all these idea...though I'm not sure what a chook is...

So Cute!!

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Thought I might start by posting a few links to some websites I found:

Posted by: Pylon

So, are chooks a small chicken, an orange mellon, or a cross of the two? Wouldn't that be a micken? Or a chellon?

Posted by: Vanessa40

Hi,
I can't wait to read about your garden...all i have right now is rosemary..

Vanessa

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Thought I might start by posting a few links to some websites I found:

Thanks, Emma. Those are good links. Did you pick Urban Homesteading just because there are pics of Chooks on the front page?

I have a question. How come when you post a picture, it appears as a picture and when I post a picture it appears as a thumbnail?

Posted by: NeilPearson

I would think 1000 watts MH would be overkill. 250 would probably be lots

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilPearson

I would think 1000 watts MH would be overkill. 250 would probably be lots

1000 watts only covers a 4' x 4' area at a height of 24". It is the industry standard in greenhouse/nursery operations. If you don't get enough light on the seedlings, they grow into tall, spindly plants that are always reaching for light to perform there photosynthesis operations. It takes alot of light in the right spectrums to produce short, stocky, healthy plants for transplanting.

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Thanks, Emma. Those are good links. Did you pick Urban Homesteading just because there are pics of Chooks on the front page?

But... but.... They are little troppers!! They are so gorgous when they get all clucky and fluff their feathers out!

Ohhhh.... But we could do pigs instead?! YES!! Can we have pigs?!!

They are GREAT garbage disposals!!

Quote:

I have a question. How come when you post a picture, it appears as a picture and when I post a picture it appears as a thumbnail?

Different code used.

If it is uploaded as an attachment from your puter it will appear as a thumbnail. But If you want to post the piccy IN then post you need to use these code: [ IMG] TYPE IN URL HERE [ /IMG] (without the spaces in the brackets).

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pylon

So, are chooks a small chicken, an orange mellon, or a cross of the two? Wouldn't that be a micken? Or a chellon?

Melon?

I thought it was a pumpkin?! Is it a pumpkin?

And it if is wouldn't that be a pumook? Or a Chimpkin....??

Posted by: Pylon

I noticed you still didn't answer the question...

Posted by: Pylon

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

So, this leads to what might be an obvious question for some people, but I'll ask anyway. How much space and what kind of setup should we be looking at for this? (I know, it depends.) I have a room in my basement where I can set something up. Should I think about a 4x4 table top? Hang the light above it? I would look for more than just herbs at that point, but not sure what.

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pylon

O.K., I spent a bunch of time writing up a response to this and then when I entered it, the system was down for upgrading

.

First, I was given the light to use by a friend. They cost about $250 to buy and use 12 kw-hours per day. Not to discourage you, but your local nursery does this on a mass scale and will have good quality plants available at the right time to plant them outdoors. I've never used one before and the only real reason I'm doing it this year is because I have the light to use and nothing better to do.

That said, yes a 4' x 4' table would be appropriate for this light. I think I'm going to use a 38" round table so I can put a rotary micro-sprinkler in the center and not have to water it myself. Why? I don't know, I like automation.

Herbs can be started on a windowsill and then moved outside when the weather is warm enough. You need a window that gets a good amount of light during the day (at least 4 hours and preferably 8). This would be a south facing window in North America and a north facing window for Emma. The reason you can do this with herbs is because you are actually eating the plant. You cut off what you want to use and the plant regenerates that tissue again.

A vegetable, on the other hand, must be kept in alot better balance because it needs to be healthy enough to produce a flower, then the fruit. Thus, it becomes a timing issue, so that you are putting a healthy, robust plant outside at the optimal time (around your frost free date). If you start it too early, it will get spindly and weak and will spend time recovering outside and probably produce a poor yield. Start it too late and it will be o.k., but you won't have any fresh veggies until later in the year. Your local nursury will have this nailed down.

Alot of vegetables can be started outside from seed. The ones typically started indoors are heat loving plants. In Michigan, the heat lovers need to be started inside because the growing season is pretty short. Some examples of veggies started inside before the frost-free date would be: Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant, Melons and Squash. Where you live, in St. Louis, it would be more a factor of when you want to begin harvesting the veggies. These plants are started indoors so that you don't have to wait until July to pick a tomato.

Soon, I'll start posting some individual plants, their requirements and what not. We can discuss them from there and you can decide what you have the space to try.

I was going to take some pictures today, but everything is under snow, so I'll have to wait for a mini thaw so you can see something besides mounds of snow.

Posted by: boilermaker

Here is a link to a website that you can use as a guide to determine the average last and first frost dates of the year.

North America: http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/

Australia: Looks like this isn't much of a concern for Sydney. I couldn't find a frost-free guide, but this is a link showing plant hardiness zones http://www.anbg.gov.au/hort.research/zones.html

****By the way, I don't seem to be able to label links anymore. Anyone know why?

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pylon

I noticed you still didn't answer the question...

Would that be whether or not chook = melon or a chicken?

A Chook = Chicken (they are the same - one is just aussie slang!

)

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

By the way, I don't seem to be able to label links anymore. Anyone know why?

How are you trying to put them in?

You can link with the code:
[ url=type address here]Display words here[ /url] (But without the spaces).

You can also click on the

icon at the top of the 'create message' box...

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

How are you trying to put them in?

You can link with the code:
[ url=type address here]Display words here[ /url] (But without the spaces).

You can also click on the

icon at the top of the 'create message' box...

Thanks for the tips. The insert link icon used to prompt me for the display words but doesn't anymore. I can do it manually though.

Posted by: boilermaker

Plant hardiness zones are good to know for your area so that you can determine which perennial plants (Plants that do not die after one growing season) will overwinter in your area.

There are many perennial herbs and some perennial vegetables that you can grow. Also, some perennial plants that are not hardy enough to survive winter in your area can be planted in pots and brought inside during the cold months, then put back out the following spring. When you bring them in, they won't need alot of light to survive because they will be dormant. They will need to be watered occasionally.

Outside, you can bury the entire pot in the ground during the summer if you so desire. You can also plant them directly in the ground and dig and repot them for the winter.

Perennial plants that can overwinter in your garden need to be placed properly, as they will be back year after year. Some, in fact spread aggressively and you may want to contain them. We can talk about this with each individual plant, but a couple of quick examples for aggressive spreaders would be mint and horseradish. These can get out of control fairly quickly if not contained properly.

Here is an interactive plant hardiness zone map for North America

Here is a plant hardiness zone map for Australia

Note: All seeds and plants that you purchase will come with the zone hardiness information on the label or seed packet. These same maps are useful when selecting perennial flowers and shrubs.

Posted by: Pylon

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Would that be whether or not chook = melon or a chicken?

A Chook = Chicken (they are the same - one is just aussie slang!

)

Yay! I learned some Aussie words today! Teach me more!!!!

Posted by: boilermaker

So, what do you folks want to see in here next. I've got some time tomorrow, but don't want to just ramble on...........................................

Posted by: Pylon

How about a list of veggies that are good choices for growing indoors (or mostly so, at least)?

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pylon

How about a list of veggies that are good choices for growing indoors (or mostly so, at least)?

Well Py, you really can't "grow" veggies inside. You can start them and move them outside, but unless your set up, there is no need to try it unless your a gardening degenerate like me

.

Herbs on the other hand are great. You can start some in and move them out to your garden, porch, balcony or other sunny space. I like lemon grass, basil, parsley, mint, chives, garlic chives, sage, dill and cilantro (corriander if you let it go to seed).

To be honest, I planted them all outside last year. But, I'm willing to try some windowsill herbs to see what can be done over winter. Let's start by selecting an herb and detailing it Saturday. When were done with that one, we'll move to the next. Stay tuned for Lemon Grass tomorrow afternoon! I'll detail it and then maybe someone else can present the next one. I'll also detail some aspects of seed starting. Remember, if you contribute a topic, identify it in the title box so it is searchable later.

Posted by: b_reed23

what kinds of things can you use lemon grass for?? And where can I get seeds for it this time of year?

Posted by: Pylon

No fair! Lemon grass can't be killed! My mom bought a small batch from an asian food store a couple of years ago and planted in a 5 gal bucket. The bucket is STILL overflowing!

Posted by: b_reed23

wait...this is a good thing....that means that none of us will fail!! lol...

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by b_reed23

what kinds of things can you use lemon grass for?? And where can I get seeds for it this time of year?

Lemon grass is great for flavoring tea or water. It is also used a lot in asian style cooking. I've used it in stir fry dishes and with fish when I do the pouch method.

Find out who has the best nursery in town and pay them a visit. I'm sure they have a seed rack somewhere. Some herbs can be started from fresh cuttings that you buy at the supermarket, too. Lemon Grass is an example of this.

Posted by: boilermaker

You can start seeds inside for many plants. I'm going to try and grow a bunch of different herbs on a windowsill this winter and see which ones do well. I haven't tried herbs like this before, so I'll be learning as I go.

Here is what the seeds need to grow into healthy plants:

A seed starting container with good drainage
A loose disease free planting mixture that can be kept evenly moist
A complete, low analasys fertilizer
An appropriate amount of light
An appropriate amount of water
A growing area that has a pretty stable temperature
The right germination temperature

Seed Starting Containers

Seed Starting containers can be elaborate manufactured units like this one,

or as simple as a styrofoam cup. It doesn't really matter as long as it holds the soil, has holes in the bottom for drainage and can be covered with a clear plastic. If you are starting the seeds in a container that will also be its's final home, make sure it is large enought to accomodate the root mass of the mature plant.

Planting Mixture

Young plants are very succeptable to disease and most of these diseases are soilborne. So, buy a soilless seed starting mixture that has been pasteurized or steralized, not regular potting soil. You want something that is roughly 40% milled sphagnum peat moss, 50% medium grade vermiculite and 10% horticultural grade perlite. I also look for something with a starter fertilizer in the mix. This mix is light, drains well, and holds alot of moisture for the roots.

Fertilizer

You will need a complete fertilizer for your seedlings. By complete, I am looking for something with all three macros and a micronutrient profile. The soilless mixture does not have any trace elements, so it is important that your fertilizer supply these. How much of each micronutrient is not really important, just make sure it is there. I look for a macronutrient ratio of 2:1:2 ratio of Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium. The numbers aren't that important as long as the ratio is close to this. You can get it in either granular form or a dissolvable powder meant for foliar feeding. I like the granular form because they release nutrients to the plant over a longer period of time.

Light

The more sunlight the seedlings are exposed to the better. Best windows are south facing. I know that you can also use flourescent lights, hung very close to the plant, but I've not tried this. I have a MH bulb that I will be using for my veggies, but will try and grow as many herbs as I can on the windowsill.

Water

Plants need water. Not too much, or you create a bad environmet that harbors disease. Just enough to keep the soil profile damp. You will want to use a mister before seeds emerge so you don't disturb the soil too much. Some seed starting trays have a resivoir and capilary mat which wicks the water up into the soil profile. You just keep the resivoir full with this type.

NOTE: Do not water you plants with water that has been treated with a water softener. The salt will harm your plants.

Temperature

Young seedlings are vulnerable to wide swings in temperature, so try to keep them in a room that has stable temperatures and if the window they are near is drafty, stop the draft. For germination, the seeds don't need light, but will germinate faster if the soil is kept warm. On top of a refrigerator is ideal for this. This is one reason for covering the container with plastic when they are seeds and very young seedlings. To control temp. and humidity.

I think I'll try and start some seeds this weekend and take a few pictures as well.

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Looks like paragraph 2 is bad information. I went to my nursery today they don't have any seeds. So, looks like internet ordering is the best option right now.

Posted by: b_reed23

I am going to check my local supermarket for fresh, and maybe start from a cutting...I think I also have some basil and other herb seeds around here somewhere........

Posted by: Pylon

So, is this the right time to start the herbs? If you are growing exclusivley inside for now, does it matter what time of year it is?

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pylon

So, is this the right time to start the herbs? If you are growing exclusivley inside for now, does it matter what time of year it is?

Yes, they should do fine. I'm going to get some going shortly. I think I'll need to order some seeds though.

I'll post a chart soon for things that you are going to start inside and move outside It will show how many weeks before your frost free date that you shoud plant the seed inside.

Posted by: boilermaker

Here is a handy chart that I found for approximating the right time to start seeds indoors so that you can plant them out in the garden. Remember, you want a short, stocky healthy plant. Some things don't transplant too well and you are better growing them from seed outdoors. Here in Michigan, the season is short so I will be growing them indoors and putting them out anyway. For stuff like this, I plan on using peat pots so I don't have to disturb the root mass at transplant time. Some things that fall into this catergory are squash and melons.

Here is the link to the seed starting chart

Posted by: boilermaker

Here is a table with some nutrient, antioxident and tips about many vegetables, fruits and herbs. It might be useful when you are trying plan what you want to grow.

Posted by: boilermaker

Plant Family: Mint
Life Cycle: Annual

Sow Indoors: 4-6 weeks before last frost of spring
Sow Outdoors: After danger of last frost has passed

Seed Spacing: 4-8". Sow 2 inches apart and thin to strongest plants
Seed Depth: Cover lightly
Days to Germination: 5-10

Light: Full Sun
Water: Light and even
Nutrients: N (low), P (low), K (low)

Good companions: Pepper, Tomato
Bad Companions: Beans, Cabbage, Cucumber
Rotation Considerations: Avoid rotating with Oregano or Marjoram

Harvest: Individual leaves as needed, buds before they open, whole plant before frost
Storage: Fresh basil can be stored in water at room temp, in a ziplock with damp paper towell in the fridge. Can be frozen as a pesto or as a thick sauce when blended with enough water to make a paste.

Notes: Likes heat and sunlight. Has low germination rate (60%). Pinch buds on growing points to make plant bushier. Good to plant with tomatoes and peppers because it repels hornworms. Flowers attract bees, which increases pollination of tomatoes.

My Notes: Basil is simple to grow and requires almost no care, as long as you don't let it bake. I don't know if you can grow an entire plant inside, but I'll give it a shot and keep you posted. I'm going to try Summerlong from burpee and probably a purple variety, as well.

Posted by: grant

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Plant Family: Mint
Life Cycle: Annual

Sow Indoors: 4-6 weeks before last frost of spring
Sow Outdoors: After danger of last frost has passed

Seed Spacing: 4-8". Sow 2 inches apart and thin to strongest plants
Seed Depth: Cover lightly
Days to Germination: 5-10

Light: Full Sun
Water: Light and even
Nutrients: N (low), P (low), K (low)

Good companions: Pepper, Tomato
Bad Companions: Beans, Cabbage, Cucumber
Rotation Considerations: Avoid rotating with Oregano or Marjoram

Harvest: Individual leaves as needed, buds before they open, whole plant before frost
Storage: Fresh basil can be stored in water at room temp, in a ziplock with damp paper towell in the fridge. Can be frozen as a pesto or as a thick sauce when blended with enough water to make a paste.

Notes: Likes heat and sunlight. Has low germination rate (60%). Pinch buds on growing points to make plant bushier. Good to plant with tomatoes and peppers because it repels hornworms. Flowers attract bees, which increases pollination of tomatoes.

My Notes: Basil is simple to grow and requires almost no care, as long as you don't let it bake. I don't know if you can grow an entire plant inside, but I'll give it a shot and keep you posted. I'm going to try Summerlong from burpee and probably a purple variety, as well.

Basil's great, one of the most versatile herbs

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Yoghurt

Yoghurt, when it is natural, plain, unsweetened, and full of live cultures, is a wonderfully healthy food!! It helps with your cholesterol, your blood pressure, your immune system, can aid in digestion, can decrease your risk of colon cancer, can help fight infections, is a great source of calcium, acts as a great source of protein and carboydrates and can aid in weight loss!! Due to it's bacterial components, the lactose content is also reduced, therefore it can even be helpful for those who are lactose intolerant!!

You can read about the many health benefits it has on The Worlds Healthiest Foods website. But there is also information on this site, this site, this site, this site, this site and on this site. You can also find lots of articles on the topic such as this Assessment of the Benefits of Live Yogurt. As well as lots of research on yoghurt and pro-biotics on pubmed and highwire journals, such as yoghurt and immunity. And there are a few posts on it in the nutrition section such as this one on Yoghurt PWO and this one on Yoghurt and Carbohydrates.

However - it is hard to know exactly what you are getting from purchased yoghurts. They may not contain live and active cultures, or they may have things such as sugar, flavours or stabilisers added!!

So.... Why not make your own??!!

There are a few different ways you can make your own yoghurt. There is the hand-made method, such as that described 'here and here or here... But frankly - unless you have a LOT of free time on your hands then who are we kidding - no one is going to be bothered to do it that way!!

So why not let something else do all the work!

The much easier way is to simply purchase one of the many commercial yoghurt makers available. For example, you have a choice of products such as Donvier, Easiyo, Yogourmet, Breadbeckers, or some of these ones or these ones.

Give it a go - I make my own yoghurt with the Easiyo maker. Takes all of 2 minutes to set up, I leave it for 15 hrs and when I come back I have a tasty yoghurt that is cheaper and healthier than the store stuff!

Posted by: Pylon

Have you ever tried the method of making yogurt with a heating pad? I can get the details if you want them. I took a shot at it once, but my heating pad isn't strong enough.

Posted by: boilermaker

Thanks for the contribution, Emma. I'd love to have a yogurt maker. Which brings me to my next contribution to this journal.

Where in the heck do you store all your cool kitchen gadgets and tools? I'm having major kitchen item storage issues at my house and I'm spending the next week addressing that. I'm going to be building a set of shelves and cabinets in the garage. There will be a pull out rack for things like the food processor, crock pot, blender, deep fryer, oversized pots and pans, grilling tools, etc. Also, there will be a sealed pantry for things that I stockpile like protein whey, cans of tuna or salmon, canned tomatoes, root crops like potatoes, onions and garlic, bulk oats, nut butter, brown rice, etc. Finally, there will be some regular shelving and a built in cabinet for my 20 year old mini-fridge.

I'll take some before pictures and update with progress picks. Maybe some good ideas will evolve from it that others can use.

Posted by: boilermaker

Emma, do you have to order culture mixes for the yogurt or do some health food stores carry them?

Posted by: Pylon

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Emma, do you have to order culture mixes for the yogurt or do some health food stores carry them?

You should be able to buy yogurt in the store as a starter. Just look for the ones that say "Contain active cultures", not "may contain active cultures."

Posted by: Emma-Leigh

Quote:

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Emma, do you have to order culture mixes for the yogurt or do some health food stores carry them?

I don't have to order my starter mix - it is actually easily available at the local supermarket!! So they are very cheap and easy to find.

And depending on how you make your own yoghurt most yoghurt makers will have specially designed yoghurt starters/powders which you can use with their product... (Mine does). If you scroll down on this page you can see some examples of the starter mixes.

What I use with mine is this product here. It is basically a bag of milk solids + culture - so all you do is add water and mix then incubate...

I am sure most of these types of things are exactly the same - so you could probably use one companies product in a different yoghurt maker and achieve the same result.

If you make your own and use real milk (if you use skim you usually have to add some milk powder to it too) then you need to just add the cultures to it... These should be available readily in healthfood stores - they should be in the refridgerator section... and will be called something like 'dried yoghurt starter' or 'yoghurt culture'. For example - there is This yoghurt starter here available in Australia. I am sure there are similar things where you are.

As Pylon said - you can also just use a few tbs of a live yoghurt as a starter too (yup - the label needs to say contains live and active cultures)... So you add some natural, fat-free, no-sugar yoghurt to your milk and away you go... This Page here goes into how you can make it at home with normal yoghurt.

Posted by: boilermaker

On a trip to Home Depot this past weekend I came across some stuff in the garden section that might be interesting:

On the clearance rack there was a seed starting kit made by Jiffy, complete with 25 seed starting peat pellets. This was $4.29. There was also a rack of these windowsill herb kits in ceramic pots. Each one cost $1.89, so I bought one each of sweet basil, spearmint and parsley. I followed the instructions and placed them in front of a south facing window upstairs. It stays a little warmer up there. Here are some pictures:

Here is a closeup of one of the ceramic pots. You just add water to a pan, set the pot in the pan and let it soak up the water, then cover with clear plastic until the seeds germinate.

Here is a picture of the jiffy pellets after they are soaked in water. They swell up from a little flat disc to a seed pot enclosed in a mesh bag. You plant the seed on top and cover with the plastic dome until germination. Neat concept

So, I have parsley, sweet basil and spearmint started in the ceramic pots and I planted a few scallion seeds in the jiffy kit. I'll update with photos periodically.

Posted by: Pylon

Scallions? Gross.

Posted by: boilermaker

We had a pretty good thaw here, so I took some pics of the places where I grow my stuff. I'll try and explain what I plan to plant in each this spring.

This is my main garden. It recieves full sun. The soil mix is a USGA (Golf) greens mix. It is what they use for new golf course construction greens. It has a hight percentage of sand and a calcine clay (think crushed flower pot) called profile. It drains very well, does not compact and the profile holds 6 or 7 times its weight in water. It also creates permanent pore space for beneficial soil microbes to live. I mix in a lot of compost before planting which provides some nutrients and water holding capacity. I built this last year when I moved to Michigan. I grew tomatoes, peppers, zuchinni, eggplant, swiss chard, carrots, potatoes, icebox watermelon, beans, cucumber, garlic chives, basil, leeks, marigolds and nasturtum. The center is a garden path. The side boxes are 2' x 8' and the long box is 18" x 14'. It is quite amazing the amount of veggies you can grow in this relatively small space! This year I am going to try some good spring crops like lettuce, broccoli, peas and cabbage. I also plan on putting in a stone pathway from the shed with an arbor and a complete flower bed surrounding the whole box thing to make it more appealing to my wife

This is the planter box alongside my shed. Last year I grew horseradish, parsley, basil, chives, rosemary, dill, sage and chives in it. Next year I plan on growing a lot of garlic, onions, potatoes, and the same perennial herbs in it. I may also plant a vining flower (maybe clematis) for some asthetics. This box is on the west side of my shed, so it only gets afternoon and evening sunshine. It is 2' x 14' and has the same soil mix as my main garden.

These are my deck planter boxes. I have 4 of them and grew wave petunias in them last year. They receive full sun and they dry out really quickly. The petunias didn't do so well last year. I'll either have to find something else or pay more attention to them this year.

These are my two planter pots. They have fake xmas trees in them right now but in the spring they will be back on my deck. Last year I grew cherry tomatoes in them and they did really well. This year I think I'll find a spot in my garden for the tomatoes and grow annual herbs in the pots.

This is a planter box on my deck. It is on the west side of my house, so it only gets afternoon and evening sunshine. I grew coleus and impatians in it last year and they did great. Same plans for this year.

This is where my hanging baskets go. There are four of them and they are all watered by timer metered drip irrigation. This is the bomb and I plan on setting up all my garden and deck planters on timed drip irrigation. It is cheap and takes the work of watering completely out of the equation. Last year I grew wave petunias and impatians in my hanging baskets. These are on the north side and under an overhang, so they didn't get enough sunlight for the petunias. I'll be going with more impatians this year.

This is my favorite container for growing flowers. My grandma Kate gave it to me right before she passed away. It sits right next to the front door and is in pretty much full shade. I grew blood red impatiens and three different kinds of coleus in it last year and it looked great. I think I'll do the same again this year. It is set up on the same drip irrigation system as the hanging baskets.

I hope this gives you guys some ideas for the spring. You really can grow a lot of healthy food and beautiful flowers in small spaces.

Posted by: boilermaker

O.K., in order to work towards self sufficiency, you have to be organized, right? Well my garage is a freakin' disaster area right now and my kitchen stuff doesn't really have a home. I'm addressing that this month. A friend of mine ran across a great deal last week. A store was going out of business and it displayed all of its goods on slatwall. We were able to buy all the slatwall from the store for $10 a sheet

. What a steal!!! It sells for $40-$60 bucks a sheet new. We also got all the hanging hardware for $100. Four of us divided the stuff and I got 6 sheets of slatwall and two tubs of hanging hardware for myself. I'm going to build some custom shelving, like I mentioned in a prior post as well. Here are some pics of the slatwall and my disastorous garage:

Posted by: grant

Nice and tidy.

Posted by: b_reed23

what?? no new updates and tips???????

Posted by: boilermaker

Hey B

. Not a lot of interest here, but the season is fast aproaching. My garage should be done in a week or two and then we can focus on the season ahead. My little herb pots and onions were a disaster. I put them over a heating duct, and I thing the fluctuation in temp fried my seedlings. Live and learn

Posted by: CowPimp

Looks like you have a lovely home there. Good luck on your botany project.

Posted by: KentDog

An insane amount of good info here, Boilermaker. I really like the watering system setup you have for those hanging pots. When I get my own house, I want to have one of those too. I have always thought about gardening myself in the future, but never knew where to begin. My mom used to plant tomatoes and zucchini. I could see myself doing the same, plus sweet potatoes and brocoli. Herbs are a great idea as well. Hope to pick up some more tips from your journal.

Posted by: P-funk

holy mother that garage is big!!

I would have an olympic platform with bumper playes, a power rack and a glute ham raise.

If the garage is that big the yard must be big too...I would get a sled for dragging, a big tire to flip and an atlast stone and some farmers walk carries.

but that's just me.

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by KentDog

An insane amount of good info here, Boilermaker. I really like the watering system setup you have for those hanging pots. When I get my own house, I want to have one of those too. I have always thought about gardening myself in the future, but never knew where to begin. My mom used to plant tomatoes and zucchini. I could see myself doing the same, plus sweet potatoes and brocoli. Herbs are a great idea as well. Hope to pick up some more tips from your journal.

Gardening is fun and rewarding. Plus, it puts a lot of good, healthy food on the table during the warm months. That drip system is nothing. I just got the parts to add 4 valves to my sprinkler system so I can drip all my flower and vegetable beds. I will detail this later in the journal, but I've got to finish the garage before I start that project.

Posted by: boilermaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-funk

holy mother that garage is big!!

I would have an olympic platform with bumper playes, a power rack and a glute ham raise.

If the garage is that big the yard must be big too...I would get a sled for dragging, a big tire to flip and an atlast stone and some farmers walk carries.

but that's just me.

It's just a three stall! 2 stalls for the cars and one for the rest of the junk. It's never big enough. The bigger it gets, the more junk you get.

The yard is hilly and their is a swamp in back. You could have a field day with amphibious strong man training, P

Posted by: b_reed23

I don't think we are going to have a garden this year!! Not enough time, and we still have plenty canned from last year

If anyone wants some purple iris tubers let me know....I had about 500 of them given to me last year, and they are planted everywhere

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