13 Creating a Greenhouse out of Electric Metallic Tubing EMT

Picture of EMT frame, draped with plastic
So how do you grow 365 days a year when you have cold winters? A greenhouse is a big part of that answer. [In fairness, 365 Aquaponics also requires attention to fish selection and plant choice, but that’s for another post.]

The lightbulb went off for me when I saw a video of Michelle Obama’s hoop house garden, at the White House. An evening of internet surfing later, I knew all kinds of information about high tunnels, aka hoop houses.

But a standard hoop house wouldn’t work for me. The typical cross section of a hoop house is a circular arc, 12 feet wide if it’s 6 feet high. Not bad for crops grown in the ground, but murder if my crops are sprouting 3 feet above ground level, as in an aquaponics system that’s wholly installed above the surface of the ground. Besides, all that area at the edges is practically useless for either growing plants or allowing the gardener to walk around.

There are some nice greenhouses available for sale. Harbor Freight has an inexpensive 10’x12’ model that is used by many gardeners. But my townhome community has covenants that limit how tall my backyard structures can stand.

Besides, I wanted to see if I could come up with a sturdy greenhouse someone could build themselves from standard materials available at local hardware stores.

Now that I’ve lived with such a greenhouse for a summer, I prefer a simple hoop house over standard greenhouses. When it gets hot, you can simply remove the plastic from the hoop house for the hot months. If you need shade, drape shade cloth over the hoops. Nature takes care of ventilation and pollination. When the days and nights start cooling, put up the plastic again. 6 mil plastic will be stronger and provide better insulation, but 3 mil plastic lets in more light and still keeps things moderately toasty in the sun.

I used Electric Metallic Tubing (EMT) rather than the more typical PVC pipe because:

• EMT allows me to achieve a precise shape
• EMT is stronger
• EMT won’t break down under UV sunlight the way unpainted PVC does.
• EMT is sold in 10 foot lengths, allowing me to create an arched form that is 8.5 feet wide and around 7 feet tall from just two 10 foot lengths

Pictures (better, moving pictures) are worth thousands of words, so here is a movie showing how to set this up.

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Expanded Shale for Hydroponics and Aquaponics

A little self promotion for my company....

Bigelow Brook Farm is pleased to announce a new partnership with The Aquaponic Source as a distributor for our expanded shale product line. The Aquaponic Source (www.TheAquaponicSource.com) specializes in a wide array of products providing complete solutions for the North American home aquaponic gardener. Along with their on-line store, they also provide an active and free community site filled with a vast array of aquaponic discussion topics and information for both novice and experienced users at www.AquaponicsCommunity.com. “We are extremely excited to be working with Bigelow Brook Farm and offer expanded shale to the aquaponic and hydroponic gardening communities. Finally there is a US based grow media with optimal growing properties!” says Sylvia Bernstein, President of The Aquaponic Source. “We think this will become a core component in the rapidly expanding soil-less growing market in North America.”

For more information about Expanded Shale, please visit our web site at www.BigelowBrook.com or www.ExpandedShale.com.

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Semi Automatic Chicken Feeder for Under 20

Here is the latest addition Todd made to our chicken coop.  The semi-automatic feeding system.  We had a difficult time trying to come up with a name for it because its not automatic, but it sure does make things easier for us.  Our chickens are the sweetest chickens in this whole world, but they can get a bit crazy when their food dish is empty.  No more walking in the coop and filling the tiny feeder that we had, and this one is much cleaner.

Here is where we fill it (the pipe comes out right by the nest boxes):

This video runs through the build process for this simple feeder design and also shows it in action. The feeder should hold enough food for 2-3 days and will cut down on the amount of time spent cleaning out and filling the smaller feeder. This is also much better than the feeders that sit on the ground as they get full of dirt quickly.  We made the mistake of thinking their dish was full of food on several occasions, but it was full of sand instead.

The 4" drainage piping used for this project is much cheaper than the 4" schedule 40 PVC. The fittings for the drainage pipe are also much cheaper keeping the cost of this project under $20.





This post was shared at:  Simple Saturdays Blog Hop, HomeAcre Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, The Homestead Barn Hop

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Commercial Aquaponic Systems For Sale DIY and Complete System Kits Easy Setup See Now! Read More!

How to Build Your Own Aquaponics System? See Our Products

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Reasons for Taking Up Aquaponic Farming
Using the numerous scam enterprise plans and systems promising you to resolve all you problems with minimum work and investment, putting your hopes into another, entirely new activity seems unfeasible. Some individuals are significantly less willing to attempt new items for fear of not getting scammed. However, this new aquaponic program is as easy and lucrative since it appears! As soon as youve got tried this type of farming youd by no means desire to visit the industry again! But prior to that, here are some of the causes for which you need to start your mini aquaponic farm.

• Does not call for a large quantity of cash or time - which fundamentally implies that youve got practically practically nothing to drop. What you will want is a couple of containers for the fish along with the vegetables, an oxygenizer for the fish tank and yet another handful of components to finish the developing of the system, all relatively low-cost. As well as that the time needed for maintenance is really low - handful of minutes each and every day. You simply must feed the fish, put the seeds then wait for them to grow and harvest your crops.
• The system is simple to set up and can be placed anywhere in the home or garage, supplied which you have sufficient light for the plants to develop usually. It is possible to do it oneself from beginning till end, so there will be no fees associated together with the installment.
• You can plant virtually all varieties of plants, which means that regardless of what veggies you desire for dinner, you are able to harvest them on the spot, out of your aquaponic garden, with no any hassle. The greatest issue is that they are all all-natural, organic plants that will taste better and be far less expensive than the ones from the industry.
• Last, but not least, you will no longer must pay fortunes to cook your meal with organic ingredients. You will have them all at your hand, with no paying more every single time the oil price tag goes out of manage. You are going to be independent financially and since the method will spend off in no significantly less than a year, the crops and also the fish you will get will probably be just profit. You can use it for you personally or you are able to even sell the crops and make some extra cash. Does this not sound excellent!

There is no need to have to believe every single one particular from the words written right here, just attempt and you will see that this is the plain truth. Aquaponics can modify your life and enable you to have a balanced diet plan the straightforward way!

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Healthful Tilapia Fish Recipes

There are many tilapia fish recipes to select from, each and every providing a slightly distinct flavor and texture. Tilapia is a extremely versatile fish and one of the ideal cooking approaches for this fish is always to bake it.

All baked fish recipes are tasty but tilapia is also quite healthful and higher in nutrients. If youd like to eat a nutritionally balanced diet program, tilapia is a great fish to contain. Its mild in flavor, which signifies youll be able to use powerful sauces, spices, or marinades in the event you wish. Tilapia is accessible all year round and includes a selection of well being positive aspects.

Tilapia is offered in more than one hundred varieties but black and red tilapia would be the most common. Right after cooking, the flesh is completely white. Tilapia could be identified in both saltwater and fresh water as well as the taste is determined by the water kind because tilapia absorbs the flavor in the water where it was raised.

Why Tilapia Fish Recipes are So Healthier

A little portion of tilapia fish consists of 85 calories. A piece of salmon precisely the same size has 158 calories, that is virtually double! Tilapia consists of 1g of fat in comparison to 7.9g of fat inside the identical sized portion of salmon.

Tilapia contains no carbohydrates or fiber. Its low in sodium and a excellent source of phosphorus and niacin. Tilapia can also be a plentiful supply of selenium, protein, and vitamin B12. The only negatives are that it really is really high in cholesterol and doesnt include healthy omega-3 fatty oils but it is possible to make up for this by consuming oily fish including mackerel or salmon after or twice a week too.

Tilapia fish recipe nutrients differ based on how the fish is ready and cooked and what fats or sauces are added. You are able to marinate tilapia but you should only marinate it for any brief time simply because else the proteins is going to be broken down, resulting in mushy fish. Grilling is one more cooking technique despite the fact that tilapia does have a tendency to become thin and small, meaning it tears effortlessly if you are not cautious. It requirements only a few minutes grilling else it might dry out. Tilapia features a delicate taste and suits most seasonings. Grilling can be a healthier way of cooking tilapia. You may need to grill a complete fish with some seasoning added or you might want to marinate it very first.

You can use a baked tilapia recipe as well. You will must add fat by brushing on some oil or melted butter, to make sure the fish remains moist. This sort of fish can dry out simply because theres very small fat content, so employing butter or oil has wonderful benefits.

When utilizing baked fish recipes, youll be able to spot the fish on a bed of onion and celery or bake vegetables alongside it within the same baking dish. You are going to also must add oil or butter when sauting tilapia. Steaming this fish is a healthful approach to prepare it, because no added fats are added.

Cooking Tilapia Fish with Oil

You can saut or bake tilapia in melted butter or oil. In case you favor to make use of oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil are the ideal to utilize, considering that they may be virtually flavorless and will not interfere together with the flavor of the fish. It is possible to use canola oil or olive oil as well however they do contribute taste instead of just becoming utilized to cook the tilapia. Fats are a single of the vital meals groups so preparing tilapia within this way may well be a great selection.

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Suburban Chicken Coop Preventing Freezing Preparing For the Winter

In this video, I show some of the ways that we are keeping the chicken coop warm in the winter including keeping the watering system from freezing. We have had a few days in the 20s here in Michigan so I have had some time to test out the heating system that I have set up and it is working great so far! The watering system that I put together this summer has been working well and it has been so nice not to have to clean out the water!

 

To prevent freezing in the watering system I am using a product called heat tape or heat cable. You can find that product HERE.  All that is required is some electrical tape, duct or foil back tape, pipe insulation, and some zip ties. The installation is pretty straight forward for any piping system. You run the thermostatically controlled heat cable under the pipe you would like to keep from freezing and hold it in place with zip ties or electrical tape. Then wrap the pipe in insulation and cover with foil back or duct tape. The heat cable only turns on when the temp is below 40 degrees and then turns back off once the water is heated up enough. So far this seems to be working great!
 

We have also installed a heat lamp on the inside of the chicken coop to provide a little bit of heat for the chickens as well. They enjoy the light it provides and also some warmth! To control the temperature in the coop we are using a small thermostatically controls outlet. This product is available HERE. This little outlet turns the heat lamp on when the temps gets down to 35 degrees and then warms the coop up to 45 degrees and then shuts off.  We got this idea from someone who commented on one of our videos.  We really appreciate feedback like that!  This saves energy and allows it to automatically keep the temps above freezing inside the coop. I know that the chickens can probably do without the heat but they do seem to enjoy it!

 

 

Next year, I will run more permanent electrical wiring, light sockets, and installing an outlet for the heat cable, but for now I have a extension cord run to the coop from an outdoor outlet on our home. This will work for now but I plan on implementing a more permanent solution.


I hope this helps you with your own coop in some way!


SSL Family Dad

 

 

 

 

 

 

        
 

This post was shared at:  Homestead Barn Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, The HomeAcre Christmas Hop

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Sustainable Organization for Things

Check out this video to see how we are using some items that we have around the house to organize all of those little "things" you collect in a shop. I think I have about 1 million screws, nails, staples, bolts, nuts, washers, fittings, wire nuts, wire, and other random items in my shop that dont really have a home. They tend to sit in a bucket here, a bin there, or a toolbox. One of the most frustrating things that seems to happen to me too often is not being able to find what I need while in the midst of a project. It seems that I wonder around looking for my tools, fittings, screws, and nails for about just as much time as it takes to complete the whole project in the first place!


Many years ago we rented a house from an older gentleman and in the garage he had all of these glass jars hanging from the ceiling. Each jar was filled with a type of screw, nail, nut, bolt, or other item and it was very easy to find what was needed. I wanted to mimic this here on the suburban homestead and use this idea to organize some of my random "things". I also have been sing some old plastic coffee containers to store some of my larger items for awhile and this has also been working very well. I just need to make them look a little bit more like organizers and less like old coffee cans! As I try to get a proper shop setup here in my corner of the garage I have two main goals, make things easy to find and get that reassuring ok from my wife when it comes to aesthetics:) So it is time to turn these old coffee containers into something that looks a little bit nicer and functions better as well.

 

 

I am using the plastic coffee containers from Folgers coffee that were purchased at Walmart. If you purchase this brand at Sams Club you will get an even larger container but I found the Walmart size fits nicely here. The jars that I am using for the smaller items are some pickle jars and some salsa jars. You can use whatever type you normally purchase, just start saving them each week until you have enough to get started. It took us a couple of months to get the jars I am using here and probably about a year to save the coffee containers. If you dont drink coffee ask a friend or family to save them or look for other options in your home.


This was a very easy project and I am very happy with the result. The larger containers are very easy to label and re-label as needed and hold a perfect amount of small fittings, tools, or other "stuff". The glass jars will take me a bit to fill as I still have a pile of "things" to sort, but they are a perfect way to be able to see those items and easily grab a jar and get what you need.

 

 

 

Grab your chalkboard paint here.

 

 

 

 

This post has been shared at:  The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Homestead Barn Hop, Homestead Blog Hop, The HomeAcre Christmas Hop, Front Porch Fridays

 

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Reflections Goals For The Coming Year

I really cant believe 2014 is over, I just cant.  It literally flew by!  I cannot remember a year past that was more memorable or more full of blessings.  We just have so much to be thankful for and we recognize it, especially as weve watched some of our friends and family go through a different kind of season in their lives this year.  Some went through true hardships and our hearts and prayers go out to them.

In just a few short weeks, we will be coming up on our one year anniversary of the aquaponics system.  What started as a Christmas present to each other last year (2013) has just blossomed into so much more.  We first heard of aquaponics when we were at Epcot Center in Disney World three years ago.  We couldnt believe how much faster and bigger their plants were growing, and they didnt need dirt!  We knew we had to at least give it a try.

 

 

We also added chickens to our backyard this year and started this blog.  Sharing our knowledge with the online community has allowed us to invite all of you into our home and our lives.  We are so grateful for the many people who have sent us emails, photos and comments.  It encourages us more than we could ever explain when we see someone building their own aquaponics system or a chicken coop of their very own. 

 

 

We keep a list of our future projects and goals and I thought it might be nice to share, in the spirit of the new year and keeping resolutions.

Our goals for 2015:

1.  Build a rain barrel collection system for chickens and the gardens.
2.  Setup a video live-stream of various areas of the homestead on our site.
3.  Add an outdoor fish pond.  Lovingly being referred to as fish "pond-aponics".
4.  Plant more fruit trees (mini-orchard).
5.  Build a homemade wind generator to power parts of our home.
6.  Build the "Ultimate Worktable" for the garage workshop.
7.  Convert our gas generator to natural gas.
8.  Build a greenhouse.
9.  Build a treehouse for the girls.
10.  Add tilapia to indoor aquaponics system.
11.  Add a curbside library to our front yard (www.littlefreelibrary.org)
12.  Tour and partner with local food pantries and churches already growing with aquaponics and educating those who dont.  (This is a passion of ours, we have already teamed up with one, tour coming soon!)

Phew!  Looks like well have an even busier 2015 but we couldnt be more excited.  Thank you for sharing in our journey!

Blessings,
The SSL Family Mom

This post has been shared at:  Country Fair Blog Hop, HomeAcre Hop

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Thankful For Our Simple Life

To me, Thanksgiving is the beginning of a very special holiday season.  When I think about my childhood, this time of year sticks out to me more than any other.  It’s Thanksgiving and Christmas that we get to see lots of family, play with new babies, and laugh together. 

This Thanksgiving, Todd and I are thankful for our simple life.  When I say “simple” Im not talking about Simple Suburban Living, although we are very thankful we get to share our life with others through this platform.  Simple has nothing to do with anything we do, but rather why we do what we do.  We have purpose now and that purpose drives everything we do.  When you know your purpose, it makes decisions easier.  Simple also doesn’t mean we move and get things done slowly.   In fact, we get more done now because we are passionate about what we do!  We are focused on the most important things instead of a bunch of things that don’t really matter. 

So what really does matter?  Jesus.  Jesus, plain and simple.  Everything else falls into place once you have accepted Jesus into your heart.  You were made so God could love you.  He sent Jesus so He could be with you forever.  Now that we know that, our life has purpose.  Does that mean we’re doing everything perfectly?  No, we know that we are sinners in need of a savior and we are so very thankful God sent us one.  It’s just that simple.

 

 Friends, my hope for you is that you find your purpose, too.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need prayer or have any questions.  My email is sslfamily5@gmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lisa - The SSL Family Mom



 

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Groundbreaking for the dome

After many delays, we finally got the foundation hole dug for the greenhouse. Things should start moving along much quicker now!

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New Baby Chicks Week 6 Not Babies Anymore New Watering System for Coop

Do all of us chicken mamas think our chickens are the best, smartest, and prettiest chickens ever born?  Love must be blind because we really like our chickens a lot.

And our girls even have different colored eyes!  Ours must be eggstra-special (okay, Ill stop).

But seriously, they have been out in their coop now for two weeks and everything has been going extremely well.  No casualties, and they seem very happy. 

Todd also finished the watering system in the chicken coop.

They can access their water outside under the coop.......

....or inside. 

It holds a little over 2 and a half gallons of water, here is where we fill it.  We hope to hook it up to our future rain barrel system one day.


























It took them just a few days to learn how to drink from it. Several times a day, Todd would hold each one and put their beaks up to the chicken nipple, but only when we removed their plastic watering bowl did they finally figure it out. 

Two days ago, they started going into their coop at nighttime on their own.  Up until then, we had to pick up each one and put them in the coop.  That was making me extremely frustrated because they would not go willingly and it would take the girls twenty minutes each night to get them in.  It was mad chicken/children chaos every night at bedtime.   The neighbor kids would even get in on it, too.  Needless to say, were VERY glad that instinct finally kicked in. 

If only we could convince the kids to go to bed on their own........






This post has been shared at:  The Homestead Barn Hop, The HomeAcre Hop, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Simple Saturdays Blog Hop

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3rd Party film by FairCompanies

Film maker Kirsten Dirksen produces videos on sustainability and better living and stopped by our place when she heard about the Aquaponic setup. Heres a video she put together about it.

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Why Everyone Always Has Room For Dessert

Ive been a stay-at-home mom now for about two and a half years.  When I worked, I never really thought of myself as a cook but more of an assembler.  I bought pre-packaged meals, processed food and lots and lots of frozen food.  We also had carry-out several times a week as well.  With me being home and not working, that way of life just wasnt sustainable anymore.  We spent almost three times the amount on food each month that were spending now and I cook all of our meals at home now.  I went from dreading cooking to actually enjoying it.  I love it that I can help us save money, and at the same time, provide my family with healthier food.  I get great satisfaction from cooking now, and to be honest, its shocking to me that I cook almost every single one of our meals from scratch.  If my friends and family are surprised, I would have to agree with them.  It really surprises the heck out of me, too, that Im cooking as much as I am now.

With all that said, my dear children finally solved a great mystery for me.  Ive always wondered why, even though they are completely stuffed full with dinner (yeah right), they ALWAYS have room for dessert.  My girls explained to me that their stomachs have a "dinner side" and a "dessert side".  Can you believe it?  All these years Ive been starving their poor dessert sides.  Because it took all I had just to put dinner on the table for the past couple years, I rarely made them anything for dessert.  Their "poor" little tummies.  Although not the most accurate explanation, it got me thinking.  And I decided it was finally time to start including a dessert into my dinner plans. 

And not just once in awhile, I wanted dessert to be required just like their vegetables. 

You see, everybody LOVES dessert.  Its special.  It is always the highlight on those rare occasions when we get to eat out.  Dessert tastes GOOD.  I want my girls to remember how special it is when we all sit down for dinner together.  I want them to know how special they are to us.  I want to create memories and traditions they will want to share with their own families someday. 

About three weeks ago, I told everyone we were going to have dessert after every dinner.  I cannot tell you just what that small change has done to our dinnertime.  Everyone, including me, looks forward to that special treat afterwards.  And its a great motivator to get everyone in the "clean plate club", especially our three year-old.  It has also given me the opportunity to venture out and try new recipes Ive never tried before. 

Some of our favorites that are super easy to make:

Ice Cream
Apple Crisp
Cinnamon Rolls
Cookies
Frozen Organic Blueberries and Milk
Greek Yogurt with Granola

After only three weeks, I think this tradition is a keeper.  And desserts can be healthier if you try to keep them organic and made from scratch.  To make it easier, I also try to make enough to feed us for a few days.  No one ever complains when we have dessert leftovers!

This post has been shared at:  HomeAcre Hop, Homestead Blog Hop, Country Fair Blog Hop

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Buying Essential Oils for Our Very First Time

A week and a half ago, I received the first bottles of essential oils I have ever owned in my entire life.  Never used them, never tried them, ever.  A very good friend of mine from high school uses doTERRA oils and had been contacting me to attend one of her classes where she teaches people how to use them.  I had been meaning to pick some up ever since the summer when I started making homemade laundry soap.  If you recall, I picked up a pickle bucket from a local pizzeria.  I thought it might be nice to scent the soap with some lavender or citrus to help combat the dill that still lingers in my bucket. 

Well, I never made it to one of my friends classes.  I seem to have a really hard time with stuff like Mary Kay, jewelry parties, candle parties, you know places where you feel obligated to buy something even if you dont want to?  I always end up buying something and then regretting it because it was either too expensive or something I never really needed or ended up using.  I honestly thought essential oils would turn out the same way.  I wanted to try them, but didnt really NEED them, and was doing just fine without them. 

So, to be a good friend to my friend, I decided to buy some oils from her.  But I didnt know what to buy because I really didnt know anything about them.  And I dont like to waste money so I did my homework on what oils to spend my money on.  A couple days, LOTS of articles, and several YouTube videos later, I made my decision on what to purchase.  Before I tell you what I ended up buying, let me tell you a little about what I learned.

First of all, I learned that I really didnt know ANYTHING about essential oils!  I thought they were something to make things like soaps and lotions smell good.  And thats about all I knew.  But what I learned was they are actually capable of doing so much more. 

Essential oils are the aromatic compounds found in roots, plants, trees, flowers and fruits.  Yes, they do smell good but these aromatic compounds actually protect and are vital to the plant, and they each have their own unique qualities that can benefit our own health as well.  The best part is, theyre pure and 100% natural.  Getting our home and the foods we eat as chemical-free as possible is something we have been passionate about, so this seemed right up our alley.  The more I learned about essential oils, the more excited I got!  When I read a clinical trial study on essential oils, I was SOLD.  Essential oils actually have the ability no antibiotic or medicine has.  They have the ability to pass through a cells membrane and fight off viruses! 

So before I ever even put an oil on my body or smelled one with my nose, I knew this was something my family needed.  Do you ever JUST KNOW something is right for you, that deep down inside you know youre making the right decision?  Essential oils just fit our family, they embody everything were about......and God made them, not a chemist.  That alone was more than enough for me.

With confidence, I texted my friend and told her we wanted the Home Essentials Kit.  It came with ten bottles of oils, a free bottle of Frankincense, a wholesale membership, and a diffuser. 

We know there isnt a magic pill or oil that can heal years and years of a poor diet, lack of exercise and loads of chemicals our bodies were never designed to handle.  I promise to be completely honest about our experiences with these oils, and hopefully our stories will help you on your own wellness journey as well. 

Here are a few of the resources I reviewed before making my first purchase.  I have others, so please just ask if you want more.  I found its not easy finding good, credible information on them.

 

 

And here is a website that serves as a great resource on how best to use your oils.  I found it very helpful and informative: 

http://www.everythingessential.me/

 

 

Please let me know what you think.  Do you use oils?  Which are your favorites?  Id love to hear your stories. 



This post has been shared at:  Homestead Barn Hop, Homestead Blog Hop, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, The HomeAcre Christmas Hop, Front Porch Friday


 

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Garbage 201 Non Plastic Alternatives For Around The Kitchen

 

It all started with the Paper or Plastic? debate.  A couple months ago, we decided it was time to purge items containing plastic from our home.  We also decided that its pretty much impossible, so we prioritized and started with the area of our home where food is stored & prepared.  While we know its a never-ending battle, Im happy to say we did find some great non-plastic alternatives to use around our kitchen and food.

After we recycled our plasticware, the SSL Family Dad and I took a trip to some of our local thrift shops.  We just love utilizing thrift shops for a number of reasons.  First of all, they are way cheaper than buying brand-new.  But I also love buying second-hand items that didnt end up in a landfill somewhere.  And they are almost always locally owned and we always try to support local businesses as much as we can.  So thankfully, we found some stainless steel spatulas and glassware for 60 cents for each item.

After we brought our pre-owned haul home from the thrift shops, we set a budget and hopped online to find non-plastic replacement items for our kitchen.  We had a couple rules of thumb to follow.  First, no plastic parts (as much as possible).  And secondly, try to find items made in the USA (unfortunately this was extremely difficult). 

We also learned how to use some items we already have a little differently.  And after two months of using these items, I can honestly say we are still very happy with each purchase we made.  Heres what we found.

Food Storage



Instead of plastic storage containers, which we had tons of, we now use Mason jars and glass storage containers.  I have always hated the fact that you cant use canning lids again, so this is a great way to reuse your lids.  And although these Pyrex glass storage containers do have plastic lids, they almost never come in contact with our food.

School Lunches

School lunches were a little challenging for us.  We pack the girls school lunches everyday in reusable lunch boxes, but every piece of food we packed was almost always wrapped in plastic or put in a plastic container of some sort.  Thankfully, we found some nice alternatives to use. 

These stainless steel containers work perfectly for sandwiches.  We just love these containers.

We also found these waxed paper bags.  We are amazed at how much food can fit into each bag, they are definitely big enough to hold a large sandwich. 

Since we no longer buy water in single-use plastic water bottles, the girls take stainless steel reusable water bottles to school.  The only problem is the spout is still plastic.....still hunting for that perfect water bottle.


Before we move on to more replacement items, let me just remind you again why we are choosing to downscale on plastic.  EVERY SINGLE piece of plastic that has ever been created and thrown away is still in existence today.  It does not decompose.  It leaches chemicals into our food, bodies and animals.  It is also cheaper, faster and easier to make.  And Lord knows, anything that comes easy and cheap aint ever good for us.  Okay, moving on......


Food Preparation

We just love, love, LOVE our new stainless steel measuring cups and measuring spoons.

And these silicone spatulas are my first experience with silicone and they are wonderful.  They have a steel core so they are very sturdy.  There are also coated with silicone with zero seams so there are no cracks or crevices for food to get stuck in. 

 

 

 

 

These stainless steel bowls are stackable and the sizes are all perfect for our needs.

 

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Here are some very well-made, heavy-duty stainless steel items (whisk, grater, & spatula) that we just love using everyday.  The spatula is just gorgeous, so shiny I didnt want to use it!  They all clean easily and the handles are sturdy and do not bend. 

 

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And here is part of our cast iron cookware from The Lodge.  We love our cast iron especially this brand because its family-owned, made in the USA and a great price.

 

 

Our new cutting board is also made in the USA and especially beautiful when freshly oiled.  I love keeping it out on the counter.   This picture doesnt do it justice, trust me.

 

 

We also included something fun for the kids that they just love, these stainless steel straws.  They use them almost every single day.  I wash them in the dishwasher, but they come with a long brush to clean them with, too.

 

 

 

And last but not least, our favorite purchase is our new coffee pot.  The entire inside is stainless steel.  No plastic parts touching hot water.  The other non-plastic coffee pot options were just way too expensive for us. 

This pot contains a stainless steel filter and included several paper filters that fit this model with an order form to order more filters.  But we found our regular coffee pot filters fit just perfectly, we just have to pop a hole in them which is done very easily.  This saved us money because their filters were a bit more expensive.

I hope this article doesnt give anyone the impression were too good for plastic.  Or worse, too good to visit our friends and family who cook with plastic spatulas.  We still have plastic items in our kitchen that we use everyday, lots of it.  Most of our groceries come in plastic.  The choice to be conscious about plastic is one weve decided to make for our family, and if our story inspires you, or the information helps you on your journey, awesome.  Please, please let us know if you have any suggestions on these items or any others.  Your comments are always welcome and appreciated!



"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"  Romans 14:17



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