Riot for Austerity – Months 23-28

The last month for which I calculated our Riot was August 2010. That was month 22, so the calculation here will include the last two months of our Second Year of Rioting. Our first year’s averages were calculated here, our second year’s averages can be found here. Gasoline. I haven’t been able to calculate in our trip to India (wish …

Riot for Austerity – Year Two

The last month for which I calculated our Riot was August 2010 (month 22). In the meantime the Riot site has been taken down and bought by a link farm. That means the calculator is gone too. The Riot Yahoo-group has looked into restarting it, or at least putting the calculator up, but it hasn’t …

A Ginger Day: Candied Ginger

It’s snowing again, a driving powdery snow that has already accumulated to 2-3 inches. Inside the fire roars, Shubert delights, as does the smell of ginger. I was surprised by how cheap this fresh ginger root was ($1.99 a pound), but then when I started peeling and cutting it, it all made sense.  This ginger …

New Life!

It’s time again! I turned on the heat mat below and the shop lights above, inserted four flats with an assortment of seeds, and two days later had tiny collards and lettuce. Can you spot them? Germinating at present: lettuces of all kinds, collards, kale, spinach, scallions, onions, chives, mizuna, mache, claytonia, chard, celery, celeriac, brussels …

Bush and Other Orders Happening

Ah, I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much on plants in my life. I just put a couple of orders through. Berry bushes and vines 1 Johns Elderberry 1  Adams Elderberry 1  Witch Hazel 50 Honeoye Strawberry 2 Bluebell Grapes 3 Island Belle Grapes (Campbell’s Early) 3 Marechal Foch grapes 1 Vaccinium vitis-idaea Red …

Fermented Soda: On to the Third Attempt, and Plans

Amie walks on top of three feet of snow Well, my ginger, chamomile and berry soda was a bust. It never fermented. But it did grow hair! Good for the compost, this one. I got right back on the horse and added the next ginger bug in line (there’s always one brewing)  to a simple wort …

First Hive Opening and Feeding the Bees Sugar Fondant

I waited impatiently for that “warm” day when I can go out to the hive and do a quick inspection. 40-45 F is the minimum advised temperature at which you can open the cover, have a very quick look, deposit any food on top of the bars, and close it up. No more. In preparation …