Also, tell DH he can pee in a jar inside if he wants and pour it on the heap! That's what I do.

Or put up a privacy screen?

Hi Lori! Any updates?

Phew. What a week and weekend! Babysitting, picnic, Memorial Day stuff. I backslide in the homesteading practice by using my laundry dryer. If I didn't, hubby would have to wear a wet work shirt in the morning!

There seems to be compost additions on a daily basis. The picnic prep added corn cob, strawberry hulls, cucumber peelings.

I am thinking about taking the recently containered plants and putting them in the ground to let their roots sprawl. From past experience, I know that basil, tomatoes and rosemary can really do well and spread!

Because I'm busy launching my first title, I don't have a lot of time or attention to homestead this week. But these are Week Two goals:

1. Make solar cooker.
2. Make a master grocery list that excludes as many packaged or prepared items as possible. I will list it here.

Lori, i totally want to see your grocery list. I think a lot of people could learn from something like that. I know I would!

What kind of solar cooker do you have in mind to make? What materials will you be using?

I've been told a mirror placed near my solar panel would be helpful for its input. Which is not really related to the solar cooker idea unless you are going to be using mirrors. But i know people use car screen shades and aluminum foil quite readily too.

I was thinking about your composting. I do not want to dampen your enthusiasm!! I love your zeal in making compost and it IS hugely fun. I love composting! Though i did want to mention the trade offs for spending "money" to make compost. If you are buying sawdust or mulch, it decreases the frugality of the endeavor some. I get additives like browns for free everywhere: there is always stuff blowing around. Bags of leaves from the neighbors, pine needles from the forest, dried weeds from empty lots, even newspaper wastes. I found a free supply of shredded bark from a landscaping place just down my street.

Also, if you are using your food processor for grinding food wastes, that is an electrical expense that takes you back a little more in frugality. I know you know all this, but it's worth pointing out for people to be mindful of how you make your compost.

The food and wastes will rot on their own, in any combination, with or without turning or watering or adding air or measuring temps. What these things do is speed up the process! In my mind, I have nothing but time, and I want to get something for nothing.

At one time I wanted to get a shredding machine to shred my paper to put in my compost. Then I realized 1. the paper would decompose anyway, shredded or not and 2. it was silly to use electricity for something that doesn't need it. It was just my perfectionism talking. All these books talk about making perfect compost....whereas the reality is nature will do it without us just fine, only on her own time table. it's been going on since the dawn of time.

Hi Jilly. What a time I've been having the past two weeks! Sort of derailed my homesteading efforts. But you're keeping me focused and I so appreciate that.

I did not see the irony of buying straw to add to my "compost" heap! LOL. That's the suburbanite in me. Okay so I will not "buy" composting items. I am not getting a lot of leaf drop now that it is spring but I can make do without adding browns to the heap.

We transferred our container vegetables into the ground and we potted/propagated some plumeria.

While our next step is not very frugal OR natural, but it is green as in eco-friendly: we opted to have artificial grass installed in our front and backyards. The city reported that doing so would save over 22,000 gallons of water each year. We'll still have planting areas around the perimeter of the yards plus plenty of containers. Our Japanese maple, avocado, lemon and orange trees still will add a lot of oxygen to the environment in place of the grass. The bermuda variety of grass went dormant all fall and winter anyway and was such an eyesore.

As for the solar cooker, I didn't feel rushed to assemble it because the weather has been so overcast. But I am using cardboard, aluminum foil, glass, black tape and black paint. That is all. This set-up was simple although it doesn't last long. But I have all the materials. I cook in a black pot with a black lid.

Uh oh, and on another back-slide...my DH wants to take out the clothesline on the side of the house. He has always detested it, saying it looks trashy. What does he have against clothes on a clothesline? It looks so fresh and natural to me!

I can install a line in the garage since it's hot here in So. Cal and the wet laundry will dry instead of mildew.

As for my master grocery list, this is what I buy on a regular basis. And I've begun to buy from bulk bins for reduced packaging. My family loves cereals so I'm going to try to make my own cereals to satisfy them. Or buy bulk granolas. I usually make my own salad dressings since we have a lemon tree in our backyard and nothing beats a fresh citrus vinaigrette! It also makes the perfect Caesar salad dressing.

Dairy: Milk, heavy whipping cream, butter, eggs, cheeses
Oils: Vegetable oil, olive oil
Grains: Oatmeal, whole wheat flour, flour,barley, rices (basmati, brown, jasmine, etc.)
Legumes, nuts and seeds: Lentils, split peas, nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, etc.) beans
Canned goods: Tomatoes, chickpeas
Condiments: Mayonnaise (I've made my own but manufactured mayo has a longer shelf-life than homemade.) Mustard, ketchup, worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, miso paste, honey
Herbs, spices and cooking/baking staples: Salt, pepper, sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, bay leaf), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
Fresh fruit: Bananas and whatever is in season
Fresh vegetables: Onions, garlic, carrots, celery, spinach, bell peppers and whatever is in season (I'm growing fresh basil, sage, four types of tomatoes, peppers, squash.)

With this list, I can eliminate a heck of a lot of packaged foods, either in ready-to-eat form or mixes:

Breads and sweet breads: biscuits, breads, tortillas, pancakes, waffles, crepes, muffins, cupcakes/cakes, cookies, pies.

Cereals: Granola, oatmeal, rice cereal

Packaged dressings: Ranch dressing, fresh citrus vinaigrette dressings, fresh fruit jams

Pastas and pasta sauces: Marinara, Alfredo, Primavera types, Roasted garlic, homemade pastas of all types including ravioli, lasagna and fettucini, gnocchi, spaetzle (thanks to Francine-German Culture who showed me how!) Also, pizza.

In the past, I used to buy a lot of canned and packaged items to save time. And coupons would make me think I was saving $$. I still buy more packaged items that I would like to admit but if I can stop, it would be good for not only our environment and pocketbook but for our health since most of the packaged items are junk foods like chips, ice cream, sodas, etc. I can be an impulse buyer when I've got a craving!

One of my goals is to have on hand, ready-to-eat healthful, homemade snacks like kale chips and roasted chickpeas. Popcorn.

I am moving toward serving fruit, vegetables and proteins for dinner. Low carbs. Of course, as a carb lover that is hard but I will persevere!

Very little packaging when grilling meats, poultry and seafood to serve with veggies and fruit. But to keep controls on the meat consumption, I do make bean type dishes like falafel or black bean burgers. Vegetarian chili. Main dish soups and salads with beans, cheese or tofu.

Lori, i think your commitment to buying less packaging is commendable. I feel like I am always handling 'waste' products around here. Always trying to figure out how to recycle, reuse and compost everything. It never ends. It would just be so much easier to not bring packaging home in the first place!

What are you using to store your bulk foods in?

Phew. What a wild past few weeks! Haven't been able to do much as far as homesteading.

Anyway, my bulk items get tossed into the freezer (to keep out bugs like weevils, etc.) or stored in a large glass or plastic container. I don't buy huge amounts at any given time to avoid staleness.

My compost heap is doing very well! As I turn it, I can see that the food scraps have decomposed quickly due to the water, sun, heat from the cover and a bit of urine.

I am hanging my laundry as much as possible. I will talk my son into stringing a clothes rod inside my garage. Don't want my clothes to fade in the harsh sunlight, and there's plenty of dry heat in the garage.

Am saving toilet paper tubes to craft some treat-filled "firecrackers" for my nieces.

Oh, I'm finishing the last lay-out tweaks for my ebook called, "Just One Chicken: Four meals for four people out of one chicken."