I've decided to start looking at frugal living options this Friday... I don't promise a return of this as I do tend to be easily distracted and may forget....

Right now it would seem that the media is telling us that frugality is the new American past-time, but I would encourage everyone to look at what your family's needs are and look to meet them.  We can't all do go the same path in life and what works for me, may not work for you.

One thing we do is to grow our own food.  We have 2 small raised beds at our house, and a larger garden (actually massive) at my parent's house.  We grow things to preserve them in the form of canning or freezing.  This time of year our menu is due heavily to what is in season in the garden as it saves on grocery bills.

Today I went and worked a bit in the big garden at my parent's house.  This is a garden that can supply way more than the 6 people it currently does, and I have to admit to being rather lazy about its upkeep.  But I did make it today, and I took care of some weeds and also got to do some picking.

We are in zone 7 where we live and have a long hot growing season.  We planted some potatoes in March and today I dug them all.  In my row I probably have enough now to last until Christmas...  I have them stored in the air-conditioned part of my basement in a large cardboard box so that there is plenty of air circulating.  They are in a dark, cool place.

I also picked some of the green beans.  The 1/2 runners were ready and I was able to prepare 8 quarts to freeze and 1 quart to eat now.  Green beans require pressure canning, if they are to be canned, and I'm not ready to go there yet, so I freeze mine.  The 1/2 runners don't have 'strings' so you only need to remove the ends.  I break mine into large pieces, and rinse them.  I then blanch them on the stovetop.  To do this I get a large pot of water boiling and put in a quart or so of beans for 3 minutes.  I then remove them and put them into a cold water bath (usually with a couple of ice cubes) to cool quickly.  I then put them into a freezer bag* and try to get out as much air as I can before sealing the bag.  Get them into the freezer as quick as possible.  Make sure you label the bag with what is in it and the date that they were prepared.

*For freezer bags I tend to use only 'name' brands like Ziploc, as I've found that store brands don't seem to be as sturdy. 

Freezing is alot easier than canning, but it maybe daunting if you've never done it before.  Even if you don't grow your own, you might find some really good deals on fresh, local produce.  Take advantage of buying a large amount and putting some away for later.

The Ball Blue Book of Preserving is a great resource for canning and freezing just about anything.  It is definitely one to keep on hand.  I found my copy at Walmart for around $5.  You can also check most cookbooks for a freezing/canning section.  They also give tips on times and preparation.

Sources I would recommend for gardening would include Lasagna Gardening or The Self-Sufficient Gardener... both can usually be found at your library.  You don't have to start with a massive plot, but consider buying a couple of large pots and try your hand at growing your own food.