Too Many Bills or Not Enough Income?

If you've been with me awhile you know that I used to write frequently on the subject of personal finance. I've broadened my scope lately but this guest post by Tisha Tolar brings me back to my roots! Thanks Tisha!

Any consumer operating their personal finances without a budget is likely missing out on a lot of valuable information about their financial security. Without a budget, not only are consumers not sure if they have too many expenses, they are also in doubt about their income. Not knowing if you make enough money from your job can be detrimental to your financial future because it is likely your expenses will keep increasing while your income stays the same. This is certainly not a situation you want to find yourself in if you are already living paycheck to paycheck.

By establishing a budget, you will get a great visual of what exactly is going on in your life. If you are often short of cash and find it hard to meet all of your financial obligations each month, a budget can help you get back on track and see where you are lacking. One area where you may be lacking is at work. Many debtors mistakenly think that by cutting back on expenses, they can make ends meet more easily. However, after establishing a budget, those debtors soon realize it is in the income department where they are falling short.

Too Little Income

Analyzing your income is important. Since many people work to support their financial needs and not just for fun, it can be devastating to learn that you are not making enough money to support yourself. For people who are not particularly forward, asking for an increase in pay can be hard, but it is a necessary evil. Check out the Department Labor for your area and find out what the average salary rate is for the job title that most closely resembles what you do at work. If your salary comes in under the average for your region, consider talking to your boss about a raise.

Before scheduling an appointment to discuss an increase, you should ensure that your work performance does merit a better salary. If you can honestly say that you give your job 100%, go in to the boss prepared to stick to your guns. If your employer is not going to grant you higher pay, it may be time to consider a new job. When you secure a job interview, keep the salary figure that works with your budget in the back of your mind. While money is only one factor to consider when accepting a new job, do not just accept any offer for money. Be ready to negotiate based on the amount you need to meet your financial obligations each month. Since you've established a budget and done your salary research, you should have a much clearer idea of what you should be bringing home, which will make living on your paycheck a much more comfortable situation.

Too Many Bills

Part of the process of creating a budget is tracking how much money you are spending. By having a list of all the money you are putting out each month on one sheet of paper, you may be surprised to see how much you are really spending. You should begin to understand immediately why you never have any extra cash to put in the bank. Start prioritizing what expenses are necessities (electricity, mortgage) and which can be eliminated (cable, dining out). A good budget is always a work in process so you should keep on ditching what is not feasible for your financial security each month. A good budget is also a reasonable one. You should be able to deduce which bills can be lowered or eliminated completely and create a plan to eliminate unnecessary debts as fast as possible.

Tisha Tolar is a writer for DebtFreeDestiny.com, where she provides information about credit card consolidation, debt relief and how to get out of debt.

If you'd like to guest post on SimplyForties, drop me a line!

Buckeye Chickens: Ode to a Heritage Breed

(One of the grand dames of the flock. Note her pale legs.)

When I first decided to get chickens I wanted what I refer to as a "boutique" flock; several different breeds, chosen for how much I liked their look. It's a fun way to indulge an interest in chickens and it makes it a lot easier to tell the birds apart! I also wanted a free-range flock. I soon discovered that some breeds are better at free-ranging than others. In Texas I realized, with the birds I had chosen and the area where I lived, that wasn't ever going to be possible.

When I moved to Virginia I took a little more scientific approach to choosing a breed. I decided what traits were important to me and began to do my research into which breed would best fill my need. Along the way I discovered heritage breeds. Commercial food production requires animals that can be brought to market quickly in a strictly controlled environment. Not all animals thrive under those conditions and the traits that make them unique are being bred out in favor of those that better suit commercial requirements. As an example, the ability and inclination to successfully forage for their feed, mate naturally, sit on a nest of eggs until hatch and raise babies are not important characteristics in a commercial setting. Meeting the requirements for commercial egg and meat production has resulted in the extinction and near-extinction of many of the individual breeds of chickens and other livestock that used to be commonplace. Genetic diversity is critical for the continuation of our food supply and as we lose genetic diversity, we lose our ability to adapt to environmental changes.



Heritage breeds, as defined by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, are Standard breeds of chickens as defined by the American Poultry Association that are naturally mating, long-lived, and slow growing. The ALBC maintains a list of endangered livestock breeds and I decided that I wanted to be part of saving a critically endangered breed of chicken. I wanted birds that could successfully free-range and were good predators but still fairly friendly and easy to handle. I wanted dual-purpose birds, meaning good for meat as well as eggs. I also wanted larger birds that were fairly self-sufficient. Through my research I discovered the Buckeye.

Buckeyes were developed by Mrs. Nettie Metcalf of Warren, Ohio, and appropriately named after the "Buckeye State." Buckeyes are unique in the American Class of chickens in that it is the only breed created entirely by a woman. Mrs. Metcalf started by breeding a Buff Cochin male to Barred Plymouth Rock females. This produced what she considered a large, lazy fowl. The next year she purchased a Black-Breasted Red Game male and crossed this male over the half cochin pullets. This cross produced several red offspring and from there she developed the breed. It is interesting to note that her creation predated the introduction of Rhode Island Reds into the mid-west. In 1902 Mrs. Metcalfe exhibited a pair in the Cleveland, Ohio poultry show as Buckeyes. In color the Buckeye is unique. The color of the Buckeye is darker than that of the original Rhode Island Red (later, the Rhode Island Red was bred for a shade of color even darker than the Buckeye). The Buckeye has a slate colored bar in the undercolor (fluff) of its back; the Rhode Island Red’s feathers should be red to the skin. Both breeds share the trait of tight feathering – unique in the American Class of poultry.


(One of the cockerells looking, well, cocky! These guys were born in May. He's got rooster written all over him!)

Buckeyes also have a personality all their own. They are a very active fowl and are noted for being especially vigilant in the pursuit of mice, some breeders comparing them to cats in regard to this ability. They tend to have very little fear of humans and are possibly too friendly, although some males may show a little aggression during breeding season. They also seem to lack the tendency to feather-pick each other. The males emit a full range of sounds beyond those typical of many other chicken breeds, including a dinosaur-like roar! These birds sounded like just the breed I'd been seeking.

Now that I'd found my breed I had to find some birds. People with mixed flocks tend to produce mixed offspring, either accidentally or intentionally in an effort to come up with new colors and configurations. I wanted to buy from someone who was interested in breed conservation and had been breeding to further the traits that are unique to the Buckeye. During my search I came across the ALBC's breeder directory and contacted a couple of breeders within easy travel distance. One of the breeders I contacted just happened to be the Research and Technical Programs Manager for ALBC. I knew she was taking the breed seriously! After corresponding for several weeks she hooked me up with another Buckeye breeder whose flock she had recently evaluated. They set some birds aside for me so now I just had to collect them.


(Checking out the new digs.)

I scrambled to get the chicken side of my poultry building ready and made arrangements to pick up my new flock, which was located about an hour south of Greensboro, NC. The Central Carolina Fair was taking place in Greensboro last week so I stopped by on my way down. I arrived at 4:00 pm to find nine beautiful, healthy birds waiting for me. Two immature roosters, which are called cockerels, three immature hens, which are called pullets and four laying hens expressed their displeasure at being pulled out of their pens and loaded into the back of my car. We arrived back at the farm at 9:00 pm. I pulled the chickens out of my "car coop" and into their new home, locked the door and left them to settle in.

Even though I've only had them a couple of days, I'm convinced I made the right decision. I spent a good deal of time with them yesterday, fine-tuning the coop setup and found them curious and alert as opposed to nervous and flighty. None of the birds displayed any signs of aggression towards me and soon settled down, keeping an eye on me, and went about their chicken business.

I'll keep them in their coop for about a week to ensure they identify it as "home" before turning them out to free-range during the day. The guineas will follow suit in a few weeks. It'll be interesting to see how they interact!


(Eyeing a watermelon treat. They gobbled the melon right down!)

I'm thrilled to have my Virigina flock in place at last. I feel good that I am playing a part in conserving a critically endangered piece of American livestock history. The fact that this is the only breed of poultry that was developed by a woman is the icing on the cake! I had my first homegrown egg for dinner last night. Life is good!

Are you interested in finding out what you can do to help preserve threatened livestock breeds? Check with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Pan-seared Pork Medallions with Reisling and Apples

It's September, the apples are ripe and it's the perfect time to incorporate them into your savory dishes. Add reisling to the dish and to your glass!




TOTAL TIME: 50 MIN SERVES: 6

ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
3 Golden Delicious apples--peeled, halved, cored and cut into eighths
1 tablespoon canola oil
Two 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound pork tenderloins, each cut into 6 medallions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup Late Harvest Riesling
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth

directions

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Stir in the brown sugar, then add the apples in a single layer and cook until golden brown and tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

2. In another large skillet, heat the canola oil over moderately high heat. Season the pork medallions generously with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a serving platter and keep warm.

3. Add the Riesling to the second skillet and cook over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until the sauce reduces slightly, about 12 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add the apples and cook over moderately low heat until warmed through. Pour the apples and sauce over the pork and serve.

This recipe is from the fine chefs at Food and Wine Magazine.

The Guineas Are In Their Coop!

(Guineas, with the ladder to the perch in the foreground.)

After what seemed like forever, last Thursday I moved the guinea fowl into their new coop! I set myself a goal of using materials scrounged from the various junk-filled outbuildings on this property. Uneven scraps of material going up in a crooked building; it was a lot tougher going than I ever imagined. The people on this farm saved everything and that coop is an homage to 70’s rec rooms. There are three different types of paneling, including one beige style with brown flowers. There are two different patterns of sheet vinyl including a white one with blue flowers and all sorts of scrap lumber. Flimsy plastic faux shutters from the trash heap in the barn now adorn the ceiling. That is my favorite example of adaptive reuse from this project.


(Plastic faux shutters on the ceiling. Every surface had to be covered to combat invasive fowl eating pests.)

Fowl security demanded that I buy lots of expensive hardware cloth, which is a ½” welded wire that manages to stand firm against raccoon assault, which cheaper chicken wire does not. It also will keep out snakes and mice. I built a screen door for the front and leave the “solid” door open all the time for good ventilation. The nice young men from MountainScapes brought me a truckload of sand for the floor, which they shoveled over a layer of hardware cloth I installed to keep digging pests out. Sixteen cubic feet of small flake pine shavings went over the sand.

(Hardware cloth lines the floor under the sand.)

I built a perch about 4.5’ up with a makeshift ladder. Guineas are good flyers but it can take them awhile to figure that out! If you remember from my original post, this building is made up of a long stall on the right, divided into two rooms, front and back, a raised gangway in the middle and a full length stall on the left. The guineas are in the small front room on the right. The wall between the guinea’s area and the gangway is lined with hardware cloth as will be the wall between the gangway and the chicken’s area on the far left.

(Looking from the guinea area, across the gangway to the chicken area.)

When it’s all finished I will have feeders and waterers for both areas that can be filled from the gangway. I’m going to try and heave an old chest freezer up there for rodent-proof feed storage. Some shelves will provide additional storage and a chair will give me a comfortable viewing area.

(The gangway; guinea area is through the hardware cloth to the right.)

The guinea’s space is about 8 feet square and they seem happy to have some room in which to move around. I learned that guinea fowl are smellier, messier and noisier than chickens and I am ever so glad to have them and their big brooder box out of the house. I’m sure they share my sentiments.

(When I go in the pen they cower in the corner as though they expect to have their heads lopped off at any moment!)

That job complete; now it’s time to start on the chicken side!

(The chicken side. A large portion of the back side of this building has to be re-sided.)

Hillsville Labor Day Flea Market

Every year on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends the tiny little town of Hillsville, Va., outside of which I have settled, throws an enormous party in the guise of the semi-annual VFW Flea Market and Gun Show. Booths are set up all along the main drag of this town of 2,700 people. Food concessions, carnival rides, pitch men, people selling actual antiques and people selling piles of, well, junk and everything in between start arriving two weeks before opening day in order to assemble their wares.



The event runs from Friday through Monday and during the course of the long weekend upwards of 500,000 people throng the streets. The state police are up on the Interstate dealing with the slowdown of traffic caused by people getting on and off the highway at the Hillsville exit. Many Hillsville natives either leave town or hunker down.

I had to see this thing for myself. All around the town, people were selling spaces in their yards for parking. Most of the businesses were closed and their parking lots were given over to various organizations that used the opportunity to raise funds. I parked in front of an insurance agency and handed my $4 over to the local high school girls’ volleyball team.

I went to gawk, not to shop and gawk I did! It was an amazing spectacle. Hillsville looked like it had been swallowed by a carnival. It looked like the midway from the Texas State Fair had been transported to southwestern Virginia. It was crazy. I just let the crowd take me. We flowed up one side of the street for a couple of miles and then back down the other way.



I saw pitch men hawking the ShamWow chamois, knives, vegetable choppers and various cleaning products. I saw purses and shoes, socks and bird houses, t-shirts and feather boas, confederate flags, cds, leather goods, key chains, wind chimes and decorative license plates. I saw funnel cakes and hot dogs, ice creams and apple cider. I saw Chinese food, Italian food, German and Greek food. There were beautiful antiques including furniture, glassware, crockery, cast iron, stoneware and cutlery. Everything you could imagine was for sale in Hillsville that weekend.

I saw lots of happy faces. In fact, the only unhappy faces I saw were the faces of small children who were tired and ready to go. It was an amazingly good-natured crowd. Lots of people were pulling little wagons and carts and pushing strollers filled with their booty. I did wonder, if you bought a big thing, like a piece of furniture, how you would get it out of there. I never did figure that out. I also saw a lot of guns. This was partially a gun show after all. It was a little disconcerting to see people walking down the street toting rifles. I never did find the actual gun show.

It was a surprisingly fun afternoon and I suspect I’ll be back during Memorial Day weekend. Oh yeah, in spite of all that not shopping, I did manage to find and buy a beautiful quilt.

If you find yourself anywhere near SWVA next Memorial Day, come on by. I don't know where you'll sleep but you've got to see this thing!

Carnival of Personal Finance: Live From Monticello!

(Thomas Jefferson's Monticello)

I'm working on this carnival from my hotel room just down the road from Thomas Jefferson's famous home of Monticello, where I have spent the weekend at the fantastic Heritage Harvest Festival. Considering Jefferson was a bit of a profligate and died deeply in debt, his may not be the best example of good financial practices. Nevertheless, Jefferson was an incredibly resourceful, inventive man who had a lot of sensible things to teach us. So, after spending the weekend enjoying what he created, I've themed the carnival for this one of our founding fathers. Like the rest of us, Jefferson had his flaws and weaknesses but they do not take away from the value of his wisdom and the power of his words.

The photos are from Monticello and the quotes are Jefferson's.

Saving

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.

Trying to decide where to put your money? American Banking News takes a look at the relative BankRate scores of banks with online savings accounts. The Safest Online Banks: Is Your Online Savings Account At Risk? If your bank didn't score a 4 you might want to do a little research into the criteria BankRate uses before you start moving your money around.

Banker, Saver shares a neat little calculator to help you figure out when, given a set of saving criteria, you will save a million dollars. In When Will I Be A Millionaire, Banker, Saver reveals that it will be about 20 years for him. This might be a good tool to help you see if you're on track.


(The vegetable gardens at Monticello. They run for 1000 feet.)

Frugality

It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness.

Oil and Garlic is struggling with the Battle Between Frugality and Simplicity and how to chose between the two. I'm not sure it's always a battle but it certainly can be!

If you've got kids you probably know that kids under the age of two fly free. Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck reminds us to Take Advantage of The Rules to Save a Few Bucks. Your baby probably won't get much out of the trip but at least you'll get to go!

The Realm of Prosperity takes a look at The Art of Having a Family Phone Plan With Your Friends as a way to save money. All I can say is, better trust your friends!

Do you call hotels directly or do you book through a third-party service? Foreigner's Finances relates an incident where he saved $65 with a 5 minute phone call. Good advice!

Single Guy Money has some tips for Thrift Store Shopping. Admittedly he doesn't have the patience for thrift store shopping but his tips are worthwhile, nevertheless.

Tackling one of my personal bug-a-boos, Pay Less For Food asks, “Are You Leaving Money Behind at the Grocery Store?” She's talking about checking the prices of your items as they are scanned at the checkout. Errors are pretty common.

Are you planning to start on the road to frugality? Modern Tightwad wants to make sure you have a Meeting of the Minds with your financial partner for the best chance of success.

PennyJobs suggests that you make frugality a competition to make it easier. How to Think Like a Frugal Person to Tackle a Challenging Financial Situation offers a unique idea for succeeding at this tricky game.


(The view from Montalto, Jefferson's "Big Mountain")

Investing

Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it.

Why Invest in Index Funds? The Oblivious Investor keys us in. Index funds are my first choice too!

Making a comparison between the relative values of slow growth hardwoods and quick growth pines, Dividends Value suggests Seeding a Forest of Dividend Stocks. Good advice!

Trying to decide where to put your investment funds? Bargaineering clearly and concisely explains the Roth IRA. He'll help you make up your mind!

Dividend Growth Investor shares with us Six Things I Learned From the Financial Crises; give it a read!

Clearly The Financial Blogger has some issues with HR departments. That notwithstanding, Is My Pension Plan Dead? 6 Killer Questions to Ask HR About Your Pension Plan contains good advice for everyone with a company pension plan.

The Digerati Life takes a look at Peer to Peer Lending. It's working for her! I'm about ready to give it a try.

Are you thinking about day trading? Investing Tookit has some Tips Before You Start. Here's a tip – don't do it! Investing Toolkit's tips are more helpful than mine.

Bad Credit Advisor takes a shot at predicting the future price of gold in Gold Price Direction. I suppose his guess is as good as any!

Did you ever wonder how banks make money? Narrow Bridge Adventures lays it all out in How Banks Make Money and How You Can Make Money Like a Bank. NBA is a fan of peer to peer lending organizations but advises us to tread carefully.

Are you an ETF investor? The Dividend Guy thinks ETF Marketing is Hurting Investors. It's an interesting read.

A little confused about what to do with your 401k? Teach Me Finances has a 401k Rollover Guide. Very informative!

Go To Retirement is looking at New Options for Investing in Inflation Protected Securities. This is the best explanation I've read about TIPS. I think I get it now!

In Investing – A Matter of Trust, Money Chronicle urges us to trust in ourselves, the financial markets, time and a good financial advisor.


(The vineyards at Monticello. Did you know Jefferson was an accomplished vintner?)

Reviews

Personal Finance Software Reviews takes a look at MySpendingPlan. If you're considering MySpendingPlan, I urge you to take a look at this in depth review first.

Have you tried Bing.com Cashback Rewards Program? Christian PF takes a look.

Need to send money overseas? Money Help for Christians explains How to Use XE to do the job. I'm glad to know about this program!

My Dollar Plan takes a look at ING Direct and explains Why She Likes It. I like it too!

Another vote for ING comes from Couple Money who is Finding a Good Checking and Savings Account. They sure make it easy!

Money Management

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.

The Chief Family Officer offers some excellent advice on Creating the Illusion of Scarcity to Accelerate Financial Goals. This is a great tip!

Growing Money tackles the touchy area of How to Collect Money You're Owed. Do you lend money to friends? Maybe this article will help you with your collections.

Budgets are Sexy takes an interesting look at Cigarettes vs. Coffee – Which is Financially Worse for You? Happily I suffer from neither of these vices but unfortunately, there are plenty of others!

Have you looked back on your financial year? Sound Money Matters takes a look at Our Financial Status One Year After the Collapse and, financial crises aside, she's doing okay!

Man Vs. Debt gives us 42 Ways to Simplify Your Financial Life. Should be something for everyone on this good list!

Are you suffering from financial clutter? Fiscal Fizzle explores the High Cost of Financial Clutter. I struggle with this problem myself from time to time. Do you?

Guest blogger Redeeming Riches has an excellent article over at Suburban Dollar on Navigating Your Finances. Plugging your goal into your GPS gets you where you want to go geographically. Do you have your goal plugged in for where you want to go financially?

Tough Money Love reminds us not to spend everything that's left after paying our monthly bills. The One Thing Not To Say After You Pay Your Bills recalls the wonderful advice to pay yourself too!


(Another view from Montalto)

Career

I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.

Are you just entering the workforce? Darwin's Finances takes a look at the Best Places to Work: Surprising Survey Results and Analysis. Accounting and finance top the list. That is surprising!

Although I find nothing startling about it, Free Money Finance reminds us To Proofread Your Resume if you expect to get a job with it!

Are you out of work at the moment? Well-heeled With A Mission finds a bright side in Unemployed or In Between Jobs? 4 Ways to Keep Moving and Groving. She certainly has the right attitude. When I lost my job I chose adventure and moved 2,000 miles and took a job caretaking a small farm. It's all in how you look at it! Love her masthead.

In another look at unemployment, One Money Design has some tips on How To Find A New Job. Good advice here. When you're out of work, your “job” is to find a job and that's how you should treat the process.

It's no surprise that in this economy people are thinking about their jobs. Make Money Lessons has an article on finding the perfect job. Even during tough times you shouldn't assume you can't get a better job.

Debt

Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.

Modern Gal does some straight talking in her “Financial Advice for 20-somethings”. I think it's good advice for everyone, no matter your age!

Credit

Never spend your money before you have earned it.

What sort of credit card user are you? No credit cards; put everything on a rewards credit card; only for emergencies? Mike at Gather Little By Little is definitely a “put everything on a rewards card” person and lays it out in Get a Day-to-Day Credit Card and Make Money! I've been dabbling with this model since I moved to the farm. The jury is still out.

Looking for a credit card? The Smarter Wallet explains How to Get a Credit Card That's Right For You. No matter what you're looking for, it's always good to shop around!

Still confused about credit scoring? PT Money takes a stab at it with Improve Your Credit Score With These 5 Tips. Does that help?


(One of the flower gardens at Monticello)

Budgeting

Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching

Money Under 30 generously gives us A Really Simple Budget Worksheet. Having trouble getting started with your budget? Download his worksheet and see if it helps!

Bret Frohlich wonders, “What Would You Do With A Million Dollars?” I guess I'd have to drop it right in my oh so small retirement fund!

How do you rein in your impulse spending? Bible Money Matters offers up 5 Roadblocks to Help Prevent Impulsive Spending Decisions. What helps you?

Seems like everything is harder during a tougher economy. Paying your child support is no exception. American Consumer News says Scrimping Child Support Harder for Family Budgets. Whatever you do, don't just stop paying!

Fiscal Geek takes a look at the ever popular envelope system for budgeting. In the article, Cash Envelope Budgeting System, we are reminded that we might also save on overdraft fees if we adopt this method.

Real Estate

In his submission, Searchlight Crusade explains why sometimes a Low Asking Price means an Unfinanceable Property. Good to know!

Green Panda Treehouse is buying a home and shares some of the keys of mortgages in House Hunting: Mortgages and Interest Rates. This is a good primer if you are a little shaky on the basics.

The Economy

Don't Quit Your Day Job asks, “Does Increasing Tax Rates Increase Revenue?”. While I don't necessarily agree with his base hypothesis that increased tax rates automatically create a disincentive to work, I'm looking forward to part two of his article.

Other

Over at Get Rich Slowly, Baker is talking about phishing scams. They're not as obvious as they used to be. Check out Gone Phishing: How to Avoid Being Caught by Scammers for some refresher tips!


(TJ himself!)


That's it for this week's Carnival of Personal Finance. I hope you enjoyed Jefferson's musings as well as this week's articles. Please remember to link back to the carnival from your blog and help promote the carnival through your favorite social networking avenues.

Thanks to Taking Charge for hosting next week's carnival. You can submit your article here - http://carnivalofpersonalfinance.com/submit.php

Have a great week!

Monticello Apple Cake

Monticello Apple Cake

Combine:

3 c. flour

2 c. sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon baking soda cloves or allspice

1 tsp. salt.

Add:

2 eggs

1/2 c. oil applesauce

chopped nuts and raisins

4 c. chopped apples

2 tbsp. lemon juice.

Dough will be stiff. Pour mixture into a 12C greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or longer (until toothpick comes out clean). Cool in pan 10 minutes before inverting.

Give it a try!

EcoSMART Blogiversary Giveaway Winner!

Stephanie Appleton is the winner of my blogiversary giveaway. Congratulations Stephanie! I hope you enjoy your bundle of EcoSMART products! Thanks for being a SimplyForties reader!

Zucchini Muffins

This post appears in the Make It From Scratch Carnival for September 8th at I've Got A Little Space to Fill!

It's that time of year again. Too many zucchini, no more people to whom to give them. If your friends are no longer answering the door when you knock, try camouflaging your zucchini in these delicious muffins. They'll love you and never know you've just handed off MORE zucchini! Muffins are a great way to use up some of those enormous ones.



Makes 12-14 muffins

Ingredients
3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using.

Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.

My Fall Garden is In!

It’s been a physically exhausting last couple of weeks but the fall garden is planted! I’ve watched carefully to figure out which piece of ground got the most sun and staked that out. The plot is about 40’ x 20’ and about half of that area is planted with fall vegetables. I stopped by the local rental place and got a $40 quote on renting a tiller. Luckily I found a landscape service who agreed to do it for $50, which saved me the hassle of hauling the tiller out here and taking it back. They brought a tractor and very quickly had the plot ready to go. The ground is really wonderful. In that whole 800 square feet I did not see a single rock!



I decided I wanted to use a hoop house to keep the bugs and animals out of the garden. I wanted to see if I could construct it out of materials from the various junk-filled outbuildings. I found several pieces of 2” and 3” PVC, which I used for the base and some 2” irrigation tubing, which I used for the hoops. I tied it all together with sisal twine. It was a little floppy so I found 4 iron rods, which I drove into the ground and slipped the ends of the hoops over for some stability. I purchased some row cover material at the local feed store, which they let me have for half price. After sewing the three lengths together, I had a 25 yard piece that was 15 feet wide. After some tucking, tying and stapling my little hoop house was ready! I originally wanted to be able to stand up in the tallest point of the structure but sometimes, when you construct with found objects, you take what you get! At its apex, my hoop house is about 4 ½ feet tall, plenty high enough for me to work in.

My sister, who manages Stadler Nurseries in Maryland & Virginia, brought me several flats of vegetables when she came to visit me a couple of weeks ago. Now I was ready to plant! It quickly became obvious that everything was not going to fit in the hoop house so I had to make some choices. I’ve got broccoli and Brussels sprouts and one row of cheddar cauliflower under the hoops and three rows of cauliflower and some leeks outside the hoops. I also planted some carrots behind the hoop house. It’s a little early yet for garlic and onions but I’ve got some ordered and they should be here later this month. Once those are planted, the big garden will be complete for fall.

One of the reasons I laid out such a large plot is so I’ll have plenty of room to do some experimenting. One of my plans is to practice some trench composting in the unplanted space. With trench composting, you dig a long, narrow, deep trench, setting the dirt aside. As you fill the trench with your compostable materials, you cover it with the dirt, slowly filling the entire trench. When the trench is full, you dig another one, working your way across the plot. If things go as expected, come spring all that material will be decomposed and I’ll have much richer soil for my spring garden.

I still have a kitchen garden to plant up near the house for lettuces and herbs and I’m anxious to get that in. I’ve really had to learn to pace myself since I arrived. There is so much to do and no way to do it all at once. I was getting pretty frustrated and had to learn to take each day as it comes and just be happy with whatever I manage to accomplish. The garden is a pretty big accomplishment and, with fall fast approaching I’m thrilled to have it in!

Don't forget to leave a comment on this and every post this week for more entries in my blogiversary giveaway contest!

Make It From Scratch - September's Here!

It’s September 1st! I’m not sure how it happened but fall is upon us! While a nip is not exactly in the air here in Virginia, the promise of cooler weather to come makes me want to store all these great projects and recipes. Crafting and cooking are the best way to spend the cold days ahead! So, ready or not…sports, holidays, fall leaves, snow, school…here we come!

Along with the links, I hope you enjoy the pictures. I took them on a recent Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture farm tour. They represent some last looks at some beautiful summer gardens.



Recipes

Adventures in My Freezer has what sounds like a delicious dish, Tomato Bruschetta Pasta. What a great way to use those last tomatoes from the garden (if you escaped the tomato blight!).

Gotta Little Space offers a tantalizing dessert recipe; Applesauce Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream. We all need some extra calories to make it through the cold weather, don’t we??

Beef-tallow French Fries? Can’t say as I’ll be making these as I don’t deep fat fry but I’ll bet they are delicious! I might try it for roasted potatoes, which I love to make with duck fat! Thanks Cheese Slave for a new look at an old favorite!

If you’re a working gal, you know how valuable a good crock pot recipe is. Try this one for Chicken Taco Soup from The Homemaking Helper, who says she drains off the liquid and uses the good stuff for making burritos!

Funny About Money, who lives in Arizona and isn’t thinking about winter, is drinking Fizzie Lemonade! I have to admit, I’m glad there are still a few hot days left for me ‘cause this sounds tasty. What a clever idea!



Here’s a cool little video on How to Make Ghee from Nutrition and Physical Regeneration. There are lots of good reasons to cook with ghee so give this one a look.

This is the time of year when we are all overrun with zucchini. If you’re not growing it, your neighbors are leaving it on your doorstep. Make It From Scratch comes to the rescue with Zucchini Brownies! I’ve got some very pedestrian zucchini muffins up next Sunday. Stephanie definitely steals my thunder with these!

Sweets and more sweets! Goodies from Granny’s House is tempting us with Peanut Butter Fudge! I’ve officially gained ten pounds just by looking at all the good recipes this week!

Unfortunately I had to leave all my beautiful basil behind when I moved to Virginia last month. I think I’m going to have to buy some at the grocery store just to try LJM’s Kitchen’s Creamed Corn and Basil Baked Pudding. It looks fantastic!

I love fruit salsas. The aptly named Salsa Recipes for You offers up Mango Salsa. A perfect goodbye to summer!

I’m so glad Bright Haven Days printed this recipe for Make Your Own Grape Nuts. I never knew what a grape nut was and now I’m going to make my own! They look pretty tasty!



Projects

I love Opted Magazine’s idea for Using One Piece of Paper to Keep You on Track. Clever and fun! Sounds like a project for a scrapbooker!

Another clever paper craft comes to us from Suburban Wife Life. She has some cute Tween Girls Birthday Party DIY Invitations. Thankfully I have no ‘tween girls in my life but maybe you do. You could change the colors and use them for ‘tween boys too!

Recycle Cindy is crocheting with strips of old T-shirt material! She calls it tarn (get it – T-shirt yarn?!) and is making Baby Bibs with it. Now that’s some clever recycling!

Now don’t cut up all your T-shirts for yarn, save a few to make Homestead Blogger’s T-shirt Tote Bags. This is a great way to make your own grocery store sacks.

Other

Kitchen Stewardship has a fascinating article on her discovery of an Effective Homemade Deodorant. I’m intrigued enough to give this a try!

This must be the week for homemade toiletries! Frugal for Life shows us how to make Homemade Shampoo and Rinse. I clean everything else with baking soda and vinegar, why not my hair? Makes sense I guess!

That’s it folks, another great Make it From Scratch Carnival! Thank for all of your excellent submissions. I don’t know about you but I’m heading to the kitchen!

Be sure and link to the carnival from your site. Please help advertise the carnival through whatever social networking sites you frequent. More traffic to the carnival helps us all!

Remember to enter my blogiversary giveaway this week by posting a comment on any/all posts during the week. I’ll be announcing the winner on Monday, September 7th!