It's been a while since I've posted a weekly top ten, so here we go! Here are the top ten skills I'd like to learn, beginning in 2009 and in no particular order...
1. Cheese making
2. Sourdough bread making
3. Herbalism
4. Candle making
5. Starting plants from seed
6. Raising chicks from eggs
7. Knitting (something more than knitting and purling chains)
8. Needlework (embroidery and fancy stuff)
9. Homemade soda pop (won't the kids love that!)
10. How to make lotions, oils, toners, masks, etc.
So that's my fairly ambitious list for 2009. It sounds like a lot, but I think this is going to be the year for doing it yourself. So tell me, what's on your list?????
1 comment:
mine are:
1) learning to drive (yes I *know* I am about 15 years late on this one!!)
2) learn to knit
3) expand my basic dog medical knowledge
4) learn to make sugar from sugar beets (the GMO beets they're now allowed to use to grow sugar in this state scares me, I don't want to eat sugar from beets that are frankenfooded to the point that they're OK with having ROUND UP sprayed on them, and local, organic sugar is a lot harder to find). We have sugar beet seeds and will try growing some, and I have how-to instructions, plus my stepdad has done it before and will serve as a via telephone resource, if needed.
5) learn basic travel trailer care & maintenance
6) learn to grow and process my own grains (oats, wheat, etc....although this'll probably happen on 2010)
7) get comfortable with using the pressure canner we own, but have barely used
8) get comfortable with more year round growing indoors. I am experimenting with a mini (6" tall) tomato I have previously grown outdoors and will attempt to grow indoors this winter. Seed catalog says it is doable!
9) get comfortable with making my own pizza completely from scratch. I spent 10 years helping my mom do this, but have never been in charge myself, and have spent the last 10 years buying (expensive) organic and natural foods cheese pizzas store bought & then adding my own toppings. Seems silly to not make our own & save a bunch of $$!
10) not really learning a *new* skill on this one, but ramp up my level of frugal living this year to the point that not only will I be able to get through a really lean year *without* touching my savings (except for the planned used travel trailer purchase), but I hope to also add at least a little to the overall Alaska Trip Relocation savings fund.
11) if I can add an 11th one...pick my roommate's brains on quilt making and successfully make my own. Would like to give one to my mom (she of the no central heating) for Xmas 2009, so I better start soon! My roommate's first one took 13 months to make, but she was working part time and in school full time then, so I think I can probably get it done myself in 11 months on my schedule. We have a MUCH better sewing machine now, too (thank you mom for the 2006 excellent birthday present!).
That reminds me....we have sourdough starter and need to get started on making it again. Yummy stuff!
In about 2011 or 2012 I'll be adding the herbalism, candlemaking, lotion making, et al. to the list, I hope!
By the way, did you hear about the window factory workers' sit-in in Chicago for the right to severance and back vacation pay? If not, here's an AP wire story for you:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ildwrFjwHYjvJPX2edZgBnNb8EEQD94VKF1G0
It's looking like the 1930s around here.
~Meg
Post a Comment