I basically have no idea what I'm doing every year. I just pick out the seeds I'd like to try and my dad plows my spot. I have really good luck with tomatoes (but I got a late start this year so I've only had 2 ripe ones so far!) and lettuce and cucumbers. The pole beans are pretty out of control too, so that will be fun! I love fresh green beans.
Pretty little cucumbers...
Watermelons! I *accidentally* grew a watermelon plant over my fence one year (in the cow pasture) because that's where we threw our used up rinds after eating watermelon! These plants were "planned" though. ;)
Finally, I'm going to have fresh, ripe tomatoes! Yay!
My lettuce has been picked many times so far this summer. I love running out to the patch to grab some lettuce for a salad or for my sandwich. Does it taste better if you grow your own?? It seems like it!
Today's lunch: lettuce & cucumbers for a salad! (and Rodney's nose. He's nosey.)
Monday I made a batch of liquid laundry soap! Last batch I did the powdered version, which is quicker and easier to store. I really prefer the liquid though and a month of using the powder didn't convert me. So I went back to the liquid method. Here's one of my four "storage" bottles of laundry soap:
(I don't have little ones, so I can use the empty juice container, I wouldn't of course if I had curious kidlets!)
I use recipe #3 from this page: 10 Homemade Laundry Soap Recipes, except I use these proportions (I use #4 when I do the powdered version):
1/2 bar Fels Naptha
1 c washing soda
1/2 c Borax
Everything else I follow as written, except I don't measure any of the water. I just add enough to the pot to cover the grated soap shavings by an inch or so, and then I add 2 gallons of water to the tub to mix it all up. I pour it into a bunch of different containers (the yield is about 2.5-3 gallons!)
I have a Gain liquid detergent bottle that is my "main" container, so I can use the convenient measuring cup lid. I also have filled a gallon OJ container, the apple juice container, an empty Downy bottle, and the entire Gain bottle. That's a lot of liquid detergent! Total cost is something like $2.
There are lots and LOTS of mixed reviews online about homemade laundry detergent/soap (technically it's a soap). I take anything I read online with a grain of salt! As with anything, I say try it and see if you're interested. A friend of mine at work gave me a 1/2 gallon to try a year ago, and she had good things to say.
Personally, I haven't experienced anything negative. Our clothes are clean. I spot treat with the extra bar of Fels Naptha I keep on hand (I just wet it and rub it on the stain. Instructions are on the package.) I only have to make a new batch every few months, and it's CHEAP.
Some people complain online of "dingy whites", which I think is due to the missing optical brighteners most store bought detergents have added in. My grandma used "blueing" for this. I remember the tiny bottle on her laundry shelf! I think you can still buy it. I haven't noticed dingy whites...I do bleach my whites once or twice a month, but I had to do that with regular detergents too. I also line dry whenever I can, which I think brightens things up too.
I do use Downy. I'm not converted to white vinegar as a fabric softener (although the white vinegar tips website does say it's a brightener for whites and colors in the laundry!) We just love the smell of Downy!
Wow, this turned into a country girl post, ha! Hope you enjoyed the side road. ;)
