I am a farmer and a full-time mother. Despite certain perceptions, being a stay-at-home parent does not bring limitless free time. For many of us, it ups the ante to do more because tasks such as laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, and running errands are just not that mentally stimulating. I enjoy challenges, and I often encounter people who can’t believe my activity level. They speculate that I must never sleep, and they don’t know how they could fit the things I do into their own routines. In our ready-made consumer culture, they think doing things by hand is more difficult—why make it when you can buy it?
The pioneers and settlers who built our country had the same twenty-four-hour days that we have, but they had less time to work because they were beholden to natural cycles for light. They worked hard because they had only their physical strength and ingenuity to help them survive. The infrastructure that we take for granted didn’t exist—they didn’t have cars, paved roads, heavy machinery, electricity, phones, indoor plumbing and heating, convenience stores, garbage collectors, media, or the Internet. Nonetheless, they built sturdy structures, kept in contact with friends and family, drank clean water, prepared flavorful food and beverages, took medicine, kept animals, had social gatherings, grew gardens, preserved food, enjoyed music, cleaned their houses, washed their clothes, and bathed—just like us. And they took every Sunday off.
I have always been a curious person, seldom satisfied with the status quo. How and why are two of my favorite words. I constantly ask myself how things are made, or why I am buying something. There is little I like better than something to take apart or an opportunity to find a different solution. When a commercial or advertiser tells me that I’ll wonder how I ever lived without a certain product, I do exactly that—I wonder how people lived without it. If past generations got the job done without this gadget, how did they do it? Usually, they did just fine. Our great-grandparents grew up without the paraphernalia that we have, but they seem to have been healthier and happier. They made do with less because they knew how to do more. Many of the projects in this book are old practices that our generation has not been taught.
I think we should relearn how things used to be done. If I can buy an item in the store, then someone, somewhere, made it. How is it made? How did it used to be made? Is it something that I can make so I don’t need to buy it or rely on a manufacturer for refills? Could I save time or money by making it? Would it be fun to try? When these questions motivate me to act, I inevitably learn something—either from the research, the process, or the mistakes made. The knowledge is out there to be had, and finding it and applying it are up to you.
I’ve compiled my years of giving in to curiosity in these pages. Although our predecessors worked incredibly hard, I found out that we can make many of the things they did, often more easily and in less time, resulting in healthier, simpler, more rewarding lives.
This book is intended for the average householder. Each project has an introductory page that gives an overview, including any specific skills required. Special equipment is also listed, but you may come up with your own ideas. Depending on how you do something, someone else’s ideal tool might not work for you.
I try to operate on the assumption that you are not interested in accumulating a lot of specialized equipment and would rather use tools and devices that you already own—simplification means more “double-duty” items. Since my family relies on one income, I try to spend as little as possible and avoid superfluous purchases altogether. Don’t buy something new for an activity you might not pursue, and be realistic. Remember, despite convincing advertisements, many “perfect solution” items are not perfect solutions at all—if they were, inventors would stop trying to improve upon them.
Some stores will allow you to “test-drive” an item, meaning that you can try it and return it if you aren’t happy with it, but check their policies first. Or try
borrowing—many people have items that you could use, and someone might even be interested in trying the project with you, using the equipment together, and sharing the resulting yield. This is a great way to meet new people or get together with friends for a fun undertaking.
I have tried every project in this book. My results are not all pretty or perfect, but they are effective. My idea of an accomplishment may differ from yours, just as my definition of “functional” differs from my husband’s perception of “nice to look at.”
Feel free to adapt and adjust the parameters of any project—in other words, experiment! I am not the authority on these topics, and I’ve come up with my own methods through practice. Many of these projects are pretty forgiving, and if I haven’t included exact measurements or recipes, you can safely assume that the process is fairly loose and play with it a bit. If it doesn’t work, don’t give up. Learn from it and try a different approach the next time. You’ll work out what suits you best.
If you’re particularly interested in a project or practice, by all means delve into it further. Resources are out there for anyone who wants to learn; I’ve included a few of my favorites with most of the projects.
You can find more resources online; there are countless websites on most of the topics discussed in this book, with many recipes and formulas to be shared. Also look for more in-depth books on your favorite topics—before you buy, check your local library for books that explain clearly and answer your questions. I have some books that are dog-eared from constant reference, and others I wish I hadn’t wasted money on.
If you try something and decide it’s not for you, at least you will have gained an appreciation for what goes into it. You’ll be especially glad the next time you reach for the product on the shelf, thinking, “Thank goodness I don’t have to make this myself!” It might even inspire you to find a local purveyor who has mastered the craft and makes an exquisite version and who might be willing to give you tips if you want to try the project again.
Humans are social creatures—we cannot do everything for ourselves, but there is a lot we can accomplish on our own. If we make time for what we believe is important, we can derive so much enjoyment from doing instead of having. We can simplify and actively learn simultaneously. When we work hard to achieve something, the outcome is even more fulfilling. We all have the potential for this kind of satisfaction. Give it a try.
Section I: In Your Kitchen
Project 1: Making Stock
Why would you want to do this? Homemade stock is much healthier than the packaged product, and it’s very easy. Making stock is a great way to get more than one meal out of leftovers you’d otherwise throw out or compost.
Why wouldn’t you want to do this? I can’t think of a reason.
Is there an easier way? It’s hard to get much easier than making stock.
How is this different from the store-bought version? Your stock will taste fresher and be much lower in sodium. It may have a residue at the bottom, but that’s just the leftover bits of whatever you cooked. When refrigerated, meat stock can become gelatinous, but it will liquefy again when heated.
Cost comparison: There’s no additional cost for homemade stock because it’s made from ingredients that you’ve already purchased for meals.
Skills needed: Homemade stock is hard to mess up. If you can boil water, you should have no problem with this project.
Further refinements: You can experiment with many seasonings and flavors. Also, after the stock is strained, you can return it to the pot and cook it again, uncovered, to reduce it and make it more concentrated. You then freeze the concentrated liquid in ice-cube trays and use the frozen cubes similar to the way you’d use bouillon cubes.