There's Hope for Us Yet
So, our garbage went down considerably. In part it is because we experimented with one means that the Composting Guru had recommended for getting rid of dog waste, without putting it out with the trash. The practice is flushing the dog waste down the toilet. It is certainly not a practice for everyone, and we haven't truly committed to whether or not it is for us. While it works, I think we still may be in search of other, hopefully more appealing, options.
The other part that contributed to our reduced garbage this week is that we simply weren't preparing food for a crowd - we weren't entertaining or readying food for a group for camping as we were in other weeks. And, we did a MUCH better job this week repurposing our various leftovers.
We continue to be disappointed in all of the products that we buy that are not recyclable because of the grade of plastic they are. Nearly all of the dairy products (except milk) come in 5s, which we are forced to throw in the trash. (We can only save so many yogurt containers for painting projects). And we have begun to take note of the grade of plastic BEFORE buying to try to see if we have an alternative to the same product in a grade of plastic that can be recycled. For example, of the two types of packaged hummus we buy, one is packaged in a #1 container, and the other in a #5. We'll make more of an effort to buy things packaged in #1 and #2 recylceable plastic, but what ultimately drives our purchases more than what is it recycleable, is which one is easier on the budget.
We were already pretty good about giving away, selling, or otherwise donating objects so that they could avoid residency at the dump.
Into the final stretch, we will make the final leap at improvement (because we haven't made time to do it YET), we will pick up the composting bin at Retzer and with adding the composting be about low-waste as we can be at with our current consumption practices.
And, identifiably, we can make make even more effort to reduce by just consuming less in general, and re-embracing a mantra. We'll share a quote - some sources say it was a quote from the Great Depression, and others say it is a WWII quote. Regardless where it originated, it is good, frugal, sustainable, and healthy practice,
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
You are getting there!
Good job, Majewski family! Perhaps it will be extra-annoying to tell you that I make my own yogurt in little glass containers to avoid having ANY kind of plastic to deal with...the quality & taste are better, too. It takes 15 minutes to make 2 weeks worth. I eat it daily, so in the past when I used to buy it, my supply of yogurt containers for "painting/projects" were starting to circle the block...
Hummus is another easy (cheap) one to assemble--although my old processor was not up to the job...planning on revisiting that one, too. Thanks for the reminder!
Would You Share Your Yogurt Recipe?
While I do a lot of cooking, it never occurred to me to make my own yogurt. We tried making fresh mozzarella once and that didn't go very well - lots of expense and time for a not-so-good end product. BUT, if you wouldn't mind sharing a tried and true yogurt recipe, I'd be glad to give it a shot myself. Hummus, I have to admit, I know I can make it, but I just can't seem to get mine how I'd like it. Maybe I overdo the tahini?
Another composting question for you. Is it okay to throw moldy tomatoes, or citrus, or cauliflower that has gotten really brown/black with spots into the compost pile? (when possible, I do trim off the unuseable parts and still make use of the items, but sometimes it just isn't possible).
Some answers
As far as the yogurt recipe, it's not quite as easy to share since I use a yogurt maker. I follow the instructions based on the maker (although I've modified it some, too). I know some people make it in their ovens, although I'd guess it uses way more energy to make it that way.
You might try going to Good Harvest or Health Hut (or other organic food store) and buy some yogurt starter that comes in little dried packets. There are probably instructions in the box. That would be a place to start.
Moldy food is a bonus! That means you are adding decomposers to your pile along with the materials you are trying to decompose! No problem there! Composting is a great way to alleviate some of the guilt associated with cleaning out some of the "cagmag" (actual word, believe it or not) in the back of the refrigerator!
Yogurt recipe
We, too, make all our own yogurt and hummus/bean dip. We love making yogurt, and it's surprisingly simple! In a nutshell, this is what I do.
To make plain yogurt:
1. Heat milk to about 180 degrees (I've accidently boiled mine in the past and it was just fine)
2. Cool to about 110 degreees
3. Add yogurt starter culture (about 1-2 Tablespoons per quart) I use store-bought plain yogurt the first time, then freeze my homemade plain yogurt in ice cube trays to use as the starter next time.
4. Pour into glass jars/ glass bowls and incubate in a warm place for 6-18 hours. You can use a cooler filled with warm water, the oven with just the light on or even a warm sunroom. Try to keep it around 100 degrees while it incubates.
5. Yogurt is finished when it reaches desired thickness.
Options: For sweetened yogurt, add vanilla and sugar to desired sweetness during step 2.
For thicker yogurt, add a bunch of powdered milk during step 2.
As you can see, it's quite simple, especially once you've tried it a couple times. It's also a very forgiving process, as you can tell by all the "abouts". I would love to talk more about making yogurt; feel free to get my e-mail address from Dustin or find me at the Closing Ceremony. We also make our own 30 minute mozzarella cheese with great results! We would be happy to share our experiences with that too!
Yogurt recipe
Yup, those are the basics steps I follow as well. I've tweaked it all to be done with my yogurt maker in 7 hours. I also like the fact that I can use organic milk and other healthful ingredients of choice. Your other recipes sound great--feel free to post them on the blog!
We just bought a bunch of
We just bought a bunch of winter squash from a local farm. Those number 5 yogurt containers have come in handy for freezing the squash. Instead of using plastic freezer bags, I washed out the large yogurt containers and filled them up with baked squash.