How Much Food Did We Grow In 2021 ?

 Over the years we've relied more and more on what our veggie garden can produce to keep food on the table.  Now with rising grocery prices,  it has never been more important to grow as much as we can.

Our veggie garden consists of  2 main beds that measure  1.5m  x  3.0m.  We also have a raised garden bed that a family member no longer wanted.  It measures  0.9m x 2.7m.  Our backyard is not huge by any stretch of the imagination but we do have a small home on a 617m2  block.

We have fruit trees dotted around our backyard that we planted in 2014.  Our raspberry patch grows up the side of a garden shed and our grape vine grows along our fence. 

The costs for maintaining the garden are very minimal.  Most of the seeds bought cost about $2 - $3  each a packet and some will last us more than two years ( or two growing seasons ).  Some packets of seeds are given to us as presents.  My Dad usually gives us tomato plants each Spring and we give him spinach and zucchini seedlings.

We don't buy compost but make our own with all our kitchen and garden scraps.  The compost bins did cost money but they have lasted us many years.  

Garden stakes are bought every 5 years or so and garden ties are made from old cut up socks.  Occasionally we water the plants with Seasol and sprinkle pet friendly snail bait.  Other than that we don't use any pesticide sprays or powders.

Below is a listing or what we grew last year and the yields.  Some items were hard to keep a track of so estimates were used.

Sweet corn - 10 kg

Raspberries - 5.10 kg

Zucchinis - 3 kg ( we planted too late )

Tomatoes - 5.0 kg

Potatoes - 40.80 kg

Bush Beans - 4.7 kg

Lemons - 9.0 kg

Strawberries - 2.50 kg

Grapes - zero.  Too much rain and the birds had a feed while we were away.

Feijoas - 0.50 kg.  We'd pruned the tree the year before so it's still recovering

Pears - 8.0 kg

Mandarins - zero but the trees are young

Plums - 4.70 kg

Apricots 3.0 kg

Cherries - zero.  Too much rain that the fruit split and tiny insects are a problem

Broccoli - 2.50 kg

Lettuce - zero.  I think the seeds are a little old

Silverbeet - 3.50 kg probably more as we picked it all year

Cauliflower - 1.50 kg.  Will not be growing again

Sugar snap peas - 0.90 kg

The total amount of food we grew in 2021 is  104.5 kg.  Putting a monetary value on the food depends on how much it costs in the supermarket.  Prices generally vary from $3 to $9 a kilo with feijoas topping at $30kg and raspberries topping at about $40 a kilo.  So here are a few costings to give you an idea of how much we saved -

$3 per kg  x  104.5kg  =  $313.50 saved

$4 per kg  x  104.5kg  = $418.00  saved

$5 per kg  x  104.5kg  =  $522.50  saved

$6 per kg  x  104.5kg  =  $627.00 saved

$7 per kg  x  104.5kg  =  $731.50  saved

$8 per kg  x  104.5kg  =  $836.00  saved

$9 per kg  x  104.5kg  =  $940.50  saved

Was it worth growing our own ?  You'd better believe it.  Yes we saved money but most importantly we ate fruit and veggies fresher than any supermarket or green grocer can offer us.  They are also chemical free.

Do you keep track of how much you grow ?

Are you inspired to start growing your own ?

                                                         From Our garden

Our 2 veggie garden beds.

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 9th April 2022

 Our free time this week has been spent in the garden just pottering around and enjoying the fresh air.  The weather has been lovely and mild with cool mornings.  We've had our doors wide open to let the fresh air into our home.  No need for artificial air fresheners,  just the great outdoors.

Here's what we got up to when we were not busy with work -

*  Planted broccoli seeds and seedlings.

*  Planted a few sprouting potatoes from our pantry into the veggie garden.

*  Picked pears and beans from the garden.

*  Made chunky chicken and veggie soup.  I used stock I'd made and frozen last year and zucchini and potatoes from our garden.  There were other veggies added too.  The soup was enough for 2 dinners for 2 people and a lunch for 1.

*  Used a few leftover Christmas candy canes to make minty Easter chocolates.  Our grandson Luka had fun helping with the eating and sprinkling of the chopped candy canes.

*  Dried another batch of pears from our garden in the dehydrator.

*  Dried the washing on clothes horses outside.  The sky looked like there was rain coming so clothes horses were the best bet.

*  Saved washing machine water,  rinse water and drink bottle water to reuse around our home.

*  We bought potatoes for the first time in 10 months ( we've been growing our own ).  We picked up 2 x 2.25kg bags of potatoes one was reduced to $3.60 ( from memory ) and the other was $1.60.  The $1.60 bag went through the register as $7 so we got it for free.

*  Baked three loaves of wholemeal bread with extra goodness.  I used recycled bread bags to store it in the freezer.

Dehydrating more pears

A few Easter decorations

Our Easter tree

Drying the washing

                 More photos from the Melbourne Flower Show

Have you enjoyed the great outdoors this week ?

How have you saved money this week ?

10 Ways To Offset Rising Grocery Prices - Part 3

 There are so many ways to cut the cost of your grocery bill.  I ABSOLUTELY use all these tips I've been sharing over the last few weeks.  Yes our grocery bill ( including toiletries and basic cleaning ingredients ) is still $100 a month for 2 adults and a cat even with rising prices.  We've had to cut our shopping list to the bare basics but we still eat and the food is tasty and filling

Here are another 10 tips to help you save money -

*  I buy dried herbs,  spices,  nuts,  grains,  seeds,  wholemeal flour,  yeast,  corn flour,  icing sugar,  cocoa powder and dried fruit from an Indian wholesaler. They are FAR,  FAR cheaper than any supermarket.  If you live in metro Melbourne then Hindustan Imports is your place to shop.  You can shop online and get free delivery if you spend over $90 ( which is easy to do with such a great variety available  ).   Hindustan Imports offers a variety of packet sizes to suit your budget and usage.   

*  We don't waste anything.  We scrape out jars,  add a little water to get every last drop out and turn bottles up side down.   When I'm baking I scrap out the mixing bowl with a silicon spatula. 

*  We portion control our meals.  Just because there are leftovers in the pot doesn't mean we have to finish it.  Leftovers are put into containers then into the fridge.  Potato chips,  chocolate,  biscuits and other snacks are portioned onto a small plate and the remaining in the packet is put way.  We don't mindlessly eat straight from a packet.

*  I bake as much as I can from scratch and freeze excess.  This includes pita chips ( instead of buying dry biscuits ),  muffins,  sweet biscuits,  cakes,  slices, and scones.  There are very few biscuits I buy that I can't bake.  We don't like store bought cakes and other bakery items and never buy a packet mix.  Sorry,  but we don't like their artificial taste and they cost too much.  A packet mix takes just as much time to mix and bake as it does from scratch.

*  We buy the largest packet,  bottle,  tube or tin of anything providing it works out cheaper.  This includes toiletries,  disinfectant,  flour,  sugar,  bags of fruit,  sauces and meats.

*  We eat homemade soup for dinner ( sometimes twice a week in cooler weather ).  My soup is chunky,  tasty,  filling and SUPER CHEAP at approximately 20 cents a serve.  Here's the recipe to the one we eat the most  Chunky chicken and veggie soup   

*  I don't buy cleaning products ( or at least rarely bought once every few years ).  I use diluted dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle to clean just about everything around our home.  I do use disinfectant when I've cut up raw meat.  I only use bleach in the shower once every few months and cream cleanser when the dish liquid doesn't work on stains.  I've been a domestic cleaner ( as a paid job ) for 24 years and have used just about every product on the supermarket shelf.  They cost too much,  they smell too much and dishwashing liquid does the same job.   Even a bar of soap will clean your home.  Please don't be fooled by the ads on tv.

*  I use containers instead of cling wrap,  plastic bags and foil for lunches,  leftovers,  snacks and freezing.

*  I use unit pricing to get the best deal on everything.

*  I buy 1 kilo blocks of generic brand tasty cheese instead of slices,  grated or sticks.  I grate the cheese myself and freeze most of it to use later and to prevent spoilage.  By adding a little corn flour to the grated cheese,  it doesn't stick together.

Growing our own

Baking from scratch

Homemade soup for dinner.  20 cents a serve.

How many of these tips do you use to save money on your groceries ?

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 2nd April 2022

 We have had another busy week at the Gower Abundant Cottage.  Darren continues to get plenty of work with his new job.  It seems the more he works,  the more shifts he gets offered.  He also started a new job at our church as Pastoral Care Director.  He's so excited with this new role and looks forward to helping care for the needs of others.  Darren also continue to help with most of my cleaning jobs.  God is good and we are blessed to have all this work.

We took a much deserved day off on Thursday to attend the Melbourne Flower Show.  We enjoyed a beautiful Autumn day with a light breeze as we viewed all the displays and stalls.  There seemed to be a big focus of native plants ( not my cup of tea ) this year and a florist friend revealed that there is a rose shortage in Australia.  I did wonder why the displays indoors were not as spectacular as usual.  Still,  it was wonderful to have a day out.  I did take lots of photos and I'll share a few below.

Here's what else we got up to this week -                                                                                                                                                                                                   

*  Made a quadruple batch of choc chip biscuit dough.  I baked 2 trays of biscuits and the rest of the dough went into the freezer.

*  Gave Megan a haircut,  then Luka ' helped ' bake bread with me.

*  Baked 3 loaves of wholemeal bread with extra goodness.

*  Gratefully received a bunch of parsley from my Dad's garden.  I used my dehydrator to dry it.

*  Refilled all the foaming soap hand pumps around our home with diluted shower gel.

*  I made 2 hand towels from an old towel.  It was looking a little dirty in the middle of the towel and I couldn't shift the dirt no matter what I sprayed on it.  So I cut off each end of the towel and sewed new hems to make hand towels.

*  Darren picked another bunch of hot pink roses from our garden.

*  Made 1 kilo of brown sugar using white sugar and molasses.

*  Saved the shower warm up water,  kitchen water,  washing machine rinse water and water from drink bottles.  All was reused to water plants and pour into the washing machine.

*  Reused old bread bags to line bathroom bins and double wrap food to go into the freezer.

*  Planted broccoli seedlings and seeds into one of our veggie garden beds.

*  Dehydrated lots of pears from our tree.  Some of these dried pears will be used in the hot cross buns we will be making shortly.  We are not fans of mixed peel and sultana hot cross buns.  Instead we use dried apricots,  cranberries,  pears,  peaches and a few sultanas.

Parsley from Dad

Making hand towels

My dehydrator

Drying pears

Lots of biscuit dough

Making brown sugar

                    Photos from the Melbourne Flower Show

How did you save time,  money or energy this week ?

10 Ways To Offset Rising Grocery Prices - Part 2

 Are you tired of seeing grocery prices going up every time you visit a supermarket ?  So am I and it makes you wonder whether the prices will go back down again when petrol prices go down and transport / supply chain issues are resolved.  Probably not.  

We need to be prepared that these high prices might be here to stay.  So you have two options.  You can  absorb the extra cost into your household budget,  or change the way you shop.  If you're like me you don't want to absorb the extra costs.  The reality is,  my budget can't fit in higher grocery costs,  higher petrol prices and higher utility costs.  

The grocery budget is the most flexible area of the household budget.  You can pick and choose what to buy,  the brand to buy and to a certain extent,  how much you pay for each item.

Here are another 10 tips and tricks I use all the time to keep our grocery budget down to $100 a month for 2 adults and one cat.

*  Expensive meals are no longer on our menu plan.  Roast beef,  legs of lamb,  lamb chops,  lamb kebabs and casseroles that require more than 400 grams of meat are a thing of the past.  

*  TVP is used to stretch beef mince in lasagne,  spag bol,  chop suey and pasta bakes.   We don't notice a difference in taste or texture in these meals.

*  Dinner leftovers are NOT eaten for lunch the next day unless it's too small to freeze for a single dinner serve.  Cooked lunches ( leftovers ) are more expensive than a sandwich or bowl of homemade soup.  

*  All dinner leftovers are portioned out after we have finished eating.  They go into takeaway containers then placed in the fridge.  As soon as the food cools,  the containers are labelled with the meal name,  date and how many serves. 

*  We are not precious about leftover meals that come from the freezer.  It's food,  it tastes great,  it certainly doesn't taste like the freezer and the consistency is the same or very close to a freshly made meal.  It's all in the defrosting and reheating method.  Defrost the food in the fridge overnight if possible then add a touch of water to the dish when reheating in the microwave.  The water is important for stews,  casseroles and  pasta dishes  and prevents drying out.  We had previous friends tell us they didn't like leftovers or meals from the freezer.  Little did they know that they sat down to a lunch of soup and sausage rolls from the freezer and the chicken in the sandwiches also came from the freezer.  They loved the food and all five of them gobbled it up.

*  I don't wander the supermarket aisles just to have a look while grocery shopping.  I go down the soft drink aisle once a year at Christmas time to buy apple cider.  I never go down fresh refrigerated meal aisle.  Mostly I start shopping in aisle 7 which is the flour and sugar aisle.

* We grow most of the fruit and veg we eat.  We don't have a big veggie garden but we make the most of the space we have.  Some of our fruit trees are dwarf ones so they don't take up too much space.  The veggies we grow are the ones we eat the most like potatoes,  tomatoes,  broccoli,  beans,  corn and silverbeet.

*  I rarely look at junk mail from the supermarkets.  There is too much rubbish food in the catalogues and it costs too much.  Sure,  there are 1/2 prices sales but you'll rarely see it on basic items like generic flour,  sugar,  milk,  butter,  cheese  meat and fruit and veg.  Junk mail is there to lure you in to the shops to buy things you don't need.

*  We eat and buy seasonal.   I don't look for strawberries in Winter and I don't look for citrus fruit in Summer.  We also don't eat salads in Winter.

*  I buy and use dried herbs.  Fresh ones are far too dear and tend to wilt before using it all.  

Eating seasonal

Our version of freezer meals

Darren digging in our veggie garden.

I have another 10 tips and tricks to share with you next week.

Do you use any of these tips to keep your grocery budget down ? 

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 26th March 2022

 Autumn is my favourite time of the year.  The weather is mild and we enjoy getting outside to plant veggies for Winter and to get the garden in shape.  My housework tasks are a little easier to complete now that the heat has gone.

Here's how our week looked -

*  Filled 2 slow cookers with pears from our tree,  added apples,  lemon juice,  sugar,  cinnamon and nutmeg to make pear and apple butter.

*  Filled the biscuit jar with homemade ANZAC biscuits.  We have enjoyed them with cups of tea.

*  Gratefully received a squashed loaf of bread from a friend.  Some was used to make dried bread crumbs and the rest was fed to the chickens.

*  Planted carrot,  silverbeet and lettuce seeds in our veggie gardens.

*  Used cut up old socks to tie plants to garden stakes.

*  Picked pears,  beans,  strawberries,  tomatoes,  a zucchini and lots of raspberries from our garden.

*  Fed apple and pear peelings,  weeds,  worms,  bread crusts and a few old grapes to our chickens.

*  Dug up and replanted / repositioned 5 rouge potato plants to make the most of the growing space we have.  They are now growing in two rows which means I can cover with plastic to protect them during the coming colder weather.

*  Darren picked a bunch of roses from the garden.

*  Used my all in one cooker to make a huge pot of soup.  A few months ago I was given a few packs of lamb chops and 2 lamb necks from a friend who was moving.  I used one of the necks in this soup with zucchini,  tomatoes and broccoli from our garden ( the broccoli was last years leftovers in the freezer ) and a few other veggies.  Very delicious and super cheap too.   

*  Darren emptied one of the compost bins and dug it into a veggie garden bed.  Shortly we can plant the broccoli seedlings I've been growing.

Darren picked them from the garden.

We enjoy eating ANZAC biscuits

Cutting up old socks as garden ties.

How did you save money this week ?

10 Ways To Offset Rising Grocery Prices

 There's no denying that grocery prices are going up.  Bank balances are being squeezed and it seems like there's nothing we can do   Or is there ?

As you know Darren and I buy all our groceries,  cat food / kitty litter,  basic toiletries and cleaning ingredients for $100 a month.  This has been our budget for the last 14 months ( from memory ).  To most people this seems like a ridiculously small amount to spend and we couldn't possibly be eating healthy.  

Guess what ?  We are eating healthy and we are not starving.  We eat home cooked basic,  yet tasty meals each night and there's plenty of  food on the plate.  Our lunches and breakfasts are nothing fancy but we are satisfied.  Morning and afternoon teas are also included in the $100 per month and there's always something delicious in the biscuit jar.

Here are 10 of the tricks and tips I've been using to keep to our grocery budget to $100 even when it seems impossible.

*  We constantly look out for meat on clearance.  Most of the clearance meat we've bought has been around dinner time which seems to be when the meat manager puts the reduced stickers on.  But in saying that,  we don't buy the meat just because it's on clearance.  The reduced price needs to work out to $10 per kilo or less.  Steak reduced from $40 to $25 a kilo ( for example ) is not a sale price for our budget.

*  Almost no convenience food makes it onto my shopping list or into the trolley.  This includes jars of pasta / chicken bake sauces,  gravy mixes,  noodle cups,  pre cut food,  microwave food,  frozen meals,  frozen snacks,  soft drinks,  chips,  lollies,  juices,  bakery items,  deli items,  dips,  breakfast cereal ( unless needed for a casserole / baking ).

*  Generic brands are always bought  except for curry powder,  toothpaste,  tomato soup,  teabags and chocolate.  Generic is cheaper 90% of the time.  It is rare that a sale item makes it cheaper than generic.

*  I am not brand or supermarket loyal.  I buy Australian made / owned products when I can but they need to be the cheapest on offer.  I'd much rather have money in my purse than fancy brands in my pantry.  I'm not out to impress anyone except my husband and he sure is impressed with the quality of food we eat.

*  I don't chase loyalty points to convert into cash.  If I get points for buying my basic groceries then I see it as a bonus.  Too many people are mesmerised by the bonus offers / points that loyalty programs offer.  You end up spending more than usual to get a couple of dollars back in cash.  Bonus offers are only a bonus if you don't go out of your way to get them.

*  I always have a shopping list when grocery shopping.  It's written in general order of where things are in the supermarket.  I also write how many of each item is needed.

*  I always check my pantry,  fridge and freezers before writing my list and shopping.

*  I only buy what can be used within a reasonable amount of time.  I don't buy 20 jars of Vegemite if we only go through one or two a year.

*  I rotate all items in my pantry,  fridge and freezers.  New items go to the back and older ones go to the front to be used first.

*  Any chips,  lollies,  biscuits or chocolate we like is given at Christmas in our stockings or for birthdays,  Mother's / Father's Days and Easter throughout the year.  It's kept in the pantry with our initial on it so we know whose is whose.

Photo taken about 2017

Clearance beef mince.

Next week I'll have another 10 tips and tricks to share with you.

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 19th March 2022

 It has been a very busy and tiring week in the Gower Abundant Cottage.  Darren started a new job Saturday last week.  His job is in health and he been working at different locations in our area.  At the moment we are walking by faith because Darren doesn't know when the next shift is available until the day before.  Still,  we are blessed he's had over 40 hours of work this week and the pay rate has been exceptional.

While Darren is taking every shift he can,  I've been cleaning some of the homes we usually do together.  I've been keeping our housework up to date and trying to spend a little time in the garden each day.  I'm gradually recovering from the chest infection I caught 3 weeks ago.  Darren has now caught a cough but is soldering on.

We did treat ourselves to a dinner out on Monday night after Darren had worked a long shift and we both hadn't been well.  Other than that treat,  nothing has changed in our tight budget.  I still cook and bake from scratch,  still grow and freeze garden produce and everything is as thrifty as can be.

When we weren't working,  here's how we saved money -

*  We found cheap vegetable and flower seedlings at Bunnings on their clearance table.

*  Baked three loaves of wholemeal bread with extra goodness.

*  Baked shortbreads for our afternoon teas.  I also pulled out a few small whole orange cakes from the freezer to eat.  These were really handy on busy days.

*  Darren took a packed lunch for every day of work except the first day.  He wasn't sure what facilities would be available in a tea / staff room but he knew shops would be available for lunch.  He did take snacks etc on that first day.  His lunches have to be quick and easy to eat / prepare so he's been taking rolls,  a homemade pie,  fruit,  my baking and a bottle of water.

*  I bought 2 x 5 kilo bags of Basmati rice on a half price sale for $10 each.  As soon as I have room in the freezer I'll be freezing it to make sure any bugs that might be in there will not survive.  I usually freeze it for at least 3 - 4 days.

*  Fed the compost bin with kitchen scraps each day.

*  Picked pretty little iceberg roses for our kitchen.

*  Saved the shower warm up water,  washing machine water and kitchen waste water to reuse around our home and garden where we safely can do so.

*  Turned off as many appliances as possible over night.  This includes one of our landline phones,  tv / dvd player and doorbell.

*  Picked raspberries ( they are slowing down ),  green beans,  a few tomatoes,  corn and lots of pears.

Shortbread biscuits

Roses from our garden

Lots of pears from our tree,

How have you saved time,  money or energy this week ?

I'm planning on writing a blog post soon about rising grocery costs.  I'd love to hear how much the price increases has effected you and your family.  Thanks.

This Week's Frugal Tasks Saturday 12th March 2022

This week's frugal list is not a big one.  I've kept myself fairly busy in the garden and had cleaning jobs everyday ( not all day ).  I'm also recovering from a chest infection so there have been some days where just the basics are done to keep us clothed and fed.

We are enjoying the cooler weather and getting outside when time allows. Many bushes have been pruned to promote new growth for another year.  Weeds and unwanted grass are gradually being removed from garden beds.  I try to do this throughout Summer but on a smaller scale.

Here's my list for the week -

*  Made a large batch of sausage rolls for the freezer.  I was quite shocked at the increased price of sausage meat.  Lets just say the sausage rolls are a real treat to have for the occasional lunch.

*  Gratefully received tomatoes, passionfruit and a jar of jam  from a couple of friends.

*  Baked and sold lots of chocolate choc chip muffins and a bottle of Miracle Spray to a cleaning client.

*  Planted a Hebe plant and two hydrangea plants we've grown for cuttings.

*  Fed the compost bin almost every day with kitchen scraps.

*  Baked choc chip biscuits for afternoon tea treats.

*  Blanched and froze corn cobs from our garden.

*  Made up 5 x 2 litre bottles of laundry liquid. This is the last of the laundry liquid I made up 6 - 8 months ago.  I had it in a  25 litre bucket and it was double strength laundry liquid.  I try to make the liquid in cooler months and decant to smaller bottles.  I've had a couple of friends saving up their  vinegar bottles so that next time I can decant the whole lot.

*  Picked pears,  beans,  corn,  raspberries and tomatoes from our garden.

*  Made a big pot of soup using the gifted tomatoes,  zucchinis from our garden,  beef mince and lots of other veggies.  We had it for two dinners and the rest was frozen.

In the garden

Sausage rolls

Bryson's birthday card I made

Bryson opening his presents

Princess taking a nap on our old mattress.

How have you saved time,  money and energy this week ?

Apple Pear Butter

 Last year was our first year of a fairly bountiful harvest of pears from our miniature tree.  The fruit was hard and not too flavoursome for fresh eating so I had to find a way to use it up.  After searching YouTube ( as you do ),  I found general instructions for pear butter.

This year we had the pears again but I was also given small green apples from a friend.  I decided to combine the two fruits and made this recipe up as I went along.

The result was a fruity yet slightly tangy spread.   It makes a delicious spread on toast,  crumpets and muffins.   Maybe you will find some other uses for it too.  Perhaps spread it on  dry crackers with a little Camembert cheese.

8 large Pears or 1 - 1.5 kilos

4 medium Green Apples or 0.5 - 1 kilos

1/2 cup of tap Water

Juice of 2 Lemons

1/2 cup of Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons of dried Cinnamon

1 teaspoon of dried Nutmeg 

Turn your slow cooker on low ( if it runs very hot ) or high if it's a very slow cooker 

Peel,  core and slice the pears and apples.

Place in the slow cooker.

Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker.

Cook for 8 - 10 hours or overnight

Lift the lid and give it a good stir.

Use a stick blender to blitz the fruit until it's smooth.

Leave the slow cooker lid off and continue to cook for another 4 hours or so until some of the liquid has reduced.

Spoon into hot ,  sterilised jars and seal.

Store in the fridge for 2 - 3 weeks or freeze for longer storage.

The finished product

Getting the fruit ready

Cooking in the slow cooker