How to Grow a Homestead

A little more than a week ago my family and I began our (second) annual Frugal February practices.

If you have not heard of Frugal February I will give my explanation, which maybe different than others.  I was introduced to this concept in December of 2012 via an online article.  Essentially the author purported the practice of spending the month of February eating up the things that are tucked away in all of our pantries, cupboards, and freezers, instead of the usual grocery shopping routine.  I took it a step further last year and decided that besides cleaning out the pantry I wanted us to use the month to complete tasks that we had supplies for but for which we had not taken the time.

To me, February is an excellent month for this practice for a number of reasons.  Firstly, I am well into garden planning at this time of year, so this lets me review what I perhaps still have in abundance from last year and what I should plan to have more of.  Additionally, the weather is more often suited to indoor tasks than outdoor activities.  Baking, making soups and stews, and other long cooking processes are well suited and appreciated on these cool short days.  Also, (to be totally honest) it is a time we are looking at our finances after the holiday season, planning for changes in the budget for the coming year.  Finally, I am also looking into Spring Cleaning activities like clearing out the closets’ and washing draperies, so it makes sense to also clear out the pantry and freezer.

This is not to say I won’t be running out for milk or perhaps one ingredient to complete a meal, but I fully expect to limit grocery spending to under $75 for the entire month.  This forces me to be creative and look at things I’ve been saving in a new light.  Last night I discovered a dish of mashed potatoes in the freezer left over from Thanksgiving that will make some excellent ham and potato soup.  I also have a quart or so of Turkey gravy from the same day that does not yet have a plan, but I know I’ll come up with something.

On the projects side, my husband is gearing up for something he’s wanted to do for a while; getting meat rabbits for our homestead.  We are also working on finish work for several things like window frames in the remodel and putting down the flooring we have had for nearly a year.

I think of Frugal February as a time to get creative and to break out of procrastination.  Good luck to any who would also like to give it a try!