Localizing to reduce carbon footprint - Page 2

[russianthistle]

Originally Posted by Qerratsmom

I think I am going to start planning now for August, Sept and October. They are going to have to be BUSY months to store enough berries, fruit and veggies for even half the winter, but I am up to the challenge ! (Although Erin, you may not be at that point, 8-9 months pregnant!)

Oh and olive oil, I could try to go all butter though, but it may make me a little sad.

I don't think I can go w/o olive.

And, I will pick cranberries this fall even if I may topple over easily and my shoes won't fit.

[Belleweather]

Oooh... I highly, HIGHLY recommend making your own butter. We started last fall with non-homoganized cream from the farmer's market and not only is it fun to make, but the taste is out of this world. SO much better than commercial butter that I can't stand to use the commercial stuff for anything but cooking anymore. I'm down to my last log of "eating" butter and getting twitchy because the farmer's market doesn't start until April 26th, and I don't know if I'll make it until then (plus, that weekend has to be about getting the garden in so mass butter-making will be delayed. I'll probably have to do up at least half a gallon to get my 'fix' though...)

[russianthistle]

How do you churn it? Do you use an old fashion churn? Blender or electrical device? I'm curious....do you add salt? or anything else? OH, and how long does it keep? and how do you keep it?

[Qerratsmom]

I was talking to my mom about butter and cheese and apparently she used to make our own butter and farmers cheese. Why did I never know this? So anyway there is a resource for me to tap in to.

[russianthistle]

oooh! teach me, teach me!

[EmsMom]

Oh, yeah, olive oil. Really, really need to have that. I wonder if all of those 100 mile diet kind of folks actually give up olive oil. And chocolate. Makes you kind of understand how the impetus for world exploration was trade in these foods! Salt, spices, cocao, tea....

[barose]

Originally Posted by EmsMom

Oh, yeah, olive oil. Really, really need to have that. I wonder if all of those 100 mile diet kind of folks actually give up olive oil. And chocolate. Makes you kind of understand how the impetus for world exploration was trade in these foods! Salt, spices, cocao, tea....

I dont know any Locavores who has given them up - yet. We can get California olive oil so thats not a problem...

[jennymamame]

moved our office.

we moved our business across the street from our house so we could stop commuting and have a local produce delivery service that provides as much local stuff as possible depending on the season, but they do greenhouse too. we also try to hire the best candidates for our staff and include their geographics in our decisions or whether they use public transportation.
we purchase 'green luxury products' i admit, but we also try to hold onto our conventional stuff so we don't generate extra garbage.

[barose]

Originally Posted by jennymamame

we moved our business across the street from our house so we could stop commuting and have a local produce delivery service that provides as much local stuff as possible depending on the season, but they do greenhouse too. we also try to hire the best candidates for our staff and include their geographics in our decisions or whether they use public transportation.
we purchase 'green luxury products' i admit, but we also try to hold onto our conventional stuff so we don't generate extra garbage.

Thats a good point on hiring based on commute. Unfortunately, though I live close to work in terms of miles, it would take 4 times as long to take public transit (and three transfers). In this economy, switching jobs is not really an option at this point.

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by russianthistle

How do you churn it? Do you use an old fashion churn? Blender or electrical device? I'm curious....do you add salt? or anything else? OH, and how long does it keep? and how do you keep it?

I bring the cream to room temperature and dump it in a big jar with a screw on lid (the kid that you'd use for storing flour or sugar in in a pantry). Then I shake it, or sit on the floor and roll it back and forth. DS1 loves to help with this part! It will get thicker and thicker and thicker and then suddenly POW! Butter!

After that, you dump the buttermilk into something else (and make waffles or pancakes or whatever with it. It's great in bread too...), and put the butter in a large shallow bowl. You rinse it with cold water, and work the butter with the back of a big spoon to get it all together and rinse any left over buttermilk out. I leave some water in the bowl, smush the butter against the edges until the water is very cloudy with buttermilk and then dump it. When the butter gets too soft, you put it in the fridge for a bit. When you've got almost all the water out, you add the salt and smush it into the butter so it's mixed. Then I mold it into logs, wrap them in wax paper and stick 'em in the freezer. They last for 6 months according to google... none of mine have survived that long without being eaten yet.

Originally Posted by EmsMom

Oh, yeah, olive oil. Really, really need to have that. I wonder if all of those 100 mile diet kind of folks actually give up olive oil. And chocolate. Makes you kind of understand how the impetus for world exploration was trade in these foods! Salt, spices, cocao, tea....

I could never give up olive oil. I'd probably die first.

Originally Posted by barose

Thats a good point on hiring based on commute. Unfortunately, though I live close to work in terms of miles, it would take 4 times as long to take public transit (and three transfers). In this economy, switching jobs is not really an option at this point.

Our public transit is the same way. It would take me close to an hour and a half to get to work on the bus, and I'd have to be there early enough that it would totally bork DS2's nursing schedule. Luckily, my commute is only like 4 miles... I'm trying to find a way to bike in, but I think geography might make that impossible; there's a lake in the way.

[barose]

Originally Posted by Belleweather

Our public transit is the same way. It would take me close to an hour and a half to get to work on the bus, and I'd have to be there early enough that it would totally bork DS2's nursing schedule. Luckily, my commute is only like 4 miles... I'm trying to find a way to bike in, but I think geography might make that impossible; there's a lake in the way.

I live in the hills so unless you're a super athlete (only the serious bike riders are able to do this) it not something the average person can do. I work out and in shape, but not like that. Besides the roads are narrow and curvy and it takes a somewhat experienced rider to navigate.

I didnt think about this when we moved here because I worked in San Francisco at the time and there is a bus two blocks away that dropped me off in the Financial District in 35 minutes.

I work much closer but it would take much longer by transit.