Not So Depressed

In The Cupboard

I have to admit, that some of the things you can do from my site can cost a bit of money.  Not everybody has a pressure canner or good working sewing machine just lying around!  However, neither did our grandparents and their parents.  They always made due with what they had.  You don't have to have a fancy pressure canner to can things (though it is generally a good idea), and you don't have to have a sewing machine to make your own clothes.  A good hot water bath is perfect for sterilizing jars for jams, jellies, and fruits.  When you buy cases of canning jars, there are normally directions on how to do this.

 
  You can always blanch and freeze vegetables. In fact if you invest in a good cook book, most of the time they have a section on how to do this as well as a detailed table for individual vegetables.   And nothing goes to waste!  Are your tomatoes in the garden a little over ripe?  Cut them up, stew them, then can them for sauces and soups later.  You can even make your own gourmet spaghetti sauce from your very own herbs and vegetables right in your yard!  Just be sure to throw the stems and left over cuttings into the compost pile.  Of course getting things to grow can take a bit of practice, which is why I have an "In The Garden" section.

 

Meat alone can put a dent in your finances let alone sea food.  Providing you enjoy it, fishing licenses as well as shellfish license prices are minimal compared to the the money you save on your catch.  And if your really adventurous, you can catch crawfish, bullfrogs, smelt with out a license.  Be sure you check with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/index.html.