Our Composter!

Not long after starting our garden, I saw some articles about how good compost is for you garden. So I began looking more into it. I was completely amazed with how many things you can recycle into a compost pile. I looked into different ways to make your own compost and I liked the containers because I was afraid my neighbors would have an issue with us if we had an open compost pile in our backyard. Well my wonderful in-laws told us they had a compost tumbler at their house that they don't use and we were welcome to borrow it! This was great news to me as the cheapest one I have found so far was around $75. So we immediately went to work on making our compost. I read that it can take anywhere from 6 months to a year to get some good compost to use so this will be perfect for our garden next year.
Of course I got the kids involved with our new recycling program and they love it! I told them all the things we can put into it and they love helping us out with recyling. So here is a picture of them with a few of the things we can put into the compost: Joey holding up some grass representing our yard clippings. Andrew holding up a bag with shredded paper and a shredded paper bag. Adriana holding a container I use to collect all our extra fruit and veggie clippings I have after cooking.

And here is a picture of our compost tumbler. I know not too exciting but I am really excited to see what great compost I can make out of it!

I will keep you updated on how it is coming along!
(Oh and if you are wondering what the red spots are on my kids faces, Adriana got a stamp at school that day from the carnival and they thought it was great fun to stamp their faces.....ugh!)

Garden update!

Our garden is finally starting to take off. I'm hoping we will have some fresh veggies soon!
Chris got the fence put up around the garden to keep the dogs out and I have been trying the hot sauce mix to keep all the animals away without needing to use any harmful chemicals. We shall see how it goes.
Here is an updated picture of the garden.

A few pictures of some of the veggies starting to pop up!

Listerine works!

We had our first campout this weekend and gave the listerine spray a try to keep the mosquitos away. It seemed to really work! We came home without one single mosquito bite! This is a record for us especially without using any of the chemical sprays. Although, we still had several nats and other irritating bugs around us, at least they weren't biting us. We will give it a try again in a couple of months when the mosquitos get worse and see how it is. I will keep you updated!

Harmless bug sprays!

With the camping season upon us now, I'm trying to find a few ways to keep the bugs astray chemical free. So here is some of my lastest findings.

Pepper Spray
This works great for ants and other small pests.
Boil 2 or 3 cups of water.
Add about ½ to 2/3 cup of chopped hot pepper. Let marinate for a few minutes.
Run the mixture thru a sieve to remove the peppers.
Put the liquid in a squirt bottle and use when necessary.
Be careful not to spray directly on foliage.

Minty Soap Spray
This is great for ants.
Mix 2 tbsp of Dr. Bonners mint soap with a gallon of water.
Spray directly on ants.
This will also work to ward off other pests on foliage however be care when you spray it directly on your plants. It has been known to burn some plants if too much is applied.

Pure Vanilla Extract
Dab a little on you wrists, neck and behind the ears. Many insects don’t like the smell.

Chem-Free Bug Off Mist
Mix witch hazel with a few drops of tea tree oil, lavender oil, or peppermint oil in a squirt bottle. Lightly mist your body.

Lavender Works Mosquito Miracles
Stop the bites!
Rub a lavender flower behind your ears, wrists and neck.
Not only will you smell great but mosquitoes will leave you alone.

Quite a few people said colored listerine in a spray bottle works great. Also, pure vanilla in a spray bottle.

I am definitely going to be giving these a try and will let you know how it works. Let me know what works for you!

Homemade pesticides!

Since are garden is now starting to grow I figured now would be a good time to start learning about homemade pesticides. Obviously with trying to keep my kids safe from all the chemicals in the world, I would much rather find a safe way with normal household products. So this is what I have found so far. This is a mixture from all kinds of websites. I will let you know what has worked best from our garden.

Mix homemade garden sprays using water and plants (or dried powders) from the garden such as hot peppers, onions and garlic. Add a drop of dish detergent to help the solution stick and store in a spray bottle to apply to infested vegetables or flowers.

Place a yellow pan with soapy water out in the garden to attract aphids and beetles. They are attracted to their favorite color and the soapy water suffocates them.

Make a trap for slugs by placing an almost empty can of beer on its side in the garden. Slugs and snails will go into the can to drink the fermented liquid and not come out.

To say good-bye to garden insects and slugs try mixing aluminum foil strips with your garden mulch. Aluminum foil not only deters garden pests but due to its reflective property it also gives your plants a solar boost.

Onion concoction is an effective home remedy to get rid off garden pests especially from your vegetables and flowers. With the help of a blender make a smooth paste of 4onions, 2 tbsp of cayenne pepper, 2 garlic cloves and 1 quart of water. Before using this homemade pesticide dilute this puree with 2 tbsp of soap flakes and 2 gallons of water. Now spray this diluted homemade pesticide on your pest infected plants.

To protect your plants, vegetables and flowers from pests simply mix flour and black pepper powder. Now sprinkle this mixture around the plants.

You can prepare an insecticidal soap at home by dissolving 1 tsp of any liquid dish soap in 1 liter of water. This solution is effective in getting rid off whiteflies, thrips, spider mites and aphids.

General pest repellent
This is quite a recipe...but its worked for me as a general spray that has helped prevent a lot of infestations before they became a problem.
- 1/4 cup of hot red peppers (red pepper sauce works well as a substitute)
- 1/4 cup of fresh spearmint (look in your produce for fresh herbs or grow your own !)
- 1/4 cup horseradish, both root and leaves (prepared horseradish doesnt work as well)
- 1/4 cup green onion tops
- 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent

So here is a good list of things to try. I have not had a chance to try any of these yet, but can't wait to. I will let you know what has worked for us and if you get a chance to try any of these, please let me know what has worked for you. If you have any other recipes I would love to hear them. Happy gardening!

Homemade hairspray!

I found this on thekindlife.com and thought it sounded really interesting. A chemical free hairspray that is really cheap to make. I haven't tried it yet but would love to. Let me know if any of you try it and what you think!

Try this amazing recipe for make-it-yourself hairspray. It's incredibly cheap, no chemicals, better for your hair, better for the environment, and most definitely Not Tested On Animals.

You will need:
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 tsp sugar (organic if possible)
* Spray bottle with a very fine mist (very important that it's a fine mist or you'll soak your hair)

Boil the water, let cool slightly, then add the sugar until it's dissolved. Let cool completely, then pour into the spray bottle.

That's it! Easy :-)

You can add some essential oils for scent if you like, I added a few drops of Rosemary essential oil for a yummy refreshing scent.

You may find that you need to add slightly more or less sugar depending on how much hold you need for your hair, but this recipe is so quick and cheap that it's easy to ditch and start again with a new batch.

If you do need extra hold, I suggest misting your hair once, waiting 30 seconds or so for it to dry, then misting again.

Homemade household cleaners!

Here is a list of chemical free household cleaners I have found. Hope these help you out!

White vinegar and water
-1 cup white vinegar
-1 cup water
mix in a spray bottle.
Can be used for the following things:
-In the kitchen, use vinegar-and-water spray to clean countertops, lightly soiled range surfaces and backsplash areas
-In the bathroom, use vinegar spray cleaner to clean countertops, floors, and exterior surfaces of the toilet.
-For really tough bathroom surfaces such as shower walls, pump up the cleaning power by removing the sprayer element and heating the solution in the microwave until barely hot. Spray shower walls with the warmed generously, allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse. The heat helps soften stubborn soap scum and loosens hard water deposits.
-White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up. (And no, your bathroom won't smell like a salad! Any vinegar aroma disappears when dry.)
-With no coloring agents, white vinegar won't stain grout on tiled surfaces. Because it cuts detergent residue, white vinegar makes a great fabric softener substitute for families with sensitive skin.

Undiluted White Vinegar
-Undiluted white vinegar--straight from the jug--makes quick work of tougher cleaning problems involving hard water deposits or soap scum.
-Use undiluted white vinegar to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl. Before you begin, dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to remove stains and odor. Use a pumice stone to remove any remaining hard water rings.
-Clean shower heads that have been clogged with mineral deposits with undiluted white vinegar. Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic food storage bag, and secure the bag to the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and buff the fixture to a shiny finish.
-Add one cup of undiluted white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle instead of commercial fabric softener. White vinegar softens clothes and cuts detergent residue-a plus for family members with sensitive skin.

Baking Soda
-Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to tackle grimy bathtub rings, scour vanities, or remove food deposits from the kitchen sink.
-For tougher grime, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to the tub or sink, and allow to stand for 10 to 20 minutes. Dirt, soap scum and deposits soften and are easier to remove.
-Slow-running drains? Keep bathroom drains running freely by pouring 1/2 to 3/4 cup baking soda into the drain, and dribbling just enough hot water to wash the solution down. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then flush thoroughly with hot water. The deodorizing effect is an added bonus! [Do not use this method on blocked drains.]

Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe
-1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
-1 cup water
-1 tablespoon white vinegar
-mix in a spray bottle
-Rubbing alcohol provides the base for an evaporating cleaner to rival commercial window and glass cleaning solutions. Use this glass cleaning spray recipe for windows, mirrors, chrome fixtures and for a shiny finish on hard-surface ceramic tiles

Rug shampoo mix
-1/4 cup mild detergent or soap
-1 pint of warm water
-2 tablespoons vinegar
-Whip into a stiff foam. First, vacuum the rug thoroughly. Apply the foam and scrub. Let dry, then vacuum again.

Air Freshener
-Baking soda or vinegar with lemon juice in small dishes absorbs odors around the house.
-Having houseplants helps reduce odors in the home.
-Prevent cooking odors by simmering vinegar (1 tbsp in 1 cup water) on the stove while cooking. To get such smells as fish and onion off utensils and cutting boards, wipe them with vinegar and wash in soapy water.
-Keep fresh coffee grounds on the counter.
-Grind up a slice of lemon in the garbage disposal.
-Simmer water and cinnamon or other spices on stove.
-Place bowls of fragrant dried herbs and flowers in room

A word of caution on making homemade cleaners: never mix bleach with any type of acid such as ammonia or vinegar. It will cause toxic fumes that are very dangerous.