Frugal

Doing more while spending less money

Rethinking the salad

Submitted by EcoMommyo on Wed, 2008/12/10 - 4:53pm
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Chocolate-Pumpkin Layer Cake slice

We had several lovely salads this week; salads beautiful in color and composition. They were all great but strangely unsatisfying. I can eat as many nourishing greens as I can fit on a plate and I have realized that unless they are warm, it's just not going to scratch the itch. In contrast, the baked acorn squash with the chicken fricassee last night was just great. I know I'm supposed to eat lots of greens and they are the tried and true diet food but nowadays they need to be paired with something warm.

It's all about the pomegranates.

Submitted by EcoMommyo on Thu, 2008/12/04 - 2:55pm
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Pomegranates Perched on a Plate

Thanksgiving, the great American holiday, is come and gone and the push toward Christmas begins. We had a fine and snowy Thanksgiving in northern New Mexico. The snow was soul satisfying since we are still waiting for a real occurrence of the white stuff in the middle of the state.

DIY Carbon Offsets

Submitted by TimJFowler on Mon, 2008/12/01 - 6:21pm
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Planting a Bare Root Seedling

Looking for a way to offset your carbon footprint? Instead of paying someone else to offset your CO2 emissions you could create your own carbon sequestration system. In other words, you can plant trees and perennials at home. The New Mexico State Forestry Division wants to help you reforest your acre of the planet with the Conservation Seedling Program. Starting December 1st, anyone owning 1 acre or more of land in New Mexico can purchase seedlings from 53 varieties of trees and shrubs for spring planting.

Cool Roof: Pro-Panel vs. Asphalt Shingle

Submitted by TimJFowler on Wed, 2008/11/26 - 4:28pm
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Galvalume Metal Panel Roof at Sunset

It can be tough to keep a cool head these days, especially if you don't have a cool roof. What's a Cool Roof? A cool roof relects and emits the sun's heat back into the sky instead of sending it down into your home or office. Living in the desert Southwest we certainly know that the sun is a powerful source of light and heat. Yet strangely, the most common roofs around here are flat and covered with black tar and gravel.

The Box Begins

Submitted by EcoMommyo on Wed, 2008/11/19 - 8:27pm
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Last Thursday, I picked up the first of our winter CSA share courtesy of Beneficial Farms. FYI, Community Supported Agriculture is something all the cool kids are doing. You provide a farmer with a lump sum of dough and over a season they provide you with a weekly supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. As an added bonus they are often organic and local. Our CSA provides produce from farmers all around New Mexico. I'm looking forward to learning about my state's agricultural bounty; apparently it extends beyond green chile.

2008 Santa Fe Green Building Expo

Submitted by TimJFowler on Mon, 2008/11/17 - 2:29pm
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Santa Fe Green Building Summit & Expo logo

What: 2008 Santa Fe Green Building Expo
When: Nov. 21 2pm-6pm; Nov. 22, 10am-6pm; Nov. 23, 10am-5pm
Where: Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 W. Marcy Street, Santa Fe, NM
Cost: FREE to the Public

The $15 Water Heater Upgrade

Submitted by TimJFowler on Thu, 2008/11/13 - 4:28pm
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Water Heater Insulating Blanket

I have a cheap, inefficient water heater. Why? When I had the old water heater replaced I wasn't thinking about efficiency. So, the plumber installed an average, natural gas water heater. Buying a new, more efficient water heater can cost at least $500, plus installation. Being a creative and frugal guy (read: cheap) I found a way to upgrade my water heater for only $15.

2008 Santa Fe Ski Swap

Submitted by TimJFowler on Tue, 2008/11/11 - 11:34am
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2008 Santa Fe Ski Swap

What: Santa Fe Ski & Sport Swap
Where: Genoveva Chavez Community Center, Santa Fe, NM
When: November 14, 15 and 16, 2008

The snow has started to fly and winter is knocking on our door. That means it's time to gear up for winter. If you haven't started shopping for your skis, boots, boards and snow gear don't worry. The annual Santa Fe Ski Team Winter Sports Swap is here! Head over to the Genoveva Chavez Community Center from Friday, Nov. 14 through Sunday the 16th for great deals on new and used snow sports gear.

Schedule:
Friday, Nov. 14th

Why I Garden #10

Submitted by TimJFowler on Thu, 2008/10/23 - 10:20am
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Green Tomatoes, Chiles, Tomatillos, Sage & Arugula

Fall is definitely here in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. We've already had a couple of light frosts, but the forecast last night was for a hard freeze. My wife and I went through our garden for the last harvest of the season. We harvested plenty of green Tomatoes, Ancho and Serrano chile peppers, Tomatillos, some of the more tender herbs like Mint, Sage and Basil and a bale of Arugula.

Happiness is a Full Rain Barrel

Submitted by TimJFowler on Tue, 2008/10/14 - 11:35am
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Rain Barrel overflowing with rain water

I love living in the Desert Southwest. We have hundred-mile views, low-humidity and 300 days of sunshine per year. But, the other side of all that sunshine is an average of 14 inches of rain per year. Unfortunately, the rains come mostly during the late summer monsoons, not evenly throughout the year. What little rain we do get is precious and worth saving. The easiest way to harvest our irregular, seasonal rains is with rain barrels.

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