To Book and Back

Well, it's been a long time now, but we're officially back at it when it comes to the blog here at Runnin' Lean! It should be noted that there was a good reason for the absence. A lot of time in the interim was dedicated towards the crafting and publishing of our companion book "Runnin' Lean: A Field Manual to Living on Less and Loving Less More" which is now available at Amazon.  There's a paperback version and a Kindle version. It should also be noted that in our overall timeframe, it was the name "Runnin' Lean" that came first, then the blog site (which was sort of a testing and learning ground at its start for us to share theories, thoughts, and practices) then the book. 

 

During all of this, other Runnin' Lean experiences took place.  We all know how the passage of time is.  Life went on...day by day, month by month, and year by year, but the plan always remained the same...finish the book then return here to the blog and make its updates a part of our routine.  Long story short, it's been a long process in getting back to the blog, but now that the book has been finished and published more continual attention will be placed on this site so please follow us, share info about the blog with your family and friends, and check back often for the latest Runnin' Lean projects and experiences.   

 

Should you choose to pick up a copy of the book you'll find that it is packed with Lean-tested theories and practices. If implemented, it will save you and your family money and hopefully spur your own Runnin' Lean adventure (the main idea of both the blog and the book)! If you purchase a copy and find it both enjoyable and useful please help us spread the word by telling those who may be like-minded about its philosophy. 

 

Thank you for taking the journey with us and let's keep Runnin' Lean :)

Shark Handling

Earlier this year I read an article detailing one man's journey into hand cut firewood.  He accomplished this for the most part by keeping a bucksaw in his pick-up throughout the year and cutting up downed timber as he came across it.  I'm assuming that this was material that he found on his own property or in other areas where he had permission to do so...or I hope so anyway;)  In our case, I didn't think that we could cut enough wood by hand alone to cover ALL of our needs...but I did think that we could pad our stack significantly by doing so whenever the opportunity arose!  The search for the right tool was on!!  I went through a couple of saws with what I considered to be rather limited success before I was introduced to The Shark Saw.  Yes, this is one of those "As Seen On TV" products, but after watching several cutting demos (including one showing them cut through rail road ties) I was sold!!  These are pull saws and they provide a very accurate cut and require very little effort from the user.  You simply provide the back and forth movement and let the saw do the work.  The hardest part is keeping yourself from working too hard at the process:)  The blades are said to last 3 times as long as conventional saw blades and when one needs to be replaced you simply remove it from the handle and change it out.  Also good news, these saws and their blades are very economical in price.  I bought the largest of the line, (an 18 inch model), for around $25 at a local tool store and have a full year's guarantee to fall back on if needed.  The Shark Saw has made cutting additional wood by hand a breeze, and while I'm not sure that I will ever find myself cutting rail road ties with it...I have to say, I've been impressed!!!

NTWG

The wood burning season is well underway and to this point has been what I would call a successful non-traditional wood gathering (NTWG) experiment.  So far we've tried using pine cones for kindin' (see previous post).  We have also tried cutting up stove-sized pieces of non-treated pallet wood.  They burn great but should only be used as a supplement to traditional wood as they burn VERY hot!  They are great for getting a roaring fire up and going but quick.  We also got lucky and caught a high-line clearing crew working in the area who had pieces that were too large to go through their chipper.  The wood that I picked up was in front of a property owner who did not want the wood and in fact wanted the crew to haul it off.  They were more than happy to have me pick it up and save them some time and effort, and all I had to do was ask.  I've also picked up a fair amount of kindlin' from a local hardwood company that leaves a pile of their culls free for the taking.  While going through the pile the other day I had a good conversation with fellow wood scavenger who suggested checking out a rail road tie company who also leaves a pile of end pieces (untreated of course) for those who want them.  I'm sure there will be other opportunities that will arise in the future and any and all are a welcome chance to pick up supplemental fuel for the trusty wood stove.  So keep your eyes peeled for stacks of burnable, (often free for the taking) material.  As long as you are not having to go out of your way and the providers are willing for you to take it off their hands...why not!!!   

Kindlin' in a Cone

Fall and winter are busy seasons on the Runnin' Lean homefront!  Preparations of all sorts have to planned out and then completed before the weather takes a turn for the worse...and then decides to stay that way for a few months!!  One of the most important things to consider (if you're heating with wood that is) is your kindlin' supply!  It's true.  It is something that you can & should continue to gather throughout the burn season as well, but the more you have stock piled from the start the less you have to fret about finding a suitable dry material to use though the rain and snow of winter.  We've tried something new this year that has provided great results . . . pine cones!  A friend of ours has several pine trees on his property which just so happen to be in and around his yard (easy access don't you know;)  The cones are a nuisance to him as they create unwanted debris for him to deal with year after year.  This last spring  we asked if we could pick some of them up to dry out and use for a fire starter.  Without hesitation he said yes.  We promptly picked up a galvanized trash can full of the cones that were strewn around his house and yard.  In no time we had filled the can and were on the road back home with our flammable treasure.  I've used several of them at this point and have to say...they are perfect kindlin'!!!  They burn fast and hot and are so easy to get lit that I can simply put a match to them and watch them go up :)  So pick up some pine cones and bring on Winter!

You Have to Craft!

If you like to give gifts, one of the best ways to do it while Runnin' Lean is to make them yourself.  By making gifts you can often personalize them more than store-bought ones and it gives of yourself, too. Often times if you stop and think for a moment, you can make something using supplies you already have on hand or you may be able to pick additional materials at local thrift stores. For a little girl, I made my first teddy bear out of a sock and then crocheted a bright colored scarf for the bear too.  She named the little guy Cocoa Bear.  A loaf of homemade bread with some wild violet jam was the perfect birthday gift for another friend.  Homemade bread is a rare treat for most people these days!

Look around your house and see what you can craft today--maybe a birdhouse for a bird lover, a scarf for a friend or two, homemade cookies for those with a sweet tooth?  You'll be giving a gift that both comes from the heart and stays out of your wallet:)

LaRynda     

Tuned in to Being Off-Grid

A few weeks ago LaRynda and I went on the hunt for a solar-powered radio that we could use both inside and out when working and relaxing.  I had been thinking about it ever since I read an article in Mother Earth News where a young lady was lamenting about a moment of clarity.  It happened one evening when she was hand grinding the next morning's coffee by candlelight with her crank radio playing in the background.  She was essentially, at that moment operating entirely (and quite happily) off-grid.  The story stuck with me.  The moment that she described was something that LaRynda and I both relate to and strive for.  We already had the candles, lamps, a hand-crank coffee grinder, and a dyno (hand crank) radio for emergencies (although not a great one).  A combination dyno/solar radio seemed to be the best option, so the Internet search was on!  I'll tell you right now, there are a lot of choices out there and the prices and ratings vary greatly!  What we finally settled on was a little radio from Kikkerland.  The reviews on this little guy were for the most part very good...and so was the price, under $20!!  It has a built-in solar panel on its top and a fold-up hand crank on the back.  It's pretty loud considering how small it is.  I've never had to turn it up past halfway and the tuning seems to work very well too.  I've read that if you have it sitting in full sun throughout the day that it will play continuously without a problem.  While we have not had a chance to test this, I will say that after it's left sitting in the sun for while it seems to hold a charge for at least a couple of hours of non-stop use.  The crank option also works very well.  I've had radios that claimed that a couple of minutes of cranking would constitute a couple of hours of use, but in reality it seemed to be just the opposite ;)  Not with this guy!  I'll usually crank it through a commercial set or through the length of a song for a good long session of music listening.  These types of radios are only going to get better of course, but for right now..and for the money...this guy is the one to tune in to when you want some entertainment on an off-grid style dime!!!

Dandelion Wine Is Fine!

This spring we invested in a grand experiment--Concocting ways to put our larger than normal dandelion crop to good use.  We enjoyed dandelion greens, made dandelion syrup, and last but not least tried our hand at making some dandelion wine!  Now I've heard about dandelion wine my whole life, and I've made my fair share of wine; however, the two paths had never crossed until now. 

We started out by picking about 3 quarts of dandelion flowers pinching off as much of the green stem as we could.  We then soaked the little yellow gems in water for a time to rid them of any buggy pests.  Next we boiled the dandelions for approximately ten minutes.  At this point, they really smelled like Polk greens.  Then yet another straining took place. This is the part where we discarded the flowers themselves and only used the strained liquid in our wine making mixture.  While letting the boiled liquid cool for a bit, we grabbed a thoroughly sanitized glass gallon jug (Discarded apple cider jugs are perfect for wine making!) and added 5 cups of sugar to it.    Once the dandelion water had cooled to slightly above room temperature, we filled the jug to its neck with the dandelion liquid.  One packet of dry yeast was the last ingredient added to the jug.  Time for the lid!  After tightening it well, I shook the jug like a madman until everything was thoroughly mixed.  At this point, I removed the lid and replaced it with an airlock.  The wine was then placed in a cool, dry area out of the light.  In the past I've only had to let my wine set for about 6 weeks, but in the case of this dandelion wine...it was still perking well past that date and it was closer to 9 weeks before I felt comfortable with bottling it.  

Let me just say, patience paid off and the wine turned out great!  It resembled a dry white wine and all who partaked seemed to enjoy it!!  Simply put, dandelion wine is fine!!! 



Dandelion wine on ice

Want to try making dandelion wine yourself, but don't want to be all fancy-like with an airlock or just don't own one, you can use a balloon attached to the top of your jug with the help of a rubber band or two. When it's time to store it in a cool, dry place make sure that if you are going to go the balloon route that you have plenty of head space.  If everything is working properly the balloon will fill with the spent gases created by the yeast/sugar reaction.  The balloon should go down as the yeast finishes its job. Only then should you think about moving on to the next phase...bottling.  In situations where you are unsure if the yeast is totally spent, and thus through with its alcohol-inducing chemical reaction, just put your bottled wine in the fridge rather than racking it.  The cold temps will halt the yeast in its tracks and keep you from experiencing the unintended busted bottle or blown out cork.  Feel free to post a comment about your experience!