Things I Can't Do Without

I am so blessed to garden, and it has definitely affected other parts of my life, in a good way. Now, I find there are things I have and collect that I prefer not to do without!

1. Mason Jars

   

   Just a few of many...

I have round, square, tall, short and differently shaped jars. I have jars in pink, clear, blue, green, and some very old ones that have a mermaid luster to them. I use mason jars for so many things. It is so much healthier to store foods in glass versus plastic where microplastics are a concern. I achieved my goal of removing all plastic storage containers from my cabinets. So I obviously use these beautiful mason jars for canning and storing dry goods. But I also use them to drink out of, store my honey, and show off flowers as a vase. Mason jars can also be fitted with so many different tops. I have salad tops with cups to hold the dressing that screw right on. I have grinder tops for herbs and spices. I have tops for pouring. I also use them for my sourdough starters. I have tops for burping for fermented foods. The mason jar world is wide and I find constant uses for them.

2. Cast Iron

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cast iron! I love pots, but cast iron is my go to. They cook so well, so balanced and increase the mineral content of foods. They work on the stove and in the oven, great for baking. There are so many shapes and varieties which can lead you down a rabbit hole if you really like them! Often cookware contains so many chemicals that are forever and terrible for our health and environment. Cast iron can be expensive, but sometimes you happen upon them at yard sales and thrift shops. My husband knows that if he gifts me with a cast iron pot, I will be happy as can be. If you learn how to restore them, which really is very easy, you will have beautiful, healthy, life long pots and pans that add beauty to your kitchen and make cooking so enjoyable!

3. Spices

   

I do grow a number of culinary herbs and some spices. But where ever I travel, I seek out the spices of the local culture. The aromas, colors, and opportunity to add something different to a meal is unresistable! I usually will look for seeds when I find unusual spices and herbs to see if it is something I can grow in my climate. Taking the time to spice food well, and enjoy all of the sensory experiences in well prepared foods is a pleasure I unselfishly enjoy for myself and others.

4. My frost tents!

   

I got these at Aldi (no they don't pay me to say that) on sale (because I don't pay full price if I don't have to) and they have been lifesavers for those sudden surprise frosts. Seems like a weird time to think about really cold weather, but I plan for my garden long before things might occur. These are fabulous because they are about 8 feet tall, so they cover my vertical planters. They are about 6 feet in diameter so they can cover most of my raised beds. They zip open and I can walk in and tend to my plants. They have sturdy frames that I can put together in 5 minutes. The cloth and the frames are sturdy enough to last years (these are 3 years old). They are easy to fold up and store away during the warm months. Good frost covers, though we may not get terrible freezes that often, really help save a winter garden. One bad frost can easily kill anything. I grow herbs and all kinds of greens in these with no problem. And on days that warm, I simply unzip to let more air in. If you ever see these, get you some (on sale :) ).

5. My tea and health herbs (My Apothecary)

   
   

   

   Just as I grow anywhere from 80 to 120 herbs in a given year, I have that many varieties of herbs on my shelves. I love being able to make any tea I desire in the morning. Sometimes it is based upon flavor, other times it is based upon how I feel health wise. I know that I can make a tea, a tincture, or other concoction at any given time with what I have in my home apothecary. It takes a moment to build a home apothecary and there is constant renewing and adding to it, but it makes it worth it knowing that I have an herb to fix my grandsons knee scrape, or make a tea for my husbands sore throat, or make an oil for my daughters sore athletic injuries. It also brings me joy to share these with others!

What are some of your "can't do withouts"? Share with me!