Growing Organic Blueberries

We found some great information on growing blueberries in Oregon here. We have only two plants but one yields enough blueberries for our family plus some to share. We'd like to plant more bushes so that we can make even more pies with them. Our favorite Blue Berry Pie recipe will come in a later post after we make it and take pictures.

"We now know that blueberries are one of the best sources of antioxidants, substances that can slow the aging process and reduce cell damage that can lead to cancer,” according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Where do you get your blueberries from? Your garden, your local farmer's market or the grocery store?

Growing Organic Rainer Cherries in Oregon

The best thing about June for my family is our cherry tree. My kids climb it year round, but in June...the cherries are ripe to perfection. We climb and pick cherries until our mouths and buckets are full.

Every year we invite people over to pick our cherries. This particular cherry is about 8.99 a pound in the groceries stores. Our friends and family always love our cherries. Because they are grown organically and with no sprays, they do not store up well in the refrigerator. So, you must pick what you can devour in a day or two.

We will post pictures of our other organic grown berries from around our home. We have blueberries, raspberries, logan berries, gooseberries and strawberries. Later in the summer we will have grapes, both green and purple.

Follow Up on Homemade Laundry Soap

I've been using the homemade Laundry soap recipe for four months now. Our family gives it a thumbs up! We love the new soap. We save approximately 15-20 dollars a month by making our own soap. We do a large amount of laundry for our family of five and usually go through one large box of laundry soap per month. Making our own has been fun and cost saving.

If you haven't tried it..you should give it a try.

Need a Good Father's Day Gift?

Want to win this guy for free? Leave us a comment on why you Love your Dad and we will randomly pick a winner on Thursday and overnight him this gift in your honor.


Check out this great Father's Day gift. Gund Bear with a Daddy's Button.

He is in a relaxed, reclining position, and when you press his arm, he sings "Don't Worry Be Happy" as he taps his foot along to the music and his mouth moves to the words. He has an on/off switch on his bottom and he comes with 3 AA batteries, ready to sing for you! This "Don't Worry Be Happy" Goober has a button that says "#1 Dad."

Learning How to Recycle at a Young Age

We see 7 year old, Halle, learning how to recycle and wash cans for a good project. She is helping her community by rinsing and recycling aluminum cans.
Kids do have fun helping the planet if parents encourage it. Why not make eco-friendly choices at your home today? We'd love to see video and hear from you if your family likes to help the planet!

Quick Tips for Cleaning Anything

We all need a list of quick tips for cleaning stains. Here is a start to our list for everyday items that need cleaning.

• Remove tea stains from tablecloths with gylcerin. Let it sit overnight, then wash as normal.
• Use Petroleum Jelly to remove tar from clothes. Rub until tar is gone, then wash jelly off with a spray and wash cleaner.
• Remove candle wax from tablecloths with an ice cube then scrape it off with a kitchen knife.
• Stuffed animals are easy to clean. Just place them in a cloth bag and add baking soda or cornmeal and shake...
• Have stains around the collar of your dress shirts? Rub chalk on them, wait 15 minutes then launder as usual. The chalk will absorb the oils.
• Soda spills? Use hydrogen peroxide and water (1/4 c to 3 cups water) put in a spray bottle and spray. Wait 10 minutes then soak in 1/4 cup white vinegar and cold water.
  
• Ballpoint Ink stains can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol. Put on a clean cloth and pour alcohol on item, then rinse thoroughly.

Green Tip for the Day-Recycled Crafts for Kids

When receiving birthday or celebration cards from other people some people keep them , some throw them away and some do not know what to do with them. We like to reuse our cards for the next birthday or celebration. You can cut the cards out in fun shapes to make gift cards..you can scrapbook parts of the card or keep them for arts and crafts projects for the kids.

When I was younger, I taught a Sunday School class and we used to have an older lady bring all her cards in to us. I didn't know what to do with them but one day I realized we could re-gift them. My students started cutting them out into different shapes and pasting them onto cardstock that was also recycled. We made cards and then visited a nursing home and gave them out to the residents. Everyone enjoyed this so much and the lady who brought them to me was especially thrilled that we were able to make someone's day with them.

Do you have never ending gift giving opportunities in your family and circle of friends? We've found a blog that has wonderful crafts for kids! Zakka Life has a fabulous site with many postings on recycled crafts. They have great ideas if you are in need of some summer fun!