Homemade Natural Deodorant

I know I'm not the only person out there who is not satisfied by the stuff they sell in the stores.
Many people have tested the different deo options, from Grist testing green' deodorants to Crunchy Chicken declaring her love for The Rock crystal deodorant. Even my sister wrote a post last year about her quest for a good natural deodorant.

So, I began my own quest, and it took almost half a year of trial and error to finally settle on something that worked for me. My criteria for a keeper is something that is cheap, easy to make at home, easy to use, doesn't irritate my skin, and of course it has to keep me smelling fresh as a daisy.

Homemade Lotion Bar Deodorant
After some research on the web, I found some basic recipes that I could combine to make a solid deodorant. I bought a lotion bar kit that included cocoa butter, beeswax, oils, and even the plastic deodorant tubes. I followed the included recipe, but I added aloe, baking soda, and cornstarch (mentioned in other recipes) and some lavender and tea tree essential oil.

Pros: Smelled nice, felt nice, easy to apply with the tube.
Cons: With the price of the kit and ingredients, cost about the same as natural deodorants in the stores.
Conclusion: It worked well for a while, but after a few weeks of use, I developed a rash and was unable to use any kind of deodorant for several days. That pretty much defeated the purpose, so I stopped using it. I started using it in summer- that may have something to do with it, or it might be the essential oils. I'm sure other people have come up with recipes that work for them, so feel free to experiment.

Baking Soda
While I was recovering from the previous method, the only thing I could use was baking soda. I was surprised by how well this simple, cheap method worked. I found I had less odor even in hot sweaty conditions than with previous deodorants I had tried (even the chock-full-of-chemicals ones). I kept a cup of baking soda on my dresser and brushed it on with a makeup brush.

Pros: Unbelievably cheap, easy, and works!
Cons: A little messy, I ended up with white powder on and around my dresser as I tried to apply the necessary amount.
Conclusion: Baking soda is the way to go, it absorbs odor and wetness, and surprisingly lasts all day. It never irritates my skin, and I like that it doesn't have a fragrance.

Baking Soda and Aloe Gel
The winning combination at last! I decided to try rubbing on a bit of aloe before brushing on the baking soda. This helped with the mess, and made sure I got enough on. Plus the aloe feels nice on my skin. I tried aloe right from the plant, but for efficiency I ended up with aloe gel in a bottle. My latest experiment has been mixing the aloe and baking soda into a paste, and storing in a jar. This works well too, is quicker to apply and travels well.

Pros: Still really cheap, easier to use, soothing to the skin, and works really great.
Cons: Sure, you have to get your hands in it, but it's a small price to pay for something that works this well.
Conclusion: I'm going to stick with this one, it works great for me!

Shopping List: 

• Aluminum Free Baking Soda
• Aloe Vera 100% Gel (no coloring or fragrances added)

Update: Safe Home Air Fresheners

I love it when people comment on my posts! It reminds me to provide updates for my ongoing experiments.

In my earlier post about making your own oil diffusers I suggested using...

"Porous wood to use for the reeds- bamboo, skewers, dowels, even interesting twigs or branches from your garden (I plan to try this later this year!)"

...but as I found out, (and a comment pointed out and reminded me) bamboo skewers don't work very well to draw up the oil.

The reeds that they sell in the stores do work really well, if you can find some on sale. However, I am always looking for the natural and cheap options, so I stuck with twigs from plants in my yard. They cost nothing and I like the natural look. I found that the best ones were from a Hydrangea, but you can use any light, porous wood.

Fall Gleaning for Apples

A couple weeks ago, we spent a lovely fall afternoon picking apples, and came home with a big bushel full of the fresh crisp fruits for practically nothing.

It was the Annual Gleaning Day our local orchard. Every year, at the end of the season, they allow people to "glean" all the apples that are left on the tree. There were also pumpkins, squash and gourds, but we had our hands full with apples. All they ask is that you donate something to local food pantries (You are also limited to one bushel of apples and you have to purchase a basket for $3, but I can think of a million uses for a nice bushel basket!).

The apples that were left were not "perfect" like you see in the grocery store, there were some spots and knobs and misshapen fruit, but the taste is amazing. A cool crisp apple freshly picked from the tree is pure heaven. We have been eating them fresh for weeks, and I also made applesauce and canned some slices for pie.
I will be marking the calendar for next year's fall gleaning. It's a great way to get inexpensive healthy food, support your community, and it's a great way to spend an afternoon outdoors!

Where Have I Been?

I know, I haven't posted in a while, actually a really long while.

What have I been doing that could possibly be more important than this? Well, I'll spare everyone the personal, but I will tell you how I spent most my free time for the better part of two months.

CANNING!

When the the garden is at its peak, and fall is around the corner, putting up food is almost a full-time job! I spent my nights and weekends slicing, dicing, stewing, boiling, pickling, mashing, straining, and watching and waiting for the canners to finish processing. It's a lot of work, but I find it fun, and definitely rewarding to see the colorful jars fill the shelves in the basement.

I managed to put up about 100 jars, which will supplement our winter diet and cut down on the grocery bills, but it would not be enough to live on. I've heard of people canning several hundred jars of food, and I imagine that would surely be a full-time job!

Now it is November, and the urgency is gone. The garden is done, save for a few late fall crops of turnips, beets, and kale. There are a few boxes of green tomatoes and winter squash that could be processed, but they can sit a little longer while I spend some time writing posts again.

We plan to expand the garden for next year though... I'll need to find more jars, and maybe a team of helpers!

Kale: My New Favorite Greens

I'm not sure why but I never thought I liked kale. This year I have an accidental bumper crop of it, thanks to a mesclun mix that I planted this spring that turned out to be mostly red kale and arugula.

In the spring, the tender small leaves made their way into salads, but as the season progressed and the plants grew bigger, I wondered what I would do with all those giant kale leaves.

At first I tried cooking with it, drying it, and freezing it. Later as the lettuce gave way to the heat of summer, I tried using the smaller leaves in place of lettuce.

Kale and Potatoes

This is a pretty simple (but delicious!) recipe, basically mashed potatoes with kale, meat, and onion.

1. While the potatoes are cooking, fry up some bacon or sausage.
   
2. When done, remove from the pan, take out some of the fat, then fry up some slices of onion.
3. When the potatoes are done, drain the hot water over chopped kale. Let sit a few minutes until the kale is tender (while you mash the potatoes with butter and milk).
4. Add kale, crumbled bacon or sausage and onions to mashed potatoes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic.

Kale Chips

I found a recipe online, and lots of people raved about how delicious they were, so I decided to try it. Of course now I can't find the recipe to link to, but it involved soaking in salted water, then draining and dehydrating. I put them in the dehydrator overnight and it stunk up the house something awful! I ended up moving it out to the porch to finish. My sister said she liked them, but I wasn't so sure about the taste.


Preserving Kale by Freezing

Freezing was pretty easy to do, and I found the kale held up better than spinach. You can find general instructions for leafy greens here.

By trial and error, I found the best method (that worked for me).

1. remove mid vein from bigger leaves
2. tear into large pieces (about the size of your palm)
3. blanch and cool
4. use a salad spinner to remove excess water
5. lay out on wax paper on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour
6. pack in freezer bags, remove air and label

I will have to report back later in the year and see how the frozen kale works, and try out some recipes.


Kale as Lettuce

Once we tried small kale leaves in place of lettuce, we realized how versatile this vegetable really is. It adds a nice crunch and an interesting flavor, and I'm sure it has more good stuff in it. It also holds up longer in the fridge compared to leaf lettuce. Kale made its way onto turkey sandwiches, burgers, BLTs (I guess they would be BKTs) and chopped for tacos or burritos or whatever else called for something green.

Composting is Cool

My worm bin and my compost pile are working their magic and providing lots of good fertilizer for my plants. I keep meaning to write a post about my adventures in composting, but there's so much good info out there already:

• Rot 'n' Roll -How to start composting from Grist- highlights all levels of commitment to composting

• Vermicomposting from Mother Earth News- focuses mostly on outdoor worms
• Books about Composting on Amazon

Exfoliating Beads Bad

Yet another reason to make your own face scrub:

Plastic ain't fantastic, reason No. 4,972

"...tiny exfoliating beads in many facial scrubs are made of polyethylene, and once the beads get washed down the drain and make their way to the ocean, it's time for Nemo and friends to get ill. (Of course, polyethylene's also a suspected carcinogen, and as a plastic, its production is fossil fuel-intensive.)"

I find that the baking soda and oatmeal scrub does a fantastic job of cleaning and gentle exfoliation. I think the special exfoliating beads are just another marketing gimmick to get you to buy the latest and greatest. So, you scrub yourself silly, then you need to buy their special moisturizer, then you're oily so you need the special cleanser... and the cycle begins. Sometimes simple is better.

I Love my Garden!

I know I haven't written much lately, but my excuse is spending most of my free time canning and freezing (and eating!) the bounty of beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, and onions growing in my garden.

It's really turned out to be fun! I love just walking through the garden every day and watching things grow. Going produce shopping in the backyard is pretty amazing too!

I also love to see the variety of life when I walk through. By not using any chemicals and maintaining a healthy growing environment, all kinds of living things feel welcome. Yesterday I spotted this little green frog sitting on a pepper.

My garden is also host to...

• big fat earthworms that aerate and fertilize the soil
• frogs, toads and wasps that prey on bugs
• wildflowers that attract bees and other pollinators

Sure, I occasionally have not so welcome guests stop by, like the hoard of Japanese Beetles that descended on the pole beans, or the bunny that (so far) only nibbles on a few low hanging beans. We are maintaining a balance with hand removal and deterrents like spraying with compost tea (or dog hair in the case of the bunny) and keeping the pesky critters under control.

Without chemicals, and not too much labor, the small plot produces more delicious healthy food than we can eat, and I also get the pleasure of watching the wildlife that make my garden their home!

A Touch of the News

• School fundraisers go green trading candy bars and magazines for greener things- "...fair-trade coffee, metal water bottles, hand-made soaps, and recycled-content wrapping paper"

• Questions have been raised over the safety of sunscreen, especially those that contain oxybenzone. More research needs to be done to prove one way or the other if it is harmful, but for now, I'm sticking with my Badger Sunscreen

• Natural insecticides containing pyrethrins (and the synthetic pyrethroids) were supposed to be safer according to the EPA, but are actually responsible for 1/4 of all pesticide related health problems.
  

'This Lawn is Your Lawn' - Great Video!

Organic Gardening with Chemical Happy Neighbors

I am so proud of my organic garden this year. It is growing so well with compost and mulch to improve the soil and keep weeds down. My only fertilizer is worm compost tea. The plants were all growing happy and strong.

Then, my neighbor decided to Roundup the weeds and grass along our shared fence. Granted, it wasn't along the section where my garden is, but the drift from the herbicide killed two feet of grass on my side of the fence (where my dogs play) and drifted four feet into the garden. A tomato plant and a potato plant nearest the corner have been sick and wilted for weeks now, despite ample rain.

I did some research online and found recommendations to wait 8 weeks before eating crops that have possible herbicide drift. Eight weeks! Despite all my hard work to make an organic garden, I still have to worry about chemical residue in my food!

My problem is on a very small scale, and will not likely happen again (the culprit happens to be my uncle). I can do something about it. But, what if it were on a larger scale, and your neighbors were huge growers spraying chemicals on their fields by airplane? What if you couldn't go outside because the air was toxic with chemical drift?

Check out the story Pesticide Drift about people living in California's Central Valley, who have to live and work in chemical drift every day. They raise their families in a place where 30% of children have asthma. The people living in these areas are trying be heard. They are getting organized, and sampling the air with 'Drift Catchers' to prove their is a problem to government officials who downplay the drift as a matter of tolerance, and merely a bad smell.

Please think about that next time you buy a big bag of lettuce or slice open a juicy melon that was likely grown in California. Buy organic food, support sustainable growers, and grow your own food if you can.

Homemade Natural Face Powder Recipe

I have been on a mission to reduce the beauty products I use and replace the 'necessities' with products that are

• natural
• inexpensive
• easy to make, store, and use
• not irritating to my sensitive skin
• still going to make me look good

My first success was with a homemade oatmeal/baking soda cleanser (by the way organic oatmeal does make a difference). After that I moved on to a face powder. I had been using the standard Cover Girl pressed powder, but I didn't like what I saw on the list of ingredients.

I did a little research and came up with a few options homemade powder:

Cornstarch
This kitchen staple is the magic ingredient. The first time I tried it I was hooked. It feels soft, lasts all day, and makes your face feels great when washed off. If used lightly you can dust on straight without looking like a ghost. More great uses for cornstarch

French Green Clay
Green Clay absorbs oils and toxins, and helps slough off impurities. It is often used in facial masks (mixed with water and aloe or oils) to tone the skin and tighten pores. As a powder, the green tone neutralizes redness in the skin. When I used this by itself, it felt nice but not quite as nice as cornstarch. I thought the green made my skin a little off color.


Cornstarch/Green Clay Mix
I found a real winner when I mixed the two ingredients. The cornstarch kept me shine-free all day, felt light and natural, and the clay powder added a silky texture and decreased redness. I found an old powder container to reuse and I had a nice soft brush to apply it. The best part is- the whole shebang cost me pennies!

Note: I have fairly pale skin, so this mixture works well for me, but for darker complexions, you could add Organic Cocoa Powder. Cocoa powder is an antioxidant and adds a little pigment (and delicious scent!). See how this chocolate lover incorporates it into her cosmetics.

Shopping List: (You can buy most of these items in bulk to save money, and you will be able to use at least the cornstarch and cocoa for other uses)

• French Green Powder Clay
• Organic Cornstarch
• Cocoa Powder, Organic Dutch-process

NEW! Try a sample before you buy in bulk at my etsy shop !

Summer Foraging- Wild Fruits

This year I've harvested and made jam and other delicious treats from juneberries, mulberries, and cherries. I have plans for crabapples, wild plum, elderberries, chokeberries, and all other berries and fruits I can find at work, at home, and in wild areas where I live.

Go Wild!
Foraging for wild fruit is a fun, inexpensive way to have fresh fruit. Most freeze well or make wonderful preserves for year round enjoyment of seasonal fruits.

• Wild Fruit Jam Recipes

But Be Careful...
Most people can identify a raspberry or blackberry, but many other fruits are a little more difficult, and may look similar to other plants with poisonous fruits. Before you go foraging, learn how to identify the plants (and similar looking dangerous plants) and refresh your memory each year. If you are just starting out, it's best to go with someone who can identify the plants. Be careful picking fruits near roadways. Pollutants like heavy metals, may be found in fruit growing along highways.

• 'Foraging for Berries, the Special on Nature’s Produce Aisle' - NYTimes.com

The Art of the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Warm gooey melt in your mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies...

Maybe you have the perfect secret family recipe, but for some of us, the Chocolate Chip Cookie is an art that is perfected over time (with plenty of trial and error on the way).

What I've learned? The more butter and sugar the better. Bake until the chocolate is gooey. Serve warm, with milk, and use good chocolate.

Here's some tips from expert cookie makers:

Quest for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie - NYTimes.com:

• "...read through the recipe first, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature, use the best-quality ingredients you can find, don’t overmix."

• The Rule of Thirds- Let the dough rest up to 36 hours for more even cooking, better texture, and richer flavor. Bigger is better- cookies up to 6" can be a real treat and you will get 3 rings of textures.

• You'd be surprised, but a little coarse salt on top can make it even more amazing.

Also, check out this NPR Interview with Shirley Corriher- food scientist and author, about "how to build a better chocolate chip cookie".

Books about Chocolate Chip Cookies (I had no idea there were so many!)

A Touch of the News

• How do you know where your produce comes from? There is currently no labeling law, but this fall, a new federal law will require that fresh food is labeled by country of origin.

• Walmart has bought more and more local produce in the last couple years ($400 million worth this year). In the summer about one fifth of all produce is locally grown (in the state the store is in).

• Scientists are working on the problem of mercury in CFLs (in case they are broken or don't get recycled). They have come up with ideas for cloth or plastic for packaging or clean up that would capture the mercury.

• If you're trying to get drunk really fast, drink cocktails with diet soda. Alcohol gets to the bloodstream 15 minutes faster with artificially sweetened drinks!
  

• Phyto-nutrient citrulline in watermelon (among other benefits) has Viagra-like effects on blood vessels. This nutrient is found in higher concentrations in the rind. Watermelon pickles anyone?