Sustainable Saturday - Top 5 Ways To Save On Energy Costs

This is a guest post from Interstate Air Conditioning & Heating.  As the summer temperatures have heated up around the country, Interstate Air Conditioning & Heating offers 5 Ways to Save on Energy Costs.

In this day and age, it seems every time we turn around there’s a new bill or fee that we have to pay. It can get pretty overwhelming, to say the least. So when there’s a way to save a little cash, why not seize the opportunity? Interstate Air Conditioning & Heating who specializes in air conditioning maintenance in NYC has come up with 5 ways to save on energy costs this summer. 

1.  Buy a High-Efficiency Unit

We all have material objects that we get attached to – an old baby blanket, a first car, a piece of jewelry. No matter what happens, we hold onto these items through thick and thin…because they mean something to us. I’m sure in the list you just made in your head of things you would never want to replace – your air conditioning unit was not one of them; because your unit is simply a machine that cools your home and costs you x amount of dollars to do so. When “x” becomes astronomical, however, it’s time to move on to greener pastures – literally. Go Green with your AC and buy a high-efficiency unit. Your new unit can reduce energy costs by 20 to 50 percent! If you have a central air unit, look for a SEER rating of at least 14; if you have a window unit, look for an EER rating of at least 10.7.  
2.  Use Ductless Air Conditioners

Very rarely do two people agree on what a comfortable temperature is. There is almost always an angry party or a compromise that has to be made in regards to how high or low the AC is turned up. Those arguments and compromises can be a thing of the past, though, with ductless air conditioners (or split systems). These units allow you to independently control the temperature of each room in your house or apartment. Now you can have your living room set to 65 degrees and a bedroom set to 72. No more need to freeze or melt!  

3. Purchase A Programmable Thermostat

When you make a decision to start saving money, every penny counts. Programmable thermostats can reduce energy costs by $180 a year! How do they work? Simple! All you do is use the 4 pre-programmed settings to control your home’s temperature for particular times of the day or night. For example, you don’t want your AC pumping when you’re not even home, right? What a waste of energy and money! Set it so that it’ll start cooling a half hour or so before you get in. Or set it lower while everyone is asleep. Goodbye wasteful air conditioning, hello $180!  

4.  Mount a Whole House Fan

A whole house fan is exactly what it sounds like. You install it in the ceiling that connects to your attic, and it cools your house by pulling the cool air from outside through open windows into your home, and ejects warmer air up and out through a ventilated attic space. This clever process of taking in cool air from outside and getting rid of hot air from the inside allows you to turn your AC up a few degrees or even leave it off completely. 

5.  Invest In a Properly Sized Unit

You wouldn’t go out and buy jeans that you can’t zip up, so why try it with your AC unit? If an air conditioning unit isn’t the correct size, it isn’t going to work properly. A small unit won’t be able to cover the square footage, and a large unit will be too much. If it isn’t sized properly, it’s going to run inefficiently, waste energy, not dehumidify well, and can cost you thousands in repairs and/or energy costs. If you invest in a properly-sized unit, though, you’ll feel a significant difference in cooling, and energy costs! As an air conditioning repair company in NYC, the goal of Interstate Air Conditioning & Heating's blog is to help educate our customers and the public on air conditioning and heating related issues.      

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Update on our Year

I have been absent from the blogging world for quite some time now.  Periodically I have been updating with interesting articles and events on my facebook page for both Saving Family Green and Suburban Family Garden.  I have big goals for this year to have both blogs up and running, unfortunately some serious family health issues have required much of my time in 2012.

I am here.  We are here.  We are continuing to live our lives the way we believe is best for our family and the environment.  I have not stopped reading, growing and sharing.  These family health issues have further affirmed for myself that our health is dependent on the food we eat and the air we breath.

That all said, here is a look into what we've been up to so far this year:

Saving Family Green

There are big goals for this year.  Hope to be sharing more in the coming weeks.  Since this month is Earth Day, my goal is to start our "year" then.

We've been cooking and baking from scratch more than ever.  Our freezer is full of local fruits, vegetables, beans, meats and baked goods made from scratch.

Homemade pizza has become a regular event.  I love being able to control the ingredients including grass-fed mozzarella cheese from a local farmer.  The meat is local, the vegetables are local and we are loving it!  For now, the sauce is store bought, although Organic, due to my freezer episode last year.  We have many, many tomato plants started though to make enough sauce for the entire year.

We've been eating more beans this year.  (Pictured top left to right are Kidney Beans, Lentils and Pinto Beans).  We've found a local source for Organic Black Beans with Shagbark Seed & Mill. 

We've made refried beans (using Pinto Beans beans pictured above) using a recipe from Skinny Mom's Kitchen, which is a new favorite blog I'm following.   You can find many of the recipes we've used this year by following me on Pinterest.

Suburban Family Garden

Goals for 2012:

1. Front Yard Garden - Inspired by the Edible Front Yard
2. Produce enough produce to last 12 months
3. Community Awareness
4. Giveaway and/ or donate produce
5. Year round gardening

The seeds are started and we will be planting more soon in the ground.  The weather here in Ohio has been unseasonable warm and has allowed us to get the seeds started early.  

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Bulk Foods

Today we visited an Amish Bulk Foods store that is about 45 miles from Central Ohio.  We have visited before and enjoy purchasing flour, raw sugar, brown rice, cheese, etc. in bulk.  We buy 2 lb, 5 lb and 10 lb quantities of these items.  You can also purchase 25 lb and 50 lb bags of a variety of types of flour, oats and sugar.

If you are interested in visiting a Bulk Foods store, I can recommend a few.  If you live in other parts of Ohio or another state, I've found a great way to find Bulk Food Stores is to search Google.

Yoder's Bulk Foods Store
OH-314 N
Chesterville, OH

The Homestead Store
13877 McBeth Rd  
New Hampshire, OH 45870
419-568-2855

Country Variety Store & Bakery
6263 US 68 N
Bellefontaine, OH 43311

Previously I have posted information about Produce Auctions, organized by State.  You can also find this information under Coupons.

Photo Credit:  Amish America and Amy Lloyd.

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Book Review: No Impact Man

I don't think I could have intentionally picked a better book to end the year with as we think about goals for our lives for 2012. 

No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process is written by Colin Beavan who is a self proclaimed environmentalist.  I have referred to him as an overnight environmentalist, however at the same time many who say they are experts in the field have not gone as he has in lifestyle changes.

Colin Beavan and his family, wife Michelle and daughter Isabella for one year, living in New York City, challenge themselves to live as sustainably as possible.  We are not talking about shopping at Whole Foods and buying environmentally friendly cleaning products, but complete, intentional, lifestyle overhaul.  The idea that we should think about what the earth can productively offer not just what we want in that moment.  The idea that Convenience means more time to work instead of taking care of our families.  We as a society are so focused on where we are going, not what we are doing right now!

The year begins with the goal of reducing trash.  Self proclaimed "take-out junkies" have a tough habit to quit.  They successfully reduce their trash including their 2 year-old daughter's disposable diapers (transitioning her to cloth).  They then reduce and practically eliminate motorized transportation of any kind including elevators (they live on the 9th floor of their apartment building), with the exception of Michelle's office which resides on the 40th+ floor of a building.

The family then moves to eating Sustainably.  After some research, they determine that all their food must come from within 250 miles.  This short distance radius means that they will become vegetarian and since they have no stockpile or deep freeze full of food from the past seasons, they will eat only vegetables and fruits that are in season.  At one point, Colin refers to himself as a 1950s housewife who cooks and bakes to sustain his family.  He talks about how different the food industry is in Europe and how fresh markets are the norm.

From the Sustainable eating phase, they move into much more challenging goals such as purchasing nothing new (used is allowed), reducing all waste (including toilet paper), cleaning products (they make their own), and eventually turn off the electricity in their apartment.  This means no refrigerator, no washing machine, no dishwasher, etc.

Overall the book speaks to the great emphasis that we have on Consumerism in the United States.  Early on in the project, the family gets rid of their television.  Colin's wife Michelle is addicted to reality television.  They determine that the television is the enemy in the living room that feeds consumerism by the plethora of commercials or ads that we are exposed to everyday.  We are a society that thrives on disposable goods of every kind from paper products to appliances with life expectancies of only 5 years . . . then off to the landfill.  Colin talks about how scarce fresh water will become in the coming years and the overall impacts on the environment and Global Warming.

All I can say is what a absolutely inspiring book.  While I found myself at times laughing at Colin's discoveries, such as his realization that Organic produce travels many times farther than regular produce.  That local farmer's, even though they may not have the USDA Organic Label, are many times producing animals or crops in an truly Organic way.  These are discoveries that we have made over the years in our personal quest to live and raise our children in a environmentally friendly way.

This book really makes me believe that we can all be doing so much more.  What an inspiration as we move into 2012 and as my family thinks about what we want to accomplish this coming year.

There is also a DVD:  No Impact Man which is a great accompaniment to the book.  I read the book first and then my husband and I watched the DVD documentary together.  It profiles Colin, Michelle and Isabella on their journey through the year long project.

DVD:  No Impact Man

As the news stories go: "Colin Beavan is a liberal schlub who got tired of listening to himself complain about the world without ever actually doing anything about it" Thus, in November, 2006, Beavan launched a year-long project in which he, his wife, his two-year-old daughter and his four-year-old dog went off the grid and attempted to live in the middle of New York City with as little environmental impact as possible. The No Impact project has been the subject of stories in the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, and many other national and international news outlets. Beavan has appeared on The Colbert Report, Good Morning America, Nightline, The Montel Show, and all the major NPR shows. He speaks regularly to a wide variety of audiences, is frequently quoted in the press and consults to business on the intersection of sustainability and human quality of life. 


Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Preparing for a Green Christmas

As Christmas is fast approaching and only two weeks away, many of us are thinking about decorating our homes or purchasing gifts for loved ones.

Here are a few ideas to lessen your impact on the environment this holiday season:

Consider a Living Tree - Our local stores have trees which you can purchase, have in your home for the holidays and then plant in your yard at the end of the season.  While we have yet to go this route at our house, the idea is definitely one we want to use in the future.

Recycle Your Real Christmas Tree - There is actually a National Christmas Tree Association which explains the benefits of real trees.  Real Christmas Trees are biodegradable and can be reused or recycled.  To learn about the many ways the Real Christmas Trees are being recycled and reused in communities nationwide, you can follow the links here.   

LED Holiday Lights - Over the last few years, LED lights have come down in price and there have even been incentives offered by popular retailers like Home Depot for you to "turn in" your old lights in exchange for a discount on new LED lights.  They conserve energy, last longer and are cool to the touch! 

Recycle gifts - At my office we do a White Elephant gift exchange.  Interesting things happen when you re-gift something, but every year I am amazed at how one person's junk is another person's treasure! 

Make gifts from scratch - One of our favorite holiday gifts to give, is homemade items.  This year we have made a Children's Tie Fleece Blanket for my niece (my children's cousin), Fleece Hats and Scarves for my children and niece, sugar cookies for teachers, friends and family and I have grand plans to make both of my children holiday aprons to give to them as Christmas gifts (we love to bake at our house)! 

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here.
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Sustainable Saturday - Consumerism and Your Christmas List

Black Friday has come and gone.  Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday.

I did end up participating in Black Friday this year, but more on my terms.  I ordered a few things online and went out with family at 6 a.m. to pick up a few must have deals (theirs not mine).

I will echo what many have said before, that we are a society of consumers.  We are a society that turns wants into needs or so we think.

As you think about your shopping list this year, perhaps think about where things come from, how far they have to travel to get to you, what they are made of, etc.  Sure we will purchase some toys for our children, clothes and gifts for others from both big box retailers and online, however we will try to be mindful to not overdue it.  We will try to remember the difference between need and want.  We will most importantly remember to think of others who have not.

I guess I feel today like I've been slapped in the face with consumerism.  Not sure I can change the way the majority of people feel, but at least offer some suggestions: 

Keep it simple.  Sometimes the best gifts are handmade or homemade.  We traditionally give many on our list cookies that we make together as a family.  I think people appreciate that you thought of them, not the cost of the gift.

Keep it local.  Check out local retailers that offer either locally made products or even products that you might purchase from an online retailer or big box store.

Remember the difference between need and want.  Children don't need every new toy that is out there.  Last year's winter coat can be worn for more than one winter.  You don't need to get someone something just to get them something.  Take a few minutes to write a nice card or give something you've made and put thought into.

Most importantly, remember the importance of the holidays.  Christmas is about the birth of Christ and we all seem to forget that in the consumerism that we are constantly surrounded by.

Merry Christmas & Happy (Simple, Local, Need-to-have) Consuming!


Photo Credit:  Digital Trends


Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - 5 Low Cost Ways to Reduce Winter Heating Bills

Guest post by Joshua Lloyd from Symhome.

The temperature is dropping and many are looking for ways to control their winter heating costs.  There are some easy, low cost strategies that everyone can use to help control their winter heating bills.  These are my top 5 tips that even the not so handy homeowners can use to keep the heating cost at bay:

1. Open the blinds: Some of the coldest days of the year are the clearest and brightest, so let the sun shine in and help heat your home.  There are homes designed to utilize the sun’s rays as their primary heating source (Passive Solar), so there is no reason your home can’t take advantage of this free heat source.  Just be sure at night to close the blinds to retain the heat in the home and help reduce drafts.

2. Add layers: Not only am I surprised by the number of people that live in complete darkness during the day, but how many want to keep their home warm enough to wear shorts & a t-shirt.  By wearing clothing appropriate to the weather outside can greatly increase your comfort and allow you to reduce the temperature in your home, thus saving you money.

3. Set back your temperature: The rule of thumb is you can save between 1-3% for every degree that you set your thermostat back for an 8 hour period of time while you are at work and sleeping.  The Department Of Energy estimates that you can save up to $180 a year with this simple strategy.  You can make this even easier by installing a programmable thermostat that you can have automatically adjust the temperature in the home and can have it start to heat the home before you wake up in the morning or get home from work so you do not have to contend with the cold temperatures.

4. Maintain your heating equipment: Servicing your heating units and replacing filters regularly can boost efficiency by 3-10% according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).  It is recommended to have oil-fired boilers cleaned and tuned annually, and gas systems, every two years.  Not only will regularly servicing your oil and gas fired heating equipment help improve efficiency, but ensure safety if your heating contractor performs combustion testing, in the hopes they catch high levels of carbon monoxide.

5. Seal those leaks: Excessive air leakage into the home can waste up to 25% of your homes heating and cooling costs.  Installing foam gaskets behind outlet and switch covers on exterior walls is the simplest strategy.  Sealing the gaps around window & door trim is another easy cost effective way to reduce infiltration and reduce drafts.  However sealing those air leaks in the attic is where you will get the most bang for your buck as you will trap the warm air in the home as it rises.

If you are a handy homeowner and looking for other ways around your home to conserve energy and reduce your heating and cooling costs,  follow my blog series Kill’n a Hog….an Energy Hog as my family reduces the energy consumption of our 1960’s home.

Joshua has a degree in architecture and is a LEED Accredited Professional that has worked in the design and construction industry for over 10 years, focusing his efforts on energy efficiency and building science. He has organized multiple events in Ohio to give young designers the opportunity to learn about “green” home design and produce actual projects. He was also a key player in Ohio’s first LEED for Homes Platinum project. Joshua is also a certified Building Analyst through the Building Performance Institute and performs home energy audits, assisting home owners in reducing their energy usage.  

You can follow his blog Symhome here.  You can also follow him on facebook and twitter. 

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Local Foods at the Wilds

I always think it is interesting to learn of a place, not too far from where you live, that is doing great things in regards to sustainability and educating others.

The Wilds is attempting to address where food is grown, how it is grown and their approach to sustainable resources use.

A little background on The Wilds (from their website): 

The Wilds is a private, non-profit conservation center located on nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed mine land in rural southeastern Ohio. It was created as the conservation center of the future by a group of civic leaders, political leaders and zoo professionals who believed that a serious scientific approach was required to find solutions to environmental concerns.

From its inception, the Wilds has been envisioned as a facility that combines cutting-edge conservation science and education programs with unique visitor opportunities.








Last year, The Wilds increased its ability to grow food on the property utilizing raised garden beds and compost due to poor soil conditions, a direct result of most of the property having been surface mined.  The goal for The Wilds is to provide fresh produce for area restaurants and educating visitors about sustainable agriculture practices.

In addition, they supplement their produce needs by purchasing from Chesterhill Produce Auction which is owned by Rural Action.  Rural Action’s mission is to foster social, economic, and environmental justice in Appalachian Ohio.

The Wilds, by keeping their purchases local for meat, cheese, wine, beer, maple syrup and a variety of other items, are supporting the local economy and proving that food doesn't have to travel thousands of miles to your plate.

Chesterhill Produce Auction

Rural Action

Local Matters

Ohio Foodshed

Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Zero Waste at Ohio Stadium (Home of the Ohio State Buckeyes)

Those who know me personally, know that I bleed scarlet and gray.  I am hoping to pass that tradition down today as my almost 6 year old daughter will attend her very first game in Ohio Stadium to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes football team take on Indiana.

Back in the Spring, Ohio State announced a Zero Waste Initiative for Ohio Stadium.  The goal:  To divert 90 percent of gameday waste from the landfill.

According to their website, Zero Waste at Ohio Stadium, they are tracking 57.4% on the season.  They break down the stats for each game here.

Looks like Ohio Stadium is among friends with Zero Waste Initiatives at the following Universities:

University of Colorado Boulder

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is challenging Colleges and Universities to participate in their Game Day Challenge.

The Game Day Challenge is a friendly competition for colleges and universities to promote waste reduction at their football games. This Challenge is an initiative of EPA’s WasteWise program.
During the challenge, colleges and universities implement waste reduction programs during home football games. Schools track and report waste reductions and disposal data that is used to rank the schools.

What a great initiative to get started even at your local high school football field?

Go Bucks!


Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Transitioning Your Family to Locally Grown Real Food

I've talked a lot about food lately.  Whether it be fresh produce from a Farmer's Market, growing a garden or food preservation, it's been primarily about food.

There are two reasons for that.  One is that I feel that in our home we have made many changes or transitions over the last 7+ years towards living a more sustainable life.  We have focused on green cleaning products, remodeling our home in a environmentally friendly and energy efficient way and making smart choices for personal care products.  We have for many years focused on eating locally, primarily during the Farmer's Market season, but have still purchased processed foods and purchased produce out of season from our local grocery store.

This year we have focused heavily on transitioning to primarily locally grown real foods.

Here are Saving Family Green's 10 Tips for Transitioning Your Family to Locally Grown Real Food:

1.  Stay out of the grocery store!  No, seriously.  Challenge yourself to only go to the grocery store once every two weeks or once a month.  Yes, you may need to purchase dairy primarily from a grocery store if you don't have a local farmer who can provide you with fresh eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt.  Staying out of the store should greatly reduce the amount of processed food you purchase.

2.  When you do visit the grocery store, buy produce in season at the grocery store.  For example, resist buying strawberries in January because you are guaranteed that they are from a far away place and asparagus in July.

3.  Read labels.  Do you know how many processed food items contain high fructose corn syrup?

4.  Buy produce, meat and dairy from a local Farmer's Market.  You can find one local to your area by visiting Local Harvest.

5.  Grow a garden.

6.  Find a local produce auction.  I have written before about produce auctions.  What better way to create a Real Food stockpile for your family!

7.  Preserve food for the months when you cannot either grow a garden, shop at a local Farmer's Market or Produce Auction.

8.  Cook simple meals with local and fresh meat, vegetables and fruit.  There is nothing wrong with something simple and even better if it doesn't contain canned soup or vegetables.

9.  Find a local source for baking supplies.  In Ohio there are quite a few Amish Bulk Foods stores which have primarily baking supplies.

10.  Bake your own bread.  (This is on my list of things to do.)  We currently buy bread from the store that does not contain high-fructose corn syrup.

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here.

Sustainable Saturday - Produce Auctions

There are somewhere between 45-50 Produce Auctions that take place in the United States.  With a little online searching, I have found 32 of them that take place across the Country. 

I previously posted about Ohio Produce Auctions, but wanted to provide more information about what to expect when you attend a Produce Auction and resources to find one locally.  Many of the Produce Auctions that I have come across may have little information available online.

Produce Auctions many times take place in the country.  The auction sites that I have seen either in person or online, look much like a metal building or barn that has overhead doors that open and maybe even a dock area for loading and unloading.  There usually is an office inside where the business of the auction is conducted (registering to bid, paying, etc.)

Produce Auctions are attended by individuals or families, people who re-sell the products at a Farm Stand and buyers for various retailers.  The lots of products (produce, plants, etc.) are organized into various sizes to accommodate the variety of bidders.  This is great if you are a family and may only want to purchase a few melons vs. an entire crate or large box containing fifty melons!  You may pay slightly more for the smaller quantities on a per item or pound basis, but that is may not always be the case.  It will generally depend on what you are buying and the quantity of that item that is available.  For example, I paid $2/ dozen ears of corn buying in the "Family-size portions" while an acquaintance purchased 80 dozen ears of corn for $3/ dozen ears in the "Retailer-size portions".

Bidding takes place just like it does at a typical auction.  You must register for a number to be able to bid.  You will need to show the number to the auctioneer so that one, they know who is bidding on the item, two, so they can mark the item with your bid number and three, so that they can total all your purchases for the day.  The important thing to pay attention to is the quantity of the item you are bidding on.  For instance, there may be two boxes of tomatoes in a "lot".  The auctioneer should specify whether you are bidding on one or both.  Usually you are bidding on a price for one and then once a final price is achieved, the auctioneer will ask if you want one box or two.  I cannot stress enough that you must pay attention to the quantity or you very well may overpay for a particular item.

It's also important to know what items you are bidding on may sell for at a typical Farmer's Market or Farm Stand that you frequent (this may even apply to the grocery store).  At a recent auction I attended, for whatever reason, green beans were selling for a ridiculous amount of money.  A medium-size box of green beans was selling for $11.  I know that at my local Farmer's Market, I could purchase these for much less, so I did not even bid on the item.  On the other hand, I was able to purchase Roma Tomatoes for $0.50/ pound which I know at my Local Market I would pay probably $1/ pound on a good day.  For me, this was a terrific deal.

For future reference, Produce Auctions will be listed here on Saving Family Green for quick reference to what may be available in your area.  I always recommend confirming the days and times of the Produce Auction before you plan on attending.

Iowa Produce Auctions

Farmsong Produce Auction
16340 Farm Song Road
Lamoni, IA. 50140
www.farmsongproduceauction.com
Managers: Darryl & Karin Parkes
641-784-6591
During auctions call the auction house at:
641-784-6340
Auctioneer: Crist Beachy
641-745-9091  

Kentucky Produce Auctions

Bath County Produce Auction
2914 East Highway 60, Owingsville, KY 40360
Directions: The auction is held at the Agricultural Education and Marketing Center at the intersection of I-64 Exit 123 and U.S. 60.
Contact: Les Marksberry
Phones: (606) 674-9104 or (606) 336-0031
Auction managers: Joe Girod Family and Les Marksberry Family
Auctioneer: Bobby Rogers

Capstone Produce Market (Henry County)
7432 Carrollton Rd., Campbellsburg, KY 40011
Directions: Located at the intersection of U.S. 41 and KY 55. From I-71 take Exit 34, go east on U.S. 421 for about 2.5 miles, then north on KY 55 for approximately 200 feet; market is on the right.
Owner/Operator/Auctioneer: David Neville
Phone: (502) 330-3027 (cell)
Market phone: (502) 532-7045
e-mail: info@capstoneproducemarket.com

Casey County Produce Auction
524 South Fork Creek Rd., Liberty, KY 42539
Directions: From Liberty, take U.S. 127 south for approximately 8 miles; turn left onto KY 910 and travel about 1.8 miles; take a left on to South Fork Creek Road; the auction will be about 1 mile down this road, on the right.
Auction Manager: Milton Brubacker
Assistant Manager: Paul Hoover
Phone: (606) 787-5158
Market report recorded message: (606) 787-0570

Fairview Produce Auction (Christian County)
10292 U.S. Highway 68E, Pembroke, KY
Directions: Auction is located 10 miles east of Hopkinsville, KY on U.S. 68/KY 80, one-half mile west of Jefferson Davis State Historic Site (monument park).
Auction Manager: Ralph Burkeholder
Phone: (270) 887-0053
Fax: (270) 887-0475

Hart County Produce Auction
6880 Cub Run Highway, Munfordville, KY
Directions: From I-65 take Exit 65, turn left onto Hwy 31W, drive 1.7 miles, go right on Hwy 88 (4th Street), and continue on Hwy 88 (right on North West Street) and go 5.7 miles to the auction.
Auction Manager: Wilmer Yoder
Phone: (270) 524-0005

Fax: (270) 524-7812 

Lincoln County Produce Auction
2896 KY 39 North, Crab Orchard, KY 40419
Directions: Located on KY 39 approximately 8 miles south of Lancaster; auction is on the left.
Auction Manager: Lloyd Schrock
Phone: (606) 355-0030
Market report recorded message: (606) 355-0001
Auctioneers: Billy Bryant and Ford Bros. 

Missouri Produce Auctions

Four County Produce Auction
Located one mile North of Windsor, MO on WW Highway  

Central Missouri Produce Auction, Inc.   
37808 Highway E
Fortuna, MO 65034
Auction Facility - 660-337-6227 (Auction days only)
Residence - 660-4580-6655 (No Sunday call please.

Clark Produce Auction LLC
For more information, contact:   Elmer Gingerich Or Leo Kempf
1966 Highway Y
Clark, MO 65243 

North Missouri Produce Auction LLC
State Highway F
Jamesport, MO 64648
For more information, contact:
Auctioneer: Jared Miller - Cell: 816-261-6365
Manager: Atlee Stutzman - Voice Mail 660-684-6092
Auction Market: Phone - 660-684-6844
Market Report Update Line – 660-684-6700 

New Jersey Produce Auctions 

Vineland Produce Auction Association, Inc.
Vineland, New Jersey 08360
Phone: 856-691-0721
Fax: 856-794-2301
Email: info@vinelandproduce.com

Tri-County Cooperative Auction Market
619 Route 33 West
East Windsor, NJ 08520
609-448-0193
TriCountyCoop@Verizon.net

New York Produce Auctions

Chautauqua Produce Auction
P.O. Box 222, 7844 Rt. 474
Clymer, NY 14724
Phone: 716-355-6500 or 716-355-6391
Email Address:nwesterberg@stny.rr.com

Finger Lakes Produce Auction, Inc.
3691 State Route 14A (Penn Yan-Dundee Road)
Penn Yan (Yates County), New York 14527
Office Phone 315-531-8446
James Lightfoote, Office Manager

Ohio Produce Auctions

Middlefield Produce Auction
Geauga Growers Association
14575 Madison Rd.
Rte. 528, Middlefield, Ohio 44062
440.632.0499

Farmers Produce Auction (Mount Hope Produce Auction)
Mailing address: P.O. Box 101, Mt. Hope, Ohio 44660
Location: 7701 State Rte 241, Millersburg, Ohio 44654
Mgr. Jim Mullet
330.674.7661

The Owl Creek Produce Auction
20999 Waterford Rd.
Fredericktown, Ohio 43019
Kelly Brown 740.694.7140
waterfordgang@yahoo.com

Blooming Grove Auction Inc.
1091 Free Road
Shiloh, Ohio 44878
419.896.2775

Homerville Wholesale Produce Auction
9430 Spencer Road
Homerville, Ohio 44235
1 mile south of Homerville on State Route 301.
Mgr. F.W. Owen, 330-625-2369, fwo@bright.net

Captina Produce Auction
39050 West Captina Highway
Barnesville, Ohio 43713
740.425.4495
For more information, contact Monroe County OSU Extension @ 740.472.0810

Chesterhill Produce Auction
8380 Wagoner Rd.
Chesterhill, Ohio 43728
Contct Tom Redfern or Bob Fedyski at Rural Action: 740.767.4938
tomr@ruralaction.org
bob@ruralaction.org

Bainbridge Produce Auction
State Route 41 South 5 miles south of Bainbridge Ohio
Mgr. Is Ernest Martin, 740.634.3451, leave a message.
For more information contact Brad Bergefurd, OSU Extension, bergefurd.1@osu.edu 

Pennsylvania Produce Auctions

New Wilmington Produce Auction Inc
(724) 946-2034
3238 State Route 208
New Wilmington, PA 16142

Oxford Produce Auctions, LLC
200 Union School Rd.
Oxford, PA 19363
(610) 932-2722

Tennessee Produce Auctions

Plowboy Produce Auction & Wholesale Farmers Market
469 South Brace Road
Ethridge, TN 38456
(931) 829-1114
Email: info at plowboyproduceauction dot com

Wisconsin Produce Auctions

Badgerland Produce Auction
N2954 State Hwy 22, Montello (2 miles south of Montello)
Mailing address and contact information:
PO Box 128
Montello, WI 53949
(608) 697-8989
Established 2002
Days / Hours of Operation:
10:00am Tuesday and Friday April 28th thru July 7th
10:00am Monday, Wednesday and Friday July 10th thru Sept. 15th
10:00am Tuesday and Friday Sept 19th thru Oct 20th

Central Wisconsin Produce Auction
N14676 County Highway O
Withee WI 54498
(715) 229-4838

Fennimore Produce Auction
Address: 14800 Cty Hwy T, Fennimore, WI
For Info Call: Phone on grounds-(608)822-3854 or Brian cell-(608)386-6058 or Tim cell-(608)988-6464
Location: 4 miles North of Fennimore, Wi on Hwy 61 to Cty Hwy T then East 1/2 mile to Auction Building.

Tim Slack Auction and Realty, LLC
525 Lincoln Ave. Box 211
Fennimore, Wisconsin 53809,
Toll Free 1-800-820-3454
Phone: 608-822-3454   Fax: 608-822-4454
E-mail: slackauc@tds.net

Growers Produce Auction
2347 Dell Road
Cashton, Wisconsin
Just off County Hwy D
(608) 654-7880
Brian Nelson, Order Buyer 

Virginia Produce Auctions

Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction, LLC
2839 Lumber Mill Rd.
Dayton, VA 22821
(540) 879-2211

If you missed my previous Sustainable Saturday:  Ohio Produce Auctions, you can read that here. 

Here are two articles that further explains Produce Auctions:

Regional Wholesaling of Vegetables:  Wholesale Produce Cooperative Auctions

New York Times: A Produce Auction With an Eye to Survival


Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here.Tweet

Sustainable Saturday - Organic Lawn Care

 In this picture you will notice a Scotts spreader.  We are not promoting the use of Scotts, it just happens to be that we have a Scotts spreader that we acquired on Pre-Cycle Day in our local community (for free).

Sunday morning at church I noticed in the raised garden beds there were carrots growing and surrounding the carrots were lawn clippings and leaves.  I was concerned at first at the thought of placing potentially chemical laden lawn clippings around carrots that were meant for the local food pantry.  Then I looked around and observed that the lawn appeared as though it was not treated with chemical lawn products as there were clovers and other plant species growing amongst the grass much like our own lawn.

One, this is a great idea for keeping carrots warm during these unpredictable weather days of fall.  Two, this reminds me all of the reason why I am grateful that we treat our own lawn with Natural or Organic Lawn Care concepts.  We don't have to worry about our children rolling in the grass or placing lawn clipping in our compost pile.  In the past we have used a local Organic Lawn Care company, Good Nature, but as of more recently we have been treating the lawn ourselves (or should I say my husband has been treating the lawn).

Organic Lawn Care concepts at the Saving Family Green household consists of Corn Gluten.  Until last Spring I was unfamiliar with Corn Gluten except for my obvious assumptions that it was made of corn.

"Corn Gluten Meal is a powdery byproduct of the corn milling process.  Used for years as a supplement in hog feed, this natural protein is very effective for lawns and gardens as a plant food as well as a week suppressor.  Corn gluten meal products offer a non-toxic, yet effective alternative to traditional, chemical-based weed and feed products for weed control in gardens and lawns, paths and driveways.  - An excerpt from Corn Gluten Meal - A natural alternative for lawn and garden weed control.

Lawn Prep and Corn Gluten Application:

Learn more about Corn Gluten:

Corn Gluten Meal - A natural alternative for lawn and garden weed control

Corn Gluten Meal as an Organic, Pre-Emergent Herbicide 

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green as a Consumer

This week's Sustainable Saturday is the seventh part in the Series Getting to Green.  This Series focuses on easy, cost-effective ways to implement green ideas or concepts throughout your home and life. 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green as a Consumer

1.  Think Globally, Act Locally.  Simply give some thought to where the item was grown, produced, processed or shipped from.  For instance, while you might pay slightly more for an item like Organic Cheese from a local Farmer's Market, this product was grown (the cow), processed (made into cheese) and transported locally.  When you start to think about the impact on the environment from the standpoint of shipping (or use of fossil fuels), you can greatly reduce your overall impact on the environment by being a local consumer. 

2.  Bring Your Own Bags.  Another tip is if you forget and your grocery store for instance has paper bags, choose those and use them for bagging lawn waste, gathering items for your compost, or doing a cool craft with your children.

3. Purchase Organic Foods (Product, Dairy, Meat, etc.).  Many people say that if there is one thing Organic you purchase for your family, choose Organic dairy.  Choosing Organic can be consuming at times with all the labels proclaiming Natural, All Natural, Local, Organic, etc.  Make sure you understand what all these food labels actually mean you are purchasing:  Sustainable Saturday - Organic Food Labels.

4.  Purchase Locally Grown or Produced Foods.  As I've said before, many people will claim that locally grown foods are often Organic (although they don't always bear the pricey to receive Organic food label) and are better for you from a nutrients standpoint and better for the environment from a locally grown standpoint, than many Organic labels.  Many Organic produce is grown in other countries or at best shipped across the Country. 

5.  Purchase Produce in Season.  This is something you can easily follow by either purchasing produce that is on sale (most likely meaning in season) from your local grocery store or Farmer's market.

6.  Purchase Produce in Season AND in Bulk.  This is something we experienced for the first time in the last month in that we went to and purchased produce from a local (Amish) Produce Auction.  The great thing about a produce auction is you can buy in bulk, for a great price (less than a local Farmer's market) and you are buying chemical free food (in most cases) because the Amish do not use pesticides and other chemicals on their produce. 

7.  Preserve Food.  If my grandmother was still alive, I would be wanting to learn from her all the ways that she preserved food when she was raising a family (in the 1940s-50s).  Unfortunately, my mother did not pass down these strategies of food preservation as she raised myself and my sister in the 1980s when processed convenience foods were new and popular.  (If I ever see a bowl of fruit cocktail again, I may lose it!)  So, I've had to learn how-to preserve food by both canning and freezing. 

Saving Family Green's 2011 Food Preservation List to date:

DIY:  Freezing and Canning Tomato Sauce
DIY:  Freezing Corn 
DIY:  Homemade Pesto 

8.  Think about Packaging.  We recently made a step to reduce the packaging we use to pack our lunches everyday.  We use reusable lunch bags and reusable containers although we were still using plastic bags for sandwiches.  (Saran wrap has been banned from our house for years due to possible chemical leakage into food especially when used in the microwave.)  We purchased Kid Konserve Green 5-Pack Food Kozy from Amazon. 

You can also greatly reduce packaging by not buying individually packages snack items and instead by the large bag and place into smaller reusable containers.

9.   Use Green Cleaning Products or Make Your Own.  Making your own cleaning products is really the most environmentally friendly as you are most likely reducing the amount of fossil fuels that are being used to both make a product and for transportation.

10.   Purchase Quality Furniture - If you are purchasing new furniture, look for furniture that is made of solid wood and is preferably FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified wood.  Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests.

You can read the entire Getting to Green series here:   

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Living Areas (Living/ Dining/ Family/ Office)

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bedroom

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bathroom 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Laundry Room 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green Outdoors and in the Garden 

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet
 

Sustainable Saturday - Ohio Produce Auctions

"Produce Auctions offer a unique view of the production capabilities of some of our agricultural communities. They are generally associated with Amish and Mennonite communities, and focus on bulk purchasing for commercial buyers in a true auction style. Most however, have associated retail and small lots opportunities, and also offer a chance for the family buyer to obtain quantities in bulk for canning or re-selling or gifting to your neighbors."  - Ohio Food Shed

Up until a few weeks ago I had never heard of a produce auction.  While online, I came across a blog that talked about buying produce at an auction and getting tomatoes for as little as $0.10 / pound.  Then, a week or two later I was discussing with someone how they had been to a produce auction and had purchased 80 dozen ears of corn for preserving, both canning and freezing, for the winter months.

A little online research and I found out that in Ohio there are several produce auctions that take place around the State. On Our Ohio website you can type Auction into the search menu and it will show you all the auctions that take place around the state. Some have websites of their own and some just have the information of when they take place with a contact phone number and email.

After reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I set a goal of preserving fresh produce for use during the colder months.  Since my garden produces basically enough for us to eat through the growing season, but not really enough to preserve, purchasing produce from an auction in bulk allows me to preserve more for the coming months.

We went to the Owl Creek Produce Auction in Morrow County:

Owl Creek Produce Auction
Kelly Brown
5885 Morrow Co. Rd. 22
Fredericktown, OH 43019
(740) 627-1660
Email: owlcreekauction@yahoo.com

Year round on Friday beginning at 9 a.m. Also the last Wednesday in April through second Wed. in Oct. beginning at 10 a.m. In addition first Monday in June through first Mondy in Oct. beginning at 11 a.m.

Other:
Baked Goods, Honey, Cider, Jams & Jellies, Eggs, Maple Syrup

Fruits and Vegetables:
Pumpkins, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Cherries, Plums, Peppers, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Peas, Carrots, Pears, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Peaches, Cabbage, Turnips, Onions, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Melons, Blueberries, Sweet Corn, Lettuce, Black Raspberries, Strawberries, Herbs, Blackberries, Squash, Greens, Beets, Rhubarb, Grapes, Beans, Red Raspberries, Asparagus, Radishes, Eggplant, Apples

Plants:
Annuals, Perennials, Bedding Plants, Shrubs (container), Trees (balled & burlap), Trees (container), vegetable plants.

Pictured above is what we purchased.  All total we spent just under $50.  The breakdown of what we purchased is as follows:

3 quarts of potatoes @ $1.40 each = $4.20
4 dozen ears of corn @ $2.00 each = $8.00
10 lb. tomatoes @ $5 each x 2 = $10.00
Peppers @ $7 each x 2 = $14.00
Mums @ $2.90 each x 4 = $11.60

What did we do with all this produce?  We blanched corn and froze.  We made tomato sauce and canned and froze.  We cut up peppers and froze them. 

 
In future DIY posts on Saving Family Green will describe how to blanch and freeze corn and making tomato sauce including the recipes.

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here.

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Sustainable Saturday - 5 Tips for Back-to-School (The Eco-Friendly Version)

Every year beginning in what seems like early July, Retail Stores begin advertising Back-to-School sales.  The prices are usually low for certain items at certain stores and can be very enticing. As the last few weeks of August are approaching, the reality of Back-to-School is here.

In the event you have not yet started or even completed, here are some Tips on making the most of your Back-to-School adventure.

5 Tips for Back-to-School (The Eco-Friendly Version) 

1.  Take an inventory of the items from the previous school year.  Sort items into reuse (backpacks, lunch sacks, crayons, etc.) or recycle (items like papers, plastic containers, cardboard based items, etc.)

If you are wondering what to do with some of these items that can be reused or recycled, check out Recyclebank:  Supply Chain 101: Reusing and Repurposing a Year of School Supplies.

2.  Take a closer look at the ingredients, packaging and scents that any new school supplies may contain.  For example common crayons often contain paraffin wax, which is made from crude oil.  Look for alternatives like soy and beeswax.  Be wary of plastic-encased crayons or scented markers -- scents encourage kids to sniff them, and the chemicals used in the fragrances are not listed on the label.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a list of great tips available here.  You can download their pdf EWG’s Green Back-to-School Guide for K-12 here.  Many of these items are available in select stores (Whole Foods) and Amazon.com - Eco-Friendly School Supplies.

3.  Consider purchasing products that will last several years.  An example would be backpacks.  Purchase backpacks that are not so specific (Disney Princesses or Toy Story) so that your kids will want to reuse the backpack for several years.  Consider purchasing decals or patches to decorate the backpack, that can be easily removed and passed on to another child when you are done with them.

There are items such as Natural Fiber Backpacks are available on Amazon.com.

4.  Consider purchasing reusable lunch containers that not only have a lunch box, but also have the containers and wraps for the food itself.  Companies like Kids Konserve offer reusable waste free lunch boxes at a variety of prices.  I really like their Waste Free Lunch Cost Comparison available here.

5.  Take inventory of clothing and only purchase what is necessary for Back-to-School clothing.  Sites like thredUP offer the ability to swap kids clothes with people virtually anywhere. 

As with anything that you may purchase for Back-to-School this year, keep in mind the number of trips you are making to multiple retail stores.  When purchasing online keep in mind where the products are made and shipped from to reduce your overall consumption.


Sustainable Saturday - 5 Tips for Back-to-School (The Eco-Friendly Version) was originally published by Saving Family Green in August 2010.

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here.

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