finance report

 Will most likely repeating a few things. 

Mortgage...met the $5000 extra we decided to try to pay each month this year. Taking 10 months off the mortgage loan and saving $16, 870 in interest.

Bought new chain saw, paid cash and got 10% off.

Put our name on the list for the pruner (Stihl) that is on back order but suppose to come in during the next 3 months. Been trying to get it for 2 yrs. This is through the company that sold us the chainsaw. So another cash item and they give discounts for cash.

Bought dripline for gardens. Saved $175 on delivery by Hubby going after it (within 15 miles of the chain saw) and 10% of purchase price (web promo) and 1.5% cash back from Hubby using his cash back credit card. 

Since he was already in the area and needed to kill about 30 minutes between stops, he pit stopped at the Mennonite store (cash or checks , don't accept credit cards) to check on half bushel baskets and crates for our cold storage we will be doing. Baskets are normally $7 and crates are normally $6. He got a $ 2 off each as he took last years that was in barn storage and "dusty" . Plus he got a free pallet as the guy was just going to burn it and Hubby offered to take it off his hands. 

He stopped and got gas using the new Marathon card he got and saved 75 cents total. 

I've used promo codes, discounts and priced checked all of the seeds I have ordered. Saved 1/3 of total costs.

E let us know he was adding 2 rows of sweet bicolor corn for us since we have helped them so much this year. So our eating corn is taking care of.

I have gotten 50 yellow sweet corn (aka canning corn) seed, tomato seed, Armenian cucumber seed and 2 packages of flower seed for free.   

I ordered some "office" stuff to make a better inventory record keeping of the garden seeds and such. I used promo code for 15% off and my cash back credit card. Got free shipping.

I have to go get a diagnostic CT scan and blood work at the hospital that is 2 hrs. from us. They arranged it so I could get both done the same day saving us gas and time. That is on the 31st.  

Amish ways of keeping food

  I think we all know that they can  a lot of their food... veggies, fruit, and meat.

But there are many that don't realize how they keep food fresh without electric.

Some have spring houses, like our neighbors and Johnston Farms ,https://www.johnstonfarmohio.com/Exhibits/exhibits.php had one. 

Here are some pics I found on the internet

This is what they use as a refrigerator. M says she can keep hers around 32 to 36 degrees with just making sure there is fresh water going through it. She will add some of her block ice to the water holding areas in the summer.

Most have an ice house to hold huge blocks of ice. This is NOT like a freezer. It's more for just keeping things cold. Like using a cooler to camping.

Here is some pics from the internet of ice houses.

M has said about the only thing she throws out is about a quart of milk every other day. They have 2 milk cows and 11 of them in the family , the cows still produce more milk than they need. She dumps the extra milk where she will be planting her tomatoes this summer. Both of us are planning to start making our own cottage cheese and cheeses this year.