We used to belong to a lovely CSA out of Washington state (3,000 miles away) and got a mixed box for 2 every other week. It was fresh (shipped via airplane!) and it was organic, but given the distance and the carbon foot print fromt the fuel, it wasn't green! THere are some CSA's that operate here in the summer. In fact, there is one less than 1/2 mile from us that opens to the general public (i.e. non-subscribers) on Friday evenings. However, we have our own garden, and I don't have the need of a CSA. I visit the above-mentioned one sometimes as they grow different things than we do, and sometimes the same things sooner (they're at a higher elevation), and I get some things at a Farmer's Market. I freeze what I can, but otherwise in the winter we stuck with imported produce - often from long distances - if we want anything resembling fresh. :)
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Posted 1 year ago #
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this thread has morphed from frugality to greenness!
Rosa: I started a tiny co-op with some friends and it got annoying after a while: people all ordered stuff for themselves and then were unwilling to trade, so we all ended up with huge boxes of stuff, which defeated the point. Then the members all seemed to move at once so it folded! It was a good idea though, I should see if there's something else round here. I still order occasionally from the wholesaler, but am selective in what I get, for example washing liquid is great as it's very cheap and 5 litres lasts forever but isn't too space-greedy. Ditto washing up liquid, hand soap, rice, stuff like that.
pkilmain, it sounds like you have a very difficult climate to be green or eat seasonally in!! Makes me feel lucky we get fresh fruit and veg regardless of the season (though I am getting VERY sick of pumpkin as it's been in my veg box every week for 2 months!). My allotment is currently: spinach, tiny bit of lettuce, (frozen) carrots, (frozen) jerusalem artichokes and kale. Not exactly a feast! Next year I will do brussel sprouts too. The problem with winter veg is it takes lots of space during summer too, so a balancing act.Posted 1 year ago # -
I can contribute to the frugal side, maybe -- (OMG will this cold never go away I am so tired of being sick)
Due to a misdiagnosis, I spent two years wearing very specialized and expensive contact lenses, hiding from direct sunlight, and generally being miserable. After seeing a specialist, I have a different diagnosis (still uncommon, but more simply treated). You'd be surprised how much that changed . . . .
1) Because PDS can lead to glaucoma, I can't do high-impact sports anymore: when my current sports bras wear out, they can be replaced with something less heavily engineered. (Those of you who have ever tried to find a good high-impact bra for a "C" cup or above will understand why this is a tremendous boon to my wallet.) I do yoga at home, use a Nordic Track ski machine that I found at the side of the road with a "free to good home" sign on it -- it needed a pin and a new flywheel strap -- and I'm going to join the local women's rowing club in the spring.
2) I don't need the expensive contact lenses; I DO need bifocals (I'm 46, it was going to happen eventually) and protection from bright light and glare. Rather than a storage case, a cleaning case, two different kinds of solution, eyedrops to rewet the lenses, different eyedrops to moisturize my eyes, AND sunglasses, I can now drop a titanium frame holding thin progressive photoreactive lenses onto my nose and walk out the door.
(I still need eyedrops, but they're prescription and will hopefully help me avoid surgery down the line.)
Posted 1 year ago # -
Love the saving on the sports bras, Lucy! I'm a DD so I know whereof you speak. We have all sorts of eye-related paraphenaliz in our house - I wear contacts and all they involve, plus of course, I have glasses as well. DH has glasses, prescription sunglasses, and several kinds of drops - prescription and non - for his dry eyes. We are both in our 60's, so bifocals are a given. LOL
Posted 1 year ago # -
Lucy: LOL about the sports bra.
I am also glad to hear you have received a new and less serious eye diagnosis. I made eyeglasses for many years, so your description of your new glasses is very familiar. I have extreme nearsightedness so I have to watch for retinal detachment from high impact, sneezing and even (excuse me) blowing my nose hard. My uncle has the sudden onset type of glaucoma so I am also watching for that. But I think you might be able to relate to the fact that I am simply glad to be able to see. I gave up on contacts about 6 years ago. I'm now 48. My eyes are very dry. Carting around all of the contact lens supplies, plus RX glasses and RX sunglasses as well, got to be a pain.
Posted 1 year ago # -
@lucy -- I can relate to the sports bra issue (another DD over here; I run and do step aerobics, and any sports bra under $80 is usually a cruel joke), and the boyfriend can relate to the contact lens clutter. He switched from hard contacts to glasses last year (hard contacts irritated his eyes, he's not allowed to wear them for another year or so), and we were both amazed at how much stuff disappeared from our bathroom following that switch.
Sadly, my expensive bra problem can't be uncluttered as easily.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Anita and pkilmain: no joy at Title Nine? I was a DD while nursing 20 years ago and you both have my every sympathy.
Sunshine: you made eyeglasses? That's so cool! And yes, I absolutely understand that feeling of "Yay my eyes still work!" For all the swearing I've done at my insurance company -- the specialist I need is out-of-network, and they'll only pay 70% after my deductable -- it's worth it to have the best care possible.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Lucy1965: yes, I made eyeglass lenses and assembled the eyeglasses. Now, if I was a designer of frames, there would have been more money in it.
Have you tried to convince your specialist to become in-network? I know, it's still worth it, but the higher co-pays declutter your wallet more quickly.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Sunshine: the eye center is part of the university medical complex, and they have their own insurance (which DH's employer doesn't offer). Happily I don't have to see him unless my regular ophthalmologist spots a problem with my IOP, and I can get an appointment immediately if I need it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
lucy1965: I'm glad to hear that; enjoy the good news.
About greenness in fruits and vegetables: looks like we Eastern US folks will be hit with steep price increases in Florida produce. Just when those fancy giant navel oranges were beginning to look so tasty.....
Posted 1 year ago # -
Lottie - our coop started out as a buying club like the one you described, back in the '70s, in someone's attic, and grew to the back porch and then a small building, and now it's a largish grocery store, but with member-ownership and a nice big bulk section, plus an ordering department that is very responsive to members.
It's part of a whole network of food coops so they cooperate on stuff like coupons and distribution. And the nice thing for me is, I don't have to do any of the work or extra storage.
Posted 1 year ago #
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