Yard Sales for Homesteading: What to Look For

It's that time of year again! Yard Sales, (also known as "Garage Sales" around my hometown, which has a city wide sale twice every summer), are a great place to pick up homestead staples at a fraction of the cost. Here's a list of things to keep an eye out for, and why!

KITCHEN

Cast Iron Cookware- Many times you see rusty, beat up cast iron wares for sale for a few dollars each. They can easily be refurbished! After refurbishing, either use them yourself, or turn around and sell them online for a hefty profit! Here is how I renew cast iron: LINK

Enamelware or Stainless Steel Cookware- Especially stock pots! Stainless stock pots can run up into the hundreds of dollars. Large Enamelware pots double as hot bath canners. Toss those old toxic non-stick pans and start your stainless collection for pennies on the dollar.

Mason Jars- As witnessed on Pinterest, there are a million and one uses for mason jars besides just preserving the harvest- decoration, storage, candle holders... Snatch up any you see for sale less than $7/dozen! Be sure there are no cracks or chips in the jars.

Pressure Canners- Another big ticket item. I would avoid old school canners and pick up dial gauge canners with locking lids only. If you have a large garden, having a few canners in different sizes can save quite a bit of time. You can purchase replacement parts for modern Presto and All American canners.

Dehydrators- You can never have too many dehydrators when it comes time to harvest herbs, or when it comes to jerky making! Pick up any you find that have some sort of temperature control. (Ask to plug it in and make sure it works before purchase...)

Small Appliances- Especially Crock Pots, which you can also use for crafting (soapmaking etc). If you are lucky enough to find a Kitchen Aid mixer in good working order for under $100, SNAG IT! (Again, plug them and test them.)

FOR THE HOME

Oil/Kerosene Lamps and Lanterns- For power outages and decoration purposes. Aladdin brand lamps are extremely expensive new, however replacement parts are easy to come by online. If you come across an Aladdin, I recommend you pick it up.

Blankets, Sheets and Towels- Another "can't have enough of" items. I imagine some people are a little grossed out by the idea, but nothing a good washing can't take care of. Old towels come in handy out in the garage and barn. Sheets can be cut up and made into other items, too.

Furniture- Pinterest has a lot of examples as to what can be done to give new life to old furniture. Consider refurbishing and old piece for pennies on the dollar, rather than purchasing new. Older furniture was built to last (as I type this sitting on my 1930's couch).

FOR YOURSELF AND FAMILY

Books- Especially old "from scratch" cookbooks and DIY/how-to books. If you home school, you may also come across some college textbooks that would be great for home schooled high schoolers.

Board Games- Often seen in unplayed condition. Now days, most kids spend their time on XBox and computers, rather than play old school board games. Hosting a "Game Night" is a lot of fun, and virtually FREE!

Craft and Art Supplies- Especially yarn, fabric and thread, which can be made into clothing and other useful items.

Clothing- Obviously. Plain t-shirts, sweatshirts and jeans can be modified and embellished!

OUTDOORS

Tools- You can never have enough tools! Always seems the one we need at the time comes up missing LOL Plug  and test power tools.

Ladders- Ladders are very pricey. Multiple ladders in varied heights come in handy when it comes time to paint the barn and hang holiday decor, that's for sure!

5 Gallon Buckets- Another item that can be used for multiple purposes- water for the animals, planters in the garden, tool storage, long term food storage.

Lawn Furniture- You can never have enough tables and chairs, especially if you're hosting bonfires and picnics! Chair cushions run around $25 each new, look for those, too!

Lawn Games- Again, if you host bonfires and picnics, it's always nice to have activities available. Keep the kids and their friends outdoors and busy all summer long!

So there's my short list LOL What would you add, and why? Have you ever made an exceptionally spectacular find at a yard sale?

BOOKSHELF: The Dehydrator Bible

There's a lot more to do with a dehydrator than dry herbs and make jerky! Preserve your harvest economically and create your own dry mix meals with the simple and hearty recipes contained in this tome of dehydrating knowledge!

Click to view/purchase book on Amazon.com

THE DEHYDRATOR BIBLE: Includes Over 400 Recipes

By Jennifer MacKenzie, Jay Nutt and Don Mercer

Although dehydration is an ages old method of food preservation, it's become a lost art for the most part with modern technology like refrigerators and freezers. But, what if we want to preserve more than will fit in our electric units, or we are travelling and won't have any access to electricity? This book will give you all the answers!

The book opens with a discussion concerning the history and advantages of  dry food preservation, the basic equipment you will need to get started, drying techniques, and storage of your products.

Perhaps the most important portion of the book comes next, where you will find a detailed manual as to how to properly dry each individual herb, vegetable and fruit, as well as different types of meat. Proper drying method and time is essential in creating a viable final product that will store and reconstitute well. I've referred to this section of the book several times since I've had it.

The book goes on to offer recipes for everyday meals, various types of jerky, portable dry mix camp meals, and other crafts and gifts like dried flowers. You can even use the dehydrator to make pet treats! It's actually quite convenient to use dehydrated vegetables in place of frozen in soups and stews. We store them in the pantry in glass jars, rather than taking up valuable freezer space, and there is no "freezer burn" to be concerned with for long-term storage!

I found the dry mix trail meals to be of particular interest. They can be mixed and carried in a backpack in ziplock baggies, or put together ahead of time and stored in mylar bags or mason jars with oxygen absorbers. Just add boiling water, and you're ready to eat!

BOTTOM LINE: 5 of 5 Stars. From beginner to expert, this book has a little something for everyone. It's an invaluable go-to reference book! Highly recommended for anyone interested in using dehydration for food preservation.

DIY HD TV Antenna

Like droves of others, we recently cancelled our subscription TV services. While many are opting for Netflix, Hulu+, and other on-demand streaming services, they're not an option for folks living in rural areas on satellite internet services with restrictive download limits. We didn't want to invest hundreds of dollars on an antenna to simply watch the news, either... 

Brian searched around the internet, and using commonly found materials, built this DIY antenna which receives network signals from both Toledo and Detroit! Our satellite provider had only aired Toledo stations. This obscure looking creation picks up 15 different analog and digital HD channels with excellent sound and picture clarity!

MATERIALS:

2x4" board

4 metal coathangers

12 washers

12 wood screws

DIRECTIONS:

The instructional video Brian used can be found here:

How to Build an HDTV Digital Antenna

He added the washers himself for stability and 2 extra receivers.

The antenna can be directly connected to the TV indoors, but our aluminum siding interfered with signal reception. Brian ended up taking it outside and hooking it up using the previously installed satellite cable! It's admittedly not the most attractive looking device, and fortunately, hiding it in a bush doesn't seem to affect it's signal strength!

By doing away with satellite TV service and installing this simple device built from scrap materials, we're now saving $79 per month we paid for "Extended Basic" service!