Reader Requests: Spring Fever Edition

It's hitting 30 degrees here in Minnesota.  Which means I'm infected with spring fever and am fitting to burn all my wretched foul weather gear in a witches' pyre on my front lawn. 

A couple of requests, though.  Send me an email or leave a comment about any of the following:

Seed Starters!  I'm extremely interested in hearing from people who are starting seeds indoors.  What's your process and methods?  What kinds of plants do you start indoors?  What equipment do you use, if any?  And what have been the results?

Home Yogurt Makers!  Bring it!  Which model do you use?  Do you use an appliance or a different set of equipment?  Any recipes you'd like to share?

Thrifters!  What's the best thing you've ever bought secondhand? Send me the story of the item and photos if you've got them.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[michelle]

So my yogurt maker, which I've had for roughly a year and still have not used, is a Donvier. I figure the French know what they're doing when it comes to yogurts since the grocery stores have, like, a whole aisle devoted to yogurts.

[Carrie]

That brand is the one that Mirelle "French Women Don't Get Fat" recommends so it's probably a good one.

What's preventing you from using it - is it a bigger hassle than I'm envisioning? Do you need more materials than just plain old milk?

[michelle]

I don't know what's stopping me, honestly. I think I have this stupid idea that it's a lot of work and that once I start and get on the yogurt-making wagon, I will have to continue doing it. The only things I need, as far as I know, are the milk and yogurt, to start. And I've got a tub of the good stuff from one of the Armenian stores, which would make a perfect starter, so I don't know what the hell is stopping me! Hell, with that typed out, maybe that will give me the incentive to get on it this week.

My device has 6 or 8 little containers, so I would need to reserve one of those to use it as the starter for the next batch. My understanding is that the first few batches will be very watery (which doesn't bother me, because then I can water it down more and drink it).

Do you think you'll get a Donvier? I think that company knows what it's doing. I'm pretty sure I got mine at a discount from Home Goods.

[Carrie]

Well, all that is encouraging. We've got a middle eastern yogurt source nearby and who doesn't need a reason to visit Home Goods?

Look at it this way. I started baking bread this summer, doing a loaf every day so I could accustomed to baking it, which would make it faster-going.

So I did that for a while and got the hang of it and now when I decide to make bread I know what I'm getting into, have a sense of the timing. I'm hoping a similar groove will be established with the yogurt, cos I get fickle, especially with food.

[michelle]

Oh, good idea with the bread making.

Okay, this week for real I am going to crack open the user's manual to my Donvier and I will get back to you with the results. I am sure I'm making this out to be more difficult than it needs to be.

Thanks for giving me the kick in the butt I apparently needed! I look forward to hearing about your Home Goods adventures -- good luck.

[michelle]

CARRIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did it.

It is marvelous and perfect and was relatively easy.

I am seriously never going to buy commercial yogurt again, unless I need it for starter. But I won't need starter if I continue to make my own yogurt every week or every two weeks.

I will post details you know where at some later date, but I just wanted to thank you again for the push I needed to dust off the Donvier. IT KICKS ASS! And the more I think about it, the more I recommend this brand, because if you need replacement parts, they'll still be in business years from now and you'll be able to buy extra cups or lids.

ROCK ON.

[Carrie]

Hey! I'm so thrilled for you! Better yogurt, less reliance on Big Ag and way less packaging waste!

Tell me the make and model type and I'm gonna search one out for myself.

[sweetheartville]

I found your awesome blog about a week ago through your link to me (thanks, by the way!). I just wanted to stop by and say "hi". Take care.
Holly

[michelle]

Awesome. It's Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker, Model No. 83 7418.

Hey, when I told a relative that I made my own yogurt using a yogurt maker, he was all, "You know you can use a Thermos, too. You don't need a special appliance." HA! I thought, yeah, sure, but at least this device is regulated and I'm not messing with it and letting it become a science experiment. Plus, I don't think the Thermos I own is big enough anyway, so whatever. Good luck!

[JO]

I have gotten away from using my yogurt maker (actually, we moved here and it is packed SOMEWHERE), but it is better than the store kind.
I kind of think that the store kind "sets up" better because they thicken and stabilize it with gelatin, but I don't know if that is true.

[SOUTHERNYANKEE]

If I ever find my Dannon electric yogurt maker again (moved and it is packed somewhere), I will make my own again.
I suspect that the commerical yogurt "sets up" better because gelatin is added.

Jo

[Carrie]

Hi Jo!

I hope I'm encouraging you to unpack it and see! This is all very illuminating, for sure.

(Thanks for visiting my blog!)

[Mary Sue]

My best find was last July I got a pashmina shawl for $3.00. The tag on it said that if I'd wanted it new, I would have had to shell out $120.

I've worn it to work every day since October. I use it as a hoodie when it's raining (and I live in Oregon, so that's frequent).

[Carrie]

Did you find it at a thrift store or a rummage sale?

[Niki]

Hi, I love your blog and saw you were asking about making yogurt. Here is a post I did on the subject. It is so easy and I will never resort to grocery store stuff again. Also I bought the machine at the thrift store for $4.

http://minimalistmommy.blogspot.com/2008/03/bringing-culture-into-house.html

[Carrie]

Hi Niki!

Thanks for the link! It's strange; since I posted this, not only have I gotten great response here, but it seems like I keep meeting people in RL who are secret yogurt makers, too.

[Zoran]

Well,I'm not a yogurt maker, :) but I like shopping...and saving on that!Last week I bought to my daughter "one singing heart" on a garage sale! Well it's not like singing,but if you press it,tells you -"I love you"! :))
I'm addictive on thrifty stores,garage sales...even I had ones garage sales on my own,and I'm planing another success!
If you want to know, my guide is http://www.garage-sale-riches.com!
Best wishes!

[Zoran]

Well,I'm not a yogurt maker, :) but I like shopping...and saving on that!Last week I bought to my daughter "one singing heart" on a garage sale! Well it's not like singing,but if you press it,tells you -"I love you"! :))
I'm addictive on thrifty stores,garage sales...even I had ones garage sales on my own,and I'm planing another success!
If you want to know, my guide is http://www.garage-sale-riches.com!
Best wishes!

[Secondhand Nation]

Thanks for visiting and for the link!

I can't wait for garage sale season to get started up again!

[Monica]

Starting seeds indoors is fuin -n- all, but it's also possible to start seeds outdoors in winter... and it's not too late yet this season!

[Secondhand Nation]

Which zone do you live in? I'm in Zone 5 and we just had 8 inches of snow dump on us.

Of course, it's all melted, two days later, but man, I get leery about putting anything out there in the wild until about mid-May.

[Katie]

Carrie! I just found you through an Ethicurean post on "putting by," where you said you were also from Minnesota.

I'd love to have someone to "put by" with this summer/fall if you live close enough...

...are you in the Twin Cities? If you see my e-mail address with this comment, please e-mail me so we can exchange some information.

Also, incredible snow sculpture. Did you make it? Where'd you see it?

[Holly Keller]

so, I guess I missed this post or something cuz, well, I love thrifting--as you know--and have so many things I love. A couple of my faves are actually found items--the old wooden school desk with top on a hinge and the attached seat--like you had in grade school. I was out taking Julian for a walk when he was a wee babe and we saw it just sitting forelornly there in the alleyway and I walked on past because, well, how could I push his stroller and carry it home? But then I coul dnot stop thinking about it 2 blocks later, so I turned around and went home and got the car and drove over and loaded it up with visions of refinishing the wooden top and stocking the cavity inside with art supplies for Julian....it still sits in my garage, but I know it is there, and one day it will migrate into the house for Julian. I also LOVE these two matching brown stoneware pottery bowls I found at Savers and use them all the time. And then there were the two little velveteen blazers I found this year when I was shopping for Beeper Bebe supplies--one is red and the other is blue--and I sooooo love them still and was very sad last night packing them away for the summer and had to hold up the red suitcoat and admire it for a moment before I could lovingly fold it up and pack it away...but I fully plan to wear it this fall at the Plush You gallery show when I go.

[Carrie]

Hi Katie! I missed your comment - I'm a bad blogger!

I will shoot you an email about canning.

Holly, when you mention the velvet jackets, it makes me realize why I love thrifting so much, especially after a boring trip to the mall the other day left me disgusted with most of the styles I saw in clothing stores. Thrifting lets you decide your own style, v. being dictating to by retailers. I remember one year where everything was a brown earth tones - ugh - and now it's all ruffled, flutter sleeves and 80's crap, and I can't bear it. Thrift stores let me dig around until the styles that suit me come back!