tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post6876865017407685476..comments2024-03-28T00:20:01.688-05:00Comments on Little Blog In The Big Woods: No Refrigerator- for 30 years...Greenpahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-58108140075705210832017-11-12T14:07:55.111-06:002017-11-12T14:07:55.111-06:00Great Blog.... been reading for past 2 years since...Great Blog.... been reading for past 2 years since I posted anonymous "May 20, 2015 at 4:44 AM" and I'm Still going strong!!<br /> <br />I don't have a fridge and manage just fine.. No point in me repeating what most people have already said but to summarise:<br /><br />- I was very wasteful with a fridge...I dont waste anything anymore.<br />- Butter,jam, eggs, vegetables keep in my garden all winter.<br />- Lettuce, celery, parsley, spring onions etc in jars with water like flowers.. You will be surprised at how many cuttings I get, most things keep growing.<br />- I save on energy, space and noise, my kitchen is peaceful. <br />- I have shops 24/7 if I REALLY need anything. <br />- Keep leftovers in the pot, eat the next day.<br />- Socially awkward, but friends and visitors will just have to make do with either a hot drink or tap cold water... Worse things in life.<br /><br />Love to know anyone in the UK doing this too... Gabriella LondonGabriellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-14403759976266077392016-07-23T14:51:17.673-05:002016-07-23T14:51:17.673-05:00My frig has crapped out on me now twice within a y...My frig has crapped out on me now twice within a year. I'm tired of throwing hundreds of dollars worth of food away. The store is a block away, I'll just buy what I need for the day. My parents lived through the Great Depression, can learn a lot from them.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17858262411961290493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-19499158885233501922016-04-07T10:53:49.333-05:002016-04-07T10:53:49.333-05:00Rachel- thanks for the kind words. And a little k...Rachel- thanks for the kind words. And a little kick in the pants; this post was the beginning of a fairly long thread comments here; not all with this post. I've been wanting for years to do an update and consolidation- this is more incentive.<br /><br />We still do just fine with no fridge. Including in regard to meat - we're omnivores, eat plenty of meat- and you just don't need the fridge to manage it; as our ancestors proved from the last 20,000 years (considering village-town needs) - up until the past 200 (including the ice industry). And as more than half of current living humans don't have a fridge either - and it's not about to kill them.<br /><br /> Wow, I can still start ranting on this topic really easy! :-) Easiest point on meat - get it cooked in a reasonably short time after you purchase it at the grocery store. Cooked meat can still spoil, of course - but far far more slowly than raw meat, and the spoilage bugs on cooked meat are not the same as those in raw meat that might kill you; plain compost bacteria- not even likely to give you a bad tummy in small numbers.<br /><br />Just a week ago, I finally terminated a "slow cooked" high meat stew I'd been eating, and feeding to family and friends - for 3 weeks. Carefully bringing to a simmer after each time we removed some for eating, and keeping the top meticulously NOT opened. Sterile in there - just like in an autoclaved petri dish. I ended this stew not because of spoilage concerns; but because the remaining original stock and meat components were hitting the end of their flavor. Typically these kinds of things are tastiest around Day 4; but extremely long simmering of any meat/stock I've ever played with eventually gets to a stage where flavor is going downhill; less "yum" and more "what?"<br /><br />Remember your Great-Great Grandparents! Apparently living with no fridge did not kill them. :-)<br />Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-13889660162479552592016-04-05T16:45:19.868-05:002016-04-05T16:45:19.868-05:00I really appreciate the post. I live in the Northw...I really appreciate the post. I live in the Northwest where rain abounds and one could forage and hunt for days with no issues. My knowledge of the body and how it plays host to trillions of bacteria fascinates me and has turned into an obsession that has spread its roots far and wide into a more simplified, utilitarian and ultimately healthier living. I have been really trying to find ways to not use the fridge and turn it off when we aren't using it for anything important like meat. I don't know if I could get my husband to approve of getting rid of our fridge, but it isn't too big and most of the stuff in it is just as you said, "unnecessary", as in it can survive outside in a cupboard. We live primarily off bulk dried goods like lentils, beans, grains, and seeds with very, very little dairy and typically always some form of meat. If it were up to me, we'd get rid of a lot more. <br /><br />Also, may I suggest to everyone to get rid of your TV packages. You don't need them. You will get the news for free. Pick up a free books at the library and use their media centers. We could all use a little de-modernization in the technology dept. And you can turn down your water heater when you're away or get a tankless water heater to also save. Great blog. Thanks again.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14290953965968377420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-60409258817060034292016-01-28T07:04:44.409-06:002016-01-28T07:04:44.409-06:00Sheila- thanks for the details, people find them u...Sheila- thanks for the details, people find them useful. We have something similar, which is a cupboard just outside the door. Having one wall in common with the house, it doesn't get as cold as just on the porch; but works for many things.<br /><br />One of the problems with any such food storage is - mice. They WILL find a way; or chew one, over time. Only real defense is to expect it and watch for it. We have about 6 porch cats; mostly for mice- we still get mice, though unquestionably fewer.<br /><br />The trade-off for all such passive cooling is- you HAVE to pay attention. This is not a bad thing; you're not likely to suddenly wake up, find your thermostat died, and all your food is spoiled. If it's getting out of range, you'll have been aware long ago. But. It's a different habit. Takes time.<br /><br />Best of luck going off-grid!<br /><br /><br />Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-46184965926626291152016-01-27T22:14:16.013-06:002016-01-27T22:14:16.013-06:00Many years ago people in the north, used to use wh...Many years ago people in the north, used to use what is called a window refrigerator. It was made in the form of a box, that was the size of your window, that was made of tin that was connected to the outside of the window, and all you had to do was open the window, open the tin box and take out your food. I have 2 of them and will be installing them on the outside of my home/garage. It's a finished 12 x 32 garage with a living room, large kitchen, bedroom, and bath. It's my beach "resort" for summer, and some of the winter too, and I live there in the summertime. Of course I have very cold weather in the winter, so it will work for me. I will also be building a refrigerator in the ground, and hope to fill it with ice in the winter, using buckets of water. It will be my cold storage for my produce, but hope to have ice for the summer too. It's mostly like a root cellar, with Ice in it. It has to be deep enough to hold 8x8 feet of ice 6 feet high to work. I have been working on this for years, because I will be going off grid to my property hopefully this fall. This summer is going to be the last of my "to do" list of the things I need to move in, so I'm very happy to be able to share what has worked for me. (I have used the window fridge) and it works great, but does freeze things in my area. Makes a great storage area in the summer too! The company that made them was Lawco and it's called a Lawco Refrigerator. It could be built very easily, and YES it was popular in New York City where everyone had one. Bless, and thank you so much for your blog, it has really given me a boost to finish my "to do" list. SheilaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02961473328485063074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-76800542474536512542015-12-10T11:56:35.722-06:002015-12-10T11:56:35.722-06:00Anon Dec 10 - You bet we have! We've even don...Anon Dec 10 - You bet we have! We've even done it, several ways, all unsatisfactory- but also all years ago with very primitive solar panels (shade one cell and zero power) and primitive refrigerators. <br /><br />Many thanks for the link- we'll use it. We were just starting to make plans for trying it seriously again next year; using new tech, which I know is better. Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-78203125986845282942015-12-10T11:00:30.100-06:002015-12-10T11:00:30.100-06:00Have you ever considered solar refrigeration? Livi...Have you ever considered solar refrigeration? Living off-grid and powering your own solar fridge/freezer is what I do. If you aren't familiar with them, take a look here: http://www.c4pinc.com/solar/solar-freezer/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-38824517115895994062015-11-29T10:59:57.670-06:002015-11-29T10:59:57.670-06:00My fridge broke down in the summer.. I figured if ...My fridge broke down in the summer.. I figured if I can manage that I can cope with the winter..<br /><br />Great blog.. Very inspiring... I now buy much less produce and plan my meals better and waste 0%. Everything keeps fresh..meat/fish if consumed is cooked on the day and kept in the pot. Im also learning how to pickle things.<br /><br />I will most likely buy another fridge at some point in my life, but for now I am enjoying the challenge...<br />Good to see others with similar views.<br />Gabriella ,single female london UK.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-15993494157002519862015-05-20T04:44:46.179-05:002015-05-20T04:44:46.179-05:00
My family is also no refrigerator for 18 years an...<br />My family is also no refrigerator for 18 years and I see it is really normalkülmikudhttp://www.1a.ee/suur_kodutehnika/kulmkapidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-16177816709950925842015-02-24T05:25:36.034-06:002015-02-24T05:25:36.034-06:00Hi there,
I am a BBC journalist working on a radio...Hi there,<br />I am a BBC journalist working on a radio documentary about how fridges change people's lives around the world. We are in New York this week and looking to meet someone who has chosen to live without a fridge. Can <br />you help? Please contact me either via FB (chloehadj@hotmail.com) or else via email chloe.hadjimatheou@bbc.co.uk or phone +447974105829.<br />Many thanks!!<br />ChloeChloe Hadjimatheounoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-67055094465890004902014-10-23T07:09:00.551-05:002014-10-23T07:09:00.551-05:00I KNEW you didn't have to put ketchup in the f...I KNEW you didn't have to put ketchup in the fridge! So many people told me otherwise, but I absolutely knew!Luxury Apartments Ladyhttp://www.thearmitage.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-34294071762009046602014-04-12T03:26:54.899-05:002014-04-12T03:26:54.899-05:00I am so glad I found this post! My refrigerator we...I am so glad I found this post! My refrigerator went out nearly 2 months ago (dead of winter). Since it was so cold and I was broke, I decided to just go without it until the weather gets warm and I could get another. But I am doing so well without it, and amazingly, having MUCH LESS food waste, that I am now going to see if I can completely live without it. <br />Walmart, over in their ethnic section, had a powdered milk by Nestle called Nido. It is powdered whole milk, fortified with vitamins. It tastes wonderful and works so well!!!<br />Thank you for posting this! GrannyAnniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13237137026935163800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-18678141074779239522013-12-21T20:07:08.094-06:002013-12-21T20:07:08.094-06:00to those people asking about what foods need ref...to those people asking about what foods need refrigerating and what don't , look in your supermarket shelves , eg, ketchups, mustards jar foods,bottled foods ect , if the foods are on the shelves , then they will keep without refrigeration, opened juices will keep a week without refrigeration, worried about meats , buy canned meats, just take a look in your supermarket it will give you a better idea about these things ,, I haven't had my refrigerator plugged in for over 3 years now , im a healthy 71 year old man,, I grew up without refrigeration after WW11, at this moment I use my refrigerator as a pantry , keeps the bugs out of my food, like someome said on this post . people have lived without refrigeration for thousand of years , if they did,nt make it , then we would,nt be hereAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-47966461139428293232013-11-26T10:58:55.066-06:002013-11-26T10:58:55.066-06:00We live in a semi and would love to learn how to k...We live in a semi and would love to learn how to keep food so we can eat healthier. We have extremely limited space.Meowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17510806563261159816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-8831594977909860462013-10-13T23:28:11.164-05:002013-10-13T23:28:11.164-05:00I spent time on a sail boat about thirty years ago...I spent time on a sail boat about thirty years ago. We had blocks of ice that they put in a metal (zinc?) lined box in kitchen area; looked like the old time ice boxes. The ice blocks melted and got smaller but we still had some of the blocks left at the end of the trip. It was in a harbor town and the captain bought the ice blocks at a marina before we sailed out. Everything stayed cold. We had milk, eggs and salad which stayed good and cold all week. The ice blocks where about 8"x8x"8 and were mostly melted by the end of the week but there was still some ice left. I was surprised it lasted that long.A drain at the bottom of the box let the water drain out as the ice melted. The box open by a small lid on top which helped keep the cold air in. Katherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04726519845857506041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-32905895745396166572013-04-12T16:39:55.772-05:002013-04-12T16:39:55.772-05:00Our family went almost a month without a fridge wh...Our family went almost a month without a fridge when we decided to move into our cottage house. Even if we wanted a fridge the space for one in the new house is too small. As we were emptying it out for the last time, we realized that it was a layover between the stove and the garbage for leftovers. And cooler of beverages and condiments. Oh. And did I mention it was LEASED! <br />I went to one of those Rent to Own places and leased it for what could have bought me a decent used car over the span of a year! This was done at a time in my life I had just lost everything and was starting over...again and thought it was as vital as food and water.<br /><br />Fast forward to today, and my kids don't even think we need one. They like taking the more frequent trips to the store and only getting enough for the day or two. They get to learn the difference between wants and needs and impulse buys too since we don't buy any produce that we know we won't be making immediately. I did cave and borrow a counter top one to hold beverages. To each their own. But as for the full size model, I'm vegan so I don't have to store animal meats milks or cheeses. But I am curious how long the plant counterparts of these products can last on the counter then maybe the fridge can go out...for good!Veggie Vixen 138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-19425973291737820382013-02-21T19:11:35.052-06:002013-02-21T19:11:35.052-06:00Hey! I enjoyed looking over your blog. My refriger...Hey! I enjoyed looking over your blog. My refrigerator has been broken for 2 weeks now! Your blog has given me hope that my family just might survive with no refrigeration. I hope you don't mind I shared a link to your blog on my blog: The Ruminating Room. You can access my blog at ruminatingroom.com<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07812975202377781998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-44240900679732271662013-01-05T20:47:01.505-06:002013-01-05T20:47:01.505-06:00create a pantry of foods that you eat , i have don...create a pantry of foods that you eat , i have done this , if there wasa food crisis , then i have enough food to last me 3 months or so ,other than that , buy a fishing rod go fishing, bull rushes are healthy to eat ,, the early spring leaves can be boiled as veggy,s the dried roots can be ground and used like coffee ,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-24104455878067904332013-01-05T20:40:02.049-06:002013-01-05T20:40:02.049-06:00i unplugged my fridge about 2 yrs ago ,, im a he...i unplugged my fridge about 2 yrs ago ,, im a healthy 70yr old male ,, i grew up without a fridge as a kid , in the 60,s it was a novelty to have one, i buy canned foods that i eat , and dry foods ,, also i fish for protien that i might need , and get free range eggs when ever i can ,, so living without a refrigerator b is no big deal for me ,, the western youth of this day have never experienced life without the fridge , i feel sorry for them , as they feel that they will perish without one the social media have brainwashed the youth of this day into believing that they will get sick/die without a refrigerator because of all the bacteria associated with unrefrigerated food, so what happens when the hydro ceases to be ,, who will survive??? simple ,, us who grew up without the refrigeratorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-36028719445850074412012-10-01T23:04:06.020-05:002012-10-01T23:04:06.020-05:00Hi Greenpa! In searching for a compact fridge afte...Hi Greenpa! In searching for a compact fridge after opening my eyes and realising my fridge was too big for me alone, I discovered your blog, then continued to read others' blogs, and then researched about food storage, all the while experimenting here and there. How inspiring!<br /><br />In the meantime, I've been slowly eating what's in my fridge, and it looks like I'm really going to unplug my fridge! I wish the zeer pot would work for me, it would make for a truly easy transition, but alas it's too humid here. However, I already go shopping quite often (every 4 or 5 days), so really what I'm finding is it's more about making choices about what I will eat, with meal ideas in my head, rather than what I might want to eat in a few days, with vague ideas in my head. I think someone called this "planning ahead". I haven't even unplugged yet, and I'm eating out less, because I need to eat the food that's on my counter, before it goes bad; eating healthier, because I have a plan, not a "diet"; and have a lot less false hunger pangs, because my goal is to eat what I have in home and having an idea of how much food I have for each day (before it might go bad) makes me feel like I don't need to eat as much, even if it's healthy food, because what I plan for is enough, if this makes any sense.... I think I might have touched on the negative side of the refigeration culture here.<br /><br />So, this is a huge learning curve, but one I am happily embracing. Thank you for taking the time to write about fridglessness (you could go French with this and call it "Sans Frigo" Ha ha!).<br />;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-14138570349900155742012-09-06T22:44:48.374-05:002012-09-06T22:44:48.374-05:00I absolutely understand your lack of time as that ...I absolutely understand your lack of time as that is my reason for such a short post. Maybe not too short;) but in comparison to all i want to say and ask. I want to start with saying I am so happy to have found this blog. Ive never blogged or read blogs so... I wanted to chime in about the eggs real quick. They do come with a coating that naturally preserves and yes we in America do remove that but a coating of oil on not only fresh but also store bought eggs extends their life dramatically. Mineral oil is the best as far as my understanding and of course always wash your eggs before cracking. That's not exactly a something we should forget anyway. I've used regular vegetable oil and olive oil. I have one chicken(which is a wonderful story I'm sure you'd all enjoy) so I keep fresh and store bought. I choose my store bought eggs carefully and always wash and coat eggs immediately. I store them piled in a cloth lined basket proudly displayed in my kitchen. I have been doing this for over a year with not one rotten egg. The Knowledge Junkiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15332177693102647867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-30958674315485096282012-06-12T10:59:41.857-05:002012-06-12T10:59:41.857-05:00I am happy to have found your blogg. We have a fa...I am happy to have found your blogg. We have a famiy of 3 young children and spent 4 months in the bush in a tent, going to the city now and then. Every year I'm looking for tips to find thing to what to bring to eat, and now I found your blogg. Growing kids are always hungry !!!! I will read trough your blogg when I have time, for now I'm in the process of packing.SaMamanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10943530918488140880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-52339943881734779192012-05-12T16:15:15.671-05:002012-05-12T16:15:15.671-05:00"You are not thinking of all the other possib..."You are not thinking of all the other possibilities that make shopping every day impractical."<br /><br />Oh, yes I am. :-) Your comments are excellent- very well trained- in the proper use of refrigeration.<br /><br />You DO realize- the great majority of people are NOT "very careful shoppers". That is more where I'm aiming.<br /><br />And, indeed, "not everyone..." fits. Of course not!<br /><br />Did you read through all the followup posts here, and all the many comments and responses? I think quite a few of our objections are dealt with there. I grant you, this first post can be read as rather dogmatic; but it's not intended to stay that way when you remember it next month. In particular, you can follow the experience of Vanessa, aka "Green as a Thistle"; who went from "you're crazy" to actually living without, and not suffering at all. It wound up in the sub-title of her book!<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Naked-Green-Eco-Cynic-Unplugged/dp/0547073283<br /><br />I DO need to do an updated and consolidated post on this issue; it's... just... been too crazy...<br /><br />Anyway- I don't disagree with much of what you said there- but- there IS more to the discussion. You're not quite "outside the box" yet, and the view is different out here. :-)Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-89215661459703904992012-05-12T15:19:25.958-05:002012-05-12T15:19:25.958-05:00Love your article and the idea of living w/o a fri...Love your article and the idea of living w/o a fridge, but you seem to be excluding what I believe to be the most important thing about a fridge/freezer - saving money on food. Like being able to buy large quantities cheaper, freezing the extras until you need it. Also, when something is on sale, you buy as much as you know you will eat before the expiration date. If I only bought food on the day I was to eat it I'd spend at least twice as much (or more) than I do now. And I am a very careful shopper; I look at prices as well as quality and ingredients. I do not eat white bread and store bought ice cream, heavily processed foods, etc. Smart shoppers who need to or want to save money need a fridge and freezer simply due to the high cost of food and the need for creative shopping and buying via sales. This is where I believe your thoughts on this issue are flawed (for lack of better term), you are not taking into consideration the cost of buying small amounts a little at a time, you are not taking into consideration that not everyone has time to stop off at the store 7 to 21 times a week, not everyone lives in the "city" where there are stores and bodegas on every block. You don't seem to be taking into consideration those who live in the suburbs that may have to drive a mile to get to a store (can't ride a bike or walk if you're a mom with 3 kids, etc.). You are not thinking of all the other possibilities that make shopping every day impractical. If I was growing all or most of my own food on my own property and did not have to rely on supermarkets then I'd easily be able to live without a fridge. But the average person does not have the ability to grow their own food in that quantity. Food for thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com