I have resisted written journals forever because writing about just anything seemed to open for me. When I came upon the idea I could track activities around the homestead in a journal, I was excited. I challenged myself to write a little something every day in March. Meeting the challenge was a cinch because there's nothing I love more than being productive and writing about it.

Each evening, I organize the day's record with a title line that includes the date, temperature, weather, and location. Underneath, I note accomplishments and challenges, such as 'moved the chicken coop', 'Lil coughing all night', 'cooked for family', or 'started tomato seedlings'. This is the same format I use for my field log that I've kept since high school to record birds and significant natural sightings on hikes and vacations.

Here's what I love about the log:

Already I can look back and see progress in the weather and my activities.
The feel of a good pen on an excellent notebook is a lovely way to end the day.
I am finally writing down planting dates so I can compare them in future years.
I can't wait to take the journal on vacation next week and put some new locations in the title line!

Do you keep a journal or log? How do you keep track of gardening and cooking activities?

Added to Simple Lives Thursday 38th Edition.

March is coming in like a lamb this morning. Sun is streaming through the windows, I hear birds chirping, and I see the green tips of daffodils poking through the soil outside. Before the heady gardening month of April, we are challenging ourselves two ways in March.

Liquor Cabinet Challenge

I'm issuing our family (well, Alex and I) a new twist on a pantry challenge this March: drink only what is in the liquor cabinet as of today. Like January's pantry challenge, this one has two purposes: reduce grocery bills and cull the dozens of jars in the liquor cabinet, tucked into other cabinets and overflowing onto the counter. It really looks like we have a drinking problem around here!

Our count at the beginning of the month is as follows: 28 bottles and jars of strong drink. 10 of these are handmade infusions and liqueurs. All of the handmade ones are unlabeled and a few unidentified. We'll be making some mystery cocktails!

We will not buy beer or wine for home consumption, as we have 2 kegs of home brew, many bottles of miscellaneous beer, seven liters of hard cider and several bottles of wine on hand. Non alcoholic mixers may be purchased during the month. Restaurant drinks are not included in the challenge.

Homestead Log

When we travel and hike, I always bring along my field log. I record wildlife species, the weather, and locations. Initially a project for a high school class, I have been keeping such logs for over a decade. They are a fantastic reference of places we've been and things we've seen.

I pledge during March to begin the same type of record keeping for our homesteading activities. I bought a new Moleskine notebook in which to record a daily log of the planting, harvest, canning, pressing, wood chopping, travel and events of our lives. I hope this will become a useful planning reference in years to come.

What are your plans for March? How are you challenging yourself?