Down to Earth Forums

Got some spare time? Get yourself a cup of tea and sit around the kitchen table for a while. you never know who will drop by.This forum is for catching up with others, telling your story, asking questions that don't fit in anywhere else, and generally, just being part of this community.

Say hello and introduce yourself here. We'd love to know where you're from and what you hope to find at the Down to Earth forum.

What books have helped you gain the insight you have now? What books do you recommend others read on their journey towards simple living?

Do you have a question about simple living, green cleaning, cooking, baking or any of our subjects that you'd like to ask Rhonda? Questions will be answered as time allows.

This is the forum for prayer requests and support when things aren't going well in your world.

Every so often our moderators will organise a swap for members to sign up to. The swap items will be announced when the swap is and members will be teamed up to exchange small items. These are a lot of fun and will help you get to know the other members here.

This forum is a general place for your cooking questions and for you to share your cooking tips. Want to know about a new kitchen appliance or an ingredient? Ask here, someone will know.

Baking makes our kitchens smell so good it draws the family in. Baking your own bread, cakes etc also gives you healthy food without the preservatives in those that are bought. This forum is for your baking recipes, questions about baking and for photos of your masterpieces.

How do you preserve food? Are you dehydrating, freezing, canning, fermenting? Tell us about it here.

This forum is about storing food safely. What works for you?

This is the forum for all your favourite breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. If you're a new cook, this forum is for you. Share your favourite recipes here or ask others to share a recipe you've been looking for.

If you're vegan, vegetarian, fruitarian or just having a couple of meatless meals a week, share your favourite recipes and ideas here.

If you're making fresh cheese or hard cheese this is the forum for you. Share you recipes and secrets and show us how real cheese should be made.

Whether you've been menu planning for years or have just discovered it, this is your forum. List your menu plans here and guide and support those who are just starting.

This topic is for those joining in the TOOL Challenge. It is for those who want to eat more organic or local food and who will eat one organic or local meal a week for six months.

Are you still buying soda or soft drinks? Did you know there are a lot of drinks you can make at home. We talk about ice blocks and ice cream here - share your favourite recipes.

We're all trying to buy local food. Not only is it fresher and cheaper, it helps build our communities. This forum is to list all the local food outlets we are aware of. Where do you buy your local meat, fruit and vegetables, nuts, groceries? Please post by listing the location and type of food so it is easily found when the forum runs to a few pages.

Whether you're experienced with a sewing needle or a new comer, this is your forum. What are you making, how did you mend that pair of trousers, what gifts are you making, where do you get your patterns for dressmaking?

Socks, jumpers, blankets, headbands, mittens, they're all needed in the home. Are you knitting or crocheting these treasures? Tell us your stories.

This is a place to discuss all your special home made soaps, lotions, shampoos and balms.

Do you use home remedies or natural cures for colds, coughs, skin conditions or any of those common problems that hit our families, pets and livestock? Some of these treatments have been around for hundreds of years. Do you have one you use that you'd like to share?

Read this forum if you need motivation and inspiration for making gifts and decorations throughout the year. Christmas, Easter, Mother's and Father's Day, Thanksgiving and all those birthdays - there will be ideas and discussions about them here.

This is the forum for all those hand made items that don't fit in the other forums - wood, paper, leather and bone work, beading, scrapbooking, jewellery, shoes etc.

What will you do with that new cardigan that shrunk in the wash, or the jeans that don't fit but are too good for rags. Making new from old - it's all here.

There is no doubt that when you decide to live more simply there are a lot of new things to learn. Here we will feature special tutorials, the Herb Study and talk about how we skill ourselves for the way we wish to live.

We tend towards living a more environmentally aware life when we slow down and simplify. How does this affect your everyday life? How are your changes towards simplicity also making you greener?

Generally when we simplify, we start with ourselves. When that has happened, how do you start to simplify your family life. How do you explain your changes to your friends? What role do pets play in a simple and frugal life?

This is one area that most of us struggle with. If you're doing something that works for you, please share it. Do you sweep or vacuum, use the dishwasher or wash up by hand? How do you organise your home to get the most out of it? What are your homemaking routines? Share what you do so we can try it too. If you need help, this is your forum.

Have you simplified? Are you living your dream or are you still working towards it? Tell us your story, in doing so, your example may help others move towards a simpler life.

Here we discuss all those special days we celebrate with our family and community - Christmas, Easter, Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, Anzac Day, Remembrance Day, Ramadan, birthdays, anniversaries and many others.

If you're a new homemaker or re-learning old skills, share your love or frustration for the work you do in your home here.

If you're renting your home this is where you can share your tips for getting the best out of your house and garden.

Have you given up on chemical cleaners? There are many great ways of cleaning your home using old fashioned non-harmful methods. What are your favourite recipes for green cleaners? How do you clean your home?

Where do you find the inspiration to live as you do? Are you mindful in your everyday day? Does that make a difference in your life? Slowing down is difficult in these times of instant everything - how do you do it?

Home maintenance is an important part of any simple life. Discover the ins and outs of it here and discuss how you keep things in order in your home, shed and garage.

What frugal tactics are you using at home? How do you stretch those pennies? Are you challenging yourself and cutting back on your expenses? Tell us all about it.

How do you budget your money? What works for you? Are you using the envelop system or are you using a spreadsheet? Share your secrets with us. We won't tell.

It's important that we all recycle and reuse as much as we can. Repairing will save money because it will extend the life of the products you're using. How do you manage recycling in your home?

Tell us all about your good deals and where you found that incredible bargain. We have members all over the world reading here so it doesn't matter where you live, share your bargain stories here.

If you are a member with over 20 posts you may use this forum to sell your own homemade goods or self produced supplies - like wool, alpaca fleece etc. Please give accurate and honest details of your products, with a photo if possible, and price. Your negotiations should take place in PMs.

If you have something you don't use any more and you want to offer it as a giveaway, please use this forum to make your listing. This is not for giveaways on your blogs.

Rosie suggested this new swap. These are her words: Generally swaps are done for the same items, but I thought we could do a swap where people can request what they'd like/need and also list what they could offer the person back or be open to requests? Eg: I want knitted dishcloths; can swap for handmade apron/bag/camera strap covers/whatever I can offer.

Are you growing food in your backyard or on your balcony? Whether you have acres of land with orchards or a few boxes full of potting mix and a mini lemon tree, discuss how you grow food here.

Chickens, ducks and turkeys are the most popular kind of livestock. They find a home in suburban backyards as well as in the barns of homesteads and farms all across the world. If you're keeping poultry or thinking about it, this is the forum for you.

There is no reason to buy new all the time. Have you made a chicken coop or fences using recycled materials? Tell us your story or ask questions about reusing, repairing and recycling in your backyard.

If you're keeping a little Jersey cow for milk or raising Dexters for meat, this is your forum. Show us photos of your animals and tell us all about how you manage your cow or your herd.

Whether you're raising goats for milk or meat, or pigs for bacon, or just because they're beautiful and intelligent, this is your home. Photos are welcome.

What bug is that? How do I get rid of blight? How do I kill all these caterpillars? Whatever your pest or disease problem, discuss it here.

How do you make compost? Do you use the hot or cold method? Are you a worm farmer? This forum discusses all things related to compost and worm farming.

While very few of us can be fully self sufficient, tell us how you are are working towards this in your life.

Many of us are growing roses, camellias, wisteria vines and all sorts of ornamental plants. This is the place to show your prize winning roses or ask advice from experienced gardeners.

Do you have bee hives in your backyard, or an aquaponics setup to grow fish, or do you want to know more about them, if so, this is your forum.

This is the forum to talk about your backyard tools and equipment.