How much is too much? Everything from scratch!

Last night, Jon was going to be home late, so I had plenty of time to go crazy.

Usually, I just take on a big baking project or put a movie on and knit so I don't think about eating dinner before Jon gets home.  Last night, I decided to look through my pantry and figure out what I could buy locally, what I could make myself, and what I could live without.

Here is the list that I came up with so far:

1. Flour: http://brookfordfarm.com/
2. Rice: I'm going to try to grow some myself.  This site says that I can grow some in a bucket, so we'll see how that goes!  http://www.heirloom-organics.com/guide/va/guidetogrowingrice.html
3. Salt: Sea salt that is done in New England is so expensive!  I'm going to save up milk jugs and go collect some ocean water...the FDA says it is safe!  http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/mining-salt-from-the-sea/, http://www.howtobaker.com/techniques/insane-foodie-projects/how-to-make-your-own-sea-salt-2/
4. Sugar: This summer, I am going to experiment with growing sugar beets.  The crystallization process sounds tedious, so I may just use them for molasses, and then save up the crystals for things that I want caramelization with.  For granulated sugar, I am going to try cooking down and then mixing maple syrup, which my uncle produces.   http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/148932/maple-sugaring-making-granulated-maple-sugar
5. Cinnamon: It seems pretty silly to me that I use this spice so often, but I have no idea where it comes from.  Why can't I use something that is local or I could grow myself instead of relying on something that has to be shipped to this country?  I found something called cinnamon basil- it has hints of the usual basil flavor as well as cinnamate, the same chemical that gives traditional cinnamon its flavor!  It sounds pretty easy to grow, so I will be in search of seeds.
6. Yeast: This is tricky, but I'm tired of relying on store bought yeast.  I am going to make a starter and see how long I can keep it going.  I wonder how I could use the starter in recipes other than the usual bread...
7. Vinegar:  Not only do I clean with vinegar, I really enjoy a bowl of cukes soaked with it.  Through my research, I found out that store bought vinegar is so processed, that it kills all of the beneficial things in vinegar.  Vinegar used to be a cure-all, a medicine practically, and I grew up with it being used for bee/wasp stings, rashes, colds, and as a condiment.  I want to try making my own vinegar that will have these properties again!  I could also make herb vinegars, wine vinegars...

That is all that I had time for last night, but it is already quite a lot to do.  Is it worth it?  How much is too much?  I love taking on big, impossible projects!  At least I can figure out how to do things on my own if all of the grocery stores close down.