The elderflowers perched atop the branches like lacy fairy houses, swaying in the breeze. Their heady aroma beckoned as we walked down the nearby driveway, coaxing us to stop and linger a bit before heading back to the house.

Around the yard, summer abundance was building. It was a good year for catnip and milkweed, both of which made excellent food for the bees. Juneberries, currants, and mulberries were ready to pick, with blueberries soon to follow. By day, birdsong filled the yard, and the night was replete with frog calls and fireflies.

It's a crazy beautiful life, this homestead dream, kicking my backside one moment and soothing my heart the next. Some days (often) I long for the stamina of my younger years, but I figure as long as I keep moving forward, I'm still making progress, slow as it may be. Somehow I need to figure out how to complete online tasks in less time so I can spend more time active, but speed has never been one of my gifts.

This next section is something that's been rolling around in my head for a while, so I thought I would share. I was talking to friend earlier this year about replacing a clothes dryer. She was amazed that we've had the same dryer for over 20 years (with no repairs), while they've had multiple repairs and replacements in a much shorter time.

While they do have a larger family and more laundry, it was another reminder that they really don't build things like they used to. With all the push towards building things more "efficient" or with more so called "features", we've ended up missing an important part of the discussion - embodied energy.

Efficiency Is More Than an Electric Bill

When people compare appliances, they usually ask, "How much electricity does this use?"

That's an important question, but it's only part of the equation.

Every refrigerator, washing machine, dishwasher, or water heater represents a substantial investment of:

• Raw materials mined or harvested
• Manufacturing energy
• Transportation across oceans and highways
• Packaging
• Installation
• Recycling or disposal at the end of its life

Engineers refer to this as embodied energy or embedded energy—the total energy consumed before you ever plug the appliance into the wall.

If an appliance lasts 20 years, those manufacturing costs are spread over two decades of service.

If it fails after two years, all of that embodied energy has to be spent again—and again—with each replacement.

The Refrigerator Example

Imagine two refrigerators.

Refrigerator A

• Uses 550 kWh per year
• Lasts 20 years

Refrigerator B

• Uses 450 kWh per year
• Lasts only 2 years

At first glance, Refrigerator B appears superior because it uses about 100 fewer kilowatt-hours each year.

But over 20 years:

Refrigerator A

• One appliance manufactured
• 11,000 kWh of operating electricity

Refrigerator B

• Ten refrigerators manufactured
• 9,000 kWh of operating electricity

The newer model saves about 2,000 kWh of electricity over twenty years.

However, manufacturing nine additional refrigerators requires enormous amounts of energy, steel, aluminum, copper, plastics, refrigerants, electronics, shipping fuel, warehouse space, retail handling, and recycling or landfill processing.

While the exact embodied energy varies by manufacturer and model, producing a major household appliance typically requires thousands of kilowatt-hours' worth of energy equivalent. Replacing the appliance repeatedly can easily outweigh the operational energy savings.

The result is that the "efficient" appliance may actually consume more total energy over its lifetime when manufacturing is included.

Reliability Is an Environmental Benefit

Durability rarely receives the credit it deserves.

An appliance that runs reliably for decades offers benefits that don't show up on an EnergyGuide sticker:

• Fewer raw materials extracted
• Less manufacturing pollution
• Fewer trucks transporting replacements
• Less packaging waste
• Fewer discarded appliances
• Less consumer expense
• Less downtime and inconvenience

In other words, the greenest appliance is often the one you don't have to replace. It's also less of a pain in the backside when you're trying to live your life instead of dealing with an appliance or car or whatever that's not working correctly.

I'm hoping I live long enough to see durability come back into fashion. I hear tell shag carpeting is back (somewhat), I guess almost anything is possible.

This Week's Resilience & Abundance Boost

• Maintain before you replace. A little routine care—cleaning filters, sharpening blades, oiling hinges, or checking seals—can often add years to the life of tools and appliances.
• Buy for the long haul. When you do need something new, look beyond the price tag and energy rating. Ask whether it's likely to be repairable, durable, and worth owning ten or twenty years from now.
• Harvest the season. Whether it's berries, herbs, flowers, or simply time spent outdoors, summer's abundance doesn't last forever. Enjoy it while it's here.
• Repair what you can. Mending clothing, fixing a tool, or restoring a piece of furniture keeps useful things in service and builds practical skills at the same time.
• Value what already works. Sometimes the most sustainable choice is simply appreciating and caring for the things that faithfully serve you every day.

Resilience isn't just preparing for the future—it's being a good steward of the resources, relationships, and tools already entrusted to us. That's the resilience and abundance mindset.

All our best to you and yours,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

Making the Most of Summer's Harvest

Summer has a way of keeping us on our toes. Some plants are just beginning to bloom, others are loaded with fruit, and a few seem determined to test our patience. Whether you're gathering flowers, waiting on tomatoes, or looking for another way to enjoy the season's bounty, I hope these articles help you make the most of what summer has to offer.

Elderflowers are more useful than you might think

If your elder shrubs are in bloom, don't miss the short harvest window. Learn how to identify and gather the blossoms, make refreshing drinks, and enjoy one of my favorite early summer treats before the berries begin to form.

Read: All About Elderflowers​

Tomatoes taking their sweet time?

You're not alone. If your tomatoes seem determined to stay green, learn the most common reasons they're slow to ripen—and what you can (and can't) do to encourage them along without sacrificing flavor.

Read: Why Are My Tomatoes Not Ripening?​

Preserve today's harvest for tomorrow

When the tomatoes finally do start rolling in, it's nice to have a plan. Whether you're new to canning or simply need a refresher, these step-by-step instructions will help you safely preserve summer's flavor for the months ahead.

Read: How to Can Tomatoes​

A little kitchen magic with zucchini

Every gardener eventually reaches the point of asking, "What am I going to do with all this zucchini?" One of my favorite answers is zapple pie—a surprisingly convincing apple-style pie made with summer squash that has fooled more than a few people over the years.

Read: Zapple Pie Recipe​

These simple currant scones are an easy way to use up some of the currant harvest.

Did you know...?

At the top of every article on the website, there's a little mini menu that shows the category and sometimes sub-category of the article. For instance, above the Home Remedies for Sunburn article, we see the Home Page link, then the category of Home Remedies, then the sub-category of Skin Troubles.

So, if you'd like to see similar types of articles on the website, you can click on those links above the article and they'll take you a list of related posts. It's a quick and easy way to find more of what's of interest to you.