9 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca TOP: AMY & FINN HOGUE | BOTTOM: NATALIA MERZLYAKOVA - ADOBE STOCK This is Waste Not where we tip our hats to the creativity and ingenuity of small farmers who have long mastered the art of reimagining “waste” as potential. This column shares tips, innovations and recipes to help you make the most of every resource and embrace a waste-free lifestyle. CITRUS PEEL CLEANSER When trying to cut costs on grocery bills, eliminating costly cleansers can be a real money saver. This citrus peel cleanser can be your go-to all purpose cleanser that is easy to make and store. This recipe uses waste peels that would normally be discarded or used for composting, making it good for the environment as well (win-win). HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT: TAKING STOCK: VEGGIE SCRAP BROTH Every time you make a meal that uses veggies, what do you do with the leftover onion or garlic skins, celery leaves, tomato seeds or any other type of veggie scrap? Most of these “discarded” scraps are thrown out or added to the compost pile, but they still have a lot of nutritional value in them. Next time you cut off the end of a carrot or peel a clove of garlic, throw your scraps in a container and toss them in the freezer until you have enough to PEELINGS HAVE VALUE TOO! ARTICLE BY AMY HOGUE & FINN HOGUE WASTE NOT 1. Save your discarded orange, lemon or lime peels (these can be kept in a container in the fridge until you have enough to make the cleanser). 2. Loosely pack citrus peels into a glass jar until the jar is full. 3. Top the citrus peels with white vinegar to fill the jar. 4. Optional: Add a few drops of essential oils to the jar to add another scent (we used peppermint oil with lemon peels). 5. Once you have added everything to your jar, shake it up then stick it in the fridge or on your counter for one to three weeks. To help encour- age infusion, you can give the jar a shake every few days. 6. Strain out the peels and transfer the liquid to a spray bottle for easy use. This citrus cleanser works great on glass or can be used to clean your bathroom, added to your dishwasher or used in your washing machine to freshen laundry. Note this product should not be used on granite, marble or other sensitive stone surfaces, natural hardwood floors or wood furniture as it can cause staining. CLEANING STRENGTH: White vinegar provides a natural but effective antimicrobial cleanser and citrus peels are known to have natural anti-fungal, antibacterial, insecticidal and deodorizing properties. USE A RECYCLED GLASS JAR TO KEEP THIS PRODUCT EVEN MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS! OLD PICKLE OR SALSA JARS ARE THE PERFECT SIZE FOR THIS PRODUCT. 8 October 2025 TOP: AMY & FINN HOGUE make broth. These scraps can be used to add additional flavouring to bone broth or used on their own to make a lovely veggie scrap broth. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Save your veggie scraps by tossing them in a bag or container and storing them in the freezer. 2. Once you’ve accumulated a variety of scraps (ie. onions, garlic, celery, carrot etc.) and enough to fill a four-cup measure, transfer them from the freezer to a large stock pot. 3. Fill the pot with water – ensure the scraps are completely submerged. 4. Season with salt and other spices as desired. 5. Add any leftover bones (optional). 6. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for a minimum three hours, maximum six hours. If the water evaporates too quickly, top up with more water. 7. Strain the stock using a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. 8. Add more salt to taste. 9. Compost or discard the leftover veggie scraps and bones. 10. Use the broth as a soup base or freeze into ice cube trays to use as stock cubes. Homemade broth can keep in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for two months. POTATO PEEL CHIPS Have you noticed how expensive potato chips are at the store lately? Not only have the prices gone up but the bags have gotten smaller! What if you could make your own potato chips – for free? Next time you’re making a meal that calls for peeled potatoes, don’t toss out your leftover potato peels. Instead make these peels into potato chips, turning a waste product into a money saving snack. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Make sure your potatoes are well cleaned, and you have removed any blemishes or sprouts (anything you wouldn’t want to eat!). 2. Peel the potatoes with a potato peeler. Avoid using a knife as that leaves too much of the potato flesh on the peel. 3. Soak the peels in room temperature or cold water for 30 minutes. 4. Rinse the peels and dry them – the drier the peels the more they will crisp up when baked. 5. Spread peels in a single layer and drizzle with a light coat of cooking oil. There should be enough oil to coat the potato peels lightly. 6. Salt the potato skins. 7. Optional: Add seasonings like garlic powder, barbecue seasoning etc. 8. Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes. For crispier results, broil them for a few minutes near the end. 9. Let cool and serve! NOTE: Potato peel chips are best eaten fresh, but you can store the potato skins in the fridge in a sealed bag for one or two days until you are ready to make the chips. IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING YOUR SKINS COMPLETELY DRY, TRY DRYING THEM IN A SALAD SPINNER BEFORE PRESSING THEM INTO A TOWEL. WANT TO MAKE THIS INTO A BONE BROTH? FREEZE LEFTOVER BONES FROM CHICKEN, TURKEY, PORK, BEEF, FISH AND SHRIMP THAT YOU COLLECT OVER TIME. YOU CAN ALSO INCLUDE OTHER PARTS SUCH AS CARCASSES, WING TIPS, FEET AND NECKS.
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