Andrea

Ann - have you tried composting directly into your ground? I did this when we first moved to this house because of the heavy clay soil. I would dig a hole about a foot deep and toss in compostibles (vegie trimmings, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds) and cover them up. It worked out well in those sections of the yard that weren't impacted by tree roots. Sometimes I'll come across an uncomposted tea bag or vegetable label, but it's all good! At least I never experienced this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16374283

That sounds goooood! I wish I could grow rhubarb here. I've tried but it just can't handle too many triple digit days in a row. But, my parents in Northern California grow rhubarb like there's no tomorrow. Maybe I'll raid their beds next time I'm up there . . . lovinit - would you mind posting your recipe? Maybe I'll forward the recipe to my mom and have her can it for me! LOL

I ate leftover stir-fry - great use for New Zealand Spinach that is attempting to take over the world! And I also ate several figs and raspberries as I puttered around the yard. I currently have horehound in the dehydrator. Not my favorite herbal tea, but it is good for chest colds and my horehound plant is battling it out with the New Zealand Spinach and Lemon Balm for the title of "Yard Dominator!" But I'm cool with it. I'm a lazy gardener so plants that grow themselves are perfect for me!

Hopefully, I'll get the rest of the potatoes dug up tomorrow. I should have done it today, but have I mentioned yet what a lazy gardener I am?!? I might toss in some zucchini seeds into those beds but I may just let them sit until September when I begin my Fall plantings.

Oh, and I have the seldom used half bath in the laundry room cleaned out and ready to set-up for my indoor lettuce/kale garden. Keep your fingers crossed for me! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be able to produce my own lettuce. I grow lots of things to toss on my daily salads (sprouts, onions, purslane, herbs, tomatoes, grilled vegies) but I FAIL when it comes to the lettuce part of the salad. I just hope the neighbors don't notice the grow light and turn me in! Did you see that youtube episode of "Grow Your Greens" where the host had his house raided because the neighbors suspected him of growing pot? Turns out he had a grow light set-up in his bathroom for his collard trees, but they still searched his house.

Collard trees, that's a future project! I had them on order from Bountiful Gardens but they were unable to ship them out until June this year. That is too late for me. I got them in May last year, they flourished for about six weeks and then the heat did them in. If I can get my indoor set-up working, maybe I'll try them out as well.

Hmmmm, how many vegies can I grow in a tiny half-bath?!?

(P.S. here's the link to the youtube show:

Yummmm!

I made up 14 1/2 pints of pepper relish and gave it away as Thank You gifts.

I need to make some up for us now!

I was a good girl this week. Went with dh to an out of town job. Stayed at the Peppermill in Reno for a week, on their dime, and used their awesome workout room everyday. So I got in at least 36 miles. This week, uh, not so much.

(((Dogmom))) Eggs definitely count as "harvest."

Now that I'm a pre-empty nester ( I have six weeks left), we should meet up sometime. I can offer lots of plant starts and a 21 pound, Orange cat from Hell . . .

Twilight - 8 thriving walking onions will quickly multiply! I started out with only 4 bulblets 3 years ago. Since then, they have travelled all over the place and I'm constantly giving the things away! I especially love that they're perennial here - I never have to worry about not having onions.

Annarchy, doesn't it feel great to be able to use something that you produced in a meal? I live on a suburban lot. No way, no how am I going to reach full sufficiency with my food production (unless of course, I could figure out a way for us to exist on 30 calories a day!) But I figure that every onion I grow, every tomato I turn into sauce, is one step closer to being "self-sufficientish", which makes me happy. Not to mention the fact that I love watching things grow from seed - it's a connection to the Earth and to God that I have trouble feeling anywhere else on this planet.

Speaking of self-sufficiency, I read this in a blog:

http://awalkapart.wordpress.com/

 

 

It’s Not Self-Sufficiency

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Occasionally when I greet visitors here at the farm and give them a tour, they say the words I dread to hear. It will invariably be some sort of praise for our “self-sufficiency”.

This always makes me cringe. We are so far from self-sufficient that it’s simply the pale mockery of such.

In the garden, I poke seeds into the dirt. Did I make the dirt fertile? Did I make the seed viable? Did I create the miracle that is life when the sprout first comes up from the soil? Will I cause the rain to come and the sun to shine? Will I summon the bees and bid them to pollinate the beautiful flowers that they might bear edible fruit?

Did I send rain in abundance and fill the pond with its supply of fish? Did I create the goats and cause them to give us delicious and healthful milk? Did I find insects for the chickens to eat? Did I cause them to lay eggs for our breakfasts?

None of these things I have done. I simply observed and followed accepted practices which put us into close reliance upon the Lord. It is His magnificent glory which causes all of these things to yield bounty for us. I believe that in doing honoring labor, we give honor unto God, but were the labor to bear no fruit at all we would still give unto God.

In moving to this life, we have simply separated some of our dependence from our fellow man and placed it back unto God where we feel it rightfully belongs.

We are not self-sufficient; God is sufficient.

Just came in from watering. Brought in a big armful of New Zealand spinach, some spindly celery stalks, and a few Egyptian walking onions. I'm going to get it all cleaned up and combine it with the mung beans I just finished sprouting, some cabbage, and a bell pepper and make a wok full of stir-fry for dinner. YUMMMMM! I'll throw some leftover chicken I froze into my husband's portion.

(Oh, I also pigged out on fresh figs and a few raspberries while doing the watering! )

Now that we're through having company, I'm going to get started on getting my indoor lettuce beds going. I spend about $10/week on lettuce and greens simply because they are difficult to grow in my climate. I'm hoping that if I can get them established indoors, I can not only save $10/week, more importantly, I'll know they were grown without pesticides. I hope I can figure out a way to make them happy!

Last year, I attempted to eat something from my yard/garden everyday of the year. I actually came pretty close to succeeding. What I was terrible about was logging in every day! So, here is a less formal place to log in what we harvested, ate, and maybe even a few recipes we've come up with!

Right now, we're eating purple potatoes, figs, and raspberries. My summer squash are almost ready to pick, another day or two and I'll be dicing those babies up and sauteing them in a bit of olive oil with lemon and garlic.

I've also got two dehydrators running with raspberry and lemon balm leaves. I'll be dehydrating at least 6 quart jars of each of those. I've tried lots of herbal teas and this is my favorite blend. The raspberry leaves taste almost like lipton and I love the relaxing flavor and effect of lemon balm. (Warning: raspberry leaves must be dried first or they'll upset your stomach) I also need to get busy and start harvesting and using up some of my New Zealand Spinach - it is taking over the world!

What all are you eating from your garden?

I'm only growing Egyptian Walking onions these days. They are a perennial here and all the parts are edible. If anyone would like some starts, send me a pm this fall or next Spring,and I'll be happy to mail you some (it's too hot right now).

The dollar store also carries those little personal battery operated fans. I have a few stuck in each of our cars. They come in handy if you're stuck in traffic and don't want to overheat your engine by running the ac.

Great article, thanks for posting!

After several years of research, I've decided that if I'm going to raise any animals in my suburban yard, I should go with quail. However, after spotting this, I might have to change my mind. Too, too cute!

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/navychicks-page

(((Cat))) My one and only graduated last Friday. She's off to a great school in August but wow, what am I going to do?!? I empathize and sympathize but we'll get through this.

(Besides, we have to keep up the illusion that we're sane and balanced so that we can spend lots and lots of time with our future grandkids someday!)

Yolko Watteltons

And we have a winner!

This is AWESOME!

Fluffy Spuronimo

 

I have enough Viagra to last a lifetime thank you.

 

So, do you store it in the fridge, in a mylar bag, or have you vacuum sealed it in a canning jar and stored it next to your pickles?

Welcome Katmandu! It's great to have you here!

Clever!

(((dogmom))) Sending prayers your way.

Not a good week for me. I was C R A Z Y B U S Y. Trying to do better this week, but guess what, this week is even worse. I am so looking forward to June . . .

(((Midnightmom)))

Oops, I'm late! Happy belated birthday! Hope you had a great day!

Hope it went well today. Still

I sooo need the Decluttered book. It got almost 5 stars so I'm hoping it's a worthwhile read. I'd much rather read about decluttering than actually do it!