Learning from the Past

 I weeded one of the garden beds yesterday and fixed the gutter down-spout at the end of the house (the one that damages the foundation when it's offline).  I had to use a shovel to dig up one of the weeds.  I'll admit I haven't done anything with the gardens for the last two years.  This year feels different because I think we need to get serious about gardening to help ease the rising food costs. I plan on trying to grow potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, maybe pineapple and some herbs in containers.  This will be a lot easier than trying to till the soil here with the clay, granite and my back.   Today is a rest day, my back is hurting a bit and we had rain all night and some this morning so the ground is soaked and I need to wait to get some plants until the next cooler spell goes away at the end of the week.     It's Pesach - Passover.  This is Dusty (miss you, big guy!).  This was his favorite bed ...

 We now have 6 buckets of potatoes planted: russet, Yukon gold and Kenebec.  I also planted garlic.  Next I'll plant some onions.  I want to pick up a couple of berry/grape plants, cauliflower, broccoli and tomato plants/seeds.  We may not get a lot of produce this season but might close to fall. Not easy work with my back being what it is. More progress on the embroidery piece.    I've been viewing videos and websites on growing things and preserving stuff.

 Moved some things down into the garage freezer - this eases up the strain on the upstairs chest and refrigerator freezers and means I can stock up a bit more on meat when we can afford it and on the liver we feed Grady. I've been reading up on growing onions and garlic.  I have some onion seeds to plant and plan on growing some from kitchen scraps along with garlic.  I'll expand into other things to grow for food too.   progress on my embroidery piece and what I was doing for 30 minutes - I was unable to work on the piece.... I wonder why (Luna)

  I planted potatoes in three 5-gallon buckets (with holes drilled for drainage and placed on a board on bricks for additional drainage). I placed chicken wire over the top to discourage the possums from digging. Jackie had to help get the large bags of dirt up onto the porch. I frickin hate this. I need to build up my endurance and strength again. I picked up the metal wheelbarrow I ordered as well. Jackie made a mock-up of a corset. With some adjustments she'll make a real one next. A productive day. LG protested when I wanted to take the wagon down to the driveway and Princess pointed out the fact that Jackie didn't turn the box upside down to keep the cats out.....

  We picked up a second small Hotpoint chest freezer. With the prices going bananas we can definitely use it - we feed Grady (our oldest) chicken breast and liver, that takes up a lot of room very quickly in a freezer. Add in frozen veggies and pizzas..... All the Home Depots near us were out of the 5 to 6.5 sq cubic feet freezers but we found one at Lowe's that was actually $20 cheaper. We have a new stockpot on the way along with some 5 gallon buckets to grow potatoes, onions and whatever in. We also plan on cooking large batches of food and freezing along with starting canning. Gas is nearly $4 a gallon here. We're real happy with the government right now <sarcasm alert>

 I ordered a glass jar rack for canning today and a Ball canning book. We need a wheelbarrow, maybe new shovels, a new metal rake, more dirt and herbs.  Paint inside and out, a 2nd chest freezer and more bags for the vacuum seal thing. Ugh

 Jackie is onboard with learning some new skills with me: canning, gardening, dehydrating food and stuff.  She's also going to teach me how to use a sewing machine. We have plans for the next couple of seasons - embroidery, quilting, gardening, canning, cooking, sewing, cleaning the garage out and being more efficient. Neither of us see the economy recovering any time soon, especially with the idiot that's the figurehead of our country.  Whoever is pulling the strings is just a nano second behind him on the intelligence scale.   I've planted a marigold, catnip and a rosemary plant.  The rosemary plant I planted last year made it through the winter so I'll have one on either side of the steps to the porch.  Yay!  I bought seed potatoes yesterday: Yukon gold and Kennebec species and I have russet potatoes that are sprouting. We'll learn how to can and how to dehydrate potatoes and onions.   We're also thinking of getting another chest free...