600 billion$ VS Your $; y'all'd best be planning a garden for spring

[can you hear me now?]

I plan on getting as much grown as possible and cut as possible to make myself more self sufficient. I will try my hand at growing and drying feed for my chickens and pigs next year. Gonna look up some recipes of what to grow so I dont overdo or underdo anyhing.

 

[Wifezilla]

You can grow stuff under high wattage compact cfl's. 150w equivalent are the best, but I can't get those locally and just use 2 100's. I have herbs (tarragon, rosemary, cilantro, basil, etc...) growing indoors and a big nasturtium plant I brought indoors before the freeze. While I overwinter herbs, the cfl's are most handy for starting plants early. I started tomatoes last year at the end of January

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
You know, in Texas, you could use hoop row covers during the time when you are getting freezes at night. That would allow you to grow stuff year round.
http://subsistencepatternfoodgarden.blogspot.com/ This family lives in the mountains in Idaho, and grows year round outside,
even though they get winters almost as severe as we do here in South Central Alaska.
They have some very extensive posts on how to do it.

 

[Wifezilla]

There is also a guy in Maine who grows all year round under hoop houses. I have a small one and so far the 27º nights haven't killed the cilantro

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:

I'm with you on most of that stuff and smiled a lot while reading it. Something positive has come out of this recession and that's a reduction in consumerism and materialism, among other things.

"isms" suck.

 

[Organics North]

Thanks PC.. I like the way Ridgerunner put it... Utopian views..... if nothing else a way to keep a positive attitude...

OK...
Lettuce.. It likes cool nights in the 60's and days in the 70's
I make my own planting mix.. Lettuce likes well drained soil that is super super rich.
I use these 4 pin 20 inch twin tube bulbs.. One covers a flat perfectly, they are 55W each and put out massive light (4800 Lumen) For vegetative growth (Lettuce not flowering orchids) Use the bluest or coolest bulb you can get. Mine are 6400K, just avoid the 3000K stuff if you can.. The kind Wifezilla uses work great too and are easier to find for those that are not fanatic/obsessive compulsive perfectionists like me..

My hoop house freezes out the tomatoes and such when we have multiple cloudy days and nights in the low 20's.. Many things including cilantro are doing fine yet. Matter of fact cilantro is tough! My outdoor plants finally gave up they survived weeks of mid 20's temps before dying.

I am in the process of learning how to grow in the hoop house most months of the year. I am going to build an inner hoop on the center bed to try and keep hardy stuff like , spinach, kale, broccoli growing year round.. (Then again I will just be happy if it survives until the -30 stuff gets here..

Heck I will be happy with a 7 month growing season instead of 3 months..!

Be well
ON

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I have my heartier herbs wintering over in my basement. One side has windows that face the south so I have a shelf set with my plants there.

The temps are pretty stable between 50 to 60 degrees and the sun warms the area up for a decent portion of each day. I have my basic kitchen herbs: cilantro, basil, oregano, mint, parsley, chives...... It isn't growing very much, but it is definitely alive. Basil and oregano are perennials and would come back on their own, but I like having it healthy enough to use during the winter months. Boy did I can some tomato sauce this year!

 

[Kyhen]

Hello everyone. I just wanted to tell about a few little tips that I do to help out with expenses. I only have two acres out in the middle of nowhere so I can do whatever.


First to help with the feed bill, I ask the big corn growers if I can go in their fields and pick up the ears of corn that get left by the corn pickers. Take the grand-kids and the old pickup. You will have a load of free corn in no time.
My chicken run is on a down hill slope. I planted blackberry vines on the down side slope. Every time it rains my berries get fertilized. I had a ton of large juicy berries.
I have a large garden and some raised beds. I spread the chicken poo over the garden in the fall when I clean out the coops. If you do this in the spring it tends to be too strong of a fertilizer and will burn your plants. I also spread the wood ashes from the wood stove on the garden during the winter.
For raised beds, I use blocks of extra fire wood and rocks that I pick up.
I pour the meat grease from the meals we eat, bacon ect. over the chickens feed in the winter. They love it and it gives them a little extra protein boost.
I grow extra pumpkins and squash to store for the winter. Your chickens will love them when you cut them in half and put a little chicken feed or corn in the center for them to eat.
Also people will give you their pumpkins after the holidays to get rid of them.
Instead of buying a lot of chick feeders, I cut off the bottom side of egg cartons and use them for little chicks. Just throw it away when soiled and use a clean one. Lots of people give me their egg cartons to recycle.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Now this has to be the very best row cover hoop system I have ever found.
Its getting implemented in our garden next year for sure!
http://whizbangrowcover.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-about-whizbang-row-cover-hoop.html

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Where do you get $1 a loaf bread? I pay close to $4 a loaf...and close to $4 for a gallon of milk...