Homesteaders

[rancher hicks]

Good point on 2 piles. Right now it is literally a pile, with no containment. And I plan on building pallet walls. I will plan to make 2 sections

The pictures I posted were both drawn in Microsoft excel. You can resize the grid to make the cells square then use it like digital graph paper. I will even print out blank sheets and use it as graph paper on occasion. It is easy to make adjustments and save multiple versions, such as each year's garden plans to go back and review.

I'm not sure I have it on my computer but I will check it out thanks.

 

[Raech]

Sat down last night and made a few calls, ok I repeatedly called my Dad with questions. Figured out how jars of produce I need this year, then added on new stuff to can for the first time. (Side note my male cat, Trace, is being a pill and mzking typing this really hard, sorry for typos) Dad offered to uy apples since he can get them really cheap since he is a long haul truck driver, asked him to get me dried beans if possible, but we have apple trees at the house. Told him I wanted to try apple butter, thought he was going to wreck because he got so excited and then proceeded to tell me to find Grandma's recipe since it was ammazing. (Now his sister, Trixie, is coming up to help) Due to the increase needed I have to plant extra, so called Dad to warn him, he agreeed and we talked about a greenhouse in the lower part by the garden in a fewyears. Talked about adding sweet potato(thanks guys lol) and planting more peppers and onions at his house. Not sure where exactly to plant everything, tomatoes can go to Grandpa/Dads garden, but I like having peppers here for quick freezing. Also want to plant spinach, might get that done this year, and that should be here. Sunflowers and pumkins will be planted in the back corner of the yard or up by the patio if I move the BunnyHut to where it will get some shade this summer. Not sure if more beds will be added at my house or if I will just dig a hole for some of the tomatoes, save the raised beds for the peas. Need to plant extra peppers just so I have some to add tomy freezer for meals down the road.

Here is my need to make list:
sweetened applesauce, as much as possible
pears, finally running out
Canned corn(new)
Chili type beans(new) 10-15 pints
Black beans(new) 10-15 pints
Toqmato sauce 20-30 qurt
Rotel 10-15 pints
Diced tomato 20
Tomato Soup 15 qurts (new)
Zesty Salsa 4-5 batchs at least
Raspberry freezer jelly (new)
Blueberry freezer jelly (new)
Blackberry freezer jelly (new)
Apple Butter jelly jars (new)
Pumpkin butter freezer(new)

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
I like Pine Tree...they seem to be the cheapest and have a huge variety, especially heirloom varieties. I've already ordered my seeds for this year and was not surprised to see where some seeds were already sold out, so if you are seed shopping, you might want to do it now and not wait until later on in the year.

 

[rancher hicks]

I like Pine Tree...they seem to be the cheapest and have a huge variety, especially heirloom varieties. I've already ordered my seeds for this year and was not surprised to see where some seeds were already sold out, so if you are seed shopping, you might want to do it now and not wait until later on in the year.

I think I do have this catalog. I've been checking them all as some offer seeds not offered by others. Too some offer more information about the plants.

Horizon Herbs is okay but it's more about medicinal and other health stuff.

I like when they give information about usage, such as Peas for shelling and freezing. One thing that has troubled me is harvest time. When to harvest Peas. Because there is only the two of us I figure to shell and freeze maybe a cup of peas at a time. There are so many varieties.

For drying beans I learned to leave them til the end of the season. As someone here mentioned, hanging them out of the weather. And I learned to plant different varieties at least 20 feet apart. Something I did not know. I have an Heirloom magazine with an article on all kinds of beans. The author collected beans from all over the world and did all this research.

 

[Paganrose]

Hello all! I've been away for awhile due to life issues.
Last year the garden went to the wayside, plus we have been battling soil issues from the walnut trees. So we don't have much for canned goods- but I did manage to freeze a bunch of wild raspberries and dried elderberries and catnip.

I also Like Pine Tree seeds! they are affordable and don't give you a huge amount of seeds in a packet, so I find I waste less of them.

 

[Paganrose]

Grr internet was wonky- Double post

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

So I am dreaming up my garden for this spring. I am thinking, potatoes, peas, green beans, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, and sweet peppers in the annual section. Then I have garlic, and winter onions established in the permanent area. I am going to try to plant some rhubarb, strawberries, and asparagus there.
I have never had any luck with carrots.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

My garden plan is starting to look more like a shopping list. I have every color of the rainbow and most of them several times. I have decided I'm going to pull a @rancher hicks and try to grow at least 50-75% of all our produce. The kids eat it better if the watched it grow. Thank you rancher for giving me the idea.

 

[Beekissed]

Mine too, though most of it is things I plant every year, I've added a few different things and I'm packing every available space in that garden this year.

Sweet Corn~Ambrosia
Potatoes~mix of red and white
Tomatoes~one row of paste(Romas), the rest are beefsteak varieties(Brandywine, Pruden's Purple) and a few cherries~Sweet One Millions
Beans~half runners
Squash~straight neck yellow
Pumpkins~Rouge Vif Detampes
Melons~Moon and Stars, Crimson Sweets
Canteloupes
Lettuce~various romaines, one butter crunch variety
Spinach
Bell Peppers~Kaleidoscope mix
Hot banana peppers~Hungarian Wax
Jalapeno peppers
Cilantro
Celery~have never tried this before, am trying two different kinds
parsley
borage,nasturtium~both edible flowers but have never eaten them before, so would like to try...they also both serve a purpose as companion plants
radishes
Sweet Onions~Candy...lots of them!
Garlic~elephant
Asparagus~never did this before either, doing regular and purple
carrots~red, purple and orange ***have never had luck with carrots here but willing to try in the BTE
Rhubarb~red
Strawberries
Sugar snap peas
cukes~Boston Picklers
Chives
dill
Chamomile
lavender
honeysuckle
red grapes~have never done these but hope to get them started
Various flowers, including but not limited to~zinnias, marigold, blue flax, black oil sunflowers, black eyed susans, calendula, and whatever else that suits my fancy at the time.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Ok this is what I have so far, sorry about the sloppiness, art and detail are not my strong suits.

I have grapes established, would love to get raspberries and blueberries going (I know chickens are going to make that hard, will have to get some sturdy cages) My orchard is absolutely pathetic (and maybe it is that cedar rust? they are alive but do not grow or produce much) so I am planning on ripping that up and starting again. I am going to get a couple apple and sour cherries, grow from there.
I tried to grow my squash beside the old hog shed last year. Not enough direct sun, and was decimated by squash bugs So going to try to grow then in the center of the drive.
I would also love to get some nut trees established somewhere, but that is mostly just dreaming at this point.

This is the kitchen garden, it is the foundation of an old shed, so it is surrounded by cement and is 30×30. I put straw down for weed control and walk ways. I also surrounded the garden with marigolds. I have a permanent garden adjacent to the south, same thing, it is 30×14. I have not gotten it drawn up yet, but it now has onions, and garlic growing in it. I am going to start a patch of asparagus, rhubarb, and strawberries this year. I also want to try to grow some herbs, but am a little intimidated by that.
My largest problem with my garden is Morningglorys. They take over every year. It was better last year, hopefully I can be put there even more this year, the kids are bigger, and really keep the dang things down :/