humblehillsfarm
Crazy chicken lady
Thanks! I have been worried about drought, but not heat as much. That portion of the yard is shaded after about 3PM so I was hoping that would help! I've never grown potatoes before. I was contemplating expanding my irrigation system to that portion of the garden but not sure I'm ready for that investment yet either.You should be ok. I have planted potatoes as late as the 3rd week in may. The biggest factors that i have had with such late planting dates is heat and lack if moisture. Plant in mid-late may, sprouts break the surface in early june, start growing vigorously in mid-late june and BAM! a hot dry spell hits. The late planting does not allow as well of an established root system and heat and drought stress may result in weakening plants susceptible to disease or under developed potatoes (small).
They are also prime targets for pests so be vigilant.
Potatoes are pretty tough so this is of course dependent upon just how long the dry spell lasts and watering (not too much) if need be can nurse them through.
Harvest dates will be pushed back until probably early September.
Definitely put them in asap though and you'll be fine.
Good luck on your homestead btw! It sounds like you are off to a great start. I started the same process 3yrs ago with the house/property we bought.
The house was in rough shape so i have put a lot of time and money into fixing it up myself. We are in the mountains so the soils are heavy clay and rock. Nevertheless, with a lot of hardwork dedicated to soil improvement, each year my little 110' x 50' garden has been producing awesome crops! Based upon grocery store prices, it has saved us over $1000 each season. Now I am looking to expand.
Our fruit orchards and nut groves should start producing more by next year and our "edible landscape" is starting to provide seasonal berry harvests.
We get 75% of our meat from wild game. Deer, wild turkey, rabbit, and squirrels are abundant and are a staple at our dinner table. The chickens obviously provide meat and eggs and we expect to have goats by this January.
Larger farm stock is planned for the future but it will be a few years yet.
My goal is to be self sufficient on food and buy only basics (flour, sugar, coffee, spices, etc). We are looking into solar power for energy.
Right now I am giving our food surplus away to family and friends, but may try to sell it at the local farmers market for additional income.
In any case, it has been an incredible journey and one that you are embarking on with I'm sure the same passion and enthusiasm that I have. It can feel overwhelming at times as the work load continues to grow, but it is so rewarding when the fruits of your labor enjoyed.
Thank you! Your journey sounds so similar to mine. And our house is in need of a ton of repairs. We are still running on original knob and tube electrical wiring! We had to gut the bathroom before we could even use it and had to go number #2 in a bucket on our porch for the first two days. I'll never take a toilet for granted again! Nothing like a midnight trip to the "bucket" when you can hear coyotes yipping fifty feet away!
My goals are similar. I'd like to grow all of my own produce except for a few niche items, herbs, and of course pantry staples like grains, coffee, and sugar. I'd like to venture into meat chickens and dairy goats someday too.
I have a few connections willing to take part in a small co-op so I am hoping to generate a small income enough to cover the costs of manure, irrigation, and buying seeds, but this is the first year with a garden this size so we shall see!
Good luck with your goals! They are totally achievable!