Sustainability in troubling times

[TLHKAJ]

I started finally growing a garden last year. This year, it's a little bigger (although still small scale). I've always wanted to grow food. Circumstances were always against me in the past.

This year, I've felt almost an urgency to put things in the ground, to try new things like planting apple seeds to see if I can grow trees from seeds. I believe it has been the Lord urging me to step into this and learn. I've planted several kinds of trees and planning to get more. I have a small chicken coop that I bought used and need to do some minor repairs. Then, I plan to have maybe 8 layers and maybe 1 rooster. We'll see.

Anyone else thinking about sustainability these days, especially after the craziness of the last 3+years and all the attacks on the food supply?

 

[TLHKAJ]

Watermelon ....in various baby stages. lol

 

[quietthinker]

I started finally growing a garden last year. This year, it's a little bigger (although still small scale). I've always wanted to grow food. Circumstances were always against me in the past.

This year, I've felt almost an urgency to put things in the ground, to try new things like planting apple seeds to see if I can grow trees from seeds. I believe it has been the Lord urging me to step into this and learn. I've planted several kinds of trees and planning to get more. I have a small chicken coop that I bought used and need to do some minor repairs. Then, I plan to have maybe 8 layers and maybe 1 rooster. We'll see.

Anyone else thinking about sustainability these days, especially after the craziness of the last 3+years and all the attacks on the food supply?

Good on you TLHKAJ.
Something to consider: Trees don't stay small and require space. All good when there is sufficient ....if there's not, the bonsai method could be an option

 

[Nancy]

Watermelon ....in various baby stages. lol

That is wonderful T!
All I planted this year is 5 sunflowers, they are about a foot tall now, they are not the ones that have the edible seeds as, next door neighbor has a yard full of rats! Sure don't them getting any bigger!
The sunflower seeds are from a 9 year old cancer victim. She passed last month, very sad. She was the sweetest. Sunflowers were her favorite flower!

 

[TLHKAJ]

Good on you TLHKAJ.
Something to consider: Trees don't stay small and require space. All good when there is sufficient ....if there's not, the bonsai method could be an option

I'm trying a method of pruning that will keep them at a height that is more easily reached for harvesting. I'm also looking into creating more of a food forest situation with not a ton of grass, but edible ground covers and heavily mulched pathways between everything. In my town, we can get free mulch as much as we want Monday-Friday till 4pm.

 

[TLHKAJ]

Nancy, something else to consider ....
if you don't want to grow or else gardening is physically difficult, maybe consider purchasing a freeze dryer. That way, you can buy good food and cook it up in bulk, then freeze dry whole meals that will keep up to 25 years without loosing its nutritional value. They're expensive, but it's an investment toward your future when maybe no one will be able to grow food. I'm considering this as well. What better way to preserve what you grow? It's far better than canning, imo. Although, we should have canning supplies in case the grid goes down. Just saying...

 

[quietthinker]

That is wonderful T!
All I planted this year is 5 sunflowers, they are about a foot tall now, they are not the ones that have the edible seeds as, next door neighbor has a yard full of rats! Sure don't them getting any bigger!
The sunflower seeds are from a 9 year old cancer victim. She passed last month, very sad. She was the sweetest. Sunflowers were her favorite flower!

what!, she passed sunflower seeds which you are now growing? That's novel!

 

[TLHKAJ]

One of my yellow squash plants. I planted about 15 ....almost half and half yellow squash and zucchini. I gave away several to a nearby neighbor and I've planted about a half dozen in containers to take to my middle daughter (as well as tomatoes, nasturtium, marigolds, echinacea, butterfly flowers, and cucumbers). A month or so ago, I took my daughter several trees to plant in their yard. So we had a planting day. lol

 

[Nancy]

Nancy, something else to consider ....
if you don't want to grow or else gardening is physically difficult, maybe consider purchasing a freeze dryer. That way, you can buy good food and cook it up in bulk, then freeze dry whole meals that will keep up to 25 years without loosing its nutritional value. They're expensive, but it's an investment toward your future when maybe no one will be able to grow food. I'm considering this as well. What better way to preserve what you grow? It's far better than canning, imo. Although, we should have canning supplies in case the grid goes down. Just saying...

Awesome idea sister. I am looking to move back to the country! I will inbox you with the one I will be seeing tomorrow, I SO hope to get this one, it is perfect! I will send you the link and you can look at it inside and out. The pics appear MUCH bigger than in person, the realtors do that purposely to draw buyers..

 

[quietthinker]

I'm trying a method of pruning that will keep them at a height that is more easily reached for harvesting. I'm also looking into creating more of a food forest situation with not a ton of grass, but edible ground covers and heavily mulched pathways between everything. In my town, we can get free mulch as much as we want Monday-Friday till 4pm.

sounds like a plan

 

[TLHKAJ]

Awesome idea sister. I am looking to move back to the country! I will inbox you with the one I will be seeing tomorrow, I SO hope to get this one, it is perfect! I will send you the link and you can look at it inside and out. The pics appear MUCH bigger than in person, the realtors do that purposely to draw buyers..

Okay! I'll be looking for your message!

 

[Nancy]

Okay! I'll be looking for your message!

Done! I'm probably dreaming here, again lol. Can't help but hope that The Lord will bless me with this house! I wonder what the farms in back and across the street are growing?

 

[Patrick1966]

Done! I'm probably dreaming here, again lol. Can't help but hope that The Lord will bless me with this house! I wonder what the farms in back and across the street are growing?

Weed and heroin.

 

[Patrick1966]

Done! I'm probably dreaming here, again lol. Can't help but hope that The Lord will bless me with this house! I wonder what the farms in back and across the street are growing?

The insects and rabbits thank you for your contribution!

 

[Nancy]

The insects and rabbits thank you for your contribution!

Yeah, they'll be raiding my fridge! lol. Whacky wabbits!

 

[Wynona]

With the price of eggs in some places, I don't blame the folks that have learned to keep chickens!! My friend sells fresh eggs and they are amazing!

 

[TLHKAJ]

These watermelons are growing so quickly!

 

[TLHKAJ]

.....a few of the cucumbers I picked a little bit ago. I picked 4 earlier in the day. These are at least 10 inches long! lol

 

[TLHKAJ]

These large pots have sweet potatoes in them. I have never grown them before and have no idea how they'll turn out. But they sure are beautiful! lol

 

[TLHKAJ]

Blanket flowers ....the butterflies and bees love them!