In the Garden

The last few years have kind of been experiments for us.  Last year being our most productive garden yet.  This year we are planning a little differently though.  We planted so much of certain things that there is no way we could ever eat or give away all of it.  There was just to much.  I only want to plant what we will eat and I want to plant a lot of it!

There is no reason to plant things just because we have the space.  I only want to spend my time on things that are going to go in my kitchen and make meals for my family.  My intentions are to plant just enough for what we can use and not have any waste.  Previous years we have had to just let things go like okra, peppers, and tomatoes because we just couldn't do anything else with them.  We had way to much.  No more waste. No more waste!!

I have recently in the last 3 years began to learn how to can and preserve things we grow.  I think last year we canned over 600 ears of corn, no telling how many jars that came to be.  We also canned potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, and cabbage.  We froze onions, peas, several different types of peppers, some corn and squash.

This year my plan is to can almost every thing we grow.  We are going to stay away from things that we have an abundance of from last year and plant more of things we ran out of.  I also plan on making several things to sell.  With our farm growing every year I am finding that I really want to get it together and figure a way to make some extra bucks.  I know I would be willing to buy from local farmers if I didn't have the means to grow my own.

Last week me and my littles planted a tray with all sorts of veggies.  Everything is coming up really nice.  Looks like it will be ready just in time to be transferred to the garden.  I am so lucky that my boys love to do that sort of thing and that we are in a place where we can show them how to.  Gardening is such a lost art and there is such a disconnect between eating food and knowing how it's grown. 

I look forward to sharing photos and posts about how this all goes!  Wish me luck!