What if I can't get food at the store?

Why grow a vegetable garden? (Part 3)

Survival.

I don't have enough growing in my garden to live off. But I'm working on it.

As I've mentioned before, parts of the world have seen record droughts while others have had terrible flooding. Add in a few natural disasters, rising fuel costs and gmo contamination and you have a recipe for food shortages and starvation. Several economists predict that in the near future, food will still be available but it will become so expensive that most people won't be able to afford it.

What if nothing happens?

GREAT! I'm all for a harmonious balance in the economy and nature but I'm not going to sit around and wait. I don't expect to be able to produce a sustainable garden in a few short days or weeks so I've got to start now. Practice, practice, practice!

Be aware when starting a garden what grows best in your area. The best resource I have found for guidance is Mother Earth News. They have a carefully planned month-to-month guide for what to plant and when to plant.

Once I have a garden large enough to produce more food than my family can eat, I'll use several methods to store produce for later. Freezing, canning and dehydrating are 3 ways to store food (more on those methods later).


My tops 5 favorite (and easiest) plants to grow are:
Tomatoes
Peppers
Cucumber
Eggplant
Spinach


For more information check out Mary's Heirloom Seeds for growing instructions.

How much does a garden really cost?

Why grow a vegetable garden? (Part 2)

I'm on a budget. I clip coupons and buy an extra item or two when they go on sale. Store bought produce has gotten more expensive and Organic produce is much more expensive than the other stuff. It's no wonder people opt for a "dollar menu" item instead of fresh produce

But how organic is it? How can I be sure it's not growing using Frankenseeds (GMO) and sprayed with cancer causing pesticides? One of the more fancier organic grocery stores recently admitted to using gmo produce in their food.

So what do I do now? Start my own garden! (on a budget of course)

One packet of Beefsteak Tomatoes from Mary's Heirloom Seeds costs $4 and contains approximately 50 heirloom seeds. Each seed should produce a plant which bears fruit ranging in size from 10 ounces to 2 pounds...Yes, 2 pounds.

At the same time, 1 pound of tomatoes at my local grocery store costs $1.69 on sale. Triple that if I buy organic!

Each tomato plant will require stakes or cages which can be made from recycled material for free or purchased at a garden store for about $6. I use containers for my tomatoes which can also come from recycled items.

One huge money saver is compost.

By making my own compost (in a recycled tub) using kitchen scraps and yard waste I save about $100! A store-bought compost bin ranges in price from $80-$400. Store-bought bags of compost (who knows what's in that) costs between $2-$20 each.

Each tomato plant should bear 10 pounds of tomatoes or more...That's 500 pounds of tomatoes for a $4 seed pack and $6 cage and homemade compost.

Garden Update-Whew!

Tomorrow I'll continue to share more about the benefits of growing your own food.

Today I have great news...Cherokee Purple plants are on the move! YEAH!!!



THIS gets me excited about growing things in the garden. LIFE!!!



I have several plants already maturing and several producing: Marglobe tomatoes, Jalapeno, Cal Wonder Bell pepper, Cucumber and Georgia Rattlesnake Watermelon.

The watermelon is in a container so I wasn't sure if it would even make it. So far it looks pretty healthy.


My next big feat to conquer will be growing all of these in the ground. We've been in a drought here recently so I've been cautious about what I plant. This morning however, it's pouring outside. We've had rain off and on for a week now but this morning is the heaviest. I'm looking forward to my next adventure!

What's in your Vegetables?

Why grow a vegetable garden? (Part 1)

Nutrition.

To find out what might be on your food if purchased from the grocery store check out "What's on my food?" It is a great resource and an eye opener. If reading about hormone interrupting, cancer causing pesticides doesn't get you motivated, hopefully the following list of vitamins and minerals found in raw vegetables will.

There are many health benefits of eating raw fruits and vegetables. Processing and cooking vegetables can destroy the essential nutrients. Vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, low in sodium and fats and are cholesterol free.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and can protect your body from free radicals, which may cause heart disease and cancer. Vitamin C is responsible for producing collagen. Collagen is present in your muscles and bones. It is responsible for holding the cells together. Vegetables high in Vitamin C are Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Green Peppers, Kale and Swiss Chard.

Vitamin A is beneficial for eye and bone health, immune system and skin health. For a good source of Vitamin A, choose vegetables containing Carotenoids which can be converted into Vitamin A by your body. Vegetables containing Vitamin A include Carrots, Spinach, Parsley, Bell Peppers, Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Green Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Cucumbers, Summer Squash and Celery.

Vitamin K is important for blood clotting, bone health, cardiovascular health, brain function, and much more. Swiss Chard and Kale are very high in Vitamin K. Broccoli, Spinach, Asparagus and Brussels Sprouts also contain Vitamin K.

Calcium is essential for bone strength, gum and tooth health. It protects cardiac muscles, and has shown to prevent cancer and obesity. Most vegetables contain some calcium. Some have a bit more, including Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Celery, Kale and Swiss Chard.

The health benefits of iron include carrying oxygen to blood cells and maintaining proper health as well as muscle and brain function. Swiss Chard, Pumpkin, Potatoes, Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Bok Choy, Leeks and Butternut Squash contain both Iron and Vitamin C.

The peels of many vegetables can be consumed. Scraps from fruits and veggies should be added to your compost bin which will in turn add nutrients to your plants through the soil.

Why grow a vegetable garden when I can just go to the store?

I can go on all day about the benefits of growing your own produce.

For now, I'll highlight the most important reasons for a vegetable garden and go into more detail in the next few days.

"Earth laughs in flower."-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nutrition.
Food grown in your own garden is far healthier than store bought produce. As the gardener, I have complete control over my veggies. They are not irradiated and have not been sprayed with chemicals.

Money.
A packet of seeds from Mary's Heirloom Seeds costs $4. With that one seeds pack I might be able to grow 20 pounds or even 50 pounds of food. Seed saving is free.

Survival.
Food prices are on the rise and the world has been plagued by natural disasters. Flooding in Australia, China and parts of the United States as well as earthquakes in Japan have pose a serious threat to food sources around the world. Fuel costs are also on the rise which means even higher food prices in the future.

Stress Relief.
Working in the garden allows me to let off a little steam or let my mind wander. I hear the bird chirping and the lizards in the yard scurry away as I approach and I feel good.

"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden."-- Thomas Jefferson

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” --Marcus Tullius Cicero

Today my additions to the garden are Black Beauty Eggplant, National Pickling Cucumber, Jack B Little Pumpkin and Cal Wonder Bell Pepper . I'm starting them from seeds so they aren't "in" yet but they are on their way.

I started by first soaking the seeds overnight. After 24 hours they are placed into prepared growing flats and labeled. In a few weeks the seedling will be ready to be hardened and placed in the ground.

Victory Gardens

The term Victory Garden became popular in the 1940s during World War ll.

Faced with food shortages due to labor and transportation issues, the US government called upon it's citizens to provide their own fruits and vegetables. It is estimated that nearly 20 million Americans answered the call.

This initiative not only conserved fuel but generated food which had become a scarcity in both the states and abroad.

Today, there is a renewed interest in Victory Gardening.

With rising fuel and food costs and concerns about overall health, the home gardens and Victory Gardens are back!

I enjoy the "Back to the Basics" feeling of gardening.
Whether you garden for self-reliance or just for fun, you can grow a garden just about anywhere. A few acres can support a small community or a large family but even a few containers can get you started on the right track.


Here are a few examples:

1940s Victory Garden

Modern Victory Garden

California Victory Garden

Florida Victory Garden

From container gardening to square foot gardens, from butterfly gardens to Victory gardens...
Get out there and get dirty!

Time to enjoy a long weekend!

Tomorrow is July 4th, Independence Day. There are many reasons to celebrate, most importantly the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the battles fought and lives lost so that we may be free from tyranny.

This weekend I'll be celebrating and exercising my freedoms!

My goal for my garden is to become less reliant on store-bought produce and herbs. I do enjoy my weekly trips to the farmer's market but I would still like to be more self-sufficient. Saving money is one reason to grow your own food but taste is what I really notice. Growing up, my Gran always had the most delicious homegrown tomatoes.

Today I am planting herbs: Cilantro, Echinacea Purpurea, German Chamomile and Oregano. In a later post I'll explain how to make your own plant markers. For now I've posted a picture below.





Planting Herbs:

Planting and growing herbs can be very simple. Use good soil, sprinkle seeds over desired area, gently cover with 1/2 inch of dirt (a few specify NOT to cover) and lightly water. Keep soil moist as containers dry out quickly. Harvest when ready.

Cilantro growing in soil that reaches 75F will bolt and go to seed. This means that the ideal growing conditions are cool but sunny. Cilantro will only last about 8-10 weeks before flowering. Once it does flower, it will make seeds which can be harvested as Coriander seeds or they can be replanted to grow more Cilantro plants.

Echinacea, also known as coneflowers, enjoy a sunny location with fertile soil. If your soil isn't particularly fertile, work in a little compost and supplement with a good organic fertilizer. Well-drained soil is a must.

German Chamomile prefers well-drained sandy soil and self-sows freely. Sow seeds indoors on surface of soil (do not cover). Transplant outdoors in early spring just before last frost.

Oregano is a perennial warm-season herb, hardy to frost and light freezes. Sow seeds indoors just beneath surface of soil. Transplant outdoors after danger of frost has passed. Prefers very well-drained soil.

I like to recycle as often as possible. I've used a containers from my salad and poked small holes in the bottom for drainage. I added dirt but not to the top. Sprinkle with seeds and add more dirt if necessary. Water gently.

Here's a picture of the Cherokee Purple tomatoes from a few days ago. After they were all settled in the dirt I put them out in the sun.

Summer in the Garden

Growing vegetables in your garden is amazing! Being out in the sun with fresh air makes me feel alive. This morning I was cleaning up in the garden, moistening germinating Cherokee Purple seeds and picking cutworms from my large tomato plants and Cucumber bush. It was such a refreshing feeling!

Lately I seem to be obsessed with tomatoes. I've spent hours reading about natural remedies for pests and disease and there is STILL so much to learn. The internet makes learning so easy. However, the local library has so much to offer! I've started a list of remedies that have worked so far.

For white fly: Mix liquid soap and water in a spray bottle. Spray every 2-3 days for 2 weeks.

For powdery mildew and fungus: Mix organic neem oil and water in a spray bottle. Follow the directions on the bottle. Do not get this in your eyes!

For Ants: Sprinkle Cinnamon or Cayenne pepper to form a barrier.