A Morning Harvest

Tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, okra, and purple beans. All harvested this morning before work.

My husband has decided that next year we only need one zucchini plant, not four!

 

PS

We did not steal the shopping basket.  We bought two when Shopko went out of business for $5 each.  Very handy!

Video with Life Hacks

Some interesting stuff in this video!

It makes me think I should melt more stuff!

Gardening to save money?

I spent an hour gathering these beans this morning. I'll probably spend another half an hour processing them. I could buy the same amount for about $5, which makes my hourly rate pretty dismal.

Now granted, these are tastier then what I get in the store, and probably healthier as well since these will be more fresh when they are eaten. (Most of them will be frozen and eaten this winter, but even then, I am guessing freezing them right away preserves more nutrition then what probably happens to commercially processed ones.)  They were not harvested by children or people being exploited. And it is quite satisfying to eat food you have grown yourself.

But if you are in it for the money, I'd just get a part-time job

Freezer Inventory Made Simple

Here is an easy way to keep track of what you have in your freezer. As you add or subtract items, simply move the magnets. It stays on the freezer top, held in place by more magnets, and can be customized to what your family eats.

 No need to find a pen, or wonder where you put that piece of paper. Hope this helps!

Today's Harvest

Green onions, purple beans, basil, and chamomile. The latter I grew to use as a dye, although I haven't tried it yet. I'm thinking maybe tomorrow I will prepare a concoction with chamomile and lemon juice for my hair, I kind of DIY Sun In. My roots are showing!

We got a lot done in the garden this morning. Lots of weeding, some harvesting, and we planted some more carrot seeds in the section where they failed to emerge. I also trimmed the lower 12 inches or so of most of the tomato plants. That is supposed to reduce disease, plus I don't really want them going everywhere along the ground. I think there are more likely to rot and attract bugs if they are on the ground.

I have to say, there is something intensely satisfying about growing my own food, even while recognizing that the time I spend gardening is out of proportion to the money I save. But it's becoming less about the money and more about healthy food and a feeling of being just a little bit more independent.

House Painting

My husband painted this. It is supposed to be vaguely reminiscent of Van Gogh. I like it because it would normally go on the inside, so to put it on the outside seems whimsical and fun.

I should add that it is not on canvas. It's on wood, over an insipid painting that I picked up from a garage sale years ago. The fact that the color of the frame matches the house is sheer coincidence. The painting has also been sealed with some kind of special sealant. We will see how well it holds up to the elements.

I'm liking it, though. It appeals to my sense of humor.  🙂

Tomatoes planted!

Now to wait, and hope we don't get any storms with hail....

I'm really glad this is my hobby and not my sole source of food....