New Years Resolutions

So many people will tell you people are more successful at staying on track of their goals if they share them so that is what I am going to do.  This year I have allot I would like to accomplish and I will be planning on checking back one year from today and letting you know what I have succeeded at and where I have failed.  You can watch me accomplish these goals through the year on YouTube or continue to read my blog.  So here comes my goals!
1 - Change my life style to a healthy living life style.  I want to cut out processed foods from my families diet. Use common sense when it comes to portion control and try not to over indulge.  Being more active picking family activities such as going hiking or biking.  Most of all I would like to loose 20lbs and be more healthy!
2 - Plan more.  I would like to stop flying by the seat of my pants and plan dinners, plan out my gardens, plan projects I will be taking on and so on.  I know planning makes people more efficient and I feel like I will accomplish more and save money if I can put this in place.
3 - Stay organized.  I have spent allot of time cleaning and organizing my basement and garage over the last couple weeks and I have allot more to go but boy do I wish I would have done this years ago.  Once again I believe this save you time and money by being able to find what you need in a timely fashion.
4 - Teach and Share. I have always loved talking and helping people with their projects so this year I will be sharing my work on YouTube and right here on Blogger.  Hopefully through out the year I learn more about doing this and improve my blogs and YouTube videos.
5 - And last of all Love more!  I want more quality family time even if it is digging in the yard or taking a walk I want to make more time for my son, daughter, and especially my wife.
So follow along this year do not be shy about helping me stay on track or improve what I am doing!

Watch me make some hard tack candy below :)

My mind is spinning

So much to do, so much to plan and I can not get my head around it right now!  I have to get this summers gardens planned out so I can order and start seeds on time. I am cleaning my garage and basement work shop and that in its self is a huge project.  I have a kitchen remodel to finish before my wife kills me. And now I have a huge obsession with sharing my skills on YouTube.  I knew I wanted to use blogging and possibly YouTube to share my thoughts, skills, and experiences with the world but I never knew it would be this fun to make movies.  I believe so many skills have been lost over the years and I have been blessed with the skill of working with my hands and I would love to pass this on to my children and others who think it is important to make and fix your own things.  I have been trying to be better planning out the future and being more organized because I have learned that is a way to save money and time.  Hopefully some of you find my movies interesting and put them to good use! Thanks for reading and watching here are the two newest videos of me fixing my sump pump and reviewing evapo-rust.

Self sufficient and self reliant what does this mean?

One of my top goals is to become and teach my family and others to become self sufficient or maybe self reliant.  I always get lost and can not choose if I want to say self sufficient or self reliant.  During a planning session today trying to figure out yields and how many plants I need I found a man who says self reliance is impossible to reach and self sufficient is also an unobtainable goal.  So with this I did some more researching thinking maybe I misunderstood what I was trying to say.

I went to http://www.merriam-webster.com to pull up some definitions.

Self sufficient 1. able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid :  capable of providing for one's own needs <a self–sufficientfarm> 2. having an extreme confidence in one's own ability or worth:  haughty, overbearing

Self reliant confident in your own abilities and able to do things for yourself : not needing help from other people

So with those definitions I do believe a self reliant or a self sufficient life style is obtainable.  I do not necessarily believe in a dooms day scenario but I do want to learn and teach the skills that are going by the waste side because I do believe Americans need them.  Being able to grow all your own vegetables, preserve and cook food, repair and make things is what has made the world turn for thousands of years and I do not want my children to not learn these things.  And I do believe if you learn how to do these things you will be confident in your own abilities and able to do things for yourself. And if there was ever an emergency you would not need help from other people to survive.  Hmm that's the definition of self reliant and go figure they are self reliant and self sufficient are synonyms!

Who? What? Where? and Why?

So I have been meaning to write this for a while and just finally made myself do it.  Why am I blogging, and why am I sharing my stories, skills, mistakes, and successes with everyone?  Allot of bloggers YouTubers do it for the money that is not what I am in it for so you will not always see perfect grammar or perfect video editing.  I am doing it because I want to be a better person I want to share and I believe this will hold me accountable to reach my goals.

I know most people have a one track mind when they blog or YouTube but I will be honest mine will range from cooking, cleaning, organization, building, repair, gardening, prepping, and I am sure anything else I dream up.

So who am I?  I am a 31 year old husband with two children a son who is 7 and a daughter who is 3.  We live just out side of Pittsburgh in an old railroad town that is just fine for me for right now.  I was chosen in high school to be the next Bill Gates but I have not made any strides towards that but I am happy right where I am.  I always struggled though school and knew college probably was not for me.  I have always found solving problems is what I do best whether it was fixing machines, houses, or even computers.

At 16 a owner of a small company went out on a limb and hired me into their IT department, not a year later I was managing that department and working to be a certified network engineer.  I worked at this job for about 2 years and got board.  Sitting in a cubical was just not for me!  I have to admit I have spent almost my whole life job jumping and there are days I regret it but boy have I learned allot.  Through this I have learned to be a carpenter, electrician, plumber, heavy machine operator, mechanic, Realtor, manager, inspector, and so many more thing I also achieved a Michigan builders licence, Michigan real estate licence, certified pool operator, novel network engineer and many other things I am not remembering right now.

People are probably asking why haven't you stuck to one thing? Well I cant! I am not sure what it is but I need to be moving shaking hustling and creating every minute.  I will say I always tend to come back to building and construction that is where my heart lays.

So my mission now is to clean up my house and yard and show my family how you live with what you got and bring back family values.  I hope to over the next year live a healthier life style, spend more time with family, and spend less money.  Is this all possible I guess we wait and find out.

Hard Tack Candy Making

Here it is Hard tack cany making on youtube!

Excited for spring! Lets get gardening

So if you have read my previous blogs you will know I was trying a seed a day project.  So I have learned many of things over this first full month of cold weather and lack of sun light.  The lack of sun light really has a negative affect on the plant and makes them grow extra slow.  The seedlings inside are just not taking off like they should, I have put those under some florescent under cabinet lights I have (just because it was cheap and easy) and I do believe it has helped them grow a bit faster.  So in the future I may use some grow lights in the winter months to keep the food growing.

The second thing I have learned is the beds that grew very well in the summer time do not grow as well in the winter time.  I have finally figured out and solved all issues with the row covers but I do believe once again lack of sun light is slowing down production of my leafy greens.  These beds are great producers in the summer time and have some shade from my house but the plants do not seem to mind in the summer.  In the winter the sun moves and this area becomes almost 100% shade.  I do not believe these covers will go to waste though,  I believe if after summer crop I immediately plant fall crop and establish beets, radishes, carrots, and leafy greens it will allow the plant to stay fresh and just slow down their rate of growth.  Using this with other beds hopefully will allow my family to have fresh vegetables all winter long once we get this figured out!

That brings me to why I doing this.  Well I have always loved gardening and growing things people can eat that is the main reason.  I have never realized how distant people have got from gardening lots of people have a hobby plant or two but not a vegetable garden.  Most people I talk to love what I am trying to do and wish they could do it as well, but I do not find many people with the knowledge who can share and pass down the tradition of growing your own food.  I would like to teach my kids, friends, family, and any one else who is interested in learning.  I am learning by making mistakes and researching there are allot of great books, blogs and videos out there but it is hard to learn with out the hands on experience.

Hard Tack Candy Family Traditions

Growing up I always remember the hard tack candy in my grandmothers candy dishes at Christmas time.  Although I can not remember how it got to those candy dishes I do have some family members who have told me about the great times they had making it and how it was a great family tradition. So last year with so many other things I started doing I decided it was time to go into the candy making business.  We made batch after batch of hard tack gave it to coworker, friends, and family and boy was it a hit!  One of my nieces asked uncle Denis how did you make this candy?  So with that one little question I decided it was time to get the family tradition going again and teach this next generation how to make some candy.  Tomorrow we will be gathering and hopefully start a tradition that will last for years.  Tonight I did a trial batch to make sure I did not forget anything from last year and it turned out just right.  I thought I would share my recipe and maybe in a few days a video on how we do this.  Get out there and spend quality time with your family make some new traditions.

 
Hard Tack Candy
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup (I use Bob White Crystal White)
2 cups sugar
1 small jar flavoring (3.7ml)
Food coloring
Powder sugar (for dusting)
Butter (for cooling dish/pan)

Butter cookie sheet and lightly and coat with powder sugar, set aside. Combine water, corn syrup, and sugar in pot over medium heat.  Slowly stir mixture dissolving contents.  Mixture will come to a rapid boil watch candy thermometer closely and to prevent burning.  When mixture reaches 300 degrees or "Hard Crack" remove from heat, add flavoring, and coloring.  Mix well and poor onto prepared cookie sheet.  As this is cooling use scissors to cut into small pieces and toss with more powder sugar if needed.

Procrastination and hording

My thought of the day is do you think procrastination and hording are linked in any way?  I have always procrastinated task.  At times I am better and get on track at times I am way worse.  I also find that there are allot of people out there like my self who like to build, garden, fix things have this same problem. I some time blame my procrastination on wanting to make everything perfect.  I am in the middle of building a kitchen and have dragged my feet for two years because I want every drawer shelve and cabinet in the perfect place.  I also blame my organization on this procrastination.  I guess this is where hording would come in to play.  People like my self see everything with a value and an use.  We collect unused materials and always have a plan for them in the future.  The biggest problem is if you can not find it when you need it or it makes your life harder because it is in your way it is useless to you.  So I have realized this over the last few months and I am taking steps to clean my basement, clean my garage, and finish those projects I have been putting off.  I do believe it is very important to teach our children not to waste and how to repurpose and save those things we need but maybe I can start showing them if I do it in a organized fashion it will be more efficient.

Quick tour of basement/stopping my hoarding

My first video blog I will continue writing but will be adding video blogs into the mix.  This is a quick tour of the basement and the start of my wood shop.  Once again organization will hopefully make this large collection of tools, wood, and other parts useful and save us money.  I do believe it is extremely important to be organized if you are a homesteader or a prepper.

Homemade Wood Whistle

Spending quality time with my wife and children is extremely important to me.  Today my daughter and I spent some time in my work shop making some whistles.  They are very crude and basic but the work well and the kids love them!

Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball (Ralph the Elf)

Remember always have fun with your kids that is the most important thing in the world.  You can never get the lost time back!

We are all building a legacy

Why do I want to create and share my skills? Mostly for my children and the society they will have to grow up and live in.  So many skills have been lost over the years.  People no longer make their own things or even have hobbies.  I am hoping that if I spend more time creating, growing, and building my children, neighbors, and family will learn and want to have some of these skill themselves.  What do you want to be remembered for?  Your xbox skills or the fact you grow the best tomatoes, build the coolest Christmas presents, or can fix just about anything.  I know what I want to pass on to this and many generations to come!

The urban farmer is it possible?

So my life long dream was to be a farmer.  I believe what intrigues me about farming is providing for your self and the extreme self reliance.  On any given day as a farmer is a gardener, butcher, framer, excavator, blacksmith, and so many other amazing things.  The farmers of the past were connected with the land utilized all their skills and made something out of nothing.  Today most people rely on money for all their needs.  We develop one skill set to make money to purchase our needs.  What happens when that one skill set fails you?  This is why I am trying to keep my many skills I have acquired through out the years and be a urban type of farmer.  Is this possible?  Is it feasible?  I have no clue but I am willing to try!

I watch videos on YouTube and read blogs of people buying huge chunks of land and moving of to a homestead, but I can not do that.  As fun as that would be many things hold me back.  Property is extremely expensive and with out a huge savings you are going to find your self in the woods broke.  Having two children family and education is extremely important.  The school district I am in now can provide my children with great things and a bright future.  A strong family unit is also important, I believe my wife and I instill strong values in our children and teach them many thing most importantly love.  I also think the extended family is important to aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great grandparents can teach your children so many things! Living in a remote area would isolate my children from these opportunities and I am not willing to do that.

Over the last weeks I have realized your resources and supplies are only useful if they can be found.  I have drove myself nuts for years looking for things for hours so my first task as a urban farmer is to become organized.  If I am going to build and repair things I need a clean shop space where I can find my tools.  I have worked on this over the last week and it is well on its way. It is amazing what a couple hours a day of sorting can do for you.

I will continue working towards my goals to become self reliant so I can hopefully pass on as many skills as possible to my children!

A seed a day (Week 4)

On my fourth week most of my my seedlings are looking pretty healthy.  One or two are/were looking a little limp because of over watering.  Plants in my opinion are a little skinny and tall looking for light.  With where we live the time of year and trying to grow inside a home light may not enough to quickly produce vegetables.  I have been thinking about my options and since I am getting close to  a whole flat of seedling I may add a regular shop light.  I have a hard time paying for power for light to grow but it may be worth it to get the plants up and going allot quicker. The choice will be made early this week and I will let you know what I come up with.

Totals
4- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/2/13
3- Iceberg Lettuce Planted 11/2/13
1- Cabbage Planted 11/9/13
1- Broccoli Planted 11/9/13
2- Iceberg lettuce Planted 11/9/13
4- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/9/13
2- Iceberg lettuce Planted 11/16/13
2- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/16/13
2- Broccoli Planted 11/16/13
2- Swiss Chard Planted 11/16/13
1- Lemon Mint Planted 11/16/13
1- Basil Planted 11/16/13
1- Cilantro Planted 11/16/13
1- Thyme Planted 11/16/13
2- Iceberg lettuce Planted 11/24/13
2- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/24/13
4- Celery Planted 11/24/13

Introduction to my Homestead

So in the process of my family going self reliant I want people to be able to see our progress.  You can see our small city lot, house, garage, and play set,  Currently we only grow in 6 small raised beds and can produce more tomatoes and cucumbers then my family could ever dream of using.  How do you turn those 6 small beds into revalving crops and all the produce you could ever need? Well next year hopefully I will have my property turned into a self reliant homestead!  From the photos below you can see we are not dealing with allot of land but the biggest fear I have is the amount of shade I have not the amount of property.  I have had no problem growing on the north west side of home but we will see if this grows into a issue as my gardens grow.  I am currently working on the plans and locations of raised beds, a small green house, fences and such so we can maximize our use of space.  I hope you are as excited as I am to see the progress!

A seed a day (Week 3)

Sprouting Plants

It is now week three of my seed a day project.  Things are growing well but I still probably have a couple weeks before anything can go into the ground or even a first harvest.  Same as last week any thing in the last weeks plantings that had not sprouted yet I replanted.  This week I planted 8 Regular crops and for the first week I planted 4 spice and herb plants.  I figure if I plan on trying to live off of what I can grow only I will need spices and herbs to help with cooking.

All Plants To Date

Herbs And Spice Seeds

Totals
4- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/2/13
3- Iceberg Lettuce Planted 11/2/13
1- Cabbage Planted 11/9/13
1- Broccoli Planted 11/9/13
2- Iceberg lettuce Planted 11/9/13
4- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/9/13
2- Iceberg lettuce Planted 11/16/13
2- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/16/13
2- Broccoli Planted 11/16/13
2- Swiss Chard Planted 11/16/13
1- Lemon Mint Planted 11/16/13
1- Basil Planted 11/16/13
1- Cilantro Planted 11/16/13
1- Thyme Planted 11/16/13

Urban Prepping and Self-Reliance

So why do I chose to have my homestead, self-reliance complex, prepping head quarters in a urban environment?  The reason I do is because I have no other option at this time.  I would love to have a 1,000 acre farm that I could hunt, fish, and farm on but at this point in my life it just is not feasible.  So I have decided if I can make this happen on my small city lot when its time for me to upgrade to a large property it should be easy to adapt.  Having two kids and a wife who works near by makes it hard to up root my family for both personal and financial reasons.  Most areas like Pittsburgh property values close by the city have risen to a point where a sizable piece of property is un affordable to the normal person.  I will continue to search for that hidden gem near by in our school district but I do not see it popping up any time soon.  So in the mean time while I am waiting to retire far far away or I find that hidden farm someone wants to give away, I will be figure out how to bring all my needs into my neighbor hood.

A seed a day (Week 2)

Last Weeks Seedlings

Its time again to plant this weeks rotation of seeds. So far 3 of my Romaine lettuce seed sprouted and 2 of my Iceberg lettuce seeds sprouted.  The un sprouted seeds may sprout but at this point I re planted these and if needed thin out the extra plants.  This week I added a broccoli and cabbage plant to have some variety. Hopefully in the matter of months I will have enough fresh lettuce and other vegetables to meet my families needs.

Collection After 2 Weeks

Totals
4- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/2/13
3- Iceberg Lettuce Planted 11/2/13
1- Cabbage Planted 11/9/13
1- Broccoli Planted 11/9/13
2- Iceberg lettuce Planted 11/9/13
4- Romaine Lettuce Planted 11/9/13

Labels With Names and Dates

Row cover can become kites

Unfortunately today one of my row covers became a kite and blew of the bed.  If the row covers can not make it a week I do not believe they will be lasting years to come.  The point on building these and testing them is to find a way we can do this every year and be able to re use frame and cover for as many years possible.  I have a plan for row covers that I think may be better that I will be trying this weekend.  I am still looking for the perfect way to secure plastic and be able to open them and get our harvest. You can not learn if you do not try!

Digging AX a must have tool

 A must have in your garden shed is a digging ax.  These are commonly used by fire fighters and landscapers.  With a traditional ax on one end and a mattock on the other this makes the perfect tool for removing small stumps and digging holes and trenches in soil with allot of roots.  Today I used mine to remove the roots of a large lilac bush.  Time to make room for a large green house!

Mason Jars

 The good old mason jar!  I found canning about 3 years ago now and every day I find new things that can be canned and new uses for mason jars.  My personal preference is Ball brand jars because they are USA made and after 3 years of use I have never had a jar fail.  I can not imagine it is worth saving the few bucks to get the Chinese knock offs.  I started off canning simple jams and apple sauce things you can water bath can.  Last year we canned our first batch of meat requiring pressure canning and recently ate it just under a year later and it was tasty.  I prefer canning over freezing because it does not require electricity for storage, and you do not have to worry about freezer burn.  Other then actual canning you can use ball jars for freezing.  I have been switching over slowly to storing our left overs and freezing thing such as soups in mason jars.  The fact that mason jars all share the same lid(2 sizes reg and wide mouth) makes it easy to keep organized.  Although you can not use lids more then once for canning purposes I do reuse them for left overs and for freezing.  Mason jars are also great for storing dry goods.  I store allot of dry goods and dehydrated foods in mason jars.  If you have a food saver they sell an attachment to put the jars in a vacuum and this can increase shelf life by a ton.  So many uses for the great mason jar do not be afraid to jump in and try canning.

Covering plants and planting celery

 So I have been putting it off but with temps going into the 20's tonight I figured no more dragging my feet I better at least get what I have planted covered.  Right now I have two of my beds almost full with extras I was not able to take up and get planted at my aunts land where I have a large garden.  In the two raised beds I have planted right now I have spinach, arugula, cabbage, fennel, celery, and some miscellaneous onions.  After building Fridays hoop I decided I needed to add cross supports to every hoop.  These supports make the whole structure that much more rigid and stops the frame work from bowing due to the tension of the hoops.  These cross supports only add approximately $4 to each 4x12 foot cover.  For tonight I just draped the thick clear plastic over the hoops and tucked it in until I decide how I want to fasten it.  I hope to come up with a good idea to have easy access to my winter harvest.

A seed a day (Week 1)

So a while back in all my crazy thinking I wondered if I planted a seed a day would that be enough food to support my family?  With wanting to have a constant food source this will insure something is always ready to harvest.  Well today is the day we will start and see what will happen and how much we can grow. Tonight I planted 4 Parris Island Romaine lettuce seeds and 3 Iceberg lettuce seeds.  I planted these seeds in a store bought organic seed starting mix that I am not 100% happy with because it has large organic pieces in it.  After planting the seeds I placed them near a window where they will get plenty of light and hopefully be ready to go in my new covered beds in a couple weeks.  I will continue planting approximately 7 seeds a week and will track my harvests.

Homemade pierogies

Something I have been wanting to try for a long time is making homemade pierogies.  We have always loved Mrs T's and living in Pittsburgh have a ton of local pierogie shops but there is something about making your own food.  The recipe I found is fairly easy and since this is 100% homemade we can make sure our family is not taking in any funny preservatives.  I have to give credit where credit is due this is not some long time family recipe it is a recipe I found on the internet right from King Arthur Flour and it worked out well!  Following the recipe exactly we ended up with beautiful delicious homemade pierogies.  I look forward in the future to use this as a base recipe and try some new interesting fillings!  Below is the recipe with any notes and special things I did. This is the direct link to the King Arthur Flour Recipe  http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/homemade-pierogi-recipe

Recipe will make roughly 24 small pierogies

Dough

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature

Filling

• 1 cup warm mashed potato
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

To finish

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 large shallots, diced; OR one medium onion, thinly sliced

Directions Dough

Mix together the flour and salt. Add the egg to the flour and combine. The dough will be quite clumpy at this stage.

Mix in the sour cream and soft butter until the dough comes together in a slightly rough, slightly sticky ball.

Using just your fingertips, knead and fold the dough until the dough becomes less sticky but still quite moist.

Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, or up to 48 hours.

Directions Filling Cut and boil 2-3 small potatoes  Mash potatoes with hand held masher Mix in cheese while hot Seasonings with salt and pepper to taste

Forming and filling  Roll dough 1/8" thick. Use a 2" round cutter to cut circles of dough(I used a drinking glass).

Place 2 teaspoons of filling on each round of dough. Gently fold the dough over, forming a pocket around the filling. Pinch the edges of the pierogi to seal, then seal again with the tines of a fork.

Final Cooking In a large stockpot of boiling salted water. Only cook about 10 pierogi at a time, so that they have room to float without sticking. When the pierogi float after about 10 minutes, they're done.

Sauté the shallots or onion in the butter in a large skillet until the onion begins to brown. Add the drained pierogi and cook until browned and crisped. Serve hot with additional sour cream, applesauce, or other condiments.

PVC to Row cover Garden through the winter

Finished Frame Work

Wanting to grow all year round in a zone 6 requires some creative solutions.  I decided this year we would build some row covers for our raised beds in our yard.  This will not allow me to grow the tomatoes and cucumbers I wish I could grow year round but will hopefully provide me with enough carrots, lettuce, spinach and such to have fresh garden salads all winter.

Must have ratcheting Cutters

I went down to the local big box home improvement store and picked up a ton of 1/2"x10' pieces of PVC along with this I got some bulk packs of 90s and Ts.  This is a affordable project because PVC is inexpensive at under $2 per piece you can build a sizable structure for not that much money.  I am guessing the 4'x12' bed in my picture has about $25 in materials to build the frame at under 10 pieces of PVC and 16 fittings.

Pile of Parts

I had a mental vision of what I would be building so I drew up a little sketch and decided to cover my 4'x12' beds. I would build a frame around the perimeter and just hoop full pipes over the beds. I believe 3 foot spacing on the hoops should be enough as long as I help with removal of snow.  I cut my pipe with a ratcheting PVC cutter and it is worth every penny so much quicker then a hack saw. I chose to glue my joints although many people say just push them together I did not want it coming apart while I bumped it.  I am guessing these will stay in place year round and possibly be used as a trellis in the summer time.  I was not pleased with the excess bowing in the middle so I added just a single cross support to help relieve the tension. I will be working on the other beds this weekend and adding the plastic covering.  I may possibly trying out some other designs for the other beds.

Bow in pipe before adding support

Added support 

Preppers and prepping high tech low tech

Reading blogs, watching shows, and researching I have found most preppers are missing a couple very important fact.  After any huge event and all the fighting and mayhem is over what are the first steps to rebuild?  Most people have big plans to rely on solar power, battery flash lights and other electronics that will be a important luxury as long as they last.  What happens when your solar panel breaks?  There will not be repair men, repair parts, or possibly transportation to get them to you.  I am suggesting to have a major portion of your back up plan be rustic and not require any high tech gadgets.  How about gardening, construction, and repair? Do you have enough hand power tools to accomplish your needs?  With out power you will not be able to charge cordless tools or run electric saws.  It is only a matter of time your generator will brake beyond repair or your supply of gas will run out.  By incorporating some low tech devices into your home it may help you in many situations.

Rocket stove great low tech
device for cooking and heat

What tools will you need?

Low tech hand mixer

Rotating crops and keeping a constant food source

Radishes Harvested Fall of 2013

When you grow food for a hobby you take what you get and you are so proud of what ever you can produce.  You find friends, family, and neighbors to give you extra produce to and everyone is happy to share with you.  My goal in the next year is to have a consistent harvest trough out the year.  Where I am located at I will not be able to grow things year round (I am in zone 6) but I should be able to extend my growing season trough the whole year.  With little things like covering beds to keep the ground just above freezing you can grow year round.  Lettuce, kale, radishes, and carrots do not mind the cold weather they just need the ground not to freeze.  I will start a process planting 7-10 seeds a week in trays and transferring to the raised covered beds when large enough.  By constantly planting you should have a constant harvest preventing the 20lbs of radishes I harvested this fall and gave away.  I will be calculating and adjusting planting as I need to for our demand.  Watch for more updates on my trip to a constant supply of fresh vegetables.

Meyer Lemons and Bearss Seedless Lime

Mini Lemon

Lemon Buds

Lemon Blooms

Lime Tree

 I have been very interested in getting a Meyer lemon tree ever since I heard about them. Then I needed to have one after I saw my first one in the store.  A mini bush only 2 foot tall with countless numbers of little fruit on it!  How cool is that?  A tiny bush that can produce a large number of fruit I had to have it.  I put off buying one of these and on a trip into the local big box home store there it was on a clearance rack for $9 how could pass that up.  Next to the Meyer lemon tree was a Bearss seedless lime tree I figured why not try it out too.

Lemon Tree

I loaded these trees in my truck and now it was time to find a place and research how to take care of them.  From what I can read both are pretty easy to take care of but need to be in a warm well lit area.  I have mine on a dinette in our dining room they get plenty of light and I can not forget to care for them.  After having them for about a week I noticed a bloom. Was it possible that my plant will be producing lemons already?  Yes it was!  The Meyer Lemon tree will produce fruit year round. Unfortunately the Bearss seedless lime tree will only produce spring into summer by what I under stand.  

Great Deal was $24.98 Clearance $9.00

I will keep posting about these trees so you can follow their progress.  My hope is in the future to move these plants into a climate controlled green house in the back yard.  With the hope of growing most of our food here in our yard and living in a climate where we get snow I can not imagine not having some fruit in the winter time.  I do believe these to citrus plants will be a great addition to our collection.

$35 EarthWay 1001-B Great Craigslist Find!

EarthWay 1001-B Found on Craigslist for $35

So we have had allot of luck on Craigslist this year and I just ran into yet another great buy!  I have been dragging my feet on buying a seeder but with the growing gardens I believe even at full retail it was going to be worth it.  For what ever strange reason I decided to type seeder into Craigslist and wow there she was a EarthWay 1001-B for only $35.  Well I called the gentleman and drove straight to his house.  I have done allot of research and this is the tool to lay seed quick as long as you have loose soil.  It is all aluminum and plastic so very long lasting the only part i can see on this that can wear is the rubber belt that takes power from the front wheel and transfers it to the seed hopper.  I am so excited and believe this is a lucky find since retail is any where from $90-$150 new.  I will do a full review in the early spring as soon as the ground is workable enough to lay some radishes, beets, and carrots.

Why do you prep?

My Reason

I found it amazing over the last year watching reading and studying prepping.  People prep for so many different reasons people worry about anything from zombies to our own government.  The one thing I have found most preppers have in common is they are prepping for their families.  No matter why they think our common every day life will come to a end they plan on helping their families when times get tough.  I guess this is one big reason I have wanted to become a prepper. I want to know I can take care of my family in any situation.  I am focusing on growing food and making my family as self reliant as possible.  I am not sure what the future will bring many of our parents, grandparents, or even our great grand parents have gone trough a depression so why would it not be possible for us to.  Most of us have lived through a couple large natural disasters anyone could have cause that melt down that would cause loss of food, electricity, water, supplies and many other things. These necessities may be gone for days, weeks, or even months.  What ever your reason for prepping or not prepping just remember most preppers are doing it for there family!