Are we dependent on countries like Guatemala?

It seems the likely answer is we are dependent on China right?  China makes almost everything we touch and our government owes them mass amounts of money. But do we really get any of our needs from China?  In my opinion china provides us with wants, products that are fun to have and most of us in America believe are needs but if it came down to it we just do not need them.
Now Guatemala on the other hand a country with more than 75 percent of its people living below the poverty line how could we ever be dependent on them?  Look around, in the United States we have drove out farming and small gardens alike and have replaced them with office buildings and busy life styles that do not allow people time to garden.  Cutting fresh fruits and vegetables today I realized tags on almost every single one saying "A PRODUCT OF GUATEMALA".  Now this does not extremely concern me I believe the food is safe I would like all foods to be organic but I can not control that or afford that.  I do however believe that Guatemala provides with a need most Americans can not live with out.
This is why I would like to grow as much produce as I can at my home and not be dependent on other countries.  The food I grow I know where it came from, I know there is no chemicals on it and I know how fresh it is.  Now I will continue to buy bananas and other fruits that I will never be able to produce in the Pittsburgh area but if for any reason I could not get these things I would still have great fresh foods to eat.

Starting to plan the gardens and do not forget to plan for canning

So I have been hiding behind my computer now for days researching and trying to figure out how much I really need to plant to feed my family year round.  I find charts every where that try to tell me how much I need to plant for my family of four but to be honest most of these charts are extremely confusing.  Then the other people say there is no way they can tell you because it depends on what your family likes, well I am telling you one thing we are going to learn to like what I grow because that is going to be our food source.
So what I have determined is I need to start keeping records and good records!  I will write down a plan, record what I plant and where I plant it, record yields, then track what we eat, what we can, and what we give away or sell.  I figure it will take a couple years to get everything balanced out but how else will I figure it out?  I know a good example of planning is last year we dehydrated cherry and grape tomatoes. Although I thought this was a good idea we had no clue how every one would love them.  My daughter eats these like they are candy and my dad loves them too.  So next year I know I need to plan on drying at least twice as many.
In the next couple weeks I hope to have my plan all written out and ready to go so I will post it on here.  I am not 100% sure yet how anything will go but you get no where with out trying.  Please let me know if you have any ideas on yields, record keeping, or anything else to make me a better gardener/provider for my family.

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.

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.

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