Self-Reliance vs. Preparedness - Getting there.

[Barbara]

Thought I'd post pics of the latest members of the family:

[Dirk Williams]

My wife discovered those new hang down tomato plants, There in a bag and you hang them up, the plants grow down. So far they have produced a substantial amount of tomato's

Don't know if it's possible but have intended to bring the hanging tomato plant into the house this winter and see if it will continue to produce year round.

has anybody seen these before and does anybody have knowledge regarding them. If the tomato's will grow year round it's logical that other plants just might grow year round aswell.

Is this idea possible for say an indoor garden year around.

Dirk

[Mac5.56]

Thought I'd post pics of the latest members of the family:

How did your harvest go this year? I was thinking about you the other day, and wondering about the progress, then I saw that you posted this photo.

We had a hard summer but a good one, we just had to adapt a bit because of the rain. But I am happy to say we had a good harvest, but it was a lot of one or two things, vs. a variety because of the wet season.

Keep us posted, I want to know how everything went!

[Barbara]

Mixed results, mostly good.

Quite a few beans, peppers and onions in the freezer. Lots of peas but I ate them all. Beets were good but I don't really like them so I gave any excess away.

Squash and pumpkins didn't do so well, but I planted from seeds, very late. Got a few out of the garden.

Tomatoes did very well. Unfortunately, my mother got much sicker and required 24 hour a day care most of August and into September and I was barely able to take the trash out or go do a load of laundry, unless someone else was here. So the majority of them were given away and the rest wasted. Too bad, but the crop was good and the situation will be different next year.

Blueberry bushes didn't make it..will try again next year. I'd checked the soil quality and it was good, but will have to do some research. I did make a lot of crab apple jelly off the tree in the front. Very good stuff. The tree in the back is Macintosh..will spray in the spring and hopefully have a decent crop off that.

Strawberries seem to be doing great, so should have a crop next year around. Would like to plant some nut trees yet this year..guess I need to get those ordered today.

As far as the critters, hens are doing well. If these make it, then I may expand in the Spring and sell some eggs as long as the math makes sense. Also picking up a free rabbit hutch this weekend..not ready to start raising them yet, but the hutch goes in the garage for now. I plan to start beekeeping in the Spring and will be attending Bee Club Meetings monthly over the next few months.

[PA PATRIOT]

Plant four to six fruit trees on the rear of your property which does not border a active property (Out of sight from neighbors is best) for sustained harvest. I did three early harvest apple trees and three late harvest varieties so I have season long apples for canning and storage. Once planted the only maintenance I have ever done is a once a year pruning to control the size of the trees. The early trees are Granny apples which are great for apple sauce and canning and the late trees are Sugar Crisp which are great eaters and bakers, both store well in cool conditions lasting three months as long as you don't bruise them. Other then the cost of the trees which cost me about $30.00 each for a 10 foot delivered (They will also plant and stake the trees for $15 to $20 dollars more) thats it for a yearly renewable food source.

[Barbara]

So..how did I do from the things I posted back at the start of this thread? Meh..ok?

So..what this year?

Build a chicken coop. I'm going to build a tractor style, but am still working on plans that are functional and yet don't make my yard look like the Clampetts live here. I'm planning on raising Isa Browns..3 or 4.

Actually, ended up buying one I found on Craiglist that was cheaper than I could have built it for. But I have the chickens. No eggs, yet..not for a month or so.

Plant a large garden. There's a decent size spot already but I'm going to add ~50% to it. Lots of tomatos, onions, squash and peppers. My gardening in the past few years has been limited to a few 4x8 beds, so I'm geeked about fresh veggies and jars of spaghetti sauce.

Did plant a large garden and got quite a bit of produce..some timing issues with harvest is a problem. Also picked up a pressure canner, so I'm that far ahead for next year.

Another carbine and another pistol class.

Yeah..pistol, anyway. Part of a carbine class, too, I think. Still suck, but less than the general population, so ok.

Learn to spin. See my excuse for knitting.

Sadly, no. But it was more fun than work, so it can be put off.

Plant more edible plants around the property. I'd like to plant nut trees but there's not a lot of room. Asparagus, some raspberries. There's already rhubard (blech) and crab apple trees.

Well, yes..planted blueberries, but they died. Also planted some perennials that are either edible or have medicinal purposes. But more work to do. Also located many more edible plants in the area (locations of asparagus, walnuts, jerusalem artichokes, honeysuckle, beel balm.)

Probably put in a new well, as the existing one is a 40 year old caseless 2" and difficult to get water out of without power.

That's a longer term goal, probably.

Learn to reload.

Still planning to do this..probably work at it over Christmas break.

Run my first 5k. Running has always been something that I'm Not Good At so this will be a challenge. But May 30th, I'm on.

Didn't make May 30th, but am on schedule for December 12th. I'll make this one.
[/QUOTE]

Considering everything else that happened since I wrote that, I think I'm doing ok. I am going to go do some online reading/maybe shopping for some fruit and nuts.

Need to make a list of goals for next year..

[PA PATRIOT]

Was over at the Big Lot store in my area that was still selling garden items and found most garden related things to be 80% off. Picked up a new heavy duty 75 foot water hose, shovel, hoe, row rake and water sprinkler for just a few dollars. They also had those hang up-side down tomato plants by Burpee for 50 cent each and the use by date was 06-2010 so I grab ten of those (Maybe I can keep the Bunnies out of the tomato's unless they learn to climb) for canning, pickling and some sauce. I was thinking I may look into a green room addition to the up-state house once I retire to start my crops earlier and have them still producing later in the season. My hope is to knock my dependence on market food items down by 50% or more once I have the time to properly attend a garden season long.

[Mac5.56]

Barbara,

Thanks for the update! Considering the realities you talked about not a bad year! I hope your mother is doing better!

[Barbara]

Unfortunately, she passed away at my home on Labor Day after a hard battle with breast cancer. But I was able to spend a lot of time with her this past couple of years and we got much closer than we'd ever been, and I was fortunately able to spend her final weeks with her. She was a very brave old lady. I miss her a lot.