growing 90% of your own food support group

BobbyB · #**101** 01/11/13, 05:57 PM

I found out I dont have to work tomorrow when I clocked out this evening so,

Saturday morning, build the 8 x 8 green house and get my starts in it and be ready to plant more in a week.

Saturday afternoon, expand our garden from 80 x 50 to about 110 x 110. The initial ground breaking will be done with a tractor and then the tiller will be brought into play.

Sunday, butcher at least half of the 25 broilers we have ready to go to the freezer.

Next weekend there is a fruit and nut tree seminar at one of the better nurseries in San Antonio. Karla and I are going to attend that and then buy the fruit trees the girls gave me a voucher for for Christmas.

That should keep us busy til the weekend after all that when I am going to a bee keeping seminar.

As more daylight becomes available in the evenings, things will really pick up around here and the weekends will be pretty full as well.

sdnapier · #**102** 01/11/13, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Fascinating video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCmTJkZy0rM

I love them and what they are doing. What an example to follow. I ended up in Pasadena this past year and stopped by their place. Very nice people

sdnapier · #**103** 01/11/13, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vydra

I would also be interested in following this thread, although I would just be here to learn and support everyone.

My own garden space currently is restricted to a small apartment balcony. Last year I managed to have a nice little herb garden and some marigolds. That was my first ever attempt at growing anything, so I felt pretty good about it even though it was so small. This year I hope to improve and expand with the herbs and try adding some veggies. We will see how it goes; fingers crossed! Haha

That is awesome!!! Maybe you could do a little vertical gardening this year in addition. Up is sometimes the best way to go. Good luck

sdnapier · #**104** 01/11/13, 06:16 PM

This is a great thread and I want to see everyone's pictures!!!

Forest · #**105** 01/11/13, 07:08 PM

This is a great thread! I'll join, although I definitely won't be able to do 90% given time and space constraints... but this will be a motivation to grow and use more of our own stuff. Maybe as a start I could figure out how much of our food I'm actually growing??? Looking forward to seeing garden pictures, too!

am1too · #**106** 01/11/13, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crwilson

I take one sheet of newspaper and lay it out like the paper is just one page not open, and then I fold about one inch legthwise along the side that you cant open, this will be the top of the pot and this one inch gives the top extra strength.

so then i lay the paper flat and place the glass along the edge with the 1" fold make sure that a inch or two of the glass is sticking out past the paper because this is how you will pull it out of the pot, this has to also be the end of the glass with a bottom. Now just spin the glass on down the paper rolling it around the glass until you get to the end. now simply ram all the paper that is hanging down past the open edge of the glass up into the empty end.

Your pot is now finished no taping or anything is necesarry, sometimes I jam a wooden stick or something down into the pot to get the bottom flat.

It also helps to have a long glass that is mostly the same size at the top as the bottom

I used a veggie can.

I am going potless this year.

Saturate potting mix to paste. (Use only fines)

Fill container.

Press out water.

Turn upside down and tap it out.

Place in a rimmed cookie sheet. Get at garage sale. Fill tray with water.

DO NOT LET THEM DRY OUT AFTER SEED PLANTING.

They hold together very well. They do not crumble. Simply do not handle till planting.

am1too · #**107** 01/11/13, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K.B.

Has anyone here made their own soil blocks for starting seedlings?

Yes I made test blocks last year after the season got started. they hold up well.

Make your own potting soil too!

Use steril soil and potting mix.

Make a solar cooker to sterilize soil. Not necessary unless you are going to sell plant starts. People do not like weeds. Some can not tell a weed from a veggie plant.

am1too · #**108** 01/11/13, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannah90

This is a great thread. Super excited to see what everyone does this year. I think this should definitely be it's own sub forum. I would really like to incorporate permanent beds this year. I am saving cardboard like a mad person to make sheet mulching.

I have been doing deep bedding in my barn this winter so I will have a lot of "stuff" to spread. I have a question on mulching with animal bedding if anyone can answer....

Some folks are of the belief that animal bedding still is too rich in manure and will "burn" anything planted in it... I have that putting down animal bedding is good and it will all compost down into the soil.

I am rather confused. I had thought about spreading down the bedding (mix of cow, goat and chicken bedding) directly on top of the soil, layering down several layers of cardboard to smother out weeds, then putting down compost as a "seed bed" then layering old hay/straw for the top. Will that work? Will 2-3 inches of compost be enough to start seeds in? I want to do this beginning of march so it will have about 6 weeks to work down before any broccoli/cabbage/etc gets planted into it.

Cardboard works great to keep out weeds. It does not let water through very well. I killed the weeds but had to spot water the plants individually. I did not like the effect.

PrairieBelle22 · #**109** 01/11/13, 09:09 PM

I took a big step toward completing my little greenhouse. DD and I replaced many of the broken panes but I am going to have to have more panes cut. Tomorrow I will start working on the ground beds and start working on a heat source. I will need to start broccoli seeds very soon. This little greenhouse has lots of possibilities for extending my growing season! I will take a picture tomorrow and try to upload it.

Also I am going to take a look at my menu guide and work on my 90% plan. I gotta have a plan.

Belle

crwilson · #**110** 01/11/13, 09:15 PM

sounds like your putting in alot of hard work prairiebelle , ive been trying to figure out how much I will have to grow in pounds and then figure out how much space in foot rows that will take then seed amount needed. Also researching crops online that I have never grown such as grains.

Maverick_mg · #**111** 01/11/13, 09:46 PM

I bought my soil blocking tools from Johnny's. As for next years plan, well I've been putting it off. That right now is the only downside to 4 season growing, no down time. I'm still planting and cutting and ordering seeds to keep up.
We are moving to our own farm, no more renting, so I have to start over with the garden beds again. I am working on setting up one or two of my own high tunnels so I don't have to rent those ether. But I have a lot of planing to get through. I have to figure out where the market garden will go so that I know where the high tunnels will go. To do that I need to figure out where I will have people park, cause we are moving to an orchard and thinking about doing weddings and u-pick, so I need parking. I've got so much to think about to set this up that my brain hurts, lol, and I'm running out of time. I have til the end of the month to figure it out. Alright! That did it, now I won't be able to fall asleep. Lol

K.B. · #**112** 01/11/13, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by am1too

Yes I made test blocks last year after the season got started. they hold up well.

Make your own potting soil too!

Use steril soil and potting mix.

Make a solar cooker to sterilize soil. Not necessary unless you are going to sell plant starts. People do not like weeds. Some can not tell a weed from a veggie plant.

Glad to hear the soil blocks worked for you. Mine won't be for commercial purposes, so no need to sterilize them.

I'm interested in using them to get a jump start on transplants to fill gaps in the annual beds after things are harvested.

Hannah90 · #**113** 01/11/13, 11:01 PM

Maybe it would be a better idea to till the bedding into the beds I want to make, get the plants in, establish drip hose system, then lay the cardboard around it. I hadn't thought about the watering issue.

Whisperwindkat · #**114** 01/12/13, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannah90

This is a great thread. Super excited to see what everyone does this year. I think this should definitely be it's own sub forum. I would really like to incorporate permanent beds this year. I am saving cardboard like a mad person to make sheet mulching.

I have been doing deep bedding in my barn this winter so I will have a lot of "stuff" to spread. I have a question on mulching with animal bedding if anyone can answer....

Some folks are of the belief that animal bedding still is too rich in manure and will "burn" anything planted in it... I have that putting down animal bedding is good and it will all compost down into the soil.

I am rather confused. I had thought about spreading down the bedding (mix of cow, goat and chicken bedding) directly on top of the soil, layering down several layers of cardboard to smother out weeds, then putting down compost as a "seed bed" then layering old hay/straw for the top. Will that work? Will 2-3 inches of compost be enough to start seeds in? I want to do this beginning of march so it will have about 6 weeks to work down before any broccoli/cabbage/etc gets planted into it.

In the spring/late winter I always mix in my goat and rabbit bedding with the soil in the beds. I have great results. I prefer to mix for several reasons. 1 it does warm the soil faster and 2 I feel that more of the good stuff is locked in the soil and 3. It makes it easier to plant. In the fall I top all beds that are being taken out of use until spring with a generous layer which is broken down by January planting. I have made new beds by doing as you have said above and never had a problem.

Hannah90 · #**115** 01/12/13, 07:02 AM

So what is one thing you've never grown before that you REALLY want to add? For me it's grains. Well, grains besides corn

Like every small homestead, I don't have a combine or a planter... so, oats are a little intimidating. I need to find some kind of roller so I can plant them like they need to be. Also, I have no idea how much to plant. I would mostly be growing them for chicken feed and supplemental for goats in heavy lactation. Some for the house too! Wheat is also on my list. The big part... how to keep the birds away?

Whisperwindkat · #**116** 01/12/13, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannah90

So what is one thing you've never grown before that you REALLY want to add? For me it's grains. Well, grains besides corn

Like every small homestead, I don't have a combine or a planter... so, oats are a little intimidating. I need to find some kind of roller so I can plant them like they need to be. Also, I have no idea how much to plant. I would mostly be growing them for chicken feed and supplemental for goats in heavy lactation. Some for the house too! Wheat is also on my list. The big part... how to keep the birds away?

You can get spring hulless oats that have no hull, so that saves the headache of hulling oats. We grew a small patch two years ago, but forgot that the redneck lawnmower(horse) could reach over the garden fence. The oats were not too far away from harvest and he enjoyed them immensely. Harvested what was left with a weedeater to feed the goats. As far as how much to grow, I couldn't really tell you. There is a book called "Growing Grains on a small acreage" that is supposed to be great. We started with a small plot, about 15 ft. wide and 60 feet long. Just so we could get an idea of what hand processing is like. We did that with wheat and tried to with the hulless oats. We are growing a bigger plot of regular oats this year since it will strictly be for livestock feed. Blessings, Kat

Hannah90 · #**117** 01/12/13, 07:27 AM

A WEEDEATER! Oh my gosh, why didn't I think of that. Modern day scythe! Anyway, how did you actually plant to oats? I see everyone saying they need to be rolled in. You didn't have any trouble with birds?

Hannah90 · #**118** 01/12/13, 07:27 AM

Oh, forgot to say. I read about half of that book. I wanted to finish it, but had to return it to the library. It had a lot of good info, but I like hearing other people's experiences.

dlskidmore · #**119** 01/12/13, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannah90

So what is one thing you've never grown before that you REALLY want to add?

Pinto beans. In general our diet is pretty low carb and does not have a lot of beans, but I love making my own re-fried beans as a treat. Dry beans also keep very well and might be a good early spring food when the winter squashes and root veggies are past their prime.

Hannah90 · #**120** 01/12/13, 07:49 AM

Oh, beans are a staple here. I have a hard time finding just "pinto" beans from the heirloom seed companies. Everything is "similar" or a "cousin to" same for kidney beans. Black beans and green beans galore though