Harvest Something

As a part of my goals this year, I want to try to keep track of the food I am producing or foraging again. On the old blog, I used to participate in this "linky" business of sorts (before the linky thing became popular in bloggerland-I wish it had been used for the challenge as I used to love to read other bloggers' accomplishments and this would have saved so much time!) called Independence Days Challenge. I participated for a couple of years and stopped in early 2010. I am not sure if it is still ongoing (I really hope Sharon brings it back this year and, if so, I'll participate again). If you are interested in sustainability, homesteading, farming, permaculture or preparedness, I implore you to check out some of the old posts on the topic.

I don't know if I will keep track of all the old categories (I have my own specific goals now), but I do like the idea of keeping track of what I grow (or forage) myself. I have not really tackled any of this on this blog, so this may seem like a 360 degree turnabout, but it really is an old and loved way of life I enjoyed (or at least felt challenged and interested in) for many years. I had planned on carry my homesteading ways on to Kentucky, but life has not been a picture-perfect script in any way and I really am not sure what the future holds. I think we can all agree the world is changing at G-force speeds and none of us can be certain of what lies around the proverbial corner. I like being (or at least trying) to be prepared.

I think thrifting is an extension of preparedness. I have thrifted or "curb shopped" for items useful in homesteading and preparedness. All of my tomato cages are garbage finds; I've picked up free pallets and used them to make chicken coops and raised beds for gardening (oh, and a composter too!). I have found cheap barrels that smelled like mint and vanilla (they once held essence) on Craig's List and transformed them into rain barrels. I have 'thrifted' chickens and turkey poults. Found books about gardening, goats and homesteading at thrift stores and garage sales. It is all part of frugal life (as long as it is in moderation unlike my last year!)

I am hoping to grow and can a lot of produce again this year as we have finally thinned our stockpile (my obsession with canning covered years 2004-2009; the man took it over in 2010-11 and much less was put up, but much more was used due to the distance).

I am currently in a tough situation of living between two places. This makes homesteading difficult. Hell, it makes life difficult and tiring. However, I am looking forward to a year of urban homesteading AND rural homesteading. I can't wait to compare the two. I've already been drooling through the seed catalogs and planning my crop.

So, back to my original topic about my 2012 harvest: Today I harvested 6 Meyer lemons from my houseplant! I plan to make limoncello as gifts next December and these sweet lemons should get me started.