Independence Days Challenge: 02-03-2012

Well, this is update number one for IDC. Of course, this is the short week as the IDC just started Wednesday (and I wasn't sure if this Friday was the first post or next week...either way I have a few tasks and challenges to contribute this week). Next week will be better. I will be planting more seeds, learning TWO new skills (well, refresher you could say on one), and probably canning something!

This week:

Plant Something: I planted asparagus, rhubarb, broccoli and cauliflower seeds and they are now in my warm and sunny office. I hope they sprout as it is older seed (I cleaned out my seed storage and am testing and purging old seed-a lot more to go).

Harvest Something: We found four eggs in the big barn (Lyndon has great egg spotting eyes). Sadly, the chickens are laying all over the place due to coop damage last month (we had 60 MPH winds that also pushed down several trees-more on that in a minute). Nothing plant wise yet.

Preserve Something: Not this week, but maybe this weekend which will be on next week's IDC list.

Waste Not: Fixed the old compost bin an X built for me. It's been going strong since 1999! Scraps to chickens is normal event. I rotated (self)canned goods in pantry so older stuff is in front. Found and cleaned all the old seedling pots I have saved or stored (in barn, garage or house) and see I do not need to purchase any (except the 2 I bought down in Louisville) this year. On the same topic, I collected a bunch of insulated coffee cups from the DH car (he's a total slob) to use for seed starting. This is from the recent past, but I have a stack of yogurt cups for the seeds as well. The seedling trays I found out in the barn should hold them all. In sad news, my MIL bought a 1/4 beef to can and freeze. She was telling me about it and said they planned to cut up the meat into chunks themselves (less cost). At first, she said it would have bones. I asked what her plans for the bones were and she said she didn't want them. I was excited. I could roast them and make nutritious bone broth. However, she said that she had the butcher debone the meat and wasn't taking the bones.

Want Not: I have been on a bit of a "no spend" since the start of 2012 and am doing fairly well. I have not purchased anything beyond necessity or for spring planting. I did add Roasted Green Tea, star anise, and a spice mix (cinnamon, cumin, anise and clove) and sweet basil seed to the pantry. I bought these at a small 'mom and pop' Asian store in KY. I also received many seeds in the mail this week. I ordered most of them from very little businesses. I hope they are good (all heirlooms, but I will later buy hybrid tomatoes and green pepper plants for garden gaps from the IN Amish). I bought mostly heirloom tomatoes and hot peppers (Peter's Pepper, fish, and some others I can't remember off hand), and a smaller variety of other heirloom seeds (zucchini, cucumbers, beans, ect.) I also order bare root trees, three apples to replace the two mature ones we lost in the winds, two hazelnuts, and two raspberry plants (these will arrive in April).

I also surveyed all the damage the winds and heavy, wet snow caused. DH started to cut up the trees (despite never listening to me say I planned to order mushroom span. Sigh) and I requested long enough poles from the branches to use as trellis for beans and vines. He broke our chainsaw (and I just paid $60 to have it tuned up and sharpened) and I am not sure if it can be fixed. Can you tell I'm unhappy with him right now? He constantly sets us back 5 steps for every one we manage. One of the trees was a very nice apple tree (and a less nice one fell as well). It really looked healthy so its a bit sad. There was also damage to the chicken coop's yard fence and will need to be fixed. I am planning on painting the coop and putting in a rock "patio" in the front in order to cut down on the mud, so maybe the revamp is a blessing in disguise. We are taking out the floor and switching to a deep mulching method. This method requires deep layers of wood chips and each year it naturally composts the litter for the garden, but keeps the top nice and dry and clean for the hens (and rooster). I think it would be best for the yard which is often a mud pit and I am hoping it alleviates the stress of cleaning it with our harried schedules.

Eat the Food: Well, since today was my first full day home (in Indiana), I made eggs for breakfast and lunch. Tonight, we had a Thai inspired stir-fry, but the only item in it I can say is part of this challenge was an older jar of green beans I threw in.

Build a sustainable Community: Not much to report here (yet). Stay tuned for next week!

Skill Up: Again, next week will be more exciting here! However, I am always reading blogs and books and other items to learn. In fact, I did read about the deep mulching technique this past week, but I can't remember if it was in one of the three-4 books I'm reading or the 'net. Beyond that, I will try to be more specific in the future.

Are you playing along? It's easy!

Goals Week One: Wannabee

Back in the early part of the century (2000-ish), I started to devour books about urban homesteading and city farming. I eventually built a small chicken run and a garden in the little backyard of my house. Actually, if I really think about it, I had an interest even in the mid-90's and used to draw plans for a small raised bed and chicken run in my tiny Arizona apartment's backyard. I loved that the courtyard in AZ had lemons and oranges growing in it (even if I never did harvest them due to a move).

Anyway, after I moved from the city to a rural property, I had high hopes of becoming a market grower (or at least a 100 feet locavore). I did garden every year for my family until I moved to Louisville, but I never seemed to gain enough skills (or time) to grow for the farmer's market. I pretty much gave up the dream.

Fast forward, last week I attended a fruit and vegetable growers conference in Kentucky. Although I was an exhibitor and could not attend the great seminars (grape growing, wine making, asparagus growing, bee keeping), I learned volumes from folks stopping by my work's exhibit. Not only did I learn from these wonderful people, but they rekindled a flame from a spark I had only been feeling for the past 1.5 years in form of wishful thinking. For their time in talking about their setups and how they got started, I am grateful.

I am also counting this as part of the move towards my 2012 goals.

12 for 12 for 12 Roundup: Week 1

Learn: Attended a fruit and vegetable growers conference (as an exhibitor); reading Essential Urban Farmer (Novella Carpenter), Gardening in Small Places, and lots of blogs. Restudied the fine art of making a worm bin

Complete: 95% completed with my 2011 work case files (part of my 12 before 2012 goals-CANNOT wait to have them completed 100%)

Move: I hiked! It was lovely and will be a near future post here.

Sustain: Removed two cardboard wrapping paper tubes from the recycle bin after reading this article. Continuing to save yogurt containers for seed starting. Collected 4 eggs (two of which had froze and became dog snacks). Bad news here, is we lost our Pekin duck we have had for four years. I am not sure what happened to her (no marks, she looked healthy). She was the last of our ducks (stray dogs attacked and killed much of our poultry and rabbits a few years ago and then the move prevented me from raising replacements).

Plan: Thinking a lot about my gardening plans this year. I am also contemplating better work habits (like not waiting until last minute to complete case files). I am also working towards debt reduction to allow me to come home.

Nourish: Nothing really significant. I did bring healthy snacks on my business trip last week to counteract eating out on the road.

Create: I started step one of the Meyer lemon limoncello (future gifts).

Grow: Ordered my first round of seeds from small family business. I will make final order in another week after I have had a chance to organize my old seeds. I also moved my Meyer lemon tree from the basement (it's been under lights) and it seems happier next to the back door. In fact, I spotted blossoms starting on it this morning.

Observe: Visited a new place called Natural Bridge State Resort (KY) and hiked to the bridge. It was super quiet and beautiful and I tried my best to capture some of this beauty on digital. I will share this week!

Budget: I did fairly well at not spending money on anything other than essentials. I did fall off the wagon on restaurant food (I was on the road and it is always so easy and tempting), one thrifting stop (more on that later), and some extras at the grocery store (clearance items). Sadly, I am also struggling (always it seems) with a man that is utterly STUPID when it comes to money. Not a happy part of the week (enough said).

Play: I can't say I did anything here, although, I had a lot of fun at that conference and, even though it was work, I could categorize it as play. The hike probably fits here as well. I also read a bit of a Christmas present book for pleasure (the latest by Charles Frazier).

Love: Tried to tell my boys ILU a bit more and also tried a little more patience with them. The three of us had a nice weekend.

Hopeful Goals for week 2:

1. Finish seed organizing/order
2. FINISH case files (unfort or maybe fortunately, I have to or there will be hell to pay with the boss)
3. Try a thrifted cookbook recipe
4. Clean apartment
5. Purge unworn clothing/unecessary objects from apartment
6. Photograph objects for the Etsy shop
7. Work out 3 times at gym/walk whenever nice outside

Linking up to Van's Sunday Goal Party.

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.