The Rain is Gone. Let the Work Begin!

Crazy weather in reverse now

After the past couple weeks of rain and cooler temperatures, we are having the rises in temperatures into the 80s finally. The weather the past couple years has been nuts. Global warming or whatever is the cause has made it difficult to predict growing wise.

Mel was finally able to make a pass with the weed eater to prepare it for tilling the summer garden. The weather and me has made the planting late this year. Maybe fall and winter will be late coming also, but as I said, it's been hard predicting the weather. As crazy as it sounds, I'll be prepping the fall seeds as soon as I finish planting the summer garden... just in case. I can't afford to lose a single opportunity to grow food.

I've harvested 4 lbs of oregano, 2 lbs of rosemary and 1 lb of sage from the perennial herb beds so far. I gave them a "haircut" this week. That wasn't even cutting it to the ground. I left a foot on each plant to continue to grow! When you think of the cost savings in just oregano, it's mind boggling. A 24 oz jar/ 1.5 lbs) of dried oregano is $24-$27 in the stores. Four pounds of fresh equals two 24 oz containers full after it was dried. All I did was buy six plants ($3.50 each) two years ago.  Sure I watered it some and spread compost around them each fall, but that was about it besides harvesting the stems. By the time of the first frost killing it back (I do the six inch crop cut, and add compost mulch) I'll have harvested six to eight pounds of oregano. That's dried weight and a savings of $90+ for ONE herb. [Rosemary $16 for 24 oz, Sage $17 for 16 oz] Of annual herbs, like basil, I'll have harvested about half that much but every little bit helps. We are self-sufficient in the major herbs we use.

On a side note- I'm using the new Blogger interface for the first time and it's taking me twice as long to do everything. It's quite irritating. It's been over a decade since they've done this, and I've held off not doing it until they gave me no choice. My old, stroke addled mind does not take kindly to changes. 

Today is our youngest daughter's birthday! Happy Birthday, Jennifer! 🎂❤

The English peas have flowered and set fruit. As soon as they fatten up, I'll harvest them. I think I'll freeze them rather than canning them this year. I can always can them later. But it all depends on the harvest, if I can get 80 lbs, I'll consider canning them. Does 80 lbs sound like a lot of peas to you? Well, think about it. If a 15 oz (8 oz drained) can of peas provides a vegetable for two meals, we eat peas twice a week (including soups, stews, and pot pies) times 52 weeks in a year that roughly equals 104- 1/2 lb pint jars or freezer bags for two people for a year.

That's how I do the math to get how much to plant. I've got 60+ pea plants in the ground. Yes, every seed sprouted. I consider myself extremely blessed. I love❤❤ Park Seed Company! All of them had flowers on them. The bees and other pollinators did their job. How do I know? I watched them and counted. I even discounted the flowers by 50%, and still we'll have enough peas.   Is that counting your chickens before they hatch? Maybe, but that's how critical this harvest is for us.

Extra peas were planted against forces of nature (storm damage, bugs, birds, etc.). I try to plan for every contingency. So I planted my peas on 4-8' rows. When I am finished with the peas, I'll pull and chop them up for side dressing for my asparagus patch. Nothing goes to waste on this homestead. Legumes like peas and beans are nitrogen fixers into the soil and asparagus are heavy feeders of nitrogen. It doesn't hurt the parsley planted between the asparagus either.  

My homesteading waste not want not principle takes a lot of research and planning before implementing. It's knowing a combination of companion planting, how plants multiply (by root or self sowing, etc.), and knowing each plant and their life cycle. Most is done prior to planting the first seed. After that, it's just doing it like it is for me now. I still need refreshers from time to time even after thirty years of gardening, so I hit the books. Organic gardening is almost an art form to get the optimum bang for your buck and a healthier you.

"Y'all have a blessed day!

Cockeyed Jo