Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Not sure if they are SS goals, as we've been here and doing this a long time, getting old too, so I rarely ever work on becoming more self sufficient any longer. My goals usually center around becoming more practical and keeping things practical.
I wouldn't mind getting a deep well hand pump installed on our well for any long term power outs that may come in the future. That would come in handy.
I want to get this deep mulching gardening down right so that it's minimal effort(the wood chips were decidedly NOT minimal effort, nor were they worry free...when you can't find a source and the chips are getting thinner all the time, it's a stressor). The hay is cheap, it's easy to find, easy to spread and maintain, so that's a start...it just remains to be seen if I can use it successfully towards my food production goals.
I want to refine my gardening to things that we consume the most and that has changed over recent years, so I need to change also. We consume a lot of romaine lettuce, sweet onions, potatoes, green peppers, celery, and broccoli over a year's time. Well, I can't sustain-ably produce green peppers and keep them fresh all year round, so I can settle for not being able to do that.
The romaines I can do, I just need to really be on top of succession plantings and I also need to plan for planting a large quantity in August so that I can have a winter harvest of this lettuce. Also the bok choi, nappa cabbage(this is something new I'm trying this year), beets, broccoli, carrots and other greens. I've never yet successfully been able to get my act together enough to plant for a winter harvest but I'm slowly getting my grow tunnels completed and getting some raised beds completed for use in this endeavor.
I also want to get a good bead on my breeding efforts for the chickens this year, while also improving the nesting options in the broody/maternity ward so as to provide optimal habitat for those activities.
So, just streamlining and focusing my gardening and food production efforts, as per usual and as the good Lord allows.
I wouldn't mind getting a deep well hand pump installed on our well for any long term power outs that may come in the future. That would come in handy.
I want to get this deep mulching gardening down right so that it's minimal effort(the wood chips were decidedly NOT minimal effort, nor were they worry free...when you can't find a source and the chips are getting thinner all the time, it's a stressor). The hay is cheap, it's easy to find, easy to spread and maintain, so that's a start...it just remains to be seen if I can use it successfully towards my food production goals.
I want to refine my gardening to things that we consume the most and that has changed over recent years, so I need to change also. We consume a lot of romaine lettuce, sweet onions, potatoes, green peppers, celery, and broccoli over a year's time. Well, I can't sustain-ably produce green peppers and keep them fresh all year round, so I can settle for not being able to do that.
The romaines I can do, I just need to really be on top of succession plantings and I also need to plan for planting a large quantity in August so that I can have a winter harvest of this lettuce. Also the bok choi, nappa cabbage(this is something new I'm trying this year), beets, broccoli, carrots and other greens. I've never yet successfully been able to get my act together enough to plant for a winter harvest but I'm slowly getting my grow tunnels completed and getting some raised beds completed for use in this endeavor.
I also want to get a good bead on my breeding efforts for the chickens this year, while also improving the nesting options in the broody/maternity ward so as to provide optimal habitat for those activities.
So, just streamlining and focusing my gardening and food production efforts, as per usual and as the good Lord allows.
I lime the gardens anyways because I use chicken manure - so I kind of already thought about that.
