New Here-And have so many questions-Day 1

Thanks Denim Deb,

Why is it you don't use your old plants? I will definately try the leaves. I piled a ton in the lasagna garden I started, the rest i either piled in our composting area or just raked under the trees. I wonder where I could get horse manure from? Had to fence the garden last year as the Geese enjoyed uprooting their favorite plants...lol...what a mess. I plan on putting it up again.

I started some blueberries last year and they did terrible, but I know they are supposed to do really well, so maybe I did something wrong.

Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it.

I was told manure isn't good for blueberries. When i first planted mine i used.....manure Thought maybe you had done this too and could be cause of fail with them. So last weekend I bought more plants to try again PH is also very important, needs to be acidic, which from the sound of it, yours probably is acid soil. I'd still check it though.

Denim Deb said:

OK, so you're in the Pines, and not too far from me. I have that sand as well, though mine might not be as bad. Over the years, I've added a ton of horse manure, leaves, old straw, hay etc. It's done a lot to improve the soil. My hubby tried the raised beds, but for me, they were a pain, so I went w/a semi traditional garden. I no longer rototill it, but add all the leaves I can and just let them compost down. The one thing I won't add is the old plants. I either burn them, or haul them to the local compost center.

I'm guessing that the soil you have is more acidic, so I'd say check your pH, and if needed add lime. Or, if you have a wood stove or fireplace, add the ashes. And, if you haven't already, fence in your garden area to keep the geese out of it!

The Pines are a good area for blueberries, so you should be able to grow them fairly easily, or even find them growing in the woods near you. In the fall, look for Russian and autumn olives growing near you. I've never made it, but people make jelly from the berries. They're higher in lycopene than tomatoes. You can also look for things like persimmons, mulberries, etc growing near you. But, don't eat anything you're not sure of! If you're not sure, post a pic on here and someone will probably be able to help you.

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As a goose raiser of many years I must comment that a fence will not keep wild geese out but it will keep them in! they can fly into small spots but need an amount of runway to get airborn again. every afternoon I would go out and open the pens to let the wild geese Out and let my domestics graze. The only time the fence was effective at keeping wild geese out was right after the gooslings hatch as the adults will mote their flight feathers since they will guard the young on the ground or water.~gd

Self-sufficiency means something different to everyone, it seems. In addition to wanting to produce more of my own food, it also includes being able to earn a living for myself rather than working for an employer. These days, even having a job is no guarantee of being able to provide for your family long-term. Hubby and I have a few income producing ventures that help to insulate us from the volatile job market.

Since we live in a city on 3/4 acres, we cannot have the amount of livestock that a true farm could support. We are also hampered by city codes. We still manage to have quail, chickens and soon we will have tilapia. We also burn firewood in the winter to heat our house. We are nowhere close to being like Little House on the Prairie, but that okay... We've come a long way over the years and we have the ability to do a lot of things that time has almost forgotten.

For me, SS is about food and physical security and cultivating the can-do attitude that is the only antidote to consumerism.

Hi, Nicole. Well, my mother had grown up in a small town, my dad on a poultry ranch (but he wanted to escape that and see the big city and hopefully be a "success"). But we always had relatives in the small towns and countryside. I always liked making and fixing things. I got drawn into a job in a natural/organic-foods store, and moved outside of the city - and part of my job was to truck produce from the farms into the city to the place I worked. I rented a small cottage on a farm, and learned gardening from books, from the farmer's wife, and trial & error.

Then I found a valley in the eastern mountains where people were friendly and land prices affordable, and I sunk my savings into a piece of land. I learned more about gardens and keeping chickens. I learned carpentry, water systems, basic mechanics (cars, trucks, small engines), how to wire buildings for electricity. I was married, had a daughter. We sold the original land and moved down the valley to a spot with better soil, better neighbors, and a shorter commute to off-land employment. While here, my practical skills increased and I learned basic metal-working, including welding.

My parents hadn't wanted to get dirty during the day, so they'd opted for city life. But I never liked the hubub of the city, nor the cramped limitations of the suburbs. The city and modern suburb offer educational opportunities, movie theaters, big bookstores and libraries, shopping opportunities (tools and supplies, clothing, reconditioned cars), and all of that - but they also present many distractions. And nature and the sources of human sustenance can seem very remote in these places. Also, in a number of ways, the cities are more expensive settings - partly due to all the distractions, many of which cost you substantially, $$-wise.

Nicole, you said there's got to be a way to get free from 'I owe'... My wife and I have almost always had jobs, either self-employed or employed outside the home. But given where we decided to live, maybe we've had only a few years where our household income would have equalled what we'd have earned in the big city. And so if you're not going to work for cash all the time, you have to economize, budget, and rely on your knowledge and skills. That means learning to raise and preserve food, learning to use tools, shopping for secondhand when you can, and all the things that we talk about here on SufficientSelf. It's a good wholesome life.

NicoleRook said:

Thanks Denim Deb,

Why is it you don't use your old plants? I will definately try the leaves. I piled a ton in the lasagna garden I started, the rest i either piled in our composting area or just raked under the trees. I wonder where I could get horse manure from? Had to fence the garden last year as the Geese enjoyed uprooting their favorite plants...lol...what a mess. I plan on putting it up again.

I started some blueberries last year and they did terrible, but I know they are supposed to do really well, so maybe I did something wrong.

Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it.

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I don't use the old plants for just in case there's eggs from a pest in there, or anything else that can be harmful. Chances are that there isn't, but I don't want to take the chance. Plus, I get enough leaves and pine needles in my yard to cover my garden to several inches! And, if there's not enough in my yard, I can get them from the woods next to me, or from the neighbor's.

Do you have a pickup? If so, check CL (Craig's List) and see if anyone in your area has free horse manure they want to get rid of. (I've included one listing, not sure how far it is from you.) And, while you're close to me (I live near the border of Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland Counties), you're a bit too far for me to run a load over. I have a whole pile of it!

I live in pretty much smackdab in the center of Tucson AZ! But... I decided since my husband doesn't want to leave here, to be content and make the most of what I have. I would love to live on a farm and grow all my own food and go to town once a year or so for things I can't make myself.

From the time I was small, I loved gardening. So... I try, to grow my own herbs and some other edible plants that will grow here in the desert without breaking the bank in water bills.

In 2008, I built a chicken coop, and have had 4 to 6 chickens ever since. It is not "cost effective" really, but I know how my chickens are living and what they are eating, so that makes me happy. Plus they are fun to watch!

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/glenn-cottage-eggery

Then I have a friend with some milk goats, I give her a day off once a week in exchange for keeping the milk. I make my own cheeses and goat milk soap.

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=14880&p=3

We seldom use any packaged foods. Make everything from scratch, less chemicals etc.

I think I have a good life, even though I want to be in the country, I was able to get the "country experience" here in the city.

Would love to see some photos of your place !!

~gd said:

As a goose raiser of many years I must comment that a fence will not keep wild geese out but it will keep them in! they can fly into small spots but need an amount of runway to get airborn again. every afternoon I would go out and open the pens to let the wild geese Out and let my domestics graze. The only time the fence was effective at keeping wild geese out was right after the gooslings hatch as the adults will mote their flight feathers since they will guard the young on the ground or water.~gd

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Last year they really didn't bother the fence, but maybe I should plant a small offering garden just for them. Any suggestions?

Wannabefree said:

I was told manure isn't good for blueberries. When i first planted mine i used.....manure Thought maybe you had done this too and could be cause of fail with them. So last weekend I bought more plants to try again PH is also very important, needs to be acidic, which from the sound of it, yours probably is acid soil. I'd still check it though.

Click to expand...

We had farm dirt brought last year, with lots of poo....probably the problem. I will definately try again. Thanks