Gardening to feed the Family?

[chickensducks&agoose]

We're gardening for real this year.. and I am hoping to be able to supplement our grocery costs over the next year using the foods we will grow this summer.

We will make all Jelly

We will make all Pickles

We will make all Salsa

We will make all Spaghetti Sauce

We will make our applesauce

We will make our Dill herbs, and Mint for tea

We will dry parsley too.

We will cut back on chicken costs with the extra cabbages and sunflowers I planted.

What else can we do? We'll freeze some of our peas and pole beans, but freezer space is limited. We might pressure can some green beans... We live in zone 3, so it's cold.

How else can we hedge against impending poverty?

 

[TanksHill]

Sounds like your off to a great start.

How do vining winter squash do in your area? You can call them "sturdy keepers". Pumpkin, spaghetti squash, butternut, heirloom cushaw. All things that can be stored in a cool dry place and last all year.

g

 

[gettinaclue]

Do you have a dehydrator? I don't use one, but am looking into it.

Dehydrating apples and bananas would be great for having your own snack food later - better than chips.

You could try dehydrating some onions - though I've heard it's best to line the trays with something and set the dehydrator outside while doing this.

There's all sorts of things you can dehydrate and use it for soups and stews and such.

Eat beans and rice/ beans and potatoes.

Make your own bread.

Grow your own mushrooms.

Grow and process your own poultry - chickens/turkeys/ducks.

Make your own soap. It doesn't have to be the fancy stuff you buy with goats milk and all the other stuff. All you really need is olive oil, lye, a soap mold and a box in an out-of-the-way place to cure it.

Can you raise your own pigs? cows? That's good eattin'.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Shredded zucchini in the freezer is nice for adding to soups, casseroles and chocolate cake.
I always get strange looks when it is seen how many squash plants I put in, but I get the last laugh, when I can eat it year round

 

[BarredBuff]

Can corn for you. Can or store potatoes for you use. Can tomatoes, and if you see something that you can can then CAN IT!

 

[gettinaclue]

Grow all of your own onions for your own use. Pick, cure and store them. You can braid the tops and hang them, or just put 'em in a hanging basket.

Grow some garlic.

Plant fruit trees,

Plant nut trees.

Plant grapes.

Plant berries.

Grow ginger.

Grow shallots (if you eat 'em).

I'm considering getting an ornamental lemon tree - I've heard that you can get some types where you can actually use the lemons for juice.

When you buy a pineapple, cut off the top with an inch or two on it and then plant it. It will take a while, but you'll get another smaller pineapple out of it.

Get some bees.

Much of this stuff, I haven't done, but we're on our way to doing it.

 

[moolie]

I don't see carrots and potatoes on your list, they're both good keepers

 

[lwheelr]

I love the book The Four Season Harvest. He talks about growing things in the winter, and suggests some winter-hardy crops. He's doing it in Maine, so it is doable in places you would not think it was.

He also discusses winter storage of cabbages, squash, root crops, etc.

 

[PamsPride]

I vote for potatoes!

 

[keljonma]

Mostly plant what you will eat. But save a spot to try something new, which may become a new favorite and help to vary the diet.