March 30, 2011

  • More And More Additions To The Garden


    TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

    The Beast decided to read all about sweet potatoes because he didn't believe me when I said they became vines and very large.  Score one for me (but who's keeping track?).  So, after some discussion, we decided to put them on the side of the barn between it and the next door neighbors fence.  It's an area that was tilled before (just not very well), gets enough sun and the area is kind of useless to us except to park the ATV and cover it up.  But, the Beast said he can put the ATV under the deck if he needs to or at the back of the barn if he moves a couple things he has out there right now because he uses them quite a bit (the spreader, for example).  The neat thing about sweet potatoes is that they will actually prevent weeds from growing.  There's something about a secretion or something like that.  It said you might have to pull a few weeds until the vines start up well but after that, there will be none.  That definitely was appealing.

    Also, besides the nutritional value of sweet potatoes, all you have to do for next years crop is cut sections of the vine, put them away for the winter and then just poke a hole in the ground, put the section of vine in and water it.  Voila!  Your new crop of sweet potatoes. 

    The Beast also happened to find online a selection of seeds for a complete garden that comes specially packaged to last for many years.  It's so you are prepared if the economy fails and you need to be able to start your own garden in order to feed your family nutritiously.  It's enough seeds (and quite a variety) for an acre of land.  Now, we know not many people except those of us that are kind of below the radar and living in the country have access to that much land but he thought it a wonderful idea to have here.  He would never have thought about something like that until he read about two different places in the world where seeds are being stored against any catastrophic future event so that any mankind remaining could get a good start once conditions were right.  So, we will be getting our supply via priority mail in a couple days.  **Sigh**  I told him he had better think about getting himself a really good rototiller because there is no way in hell he can build enough of his *garden boxes* for that.  We couldn't afford it.  As it is, he would have to rototill between all his various fruit trees, too.  It's tough living with a man that thinks the whole world is going to go to hell in a hand basket soon.

    The whole kit and kaboodle comes also with a guide on how to prepare and dry some of the various beans, how to can some of the various veggies and how to store seeds from all the plants (all are non-hybrid so have to be replanted from seed each year).  I told him it's a good thing it also tells you how to collect the seeds from some of them.  I've never seen seeds from a carrot except when I buy them at the store, have you?  He's also wrapping all the seed packages we have here in foil since he read they don't keep well in paper.  See what I live with?  This man is serious about the things he believes.  All I can say is.....come what may, we are certainly prepared.

    I need to get the guest room ready for Sheepie, who will be here on Saturday.  Since I hurt my back, this may take me a while.    I slept better last night but not good enough for my back to miraculously heal on me.  Only time will do that.

    A bit of advice.....if you order a DVD from one of the Amazon associated vendors because you don't mind used or (gasp!) the occasional new one at a cheaper price, do NOT order one from England.  I made that mistake for someone living in the US of A.  It won't play on our DVD players because, as my DVD player told me on a popup, it's not authorized because it is for Area 2.  I am assuming that means either Britain or Europe.  Hopefully, it also includes Canada because I may be able to send it to a friend or someone.  It's a brand spanking new copy of The Stand.  **Picture me crying here**  Oh well, as I have said before *C'est la vie!*.  We all live and learn.

    All I can say is we certainly are prepared for anything now.  Feast or famine, whatever the future holds, we have our hedge against both inflation and shortages.  I even have large containers of some popular spices because those will be in short supply too, I imagine.  And this years garden will hold (so far) tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, string beans, bush beans, radishes, onions, green peppers, cucumbers, rosy tip lettuce, turnips, beets, yellow squash, cantaloupe and watermelon.  What more can anyone ask for? 

    It was another dismal day but, so far, no rain.  Weather was in the 50's but will hit the 60's Wednesday.  They are saying we will have more showers Wednesday night.  I hope so because Chewlee and I will be planting our flower seeds.  The ground is damp but it won't hurt to have it rain.  I've been using the water from our rain barrel for my seedlings and the Beast will use it for the garden.  No chemicals in it so it should be better for them.  Now the Beast is thinking we might need another one or two more to be on the safe side.  He would rather use rain water on the garden but one barrel sure won't be enough once summer hits.

    Love you all and I hope you are having a good week so far.  It's Hump Day (I checked my calendar this time) so the week is almost over.  Have a little bit of fun, laugh a lot and be sure to spread your smiles around.