Fixing our Garden

 First Item on my garden fixing list is the bug problem. 

I plan on getting Guinea Fowl.  Guineas eat bugs but don't eat the plants.  They also don't dust bathe, or rip up plants.  While they are running around the garden they help fertilize the garden.

On the plus side they lay eggs and can be butchered for meat.

Second is the Deer problem.  The deer destroyed 70 tomato plants, my corn, peppers, and cool weather crops.  I was not impressed with them at the end of the year.

The plan?  Adding netting over top of the entire garden.  We added netting over the chicken coop with great success!  Now the rest of the garden will get its turn. 

Wow!  When listing the problems I realized that I didn't have as many as I thought!  The problem is I have the same problems over and over again.  What problems do you have in your garden?  How are you fixing them so that you can live a more self sufficient lifestyle?

Elizabeth~

Buck up and Start Planning!

Buck up and start planning for what??  Back in October I wrote an article called Death of a County.  Saturday I wrote about a growing bad feeling that something bad is going to happen to our economy.  Actually something bad is already happening to our economy.  Two major companies are closing some of their stores, Walmart and Macy's.  Not a great sign.  Sound like 2008?  So if you can see something bad is happening what do you do?  Sit by and let it happen?  NO!  You do something about it!

I'll have more detailed posts later, but here is what I'm planning for the new year!

1. A Garden.  Ok so I always plan on having a garden, but it needs some major improvements. I'll have a post about that later.

2. Goats.  In the Great Depression it was said that if you had a cow and a garden you were lucky because you ate better then most others.  Goats mean milk, cheese, and soap.

3. A year supply.  Think its for crazy preppers?  Think again!! I'll let you know why I like having some of my favorites on hand.

4. Canning Plan.  I like canning and have even won awards in our local fair, but this year it takes on a whole new meaning.

5. Shopping. Getting great deals means I can buy more food.

6.  Chickens and Turkeys. I love my feather babies!  I talk to them, feed them, and in return I get delicous eggs.  This year I'm going to try to build my own cabinet incubator.  They normally cost $1000+ but I'm trying to see if I can build one for less then $50. We'll see if experimenting will work.

What ides do you have for this year?  Do you feel like the economy is heading for trouble?  Leave me a message!

Elizabeth~

What to do when you Garden Fails!

 So what do you do when your garden fails?  Do you curse God?  Kill the herd of deer?  Give up?  All of the above?  It has been a hard garden year.  I've lost plants to the bugs, and now the deer have destroyed my garden. 

Its hard to get over the loss of months of work.  I thought I was going to be overloaded.  So tired of Canning I wouldn't want to look at my pressure canner.  Instead I had to buy veggies to can.  At first I thought "Oh buck up!" but then the deer kept coming.  I put up lights to keep them out.  The Deer just laugh!

So what do you do?  At some point I gave up.  I can't put up a deer fence now.

The next step is to plan for next year.  Whats the plan?

Put up a deer fence.

Raise Guinea keets.  They eat bugs and don't dig up plants.

Build raised garden beds.

Realize that sometimes God needs you to learn a lesson, and try to learn the lesson in one gardening season. 

Cream of Tomato Soup Recipe

Did you make tomato powder?  Looking for something to do with it?  Look no farther! 

Cream of Tomato Soup
1/4 cup Tomato Powder
1 Tab Bouillon Powder
3/4 tsp Basil
1/4 Tsp Oregano
1 cup Dried Milk
3/4 cup Corn Starch

Mix all ingredents.

To make soup
Add 1/3 cup mix to 1 1/4 cups water.  Heat over Medium till thick.  Enjoy! 

Adding ingredients one layer at a time

Layers of beauty!

Mixed in a bowl, my jar's to small!

Ready to be used.

Ready to use with instructions!

Making Tomato Powder

 Waste not want not right?  So when we were peeling tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce I just had to save the skins.  I put them in the dehydrator and let them dry till crispy.  The plan is to make tomato powder.  After they are crispy put them in a bag and smash and mash till its powder!  Viola! Tomato powder.  What can you do with it?  Come back and I'll show you how to make Powdered Cream of Tomato Soup.

Getting Rid of Bugs with Dill!

 I found a a disturbing sight when I went into the garden yesterday.  My beet tops eaten to stubs.  With a closer look I found the little bugger doing the job.  A gray and blacked dotted beetle.  Even worse they were starting to enjoy my squash plants.  I did notice that the beetle did not go near the squash plant that was near dill.  Happy Day!  I did dust the beets with Diatomaceous Earth, to kill them off.  Be careful with Diatomaceous Earth!  It is not a discriminatory killer!  It will kill all bugs that happen to touch it.  This morning I went out and watered the garden and made sure the poison washed off. 

 Wouldn't want a bee getting poisoned while pollinating the garden.  I

See the little gray beetles? 

Even leaving their mark on my squash plants!

Same plant just had dill by the leaves!!

After being dusted with poison.  Saved the female blossom.