Getting Off The Grid - Buying For The Homestead

Rain. The past week has been solid rain. Yes we need rain in this area because of the threat of drought but not all in one week!

With the rain falling everyday and the cloudy days the garden area cannot dry out enough for the tiller to run a row for beets and cold weather plants. Maybe I will turn the green house into a growing tunnel instead, and forget about the potted plants. We will see, this maybe the the change of plans for me in the future. 

On The Homestead: 

Since it has been raining I have not done nothing outside but the temps are staying mild and that part is something I do enjoy, but the grass is turning green and I am not ready for that :) 

So.....

While I was out and about I stopped at Lowe`s home improvement center to get another bag of connectors for the electric fence that I will put for the dogs in a few days, what I seen was nice! Grape vines on sale from $10.98 down to just $3.00! I got five and they had a couple fig bushes as well so I bought one of those for my sister, her yard is bare and needs some life!

Now I need to look at the homestead and decided where to put the grape vines.

Want to get started at home and not get in the crowds? Just click the link below and get started! Delivered right to your front door!

For The Garden :

Last week was a good week for sowing seed and that is just what I did and this week I have babies. 

The tomato seeds burst out and are growing tall.

The garlic is making an appearance as well, sine this is my first at growing garlic this will be a learning experience as well.

The tomato plants are blooming, soon I will play the bee and pollinate them myself.

The eggplants are slow growing so it`ll be weeks before I re-pot them or set them out into the garden.

Want to start tomatoes at home?  click the link below and get started, the bigger the plants the faster you`ll get tomatoes from your garden when planting begins! Click the link below and pick your favorite tomato and have them delivered to you!

The Stockpile :

Last week I did not have anything from my homestead to can so I did what I would usually do, see what is low and restock it if possible. I did.

Around here the pickled meats are enjoyed, I would also like to enjoy them but I am cutting out pork and beef and most of the hot dogs or sausages are made of both. So I bought myself turkey sausages (using coupons) and I home canned myself a batch and another batch for the rest, a total of 11 pint jars. 

Want to home can but scared? Do as I did and read this book, it changed my life! I will now always have food no matter if its in season or not, because I got over the fear of home canning. click the link below and get started!

The Learning : 

I have to say that everyday on the homestead is a learning experience because nothing is ever the same. From getting rain to no rain, the pest and the need of fertilizer to building fences. 

But .....

From the books I bought I learn the most about how to do things and this is the best book I have "EVER" read. I have learned so much. 

For instance, I thought that the nursery used the black plastic on the ground for weed and grass control but that is not the only reason, its to make the ground a few degrees warmer so you can grow earlier! Since some plants require and certain ground temperature the black plastic heats the soil making it just right for the jump start on growing. 

You never get to old to learn! Books is how I learn the most, I will share the link to where I bought this book below.

How is life on your home stead? 

By Andria Perry

Photo by Andria Perry

You Might Also Like : Life in February

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Getting Off The Grid - Life In February

growing  tomato plants in pots

So far life is good, No snow and plenty of rain and mild temps. Not our typical February here in central Alabama and glad its not.

On The Homestead :

Last week I started on the fence and clearing an area for the dogs, so I continued with this work and on that area. 

More about this click here : learning and organizing 

Saturday I went to work and made another section of the fence and got it up, leaving only four feet left for me to complete. The total fenced in area on one side will be 6 feet tall and 20 feet long.

Next I cleaned out the shed, there was just to much stuff in there that I did not need so I got most of it out and recycled or tossed into the trash.

Tuesday came around and I took a few more hours to work on the dogs area and the shed. I cleaned out another small area of the shed and nothing went back in, its all to be recycled, I just have a small section left and I will finish that when I get some type of shelf up for what junk I am keeping. 

I clipped down more of the small bushes and picked up trash that had accumulated under the leaves, some of it is not even mine, I found beer cans and no one here drinks.

I plan to finish the fence and put up a section of wire fencing and the dogs area will be done, giving them about 200 feet to run and play, sunshine or shade.

For The Garden :

Today was a good day to sow seeds according to the farmer almanac so I sowed a huge pot with tomato seed, another with sweet green bell pepper seed and one more with garlic. These pepper and tomato plants will go into the garden in around 8 weeks, if its Gods will.

I have never grown garlic so I hope it goes well, I know it should be set in the garden but I do not have a space cleaned so I planted them in this huge plastic meat container until I can get a space fixed for garlic.

The baby eggplants are growing. More of  bell pepper plants got transplanted into bigger pots and so did a couple tomatoes.

While cleaning the shed I found more large pots and more mulch, both will be used soon.

The Stockpile :

I have not added anything but jars, the jars after we ate the contents :)

The Learning :

I have not gathered anymore materials to read but I have learned that with determination you can get what you want from the earth, growing food is not all that hard when you learn what plants like it cold, hot and mild. What plants like it wet and which plants like it dry.

And that is why I love to read about plants that will feed me for years to come.

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

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Getting Off The Grid - Learning And Organizing

Its February 2nd. and it seems that the old groundhog "Phil" seen his shadow so more Winter for the USA. But from an entire life of experience its always cold here in central Alabama in February, as a matter of fact its always the coldest month.

When I think about Spring I usually think April in terms of getting ready to plant in the garden. But let me tell you something, maybe I can plant some things earlier! 

I am learning to organize the plants. YES you read right. I am organizing how I can plant and I gained this knowledge from others and their books.

On The Homestead :

starting a fence

We have had warm weather for a week with the cold coming back in today, but not so bitter for the days but colder for a few nights.

I did not do anything outside that pertains to gardening but I have been clearing and cleaning out another 20 x 15 foot area for the dogs. While I am just removing the smaller brush and leaving the medium and large size hedge bushes so that the dogs will have a nice cool area to lounge for the Summer. I am also cleaning up some of the human mess, seems a homestead can get pretty piled up if you are not careful, got to learn what to keep and what not to keep.

I worked out there for a few hours last week and I must say I got more accomplished than I expected in such a short time.

In one area I want a block, something to block the wind and nosy people, it also will double as part of the dogs fence.

first section of fence.

I looked around in the " I will use later" pile of lumber and I began to build the fence, I am sure I will have enough to finish my small but effective project. 

For The Garden :

Baby eggplant

Today I was especially happy to see the new babies! I have baby eggplants. These will stay inside with me till probably May and since I have started seed inside I am hoping to begin to get eggplants earlier than the fall of the year. I know I will sow more in around a month so that I can have fresh eggplant all the way till the first freeze.

Baby cabbage

The cabbage babies are getting very leggy. I will have to learn when to get them hardened off and into the garden.

Tomato plant

The tomato plants are thriving. Soon I will have to tie them to sticks to keep them from falling over. The bell peppers and basil are also growing so good.

The Stockpile :

Last week I cleaned out the pantry and its a shame but a couple boxes of home canned foods got pushed in the back. I went ahead and emptied the jars, washed them and put them with the other empty jars. All of this was old, as in I would not feel safe eating, because the date was from 2010 and 2012. 

I have not home canned anything but I did buy turkey smoked sausage to make my pickled sausages. I made a case for Tony but his is with real pork smoked sausages, I am not fond of pork so I will sooner than later make my own with the turkey. Not that healthy but sometimes we all like to be bad, or at least eat bad.

I am enjoying the food that I have home canned and I have been buying less from the grocery store.

The Learning :

my new book

Over the past year I have been really digging into what I want to know, I am seeking knowledge about how I want to run my homestead and what foods I want to grow, what goods I want to make and sell, so how do I get what I need? 

Books. I learn from others. Is that not what we also do in school?

So far I have books on herbal medicine, Maple syrup, Greenhouses and more. 

But the best information I have learned this past week is to learn to organize the seed packs. Not just vegetables, flowers and herbs but  to place them into categories of what months to plant each. This is what I have been needing, I often want to plant something but only to find out its time has already passed so I wait for another year.

I also invested a little in another book, year round vegetable garden. While I know how to grow food in the Spring and Summer I want to know how to keep fresh foods going year round. I think I made a good choice with this book, I have not hardly been able to put it down.

By getting my planing organized I can reap the benefits year round.

I am so glad I ma open minded and willing to learn from others accomplishments and their failures. 

What is going on at your homestead?

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

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