Getting Off The Grid - Sowing Seeds And A Week On The Homestead

Have you ever wondered when the garden centers bought their tomato plants from a greenhouse so that in April you can buy them? Some are small and some are in huge pots and already have baby green tomatoes.

I know the answer! Well, for the people here in Alabama - zone 7.

Now! Yes right now the greenhouses sow the seed so that everyone who buys plants will have them, ready and waiting to go in the garden. Before this homestead I never thought about it, then I decided to try this out myself.

The first time I sowed my own tomato seed I had nice lush plants when April came around, I planted them in my flower beds by the deck, I had six plants. For the garden I needed twenty five plants so I bought those from the local garden center. The results were astonishing! I got more tomatoes off my six tomato plants than I did from all twenty five of the store bought ones planted in the garden, plus mine were still producing when the freeze came, the garden plants were dead, long gone and plowed under.

I am still to this day not sure why my tomatoes did so much better.

BUT......

Last year I decided to get an extra month, so I planted a batch in December. They grew tall and loved being inside the house, even had a few tomatoes because I pollinated them but they were weak when I got them outside into the garden they did not do well.

So, going with what I know, I sowed one batch of beef steak tomato seed on January 20th. and on the 27th. they were busting through the dirt so I have babies.

I am actually waiting on the seed to arrive by mail for the big boy tomatoes, I will sow those as soon as possible. I like a variety of tomatoes.

Homestead Progress

 How was my week? Here is how far I have gotten on getting this homestead a working and money making place. 

Embrace the seasons, whether its warm and sunny or cold and windy. There is always work on the homestead and if you think about it you can always do something, even if you feel its something small, you are still moving toward your goal.

Sunday it was cold outside but there was still sunshine, after working a couple hours you really are not cold anymore. I cut down a pine tree, then cleaned the branches off, I will use the tree. I cut down more small bushes and toted them down to the pile to be burned later in the winter, after they dry. I got my first blister of the year and popped it while working.

Monday it was still cool but the temps getting a little warmer, I raked up all the chopped up blackberry bushes and leaves, cleaning the ground. I began to clean another smaller area where I have windows and the grass and blackberry vines were grown up.

Tuesday was nice outside but slightly windy so I waited for the wind to calm down since I had planned to burn the huge pile of dead, dried blackberry bushes. I had to go into town and I spotted new seed. I bought beets and eggplant seed. When I got back home just about dark the winds were calm and I burned the pile, with a water hose on near.

Wednesday - Rain a few sprinkles in the morning and then the bottom fell out, rain had set in so I took this as a day off. I actually slept and rested my body.

Thursday the rain was gone but left me with a soaked and flooded in spots homestead. Now where many would be down in the dumps about this I was not, I was actually thrilled. I could see where the water had pooled, I could see the higher areas not really seen with the naked eye. I could see the homestead in the future. The cold came in and knocked the temperature back to 45 degrees, I did about an hour of clipping down another section of the dead blackberry bushes and than I went to work for the rest of the day.

Friday - No matter what the temps were I had sunshine, so I went out and got started  in the area I am clearing I clipped using the loppers and I started me another pile, small pile of dead to burn. This area is the hardest because it has dead vines also, while I did not work but a couple hours I got something accomplished.

Saturday was a little warmer and I got the saw back out, I had this pine down but the small branches had to come off, I cleaned it and moved it out with the others to be used. I cut the lower branches off another small pine so I could clean the vines and blackberry bushes away so I can cut it down. I got another small area cut back but this area has some live blackberry bushes and they were brutal, I got slapped back and it got my hand, leaving a few thorns and a lot of blood. I got my revenge! I chopped it and raked it to the burn pile.

Sunday the temps were back up around 60 degrees. I did not work on the area I am clearing instead I worked all around the homestead. Seems there is trash no matter what I do, in the woods too. I got up a couple black bags of just plain old trash! I said out loud " How did this trash get here? I don`t remember throwing this stuff on the ground." I also put the water hose up, filled the dogs self feeding bin and straightened the shed, very little but some is better than nothing.

Do I see a difference? Heck yeah!

Each tree down, each section raked I see this becoming a money making homestead, with a variety of goods and not just what I can provide in the online store, Sunshine`s Homestead Creations.

How was your pasted week on your homestead? 

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid- Its Been One Week

January in Alabama can be a wild ride, one day the temperature will be 66° and the next day it will be 35°, one day sunshine the next a flash flood so you really have to work around or with the weather. The second week of January was cloudy but not to bad on the temps, the third week a little more sun and warmer temps, till Sunday and a cold front pushed in, however, I went with the changes to make the positive changes here, on the homestead. 

Last week I did manage to get back to the clearing of land by hand with electric saw and loppers, a few days around normal "go make a living work" and a day of rain.

Progress :

The area I am working on has had blackberry bushes to grow, produce and die. This was always an area I could not get into to pick the berries because of the overgrown bushes, much less clean up the dead. Its difficult cutting the dead into smaller pieces to rake up but I am managing.

By me starting at the edge and working my way into this area, cutting whatever is in my path, has been the best way to get this area cleaned up and once again usable.

Sunday although it was cold at 35° with a little wind I still got out and put in a couple hours of work. I cut down two pine trees, cleaned the branches off of them and pulled them aside, I will cut those and use for posts. I piled the branches just outside the garden area, when the needles die and fall off I can use the small branches. They will be cut up, for kindling. The dogs had a good time being with me in the fields, a change from the backyard. 

Planting :

Yes, you read that right! I usually plant by the moon and have success so this past weekend was the full moon, the lunar eclipse, blood moon. A good time to sow seed.

I sowed seed for the first round of tomatoes, I received the seed for the "beefsteak" type of tomato in the mail and I planted about 100 plants,  about 16 with their own pot and the rest a mass planting in a huge pot to be transplanted when big enough. The 16 will go into the ground as soon as last frost, maybe in the flower beds, depends on how far I am around the homestead when that time comes.

I am still waiting for the big boy tomato seeds to arrive.

In The Garden:

I am still getting curly mustard, kale and turnip greens with turnips, from the garden. God blessed me this year with more than enough and I have shared, still will of anyone wants more. I intend to home can another case if possible before the tilling for the spring garden.

This Weeks Plans :

I have two projects that needs to be done, one is to begin to build the first of six buildings. The other is to finish clearing and clean the one area for a building. 

Buy seed for sweet bell pepper, we eat those a lot so I need to get plants going inside. 

What did you accomplish on your homestead this passed week?

Stop by and check out "Sunshine`s Homestead Creations" online store, I have specials monthly. 

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

Getting Off The Grid- January Work

I know most people think its winter so homesteaders don`t do anything but sit inside and enjoy the benefits of what they canned and froze all summer. But if I did that I would always be behind and never get caught up. 

For my homestead January is time to  clear off gown up bushes and cut down small trees, there are no snakes or poison oak to trip over.

Last Saturday, January 12th.,  I went out and I began one of the projects I have as a goal for 2019 ( Read more about that here : 2019 Goals ) I had to cut back the ground cover, that consist of over grown dead grass and blackberry bushes, once I got that cleaned off I cut down all the small bushes with the loppers.

Rain came in so I took Sunday office.

Monday it was not sunny, nor warm. Just around 50 degrees with a slight breeze, but I did not allow that to stop me, this time I got out the saw and I cut down 27 small trees, Privet. Some were as big as a golf ball and some were as big around as coffee cups, only two were pines, I trimmed off the branches and saved the trees to use for posts.  

I worked for several hours so I did not get cold at all.

The section I am clearing is more or less 12 feet wide and 20 feet long. I have almost got it squared off, when I do I will rake it clean.

What did I do with the cut down brush? I dragged it a block away down by the road so the city can pick it up, Yes I maybe be country but its still the city limits and they will do this brush pick up now, thank goodness!

This is one winter I hope to get all the grown up  areas cut down and ready to set up the buildings. 

One building will be a greenhouse for sure, not like the disaster hoop greenhouse from last year, but one made from wood and windows. If its Gods will.

That is what is happening on my homestead, how about yours? 

Speaking of homesteads, be sure to check out Sunshine`s Homestead Creations, I have added Valentine Specials! 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Pixabay

Getting Off The Grid - Goals Year 2019

Here we are with another year on the homestead, full of hopes, dreams and hard work. Making plans for the vegetable garden is a must in January.

"Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds."

Gordon B. Hinckley

Although solar power is the biggest goal every year, I have to wait till I feel its time. Same with well water. While both are costly, its always the main goal for this homestead.

Excitement! For 2019

While some people are just now getting their life back into order, making resolutions for a better self for the coming year, I am making my "goals" for the homestead. 

I really can`t call them resolutions because there is nothing to resolve, just things to accomplish anew. 

 

Here are a few goals for the homestead 2019 : 

1 - Get the Trees! I have always dreamed of having a pecan orchard, maple trees to tap for syrup and a couple more for their year round giving.

2 - Clear off more land. Keeping the woods cut back is always a job waiting, every year it gets thicker and thicker.

3 - Learn more about mushrooms and wild edibles on this homestead.

4 - Get the store set up, Sunshine`s Homestead Creations, on this land and let the land make me a living. 

5 - Make cold frames for year round gardening. 

6- Add those 4 buildings, this will help tremendously. 

That is a few things I want to do to get started. 

What Is New? 

 I do have the three new maple trees planted so that is already a start toward my #1 goal. 

This year I cannot trust the seed companies that put the seed in those little packets for us, last year all the tomatoes were tiny but listed as Big Boy and other types of tomatoes. I am ordering my seeds.

Making the plan of where the crops will go, I must rotate to get the most benefits. 

Already laying out the plan to clear out small bushes for the first of the buildings.

How about you, got anything going on or planned for the homestead 2019?

By Andria Perry

Photo by Pixabay