Took the plunge
 

I've been wanting to learn how to garden/store food, but I live in a condo. I know a couple in my church that has gardened and canned forever.

So, I volunteered to help him with his garden in exchange for learning and some food at the end of the summer. He said, they even had so many canning jars, I wouldn't need to purchase any.

He seemed eager to teach me and I think to have another person work. I'm looking forward to learning and getting the food. He owns his land and all of the gardening supplies all ready. I have a 30 year old back (actually all of me is 30!).

I know there are community farms, but they cost a fair amount of money to join.

Maybe for others of you who don't know how to garden or don't have the room, this could be a good way to go.

Re: Took the plunge
 

When Honest men.....meet on honest terms........Both benefit well beyond the scope of the intial transaction.

Proof postive that when The State minds its own dam business There is much Freedom and productivity for the Peoples.

Great share my Good Man :ok:

T

Re: Took the plunge
 

Good! Glad to hear this worked out for you. I know they'll be generous with you, and if the world falls apart sooner than we expect then you will have a strong bond with someone else -- social networks are going to be crucial if/when our country finally collapses into the history books.

Now... how about a goat for your patio ;)

Re: Took the plunge
 

I don't think the HOA would go for the goat! But he probably would keep the stray cats off our patio.

Re: Took the plunge
 

Got any ah....restaraunts around your way? Tastes like chicken.... apparently. :wink: Fur can make a good lining for mocasins and the like. Got to tan it right though. Can't be much harder than rabbit IMO

Re: Took the plunge
 

So you don't think you're a youngster anymore. Well, I'm approaching my 64th birthday and prepping the garden for this year. Want to plant the peas this weekend or next and get the taters in by the beginning of April. It doesn't get easier with the passing years. But it's always seems doable. Go for it, kiddo!

Re: Took the plunge
 

I was in the same situation where I wanted to grow some of my own food and learn to store it. Went ahead and bought the supplies and did the research, and now feel I have a decent working knowledge of canning process. Had the best luck by placing want ads in Craigslist for jars; had many people kindly offer to donate their jars and knowledge. Also, have found enough neighbors with extra fruit/vegs to can for some time.

Funny, almost 30 myself; so maybe some of our generation is realizing the importance of self-sufficiency? :ok:

Re: Took the plunge
 

Tack me onto the "Almost 30 List"

Gonna get getting my garden started hopefully this weekend. Shouldn't cost too much but we'll see.

Once all that is grown then I'll do the canning thing.

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This thread makes me happy. I think a lot of cooperative gardening will go on. And it is great that people who did not grow up with gardens are learning. The food is SO MUCH better, even if by good fortune the markets and our pockets remain full, and we may need it.

Re: Took the plunge
 

Funny, my neighbor offered us a plot in their yard for us to extend our garden under the condition we share and they help tend. They were rather envious of last year's garden especially when we shared the crop.

Re: Took the plunge
 

We were going to extend our garden this year. We only have one concern. We have drought conditions here. I am hoping we can figure out some ways to plant things and still keep the garden going under these conditions with a decent return at the same time.

It frustrates me though, I see my neighbor watering their weeds and washing their car all the time and think to myself what I could do with that water myself! I would try to start storing water now be we get mosquitoes so bad in this area that the birds area are reported to get sick. I am also not sure I could sufficiently store enough for the summer for the space that I have.

This summer will be interesting. I still plan to plant, I am just not sure how it is all going to work out.

Re: Took the plunge
 

You can put a screen top on a rain barrel so water gets in but not mosquitos.

Re: Took the plunge
 

Even though we (wife & I) have put out some garden almost from the start well over 30 years ago, the only time we didn't have one was the first 4-5 yrs when we lived where we couldn't. We now have the largest area ever to plant and the largest garden space mostly almost ready to go in. Just waiting on the weather, but I think the onions and maybe peas could be planted any day now.

Some of our gardens are actually permanent (well as not being annual) like berry plants - stuff you do have to dig out and relocate from time to time.

I actually have the space if someone was interested in a garden and didn't have a place, I wouldn't mind at all if they wanted to plant one for themselves. Trouble is, even when we have more than we can use, it is hard to find someone who isn't too lazy to come pick. They want it all picked washed and delivered. Then they act like they are doing us a favor taking it off our hands. Lot of stupid, self-centered, lazy people out there.

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Mosquitoes don't work out so well in water treated with bacterium thurengensis. Use it anywhere you have standing water. Rain barrels may be screened but the top of the barrel holds enough water for them to breed.

Re: Took the plunge
 

yeah, it's spreading in my little are of the world to. Got a neighbor putting in a Square foot garden, I myself am gonna some experiments and see what produces the biggest/best food. Figure things are good now so it's time to run trials. :-)

Re: Took the plunge
 

Me, too.... and I'm setting my place up so I can take on apprentices and teach how to preserve the harvest.

I've always been a garden girl, but it wasn't until I was in my 30's that i really got serious about it. Teaching yourself to can food isn't too hard and it's a great idea to get your equipment now if you don't have it already.

Re: Took the plunge
 

I look forward to trying the fresh produce. The man who is helping me loves his beets. I told him that I hate beets, but all I've ever had is canned. He says the fresh ones are great. I'll give a try!

I think the exercise/work will be good for me too. I'm going to try to ride my bike to his house too; it's a few miles away.

I hope this will help us financially too. Our (wife and me) food budget is $120 a month (we do eat out a few times that is not part of that).

Re: Took the plunge
 

Fresh beets are a lot better but don't get the juice on your clothes. It might as well be dye.

Yellow squash is completely different fresh. Store stuff is bitter and mushy. Fresh picked is delicate, firm, and sweet.

And they have a lot more nutrients. Every minute after picking, the bare fact is, produce is like a corpse rotting. It just goes downhill. Fresh stuff is incredibly better.

We pick right before cooking. Though not everything gets cooked. Sugar snap peas are so yummy we graze.