Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

Hey summertime! How are you managing this? I'd like to hear more about your gardening story. Thanks so much!!

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

First thing is we live in Oregon and tend to have mild winters. We are also a part of a community co-op where we can trade things we have extra of for things we do not grow. (since dh LOVES to grow strange varieties of tomatoes...we always have a TON of these)
We have three methods that have increased the amount of produce which we grow.
#1 We begin seeds EARLY in a mini green house on out porch. Starting your own seeds allows you to begin gardening before veggie starts are out at the store. We also have investigated and planned out garden to assure that we are growing something for every season. Right now we have peas and onions we can harvest outside. Our goal is to have something we can pick at all times...granted summer is a bounty, but in fall and winter we stager starting squash. We always start early and keep going until winter takes over.
#2 We also garden inside. We have an unfinished basement in which we have hung a fluorescent light and a halide light that we use to grow summer veggies in the winter. We offset this extra power usage by trying to only ever have the light on in the room we are using. Our electric bill went up less then $5. We currently have a tomato, a hanging strawberry, bell peppers, and lettuce ready to harvest inside.
#3 We have our most attention needing plants by our front door (this is the door we use the most) By placing our plants in a place we walk by everyday we are able to see if anything needs our love...

As for being organic we use fish emoltion (sp?) at fertilizer (which is the smelliest stuff ever) . We use beer to catch the dang slugs that are so against our garden.

My recommendations to someone who would like to try the same thing - start early (NOW) and do research to see what grows in late fall/winter in your area. We have not figured out how to grow anything outside in dec-feb (which is why we started our indoor garden) but dh is working on that. Once we buy a home dh will build a permanent green house. Also protect your veggies during clod nights with cloth (burlap or old sheets)

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

that is my dh 's dream too!! with the right greens in cooler months and such, he keeps saying that it should be farely easy...

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

It really is easy. I would have to say that the hardest part was in the kitchen. Some of the veggies were things I did not know how to cook. Our winter veggies are mainly squashes, potatoes, yams, kale, and lettus and I am not a big squash eater so I had to learn how to make them in a way that I would eat. It was very important to us so I kind of forced myself to learn.

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

I keep thinking I'd like to go paperless billing... I already organize my bills in Excel and almost all of our bills are paid electronically though my bank. My bank statements come through my email. :think

If anyone wants to share how paperless billing works, I'd love to hear... do you get your statements via email?

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

yes ..they send you an e-mail that lets you know when your statement is ready online with the link to it. You can then pay with your card or your bank account and such...very easy!

It really is easy. I would have to say that the hardest part was in the kitchen. Some of the veggies were things I did not know how to cook. Our winter veggies are mainly squashes, potatoes, yams, kale, and lettus and I am not a big squash eater so I had to learn how to make them in a way that I would eat. It was very important to us so I kind of forced myself to learn.
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Well we have not had a garden this last year because we bought this house and we were always on the move :phew BUT we bought our veggies from our local organic farm and we pay $17 a week for a box full of veggies....(YUMMY, beautiful veggies!!! :P~) And we do not get to choose what you buy and that has taught SOOOOO much about cooking some veggies that I would have never bought or grown before!! She includes recipes with the box and you can also include your reipes for others to share. I have :heart this!! (+you have to hurry and cook them that week because whether you are ready or not, you get a new box every week!! :phew)
To be honnest, I almost don't want to start a garden...having access to cheap, organic, yummy veggies.....almost all year round :O

PS: have you tried squash soups (with 2-3 potatoes) it is an easy and YUMMY (for me) way to "get rid" of a lot of squash in one time....

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

Natalia, Our co-op does the veggie box too. We get one for exchange of our surplus. We in part began to garden because we do not enjoy mowing the lawn and it gets us outside more. That is where it started and it has grown from there.

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

:yes I hear you there!!

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

I did this too! Forgot to mention it. :) I love it too.

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

It gets too cold(freezes) and the organisms and bacteria can't do their work and break it down.

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

yes, and for us, there is so much snow that we cant even get out to the box. dh doesnt really want a bunch of composting food next to our house either, because of the smell ;) and also we dont want bears and stray dogs up close to the house :shrug

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

I composted for years but had to quit due to the raccoons, opossums, dogs, etc. that the pile attracted. I live in the woods in a rather rural area, and eventually I got a baby opossum in my basement and that was that.

Oh, and coyotes.

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

well for us...it has not been a problem...
and we have not yet used our compost ...it is more of a way of disposing of our veggies right now.. :giggle
We figure when it gets warm (which is starting already) it will start cooking again... :shrug
And maybe we will get to use it someday....

But yeah I could see how if you live in a very rural area it might be a problem... :think

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

yeah, thats kind of how it is for us right now too. We havent actually been able to use it yet, Im sure it would be fine to freeze and then work in the summer. I just dont know where I would put it all. I am thinking maybe even a big garbage can with a sturdy lid or something, but a bear even took off with one of those last year so :shrug

Re: Treading lightly on the earth
 

We have a compost bin somewhat like this for $25 from our local coop, they did a preorder on them and the price was great. :tu Ours isn't being used just yet, we'll be starting in a month or so (back door isn't usable right now) but my parents live in the country and have two of them- they use them year around and they don't have problems with critters.