Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Dallas News.com ^ | March 14th, 2008 | DEAN FOSDICK

[nw_arizona_granny]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

[snipped]

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

[nw_arizona_granny]

Wonderful, larger pots for the tomato plants and how lucky you are.

Why is it so much more pleasing to hit a jackpot like you dear one did, than to go to the store and buy them?

Something in our genes, I suspect.

If you are already selling plants, look out, the greenhouse will want to grow faster than you ever dreamed.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Last night I related your stories of having hogs as well as goats. I think I’m going to get a hog or two now also. LOL - YOU are helping me get exactly the things I want. <<<

Why do I think you are using me.......I am laughing.

Of course, once you get all that goat milk, you should get a calf and raise it on the goat milk, it will be healthier.

And lambs like goat milk, as do the ducks and geese and chickens.

And like the greenhouse, the goat herd grows and soon, there are more than you can milk.

Be careful about the size of the teats, I like a big old goat with a big bag and big teats.

My hand is large, I am a large boned person, and I have had arthritis in them most of my life.

A goat with a cute ‘win at the fair’ bag and small teats, would really cause me pain.

Bill had small hands and rarely milked, that was the deal I had to make, in order to get the goats and cow. But when he did it did hurt him, even in his sleep, he would be trying to work the pain out of his hands.

Some women want fur and diamonds, I want a blank check at the nursery and a few pets, so what if my pets are goats, hogs and cows.

Smile.

[nw_arizona_granny]

After all, he leaves work and takes a trip across town BEFORE driving 50 miles home to bring me free pots!!! How much better can it get? <<<

That is as fine as it gets.

It makes me smile, I am so happy for you.

[nw_arizona_granny]

LOL, he actually showed up, but the part didn’t fit, so he will be back tomorrow.

About 10 pm, the phone rang, it was him [Bob], he was sure he had forgotten to tighten back a connector and was afraid that it might come loose during the night, so drove across the valley, maybe 20 miles between us, and fixed it.

Said he was almost asleep, when it dawned on him that he had left it loose.

He looked like he had been in bed. AND thank God, he was sober, nothing like a surprise trip, to find out about someone.

LOL, yes, I was nervous as all get out, when he called and said he was coming to tighten it........so I got my defender within reach and did a little praying and it was fine.

[JDoutrider]

I just completed a large order from HeirloomAcresseeds...

Will let you know how they do!

I really ordered way to much, but if stored correctly the seeds should hold me over for a good while.

On their front page they state that due to the economic uncertainties they strongly suggest everyone order seeds NOW! True to their word, they are already posting categories that are indeed sold out! So you procrastinators out there better get with it, the coming storm will be much easier if you know right out your window grows tummies full of good eats!

[nw_arizona_granny]

US-CERT Current Activity

Mozilla Releases Firefox Updates

Original release date: February 4, 2009 at 8:57 am
Last revised: February 4, 2009 at 8:57 am

Mozilla has released Firefox 3.0.6 to address multiple
vulnerabilities. Exploitation of these vulnerabilities may allow an
attacker to execute arbitrary code, obtain sensitive information, or
conduct cross-site scripting attacks. As described in the Mozilla
Foundation Security Advisories, some of these vulnerabilities may also
affect Thunderbird and SeaMonkey.

US-CERT encourages users to do the following to help mitigate the
risks:
* Review the Mozilla Foundation Security Advisory.
* Update to Firefox 3.0.6.

Relevant Url(s):
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/

http://www.mozilla.org/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox30.html#firefox3.0.6

---

This entry is available at
http://www.us-cert.gov/current/index.html#mozilla_releases_firefox_updates

[I use Firefox, and like it, once you switch, you will never go back to Explorer, it is faster, cleaner and has fewer problems.
granny]

[nw_arizona_granny]

On their front page they state that due to the economic uncertainties they strongly suggest everyone order seeds NOW! True to their word, they are already posting categories that are indeed sold out! <<<

That is about what I expected to happen.

I am even hearing folks on the political talk shows, say they are planting a garden this year.

To me, it is not only the shortage of money, but also the danger of food shortages and contamination of foods.

Grow all you can, as fast as you can.

Smile....

[WestCoastGal]

Wow great idea. I also like the little sterno cooker and it’s cheap too.

I used to keep sterno on hand when I lived in California because of the threat of earthquakes.

Thank you for the detailed explanation of how to make the cooker out of the coffee and tuna cans. Very easy to understand. :)

[WestCoastGal]

Oh yes I do remember, that was a very special gift especially from a non Nascar person. lol Have you used that yet?

I am sure when the perfect spot comes along it will be yours. God lays out things for us when the time is right and in this case when the land is perfect for you. Hoping he understands about the planting season which I am sure he does. :D

Do you have deer problems in your area? They are very plentiful here and I always drive into town carefully. I did have one jump out in front of me but thankfully she did not stop - one hop and then another hop off the road but it was like within 5 feet of my front bumper.

[WestCoastGal]

I probably won’t make that move. The elevation is like 7000 feet and I remember how sick I was for about two weeks when we moved to Wyoming. Not to mention I’m beginning to hate cold weather.

I do miss the mountains and the beauty of that type of country but it’s also quite isolated being about an hour from Taos which isn’t all that big itself. It takes me an hour to get to the big city here, but at least there are my favorite stores.

So, it does sound good having free rent and all, but the drawbacks may outweigh all of that.

[Ditter]

heh heh I am a granny too and I completely understand your problem. In one ear and most of it goes out the other.

[WestCoastGal]

"The Good Lord, He answers our prayers. ;-) "

Amen, I've been so worried and it's hard to help from far away but God can do miracles everywhere.

[WestCoastGal]

LOL, yes it’s always good to have a defender nearby just in case. :)

[Wneighbor]

There are so many greenhouses and plantations in this county of Marijuana, that they suspect everyone.

So, you see why I have to specify that I grow and root mints and scented geraniums to make a few extra dollars some days. I gave up on using the generic term "herbs." I got really tired of smirks and slanted remarks about my planting. I love the scented plants. I am allergic to most perfume and such but give me lavender, mint, lemon verbena and so on and I can live in paradise. Cutting and selling offshoots gives some extra cash but I do not refer to it as selling herbs anymore! LOL

Lloyd had seen my habit of stockpiling for emergencies as something of a novelty our first couple of years together. He would listen to me expound upon why and comment that he thought it was good sense but continued to believe himself that things would always remain as they have always been for him. For the last 6 months he has believed me more and more. This is a blessing to me as he had me worried sometimes. I can only do so much without him on board. He is getting there now. With that said, I can see that the practicality of a large attached greenhouse will happen when we can manage it.

I like our local cop. He is a good guy and has helped me a number of times in the past. But, I too, think he stopped by to check my greenhouse. I noticed that when I was gone during Christmas that someone had been in my greenhouse but nothing was missing or moved, only the door was shut differently when I came home. LOL - bless him, he's been good to me and I think he has a really good heart.

[Wneighbor]

yes, we would have a ball planting all those seeds.

Yes ma'am. And all the things are so much nicer when they are just randomly planted in the landscape! Gardens are great and need companion planting also but my "garden" plants get put all around the house in "flower beds" and everywhere there's the "right spot." A whole town like that could literally *feed* the whole town even if only some of the people looked after the plants.

Traditional flower beds and shrubs are nice I guess, but I like all my plants to have more purpose. Almost everything gives me food, tea, healing or something. I want useful stuff out of the beauty of my beds. And there are *so* many plain old easy care flowers and shrubs that are food, seasoning, tea or medicine that I see no reason for a lot of the ornamental beds people have. Yes, they are not my beds and they are pretty. But, I'd like those people to let me show them the *possibilities!*

[Wneighbor]

Why is it so much more pleasing to hit a jackpot like you dear one did, than to go to the store and buy them? Something in our genes, I suspect.

Yep. You know that stereotype of the frugal (chinchy) Scotsmen? My grandfather was one of those. Could be something genetic there.

If you are already selling plants, look out, the greenhouse will want to grow faster than you ever dreamed.

That's kinda the reason I ended up getting the greenhouse. I was using plastic over poles on the back porch combined with the living room and dining room. We were not able to sit much for plants. LOL There was only a path and 2 chairs accessable in each room.

I carried *most* of the things in the house out to the greenhouse when I got it so we have some space now. But, I brought home a bromeliad from a friend last week that needed to have the pups potted. I have all that in the living room now. I've got the large mother plant and 6 baby bromeliads in there now. It's crowded again but I'm taking them all back except one of the pups today so that'll be cleared out tonight.

And I still have the poles and plastic on the back porch with some of the hardy plants in it. Plastic's got rips in several places so I put hardy stuff in there and it's still good for that. I duct taped the plastic but it's so old it just found new places to tear, we only used the cheap painter's stuff because we did expect to have a new place before that wore out.

[DelaWhere]

Granny, I had given up on milking goats due to arthritis, but will be starting again later this year after a friend told me about this item:

UDDERLY EZ MILKER

“This milker udderly revolutionized my life. I use it everyday, twice a day, on two goats. Buck Wheeler sent me a large container to snap onto the pump, since the mare milker bottle only holds 16 ounces. I get a half-gallon per milking, twice a day, from each goat. But with this pump it doesn’t take a lot of squeezing; I squeeze the trigger maybe five times to create the necessary vacuum and then sit there and watch the milk flow. When the flow slows down to almost nothing, I squeeze it again. The bottle attached to the pump fills in a minute or two--much quicker than milking by hand--with just a few squeezes on the trigger.”

“It’s a precision tool; each part fits perfectly so nothing falls out or goes wrong, and it’s easy to clean. It’s totally carefree. I have never been so enthusiastic about any aid in my life!”

“The milker is easy on the udder, and the goats like it because milking is so comfortable and quick.” - Dorothy Shaw, dairy goat enthusiast

I particularly like the idea of 'non-electric' -

I certainly miss the goat milk ice cream, cheese, etc., and since I have no more of the 30+ quart bags that I had frozen for treats for my chickens, right after spring kidding, I will be getting another nubian.

[Wneighbor]

Why do I think you are using me.......I am laughing.

Well, I'm glad you don't mind!!!

Some women want fur and diamonds, I want a blank check at the nursery and a few pets, so what if my pets are goats, hogs and cows.

Lloyd was used to that type of woman. It has taken some convincing to get him to know that the jewelry store is not my idea of a gift source! He still asks sometimes if I don't feel bad if he doesn't spend a lot for a flashy gift in the form of jewelry. I guess his ex-wife thought that was the *only* acceptable gift and he's worried about that with me. This year I finally decided to make him a small list of inexpensive things I would really like for my birthday. Just because of our brief days of conversation here I *know* you can already figure out my list!!! Good cheap pots and saucers. Gift card at a plant store or website. New garden sprayer. 2 new trays for my dehydrator. or IF he thinks he needs to spend a bit more I'd like one of those vacuum sealer things.

About the milking, my hands and fingers are long and narrow. Small bones but very long.. so I'm thinking the larger teats would work better for me. My nails usually break back from gardening but if they get even a little grown out I claw my palms if I hold tools without gloves. and i always seem to go days before i find time to file my nails.

[Wneighbor]

He looked like he had been in bed. AND thank God, he was sober, nothing like a surprise trip, to find out about someone.

Sounds like to me you've found an excellent helper and maybe friend. I'm so glad to hear this. Bad thing about friends on FR is that we can't always run over and *help* with your problems when it's needed! We can pray and be thankful that maybe Bob can though. :-)

[Wneighbor]

Thank you for the detailed explanation of how to make the cooker out of the coffee and tuna cans. Very easy to understand. :)

LOL - I really wasn't sure if you'd get that or not. I figured if you were interested and didn't get it I could go out and get mine and take pictures. This is something we did back when I was a kid in Camp Fire. Then, I did it with my kids also. But, besides that, we have always been able to use those in emergencies and get by fine. I actually have about 3 of the cans ready and maybe a dozen of the tuna cans ready. I need to make some more soon.

I also like that little sterno stove because it's so cheap. It also folds up flat so is easy to keep stored when not in use. VERY compact. We've had emergencies where I was able to use as many "burners" as I needed to make breakfast and other meals. I have a percolator that's for camping, made to use over a camp fire. It takes a long time for a whole coffee pot of water to heat and I think I had to use 2 cans of sterno to keep it going one time but it does work!!!

Also, on those cans, you *can* just cook on the top surface of the can if you're frying bacon and eggs. There's enough of a lip there that it'll hold the grease of a couple of slices of bacon. Fry the bacon then use the grease for the egg and you don't need a pan. Cooks faster that way. Just enough for 1 person though, which is also why I have multiple cans.