Posted on 05/24/2008 6:07:44 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
And...until you know what you're doing, it's really not possible to feed your family completely on your own. There is a learning curve, as there is with any new skill. It might also help to learn to bake bread, milk a cow, sew on a button, mend a sock, keep hens, hunt, fish, gather & glean, too!
Of course, I don't discourage people from learning, but I think this article is a tad optimistic. People actually get disgruntled with me when I tell them they need to read some books and do their homework; I can't tell them how to grow every possible vegetable plant in 10 minutes, LOL!
Self-Promoting Ping!
I’ve planted a small garden this year, mostly for experience in trying to grow veggies, it’s small so if I get a few bundles of carrots and peppers and tomatoes I’ll be happy.
That article does mention that your state is having a unusually cold spring, could that be effecting sales where you work DiWis?
There is more to gardening than growing plants. You have to learn to can and freeze the produce. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a garden after college. I read lots of bitching about the high cost of food and only about 20% bother to lift a finger to grow their own. They want the farmers to give it to them.
You bet! We are weeks behind a usual Spring. I am usually pretty much done with selling annuals and veggie plants after this weekend, but I’m planning on having annuals available for the next two weeks.
Herbs sell all summer long.
Pat yourself on the back! You deserve it, and we can’t reach you!
Actual conversation, and i know you’ve had similar.
Caller: I bought 16 tomato plants from you a month ago. They have brown spots on the leaves.
ME: After the usual questions—what have you fertilized/sprayed/ etc with, and reminding her that it’s really been too cold for tomatoes due to the weather,digging deeper, the woman tells me the plants also have bugs. We determine that they’re aphids. I remind her agaiin that it has been really too cold and she can’t help those leaves. She can spray a fungicide if she wants and she really needs to get rid of the aphids.
Caller: Well, I sprayed them with vinegar to kill the bugs.
Me: Total silence for a moment as I try not to laugh. Ma’am, vinegar is an extremely effective weed killer.
Caller: Oh. Pause. Well, tomatoes aren’t weeds.
Me: Ma’am, we still have plenty of tomato plants and it’s not too late to replant.
Click.
Dang -— I missed this this morning........
Give me an hour (about when I will be back home) and I will call in the troops!!!!!!
Is this good or what? Almost as good as the other one you just pinged me to about going back to the land and the impending oil shortage!
TOO FUNNY!!!!!!!!!
Oh yes, definitely good!!!!!
But I have to get off this box and finish up my “job” so that I can go home and get on my own puter! I also need to get out of this gosh awfully cold office. Man, I’m freezing in here. Good thing it’s warmer out in the bar!!!!
Be Back Later!!!!!!!
I was listening to a radio (NPR) show where the host regularly recommends using strong vinegar as a herbicide, but he adds that white vinegar isn't enough. Where should I look for sufficiently strong vinegar?
Cool! Was there a particular article you wanted me to see or were you just alerting me to it’s presence?
Thanks either way!
White vinegar is for scrubbing your floor! (Kind of a southern joke) If you want real vinegar, you need apple cider. It’s stronger!
Gotta love Globull warming! Thanks to that, I’m still freezing my ass off—wore a sweatshirt all day. Course, I’m not complaining—usually we fight a losing battle to make it until the end of April before we turn the ac on. So far, only open windows. Considered turning the heat back on a couple of mornings! LOL’
Don’t work too hard!
What?! There’s oil somewhere besides the middle east, and all we have to do is drill for it? Shame on you! Heresy, I say!
Do I really need the sarcasm tag?
Just served cucumer salad and grilled zucchini out of the garden. Several peppers are ready to be picked and the onions need to be pulled. In fact, I should log off before hubby catches me FReeping when I should be out there with him hoeing.
I have talked to more people here in East Texas gardening for the first time than ever before.
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