First things first....

I want to teach myself to garden. Sure, I've done it in the past but didn't really put any real effort into making it produce, it was just something to do with the extra space we had at the time in the yard. We don't have that extra space or even good dirt at the moment, BUT that will change soon. We are looking for greener pastures, packed and ready to go. Just waiting for the word and we are OUT of here.

So in preparation for that time I am putting a lot of thought and research into having a garden next year. What to plant, when to plant, how to work the soil to get a bountiful harvest. Oh, and how to handle pests, I want to surprises on that front either.

Until then I am practicing on my houseplants. I have a Hibiscus that I've managed to keep alive for the past two years, a croton and and philodendrun. They all have different needs, I'm learning.

I tried to find some seed packets so I could do a trial run growing that way but it must be too late in the season, couldn't find any at the local stores. I've been looking into composting as well. So much goes to waste just tossing it in the trash! Put all of that to work for me.

I'm figuring what types of food plants to grow. I would like to grow enough to fill my pantry and still have enough to sell. What doesn't get sold will be canned. Tomatoes, onions and peppers can be used to make salsa, soups or dried as seasonings. Pumpkins can be sold in the fall, what doesn't can be canned and the seeds used for cooking and breads. Crushed pumpkins seeds go really well with hot cereal in the morning. Raise a few chickens, we can eat the eggs, sell or use for baking. And if we end up with too many chickens guess what's for dinner.

Back to the future garden.... Been checking out varieties of tomatoes. Can't believe how many there are to choose from, and all the different colors! Red, orange, yellow, purple and brown, even. Don't want to go overboard, God knows how easy that would be for me, but I want to choose at least 4 different kinds to try out. And if they don't work out, there's always next year, right?

Everyone has to start somewhere....

There comes a time when a person will look back and evaluate how they've lived their lives. Some will be happy with the way things turned out but I'm sure a vast majority will be dissatisfied with at least one area, whether their job, family life or spirituality.
I've been doing a LOT of evaluating lately, especially when I watch the news. Don't get me wrong, I love this country. I love living in America. But it's messed up. We keep looking to the Government to solve all of our problems, when I believe we should be relying more on ourselves. The strain of so many needing assistance in this country is breaking it. (Some mismanagement also but who am I to point fingers, I can barely balance my checkbook.)

The point of this blog is to follow as I strive for more Self Sustainable life. To clean up my act, so to speak. Be more Self Fulfilled. (Love all these titles, lol.) In five years I want to be as far from how I am living my life as I can be. I want the farm, garden, compost heap and rain barrel kind of life. I want to sell produce at farmers markets, recycle and upcycle things that still have a use.

So how am I going to start all this? Tons of research. Of the Internet and Magazine sort. I'm so close to committing to a subscription to Mother Earth News, the original guide to living wisely, love how they put that. Bought their latest edition at the store along with one I'd never heard of before, The New Pioneer which I absolutely loved. Full of wonderful articles that I didn't have to hunt for among the ads.

It's a work in progress, that's really all I can say for now. I'll be posting from time to time as I learn some old tricks to living right.