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Garden Gate:  Self sufficiency gardening  |
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KD Earthwork
True Blue Farmgirl
210 Posts
Katie
Gualala
Calif.
USA
210 Posts |
 Posted - May 13 2011 : 9:24:08 PM
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After reading Barbara Kingsolver's " Animal , Vegetable , Miracle", I doubled the size of my garden. Now growing about enough for ten small families. Our food bill has dropped to very, very little, and I forget what the inside of our grocery store looks like.
We buy a half a grass fed cow a year and last year my husband also shot a wild pig. I'm learning we can trade eggs, bread and vegetables for meat, fish, and cheese, even some work on a solar shower. 
Now we are also trying to get a viable orchard business going for some income in our old age. I've learned to graft and grow from scion wood and purchased rootstock ( $2.00 ea.) a very cheap way to slowly grow an orchard. We have fifty trees in the ground so far, I grafted 36 new trees this year,34 took ( my first try). I figure I can keep growing more trees and adding slowly to the growing orchard varieties I like.
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This is a picture of one of my gardens ( before I made it bigger) last fall.
I'm trying to write about our efforts on my blog.
http://www.rosemancreekranch.com |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 9:31:13 PM
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That garden is absolutely beautiful AND inspirational, Katie!!! I LOVE what you've accomplished! Great job! I'm going to have to get that book!!! Thank you for sharing! - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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coloquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Susan
Co
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2011 : 9:41:04 PM
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Beautiful garden! Congrats on all that hard work
Susan |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2011 : 04:21:00 AM
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Wow - beautiful garden - I am going to try to find the book at the library!
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2011 : 05:36:36 AM
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Amazing Garden!
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
Happy to be a "Raggedy Ann" in a Barbie World!
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
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Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2011 : 06:51:44 AM
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Love the pics and I just discovered your blog and love it too!
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adnama
True Blue Farmgirl
171 Posts
inge
fargo
north dakota
USA
171 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2011 : 07:09:49 AM
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| Katie: Wow, I am so inpressed with the pics on your blog and posting to have that many grafts take is great!! I tried it once and it was not successful, so congratulations and best wishes for your hard work. |
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HookAngel
True Blue Farmgirl
253 Posts
Bren
CA
USA
253 Posts |
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KD Earthwork
True Blue Farmgirl
210 Posts
Katie
Gualala
Calif.
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2011 : 8:19:44 PM
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Gosh, Thanks for all the positive feedback ! It's been a lot of work, and a lot of working outside to fund our future goal of farming. But it is so rewarding to be eating so "locally" and especially no GMO's in mine or my families diets.
http://www.rosemancreekranch.com |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2011 : 8:34:06 PM
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Hi Katie, I was just wondering what you use to keep the weeds down. Thanks
Dogs never judge people, they only forgive!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2011 : 09:16:33 AM
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Wow Katie-
Your garden looks AMAZING! You sound like a real "can do" person- and I am sure that you will be successful in you orchard dreams!
Thanks for sharing!
Farmgirl Smiles,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
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KD Earthwork
True Blue Farmgirl
210 Posts
Katie
Gualala
Calif.
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2011 : 6:49:07 PM
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Tina,
I think the better your soil is the easier it is to weed. But , I weed a lot. Mostly by hand, time consuming but more thorough than any other way I've found.
Maybe others have better methods ? Katie
http://www.rosemancreekranch.com |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2011 : 8:21:46 PM
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I was afraid that you might say that ;) A weeding we will go. Are you sure there`s no abra cadabra in there somewhere :) Thanks
Dogs never judge people, they only forgive!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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Catherine
True Blue Farmgirl
166 Posts
Catherine Ann
Temple
TX
USA
166 Posts |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2011 : 06:33:35 AM
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Katie, now that's a pretty garden and the way I see mine in my dreams. Very pretty. I so wish I could have mine look like that. With flowers and vines and pretty paths. Goodness, I have got to go get some zinnia seeds and other flowers. I had completely forgotten about zinnias. I always have them in my garden. You have done so good with yours. And now you have twice as much? I sure wish you lived closer so I could come visit. I have that book too. And that is my goal. I have a cow that had a bull calf back in March. I also have goats for milk. And chickens for meat and eggs. I make my bread. I just wish we could grow grains here. And more corn for grits. I am also starting a meat lamb business. And some for wool also. And we have turkeys. I also rais eour pigs too. So I never have t buy meat. I just wish I could make toilet paper here. I'd pretty much be set and not have to go to the store then.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2011 : 11:23:06 AM
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Wow! That is a gorgeous garden! Grafting is such an incredible skill. We've got an orchard here, but it's quite small. Speaking of that, I need to net the cherry tree to protect from birds this year!
Farmgirl #2879 :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com
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KD Earthwork
True Blue Farmgirl
210 Posts
Katie
Gualala
Calif.
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2011 : 3:14:17 PM
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My gardens always start out with veggies and the flowers begin to creep in. It's hard for me to weed them out . But I also sell them to a local florist and usually make more on them than the veggies.
It didn't help that when my youngest was two and we were building the garden, she was bored one day, and I just wanted another hour to work, so I gave her a big bag of wildflower seeds to spread everywhere. We now have a perennial problem with yarrow, calif. poppies,red poppies and fox glove . Oh well perhaps I'll have enough room for it all with the bigger space.
Kristin, boy do you have lot's going on ! I'm so proud of all these self reliant farmgirls !
Here's my flower garden by the house, where the flowers are supposed to be. Can you believe I work all day as a landscaper and still come home and want to do all this ? 
I hope I'm not bragging too much ...
http://www.rosemancreekranch.com |
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Garden Gate: Self sufficiency gardening |
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Self sufficiency gardening
