garden planning

 I bought 3 sets to store seeds in from Amazon and bought colored labels for containers of this container. IRIS USA 4" x 6" Storage-16 Inner Keeper Organizer Cases Storage Containers Box for Photos, Clear-XL (2Pack), 2 Count

I bought 2 inch ring binders and protector sheets to organize seed information. I had note book paper. 

I bought plastic clothes pins and paint markers to mark what is what while in grow cart and then in gardens. 

As I am listing variety etc. on notebook paper and putting into the protective sheet I marked what color the veggies is. I am keeping track of how many of each color I have since my doctors want me to eat 5 colors a day. 

So far my colors are green/red/ green and red/ orange and yellow/ yellow to red/ purple/ black/ blue/ white and tan and brown. I have a few more color mixes. 

I counted how many varieties I had per color and then added some in the colors that was low. 

Hubby would like to at least do row cover again but maybe add a small green house also that we had planned last year but didn't get to. I would rather have cold storage first as we might not need a green house between the cold storage and the row covers in 3-4 of garden beds.  I would like to add at least 1 more garden bed( to make at least 4 beds) to the row cover. 

Last year I planted 1500 seeds in the "3 seasons" I grew.  That sounds like a lot... okay that is a lot HA HA but I have 32 garden beds and that is only around 15-16 seeds per bed per season. 

We added more dried beans, more cabbages( will be making kraut), more potatoes (even purple), more variety of tomatoes (black and white tomato? ), and sweet potatoes. There is broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi that I haven't been able to get to grow here but I am trying it again. I am trying to grow celery also that I have never done. I added more winter squash and yellow summer squash. I added cantaloupe, honey dew and watermelon. I added a couple winter lettuces that Thomas Jefferson grew in his winter gardens.

I will be using pots for plants like lettuce that can't take the heat so I can grow them in the summer in partial shade. (M grows her on the north side of the house).  I will use grow bags for the potatoes unless Hubby wants to do it like E does then he can go for it. E digs the ground, plants the potato and then covers it with weed barrier that decomposed at the end of the season, you just till it under. When the potato plant pokes against barrier you cut a hole at that spot. Said their crop almost doubled last year doing it this way.

We decided also to plant according to the moon/planets not just the last frost guidelines. We will see how this goes. 

We are under a winter storm warning. Last check was 1/4th is ice, 6-14 inches of snow AFTER 1/2 inch of rain. With winds 20 mph to 35 mph. Winds at 35 mph for 3 hrs. with snow is blizzard conditions. I will be cooking hamburger for taco/burritos and making 6 qrts of beef stew. I thought of beef stew (been craving it) and then second round serve over homemade noodles then 3rd round have it with dumplings and then the butcher mentioned using what was left for pot pie. YUM.

Blessed be everyone 

February goals

To eat something from each color group of veggies and fruit a day. Orange n yellow/red/green/ white n tan n brown/ purple n blue n black.

To eat at least 3 servings of anti inflammatory foods a day.

To drink at least 12 ounces of anti inflammatory tea a day.

To cut my sugar intake by half by end of Feb. Already cut it by 1/3rd.

To do my stretches and exercises from PT to get ready for clothes line (touch my toes, stretch to the sky) and garden work (bent over, lifting and pulling) that starts end of this month beginning of March.

To finish gathering stuff for Grandson D (and Grandson TB >>>D's oldest brother that is moving in with him) for 1st apt. THIS coming weekend... of course we are looking at a nasty storm rolling through also.

To sleep 6 1/2 hrs. straight nightly (I get 2 maybe 3 hrs. at this time)

To finish organizing garden seeds, get seeds started in grow cart and plot where I am going to plant what because I definitely do NOT have enough beds for everything. 

Hubby is debating... pay the extra $5000 on the mortgage or put it in the gardens(that will be needing 12 beds repaired or replaced) and cold storage areas and then put what ever is left on the mortgage.

He still wants to start making cheese, yogurt and ice cream.

Now he thinks he wants 95% of our produce to come from our own land. He acknowledges we would have to buy citrus and bananas. But looking at more like M buys  of celery and bananas (she also gets graham crackers, saltines, cream cheese and cool whip). I added I would miss my fresh bell peppers and fresh mushrooms. I do not know if we can hold onions until they come back in also. I think it would be closer to the 85% with maybe some coming from Amish cause I got onions from A & B until Nov.