Garden work

We had to cover the 100 ft of asparagus due to a "freeze" spell for over a week. We had just had 2 Amish families come dig some of them up a few days before to start their own asparagus patches. We only need about 30 feet of 2 rows for us.N planted it when he owned the home for selling at the auction. 

We planted 6 blueberry bushes, cleaned 6 of the strawberry beds leaving 6 more to clear and replaced 4 of the old beds with new metal beds and refilled them.

My potatoes  tubers should be in today so the 12th we will be hauling stuff down to kids. Son 2 is paying for lunch. 

I transplanted some of the seedlings to larger pots to be ready to transplant them to the gardens in May.

I bought red onion sets, white onion sets, yellow onion sets and candy onion sets to start planting after this rain goes through.

Rhubarb is starting to leaf out. 

Five different radishes are up.

I cleared the old flower garden on the north side so this year's can come up and bloom.

Charlotte is pacing, wind is starting to go up and it's raining so it makes her feel like a storm is coming.

Have a good day 

Blessed be

in gardens

 E's wife M and one of their sons came over and dug up some of the asparagus last night to plant in their garden. 

W is  around 80 years old is now outside digging with Hubby for asparagus to replant at his house.

We have 100 ft long and 4 ft wide patch of asparagus. 

I planted in vegepod some spinach, lettuce,4 different radishes, bunching onions, carrots,and beets , and in garden beds I planted snowpeas and garden peas. 

 I moved the 2 planters that had 5 "tray " beds each to the east side of barn instead of having it on the deck. Let's it get more sun and rain so I am watering less. I also will not have to move them when high winds happen. There are 2 trays already filled from last year. I put them in the top tray area as it's chamomile.

I have all my pots empty and cleaned out and ready to fill with soil.

I trimmed all the berry vines. 

I will wait at least a week and then do another round of direct sow seeds in gardens.

I'll be putting more in grow cart, not sure what. Need to get onion sets also.

 

Groceries/grocery budget

 Jan 28th spent $63.61 on groceries (left $116 in grocery budget)

Feb 11th bought 1 gallon of milk $3.19

Feb 25th bought 1 gallon of milk $2.98 (left additional $298 in grocery budget) 

March 3rd spent $329.61 SAVED $135.

Kroger's had good sales. I got 3 chuck roasts, 2 boneless pork loins, 3 lbs of bacon, 1 80/20 roll of hamburger, 2- 1lb. ground beef, 1chicken thighs (that scored me 2 free packages of chicken wings). I got carrots (regular, not baby), celery (coupon) broccoli (coupon), cauliflower (coupon), 2 bunches of scallions, 2 packages of mushrooms(coupons), and 3 bags of mixed salad (on sale). I got a loaf of bread for 50 cents. Got  5 salted butter on sale (coupon) milk (coupon) half and half (coupon), cottage cheese (coupon) and yogurt (on sale).  Got peanut butter .... 10 total between Kroger creamy and Jif chunky for $1.49 each, both on sale. Got 3 of 6 pack of coke and one of sprite on a buy 2 get 2 free PLUS coupon.  Had a $20 coupon if I spent $200 or more. I still have one chest freezer empty. 

I still have a couple of boxes of shelf stable mik that I will use this month since they need used up.

Amish gave us eggs and 1 pound of smoked bacon (tonight's supper).

I ordered different dried beans, Great Northern (share with son 2) Pinto (share with daughter 4) navy (share with daughter 2) small red (OURS LOL),red kidney (share with MIL) and black bean (OURS) Split the costs.. our share $128. The kids decided they needed some beans incase things get worse.

We still have $256 left in budget. 

We know we will eat out at the local restuarant that does all you can eat fish through Lent. I called and asked what the price was going to be.Times it by how many times I think we will go and will use what is left in the grocery budget including tip.  Will still have some left in budget. 

I should only spend about $60 in April for dairy and fresh veggies... IF it stays warm I should be able to grow lettuce and maybe spring onions.

Amish neighbor told us he got us a pig that he is raising. We can "donate" food scraps if we want (we usually do even though we don't get a pig) and he was also getting a steer that we could have whole or half (he never has problems finding someone that wants half). Both would be ready in fall. He will also have corn for us. Asked if we needed it for fresh eating or freezer or both. His siblings and parents are grateful for the help we have given while his Dad has been fighting infection and then a knee replacement. Between emails and phone calls to Doctor in Mexico and going after meds and running him to xrays. You would think it was Hubby's dad instead of the neighbors. 

 We asked if he was "helping" the widow on the other side of him. Said she had already "placed her order" age 77 and laughed. The other widow age 80 on our side said her kids were growing gardens  and running her over at times.  

Back to work.

Take care, be safe, and I pray you don't get the flu I caught AGAIN  

Garden work.

 Hubby is clearing the asparagus patch today. I saw some of the "green" that comes up before the spears break ground. Tomorrow it's to be close to 60 before it plunges to below freezing again.

In grow cart I started kohlrabi, collards, 3 different tomato plants, celery, bunching onions, cabbage,eggplant,and brussels sprouts. 

End of this week I will pick more to start.

Our primary doctor and his wife said they have been growing "salad" lettuce all winter in their grow cart and then complained about the $600 electric bill when I pointed out he got an electric car and their electric company has different rates for times of usuage. They checked and found that if he started charging at one time that was on the higher rate, it stays the higher rate until he is done charging. Was in the contract they signed when they installed the charging station. So they put it on an alert on their phone to go out and charge it when the rates go down. They also have the grow cart on at that time. We suggested putting it on a timer since they work long hours. 

So if you are new to growing or even restarting... check what you are using and when. It might make a difference cost wise