... into this ...
... which became this ...
... oops! I mean this ...
In the afternoon, I changed 25 pounds of these ...
... and 25 pounds of these ...
... and plenty of this ...
... in a lovely space ...
... into this!
~~~
The more I learn about preparedness, the more interested I become in self-sufficiency. This summer, a friend and I have become enamored with canning. Perhaps obsessed is a more appropriate term? Yesterday we canned 75 pounds of tomatoes into salsa, and today I turned 12.5 pounds into pasta sauce.
Although I was initially overwhelmed (or, rather, underwhelmed!) with all the work that goes into canning, I tasted the final product and was an instant convert. My friend and I have been scouring the local produce ads and getting whatever we can on sale. So far, we found tomatoes (for 50 cents a pound!), strawberries, peaches, cucumbers, and jalapenos for out-of-this world summertime savings.
My ultimate dream is to produce a garden with yields high enough that we can enjoy produce all season long ... with enough left over to save for the off-season. My reality differs. Significantly. I loathe the heat. And mosquitoes. And I am terrified of snakes. And I am an instant gratification kind of girl. Did I mention that I hate heat? At the moment, I'm finding all the limitations a bit ... well ... limiting. However, I persevere in the interest of both frugality and self-reliance. I have started sprouting lentils (the first attempt was a spectacular success ... although I desperately need to locate some recipes because dry sprouted lentils by the handful (no matter how cute!) get a bit boring after the first couple of bites).
Tonight I'm loading up my Kindle with a book that will (I hope!) help provide me with some gardening inspiration: Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting [Kindle Edition]
(R.J. Ruppenthal). My other plan? I'm working valiantly to convince my family that they actually want to get out there and garden! I'll report back ...
The family is interested. We just need a little more encouragement!
ReplyDeleteIt only MAKES SENSE to grow your own food. Self sufficiency, healthy, and very rewarding, not to mention educational for the kids! Also, saves you a TON of money! Prices are going up, so get them seeds while you can! Fun! Fun!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed. Canning is on my To Do list, but I have to budget for the extra expense of the equipment. Nice photos-very inspiring!
ReplyDelete