In a bit more detail, part 1

I've been thinking a LOT about food choices.  So, I wanted to go into a bit more detail about what my plan is - 'sides, I think the less vague a resolution is, the better the chance it will actually be kept.

A. I want to try to grow all the fruit and vegetables that I eat in a year.  Can I do this in 2010?  No way in hell.  One fantastic way to get out of gardening is to go too big, too soon.  And I haven't actually gardened as an adult (well, I did spend ~15 years growing weeds, then trying to kill them, but I don't think that will help too much).  So I will start out with a few raised beds, including as many fruit plants as I can afford, starting as many things from seed that I can, and try succession planting and season-extending techniques to increase yield, and look into different preservation methods.


Thus, the break-down is:

1. Get seed catalogs - partially done, as I've been signing up for some as I come across the companies.  I do need to try to get a more diverse selection though, including some heirloom varieties.

2. Plan out what I want to grow - then cut that in half.  Example: I canned (with Mom's help) 2.5 bushels of tomatoes this past summer, as salsa, sauce and whole tomatoes.  And I don't think the sauce/whole yield will do me for the entire year, as I love soups and sauces that use tomatoes.  But I don't think I can grow enough tomato plants to yield 3 bushels of tomatoes, plus whatever I eat fresh.  So I really do need to limit, for now, what I grow and in what amounts, until I get a better handle on the work and money required.  Besides, remeber those house renos?  Yeah, I'm going to be a bit busy this year.

3. Talk Dad into letting me use some room on his grow-light stand.  I would LOVE to have my own, since it makes seed starting a lot easier, but I cannot justify spending the money (never mind the room it will take up) this year, especially when Dad has one that he uses for storage for the most part.

4. Get the wood and parts I need for raised beds.  And try to do this as cheap as possible.  Why raised beds?  Clay soil, poor drainage.  'Nuf said.

5. Get the wood and parts I need for raised bed covers I might need, to prevent pest damage, extend the season, etc.  Again with the emphasis on "cheap".

6. Build the raised beds, get the soil and amendments i need to fill them, and plant.  Then sit back and rest on my laurels...  LOL.  

I'm sure there will be more as I go one, but this is enough to start with.  And it give me a time line as well - this needs to be done in the next 3-4 months... can't wait for spring!