Monday, May 11, 2009

Independence Day Challenge Year 2, The Second week

Hmmm...I think this may have been a lazy week.  I don't have a memory of last week being full of many activities of the IDC variety.

The teen was away for the week.  The wee one and I were the dynamic duo: reading many books, taking long walks, washing dishes together ( and then mopping the floor). It was a rainy week and that perennial pest, the black fly has appeared.  There were a few days in the car running errands and keeping appointments. We had company coming so so extra tidying was in order.

okay ...let's see...

Planted:  carrots, cabbage, leeks, elderberry, more onions, yellow finn potatoes, caribe potatoes from saved seed, carolla potatoes from saved seed. Transplanted more herbs and flowers.  I have visions of flowers blooming all over my yard one day. WE have been here a few years now. Each year I add a little more to the edible landscape, and perennial plants.  I had planted an herb garden last year. But, I have decided to disperse them around the garden to serve as pest management. I think the texture of the garden with different heights of green and blooms will be pretty to look at when the garden is full with summer.


Harvested: Spinach, chives, dandelion greens, jerusalem artichokes.

Preserved: dehydrated dandelion greens.

Eat something:  spinach in our sandwiches,chives with some potatoes, fiddleheads gifted by a friend.

Reduce waste/ manage reserves: Just cleaned the house for company...oh and primed one metal chair that I found in the garbage.  Also, worked on another project.  So our dryer died this past winter; which was perfectly fine with us.  It was sorta like a crutch when you have a sprained wrist.  We were using our drying racks and clothesline most of the time anyway.  so no big deal.
Except that it was dead and we had to dispatch of its carcass.  Later today I will post what we have done with the dad dryer. Let's just say there are many great parts to a dryer that can have  a myriad of uses.

Preparation and Storage: I found some clothes in larger sizes for the wee one at the thrift store.

Local Food systems: A neighbor gave us some eggshells that I use in the garden to add phosphorous Hubby brought home fiddleheads from a friend at work. I bartered eggs and blueberry wine for childcare one day.  I shared Jerusalem Artichokes with Wendy at Home Is...;) 


I think I need to make a short to do list this week.

Finish planting potatoes, plant more carrots, rutabaga and onions.

Pick Dandelion Blossoms for wine, make vanilla extract

Inventory pantry and make a list for a bulk order.

Wash fleece of Rama- lama and  Sploge-Bob Wooly Pants

Stock up on some canning lids...they seem to be hard to find...hmmm.

Start mulching the paths of the garden to keep the weeds down.

WEll...that should be enough..





1 comment:

Wendy said...

I think you got a lot done ;).

And thanks, again, for the sunchokes! They're going next to the house on the opposite side of the chimney from the iris/lily bed. It will provide an interesting symmetry, I think :).