Here is my first REAL vlog (video blog update). There have been so many (good) changes that I am excited to share with you all!
This might be my “last” blog for you as I am having my best friend and business partner work on an OFFICIAL blog website for me on all of these ventures. I will even have Hannah (my best friend) featured in the blog.
I apologize for my video being “a “raw” video, but it was easier than the pre-recorded and edited video.
Because I am in Wisconsin, I am learning a lot with indoor gardening. What are some of your suggestions with planting, harvesting & sprouting food inside?
Right now, I mainly work with herbs (lavender, basil, chamomile, thyme, etc.), but I want to work on some greens, tomatoes, and potatoes inside. What are some of your best tips? Bonus points if it is for gardening in small places inside!
This year has been full of crazy surprises and events for everyone. However, being the positive person that I am, let us focus on something fun: food. Now, most people may not consider vegetables as a ‘comfort’ food (especially during any type of lockdown), but for our family, it has been an amazing learning experience.
“Harvest from the garden today. Lunch was fully prepared from our labors, part of dinner tonight will be a side of beets (I have more from harvest the other day) and I am preparing garden soup for tomorrow! Being able to feed my family more and more from our own crop is VERY satisfying. Also knowing it’s so much healthier is a #momwin“
That day, we had Kale Salad with tomatoes, sugar peas, carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers (all from the garden). Each kid CLEARED their bowl. I can’t remember which dressing each one had, but I had Italian dressing. Such pride in the fact that they love their veggies!
Not A Fan
I can honestly say that while growing up, I was not a super big veggie fan. There were very few I liked or would eat. However, as an adult, I forced myself to try and add a better variety of vegetables to my diet. The way that worked for me was using places like Subway (this blog is not endorsed by the company). While creating my salad or sandwich, I would ask for a small amount of X item. Each time I would go and order something similar, I would do the same thing. Over time, I would add more of that item, and before I knew it, I liked to eat it! If I remember correctly, I started with spinach before adding in tomatoes and then cucumber. Now these are vegetables that I love.
However, I can confidently say… there is nothing better than an heirloom, organically grown, and self-harvested vegetable. I am not sure if it is the type of seeds we bought or the fact that it’s the taste of our hard work, but holy crap, everything we have been able to harvest has the best flavor!
One of my favorite things from the garden so far is the Pink Tomatoes with fresh basil. Of course, we have to have mozzarella cheese with it (but I can’t take credit for the cheese).
Now that cooler weather is here in the Midwest, we are already facing frost warnings for outdoor plants. I feel fortunate that we planted early and had a somewhat earlier harvest as well.
Earlier this week, as temperatures cooled, we all pitched in and started prepping the yard and garden for the harsh winter ahead of us. We removed all the cardboard, rocks, and fencing. While doing so, we discovered a decent amount of beans on our plants. I had thought they were done producing due to their short stature.
September rains and a fenceless garden.
We have had so many yellow tomatoes that I decided to freeze some for soups, sauces, and chili for this winter. I still need to save some of the pinks/reds, but our plants are still producing a few more blooms. Additionally, there are still some plants I am not sure will reach full maturity before we can harvest them.
Our current temperatures are below average for this area at this time of year. Usually between 55 and 72 degrees F, we have been seeing daily highs of about 60 and lows of about 45. It has also been fairly rainy, making it a dreary first few weeks of September.
What Is Left
All of our potatoes have been harvested and either prepared for winter or have been consumed. There are only a few beets and rutabagas left, in addition to one or two cucumbers waiting to ripen before harvesting. Besides the few tomatoes, I am extremely curious as to when or if I will be able to harvest the purple cauliflower. It has flowered very quickly these past two weeks, which has made me extremely excited. There are only three plants that are a good size, and the others are still very small. I am not sure they will flower before everything starts to freeze. Although I know cabbage can be a fairly late harvest, I have not seen any signs of flowering. The big, heavy stalks and leaves are strong, but I am not sure when they will start to take shape.
In preparation for the cooler weather and some pending projects I have been waiting to start, I decided to harvest the Portuguese lavender that never flowered (but still smells AMAZING). Additionally, I cut some stalks from the English and French chamomile, garden sage, and basil. Let’s just say that with hanging to dry herbs and fresh ones in the house, it smells sooooo good in here!
Once I am finished with my projects, I will make sure to share what I have done with the herbs – so make sure to check back in for that blog in a few weeks!
Fall of 2020
Many of us are still not sure what this fall or the rest of 2020 will bring. For many of us, 2020 has been an extremely hard year. We have been trying to lessen the financial burden by growing our own food (something we long discussed before Covid). Now, our society is facing one major crisis after another. We are simply trying to do our part in supplying food for our children. We may not be perfect, we may not be farmers – but I have to say, we are off to a pretty good start for not having experience.
What’s up next for us? Indoor plants! We are not entirely sure what our plans are for this to work, but with Ox by my side – I know we can do it. It won’t be much since we do not have extra space in the house, but as long as it can be enough to yield a little something, I will be happy.
Almost half way through July and I am happy to say things have been going pretty well. I am thrilled that we are starting to see major progress of the veggies.
Mini Vaca
The kids visiting with Nana
Over an extended 4th of July weekend, the family went to visit the in – laws at the cabin. The garden was left to fend for itself. When we returned, I was surprised at how much the grass grew in the garden.
I refused to use toxic chemicals to kill the grass before we tilled and planted. Which I do not regret. I only wish I had looked up hacks beforehand. Lesson learned!
Over the long weekend, I met a kind and friendly family friend who is also a gardener. I asked if he had any recommendation on how to keep the grass at bay since it has been a growing problem (no pun intended).
The Solution
Although, I have been using straw, it was warned to watch out for weeded straw that would grow more weeds then it would prevent. Which makes 100%. I purchased 20 square bales for $1 each. I was told they were no eating grade.
With such a large garden, what could I use? Especially something that is cheap, easy to find and safe for the environment.
Carboard. *slap face emoji*
Why didn’t I think of this????????
Returning Home
Once home, after 4 days away, the garden was FULL of grass. Not surprised and slightly overwhelmed, I started trying to weed around the veggies as well as collecting cardboard.
Slow & Steady Wins the Race
While working through the garden to thin out the invasive grass and laying cardboard I found these gems!
Various veggies showing life and are building anticipation for harvesting.
Mini Harvest
With signs of things getting ready for harvest, some of the veggies were needing to be thinned out (beans & peas). One of the potato plants was showing signs of needing to harvest, so we pulled it up and checked it out.
Sugar Snap Peas, Beans, Potatoes, Mustard Greens & Kale (made into Kale chips)
Kale Chips Recipe
I took the leaves of the kale and cut them into small bits.
From there I used a colander and mixed in 1-2 tablespoons of Olive Oil & Garlic Salt.
I put the oven on 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
I baked them until dark green crisp (about 10 minutes)
My son LOVED them! They are a fairly alternative and healthy snack.
Moving Forward
I have been gathering the cardboard and laying it in the garden. I am edger to harvest to not have to worry about weeding as much. The tomatoes seem to be slow going but I am hopeful. With the size of the garden it will take a bit more pieces of carboard to cover it. Just under half of it is covered now. It looks odd if you ask me, but hey, if it keeps the weeds at bay – I am all for it!
Here in the midwest we have been patiently waiting for signs of spring. ANY signs. There is still plenty of snow and ice on the ground. However, the sunshine with an uptick in temp is always welcome. The past few days have been beautiful with a continued forecast of even warmer weather.
Although we are awaiting the big melt, there is plenty to do in preparation for spring. This year we have a massive To Do List in terms of working towards being self sustaining in addition to 100% self employed. Living the american dream!
We have officially started our vegetable garden (100% organic, non-GMO, heirloom seeds). For extra fun and year round gardening, we have herbs as well as flowers I started early that I hope will bloom in time for our Midsummer wedding.
A Green Thumb?
Herbs are off to a great start!
Our seeds are on their way, while we have prepared the seed starting soil and purchased containers. Right now, we are renting but are getting our hands dirty early on in the game to work out any kinks in our learning curve before we are off-grid. Once the snow is gone we will be able to map out exactly how big our garden is going to be. We tilled the ground in the fall but feel we will need to extend it.
In the fall a whole new set of skills will need to be learned. Canning and preserving our crop!
Making Room
As we have been busy with garden planning, we are preparing to weed through unused, unwanted items in the house to donate. Anything we cannot upcycle or reuse for ourselves will go. Not only are we reducing our ¨stuff¨ we are increasing our space to work and live.
Tomorrow arrives our 20 foot shipping container for seasonal storage as well as our small garage or workshop.
I have been so excited that I started reorganizing.
I took out my scattered art/craft supplies, emptied our second cedar chest and used it for my craft box! Everything fit PERFECTLY!
My crafts will all be organized for next fall when I start on Holiday gifts!
midwest woman blog 