Independence Days Challenge

1. Plant Something-

Purple asters for a open spot in the garden, pansies for my kitchen window box. Got some crocuses too, as I love those in the early spring! Bought bark mulch for the same area to protect over the winter.

2. Harvest Something-

Eggs, compost, collard greens, lemon cukes, tomatoes, 4 kinds of peppers, yellow squash, eggplants, basil, herbs. Soon I'll make more pesto for the freezer!

Last weeks' Harvest

3. Preserve/Store Something-

Froze more gourmet breads and cheap wild-caught salmon. I personally HATE farmed fish, it's always mushy.

4. Manage Reserves- Get a Good Deal/Barter/Stock Up/Prep-

Went to Costco- bought healthy, frozen goodies for fast, work-night dinners, goat cheese, Romano (my go-to hard cheese), got Dave jeans, and some OTC meds. Bought some 1/2 price protein shakes mix at the pharmacy, good for my protein intake. It's helping heal my foot up! Subbing discount protein bars for chocolate at work, helps me get less tired at the end of the day. I bought a nice pot roast and made a great dinner.

5. Eat the Food- Try New Foods/Recipe-

Made some of our garden harvest into a sauteed veggie combo with garlic, capers, olive oil, over whole grain spaghetti with goat cheese. Divine!!! Made more salsa. Eating more peppers than ever! I saw something and with Fall rolling around I'm up for a new apple dessert! Danish Pastry Apple Bars I read to keep it authentic glaze with fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar. 

6. Build Community Food Systems-

Selling eggs. 

7. Recycle/Re-Use-

Compost, bought some used clothing items at thrift stores- two shirts, one pair of slacks, and a stove top tea kettle. Both rain barrels are full!!! 85 gallons of free water :)  We're looking into expanding our compost pile and to re-using some free lumber. We need to go to a 3 bin system.

8. Skill Up-

How to properly cook a roast beef! Garlic Lovers Roast Beef, modified with garlic powder and lots of Montreal steak spice. Wonderful! Sorry, no photos, as they were blurry.

9. Regenerate What is Lost/Salvage Something-

Will bark dust some perennials to protect over the winter. Caught back a LOT of overgrown tomato plant branches. They were non-fruit bearing and blocking the light for the green ones.