Independence Days Challenge

Independence Days Challenge-

We have finally hit a wonderful stretch of dry weather! Blue skies and milder, but still cold at night. 33 degrees is forecast for tonight, with more of the same the next four days. We covered our newly planted herb box with row cover for protection. Local folks are planting tomatoes, I hope they're covering those! The fruit trees are gorgeous, with tons of blossoms. So here's a look at what we've been up to!

1. Plant Something-

Filled up my herb box, all but one of my plants died over the winter. Lost my rosemary and thyme. Re-planted those, plus cilantro and Italian parsley. Need to buy thyme as the store was out. It was nice to see the big box store selling organic herbs plants! 

Dave also planted the cold frame, with Collard greens, Curly kale and Rainbow Swiss chard. We covered it with bird netting, otherwise the birds will eat them. The mixed lettuce is doing well, nice and green. 

I bought a nice Spanish Lavender topiary that I transplanted into larger pot, love the flowers!

Before

  After

I added some sparkly broken flagstone

2. Harvest Something-

Lots of eggs, sometimes 4 per day! Hopefully we will have lots of fruit this year, based on the look of the fruit trees! We have an apple, pear and peach tree-

Apple blossoms

3. Preserve/Store Something-

Freezing extra foods. Fruit canning will come soon!

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

Did a major clean out of  kitchen cupboards and fridge. Bought a lot of bulk grains, nuts and seeds. Luckily we have a Grocery Outlet and Natural Grocer's close by, good deals there! We found out a new Trader Joe's will be built closer to out house, nice! There's one downtown near where I work but traffic is crazy sometimes, and I'd like to go on the weekends when I have more time. 

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

Getting lots of new plant based recipe ideas, great source here Forksoverknives Recipes . The class we're taking has a recipe book as well, and we always ate some vegetarian foods before. As you know we'll keep eating eggs! Having your own chickens clinches the deal for us. Last week I made  whole grain pasta with homemade pesto, asparagus, with 2 eggs on top, a little Parmesan cheese. Delish! I learned about Jack Fruit as well, a good meat substitute with huge health benefits. This weekend we tried Trader Joe's veggie burgers, with avocado, salsa, a little Cojito cheese on whole wheat buns-

Very nutritious!

I made my Greek chicken salad with garbanzo beans instead, pretty good-

I saw this recipe, good since we have lots of eggs. I thought I'd try these-

Photo from Bonappetit Soy Marinated Eggs

6. Build Community Food Systems-

No farmer's market trips yet here, too early for the good stuff! I like to buy local apples, taters and other summer crops I don't/can't grow. 

7. Recycle/Re-Use-

Filled up one of my old pots with nasturtium seeds on the deck. I will some other old ones with our indoor Basil starts, too cold right now. I'll fill the rest with some Calendula seeds. All the weeds, grasses, etc. went into the compost bin.

8. Skill Up-

Learning a lot about plant-based eating and the huge heath benefits. I'll be off some long term meds soon, from what I can tell. Losing weight, and my tummy is getting flatter! More info later as time goes on.

9. Regenerate What is Lost/Salvage Something- 

Our front center flow bed in the front yard was pretty overgrown with grasses after 10 years. I thought it was too green and we needed more colors. I bought three new perennial plants, pollinators too! Dave cleared out the invasive stuff, composted, planted, and bark dusted. Looks so much better! Under $25.00 investment for the whole thing. Just a lot of digging, used our own compost, and all the grassed went into the compost bin-

Heavy clay soil around flower bed, Dave added compost

Overgrown with grasses

Added blue Salvia, tall pink Thrift, and Red Twig Dogwood in the middle has room!

Multi colored pink daisies in front