THE SQUIRREL CHALLENGE: Want to join?

[Farmfresh]

If my roses are an indicator I guess that you are back to the rootstock tree. Your nice lemon was most likely grafted on to that stock since the "soapy lemon" had a very strong root system.

If you can't use those lemons that are growing sometimes the only solution is the AXE!

The sooner you do it the sooner you can replant!

 

[TanksHill]

Ldychef2k.... You know about two years ago I started with my pantry storage. Just a few 5 gallon buckets of things I use on a regular basis. Oats, wheat, sugars etc... I told my dh that I could get better prices when buying in bulk. It was true but in the back of my head I was leaning more towards the "be prepared" side. I have chickens, garden and have been expanding my small orchard.

Last month when we got home from our annual family vacation. We found out my fil was selling his company. This left my dh with almost no income and maybe no job. Anyways to make a long story short. (maybe to late) I am using my pantry storage now. I have only needed to purchase dairy and meat. If things get really though I have chickens to eat and we could always be vegetarians. I wish I had my goats by now for milk and cheese.

I think my dh is appreciating my efforts now and seeing the good. It does not really take TSHTF to make one thankful for pantry storage.

I guess when things get better around here I will have to re stock. But for now I am thankful for those few 5 gallon buckets. g

Ps I have a really dagressive mean wild berry full of thorns growing in my field. My neighbor has suggested we use it as a Green fence. One to keep the hens in and the coyotes out. Maybe you could re plant those lemon suckers around your property line. As a barrier of some sorts. Is the juice from the lemons good?

 

[Ldychef2k]

Argh, I lost my response. Trying again.

I love it when a plan comes together! It is a great encouragement to me on many levels that you are using your storage pantry. Sometimes I think I am as crazy as my family says. They patronize quite a lot ! But to know that I have the backup is such a secure feeling.

The past five years have been hard. I got married and divorced in four months. He just disappeared, and I don't know what happened. My income was decreased by 40% by the client unilaterally rewriting our contract. I lost my home and when I packed to move someone broke in and stole my packed boxes, so I had to start over again. Then I had what was supposed to be a simple surgery which turned out quite differently, and now I have some physical issues that are quite challenging. So, without a second income or even a complete FIRST income, the security of these boxes and jars is the next best thing to a partner that I can come up with ! It means the world to me that the Lord has provided so much. I have been givne box after box of free food this summer, and had I not been able to can it or dehydrate it, none of this would have been possible. One day, a complete stranger just handed me $100 !!! Can you believe it? God is SO good.

Anyway, I am sorry for the trouble you have had, but am rejoicing iwth you that you practiced wisdom, even if you had to face some doubters (who are now eating well because of you!).

Kris

 

[Beekissed]

Kris, that was a great story! I love those kinds of stories....

 

[FarmerDenise]

I haven't seen this thread before. That's some great storage and scrounging and preserving going on.

I was noticing that my cupboards are already full and I haven't even really gotten into the canning season yet. I just re-arranged some of our cupboards so that I could fit the jars in that I canned this week. I don't know where the tomatoes that I haven't canned yet are going to go, and I've just started to make pickles. I have a basket of pears to can up and those are just the first harvest from my daughter's tree.
So I know that we are already way ahead of last year. We also already have bags and bags of gallon ziplock bags filled with frozen blackberries. I am drying more stuff this year too. I have dried wild plums, peaches, mushrooms, zucchini, bananas and plan on drying a whole lot more. The dried stuff takes up less room and also does not require power to be safely kept. That is also why I like to can, rather than freeze stuff.
It feel great to have all that food and seasonings and herbs stashed, I mean squirreled away.

 

[Ldychef2k]

Is it hard to grow blackberries? We had them, and raspberries, in my backyard when I was a kid, but my grandpa took care of them for us, and we had berries galore! He was an extraordinary gardener, so I am not sure if it is as easy as he made it look.

 

[Farmfresh]

Blackberries are not so hard really - once you get them established.

They like full sun, rich soil, and need space around them or they can get moldy.

My blackberries are thornless and VERY productive. I have two 50 foot rows of them - but the rows are NOT full since I have been doing quite a lot of renovations on them. (The old rows were wrapped around a woven wire fence and FULL of sapling trees and wild grapevines!)

They are bi-annuals, which means they produce fruits on the last years new growth. After they produce on a cane - that cane is done and needs to be removed in the late fall or early spring.

 

[kenman]

Ok, how productive are talking here? Productive as in enough blackberry jam to last a winter or enough to satisfy me which would be several 5 gallon bucket fulls? I love the things and they are easy to grow. I received several starts from my Dad's patch last fall and my patch is looking GOOD!

 

[Farmfresh]

I don't know what variety you planted or how yours will produce for sure. Mine produce A LOT of blackberries!! When they were at their peak - BEFORE I ripped them out of the wild fence. I would harvest 20 to 30 pint boxes every other day from about mid July to September 1!

I used to get all I needed and then SELL the extras at our local Farmers Market every Saturday and Wednesday. I made enough cash to buy a beef each year!

Now a days there is enough for me - lots of jam and jelly and blackberry sorbet and ice cream the occasional pie - and all of the birds in the neighborhood to have their fill.

 

[kenman]

Oh my! That sounds delicious! I could eat something with blackberries or just blackberries every day. My favorite would have to be warm blackberry syrup over vanilla ice cream. I just hope there's blackberries in heaven!