Both the squirrels and I...

As I was organizing the freezer last night, I couldn't help but think of how this must be how a squirrel feels...I was so proud of what we've accomplished this year in producing some of our own food and preserving it! I've already bragged on the canned goods, but now it's time for the freezer to show off! :-)

Since we didn't have a pressure canner until just recently, the veggies had to be frozen, thus the huge amount of black-eyed peas in the freezer. I would have preferred to can them and I'm seriously considering thawing them to can sometime soon. Anyway, without further adieu:

Black-eyed peas - 17 bags (From our garden and the university's community gardens)
Summer Squash - 7 bags (Again, from our garden and the university garden)
Mashed Potatoes - 4 family serving sized bags (from our garden...we've already eaten 4 servings /blush/)
Onions - 8 bags chopped and ready for cooking (from our garden)
English Peas - 2 bags (from our garden...hoping to grow more next year)
Green Beans - 2 bags (from our garden...I think I've decided that bush beans grow much better here, so that'll be our plan next spring)
Carrots - 7 bags (and more in the garden)
Corn on the Cob - 5 bags with 5-6 ears per bag (from a farmer's stand on the way to my parent's house...about 45 miles away)
Okra & Squash for Frying - 6 huge, stuffed, gallon sized bags with more okra coming in every day!
Eggs - 5 dozen frozen in ice cube trays for winter baking (from our hens)

Almost all of this is sealed in Food Saver bags to keep freezer burn to a minimum.

Homestead Man and I set a goal this morning to have a small pen ready for two calves by the end of the weekend. I'm hoping that the sale of the first calf with pay for the processing of the second calf into beef to fill our meat freezer...but then that is a long-term goal, isn't it?

Spring Plans...

So...the realization that we're not going to find 10 acres in the country that we can afford has hit home /ouch/. I've decided to be happy with what we DO have...one acre of land. The problem? Neighborhood restrictions. No goats...no sheep...no cows...hmmmmmmmm. This really limits the homesteading possiblities, huh?

I've decided to carry on with fruit and veggie plans (in leiu of the goats and sheep...hey, a girl can't have it all!). As of right now, I have five fruit trees in the ground, three blueberry bushes, and two old fashioned blackberry bushes...all planted in November. I also have one established Strawberry bed with oh, about 30-35 plants in it...thriving since last May.

I have PLANS to build four square foot gardens for veggies. We've already purchased the lumber and the soil mix as recommended on http://www.squarefootgardening.com/. I hope to add 2-4 more squares next year, but four seems a good start.

I've been drooling over the seeds from Seed Saver's Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org/) ...especially the Cherokee Trail of Tears beans (http://www.seedsavers.org/prodinfo.asp?number=36) . They were carried by the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears (hence the name :-P), which appeals to me because I am part Cherokee. Continuing our heritage seems like a good way to teach my girls about their family history.

In addition, I hope to plant some cucumbers and other high yield pole beans on trellis supports so that I can do some canning...pickles and green beans, yummy!

I'll upload photos sometime soon to document our progress!