I'm SO Excited!

Today has been an at-home-BUSY-day! I'm so excited with what has been accomplished and I just wanted to share!! ^_^

So, I've been "in talks" with our landlord to re-think the whole NO GARDEN in the lease bit for a while (around TWO months!). He finally consented to allow us to have a garden as long as we will #1 remove the dirt and wood (Square Foot Gardening) when we move AND #2 will take care of any problems the city may present (read: pay any fines). I sent a note in with the rent check declaring that we would, indeed, do those things. So, I'm pushing ahead full-steam since we have our tax return money back.

Today I purchased a good sized order of long-term Food Storage. I'm sacrificing the triple jogger I had my heart set on and firmly determined to purchase, in favor of additional FS. I'm sad about that, but I feel it's WAY more important to build up our FS at this point. If we can save enough for the stroller AFTER our FS is up where I want it (at least 1 year supply of LTFS long term food storage for each person), THEN I'll get it... or, maybe, with next Tax Return (if we've been able to add sufficient food to our stores AND we're not preggie). Both Kat and Tea were, in large part, paid for by tax return moneys... so that could suck up the whole lot (assuming there IS such a thing as a tax return next year!).

In addition to the FS purchase, I searched and hunted and chose heirloom seeds to plant in our garden. Since the garden isn't even built and set up yet, I'm obviously VERY far behind schedule. But I've been greatly blessed in our gardens before (up in VA), so I'm hoping Father will favor us here even though I'm not timely... it's mostly my fault, but not completely. I'm SO excited about the seeds I found and chose. We're going to have some great variety and tastey foods!!! I've put in the banner of one of the stores I purchased from at the top of this section. The other is Amishland Heirloom Seeds. The former is less expensive, but the latter has TONS of info on each varietal and is obviously run by someone who is passionate about what she does! They both have a wide variety. The seeds are not certified organic, but many are (or are very close to being). Heirloom seeds are more valuable to me than a seed that is simply certified organic (hybrids could be organic!). Heirlooms will reproduce what you're hoping to get, organic hybrids won't! I'd rather get what I want and reliably grow what I think I am from what I've grown before (I'm a seed saver!). Also, since they are heirloom, they are NOT genetically modified, so there aren't any chromosome changing chemicals in them... AND any strength against pests is inherent, not PUT there by man (well, unless you count selection and hand fertilization of some, but I don't).

Jess will probably have a VERY busy week coming up... He's already got one appointment set up for a job interview on one morning (before he goes to work at the Cafe). He's trying to set up another one. AND I need to use the van (so he'll be along since he's more comfy doing this stuff anyway) to pick up the untreated lumber, posts, lattice, screws (if we don't have the size we need), dirt, manure, pearlite (may not use this time), and peat moss.... I'm SO excited! Then, of course, we (read: Jessie) will have to put the boxes together (thankfully we can get the wood cut at Lowes or Home Depot (wherever we go for the purchase). Then the remainder will be: lay out the newspaper, fill in with dirt, and plant. I'm pretty sure I can get that last section of 3 steps done well on my own... but the last time I tried to get a screw through a hole (predrilled for me by Jess) I almost split the wood! That drill/driver is very powerful! I had to wedge the wood in place and then hold it with my legs... I'm sorely lacking upper body strength and always have been. ahwell... that's what hubbies are for, right? :)

I'm sure he'll be happy to do that one step of the process (even if it is pretty big with the whole trip to the store and all) so that we can have the end results we would like. I'm REALLY hoping for enough produce to put some up in store! If successful, this will will be my FIRST time doing any HOME canning... I REALLY hope I get to because that's an ability I REALLY want to develop. I'll tell ya how that goes - whether you want me to or not. :)

Oh, I'm still waiting for my raspberry bushes to arrive. Do you remember that deal I told you about? The $20 free, all you pay is shipping, deal from a nursery... Spring Hill, me thinks. I'm not sure if it's still on, but they have quite a few items to choose from that are $20 and under! Have you checked it out? Did you get anything? I'd love to compare notes on the plants, if you have!!! ^_^