Independence Days- take 2: week 1

Well, the Independence Days Challenge is starting up for it's second year.  I was a latecomer to it last year so only made it for a few months on the old challenge.  If you haven't participated in this one, consider it.  I find it quite helpful- especially during those weeks when I don't feel that I'm getting much done.  By trying to accomplish something in each category each week, you not only work toward independence but also prepare yourself for hard times.  It is gratifying to see everything that  you can accomplish in a week's time.  Me, I don't always manage to do something in every category but at least I sit down and think about it once a week.  It's amazing how many things I already do (and would be doing anyway) fit into the categories.

Here goes for this week:

1. Plant something- Peas, onions, chard, radishes, lettuce, beets and broccoli.  Oh, and I transplanted 12 black raspberries and 16 golden ones from our old house to the new. Whew!

2. Harvest something- Only chives.  J14 and I were talking about trying to make violet jelly- we have a TON of violets at the new house.  We have lots here but not nearly as many.

3. Preserve something- Nope- but thinking about jelly.

4. Reduce waste- Did pretty bad on this front again.  We did use cloth bags at the store, recycle and compost as usual. We've been using cloth bags for so long that we don't have plastic grocery bags in the house anymore.  In fact, when I transplanted our raspberries I wanted to put them in plastic grocery bags for transport.  I actually had to bring some home from our stash at work to use.  I did save them and will reuse them to transplant more things as we go.

5. Preparation and storage- Other than working on the new house and garden, not much else.  We're trying to NOT stockpile anything else new since we would just have to move it.  I did move 6 dozen canning jars out to the new place and stored them  (off the ground) in the barn for now.

6. Build Community food systems-  Um, not really.  One of my coworkers was hitting me up for any spare produce that I may have this summer. She is the one who is going to Brazil on a mission trip this summer and will be taking some of our old toys along with her.  Since she will be gone for a while she isn't planting anything at her house.

7. Eat the food-  Yup.  Tonight's dinner was turkey and noodles with turkey I canned in January, dried carrots and celery from last year's garden.  We're trying to eat mostly from stores- although it has taken a bit more planning to make it work with all the house work we're doing.

That's it for a bit.  I've gotta go.  I'll try to do a Seed to Seed update tomorrow.