Independence Days 2012- week 8

Another week has come and gone and it's been a busy, productive week.  I've got lots to report for this week's Independence Days Challenge.  That's one of the things I love so much about this challenge...  These are all things I would be doing anyway, but this gives me a way to keep track and see how productive I've been, even in those weeks where I don't feel like much has been accomplished.   Usually I manage to do more than I give myself credit for.  Here goes for this last week of March.
Plant something- Oh, baby, yes indeed!  Outside I planted onion sets, peas, carrots, lettuce and some kohlrabi.  Inside, I started 10 varieties of tomatoes, 8 peppers, eggplant and 10 different herbs.
Harvest something- nettles, chives and eggs (44 this week- 45 if you count the 'wind egg'). Clover, grass and dandelions for the chickens.  I can hardly wait until the lamb's quarters get a little bigger....
Preserve something- froze two containers of chives and 2 batches of pasta (one nettle and one lemon pepper).  I'm thinking that freezing fresh pasta may be a good way to 'preserve' some excess eggs this summer.
Waste not- The usual recycling, composting and scraps to the chickens.  I'm saving the gallon sized glass jar that we got kosher dills in at the food Outlet last week.  The children devoured them in record time and it's a great jar.  I'm not sure what I'll be using it for but I can see it for food storage of some sort.  Hmm... maybe that giant package of beans that V was wondering about....
Want not- Stocked up on 25 lbs of flour at the Outlet and divided some of the other purchases we got there into more manageable sizes. Also got some large packages of frozen peas there since we're out of peas and those I planted won't be ready for a while.  Picked up another bar of Fels Naptha soap.  I didn't really NEED any but they were having it on sale at the farm store for less than a dollar.  And, of all things, I also picked up some fishing hooks and bobbers- again on sale at the farm store when I went to get chicken feed.  I brought the boys' fishing poles back from my parents' house a few weeks ago so maybe we'll get licenses and go fishing sometime.
Eat the food- nettle pasta, sourdough crackers, eating from the freezer.  We've been stocking up on things on sale for a while but now realize that we're having a side of beef coming in May so we need to empty room.  Tonight will be pasta with tomato sauce.  I'm thinking I'll be trying some of the fresh frozen pasta.  I want to make sure I like it in the freezer (and that it works!) before I put in any more. I've also got some dough going to make sourdough pretzels tonight for Friday Family Movie Night.
Build community food systems- nothing much here but another dozen eggs to work.  I can't take credit for it but J17 wrote a letter to the editor about keeping the farmer's market in it's current location rather than move it downtown as some have been proposing.
Skill up-  Hmm...  I can't think of anything stellar here.  My sourdough crackers are getting better with each batch and pasta making is becoming less of a challenge.

This seems like it has been a pretty productive week, even with having worked the paying job on Saturday.  I'm hoping next week is just as good but with a little less drama.