This time I'm actually talking about producing food for yourself. Now before you start yawning and clicking back to Facebook let's at least take a look at some of the possibilities.
Not talking full blown farm and garden here - I realize that not everyone has the space, the time or the desire to wake up at dawn to slop the hogs or milk the cows (or goats for that matter) or scatter corn for the chickens. If nothing else a lot of us live where those activities would be cause for an immediate cease and desist order from our local "serve and protect" guys - especially if you call attention to your latest hobby by including a rooster in your mix. And don't be deceived by the old wives tale that they only crow at dawn - those suckers sound off any time the mood strikes all throughout the day and only seem to get louder with practice!
Now, back to basics: unless you are a constant traveler there are quite a few items that you can "produce" for yourself relatively easily - produce being one of them. Nice little play on words, there right?
I am currently in the process of turning one of my big garden beds into two smaller ones - having convinced myself that two beds at 8 feet by 3 feet are smaller in total area than the one big 16 foot by 6 foot one I am replacing. See? I can make my numbers say whatever I want them to although there is a rationale for what I'm doing. Actually these will be easier to use because I can reach the middle of each bed without walking on the soil - which compacts it and I don't want that.
But I also garden in containers - sometimes because my planning skills are less than perfect and I always have a couple of plants that there is no garden room for so I plop them in pots. But I also deliberately plant salad items in pots near the side door so they are handy at supper time. And actually container gardening is a good place to start if you are new at this whole process. They don't have to be fancy containers either - anything that will hold soil and allow for drainage out the bottom.
Metal containers that have outlived their original purpose - a few drain holes and you're in business.
Cheap plastic buckets - also with drain holes in the bottom (not my dog!) Notice the inset PVC pipe sections that let you water to the bottom of the plants rather than wetting the leaves - cool idea!
Or, if you fancy more fancy?
Container gardening does require that you water more frequently than, for instance, a raised bed with a good layer of mulch but it's also more manageable for a beginner. You can spot the pots in convenient locations near a water source or, if you choose, right on your porch or deck so it's easy to take care of them and even easier to pick the vegetables when they are ready. Lettuce and assorted greens are a perfect thing to have right by the door if you decide to have a salad for supper!
As time goes by and more of our news reports speak of an appalling variety of bacteria and outright poisons in our food it becomes more important to me to at least grow (and preserve - but that's another subject) what I can so I have some idea what went into the makings of my meals. I know I can't grow enough so I never have to buy fresh food but for several months in the spring and summer - and even into the fall - I can walk out my door and pick food that I know is pretty much guaranteed to be a lot fresher and more tasty than what I might get elsewhere!
Let's at least consider what you might be able (and willing) to do towards feeding yourself (now that you've got the fork and spoon part under control!). It's definitely going to take more than one post to hit even the high points so stay tuned if you dare!
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