28 January 2020

Goals revisited, 2019

1 Year Goals (by 1 Jan 2020)

  • Extend vegetable self sufficiency by 1 month (7 months total)
  • Set up a chicken coop at the allotment
  • Make/obtain a cold frame for the allotment
  • Raise at least one batch of chicks
5 Year Goals (by 1 Jan 2025)
  • Fully self sufficient in vegetables and seasonal fruit
  • Raising/breeding meat and replacement layers
  • Greenhouse erected
Read 2018's goals here.
Read 2017's goals here.
Read 2016's goals here. 

Looking at my 1 year goals, I thought it would be pretty easy but turns out I was wrong.  Technically we did set up a chicken coop at the allotment, and we kept chickens in it, but it was only a temporary set up, and when the roof blew off in high winds, that was the end of that.

The extension of veg self sufficiency by one month was also not achieved, for reasons explained at the time.

But on to the (small) successes:  I definitely set up a cold frame at the allotment and grew beetroot and lettuce in it, and we raised a batch of nine chicks--or our two broody hens did.  This also provided us with four new layers and five spare cockerels for meat, per the 5 year goal.  I've managed this chicken goal for a few years now so I may take it off 5 year list.

No greenhouse yet, though we were pretty well sufficient in seasonal fruit.  In fact, we haven't been buying much fruit at all for about five months, but eating our stored/preserved fruits--though we did buy oranges for Christmas;  maybe when I get that greenhouse I'll get an orange tree.

21 January 2020

I did some gardening

Whoa, as big and exhausted as I am (pregnancy was a lot easier the first time, 10 years ago), I managed to get a few jobs done so far this month.  I also supervised the performance of a few others.  Here's what I did/oversaw:
  • Harvested runner bean seed (finally)
  • Tidied away all bean and pea supports in the garden
  • Dug out a few legacy shrubs (planted by a previous owner and still on the margins of the veg patch)--supervised
  • Potted up 4 rooted blackcurrant cuttings for gifts (fingers crossed these are still alive)--supervised
  • Pruned fruit bushes and took 18 new redcurrant cuttings and lightly pruned the Kumoi pear
  • Pruned one (of two) grape vines
  • Spread contents of chicken house on one garden bed--supervised
  • Cut back some overspreading bramble vines (unwanted) in the perennials section and did a general tidy up there
  • Cut back all 2019's willow wands and tied them up to dry for basketry 
There are a few more jobs to do, such as pruning the two apples trees, fig tree and second grape vine.  It's almost time to start sprouting peas and broad beans, and for starting some onion seed indoors.  Better get on it.

14 January 2020

Grand total for garden food, 2019

Here goes:

Vegetables:  177 lb, 4.5 oz

Eggs:  1400

Fruit: 7 lb, 10 oz (incomplete;  most fruit was counted by number, e.g. 156 plums)

We beat totals from 2018 on all scores, but not 2017;  and this with allotment totals added in for 2019--ah well.  There were a few things unweighed as of 31 Dec, including a medium sized squash and a large pumpkin, but heavy as they both were I doubt they could have brought the veg total up by another 25 lb.  At least the fruit total has been increasing every year;  2019 was the best year yet for garden fruit.

However, considering that I haven't been working under full steam since about July, I feel very pleased about the final results.  I anticipate 2020 to be similar, considering our upcoming family situation, but if I can at least match 2019, I'll be thrilled.

See previous grand totals:  2018, 2017, 2016

07 January 2020

Food totals December 2019

Vegetables:

38 oz potatoes
9 oz Brussels sprouts
11.5 oz chard
16 oz celery
16.5 oz kohl rabi

Total: 91 oz, or 5 lb 11 oz

Note:  I weigh all my vegetables after preparation:  peeling, trimming, etc.  Does not include some fresh herbs which were too small a quantity to weigh, i.e. less than 0.5 oz.

Fruit:

No fruit harvested this month

Eggs:

Total: 18 eggs from 10 hens and 2 ducks (another rescue hen died this month)
Total feed bought: 2 bags layers pellets (40 kg), 1 bag mixed corn (20 kg)

Preserves:

6 medium jars dried carrots (shop bought)

Homebrew:

4 L cider vinegar still fermenting (from wild harvested apples)