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Post by Admin on Dec 31, 2020 21:29:01 GMT -6
Everyone is welcome. Do you have a yearly preparing Journal and To-do list, your goals for the year? How are you accomplishing your goals? What does January 2021 have for a To-do list at your place?
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Post by Tim Horton on Dec 31, 2020 22:39:06 GMT -6
Goals...... NOT resolutions...
I suppose it would be a good idea to look up the Websters definitions of these 2 terms, as there is likely a significant difference.. Or maybe not... +++ For 2021...... I for one, am going to look at 2020 as a quite significant "test run", "example", "wake up", "shock" you name it...
I guess an initial reaction to 2020, that in 2021 it will be a "goal" to be diligent, the entire year, day to day, effort to maintain our existing preps, improve our preps, expand our preps in ways we had not imagined to enhance our existing preps to date..
Again, this will be a day to day effort.. And will change, possibly day to day, depending on the task at hand, the season of the year, the mission of the day, the availability of a product or opportunity to improve our life..
Also I'm going to be a bit of a pessimist in all this with the feeling 2021 is going to have a lot of rough spots to endure.. Anything less will be a pleasant moment..
My 5 cents of opinion, at about 20;40 hours on the 31 st..
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Post by mogal on Jan 1, 2021 6:49:05 GMT -6
Tim, I don't think you are being a pessimist. I think you are realistic. Just because the calendar has changed, the old problems are still around to be solved.
I also like your having goals, not making resolutions.
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Jan 1, 2021 15:37:11 GMT -6
No plans for 2021, as of yet. We ramped up things enough last year that this year might just be a "stay the course" kind of year. We doubled our garden space last year and I canned almost 700 jars of food....not sure we have the space to ramp up again, lol.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jan 1, 2021 16:55:02 GMT -6
Happy New Year and welcome 2021. Good riddance to 2020! 🎉🎊💥🎉😁
I'm not so naive as to believe the turning of a calendar page to a new year is going to instantly make everything "all better", but at least there is vaccine hope on the horizon. I'll be continuing to mask up, stay socially distant, use good hand hygiene and mostly just STAY HOME, and I urge everyone else to do the same...not that I really need to say that here, as I'm preaching to the choir, lol.
The start of a new year is a good time to assess your preparedness status and plan to plug any holes. I've looked at my goals from last year and have decided that I might have been a tad too ambitious, especially when faced with several health crises and the advent of Covid. 🙄
I'm going to try to keep things a little more basic this year. In fact, I rather think my word for 2021 may well be SIMPLIFY.
As for resolutions and goals, to my way of thinking, there is a real difference. Resolutions are quickly broken and soon abandoned. Goals are something you are striving to meet. Goals allow for setbacks, even failures. They especially allow for fresh starts. I gave up making resolutions many years ago, but I make GOALS every year. I don't always accomplish them, but at least they give me a mark to shoot for.
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Post by karenbc on Jan 2, 2021 14:12:49 GMT -6
Hey, look what we found at Costco (in Canada) - it's nearly a pound, I know, marked in metric, but I still "think" in Imperial. This will go into our prepping stash, unless my Tim gets into it first:
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Post by Michigan Gal on Jan 2, 2021 19:32:02 GMT -6
My friend uses instant coffee in her homemade Kahlua. Is that what you will use it for?
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lilith
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Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Jan 2, 2021 19:32:18 GMT -6
I for one can't help but face 2021 with the knowledge that Mad Max was set in 2021 ... And at the center of my prepping has been mobility. Being able to maintain, build, and repair cars, engines, pumps, etc. Talk about handy in 2020! I had to replace both my husband and I's daily drivers under covid lockdowns and a crashing economic situation. It allowed me to pay cash for cars with minor mechanical issues and pay fair prices because the sellers were out of work. Thinking back, outside of the chaotic uncertainty of 2020 that lent its self to depression and anxiety, it wasn't a bad year for me. My preps got us through, my job has allowed for growth and is steady, I personally am going into the new year with more than $1 in savings. I mean, really the not knowing what to expect and being uncertain about everything and having a broken foot that slowed me down was the only major things I wasn't ready for. I think I'll be taking that lesson into 2021 and work on being ok with not knowing what tomorrow is going to bring. No more sitting around waiting to see what happens - I need to spend everyday doing what I can while I can do it. I'm not going to just worry about what will or won't happen, I'll focus on what I can do right now. And do some living while I can! So the plan for now is to keep working my 9-5, it offers a ton of security and cash resources so I can purchase what is available when it's on the shelf. I'm also going back to racing my stock car! Yeah it takes money, but I can't be happy thinking it might be gone forever tomorrow and I didn't do it while I had the chance. A garden is absolutely on the list of going to dos. I've got a raised bed project waiting for warmer weather. By warmer, I mean as soon as I'm out of this stupid walking cast and can wear my snowboots. I also want to better insulate around the skirting of the house. The insulation packed up against the floor is awesome - I didn't even know the skirting wasn't insulated till I had to get under there last winter - but doing a good bug bomb, and insulating the skirting can't hurt a darn thing. Plus it will give me a good chance to repair any mouse holes and do a little preventative maintenance there. Also going to stock up on meat all year at each opportunity. Based on sale prices and availability for times it isn't available. Loosing my freezer full of meat this year sucked and it's the only thing food wise that I don't have at least 90 days worth. I'm sure I'll figure out preps along the way each month as well to keep me more than busy! But, this is the plan so far.
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Post by feather on Jan 2, 2021 21:23:15 GMT -6
lilith, good to hear what's going on with you. You have a plan. How long do you have to keep the boot/cast on now? Good to hear you are going to go back to racing. Fun!
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Post by karenbc on Jan 2, 2021 23:01:35 GMT -6
My friend uses instant coffee in her homemade Kahlua. Is that what you will use it for? Nope, not for Kahlua, we use it for coffee. My Tim adds other things to his, hot cocoa powder and other things from the bulk store.
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Post by adinwnc on Jan 3, 2021 5:31:26 GMT -6
lilith You are right. "To keep working my 9-5, it offers a ton of security and cash resources so I can purchase what is available when it's on the shelf. I'm also going back to racing my stock car!" Great plans for the new year! Security, cash to use for necessary items and the ability to do what you love. Sounds wonderful! My only plans for 2021 involve the farm. I am going to finish getting the house emptied out and the driveway rebuilt. Then I can sell the house and barn and keep a portion of the unimproved land. They are putting in four new houses on my road so that should help with the selling price.
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lilith
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Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Jan 7, 2021 8:35:12 GMT -6
Good morning, I find it interesting that yesterday's events have not yet been touched on in this conversation. I know that of all the emotions I was/am feeling about it, needing to prepare or speculate over it's near future affect isn't really one of them. Probably a side effect of living through the chaos of 2020 and corona. Sadly enough, having lived through 9/11, the gulf war, the bombing of the middle east, hurricanes, fires, threats from Korea, 3 day power outages, and you name it ... I'm almost expecting a curve ball about once a week. Maybe my turning point around new years is sticking and I'm coming from a place of that was yesterday this is today. So, I finally got good news the other day about this stupid walking boot! The lab is making my orthopedic braces and as soon as they arrive I can ditch the bulky *junk*! The braces are going to be a lifelong thing, and are designed to keep the bones in alignment where I had destroyed the ligaments that normally do that durring the injury and the ones that became too weak through recovery. Surgery could be an option over the braces, but the success rates are low, involve taking tissue from my thigh, and come with a two year recovery plus physical therapy. This route, I'll be able to get back on my feet (literally) by spring. Beggin the garden planning! I'm way excited to have amassed all the supplies I require to build my raised garden beds. The promise of that project has me looking at seeds. What are y'all planning to do different in the gardens this year?
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Post by feather on Jan 7, 2021 9:40:31 GMT -6
lilith, are you talking about the storming of the capital? Why that happened, what transpired? It is terrible. It didn't happen without months of unrest. Two realities and ideologies crashing against each other, and the election results. Glad to hear you can ditch your boot soon and start getting around. Last year in the garden, mr feather and I started winter sowing our transplants. We heard about this from midtnmama and it saved us lots of space in the house in preparation of the gardens, a huge relief, and was a great success. We are also kept busy during the cold winter months, moving around putting the seeds in the jugs to get them outside, Jan-March, when we need to keep moving for health reasons even though our weather doesn't allow much outdoor activities. We mostly post our garden stuff over in the garden area of the forum. How big are you going with the raised beds? One or more of them? I love the two raised beds we have right now. Easier for weeding and we have cover frames for them too, which extends the seasons. We double plastic covered the lettuce garden (raised and covered) and I really want to get out there and see what if anything is growing while we hover at freezing temperatures.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jan 10, 2021 3:58:18 GMT -6
lilith, I wanted to say something, as I watched the news with a sick feeling in my gut, but was concerned that it might violate the no politics rule, so I sat on my hands. I made the mistake of texting Mrs TL to see if she was following it. She's an intelligent person, but she has completely bought into the conspiracy theories about the elections being rigged and mail in ballots not being safe - and we live in a state that's had 100% mail in voting for years without a problem! Shocked me. Nearly ended our friendship when I pointed out that even past president's Attorney General said it was not a rigged election, and I'm not sure it will ever be quite the same with her. I have a hard time understanding how things could reach this point, both in how it is affecting me personally and how it is affecting our nation. Lies repeated often enough will "become truth"...Hitler's minister of propaganda's motto. It worked in Nazi Germany, and evidently it even works today in America. Brand every news organization that doesn't praise the leader "fake news", even when the facts are easily checked and you start dividing folks into those who watch Fox and those who watch "fake news". When Fox starts to disagree, you get Newsmax and OAN, about as far right past presidentian as you can get, and Fox starts being branded as "disloyal". The news should be the news, not a test of loyalty to one person. Add internet conspiracy theorists and alt right podcasters, and the conspiracy theories are repeated and repeated and repeated again, until you have a gunman trying to find trafficked children in the basement of a pizza parlor that has no basement. It's not a stretch to get from there to a mob breaking glass and forcing their way into the Capitol building. I went on Facebook yesterday to find out if there is a poultry auction next week, and was sucked into reading posts that show up on my feed. I remember now why I don't go on fb anymore. The vitriol being lobbed was more than I could stand. People I thought I knew! I ended up in tears, just reading the hate being spewed. This wasn't civil discourse - it was the equivalent of a brawl. If this is the way our nation was in the 1850s, and we had a Civil War in 1861, how long will it be before another one? This wouldn't be one region against another, but more like every state would be the equivalent of the border states, with neighbor against neighbor and families who are divided. What do we do to avoid such an outcome? How do we put our country back together before it reaches that point? How do we, as preppers, prepare for something like that? I'm not sure it is something we can prepare for. I'm personally thinking of moving to Canada and claiming political asylum if things go south. 😉
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Post by feather on Jan 10, 2021 17:19:01 GMT -6
I have a hard time understanding how things could reach this point, both in how it is affecting me personally and how it is affecting our nation. Lies repeated often enough will "become truth"...Hitler's minister of propaganda's motto. It worked in Nazi Germany, and evidently it even works today in America. ....snip .... I'm personally thinking of moving to Canada and claiming political asylum if things go south. 😉 When a person is 'out of touch with reality', you can see it by what they say. Here is a fact, the chicken has a beak, for instance. Some raving lunatic says, 'the chicken can't eat it has no mouth, I looked at the chicken it has no mouth, it cannot eat'. We call them mentally ill. No matter how many times they repeat it, we remind ourselves they are Sick.
I think of our media, as promoting sickness onto society, by giving the fake truth. Society is being LIED TO. Society is being GASLIGHTED. Society isn't given the truth based on facts. If they were given the truth, the facts, and even opinions (stated as opinions), it would be easy to spot reality.
LYING for instance, a whole lie, or a partial lie, is divisive to society. That's what we are seeing. People are divided by it. *reply to after the ...snip..*
Going to Canada isn't going to be a great solution if my relatives are any indicator of how Canadians handle this. They have a national pastime of making fun of Americans and all the trouble that we have because it is in the news. We (mr feather and I) although we love them, we cannot connect with them on Facebook, because that is what they post. Ha ha, look at the stupid americans, too bad they are stupid and we are not. I don't know how anyone can take listening to that for very long.
It reminds me of midwest jokes 40 years ago, look at that pollock, any race/creed/color different than our own, becomes the butt of the jokes. I think we can leave that behind us. It's an improvement.
It's terrible that people have come to violence with beliefs, and those beliefs are a bit far away from reality. It's not just that, but holding out, with the belief the election was wrong/rigged/fixed, even after it is investigated, for this long, putting that in the news, made it seem almost 'normal'.....there's nothing normal about it.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jan 10, 2021 23:05:38 GMT -6
Well, I was kinda joking about going to Canada, lol. Besides, they won't let us in! I don't blame them. past president got his wish. America First: in Covid total deaths, in Covid deaths per capita, yadda yadda..... 🙄😤😭 I keep hearing they can't complete the impeachment proceedings before the Inauguration. If they could confirm a Supreme Court Nominee in 8 days, they could do this. Will they have the cojones to do it? Probably not. If they don't put this behavior to an impeachment vote and CONVICT, then what behavior would deserve it? What message would lack of action send to future leaders? feather, thank you for your post. I sometimes wonder if I'm alone in a sea of insanity, trying to paddle my canoe through the rapids...
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lilith
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Post by lilith on Jan 11, 2021 8:20:40 GMT -6
I think that as long as we keep the disscussion as current or a soon to be historical event and be very careful to avoid showing support of one side or another, we won't be in violation of the no politics rule. It will be extremely difficult for all of us, as we all have strong feelings towards the current social climate. But, this is hands down my favorite thing about this group (regardless of which board is hosting our conversations). Despite calling ourselves preppers, there is no sky is falling mentality and we will do what we can to keep others in the group from feeling stuck in doomsday rather than feeding the fear.
My favorite thing about this group is exactly what our nation lacks! Nobody has told everyone the sky is not falling, you are just getting a lot of rain. Instead, we have two (or more) sets of values that are very different from one another. We live in a society of technology and algorithms that show us what they think we want to see. This has created very different truths for each set of values. However, that is the expirience, news, and truth for that person. Because of algorithms and technology, that IS their reality! They are not delusional, misinformed, uneducated, or ignorant. They are simply surrounded by information that fits their values and therefore live in a different culture and society - side by side with a mixed bag of folks in the same sea of information - different boat. That's how this happened. In the world according to Lilith anyways.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jan 11, 2021 8:34:06 GMT -6
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 11, 2021 13:18:42 GMT -6
I don't know if this is the place to put my 2021 annual goals, but here goes:
2021 Goals
Garden Cut roses on trellis Get Rain gauge Plant Bamboo Plant Rhubarb Plant Mint under fruit trees Grow mushrooms (step 1 done: Chip drop order) Tap trees for syrup Start organic bees for pollination, not honey Minimize plant buying (start plants/save seed) Build cold frame on south side of house Replant rooted fig tree Create potting bench for basement Start more mums for under each tree Plant marigolds under trees Prune roses and propagate
Food/General Grocer make more fermented food (sourkraut, pickles) Make wine (blackberries, grapes) Learn how to make more vegan Cheezes Make Laundry soap
Energy Saving Small solar energy unit Solve turning off TV yet protection from surges Use less electricity dry clothes outdoors
Cheap fun Obtain inexpensive/free fabric Check into small engine repair courses
Make laundry soap solar oven composting toilet
chickens get more banties sell chicks sell fertilized eggs
Frugal Make Laundry soap
Energy Efficiency Solar oven Solar panel and battery
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lilith
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Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Jan 11, 2021 22:29:06 GMT -6
To go back and answer a few questions that got side tracked .... By me lol
I'm planning to put in 3 raised beds. If this boot is any indication of how difficult it may be to get around in my old age - I'm happy to do this now and not later so I can be gardening later! The beds will be 11 ft long (running north and south) and 4 ft wide and about 2 &1/2 ft tall. I can plant corn and tomato's at the northern edges and shorter plants toward the south. I'm also putting them where they can get full sun and are close to an outdoor faucet where I can put a sprinkler/mister system on a timer! Whoop for less water waste and primo soil ... Because I'm going to have good soil instead of just this crazy sand in those beds! Can ya tell I'm excited?
Still haven't gotten the call to go get my foot braces .... I'm like a kid at Christmas! I keep window shopping new shoes as my right shoes are all a lot more worn than my lefts that have sat in the closet for 4 months haha! Any day now.
Racecar goals are also progressing nicely! My new engine goes to my Dad for inspection and assembly. Having him double check everything makes me feel a whole lot better as I paid more for this little sweetie than I did for my whole car I drive back and forth to work everyday. I have never had a race engine this sweet before! Even got the main shop manager (the big big boss over the service department) so excited about this that I am "required" to take it to work and have his techs help me install it and bring him out to the shop the first time we fire her off in the car.
Other goals still on the list (no specific order) are to 1. insulate the skirting on the house 2. Keep my work a priority for financial stability. 3. Remember to live more than exist. 4. Have a great garden and eat plenty of fresh garden goods all summer. 5. Go fishing! At least sit next to the water and let the river take my worries for a while.
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Jan 12, 2021 10:04:05 GMT -6
Well, with all the "unrest" I have decided to re-supply mid-winter. My goal was to not re-supply till spring, but....well, I'm not happy with empty buckets right now, lol. So I'm working on a list....2 empty buckets of AP Flour, one of noodles, one of sugar, etc... Told DH what I was up to, he's totally on board. I needed 2 boxes of milk to replace what I used last week....he had me get 4, lol.
We decided to add screws to the list, we have some but never the right size. He wants a "big box" of the size of deck screws and drywall screws we are out of. Need to go look and see what sizes we have, of late we only have the wrong size for projects so end up running out for screws too often
DH thinks ramping up the garden is even more important this year. We expanded last year but had some fails. I'm skipping planting corn, too much space just to have it fail. I don't like having to add so much to it to get it to grow (it didn't like our soil). I can get it from the farm market....and put something different in that space (I canned a bunch last year, might not need any this year...I don't like corn, lol). Maybe he will help a bit more since he thinks we need to ramp it up even more. He helped a bunch more last year than he has in the past, so even more help from him would be awesome. My hips acted up last summer and really sidelined me. Not sure why, I usually don't have that consistent an issue with them....but it was ALL summer, and they still haven't gone back to their "normal"....steps are becoming a problem (or maybe it's the bifocals, lol)
I'm going to order grow lights...I picked them out, am happy with the price....but hesitate to push the buy button, lol. I hate to spend money! We want to get an automatic chicken door open, too...again, I have trouble pushing the button, lol. My parents gave us a few dollars for Christmas, I think it will cover the cost of both so it's not the cost... I'm just button shy, lol.
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Jan 12, 2021 12:57:40 GMT -6
midtnmama, this is absolutely the right place for posting your annual list, your monthly, weekly, daily and do it now lists, too! I'm way behind on my 2021 Goals, as well as my January to-do list. The month is 1/3 gone...at this point, I'll be posting some of my "to-dos just for the joys of checking them off! For instance, I've already taken down the Christmas decorations, although the totes are still sitting in my livingroom. Getting them put away in the shipping container is on today's list. Since the rain seems to have stopped, this would be a good time to git 'er done. 😉
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 13, 2021 9:27:41 GMT -6
2 weeks ago, I did the following winter seed sowing containers Spinach Prize Choi Asparagus
Yesterday I did the following: Salvia blue bedder Iceberg Lettuce Mizuna Mustard Purple hollyhock
Finally put the car seat covers on one of the cars Ordered a pressure washer (lots to pressure wash)
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Post by nbc3mom on Jan 13, 2021 10:39:14 GMT -6
I ordered seeds for 2021 in the fall but some were on backorder. I will be checking with the company to see if they are going to be able to fill my entire order. Strawberries were few and far between last year so I will be placing an order for more strawberry plants as well as seed potatoes. We divided rhubarb in the fall and planted 12 new ones. I'm hoping at least some of them will be successful or I have to buy more rhubarb, too.
We put in a new storm door last week, and DH saved the old one to use as a cover for another cold frame. There is still lettuce in the smaller cold frame that we made last year, but I planted it too late to get a good crop. Both cold frames will be great in the spring to harden off plants that I start indoors.
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Post by midtnmama on Jan 15, 2021 7:19:33 GMT -6
Yesterday I planted old seed in pots with a *mart bag over them with holes in it. I planted Columbine, coral bells, cabbage and brocolli. It was a beautiful day so I watered the fig trees, blackberries and grapes with greywater; cleaned up the herb garden next to the house to put my winter seed sowing jugs.
I dyed some fabric I didn't care for (hot pink stripes, yikes) in red to use in my quilting. I'd been putting it off because I wasn't sure how to do it (well, forgot). And I was sure I'd stain something else while doing it.
I realized that I don't have enough seed for the spring. Things were very tight in the fourth quarter so I didn't want to spend any $$. Now that I am able to buy, seeds are hard to find and I don't want to go into any stores to buy seed. Edited to add: I saved seed of spinach, pak choi, turnips and pepper. I don't know how viable they will be as the pollination is sketchy these days.
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lilith
Full Member
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Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Jan 16, 2021 8:33:22 GMT -6
Now that I am able to buy, seeds are hard to find and I don't want to go into any stores to buy seed. Edited to add: I saved seed of spinach, pak choi, turnips and pepper. I don't know how viable they will be as the pollination is sketchy these days. I have had excellent luck with sustainable seed company and ordering online. Their prices are moderate if you aren't a seed saver, but I also have saved seed from there that are 5th and 6th generation. Making that $3 pack of seeds more than worth the moderate price I paid years ago - plus I was able to order fresh seed of the same varieties this year to bring in some genetic diversity to my seed stores. I only started to struggle with germination rates on my peas and sunflowers last year, so that could be anything I did wrong or the abuse and age of some of my seed in storage. sustainableseedco.com/collections/all-heirloom-seeds
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Post by nbc3mom on Jan 21, 2021 12:51:07 GMT -6
I ordered strawberry plants, seed potatoes, onions, and a rhubarb plant. midtnmama,I've had success with heirloom seeds from Baker's. They were closed for a week to catch up with orders but are now back online. Leads me to think there will still be a lot of Covid gardens this year. Today was my last PT session. I'm pleased with the improvement in my neck, and I think I can keep this reduced level of pain if I continue with the exercises, turmeric tea, and turmeric capsules. Arthritis doesn't go away, but it can be managed. Staying healthy and flexible is a definite prep at any age.
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Post by bearcreekbees on Jan 21, 2021 14:16:58 GMT -6
Lilith- thanks for posting the link to the seed company. I just ordered some carrot and asparagus seeds, plus some pepperoncini, which we have never grown before.
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Post by feather on Jan 21, 2021 15:12:40 GMT -6
I ordered strawberry plants, seed potatoes, onions, and a rhubarb plant. midtnmama ,I've had success with heirloom seeds from Baker's. They were closed for a week to catch up with orders but are now back online. Leads me to think there will still be a lot of Covid gardens this year. Today was my last PT session. I'm pleased with the improvement in my neck, and I think I can keep this reduced level of pain if I continue with the exercises, turmeric tea, and turmeric capsules. Arthritis doesn't go away, but it can be managed. Staying healthy and flexible is a definite prep at any age. I use Baker's Creek too. I like the seeds I bought from them last year, good germination for most. I ordered this year too and I love that they have free shipping on seeds.
NBC3MOM, I'm glad you are seeing improvement and have less pain. It makes the difference between tolerating it through the day, to enjoying life and sometimes forgetting there was pain.
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Post by mogal on Jan 21, 2021 17:31:36 GMT -6
I guess I'm an old grouch. Sustainable Seeds on line catalog was frustrating to use. I would probably buy from them if they alphabetized by plant type rather than variety. Geez.
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