Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Already thinking spring!

OK all, since Christmas has passed, it's time to figure out what to plant for next year. Don't get me wrong, I'm still praying for a snowstorm so I can try out our sledding hill! Of course, the new Johnny's Seeds catalog is coming out this week, but before I get seduced by glossy bushes full of beans and vines dripping with juicy, meaty tomatoes, I thought I should make a preliminary list of what we wanted to plant. Now, asparagus is out for this year because we are going to be building a barn and asparagus needs so much room, I thought I'd plant it around the outside of the barn (maybe). We already have garlic and horseradish (thanks again Chris!) planted. So tell me, what's the one (or two) food you couldn't live without?



This is what I'm thinking.

This list is subject to change without warning.



Or much thought.



Aw heck, on a whim.



We must plant several varieties of Corn for us and the chickens. I'm also planting popcorn. With corn goes sunflowers, they are very good together.

Several lettuce varieties, spinach, swiss chard, kale?, and lots of cabbage. (See FarmerGeek's post on Sauerkraut.)

We'll need cucumbers and pickling cukes.
Green, red, yellow peppers.
Potatoes
Onions
Hot peppers
Celery
Carrots
Numerous varieties of tomatoes
Squash
Pumpkins (cooking)
Beets
Raspberries
Strawberries
Cherries (Maybe or maybe next year, we'll see.)
Apples (Again we'll see)
Elderberries
Grapes
Various Herbs



Heck we might even try our hand at growing wheat or oats! FarmerGeek was talking about growing his own tobacco and coffee.



I also have some grand delusions of getting a beehive for FarmerGeek to take care of so we have honey. Then we'll have to decide between goats or a cow.


And you all thought that winter was a slow time on a farm!

But let me know, what do you think we can't live without?

6 comments:

Melissa Hannon said...

Lettuce.... you can then have the complete fixins for a salad!

Anonymous said...

Well, I know you can't live without hot peppers. I'd wait a bit for the bees though...because I think with that, in order to get different tastes in the honey, there have to be certain flowers around? I'll have to find a book. If you get the right kind going, you can put it together with the popcorn and make kettle corn. Alrighty, I'm rambling...

Bridgette

Megan said...

Definately lettuce, several kinds. What we can't eat we can give to the chickens for better eggs. Actually I'm thinking about setting up a spot in the basement to grow them all year round.

And as for honey, it does have different subtle flavors and colors depending on the flowers and all. But they are also good for pollinating the garden. And if you read up on Colony Collapse Disorder, I am just terrified. I'm blaming GMO's personally, but...

Anonymous said...

Rhubarb.

Makes pies, makes pnik lemonade (where do you think the orignial came from?) can be eaten as a side dish, as a fruit, it's nutritious, and nearly work free.

It's one of the first foods (like aspargus) that'll come up in Spring.

And yeah, get a skep. Every reason to.

Gina

Megan said...

I totally forgot about rhubarb!!! It was on my first list...

And I can't believe I didn't put beans and peas on my list. Many beans, green and drying beans.

dlyn said...

We can't live without squash - lots of it - both winter and summer. There are times when my own blog becomes very squash-centric ;) Found your blog from you comment on PW's - very nice and I will be back to check you out some more!