{Late Spring 2012}
This year I’m on a mission to grow 4,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables in my suburban backyard. In 2012 I was able to grow 2,028 pounds, and in 2013 I’m going double or nothing. I have absolutely no idea if I’ll be able to achieve my goal. But, as with any adventure, half the fun is getting there. ~Mavis
It’s time to break out the banjo because I feel a song coming on.
Although I didn’t harvest one stinkin’ thing from my backyard garden this past week, spring is EVERYWHERE! The oregano is starting to fill it’s giant container, all 4 rhubarb plants have poked through the soil, flower buds on the trees are starting to appear like a flash mob, and bees… Lucy and I spotted 3 bees in the backyard yesterday. Weeeeee!
Now all we need is less rain, more sunshine and some heat, and we’ll be in business.
This week I’ll be planting more seeds, working in the greenhouse and planting the rest of our potatoes. Also on the agenda, a few super cool garden projects, so be on the look out for those as well.
If you still have snow, or your garden is to frozen or muddy to work in, hang in there, hopefully it’s only a matter of a few more weeks until you can get out there and grow baby grow!
~Mavis
Here is what I have harvested so far this year:
{Heirloom beets pictured from last summer}
Beets – 14 ounces
{Tonda di Parigi HEIRLOOM carrots pictured from last summer}
Carrots – 3 ounces
Egg Count – 402 {5 eggs per day average}
This week we collected a whopping 73 eggs. Holy crack!
Lettuce – 6 ounces
Microgreens 5 ounces
Potatoes – 2 pounds 9 ounces
Sprouts – 8 ounces
Swiss Chard 11 ounces
Wheatgrass – 7 ounces
Total Food Harvested in 2013: 5 pounds 15 ounces
Total Eggs Collected in 2013: 402
Get out there and grow!
~Mavis
Need some seeds? Botanical Interests is offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50 right now.
Melissa says
What do you do with all of those eggs? Use them to barter and eat them, but don’t you still have quite a bit leftover? Just curious.
How’s Matilda?
Mavis says
Matilda died. :(. Now that we are swimming in eggs, I’ll start posting a few more egg recipes.
Melissa says
Sorry to hear about Matilda. 🙁
Donna says
That egg total is AMAZING!! How many chickens do you have? Have you ever calculated the average cost per egg or per dozen? I want to get some chickens (our city just changed its ordinance to allow them), but I’ve read estimates of $6 to $12 a dozen – including only the average cost of the food.
Lauren says
Donna — I spend about $20 a month to feed my 5 hens. From them, I get about a dozen and a half eggs a week. It depends a little bit on where you live and where you are purchasing feed for them; when I lived on the west coast, I would have spent about twice that. Still, it’s a steal for fresh, free-range organic eggs!
Mavis — I’m curious how many hens you have as well. I’m adding three to my flock this year, because they can’t seem to keep up with the demand from us and our neighbors! I’m tempted to add a couple more than that even, but it might just be due to a chicken addiction.
LimaRomeo says
Sorry about Matilda. I’ve been following you posts for a month and boy am I inspired! I’M finally on board with the chicken coop and my HH is untying in raised beds after several unsuccessful row gardens( hate to weed).
Happy planting
Heather m says
Mavis,
I noticed in the pictures, some of your raised beds look to be about 6-8 inches deep. I new to raised bed gardening, can you tell me what grows well in shallow soil? Thank you.
Kendra says
I agree with the less rain more sunshine! It was DUMPING on me coming down I-5 on my way to work this morning. I need a nice sunny weekend to get some new topsoil for my raised beds.
Blair says
I’ll be covering for frost/snow showers this week, what is your plan with the impending weather? Happy Spring to this crazy weather!
Kate says
Let me tell ya… I just texted my Handy Husband with that egg cout because on Sunday I scrambled a dozen eggs and cooked a whole package of bacon for breakfast! Granted, half of that was the hubs, but still. The boys are only 2 and 4! I need some chickens… Stat! Besides, they are so stinkin’ cute!
By the way, I’ll send you a super awesome cabbage recipe I made for St. Paddy’s Day. It was sooooo good and the only thing you would need to buy from the store is 2 T olive oil, feta and maybe a lemon. The rest you could grab from the garden!
Mavis says
I have feta! 🙂 Sounds yummy!