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
Well it was another exciting week harvesting vegetables in the backyard garden. I harvested 1 ounce of chives to use on scrambled eggs. HA!
It’s hard to believe that somehow I’ll find a way to grow another 3,994 pounds of food between now and the end of the year. When you think about it, it’s pretty crazy. I can only imagine what it must be like for those of you living in much colder areas with shorter growing seasons. It’s got to be tough.
All I can say is, I am totally looking forward to June, and planting pumpkins. Let’s hope we can grow a couple of hundred pounders this year. Wouldn’t that be awesome?
Let me know if you have any secrets to growing giant ones!
Happy digging,
~Mavis
Here is what I have harvested so far this year:
Beets – 14 ounces
Carrots – 3 ounces
{Lucy likes to tip toe through the tulips and chives daily}
Chives – 2 ounces
{Francisco stopped by for a visit and held Baby Fat, our tiny Black Australorp}
Egg Count – 563
Last week we collected a whopping 82 eggs. That is almost 1 dozen eggs a day! I don’t think the weekly egg count will get any higher than that. Black Fatty, and the two Bantam hens are occasional layers and the rest of the girls are laying about 6 eggs each a week. Not to shabby if you ask me.
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: 6 pounds 1 ounces
Total Eggs Collected in 2013: 563
Get out there and grow!
~Mavis
Need some seeds? Botanical Interests is offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50 right now.
Desi says
Holy eggs. At least you don’t have to buy any.
crlzmmr says
I never can figure out the math
on your egg calculations so I looked it up on-line,
and the answer I got was:
“On the average, 3 hens will give you 2 eggs a day.
That means to get a dozen eggs a day, you would need 18 hens.”
Is this true, or do you have some that lay more than one egg/day ?
Evelyn says
You can and will do it !!!Nothing like fresh beets and I so miss our chickens they passed a new law here everyone is only allowed 1 yes 1 hen and NO roosters it is not per amount of property it is per city limits we are the last street in the city limits before it turns into county where the hen law is different.Sometimes there are too many laws 🙁
Mavis says
1 hen? Boooooo!
Crystal says
You should try doing a milk fed pumpkin like is written about in the Little House on the Prairie books.
Mavis says
Ohhh that is a great idea. Thanks Crystal!
Jenni says
Hey Mavis, I’ve been wondering what your watering schedule looks like? How in the world do you get all those vegetables watered?!? It must take hours. Do you water every day? I’m trying to figure this out for my own garden…
Mavis says
Typically in the summer I water ever 2 to 3 days with the hose. Luckily it rains a lot up here though so it just depends.