This year my goal is to grow 2,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. I think I can do it. With 16 raised garden beds, a greenhouse, a raspberry patch and a few more planting beds sprinkled throughout our property, I believe growing 2,000 pounds of food is an attainable goal. Even if I do live right in the middle of high maintenance suburbia, and my neighbors think I’m nuts. ~Mavis
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Bartering was the name of the game this week. We was able to harvest more carrots, beets, peas and a ton of potatoes. Well, not quite a ton, but definitely more than we could eat. The zucchini has also started to roll in, and we are finally able to enjoy fresh raspberries on a daily basis now.
I’m hoping for a few cucumbers next week as well as some tiny green beans {fingers crossed}.
Here is what I have harvested so far:
Basil 1 lb 1 oz {how to make pesto}
Beets 46 lb 90z {how to can beets}
Blueberries 11 oz {mixed berry pie recipe}
Broccoli 4lb 14 oz {pasta salad with broccoli, carrots, and sun dried tomatoes}
Broccoli Rabb 1lb 6 oz {chickpeas with broccoli raab and bacon}
Cabbage 25lb 7 oz {how to make sauerkraut}
Carrots 98 lbs 0 oz {carrot cake recipe}
Cauliflower 2lbs 3 oz {cauliflower hummus rocks!}
Chives 1lb {chalkboard painted herb pots}
Kale 1 lb 4 oz {how to make kale chips}
Lettuce 14 lb 6 oz {bbq chicken salad}
Mint 4 lbs 12 oz {Fresh Pea Salad with Spinach, Feta and Mint}
Onions 5 lbs 9 oz {Kentucky Fried Chicken Cole Slaw}
Oregano 4 lbs 15 oz
Mushrooms 9.25 oz {read more about how I grew mushrooms}
Peas 38 lb13 oz {fresh peas and bacon recipe}
Peppers 7 oz
Potatoes 37lb 0 oz {potato soup recipe}
Radish 15lb 12 oz {how I bartered radishes for avocados}
Raspberries 1 lb 15 oz {how to make a raspberry buckle}
Spinach 2lb 5 oz {garlic spinach dip recipe}
Sprouts 10 oz {how to grow sprouts}
Strawberries 6lb 6 oz {dehydrated strawberries are awesome}
Swiss Chard 24 lb 5 oz {rainbow Swiss chard recipe}
Tomatoes 3 oz {roasted corn salad with tomatoes and feta}
Zucchini 4 lb 9 oz {how to make zucchini relish}
Miscellaneous 8lb 2 oz {This means we let someone come and pick vegetables, or did not get a chance to weigh them individually, and this was the total weight of all the vegetables combined}
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So that’s what I’ve grown so far this year… How about YOU?
How is YOUR garden doing?
Total Food Harvested in 2012: 366 lbs 4.25 oz
I have spent a total of $496.58 on seeds, soil, plants and supplies for this year.
Looking for a vegetable steamer? Amazon currently has the Hamilton Beach Digital Steamer on sale for $29.88 shipped and it has great reviews.
Emily says
Wow! Almost a quarter of the way there! With the harvesting season just begun! I think the goal is well within grasp
Chris says
I just found your blog and love reading it! I live in Portland, OR and have had my own garden for years and am inspired by your story to grow more in my .25 acre city lot. Here are three of my money saving tips; I hope they’ll be of interest. I make my own healthy bread by using the dough setting on the bread maker then baking it on a pizza stone. So easy! I use 1/3 less laundry detergent than the directions suggest due to my son’s exema with good clean results. I even wash cloth diapers like this so it defiantly works. Finally, I use vinegar and baking soda to clean most things in my house. Cheap and nontoxic!
Jennie @ Centssaved.com says
I will be trying to grow those carrots that you have pictured next year. They are beautiful. I think they are a great bartering tool. Wonderful colors. How do they taste compared to regular carrots?