Darren and I have enjoyed plenty of time out in our garden this week. The weather has been mild some days so we tried to make the most of it and plan / plant for Spring / Summer harvest. Due to the tighter lockdown restrictions I am unable to work for at least the next two weeks. Thankfully I have plenty of projects on the go around our home to keep me busy.
Here's what we've been up to this week -
* Saved a few Penstemon seeds from our garden. I think I was a little late in collecting them so I've cut off a few almost dry seed heads and put them in a paper bag to collect more.
* Baked lots of ANZAC biscuits using dough from the freezer.
* Dried all the washing on the line or clothes horses.
* Juiced more lemons and froze the juice.
* Made up a bottle of surface spray, shower cleaner and toilet cleaner using various ratios of diluted kitchen detergent and water.
* Wrote out a menu plan for the next 6 weeks. I was on a roll and kept on planning.
* Baked choc, choc chip muffins for a family in need and froze some for ourselves.
* Gratefully received some food blessings from friends and a family member.
* Planted Aster and Alyssum flower seeds. These will fill in a few gaps in our garden.
* Added 7 premade meals to the freezer. I'm really enjoying the 'cook once, eat three times ' approach to meal preparation.
* Replanted 20 new strawberry plants I grew as runners last season. Strawberry plants generally produce fruit for 2 - 3 years and should be replaced accordingly. This is why I encouraged runners at the end of last Summer.
* Planted 4 more sprouting potatoes I found in my pantry.
* Darren fed the compost bins with lawn clippings and kitchen scraps.
* Planted lettuce seeds and spaced out a few silverbeet seedlings.
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| Sprouting potatoes from the pantry. |
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| Our potato plants are looking healthy |
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| Lettuce in abundance |
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| Silverbeet seedlings |
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| New strawberry plants. |
Here is my monthly grocery shop so far. I'll be buying milk and a few veggies weekly for the next 3 weeks. So far I've spent just under $60. Please keep in mind we are picking greens from our garden, have corn cobs and broccoli frozen from last summer as well as a few packets of green beans in the freezer.
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It is so rewarding to have a well stocked home, just in case. Whilst we are out of lockdown here in the uk, our numbers are all over the place. We still keep ourselves at home as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteI have finally managed to get some herbs to survive. I wish my shop was more like yours. Yesterday there was a rejigging of some of the pantry shelves and I found many tins of chickpeas, various beans, tomato products galore, Indian mixes and some lost flour. Best of all I knew I was missing a packet of masks and those were found in the sort out.
ReplyDeleteMy big dollar saver was petrol as I save over 40 cents a litre but researching a lot before buying. I am making a tank last well over four weeks at present. This will change as I was blessed with another granddaughter off Sunday and she lives 20 minutes away. But these days are fleeting and must be enjoyed.
Realistically I am cooking for 5 of which 4 are adults three times a week. I have told my daughter that they are going to have less protein because I can't afford even the mince at this time. I do this to help her as she is working full time and studying full time and is always very tired. My daughter also is not great about eating veg and I hide about 7 different ones in each meal.
You have a productive garden, Wendy. It looks very healthy! I want to grow salad ingredients this Spring - cherry toms, lettuces, cucumber, radishes and spring onion. Whether I can plant anything will depend largely on the brush turkey that's making such a mess of our garden as it scratches up mulch and soil to build its mound/nest. I may have to plant into pots this year.
ReplyDeleteOur main expenses this week were grocery shop, top up of fuel and a medical bill. We otherwise spent very little.
I saved by shopping specials and cooking at home. Meals have been very simple or from the freezer. We've had porrodge for breakfast, pancakes or eggs. Lunch has been sandwiches, toasted sometimes. Snacks included a sweet pot/choc cake and ANZAC biscuits.
The summer dress pattern I ordered arrived this week and I have some fabric in my stash to make it up. Elastic too, I think. We received some mandarins from a work colleague and a friend lent me a book I want to read so this was lovely and a saving too.
Take care and stay well.
Meg
Awesome effort, I am inspired. I hope you stay well and can once again be able to go out again. Cheers
ReplyDeleteGreetings from across the bay,hope you and family all ok. Garden is looking great. I planted a packet of Alyssum 3 years ago in our front garden, it it definitely the plant that keeps on giving. Using every morsel in our fridge this week before I resort to shopping
ReplyDeleteJenny, we've found lots of little Alyssum seedlings in our garden.
DeleteYou amaze me Wendy. Even on a budget you are able to bake for others in need!! During our lockdown some time ago, my hubby made a chicken coop out of bits and pieces in the shed. He only had to but chicken wire and nails! We are now getting 5 eggs each day. I also bought vegie seedlings for a summer garden. Will grow excess Silverbeet for the chooks. I admire your positive attitude during lockdown.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, what's the best way to keep potatoes without sprouting?
ReplyDeleteI buy bulk bags of potatoes from Spudshed in WA and want to keep it longer if possible.
Thanks
Sanda
Hi Sandra. Wrap the potatoes individually in newspaper and store them in a dark place.
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