Whether it be freshly train meals all through the Spring , Summer and Fall – or using our canned and frozen produce the year around – what mature in our garden provides the majority of food for our family .
Our 2016 OWG Garden Plan . you may come home to make full sizing .
With that said , create our plan now is a big key to reach our solid food destination once the growing season arrives .
Our 2016 OWG Garden Plan. You can click to make full size.
At the beginning of each year – we take time to diagram out what change to grow , how many to plant of each – and where to put them in our bring up row beds .
As for direction , when it comes to what we found , we always travel along what we call the Golden Rule of Garden Planning : Grow What You And Your family line wish To Eat !
The 2016 Garden Plan…
As you could see from the 2016 plan – this yr ’s garden is once again wedge - full of heirloom varieties of tomato plant and peppers . Beyond the incredible fresh eating they provide all summertime long – they are also gross for creating our displace salsa , sauces , ketchup , pizza pie sauce and more . See : The Best Tomato Canning Recipes
They also constitute the fundament for our chilly , tomato and vegetable soups – which are capital to then freeze and utilize all year - long .
Along with the big plantings of peppers and tomatoes – we also have mess of cucumber , peas , light-green beans , garlic , Zea mays everta and more to go along with succession planting of our salad bed filled with lettuce , borecole , Spinacia oleracea and Brassica oleracea italica .
Nothing can beat the flavor of heirloom tomatoes!
Nothing can beat the spirit of heirloom tomato !
Cherokee Purple , Brandywine and Amish Paste continue our favorites among the tomatoes . They only burst with flavor and make for unbelievable pasta sauce and salsa – not to mention they are grownup producers ! Taxi ( yellow ) and Valencia ( orange ) tomatoes remain a hit as well – their flavor is only astonishing in salad or to just slice and use up . Those two kind also are the master component ofthemost amazing Lycopersicon esculentum soup I have ever tasted – and it freezes perfectly!See formula here : OWG Tomato Soup Recipe
When it comes to peppers – the staples of Jalapeno , Italian Roaster , California Wonder Green Bell and Cajun Belle remain – but the heirloom Chinese Lantern Pepper remains our absolute favorite . We are also trying two new edible ornamental common pepper multifariousness in our beds this twelvemonth – McMahon ’s Texas Bird and a motley call Candlelight . Both varieties should be replete with hundred of edible and colorful black pepper that can be used in salad and salsa – not to mention they look nifty in bed of flowers !
Canning is a major priority when it comes to meeting our food goals
Canning is a major priority when it comes to forgather our food goals
So that leads to one of the most asked questions every year – how much do I need to plant to fee my kin ? Although every food goal will be different based on family sizing and feeding habits – I can order you that our garden programme last twelvemonth ( using the same blank space ) provided all we need for our kinfolk of four full - timer and 2 college part - timer . And we still had enough left over to give a few bushel of garden truck to family and friends . you may see our 2015 yield at the oddment of this article .
When it follow to staple like tomato and peppers – a good prescript of thumb is 2 to 3 plants per person .
So get started on your garden plan and prepare to feed your house this year with refreshful organic produce directly from your backyard !
And for those of you that might not have space or time for a backyard garden but still want to garden – stay tuned to our updates the next few weeks !
We will be found a newfangled low - upkeep twist on container gardening that can easy provide some , most , or nearly all of your fresh food goals . We ’ve nominate it theAny Age / Anywhere Garden – and as the name implies – we think it will be a big hit for anyone , anywhere , and of any eld that require to turn their own food !
Happy Gardening ! – Jim and Mary
If you would like to have our each week – be sure to ratify up to follow the web log via email in the right hand column , “ like ” us onFacebook , or follow us onTwitter .
Canned / Dry Storage : Tomato Juice : 48 dry quart ; Salsa : 24 Pints ; Picante Salsa : 24 pints ; Hot Pepper Mustard : 24 pints ; Pasta Sauce : 18 quart ; Green Beans : 24 pints ; Pizza Sauce : 6 pint ; Hot and Spicy Ketchup : 3 pints ; Strawberry - Honey Jam – 6 pint ; Pickles – 12 pints of motley assortment ; Popcorn – 18 dry quart ( not canned – just dry out and certain )
A few jars each of jalapeno anchor ring , banana tree pepper halo , hot capsicum pepper plant flakes , cowman candy , cayenne capsicum pepper plant powder , chili pulverisation and taco seasoning . Freezer : Chili – 24 quarts ( we immobilize them into quart bricks ) ; Tomato Soup ( 18 quarts ) ; Vegetable soup – 24 quarts ; Jalapeno , Cajun Belle and Mini Belle pepper for appetiser ; clavus – 30 frozen quart bags ; budge Fry Packets – 36 packets of onion plant , peppers , and sugar snap pea for splash Roger Fry
