From My Home to Yours
4/24/26
~ What can We Learn from our Farming Friends? ~
Our farmers have a couple of strikes against them this growing season (drought and diesel prices), yet they are still working to do what they do best ... produce food for their families and our country.
This week I've decided to focus on sharing some of the things I'm learning from farmers by observing their methods and when possible, gleaning from their wisdom.
Here are a few of those things ...
First, there are many ways to grow produce. This is one method we've used in the past. It helps with weed control and with moisture in the area under plastic. A small hole will be made in the plastic where the grower wants to plant a plant or sow a seed. This farmer has his field ready to plant. Obviously, he grows produce on a large scale, but this method works on family size and smaller gardens as well.
This picture speaks to me of preparedness and frugality!
This farmer clearly is thinking ahead about his needs and taking steps to meet them as frugally as possible.
We can do the same ... determine our needs and then take steps to meet those needs as frugally as possible.
Look at how this farmer is utilizing his land! Look at his first planting and then notice that he has everything ready to do a second planting ensuring continued crops.
We can do that too ... are we preparing for the next 'crop?' For the next 'season' ... are our pantries prepared? Do we have a plan ... the farmer in this picture does?
This gravel road made me smile ... at the end of it was another farm and another farmer doing what he can with what he has.
Isn't that what we're all doing, whether we're trying to garden or are depending on the grocery store for our food needs, we're all in this together doing the best we can.
Our strength to weather the current crisis lies within each of us, let's utilize the wisdom around us, make a plan and then work that plan. That's what the farmer does!
I hope you've found something in this little pep talk this week that will encourage you.
Until the next time ...
~ quietly holding the home front ~
She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27
From This Heart of Mine
Mrs. Patsi on Instagram
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We can all get through whatever the future holds and I am thankful to know that my Lord is in control.
ReplyDeleteAmen! Lana, I totally agree!
DeleteThat's an interesting way of looking at things. Real food for thought.
ReplyDeleteI have resown tomato and basil seeds this week. The originals were in pots on my windowsill but we have had some cold nights and they failed. The seed packets were still in date so I am giving it another go, covering the pots with plastic until they germinate to try and keep the temperature more even. I have also started using banana peels to make liquid plant feed. I read about it online and decided to give it a go. It certainly smells a lot better than the comfrey plant food I made a couple of years ago. That may be wonderful stuff but the smell put me off using it.
Tracy, I agree with you that quite a few of those 'plant' made fertilizers do have a rank smell to them! Most of the time I just cut, chop and work them into the soil. It takes longer for the plant to get the nutrients, but it sure is more pleasant to my smelling sense!
DeleteMy basil seedlings got bit by a cold weather snap and didn't survive either so I'm start over as well.
Dear Mrs Patsy, I so appreciate your post highlighting our hard working farmers. They are under tremendous financial pressure not to mention other hardships beyond their control.
ReplyDeleteI haven't always practiced succession planting, I tend to plant everything and fill all the space we have all at once. But this year I am intentionally trying to find opportunities to get a second harvest. Our corn will only need just under 70 days, we selected a corn named Seneca that needs 67 days. So by starting the first and second plantings from mature seedlings, I think we have just enough time and warm weather (warm soil) to get a double harvest.
Same for the potato patch that is ready in july. I just have to get more potatoes ready to drop in this spaces. It takes some extra planning but with reminders on the calendar it will work.
We're expanding by using overhead vertical space. We set up old T-Posts (ie clothesline posts) and rope for Scarlett runner beans and Crawford pole beans. In other places drilling holes in the rim of buckets to attach rope and tie the rope off onto beams above so we can get some more climbing beans. Not fancy but it will work.
We're going to grow much more winter squash for winter calories. I believe the name of one was ... Canadian Crookneck..like a butternut but with a long curly neck. Also some very large like Candy roaster.
I also just learned about Cucuzza, an Italian squash that needs a trellis or arch. The leaves are also used for soups. They take a long time to germinate, several weeks, so you have to start them early. But I have read that one cucuzza plant can feed a small family all summer. They get several feet long and are prolific.
Today I found one little plant of goosefoot, aka wild spinach. I thanked the Lord for it and relocated it to a small bed where I hope it will spread.
I pray for the farmers, and for rain. People don't really understand the weight on their shoulders. It was very thoughtful of you to talk about them as our example.
Blessings, Elaine
Elaine, your gardening plan sounds a lot like ours! We are attempting two harvests out of some of our crops as well. We honed in on vertical gardening a few years ago and it has surprised us at how much more we can grow.
DeleteWe are also investing in frost coverings and shade coverings as a way of extending our growing season. We are also looking at how to better utilize our greenhouse. In essence, we are trying to grow as much on our property as we can by utilizing different methods. We have less than an acre of land with a house, a shop and two sheds on it ... that doesn't leave a lot of space but, where there is a will, there is a way!
Hmm, that give one something to ponder.
ReplyDeleteWe have a family member who farms in Iowa. My husband was texting with him this week. This is part of their conversation. He said that he isn't sure how the extent of the fertilizer shortage is going to be. He did say that he knows the next few years will not be much fun. He said one can just hope to break even. there are a lot of years like that though. You just never know. He said he is probably farming for fun this year. There are a lot of good parts to farming, but there is a lot of stress as well. You have to learn to handle the stress part of it and not let it bother you. He has a back up plan. They are hopeful his wifes side pottery gig will keep them a float. He also has a classic car they could sell and could clean up the farm dump area to sell scrap.
I found his attitude encouraging. We are doing our part to prepare. I started more seedling than usual with the hope of preserving a larger harvest. I have been slowly bulking up the pantry. I have faith that no matter what comes the Lord will provide.
Wendi, yes ... when we do what we can, if we are child of God, He will provide what we can't!
DeleteWe have family members who are full time farmers too and they are saying the type of things as your farmer family member did.
We can learn a lot from our farmer friends for sure!
In the UK our farmers seem to be under siege on all sides right now. Climate and diesel are but two. The cost of fertiliser here is shockingly high and getting worse and grain prices are, equally shockingly, low right now. Our farmers are having or have already had to take decisions on what they are going to plant several seasons ahead and it is difficult to know how that is going to pan out.
ReplyDeleteMy garden is not large by your standards but I’ll happily borrow from my farmer neighbours where I can. My priority, much like yours, is to grow what we actually eat and like to eat. I have long since learnt that is not as easy as it sounds and my pantry reflects that. Your maxim of ‘work like everything depends on you and pray like everything depends on God’ seems all the more apt right now. I, for one, will be hoping that our farmers make the right choices for themselves, their families and communities.
Never Quite Enough Time, a garden of any size is still a garden that helps supplement the food budget. Anything we can grow, barter, glean or forage frees up money in our grocery budgets that helps offset the rising costs of food.
DeleteI am in agreement with you regarding our farmers and the choices they are faced with making.
I've been watching not just farmers in our area but other economy indicators. In my area of central southwest Georgia, I am seeing lots of new building, especially housing, going up in rural areas. In my own county I can easily count ten new homesites within a ten mile range which mightn't sound like a lot but for years upon years there were no homes going into the rural area. I'm seeing more and more home gardens. While I myself do not have a garden, my son has expanded his considerably this year and we've talked about how I can add a raised bed system to my own property to perhaps began growing some of my own food.
ReplyDeleteI've only just finally heard all of what I can expect as income for the year ahead (Years I should say since it's all based on my husband's death) and I sat down and cried hard at the relief of finally knowing I would be able to manage living on my own without being overwhelmed with the cuts and reductions I thought I was facing. I am so grateful and was thinking just today that I shall be able to continue to stock up on sales, clearances, fresh items to cover my own food needs, not to mention maintain my home somewhat. I admit that prior to the latest figures it had looked pretty stringent and bleak even though I am debt free. God is so good!
Terri, I am praising God with you on the news regarding your future income. Yes, indeed God is good!
DeleteWe are seeing the same kind of building in nearby areas, if new building is an indicator of the economy ... it would appear that things are going well in that sector.