Being Prepared - Food

I think I will just start by sharing how we are mostly preparing for food self-sufficiency. We think this is not only the best way to start our journey of being prepared as well as stewardship of God's money.

Although I think it's important to be able to sustain your family for a while if there is an emergency, Steve and I have decided that 3 months is all we are going to prepare for. Not only because it's incredibly overwhelming to think about a year of previsions for a family of four 0r the fact that we just don't have that much room in our house for storage, but mostly because we think that planning too far ahead and "hoarding" can be misconstrued as not trusting God. The verse that immediately comes to our minds is:

Matthew 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Our main goal is stewardship and listening to God's voice in our lives, not hoarding and being fearful. We daily have to check our motivation and heart when it comes to "preparing". Whether it be about money, time, food, kids, etc.

So with that sentiment, here is how we plan on using the land that God has richly blessed us with this year. Many of you know that we have already started a small vineyard at the front of our property. We have about 54 vines right now that will all produce this year. Our next vineyard endeavour is to plant 54 more plants in March. Now it takes about 3 years for a vine to produce ripe grapes but when they all start producing, we should have about 6000 lbs of grapes each harvest. So you ask now, what in the world are you going to do with all of those grapes? Well, we intend to eat some, jam some, have others harvest some and then hopefully sale some to a local winery. In all, we hope this to be a money making venture. Thankfully it also is what my hubby and my dad do to relax after work too. So we will call it a business as well as natural therapy for our family :)

Next is our plan to square foot garden. We only had enough time to build 2 yesterday but we plan to have 4 in total: Our plan is to have something like this. I am not planning on having as many of some and more of others. The key to gardening is to only plant what you will eat. Otherwise, what is the point?

Here are some pictures of Steve and Ethan planning and building the raised beds. Thankfully due to the construction of the house, we really don't have any weeds to worry about or we would have laid down weed barrier first.

I started seeds yesterday as well as started the potato barrels. We are planting Roma and grape tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, okra, cucumbers, corn, carrots, onions, strawberries, bush beans, sugar snap peas, garlic, green and red peppers, jalapeno peppers, lettuce and cabbage, broccoli and red and yellow potatoes. All of the veggies will be grown in the garden while the potatoes and bush beans will be grown in barrels. We have never grown potatoes in a barrels before but I hear it is the best and easiest way to do it. I got my info here and we planted the bush beans with the potatoes b/c potatoes naturally ward off Mexican bean beetles while the bush beans naturally ward off the Colorado potato beetle. We will see ;) I have also planted all of my herbs in containers on the back porch. I know this is really hard in the Texas summer to keep watered but since it's so close to the house, I hope to keep on top of it.

Here are some pics of the boys decorating their potato barrels. Of course we couldn't leave them drab and boring.

Here are some pics of our seedlings, herbs and potatoes in the barrels

Next project is raising the greenhouse. BIG project! At Christmas we bought this greenhouse with the 4ft extension. So our greenhouse, when up, will be 6'x12'. Again we plan to propagate plants and veggies to sale along with the grapes.

Lastly, our food journey takes us to chickens. Yes, we will be raising chickens! I must share with you however that chickens really freak me out. It has something to do with their crazy eyes! I never know when they are going run at me , moving their awkward necks and scratching the dirt. Freaky for sure but that is what the boys are for. Chickens will be their responsibility!!

I found this plan online and loved it

It's called a "Green Roof Chicken Coop" and basically the chickens are on the bottom while the roof is an herb garden. It naturally attract bugs that feed the chickens too. Very cool! We aren't going to order this kit b/c we have so many materials left over from the build but we are using the design!

So that's our start. I say all this too with an air of expertise:) HA! I am notorious for killing plants and veggies. I absolutely don't have a green thumb! But knowing this time is about stewardship and preparing, I hope to stay focused and yield a great crop this year. I will update and my progress, good or bad!

Oh btw... I just did a spell check on this post. Apparently I have no business teaching my boys how to spell! I have 22 misspelled words! Most of them vegetables. Sheesh! I just did another and misspelled - misspelled :)