Now that I'm unemployed, have time & need to save money - looking for gardening advice

M

music-city-missy

Well-known member
We used to do a big garden but DH always bought generic seeds from the big box stores. Deer nearly ate everything one year and that is when we gave up. But I'm ready to fight off the deer and other varmits this year.

So - I want good heirloom varieties of just about everything - tomatoes and all sorts of hot peppers are two of my weakenesses. I would kill for some good old fashioned 'field' corn. Herbs, edible flowers, you name it. Advice on varieties and where to find them wanted.

Also - any ideas on protecting from the varmits - mainly the deer and rabbits.

TIA

 
Look at Reneesgarden.com- they have lots of heirloom seeds and I like dealing with

them. Nice people. Have mostly bought flower seeds. My sister just bought veggie & flower seeds from them. Can't help you with the critters. I haven't figured out how to keep the squirrels (and dogs) from digging everything up. The squirrels have invaded my house again this year and clawed/chewed holes through the fascia under the eaves to get in the attic. They dig in my flower pots & beds too. One year I had a ton of seedlings I'd started in little dixie cups. Put them out on the picnic table to start hardening off. Looked out and a squirrel was out there pulling all the seedlings out of the cups. GRRRRRR.

Hang in there on the unemployment stuff. I finally had my fill of tech job layoffs. That's why I'm now a poor but happy legal assistant/paralegal.

 
I second this site. It used to be Shepherd's Seeds, but they

were bought out by someone. Renee Shepherd started up a new company and it has the same feel as the old one. She also has a cookbook for sale there called Recipes From a Kitchen Garden that I like a lot. They have great customer service and you can actually talk to real live people.
DavesGarden.com is also a good site. Lots of information there. I am planning two or three gardens this year and hope to preserve and freeze a lot of our veggies for the next year.

 
I've been happy with ReimerSeeds.com and VictorySeeds.com. However I often settle for

whatever they have in the local nursery because I'm in a hurry. When it's homegrown it tastes so much better no matter what variety.

Venison is delicious, and lean. I love rabbit stew.

 
I second that Joe - the guy we let bow hunt got 3 or 4 good ones this year

so I have some good venison in the freezer trying to stretch it out. One was an 11 pointer. And you should see the wild turkeys that we are seeing almost daily - HUGE. He's going to try to get us a few of them too. I like rabbit but haven't skinned and cleaned one since I was a kid so I need someone to walk me through it - I could probably find it on YouTube.

 
Thanks - So you've pointed me the right direction but what varieties?

I canned some of the heirloom tomatoes from my CSA because they were so pretty and were great tasting but they didn't can well for use in recipes - so I pureed them with my stick blender and it made THE MOST INCREDIBLE tomato juice I think I have ever had (and hence incredible bloody mary). Think they were Black Russians or something like that - or maybe Cherokee Purple. So I know those are great for juice. But for instance what tomatoes are good for canning to use in recipes?

 
Missy, check out tomatobob.com - they describe the tomato varieties,

including what they are best used for. I've had great luck with them in the past. They always include freebies in the orders - some different variety from what you've ordered.

I'm planting my seeds this weekend, and when I see what I have left, I will post in the larder barter.

 
I've always wanted to try seedsavers.org.

It's located here in Iowa and I want to go for a tour there soon. I haven't ordered from them.

 
M, I've had luck with the water scarecrow...

It attaches to a water hose and is motion activated. You can control the length and the field of spray, it also makes a lot of noise as it goes off, so between the sudden movement, the noise, and getting hosed down with water, all the fauna intruding usually vamoose instantly.

 
Cool - I'll have to see if I can find one. I was thinking I might just stand out there

myself. That should scare them. Especially if I had on the mud face mask I used last night - decided to give myself a do it yourself at home spa night courtesy of Princess Marcella Borghese

 
Oooh - saw their ad earlier - $0.25 pack specials

Just went out there and I'm ordering all the $0.25 - can't beat that price. See several others I have to order too...

 
I just finished the audio version of "Animal,Vegetabel,Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver and recommend

getting it from your library in book or audio. It tells of their attempt to live off "local" and home grown foods for a year. I found it very interesting and lots of helpful info. We can't really do it up here, but there is more I can do in the summer to stretch through the winter. the link is their website with lots of good info.

http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/

 
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