Square Foot Gardening

Can you believe the price of food? We had to spend $80 to fill up the van, and now we are spending double on groceries. What is a growing family to do?

I thought about drilling for oil and setting up a mini-refinery at the very back of my yard, but I can't realistically drill for oil. I have been "shootin' at some food" in my backyard, and there has not been any "bubblin' crude... oil that is, black gold, Texas Tea", but I am doing my part to keep us from burning so much gas to go to the grocery store and also to not buy as much while we are there.

A little over a month ago I got a book on gardening from the Calhoun Falls library (they do have a very small library with a GREAT librarian). The book was by Mel Bartholomew, and it was called "Square Foot Gardening". I read it and was instantly converted. Please visit Mel's website for more information on this wonderfully easy way to install and maintain a very productive garden. The web address is -- http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ -- and will give you pictures and info on how to start your own garden. I am sure this sounds like a commercial for FT2 gardening but I assure you it's not - Mel is ETV - so this is actually brought to you by the "GOV'MENT".

So far I have 2-4x4 blocks, 1-1x5 block, and a few 1x1 squares scattered here and there. Out of this I am able to grow:

• 6-tomatoes
• 16-onions
• 1-summer squash
• 1-cucumber
• 1-cantaloupe
• 7-pole beans
• 4-soy beans
• 32-carrots
• 6-okra
• 6-corn
• 2-pepper plants
  

I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I still have 8 sqft of space that has nothing in it. As soon as I figure out what to plant, I will fill these spaces. I also have plans on putting in at least 4 more 4x4 beds, but that will be later in the year when it's not so HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Now We're Cookin'... With Gas!!!

Don't let anyone tell you that dreams will not come true. I have been wanting a gas range for the kitchen for the longest time, but I have been unwilling to spend the money$$$ on a new range while the old one was still functioning. My wife tells me I am a tightwad.

Well, just the other day she noticed a crack in the glass-top stove while she was cleaning it. She called me in from the garage to look at it. To my surprise the cook top was not just cracked, it was shattered. Something had fallen out of the cabinet and cracked the pyrex cook-top. I did a little checking on the internet to see how much a replacement glass would cost. With an enourmous grin on my face, I informed my wife that it would cost more to repair the stove than if we bought a new one. A new gas burning range with 5 burners now sits where that horrible electric glass-top unit stood.

I hated that stove with a passion. Now don't get the wrong idea. I did not willingly, purposefully, nor knowingly drop anything on the stove. I did not even know about the damage untill it was brought to my attention. I was not even happy that I had to go buy a new stove. But I was jumping up and down with excitement about the GAS stove that was installed yesterday morning.

NOW YOUR COOKIN' WITH GAS, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!