I have been going through the vast collection of seeds I seem to have accumulated
I use this old ammo box to keep unopened packets of seeds in.
Open part used packets are kept in this index file box,
I have listed all the open packets so they get used first
There is lots of unopened packets
I belong to Mike The Gardeners seed club and get four packets a month sent to me
Other seeds have come free with plant orders or off magazines with the exception of a few that I had bought from Real Seeds or Victoriana Nurseries
On going through them all I don't need to buy in any vegetable herb or flower seeds this year, a lot of what I have I can collect seed from as well.
I have checked the dates on everything as well and they are all within date so that's another bonus.
End of the month I will be making a start with some seed sowing a time of year I love.
All I need to order in is some seed potatoes and asparagus plants.
Although there is always wants and if I see something I would like to have and its a good price and I can afford it then I would buy it I don't wait until I need something, I don't see the point of working hard and depriving myself of treats I enjoy my garden and enjoy plants they give me a lot of pleasure.
I have been compiling a list of projects that need to be tackled around the place and a list of goals to aim for, I am keeping a list of expenditure, food will be very little we have a lot in store it will be the basics that need replacing and fresh produce until we are producing our own. Heating hot water and cooking is for free, water we are on a meter but we are not on mains sewerage, I have plans to cut down on mains water use with water harvesting for the livestock and garden, we don't have gas or oil, electric appliances are kept to the essentials, washing machine hoover etc we don't have a tumble dryer. Petrol consumption for me has dropped I go to the craft group on a Monday and a trip into town once a month, I don't really have a need to travel anywhere else. When I go to town I have a list and pick up everything I need in one go, if there is anything I have forgotten I ask hubby to bring it with him when he comes home at the week end.
Our biggest expense apart from the mortgage is animal feed, I would like to grow all our animal feed but that may be a few years off yet.
One of the main plans this year is to increase poultry and to raise chickens and ducks for the table. I am still giving thought to having goats at the moment it is just thoughts.
At this moment in time 2015 is looking good.
I bet you are itching to get outside and plant all those seeds.Great organisation system though.Ali x
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a better depth of soil than we do here in the Cothi valley. Not far down before we hit shale bedrock! and thus easily waterlogged too. You certainly plan to grow masses of veg, so that will keep you more than busy getting everything growing and established this year, though I don't envy you all that digging!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of the Victoriana nurseries so I visited their website and was amazed by the number of different chilli varieties they offered! Serious chilli lovers take note!
We have a pretty hefty animal food bill as well, we don't even go for the expensive stuff. I think I just begrudge paying tax on it as it's not a luxury is it?
ReplyDeleteI must sort through my seeds, I tried saving some black petunia seeds from last years hanging basket as they were lovely so I'm really hoping they grow x
It sounds as though you are very organised and efficient in all that you do and use. I love the idea of the seeds in the ammo box, they are the ammo for your garden and growing after all! xx
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to a time when we can produce most of our energy and food. We do well where we are at the moment, but the next and hopefully last house will be the one we take full control.
ReplyDeleteJean
x
Small world! The Victoriana nursery is just a few miles up the road from us - an amazing place to visit. Lovely that you use them too! The garden plans sound fabulous, I hope you have a great growing season.
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