Growing All our food for a year

Hello Lovelies

I wanted to bring everyone along on my journey to grow all our food for a year!! After the yield from last seasons gardens, I think we can do it! Although its only the two of us, my goal is to grow enough for my parents as well. So lets plan out our garden. A years worth of food for a family of four.

Last growing season it was my goal to see how much I could grow, put up and how long it would last... My findings were interesting. With growing enough for a year in mind I found per person, you need three times the plants recommend. If you ever research growing food food for year, Its recommended 4,000 sqf per person. Beans for example its suggested 3 pole bean plants per person. In reality 12 bean plants are enough for 1 person for a year. So my conclusion take that original 4,000 sqf and double if not triple it depending on what you want to grow. For example cantaloupe or watermelon will take up far more room then tomatoes. Both are large plants but tomatoes can be caged and cantaloupe & watermelon will take up more room and will yield less per sqf. Keep that in mind when planning your garden.

While growing this much food can be daunting... A well made plan will make all the difference. If you've never grown this much before start small. See what you like vs what you don't like what grows well and what doesn’t.

Start at the grocery store. When your planning your food for the week try to plan it around fruits and veggies you could also grow in your garden. Theres no point in growing food you aren't going to eat. If you don't like beans but use them occasionally then theres no point in growing 12 bean plants person. You'll be drowning in green beans and Lord knows they aren’t going to store well....

Also keep in mind you'll still be going to the grocery store. Unless you plan on eating seasonally. Keep in mind things like lettuce, broccoli & greens are grown in early spring. Lettuce is best eaten fresh and doesn't store well for things like salads but it does freeze for things like smoothies. With that in mind don't plant a years worth of salad mix or lettuce all at once.

Onions, beets, carrots and other root vegetables store wonderfully through the year if stored properly. while your planning be thinking of your preferred storing method whether it be canning, freezing, or drying. This is also important if you want to make tomato soup and you dried all the tomatoes you grew you'll be running to the grocery store despite all your gardening efforts.

A plus to growing the majority of your food is all the savings! So lets talk cost... You need to consider if you'll be starting your own seeds or buying starts for a garden center. Lets compare price. Starting your own seeds is by far more cost effective you can get a few hundred seeds for a few dollars where you would spend a few dollars per start at a garden center.

Now if you've never started seeds before there's a lot that goes into it. If you haven't done it before and don’t have all the supplies needed my suggestion is to buy starts. Don’t bank your whole garden on starting all your own seeds if you haven't done it before. Start small buy starts and experiment with sprouting your own seeds. You may find you love to garden but not sprouting or vice versa! If you already have all the supplies your probably starting your own seeds already.

This series will be continued throughout the growing season!

happy planting!