Swap & Barter

There have been so many things going on at the Prepared Household and before I tell you about the swap and barter we had, let me update you. 

The garden isn't doing as well this year.  The potatoes have all died out.  We aren't sure why, but they have been sent for autopsy through the extension service, so we should know soon. 

The beans are next on the hit list with the Mexican Bean Beetles eating their way through them.  We are out of the good poison we used last year, so the demise of the beans is imminent. 

Due to excessive rain and moisture, the tomatoes have the blight.  I had to pull up three plants that were just suffering in the muck and gave the rest of them drastic clippings to remove the diseased leaves.  Now they will be susceptible to the sun scald, so I plan on placing a cloth or sheet over them to shield them from the sun as fruit develops.  I am so saddened by the state of my garden.  The weeds are thriving though.  I have been updating on my Youtube channel, so please feel free to check out the vids! 

http://www.youtube.com/user/PreparedHousehold?feature=mhee

SWAP & BARTER:

So...tonight, the Prepared Household hosted a Swap & Barter at my church.  We placed our items on the table and placed bids on items others brought.  It was great fun and we got to bring home something different from what we brought.

We placed our items on the tables.

We began to place our bids.



Then the bartering began!

I was very happy with what I came home with!

The swap was a complete success.  It wasn't awkward and we all had a great time.  We are planning a "Trading Days" in the fall where we will have a "soupbean supper" and do a lot more bartering on a larger scale!  Exactly the outcome I had hoped for.

Watch this Youtube video and I hope you can start something similar in your community.

Velveeta Cheesy Skillets House Party

Well...as you all know, I believe in saving money.  Saving money helps us be better prepared for life and situations that arise.  Having been in the unemployment line for some time now, I look for ways to stretch my money.  So I signed up for House Party at houseparty.com.  I was told that I would be receiving the following for my party.

•VELVEETA CHEESY SKILLETS product


•$5 Wal-Mart Gift Card

•Memo Boards

•Tote Bags

•$1.00 off coupons

Now who wouldn't want to receive free product and coupons to share with friends.  We all have parties on occasion and what better way to save money and share with friends and family.  This is just a win for anyone.

So, the party is June 18th and that happens to be the weekend of my family reunion.  So not only do I get this free stuff, but I get to share it with my family.  And besides, who doesn't love Velveeta?

So, go to houseparty.com and sign up for a party.  They have canning parties too.  I can't wait to have mine because I know it will be so much fun.  Enjoy your day!

The Prepared Household in Your Inbox

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This summer will be updates on the homestead and how the rabbits, chickens and garden are doing.  But it will also be about getting prepared and staying prepared in this ever changing world we live in.  If you like to live green, well...this blog is for you.  This is my journey from the corporate world (so to speak) to the homestead and you are welcome along for the ride.

I have worked my entire adult life and this is the first time I am really having joy in my journey.  So, subscribe and get updates right in your inbox!  Happiness and joy in the journey.

Melanie

Bale Gardening Experiment

Well...I passed my master gardener's exam yesterday and I very excited about that.  It doesn't mean I am an expert by any means, I am just still learning about gardening and how it works on my journey to self-sufficiency.  Will I ever get there?  Probably not.  But I am on that journey late in life, so just doing my small part to live a greener, healthier life will make me happy.

Another Master Gardener, Sheila, and I are doing an experiment in conjunction with the local extension office.  We are experimenting with Straw Bale Gardening.   

If you have bales that have already sat out in the weather and have become partially rotten, you don't have to do anything but plant.  However, we began with green bales that had to go through a ten day preparation phase before planting. According to the instructio​ns, we soaked the bales twice a day for three days. Of course, the rain has helped us out with this.  Days 4-6 we added 1/2 cup of ammonium nitrate and soaked that in once a day.  Days 7-9 we reduced that amount to 1/4 cup of ammonium nitrate soaked in once a day.  Then on day 10 we added a cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer. 

Day 11 is planting day.  So on day 11 we planted all six bales.  Bale one: we planted two (2) Watermelon Beefsteak, bale two we planted two (2) Early Girls, bale three we planted two (2) Prudence's Purple Tomato, bale four and five had four (4) each of Diva Cucumbers (two to a pod) and bale six we planted three (3) Mixed Jewel Peppers.

 

I look forward to the experiment and learning how these will do.  The bales can be placed virtually any sunny spot, a deck, patio or driveway.  Ours are on a sidewalk.  I think for a wet Spring like we have had, these bales would be wonderful because they drain well.  However, if we have a dry summer, this may be an issue.  I wonder if the heat from the sidewalk and pavement will cause added problems with drying out?  I may move one or two to the grassy area next to the sidewalk to do a side by side comparison.

When we opened up the bales to plant, the inside was moist and hot.  I think the plants will enjoy the heat and will do well.  And because the bales were moist, there may not be an issue with drying out too much. 

I think this method will be ideal for a small space, especially if we have another wet spring.  The only drawback we noted was the waste of water.  I would not start these in green bales, I would start them in bales that have already sat out in the rain and rotted.  It was a waste of a lot of water.  Also, the mildew smell is a little strong.

So I will continue to care for these straw bales and we will see how it goes.  I will keep you updated.