Over the past few years, Toddy and I have been moving in a new direction. Fed up with the high cost of everything from food to fuel and beyond, we decided we wanted to simplify things here at home. So, we've been slowly converting our high-paced, high stress life into something a bit more rewarding.
Guess what? It's working! We've already slashed our grocery budget in half, we're eating healthier, and it has really brought us together as a family. I'd love to share with my family and friends how we do it and share our adventures with you.
Today, we started prepping for Spring by renting a rototiller for only $65 for 4 hours from Harford Rental on rt. 1 in Bel Air. We picked it up at noon and Toddy just finished hosing it off about a half hour ago. I highly recommend picking up a can of orange or neon spray paint to paint where the borders of your gardens should be. Luckily, Harford Rental had the cans of orange paint that the utility workers use when they are working. In hindsight, we probably should have gotten the utilities to come out and spray in the front yard for wires for us as we realized that we wanted to rototill the strip of land between the street and sidewalk but didn't dare do it for fear of hitting the electric lines. But, at only $65, I think we will probably rent another time and take care of it.
Tomorrow, we will be setting up the rows in the gardens (yes, gardens!) in the backyard. Today, we were able to till all of the gardens and mix compost in at the same time. It's amazing what an 8 HP machine can do! I can't wait to get my hands dirty.
Another highlight of the week was receiving our order of Asian seeds from the Kitazawa Seed Company. www.kitazawaseed.com
Our friend Tracey recommended it to us. She was our neighbor in Japan and is an awesome cook. The seeds that the company sells are not just Asian plants but American plants as well. The carrots that we had in Japan were the circumference of at least a silver dollar and that means you don't have to spend a long time slicing them. Toddy, of course, had to get his bok choi and collard green seeds, so now he is a happy boy.
Well, we have to go return the rototiller and figure out what we're having for dinner. I completely forgot about getting anything out of the freezer due to all the excitement in the backyard so a trip to the grocery store will be in our future!
Becky a.k.a. The Homesteader's Wife
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