Wow, I had a really unproductive week from the perspective of the Challenge. Although, part of the reason was because I had some extra paid work time I had to spend this week, so it wasn’t entirely unproductive overall. Mainly I just was feeling lethargic, plus we had some really weird weather that didn’t help — 90s F over last weeked, which was really too hot to work well outside, though I did quite a bit anyway, then turning chilly, windy, and wet on Monday, making it unappealing to work outside, especially pre- and post-business hours. So, here’s the wimpy tally:
Plant Something: Well, I planted the rest of the catnip (in pots) that my friend gave me. This doesn’t really mean anything other than I was lazy enough last week to only plant some of them, so I’m not sure it should count. However, since I planted nothing else this week, I’ll count it :) I didn’t transplant anything either. It was all I could do to keep things watered and thus alive. Oh wait! A neighbor brought me some spring onions, and I’ve been eating the tops and planting the bottom inch. I have three sprouting. So, I guess I did plant something!
Harvested: Nothing, unless I can count the cat gnawing on the catnip.
Preserved: Nope. Those test onions are still outside in the dehydrator; in my lethargy this week, I *looked* at them a few times, but did not open up the screens to see how dry they actually were. And now that it’s been raining for 2 days… I’ll just leave them for another while and see what happens…
Stored: Took possession of a bucket of limp root cellar carrots from R’s. These need to show up in the ‘managed’ category soon, by my making soup or something from them, before they’re post-consumer. Also stocked up another 30 pounds of dog food.
Managed: I bought a toilet seat for my, uh, ‘nitrogen bucket.’ Should be much more comfortable than that sharp-edged bucket rim!
Prepped: Last weekend I did quite a bit of digging garden beds and working on the garden fence. Still lots to go before I’m done, though. Our typical frost-free date is the end of May, though if there’s a nice-weather opportunity this weekend I might plant something sturdy like potatoes before that. Placed my co-op order which includes some 5-gallon buckets that should fit the gamma seal lids I already have. Also ordered ten T-posts which are destined for the garden fence. Also ordered some wheat berries, which I’ve never worked with or even seen before, and 5 pounds of baking soda, mostly as a cleaning agent (and for cleaning up pet messes on carpet, which I’m once again dealing with, since the rental is mostly carpeted).
Cooked Something New: Thought I was a bust on this one, but then I remembered that I did, inadvertently. I made some black beans recently, ate from them one night, then put the pot in the fridge. Several days later, when I looked in the pot, it had started to get a ‘going bad’ film over it. I scooped away the film, then rinsed and smelled the beans — they still smelled ok. So then I put a little oil in a cast iron pan and sizzled up the beans, and discovered… …refried beans! Or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof. I’d never known how or tried to make them before. They were good!
Advocate for Local Food Systems: Hmm. I took possession of a tomato plant from a friend — we’d agreed to give each other one of the unusual varieties we were trying. He gave me one labeled “Ping Pong”, and I owe him a Marvel Stripe. However, what he brought me is well over a foot tall and ready to go into the ground. My Marvel Stripe starts are about 3″ tall and just getting their second set of leaves. I think my friend has a greenhouse. I’ll wait a few weeks and them give him the best start I’ve got… Also, I attended the open house for the community radio station I mentioned last week. It’s not directly about a local food system, but I do believe that the intention of the station owners is to use the station to help create the kind of localized community that a local food effort would require. I contined to tell people about the new farmer’s market (starts June 14) and to plan which of my starts are destined to be offered there. And, my neighbor brought me a bunch of spring onions, as I mentioned. They were volunteers from her last year’s garden. I gave half of them to a girlfriend and am eating/planting my way through the rest. I offered the neighbor a catnip plant in return, but she already had all she needs.
Reduced Waste: Nothing this week.
Learned a Skill: Nothing this week.
May 26, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Is there any reason you use a pee bucket over the “letting it mellow” strategy?
May 26, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Yes there is, Beany, and thanks for asking! Using a bucket lets me put the urine on my compost pile or (diluted) directly onto the garden, as opposed to flushing it into the septic tank/leach field, which is (of course) downhill from the garden where the fertilizer is most needed.
And there’s a side benefit — when the toilet was ‘mellowing’ most of the time, the bowl tended to get grungy and need cleaning more frequently than when it was flushed every time. But by using a bucket, I’m sidestepping the toilet entirely much of the time, so the toilet bowl now needs fewer cleanings instead of more!