I received many tips and advice from readers and I thank them for taking the time to shoot me an email.  This is our chosen course of action.  I waited until the plants were well established.  Trying to weed around the tender seedlings was almost impossible without damaging the young vegetable plants.  So I patiently watched as both the weeds, grass, and vegetable plants grew together.

When I thought the plants were well established, I began weeding very carefully around the plants.  Once the plants were clear, my husband used his weed eater to clean the paths.  He then raked up the cut grass.  Our young boys filled their red wagon with the grass and fed it to our goats.  The goats were excited to get mouthfuls of fresh, green grass.

Hay is in such high demand right now and in such short supply that we have not had any hay with which to mulch our garden.  My husband found three moldy square bales from last year’s supply that we are using.  It won’t be enough, but it will be better than nothing.

In our area we really don’t have leaves, we have an abundance of pine needles, which are tend to make the soil too acidic.  I wanted to use the grass clippings, but my husband vetoed that idea.  He wanted to feed the goats instead.  So, I am still looking for a way to mulch the rest of the garden.  Mulching will help control the weeds as well as help the soil retain moisture.

Some of the plants like carrots and beets are too intertwined with the grass.  They will be pulled out along with the grass.  So I am trimming the grass instead.

It is taking a long time, but I have not given up.  I am thankful for my husband’s help and the help of Isaac and Andrew.  These two boys don’t even know that they are working.  They drive their dump trucks up to where I am working.  I fill the trucks with the grass and they drive them out of the garden.  Working together I always have a truck waiting to be filled.  I enjoy their funny conversations along the way.  It makes my work much more fun.

Butternut squash, yellow squash, and zucchini are already beginning to make.  I cannot wait until I can harvest some fresh vegetables.  Since we cannot have potatoes, I make what I call “Sweet Fries” out of butternut squash.

Sweet Fries

Butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Cut the ends off of the butternut squash.  Clean out the seeds.  (My chickens love these.) Peel the tough outside skin.  Then slice the squash like french fries.  Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil.  Lay the squash on the pan.  Pour about 3 Tablespoons of olive oil on top of them and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 450 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until tender and slightly browned.

Serve by themselves or with homemade ketchup.

Weeds and grass is growing beside them at a much faster rate.  It is like the grass and weed seeds have been lying in wait for any moisture at all with which to sprout with a vengeance.  I have tried hoeing, but you cannot get anywhere near the vegetable plants without damaging their tender shoots.  I have resorted to back-breaking weeding by hand.  It is definitely the most effective; however, in spite of my efforts, I am still accidentally uprooting some of the plants.  As I am bent over the rows, all I can think about is the Parable of the Tares.

Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to a planted field in Matthew 13:24-30.   Without analyzing this parable at all and taking it at face value, a farmer plants wheat, but someone else throws out weed seeds.  Both grow together.  The servants want to know if the farmer wants them to pull the weeds, but he decides not to for the sake of the wheat.  At harvest time, they will pull the weeds first and then harvest the wheat.

My garden reminds me exactly of this wheat field.  Do I take the advice of the farmer in the parable and allow them to all grow together until harvest?  Do I continue trying to fight the weeds and grass at the expense of some vegetable plants?  Do I till it up and start over but this time with raised rows?  Is there another option that I am missing?

The exceptional drought that we are experiencing in Texas has so greatly effected our area.  It looks like fall has come early with all the color in the woods, but the trees are dying from lack of water.  Or, large wooded areas are completely orange from the two wildfires we have experienced since June.  Ranchers are selling off their herds because of the high price of hay and feed as well as the fact that watering holes are drying up; therefore, many pastures around here are empty.

I guess you expect those consequences during a severe drought.  However, I did not expect my garden to be affected in this way.  I did not anticipate seeds being desperate for any moisture.  In my well-established garden plot, I did not anticipate having to fight nature.  It is as if I decided to break ground on virgin soil.

If you have any ideas on how to save my garden, please let me know.

Storing food requires space and it requires money.  When you are under dietary restrictions like us, what can you store?  Staples like rice, canned vegetables, Chef Boyardee meals, etc. are out of the question for us since we are on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. 

My husband and I came up with a slightly different plan.  We first expanded our garden.  Growing your own organic fruit and vegetables is not only healthier for you, it only costs you money for seeds and time.  I realize that many people cannot grow enough food for their families at home.  Space is the main problem. 

Some communities have tried to solve that problem by building and maintaining community gardens.  You can plant in containers on a porch.  You can sprout seeds and eat the greens, which requires very little space.  You can hang tomatoes from hanging baskets.  It might not be sufficient for all your family’s needs, but I would think that every little bit helps. 

I had been looking into purchasing meat chickens.  The breed of my choice were Cornish Rocks.  In six to seven weeks they are ready to be harvested; therefore, it takes only a short time to raise the chicks to fryer size.  The local hatchery wanted $2.79 a chick.  Luckily I had not placed my order because I ran into Tractor Supply on an errand for my husband.  Upon entering the store, you could hear the cheeps of chicks.  Of course, I had to go see them. 

There were Plymouth Rocks, Ameraucanas, and ducks.  In one tub, they had Cornish Rocks.  The original price was $1.99.  It was marked down to $.99 each.  I called an employee over to ask the reason for the mark down.  He explained that nobody wanted meat chickens.  Well at that price, I left with 18 chicks. 

On this diet, we are going through eggs like crazy.  Our egg-laying chickens cannot keep up with our demand.  Several hens have decided to get broody and have baby chicks of their own.  We have nine little chicks running around the chicken yard with one hen still setting.  I love watching the hens take care of their young.  Hatching out your own chickens is without a doubt the cheapest way to increase the amount of future eggs for your family. 

To help supplement our egg needs, we made a deal with a neighbor.  When I say neighbor, I mean a fellow homesteader living about two miles away.  He has too many eggs.  So we made a deal.  He gives us fresh, free-range eggs and we give him goat milk to drink.  He claims that goat milk is the only thing that settles his stomach.  It is a win-win arrangement. 

This same neighbor has two buck rabbits.  He was looking for a doe.  We promised him our last doe, but she decided to kick the bucket the morning we were going to deliver her to his farm.  We began asking around for another doe.  Fortunately we know several people who raise rabbits for 4-H and FFA.  Last night, a friend gave us a doe. 

We in turn gave it to our neighbor and made a deal.  He is going to breed the doe and we are going to split the rabbits.  Rabbits reach fryer stage in 8-13 weeks depending on the breed.  Considering how prolific rabbits are you can have a steady supply of meat from just a few bunnies.  You also need very little space to raise a rabbit.  You could easily do this in your backyard. 

There is a lot of great information about raising rabbits for meat online.  In addition, Countryside & Small Stock Journal featured rabbits in their May/June 2011 issue.  There are many articles written by fellow homesteaders describing their experiences and how-to raise rabbits. 

Hunting is another way to economically increase your meat supply.  As I related on Monday, my husband and boys put up seven wild hogs.  We are going to smoke some hams and shoulders.  Most of the meat is going into sausage, both link and pan.  Considering that you have to make your own sausage in order to ensure there is no added starch or sugar in respect to our diet, I am looking forward to having a good supply of easy dinners and delicious breakfasts for a long time to come. 

We might not have a storehouse of canned goods or rows of traditional staples.  My family has a plan in action to take care of most of our food needs for the up-coming year.  A diet high in fresh vegetables, lean meats, and farm-raised eggs cannot be bad for you.  Between wild hogs, free rabbits, inexpensive chickens, and fresh produce, we have our food stored in our own way.  That’s how we do it on the homestead.

Jake showed his heifer, Sugar, at the Houston Livestock Show during Spring Break.  It was quite an experience for him and for us as well.  It is only the world’s largest livestock exhibition.  We are so proud of Jake.  He did his best and Sugar got 12th place. 

During Spring Break, our family had the pleasure of hosting a young lady in our home.  We completely enjoyed her visit.  She jumped in and helped out in all things.  She really enjoyed milking our goat, Wendy.  Her visit was good for Kyla, too.  Kyla had female companionship other than me for 10 days.

Our pecan tree finally budded out signaling the end of winter.  Therefore, we planted our Spring garden.  Since food prices are steadily increasing and our new diet, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, relies heavily on fruit and vegetables, we greatly expanded our garden space.  I bought so many seeds and plants that I joked with my husband that we could be truck farming.

In addition, we tilled up an entire new area for melons.  Jake has claimed that garden space as his own responsiblity.  You won’t find me arguing with him about that.  He planted watermelon, cantaloupe, and honey dew.  His aunt just gave him some heirloom seeds for banana melons.  Its flesh looks like a cantaloupe, but the skin and its shape resembles a banana.  For fun, we are tilling up even more land for banana melons.

In addition, we planted zucchini, squash, spaghetti squash, beets, kohlrabi, and all-seasons cabbage.  Besides the zucchini and summer squash all the above plants are new ones for us to grow.  We have raised a lot of cabbage, but this was the first variety I saw suitable for a Texas summer.  We’ll see if it works.  Since we cannot eat potatoes, sweet potatoes, okra, black-eyed peas, or corn on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, we were forced to spread our wings in the gardening arena.

We also planted several varieties of tomatoes.  Swiss chard is planted, too.  We are expecting a great crop of bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, cayenne peppers, jalapenos, and hot banana peppers.  Can you tell that my husband and I like spicy foods? 

Cucumbers are coming up nicely around their trellis.  Onions, garlic, and carrots are still growing.  We are eating fresh salads out of our Black-Seeded Simpson Leaf Lettuce.  It is growing so well we are giving it away.  Not to mention our herbs.  I have rosemary, oregano, garlic chives, and mint. 

Our new diet takes a lot of preparation time.  I hope that it does not always require so much of my time and that I will adapt soon.  I make 2 quarts of homemade goat yogurt every other day.  It takes 24 hours to cook and an additional 8 hours to cool in the refrigerator before you can eat it; therefore, you have to stay on top of it.  You cannot just whip a batch up.  Some days it seems I cannot get out of the kitchen. 

I have also been helping my husband, Lane,  at Cross Creek Cattle Company.  He has many on-going projects right now that require a hand.  I volunteered to help him.  Not only am I making a little money, but I am getting exercise doing manual labor.  Plus, I get to spend the day with my husband.  It is only for a limited time.  Things will get back to normal soon.

“Go to the ant, O sluggard.  Observe her ways and be wise” (Proverbs 6:6).  If ants are our inspiration in work ethic and preparation, then nobody can call me a sluggard.  There is no such thing as a lazy, and successful homesteader.  I have not even had time to write, which is something I greatly enjoy.  Thank you for understanding.

When I read history, especially about times of war and occupation, one thing always jumps out at me.  The people in rural areas get along much better than people in urban areas.  Why?  It is simple.  In a rural setting, people typically have land on which they can plant a garden.  They also have wild animals and fish to harvest. 

It is a fact that I make sure to point out to my children.  Gardening is rewarding, but it is also hard work.  It is much easier to go to a grocery store and purchase produce.  Growing your own food also allows you the freedom to decide the way in which your food is grown.  You have an opportunity to grow it organically or to use fertilizers and pesticides. 

I want my children to be able to grow their own food.  You never know what is going to happen in the future.  They are a big part of the planning process, the planting, the up-keep, the harvest, and the storing process.  Sometimes we have miscalculated in our planning process and have squash growing out of our ears.  At the same time, we will not plant enough tomatoes.  We learn from our mistakes and make the necessary adjustments for next year.

If you really don’t know how much to plant, take the time to consider what you buy at the grocery store.  Do you buy 10 pounds of potatoes every two weeks?  Do you like yellow or red onions?  How many do you use in a week’s time?  Thinking your needs through will help you decide how much of each vegetable you need to plant.

Also, consider what your plans are for each vegetable.  Do you just want to eat the vegetables fresh?  Do you want to make salsa and/or spaghetti sauce?  Do you want to make pickles?  I think you get the idea.  Decide while planning your garden area what you intend to do with your harvest.  It will make a difference in the amount of vegetables you plant.

I found a useful chart based on the needs of an average family of four.  Of course with my family I would need to almost double the amounts.  The How Much to Plant chart gives you a good idea as to where to start.  Change it as your family’s needs dictate.  For example, my family loves homemade pickles, both bread and butter and dill.  Planting only 4 hills of cucumbers as it says in the chart (x2) will not give me enough cucumbers to eat raw and pickle them.  Therefore, I will have to adjust the amount of hills.

Another suggestion is keep a little gardening journal.  Include the variety you planted, the date planted, the amount planted, etc.  The amount planted will depend on your garden.  You can record it by feet planted or hills or by seed packages.  Choose to do what makes sense to you.  You could record the amount you harvest, but I would never get to it.  Instead, make a little note at the end of the season in your journal like, ”Perfect amount!” or “Wished I planted more.” 

If you have a successful garden and end up overwhelmed by all of your superfluous produce, don’t despair.  Sell it to pay for your seeds or simply give it away.  People without gardens are always eager to take fresh food off of your hands. 

Even though it is in the middle of winter, believe it or not, it is time to start planning your early garden.  Potatoes and onions for example can be planted mid-February.  Of course, remember that I live in Texas.  Our ground is not frozen.  Regardless of where you live, it is never too early to begin planning your garden.

Gardening is one way to combat the growing food prices.  Enjoy home-grown, fresh produce throughout the year.  Use this chart to help you know how much to plant for your family.

Having just watched the weather forecast for the week, I replied that on Friday night the low was predicted to fall to 41 degrees.   For the next two weeks, the forecasted low did not change.  But when I awoke Saturday morning, sunlight glistened on the frosty grass.

My husband saw it first.  He said, “My word, there is frost everywhere.  How cold did it get?”  It was 34 degrees outside!  It got much colder than predicted.

We were caught completely unaware.  The chickens did not have a heat lamp.  The citrus trees were not covered.  My garden was exposed.  We did not even have heavy blankets on our beds.

Luckily it did not stay very cold for long.  Our thermometer records the highs and lows of each day, and it said that 34 was the low.  The next day it was 37 degrees and the ground was frosty again.

Knowing Texas weather I know that winter has not come to stay.  It will warm up until the next cold front blows into town, but I learned a lesson.  First, listen to the signs of nature.  I personally had never heard that geese were two days before cold weather, but I can guarantee you that next winter I will prepare for cold when I see the geese fly over.

Luckily no damage was done by the surprise cold snap.  Our animals are fine.  The frost did not phase our trees or garden vegetables.  We lucked out.  I learned that the boy scout’s motto, “Always be prepared,” really rings true with homesteading.  Therefore, this week I am getting prepared for the winter.

What all does that entail?  I am going to hang a lamp in the chicken coop.  Especially now that the time has changed, chickens will continue to lay eggs better if they have light.  Ideally they need 11 hours of light a day to continue laying.  More importantly, the light serves as a source of heat in the coop.

I am going to mulch my garden with old, rotting hay.  When I am expecting a heavy frost or freeze, I can quickly cover my plants with the help of my children.  The mulch protects the leaves from freezing.  It also prevents weeds from growing and helps maintain moisture in the ground.  Using old, rotting hay acts as a good compost.  As it decomposes, it is adding good nutrients to your soil.

Barrels or sheets will protect my citrus trees from a freeze.  Like the mulch, you cannot cover the plants/trees and leave them covered for any length of time.  The plants need sunlight even in the winter.  You need to keep them covered until the temperature warms and then cover again as it falls.

In this part of Texas, it rarely is freezing the entire day.  Usually at night the temperature will fall the farthest.  Therefore, we cover up everything before retiring for the evening when freezing temperatures are expected.

I wanted to share with you the news of our first frost.  I find the changes in weather to be exciting.  Winter is coming soon.  You need to get prepared!