It is now time for me to reset my garden. After giving it much thought and deliberation, it was time to admit that the garden needs a refurbishment on every level. I have a total area of about 765 sq. ft. of which I am now utilizing about 210 sq. ft. So, I have been measuring and calculating and calculating again to try and expand the planting areas. I can't say that I am an expert, but I think I can get about 460 or so sq. ft. for planting so far. I will continue to refit the site but given the need for walking paths, I think this pretty much is the most efficient I can get.
Additionally, I am going to begin the process of erecting a glass greenhouse in the southern most corner of the garden. It will take up roughly 48 sq. ft. of the area. It will be used on a 12 month basis for growing root crops in the winter and seedlings in the spring. I can't wait to get it up and running.
There is a lot of work involved in this naturally. I am about to retire after 25 years with my present company. It's been a long road, but I am determined to make my retirement productive(no pun intended).
My main reasoning for doing all this planning and work is to reconfigure the garden for my future plans. I have thought long and hard as to what type of veggies I need to plant to offset the rising costs being forecasted for next year and beyond. Food inflation will soon be an issue for our country and the world. That much can be determined by looking at the USDA crop reports. How much - that's the wild card. I am not an alarmist by any means. While I can't grow everything we'll need, I figure I will do my part in growing the portion of my own food that I can. I have a friend who wants to expand his garden. He has a very big area and I will definitely be growing more crops on that area. So, I probably will be able to put a big dent in vegetables next year. Time will tell.
In my next post, I will be taking pictures of the current state of affairs to allow me to track the project and share with you the many travails in getting the garden reconfigured. This won't be easy but it certainly is needed. Please continue to watch for updates. Happy gardening everyone
