[leslienky]

I love sweet potatoes. Not too successful in growing though. But my problem is storage. They don’t last too long. I have canned a lot of sweet potatoes this year. I find that it is super easy to open a jar and prep the potatoes for their next step. Planning to use some for a sweet potato pie tomorrow. It is like food prepping to the next level.

[leslienky]

I also say to grow what you know you are going to eat. I have lots of space and grew squash and zucchini last summer but we don’t eat a lot of it. Felt it was a waste of space that I could have used for something else. I also grew a lot of peppers but again we don’t eat a lot of them. We eat an onion in some form with most dinners. I have yet to grow enough onions to last us through the year. I eat a salad everyday it tickles me to know that my salad greens were grown by me. You will gain tremendous satisfaction by growing the foods you will enjoy eating.

[leslienky]

I love some Boneset tincture for any start of the sniffles. Clears out fast.

[leslienky]

I like to use winter to work on learning or improving new skills. Last winter I taught myself how to knit. I need to use this winter to improve!!

I like to research new recipes for the things I grow in spring and summer. Having more than one idea how to prep a food item is a big struggle for me. I am not one that can just throw things together. I really need a plan/recipe.

I want to get better about canning ready to go meals. I have done a few and have enjoyed the ease of having a meal with little to no prep. I want to try to can some more to build up my pantry.

I also use the winter to stock up on my soap inventory. During growing season, I don’t have time to make soap.

[leslienky]

I am in 6B. I learned I need to cover through winter. The first winter I did not. The top portion of the tree died but had regrowth from the bottom. It did not grow fast enough to fruit. After covering through winter, I got fruit…. well I did not, the squirrels did.

[leslienky]

This is my first year that I will be attending Rogue Food Conference in December!!!

I have also planted a large plot of strawberries for next spring. I will have my first asparagus next spring too:)

[leslienky]

I put a concrete block over the tree because it was so small. Which kept the bottom protected Then used a coffee bean bag-burlap to cover the entire tree. It worked. I got the idea from a video I watched on YouTube.