The last frost date here is May 8-10 so we are now 8 weeks out from that date. This is the time to start those plants indoors if you want to get a jump on the growing season. I held myself back a bit on starting plants because last year I had plants I started die off in wonky spring weather and then in very hot summer weather. I was surprised by getting some plants that grew into fall after I kind of gave up on the garden because of the Summer heat die off.
I got some great plant starting boxes via Home depot last year for $30.00-$55.00 depending on the size. I added two full spectrum clip on lights for about $20.00 each and some plant heat beds for about $30.00. I set this all up on a small kitchen table. Yes $100.00 seems costly compared to the little Jiffy plant boxes but my plants did much better having higher quality boxes, the heat pads and lighting. My starter plants grew thick stems and not those stringy stems I dealt with in prior years.
I'm trying a couple of different ways of growing plants. I'm trying out a lot of mini plants for smaller planting boxes and pots. Plants that grow in small spaces, salad leaf mixes, small tomato plants, egg plants and plants that can grow vertically. I'm starting a large bed that is more traditional using mounds or soil for 3 sisters and growing melons that are not in raised beds. I am keeping most of my raised beds and adding more to my back yard. I want to add some variety and I think the 3 sisters mounds will work better in my yard if they are not confined in raised beds.
I got some more of the old grape vines cleaned out this week. The folks that pick up the trash are getting more stringent about how much trash you can put in trash cans and are charging more if you have more trash. Hard to blame them with fuel and employee costs going up. I don't blame companies for raising costs because of inflation. I blame the government for creating inflation.
I have added a lot more tools like shade cloths for hot summers. More frost cloth to protect the [plants from heat cold and bugs and gone to a better quality soaker hose for the beds to make the most of my irrigation. My water barrels are filling up though we have not got a lot of rain/snow the last 4 weeks. Of my 3 water barrels 2 of the barrels are about 1/2 full and one barrel is about 3/4 full. A good result considering that my gutters use chains in place of down spouts and the low rainfall amounts we have had since I set up the barrels. I have a few smaller quick set up rain containers that are not barrels but I can add if my rain barrels get full. Not perfect but more stored (free) water is always a good thing. If you want to buy some shade clothe or frost fabric at a good price I recommend Agfabric https://www.agfabric.com/ for good costs and shipping.
Staying ahead of inflation creates more inflation as you trade inflating dollars for products you need to live and you have to buy as quickly as possible. Inflation and Hyper inflation events are created via Fiat currencies that have no asset backing that currency. Gold just hit $2000.00 per ounce if the US dollar was back by gold it would be a strong currency and would not be inflating. Since no currency in the world is not backed by gold or silver all currencies are inflating in the "West" or losing buying power in 3rd world nations. Food prices are skyrocketing in the 3rd world similar to the 2011-2013 Arab spring. We in the USA were affected by those food prices as Costco and other stores put limits on buying rice, corn meal and flour.
We live in a global economy. Love it or hate it you will compete with everyone in the world to buy the stuff you want and need. A local restaurant supply store is now selling 50 pounds unbleached white flour for $25.00. That is .50 cents per pound for flour if you buy in bulk. A loaf of bread costs $3.00-$5.00 depending on your location. You all know gas prices are $4.00 + per gallon and only going up.
Don't try to buy everything but buy any thing that gives you the most bang for your dollar spent. Seeds for gardening. I can't grow enough garden to feed myself for year , but I can grow a garden that will feed myself for some of the year. A wood stove and wood so you control the heat in your home. You could choose propane for heating and cooking. I think small scale solar for residential area has a lot of potential. Industrialized Solar/wind energy is not ready to be a player. Nothing wrong buying a small 15 watt solar panel that can charge your phone, kindle/tablet or a laptop. If you want a heat a buddy type heater and couple of propane tanks can keep you warm and you can cook on a cheap propane stove. Buy a Mr. buddy heater, an adapter for a 15-20 pound propane tank and a couple of of propane tanks and you will have at least a couple of weeks of heat in cold weather if you don't run the heater at night for about $200.00.
Even with the current inflation you can still take steps to mitigate your cost of inflation. If flour costs 50 cents per pound and assume all ingredient and energy to bake bread cost another dollar per loaf. You make one a loaf of bread that costs you $1.50 and the same loaf cost $4-5.00 a loaf in stores. Most of time needed for baking bread require no effort on your part as the bread rises without any input from you.
Life looks a bit rugged right now. It is not all bad news and there are ways you can help yourself and others to mitigate problem. Take time to assess your needs and focus on your priorities. Go back and read my post around 2011-2012dwhen I was blasting off in every direction and had no focus other than trying to get everything at once. You don't want to do that in your preps.
I think prepping is a way of life and there is more for me to learn. I can't say what will happen in the future but how much time do you have to prep is the "rest of your life" however long that may be.
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