Alrighty ! I get to do another “ Year in Review ” post !
It ’s a Florida Survival Gardening tradition now … and who am I to break tradition ?
As a refresher , here’s2012and here’s2013 .
In 2013 we pulled in 832lbs of garden truck . This year we did n’t quite make that number since we added a cute new addition to the homestead … right when we normally plant our springiness gardens . So much for our normal rush of bounce harvesting . I ’d rather have a baby anyhow .
The conditions of 2013/2014 was nice and mild which was good for my tropic plants but not as good for my temperate tree diagram . The seedling peaches produced for the first time this yr , as did two of my Japanese persimmon tree , a tangerine ( which was supposed to be a Citrus paradisi ) , my Ponderosa lemon , my Meyer lemon tree and my blood orange . The yield were quite little but we at least got a sense of taste .
The blueberry bush and blackberries are still failing to stand out as I ’d like . The figs are doing better but have n’t occur into their own yet .
Well … just take a spirit at the numbers and you ’ll see what did well and what did n’t :
Bananas:22 lbsBeans ( railway yard - long):6 lbsBlackberries:1 lbBlueberries:1 lbBroccoli:18.5 lbsCabbage:15.5 lbsCalamondins:2 lbsCassava:25 lbsChaya:5 lbs(estimated)Chinese Water Chestnuts:10 lbs ( estimated)Coffee:1 lb ( est.)Ethiopian Kale:5 lbs(est.)Figs:3 lbs(est.)Goumi Berries:1 lbGrapes:3 lbsGreens ( Suriname purslane , Okinawa spinach , longevity prickly-seeded spinach , hibiscus):10 lbs(est.)Hot Peppers:14.5lbsKey Limes:3lbsKumquats:1 lbLemons:5 lbLoofah ( Angle gourds):3 lbsMalanga:13.5 lbsMoringa:20 lbs ( est.)Mulberries:28 lbsOranges:3 lbsPapaya ( ripe):11 lbs ( est.)Papaya ( green):12 lbsPeaches:5 lbsPersimmons:1 lbPineapples:5 lbsPotatoes:28 lbsSeminole Pumpkins:196.75 lbsSugarcane:46 lbsStarfruit:1.5lbsSweet Potatoes:103 lbsWatermelon:7 lbsVelvet Beans:5 lbs ( est.)Yams:39 lb
Total:680.25 lbs
Eggs:100 ( est . )
We got 6 hens and a rooster this summer since I missed the egg . They ’re in a uncomplicated PVC tractor , blithely manducate their way around the food for thought forest and not laying near enough for the family ; however , they do devote their way in ploughland and manure .
The real superstar of this twelvemonth was our compost - pile Seminole pumpkins … which ironically , we did n’t even plant ! Almost 200 lbs from perhaps 6 plants .
In the land of tree crops , our mulberries really found their stride this year , producing a rocking 28 lbs of berries . Not bad for 2 - 3 year honest-to-goodness trees .
think this : 4 oz of organic Charles Edward Berry in the foodstuff storage costs about $ 4.00 . That means those mulberries , if sold as pesticide - free constituent Charles Edward Berry , should be worth about $ 450.00 .
Mulberry Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree be about $ 20-$25 each . You do the maths . It ’s a lot good than the stock marketplace !
This leaping we lost our field crop test plots due to a cosmic string of problems with the property owner . It ’s nice to be free of that particular relationship but I did truly enjoy arise heirloom edible corn without irrigation . as luck would have it , we have another acquaintance who has volunteered about 5,000 ft2 for our apportion use with his family so the Zea mays experiments will resume in the spring . The Lord gives and the Lord use up aside … blessed be the Name of the Lord .
The mulch added to our front yard food forest at the ending of 2013 really paid off . Though the plum , nectarine , mantrap , chestnuts , jujubes , pears , orchard apple tree and other trees out there did n’t produce this year , they did put on big spurts of growth which give me hope for 2015 .
I lost my uncommon loquat tree out the other side due to a drawing string - trimmer accident but some of the budwood was successfully ingraft onto other Japanese plum around the thou so the variety has been relieve .
My Pakistan long mulberry keeps fail to produce berries due to a weird dieback it preserve get in the saltation . If it does it again this yr , it ’s gone .
The grapes did rather ill . The Southern Home variety , which is the primary type I planted , seems to have a strange leaf - browning issue .
In right word , my friend Allan find a white mulberry growing in his region and got me some cut . They root , so I ’m hop to have some of those tally to the food forest this next class .
And speaking of adding thing … here are some of the Tree and shrubs we add to the belongings over the line of 2014 .
( 4 ) Paulownia trees ( fuel for rocket range / chop - n - drop)(7 ) Pyracanthas ( berries for wildlife / jam)(5 ) St. Christopher lily ( just because)(5 ) Rosa rugosas ( eatable hips)(5 ) Autumn Olives ( edible nitrogen fixers)(6 ) Goji berries(1 ) Root beer flora ( Piper auritum)(Multiple ) Gingers(1 ) Red honeysuckle ( very rare)(1 ) Crabapple(8 ) Edible hibiscus(2 ) Dwarf Poinciana ( nitrogen fixers)(5 ) Cherry trees(3 ) Almonds ( two are now deceased)(3 ) Dwarf Everbearing mulberries(1)Saharanpor Mulberry(5 ) Dunstan Chestnuts(2 ) bloom Amygdalus communis vervain ( for pollinators)(Multiple ) Various pentas / salvias / other pollinator plants(1 ) Kumquat ( it was on sale)(1 ) Nectarine(4 ) Arrowroot plants(6 ) Yacon plants(Multiple ) Jerusalem artichokes(Multiple)Tithonia diversifolia(Multiple ) Cassava(Multiple ) Rare test multifariousness of yam(1 ) Clumping bamboo found in discarded atomic pile of yard debris(1 ) Thousand Finger Banana(1 ) Thai smutty banana(6 ) Canna lily ( various types)(5 ) Chayas
Plenty of good works … and there are plenty that I forgot . I ’m always popping them in here and there . Here ’s what we accomplished on the infrastructure front :
Hoss Wheel Hoe / Hoss SeederThree forged digging hoesMultiple oil lampsRuger 10/22 for plinking squirrelsTrailer for hauling plantsNew wheelbarrowNew 12′ x 16′ greenhouse ( Thank you , Dave Taylor!)Multiple garden bedsLarge manioc patch ( give thanks you , Jeff D.!)Junkyard areaPlastic sheeted tree diagram area / telegram supports for yield trees for saleSmall mist house ( Thanks again , Jeff D.!)Carpeted interior of the houseRepaired ( sort of ) my Grandfather ’s sure-enough table saw and sire it run againBuilt a only bee house and had great achiever with acquire tenantsAdded more doll feeder and houses to the food for thought forestAdded a birdbath to the solid food forestAdded a small pond to the food forestBuilt a rabbit cage and nest boxesInstalled 4 lapin in the coop
As for this site , here ’s how I did :
The traffic on FloridaSurvivalGardening.com in 2013 generally ranged between 500 - 1,000 pageviews a daytime .
In 2014 it generally ranged between 1,000 – 1,500 a day .
That ’s a moderately effective increase , especially believe I SOLD OUT and put ads on the site to stress and pay for my hosting and fourth dimension . It did n’t work , but I do manage to make about $ 30 - 40 a calendar month in revenue .
If the advertizing bother you , allow me do it . I ’m on the fencing with them .
How To Make Cane Syrup at Home ( Without a Cane Press )
Five Plants the Look Like Marijuana
Survival Plant Profile : Cassava , King of Staples
suggest read for Florida Gardeners
2 Blocks : 17 comestible
People are apparently quite interested in Marijuana .
( Hey – I should see if I can make THIS post a top post!Marijuana , Mary Jane , Reefer , Cannabis Sativa , Pot , Bud , Crippy , Hemp!There!THATought to promote hits ( snicker ) amongst the dreadlocked hardening ! )
At least it ’s still getting beaten by sugar cane . Though I theorise you could make a reasonably good statement that sugar stamp out a plenty more people than marijuana .
Oh shoot .
By the way , I do get a kick out of some of the hunt term that bring people to this site . On December 26th , for instance :
Okay , now some of those are just evidently rum . I ’m opine a bum with a malt 40 oz sitting in a library typing “ does moringa has no nitrogin ? ”
Google , c’m on dawg … give me a hired man …
Beyond this website , I also did a mint of writing forThePrepperProject.com , plus a enough amount of composition forMotherEarthNews.com(though not as much as I would have care . )
One runaway success of 2014 was mySurvival Gardening Secretsaudiobook . That has sold many hundreds of copies thus far and continues to do well . Thank you , Chet and Jason at The Prepper Project for pushing me to get that completed .
I also help createThe Brilliant Homesteadas well . That will grow into something neat .
I ’m greatly expanding my one-year garden beds for the spring and Mrs. Survival Gardener and the kids will presently be aid for an hour every daybreak as a part of the children ’s subject field . It ’s wonderful to ferment in the garden as a family – I ’m quite looking forward to it . I have a great wife . ( And she ’s haaaaaawt ! )
On another personal note , we finally connected witha practiced Christian church in Gainesvilleand have found the loving hoi polloi , commitment to biblical truth , crime syndicate - integrated adoration and the large concentration of homeschoolers a wonderful thing . Pastor Joel is also able to hold his own in a theological disputation , plus smokes good cigar and has good bourbon at his home .
Solid Christianity without stupid legalism . half-baked , correct ?
Florida Food Forests glasshouse did excellently this last twelvemonth thanks to the many visitor we got at the 326 Community Market , plus the many sales through the mail . Though there ’s nothing encounter right now since it ’s stale , we ’ll be back in the swing of thing and providing lots of rarefied edibles once the atmospheric condition warms up . Stay tuned .
Though I have it off I should n’t express mirth at my own jest … I think my favorite moment of 2014 was my April Fool ’s redesign of Florida Survival Gardening :
I had multiple people compose on April 1st and warn me that Florida Survival Gardening got HACKED !
Hehhehheh .
One matter I do repent this twelvemonth is not piss it down south to work onThe Great South Florida Food Forest Project . My parents had a few renters apportion their home so it was n’t possible ; however , we should soon be able to jaw there again and I ’ll give you all an update after we do . I ’ve discover good things about the trees and their progress .
Happy New Year – have a wonderful 2015 !
Shop at Amazon and support Florida Survival Gardening
