Things are degrading quickly. Whatever your political persuasion may be, you must have noticed the steep increase in gasoline prices across the nation. Prices at the pump by me have gone from $2.69 to $2.99 in two months, from late December to the end of February. Such increases aren’t going to stop what with the new administration insisting that we drop carbon emissions to levels that WILL mean our way of life must change. Be prepared to give up things you have always taken for granted. I am.
For example, air conditioning, a way of life in the warmer areas of the US, will get more expensive as electric rates go up with the push for green energy, as has happened in Europe. 25% of households in the UK and 15% in Germany now live in what is called energy poverty; they must choose between heating and eating. No joke. As for air conditioning, the rule in my house is that the A/C goes on once the temperature reaches 90 degrees INSIDE the house. Yes. So we can do without it, but depending on where you live, it will be a very different, very expensive existence.
I thought time was short when I put my place on the market last August. But after the November election, it’s very short now. There’s a great deal to do and not much time left to do it in, and I’m not talking just about me and my farm. Any of you who are thinking of getting a garden started, of getting some chickens or other animals, of beginning a home-based business, do it now. Do not wait one more week. Time is short.
Planning the Garden
Once I had a contract on my old place, so I knew for sure I would be moving, I ordered seeds and some bedding plants to start fresh at the new farm. Why not bring mature perennials with me? The soil at my old place has several pathogens that I was constantly fighting, in particular pythium, which is a genus of oomycetes that lives in soil, and root nematodes. After consulting with two plant experts, one at Territorial Seeds and one at Nourse Farms, two of my main go-to seed and plant supply companies, I decided that I would leave all of my plants behind rather than run the risk of bringing any diseases or pests with me.
Both of the plant experts I spoke with also urged me to order early since they were anticipating selling out quickly, so I placed my orders late November. Now, in early March, seed companies are already sold out of many varieties. Some companies were already sold out in late January. If you haven’t purchased seeds yet, do so now. Get over to your local garden center or big box store, if necessary, and purchase seeds.
I have also already purchased most of the materials we will need to build the garden. Think about what you will need to build or improve your garden and purchase those materials now. NOW. As the price of fuel increases, so will the price of the goods being transported. Buy the things you need NOW because prices will be going up. They already are.
The new garden will be much the same as at the old one only larger, with raised beds and an eight-foot fence. I have, all ready to go once the snow melts, the deer netting, the chicken wire to go along the bottom (so I can’t cut holes in the deer netting when I weed whack), the 10 foot 4x4s for the supporting posts, the 12 foot 2x12s for the raised beds, and three-inch deck screws to screw the raised beds together. I still need U-posts that will go between the 4x4s and the hardware to make the gates.
The snow this winter has been off the charts, around 60 inches so far, a decent amount for the Northeast, and I’m waiting impatiently for the field to clear so we can begin the work. Because we are entering a grand solar minimum and the planet IS getting colder, take a cooling climate into consideration as you make your purchases, especially for perennials.
