I’ve thought of so many things since I decided to stay here. It’s funny how the mind wanders when you finally stop long enough to picture a life rooted in one place. I’ve gone back and forth—from moving to staying, from building proper garden beds to throwing together a quick bucket garden just to get… Continue reading Choosing What Belongs in My Front Yard
Tag: small homestead
My New 168‑Bucket Garden Layout
Every once in a while, something simple changes everything. Last night, I stumbled across a bucket holder design that did exactly that. I’ve been gardening in buckets off and on for a while, but I’ve always set them on the ground. Then I saw this wooden rack that holds 21 buckets in a neat, organized… Continue reading My New 168‑Bucket Garden Layout
🌿 Finally, a Tree That Fits — And Can be Shipped to California
For a while I’ve been hunting for one very specific thing: a true genetic dwarf peach tree that could fit into the tiny corner of my yard. Not a semi‑dwarf. Not a “compact grower.” Not a full‑size tree pretending to be small. I knew they existed — a miniature tree that stays between four and… Continue reading 🌿 Finally, a Tree That Fits — And Can be Shipped to California
🌱 MY UPDATED MONTH‑BY‑MONTH PLANTING CALENDAR
Zone 8b — Two 5′×32′ beds (A1–A4 & B1–B4) One 5′×8′ Warm weather LEGUME bed & One 5′×8′ ALLIUM bed – inside the 5’x32′ beds 🌿 JANUARY Allium bed: Garlic + overwintering onions growing slowly Main beds: Harvest kale, spinach, chard, Brussels sprouts Greenhouse lettuce continues Beds resting 🌿 FEBRUARY Legume bed: 4 squares peas… Continue reading 🌱 MY UPDATED MONTH‑BY‑MONTH PLANTING CALENDAR
Why I Switched From 4′×32′ Beds to 5′×32′ Beds
When I first started sketching out my garden layout, I thought I’d build 4′×32′ beds. But once I got deeper into planning my homestead for real food production, I realized that a small change in bed width could make a big difference in how much I can grow. So, I changed my plan. Now I’m… Continue reading Why I Switched From 4′×32′ Beds to 5′×32′ Beds
How I’ll Grow a Year’s Worth of Beans in Just Two Garden Beds
Most people don’t think of beans as a cool season crop, but I’ve learned that fava beans can be one of the most reliable, heavy‑yielding foods I can grow. They love cold soil, they shrug off frost, and they finish early enough that I can still plant all my warm season crops afterward. So, I… Continue reading How I’ll Grow a Year’s Worth of Beans in Just Two Garden Beds
Planning My CoolBot Cool Room and Pantry
Now that my growing space is finally mapped out, I’m moving on to the next big project: I can’t have a genuine “root Cellar” so I am going to have the next best thing. I’m going to be building a CoolBot‑powered cool room inside my two‑car garage. The garage is attached to my house and… Continue reading Planning My CoolBot Cool Room and Pantry
🌱 My Square‑Foot Garden Plan for Year‑Round Food (A1–A4 & B1–B4 Layout)
I finally finished mapping out my entire garden using the Square Foot Gardening method, and I’m really happy with how everything fits together. I’ve got two long raised beds, each divided into four 4’×8′ sections, so I label them A1–A4 and B1–B4. Each section is 32 square feet, which gives me 32 squares to work… Continue reading 🌱 My Square‑Foot Garden Plan for Year‑Round Food (A1–A4 & B1–B4 Layout)
🌿 Dreaming Up My Tiny Cattle‑Panel Greenhouse
I can already picture it standing along my north fence, catching the best light my mountain valley can offer. In a place where winters bring almost no direct sun and summers offer only a few hours of light, this little greenhouse will be the heart of my homestead. 🏡 Why I’m Building It My property… Continue reading 🌿 Dreaming Up My Tiny Cattle‑Panel Greenhouse
Planning My N. California Homestead: Designing a Microclimate Garden
Planning a small, efficient homestead in Northern California means working with a very unusual microclimate. The land sits in a narrow mountain corridor where winters bring almost no direct sun, and summers offer only about four hours of sunlight each day due to the cedars and mountains that surround me. Even with these challenges, it’s… Continue reading Planning My N. California Homestead: Designing a Microclimate Garden
