Saving Money in the Garden

This week I picked a pound of asparagus.  I love it, and was worried the plants had died over this awful winter we just had.  But suddenly there were spears, and today is just Wednesday, I picked two days ago and can probably pick again.  We will have it today with some Veal (a real treat, haven't had this in at least six months if not more)

I am counting the seed purchases as part of the grocery budget.  Last month we bought walla walla onion starts.  Today I planted a gallon basil plant that I split as well as mesclun mix, swiss chard, and peas. More mesclun will be added every week, as well as green beans this weekend.

We have strawberries in a bed starting to blossom and lots of chive and asparagus as previously mentioned.  I hope to harvest some horseradish in a few days (wintered over from last year).  Lemon balm and oregano are in other perennial beds.

I don't have good luck with tomatoes in this property (my land in Hamden 20 years ago was amazing for tomatoes and corn, my little urban garden)  I have over an acre of land here, but I only have 5 raised beds, one that is asparagus and onions/chives, one that's all strawberries, and three that I rotate what crops I put into them.  I probably will get some rosemary and a few other herbs that might winter over.  Otherwise that's it.  I will purchase tomatoes/cukes/corn from the local farmers market.  I love salad, especially spring mix, and it is so expensive.  If just the greens do good, I will be happy.

We also have a pear tree and two apple trees.  We don't spray them or treat them in any way, so we don't always get a harvest.  Or the deer get a lot of tasty treats.

I'm waiting for the local produce market or farms to have fiddleheads.  I could buy them from an organic produce delivery service out here, and the price of the product is what I know I would pay here, but the delivery fee is outrageous (for me to spend, not for them to charge, I feel it's a fair charge) so I will just wait and hopefully get a taste of them in their short window of time.