Planning Out Next Years Garden: Part Two

Our family has four people living in it and one out in the world. But for planning out this year’s garden we’ll go with the number four.

There are graphs a-plenty out there, so why not one more? Besides, I love graph paper (as you well know).

If you’re following along with me, I will be posting the recipes for each and every item listed here. And again, this is for a family of four for the months of November-April. And that little tab at the bottom is for the months of May through October. So. You should be covered for the whole year through.

Man can’t live on savory alone, and neither can I. So, there is the plan for our family’s Sweet needs.

Again, I will be posting the how-tos and what-nots for each of the items listed here over the coming weeks and months.

And if you’re of those who enjoy the healthier lifestyle, we make that, too. Here is our plan for our lacto-fermented garden.

And here is a blank form, if you’d like to come up with your own.

But, to do that, you’ll need this little bit of information. But, please, be warned. This is an estimate only. There are so many variables here, like some varieties of plants produce more. And so does some soil. And some locations. So. This is what I’ve found (on average) on the Farm. My advice? Always plant more, if you can. You could always give it away. Or save it for your animals (hint, hint, we’ll be talking a bit more on this next week).

Now, as far as how many quarts a year your family needs, that’s a hard one to say. The best way to be sure is to pay attention. What do you eat on a monthly basis? Are you seasonal eaters, like us? Or are you the type who likes the same things al the year round? If you’re not sure, use the tool below to log what your family is actually eating and therefore, what you should grow. Because it’s no use to you if you won’t eat it.

An example from our family:

And make sure you come back next week, when we plan out our garden to feed our flocks. How much will you need to keep yourself in eggs and meat all winter? You might be surprised.