Despite what the president says, egg prices have not dropped by 87 percent. They’re still so costly that some folks suggested dyeing potatoes instead of eggs for Easter.
We didn’t dye anything this year, but on Easter we did enjoy a couple of brightly colored roundish objects: fresh tomatoes.
They were from plants that DF wintered over in the basement and brought upstairs about six weeks ago. Life wasn’t easy for them with temps at 40-something degrees, even with six to eight hours of artificial light per day. Yet they somehow put out flowers and started forming teeny-tiny fruits, along with a couple of volunteer marigolds that have us mystified.
The tomatoes were fairly small because their parent plants were under so much stress. The flavor didn’t suffer, though. It’s hard to explain just how delicious they were. Anyone who’s grown tomatoes, or even bought them at a farmers market, will understand.
The tomato plants can’t go into the unheated greenhouse for at least another month. After all, it’s still in the 30s at night. But once they get a good dose of sun and greenhouse-effect heat, we expect great things. They can also mentor the small tomato plants that DF started a couple weeks ago.
A grant for our garden
About those marigolds: How in the heck did their seeds wind up in the potted tomatoes? Beats us. But they, too, have flourished since being brought upstairs and given their own digs. Shortly before Easter, one of them even bloomed.
Like their tomato-y brethren, they were stressed but they persevered. So do we.
This year’s garden is particularly important because I received a state agricultural grant. The focus of my grant application was twofold: to donate to neighbors and to a family shelter, and to encourage others to start their own gardens.
We’ve already given away a bunch of saved seeds and strawberry and golden raspberry starts. More berry starts will become available in spring and summer, and this fall we’ll split the rhubarb plants and offer starts to anyone who’s interested. DF planted more tomatoes and cucumbers than usual this year, so we’ll have extras to give away.
In late summer we’ll have an open house, to demonstrate how much can be grown in an ordinary back yard. Our hope is that touring a well-established garden and being able to ask questions will encourage people to get started, or to expand what they’re already doing. We’ll emphasize frugal gardening tips, of course, so that people don’t go broke buying supplies.
We also want to emphasize how simple it can be to preserve foods through freezing, canning and dehydrating. To show that the flavors are worth a little work, we’ll offer samples of chewy-sweet dehydrated apples, tiny cups of cucumber-jalapeno relish, bits of tangy “rhubarb Twizzlers” and dabs of homemade jam on small squares DF’s famous rustic bread.
Wish us luck! And wish us a decent summer.
*I know I’m several months late counting up the found-money fund. It’s on my list!
What a fantastic and generous idea, you will feed people, and give people information that will not only help them, but I’m sure it will be passed on by them. And who knows what other brilliant ideas your generosity will spark! You two are incredibly awesome, and you give me hope that the current craziness will someday end!!
“Each one teach one” is the phrase that inspires me. The more people learn, the more they can share.
That is brilliant, I’m going to keep it in mind, thank you! 🙂
Thank you, Donna!
Helpful column! My advice won’t help anyone who wanted to dye Easter eggs, but I have over 2 dozen eggs in my FREEZER which I purchased just as the prices began to rise. They’ll last me forever. You beat the eggs until the whites and yolks are no longer separated, pour the result into 12 cupcake sections, add a pinch of either salt or sugar (the latter if you will be baking with them) and mix in, then put in the freezer until they’re frozen (cover with plastic wrap). Then you can put each of the 12 eggs into a ziplock and just take them out as you need them. Of course thaw before using!
That sounds like a great plan!
This is such a great idea! I know your neighbors will learn a lot from .you and DF. In times such as these, this is a perfect example of helping others. I love your community spirit.
We’d already been sharing seeds, plants, and of course produce, but the grant money will help us expand what we grow and, therefore share more. If we can get people to try even one small gardening project, such as growing potatoes in a bucket or putting a few raspberry starts against the fence, we’re hoping it ignites a desire to keep planting.
What a great way to use the grant!
Lindsey, I agree! Hear, hear!
What a positive way to think, do and create during a very troubled time in our country.
Bless you Donna!
this is hysteria! how about keeping politics out of a personal finance/frugality blog?
This is her opinion! How about letting her voice it in a personal finance/frugality blog?
Just like Victory Gardens during World War 2!!! Except this time the enemy is within. I am hoping that people will enjoy what you share as well as start or expand their own gardens. Let’s hear it for the Jersey girl! You rock!
Donna, what an absolutely awesome undertaking and what a great benefit it will be to many. I hope sharing seeds and starts really take root, pun intended with folks. Once people have some success with gardening it should encourage them to do even more. The taste of homegrown can’t be beat and it can really help with grocery bills especially where you are located. The health benefits of eating lots of produce is a bonus and time in the garden with nature is therapeutic to me. Hubby and I are avid gardeners in PA and share extra bounty we have. We have strawberries, raspberries and blue berries. I also freeze a lot of vegetables. I am hoping this is a huge success for you and your community and that you have great weather for gardening this season!!!! Keep us posted!
Thanks for your kind words. As you say, people’s success in the garden will continue to grow (ahem) the more they learn. Hoping that they, too, will save seeds and/or pass along cuttings or sports from their established plants to share with neighbors.
DF said that back in the day it was common to have gardens, even in Anchorage, because freight costs made vegetables and fruits so expensive. Containerized shipping brought costs down to the point where people said the heck with it, I’ll buy my produce and use my summers to play softball and go fishing.
During COVID we were seeing more gardens. I have a feeling we will continue to see them pop up.
What a great project, Donna! I look forward to reading about the open house you’ll have later this year.
This is how we all get through a tough economy- COMMUNITY. We all share what we know or what we grow! Good on you and DF for leading this effort!
Easter tomatoes? It’s Mother’s Day weekend and you haven’t posted anything new in a long, long time. I hope you are not sick! Despite following Frugal Girl and Non-consumer Advocate, I miss YOUR frequent blog entries, and I’m sure that’s true of all your followers.
About to post something new, finally. Thanks for bearing with me.
I echo Fru-gal Lisa’s comments. You are sorely missed!!
Hi Donna, Now it’s June and we are really missing you. Please let us know all is well.