Off Grid Part 5 of 6: Gardens and Greenhouse

That is not to say that we can relax our readiness to defend ourselves. Our armament must be adequate to the needs, but our faith is not primarily in these machines of defense but in ourselves.

Chester W. Nimitz

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Off-Grid 5: Gardens & Greenhouse

By Bev Sandlin

 

A greenhouse is not essential to gardening, but it sure makes a difference in being able to start plants earlier and may even be able to give you the option of trying plants suited to a zone or two warmer than you could produce without a greenhouse.

 

This off-grid greenhouse is tucked into the west and north sides of the hill, leaving it with both east and southern exposure, an ideal location. The greenhouse itself has the clear roof panels. It was built first and the larger building with the solar array was added later—more on that tomorrow!

 

 

The asparagus fronds left to go in August shield it on the south face from the intense heat that time of year.

 

Note to the left of the greenhouse how the grapevines stretch out along its face. These too shield the greenhouse during summer on its south face, as do the berry plants next to the front door which faces east.

 

 

On the flat, tillable acreage is the garden. Horse drawn implements are lined up along the fence.

 

Below is a single horse breaking buggy. When I first saw it, I thought it was a fore cart (A horse drawn cart which is used to hitch other implements too. That way you can use more modern farm implements. Some fore carts have battery power and even gas engines to run modern equipment.) as I have one that I have used not only for breaking horses to drive, but to haul logs from the woods up to the wood lot. Mine is a convertible fore cart using both a pole for a team or thills for a single horse. Many Amish mow their lawns with a fore cart hitched to a series of reel mowers. A fore cart is the way to go if you are actually going to use horses.

 

Chickens keeping down bugs in the garden next to the late cauliflower plants.

 

 

Note the 7 foot deer fence around the extensive gardens. Costly, but necessary if want a harvest in the wilderness.

 

An old drive through granary was converted to common storage and garden tool storage.

 

An antique wheel barrow adds to the ambience.

 

Having taken a tour of the greenhouse and gardens, the last leg of our journey on this homestead will be the home based businesses that allow the residents to remain on the homestead without an outside income.

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A smile for you…

Top 10 Old Folks’ Party Games

10. Musical Recliners
9. Spin the Bottle of Mylanta
8. Hide and Go Pee
7. Simon Says Something Incoherent
6. Doc, Doc Goose
5. Red Rover, Red Rover, the Nurse Says Bend Over
4. Kick the Bucket
3. 20 Questions Shouted into your Good Ear
2. Pin the Toupee on the Bald Guy
1. Sag, You’re It!

 

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