Plans for Spring and Summer self-sufficiency

It's a good plan to walk the length and width of your land to think about where you can or should put the things your self sufficient plans call for , every Spring . I am doing it now because our ground is bare here and there has been cool but pleasant days to work . I want to cut down on work this summer instead of struggling with weeds , bugs, and the heat . Growing and canning are my main goals . Yesterday I began to rake off the old garden . It is big, there are some wild honeysuckle vines I need to finish pulling up. It slopes towards the woods and ravine. Then it flattens out again, so the leaves and debris are going into the flat area to either turn to compost or build up that area . It is too close to the woods to grow much .
I usually garden in the big area above, good spring crops, but summer... ahhhh .. not so good . This year I am sending for 100 strawberry plants . I have heavy white plastic that someone gave me. It gets too hot for black plastic here. Once I clear the garden I will lay the plastic and put stones down to hold it. Then I will make holes for the plants, big enough for water and fertilizer but keeping surrounding weeds in check . Strawberries have always done well here .
In that same area is a nice patch of asparagus . I want to expand it to 30 plants. There will also be places for horse radish and rhubarb . Hmmmmm rhubarb and strawberry pies. The red raspberries need thinning , and transplanting also pruning asap . I want them to get more sun this year and increase the harvest . Would really like some black raspberries. Wild blackberries grow on my lot. They are not the sweetest ones I have ever had, but they'll do . Blue berries are now being pruned and undergrowth cleared . There are flowering shrubs I need to remove .
Well, I thought, that takes care of that side of my property , now what am I going to do with all the rose of sharon shrubs, forsynthias, spiarrhea , red bud , quince, etc; etc; ? There is a section between my driveway and my neighbor's lawn where wild black berries grown, and trees tall enough to let in light for growth . That would be perfect for transplanting a beautiful garden of shrubs flowering all year long, and available if someone wants any . Now the problem of vegetables . On the Southeast slope I have some young fruit trees, more blue berries, and a couple grape plants I may move near the new strawberry bed . There are lots of little red pines to cut out to make more light . I am putting in raised gardens , and that is a lot of work , but will have some . Then I watched a garden show that talked about container gardens for veggies . That's it . Yesterday I looked around and I have all kinds of containers. I even have an old wheelbarrow . I can put them where the sun will benefit them best , but not so far, I can't water them with the hose or bucket. I plan on buying more rainbarrels and putting little goldfish in them to eat mosquito larvae , just learned that trick . I have one large fish pool that will have a little water fall so I can listen to the sound . I have an herb garden, and a rock garden to add to, but will also grow herbs in containers as well . Down in the woods where the big pool was there is a big hole. If I can find a large piece of this heavy plastic , it will cover that hole and become another pond for the wild creatures down there . Every year I add more fruit trees to the orchard, and up here near the house I will keep a small pretty lawn, and my son is building a large outdoors pen for my many cats that I care for . Some are mine, some I foster and they need homes , please ! The handicapped ones are mine, the others came and didn't go home and had kittens which are now about grown .
The chickens are on the north and northwest side and have pens and coops as do the geese. I am getting enough eggs now to keep my regular customers satisfied but feed is still too high .
Soon I may be getting a hive of honey bees for my orchard and gardens . With all that how much land do you think I have ? Just a little less than one acre . I am on a set income, have health problems , and at the moment , no car . My niece lives near by as do some friends , and my neighbors have told me if I need to go anywhere they will take me. Being self sufficient on a postage stamp size farm is a challenge , but it can be done . Can't wait to start canning. Please check my other Blog on canning at http://fransfarm-selfsufficiencyanswers and please become my follower . This particular site here will be discussing herbs . Any questions? Please ask. Thanks, Fran