JEFFERSON\WAUKESHA WAPF CHAPTER

Last weekend, I decided to start my tomatoes and peppers. This should give me 6-8 weeks until the last average frost date.

The last time I started my own seeds a couple of years ago, I started them in late March. The plants were quite small when I started them,  so it took a longer time to harvest them. Luckily that summer was very warm & wet, so my tomatoes thrived. This year I have my cold frame (see the previous post) so they can be set out sooner this year.

I'm still learning how best to plant my seeds, so of course, I read the instructions on the back of the seed packs. One thing I learned was that both peppers & tomatoes are sown close to the top as light helps with germination. This would explain why I have so many "volunteer" tomato plants in my compost piles.

This year I decided to mostly use seeds from the last few years. I have purchased a few packets from Menards, but really wanted to save money. The germination of seeds that are only a few years old is still very high.

I also used heirloom seeds. Heirloom seeds are those that are open-pollinated, and passed down from generation to generation. Seeds from heirloom vegetables are true to type, meaning that you can save the seed from a certain plant and expect to get the same thing when you go ahead and plant those seeds again next season.

Hybrid seeds are usually a combination of two or more varieties of a certain plant to get some desired result, such as long shelf life and how nice they look. One problem with hybrids is that they are not bred for flavor.

Heirloom tomatoes are so incredibly flavorful but they don't last long. We eat lots of fresh tomatoes in the summer. If they can't be eaten fast enough, I will chop them up and freeze them in quart freezer bags so we can enjoy them in the winter in soups, roasts and sauces.

I don't buy seeds labeled organic unless there is something I can't find anywhere else, that I really want. There is no regulation on the word organic for seeds. What you do to your seeds once they are planted is what will affect whether they are organic or not.

Today, one week later, this is what I woke up to. Beautiful tomato seedlings. The peppers are being a bit stubborn, but should be up soon. I tagged each and every plant when I put the seeds in. I can guarantee that there is no way I will remember what varieties I have planted. These tags will follow the plants all the way to harvest in summer and fall.

And if you're wondering what I planted last week: Tomatoes: Black Krim, Green Zebra, Red Currant, Brandywine, & Marmande, Peppers: California Wonder, Golden Marconi & Anaheim; I also planted Purple Tomatillas & flat leaf parsley. Wish I had few more varieties of tomatoes, but that's what I had on hand. If they all produce, I should have more than enough.

I often hear the comment that eating organic foods is too expensive. At first, it seemed that way to me too. I’m a stay at home, home schooling mom. We only have one income so I have to be extra careful with our money.

As I’ve mentioned before, when we started out, we only changed one thing at a time so it didn’t seem so financially painful. (We are still in that process.) This helped greatly and was less overwhelming.

Next, find sources that won’t break the bank. At first I did visit big name stores like Whole Foods and not so big name such as Basics and Outpost which are stores in my area. Very expensive, but it was what I knew.

Years before, I was already part of a local buying co-op. Mostly I was just buying bulk items as they were cheaper. Now I buy most of my bulk sugar and grains, yogurts and many of my supplements and frozen foods this way.

The co-op I belong to is just a group of families who order every 4 weeks from UNFI (United Natural Foods, Incorporated) Most of us meet the truck, help unload our order and work together to sort & distribute everything. We’re fairly large so we receive a 15% discount which makes many things less expensive than grocery and health food stores.

I do grocery shop, but I really do keep an eye on prices. My favorite store in the world is Woodmans. For the most part, their prices are very reasonable. I buy most of my organic fruits and veggies here in off seasons. They also have carts at the entrance of discontinued, dented or day old items. I have found some amazing affordable organic items here.

I also buy things I like only when they are on sale. If it’s not on sale, I don’t need it. If I really need it, I’ve already figured out the best place and price to buy it.

Some things I am just willing to pay more as it is the healthiest option. I found a local butcher that sells naturally raised sides of beef. No antibiotics and locally grown. They know the farmer they get the beef from. Last year it cost us just over $900 for one side. Our freezer is full and I trust what we are eating. I also don’t have to continually buy meat when I do shop.

This year, we have also decided to invest in a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture. To learn more about what a CSA is, please visit this site: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
We look at this as an opportunity to support a local farm and receive fresh produce for 20 weeks. We know who produces our food and how it’s grown. The cost, when compared with what it costs to travel to the grocery and my time spent, is quite reasonable. It will also encourage me to seek out other local sources.

Eggs. We eat a lot of eggs. Organic can be quite expensive in comparison to conventional. However, if you purchase them for $4/dozen and eat 2 eggs at a meal, that only works out to .98 for that meal. I get eggs from friends that run $2-3/dozen. They aren’t organic, but I know what they are fed.

Organic isn’t always necessary. Do your research as to what is o.k. as conventional and what isn’t. Seek out suppliers. Once you do the leg work, it’s really not that complicated or expensive. Your family will be eating better. Your health will improve. You’ll feel better. You won’t need to visit the Dr. as often. (another big savings)