So much good stuff is going on. I’m starting to get that burst of energy that comes with a bit more light and things are starting to happen.

I ordered my Sweet Meat Oregon Squash seeds. These are from the strain that Carol Deppe raves about. We had some 2 years ago and I’m a huge fan. The squash is huge, about 20 pounds, and it has a very small seed cavity so you get a lot of bang for the buck. The seeds were expensive, nearly $4.00 for 12 seeds and the shipping was another $4.00 but each plant will produce 4 squash. If I keep 12 for myself I can trade with my friends and neighbors for some other varieties. I’ll also have seed to eat and seed to keep. I do so this works out. I’ve been rereading Deppe’s book and I’m anxious to try her seed saving techniques. I have several neighbors who grow squash so I need to do the whole bit of taping the flowers shut and hand pollinating to ensure a pure variety.

I need to call the gas company today and get them here to hook up the stove in the summer kitchen. It’s just about time to tap trees and we need a place to boil under cover. I also need to call my neighbor. He has a metal kitchen unit sitting on his front porch. I’m hoping it’s headed to the landfill. If so, I’ll be happy to give it a good home and save him some money and trouble. Maggie and I spent several hours together yesterday working on the Preserving Abundance website. We had hoped it would be up and running last fall. Spring looks far more likely. We’re working on the recipes and getting more videos edited and posted.

One of our ideas came from here. People really seem to love the Pantry Porn. I’m looking for some sponsors to offers some free products I can use a give-away for a Pantry Project. I want everybody to send me pictures of their pantries and I’ll pick a random winner from the folks who respond. I’m looking for inspiration here and I love a beautiful pantry.

I looked around the basement yesterday and I was appalled at the condition my food storage is in. Empty jars are mixed in with full jars, beans are in the sauce area, everything is dusty and cluttered and it makes me crazy. I have some good friends coming over for a doomer tea party today but when they leave I’m hitting the basement. I hope to have enough done to post pictures to kick off my pantry porn series. I’m including my freezer in the Great Organize project. I have an idea for getting it to function better. I certainly can’t function any worse. it took me 10 minutes to find the peas last night.