Inching to Independence

Blessings, Darlings!

The extremes in weather this winter have me looking at greater food independence again.

As many of you know, severe freezes hit Florida, making the price of winter strawberries soar.  Which I don't really care about, to tell the truth - I prefer local ones in season.  Yes, orange juice for the Chubby Hubby has risen a bit in price, but not a lot. 

What IS  having an effect on me is the rise in price of my staple veggies.  Cabbages were apparently hit hard by the freezes, and have started rising in price.  We eat a LOT of cabbage here - it's usually inexpensive and very nutrient-dense.  And carrots have risen in price rather a lot as well, with a 5 pound bag now going for almost $4 instead of the usual $2.00 - $2.50.

As a result, I've really kicked up my sprouting seeds for current eating. I'm prouting lots of mung beans for stir fries one to two times a week, and wheat for extending salads.    I've written about both of those before.

What I'm also doing in kicking up the amount of veggies I've started for 'garden' purposes, seeds I'm starting in actual soil.  Every week I'm starting 6 onions (from a bag of pearl onions I bought at the grocer, since the garden centers don't have onion sets yet) to use for green onions/scallions.  I've got lettuce started which is sprouted.  Seeds have been started for turnips, for red onions, for parsley, for spinach. 

In the next few days I'll start my own cabbages, more herbs, etc.

All high-nutrition foods, helping me gain independence in veggies. 

Not in calories, not in fats, not in proteins, not in carbohydrates.

But I have to start SOMEWHERE, and it is bloody cold JANUARY.

Frondly, Fern