New year, new goals (some old).
1. Find and refurbish the well out back because...
2. I´m going to try selling some flowers and herbs at the Sunday market. On a very reduced scale, barely 1/8 of an acre at first, and if there´s any potential, grow from there. Gallegos are famous for only spending money on what they can eat, hence the herbs, but these days, who wouldn´t want a little joy in a vase on the kitchen table? And, even if I don´t sell so much as a single stem, all the infrastructure and soil building can be re-directed to veg, and as a bonus we´ll have the prettiest garden in the county. Original Crazy Idea post from way back in 2012 here.
3. Refurbish the barn. I´ll still need a studio and some space for processing the flowers, stow tools, stack firewood, etc.
4. Finish the laundry room/pantry with a sink and a countertop and some shelving. As I gear up for more food preservation, I need room to store more stuff.
5. Get Breo some training. He´s now healthy and strong and acting up on walks again. Also, we´re thinking about getting a second dog to give him someone to play with and tire him out a little. But he´s not a great example of an obedient pet, which is entirely our fault, so some classes and guidance are going to be necessary first before he´s in charge of training a new companion.
good plans
ReplyDeleteThanks GZ,
ReplyDeleteLovely linoprints! That seems like a really interesting craft. I tried Etsy but didn´t sell a bloomin´ thing. I don´t think it´s a thing over here.
Hi, Coco!
ReplyDeleteI must have Gallego blood. It seems like food - the best I can afford - is where most of my money goes. When I buy flowers they have to be plants in a pot so that I may hopefully increase my investment. So sad, I am just too cheap to be impulsive. But lots of people do buy flowers; I see them when I am shopping. The very best of luck to you with your venture. You are smart to hedge your bets with both flowers and herbs and, as you say, you yourselves would still benefit from such a garden even if sales are iffy.
Oh, to have a studio . . .
I get you about storage space for preservation. Our pantry is full and the overflow is residing in a small room that we call the study. The extra stuff should be in the basement, but it is still being renovated.
Breo is so still handsome and does look really fit. It seems he enjoys a sunbath - perhaps a rare thing lately?
Etsy can be tricky to sell successfully on. My son has had a business there for about five years and has done well, but he has had to learn how to promote himself.
I think my biggest goal this year is to get organized. Wait - didn't I say that last year? Oh, well - hope springs eternal.
Pam
Hi Pam,
ReplyDeleteUf, organization! There must be a way of organizing so it´s easier to put something back in it´s place than leave it out, but we don´t manage it.
Oddly, for the climate they have, the Spanish don´t buy flowers except for Mother´s Day, weddings and funerals. You don´t even see them in grocery stores, as a rule. But in the US and the UK there´s a growing interest in local flowers, like food, which is much better for the environment and the local economy so we´ll see if that takes off over here too.
We´ve just had 3 days of sun! Not enough to dry anything out, but delightful just the same. Now, it´s back to rain or changeable.