After thinking of the ramaifications of Peak Oil prices, I’ve decided it’s time to do something about it but where do I begin? I followed links from Peak Oil Design to Simple Reduce where she writes this:

“I have decided to build a set of skills. I am looking at everything I own and determining if it is necessary and how I can either do without or make it myself. Can many of us spin, weave, knit, sew, make soap (from ashes), use medicinal herbs, make paper, candles, save seeds, garden, preserve food, cook? Can you share skills with a neighbor?”

She’s a mother of five from Minnesota and has given me food for thought. I’ve wanted to do most of those things although weaving has never interested me. I may change my mind in a few years!

When I first married my husband we decided to plant a garden. My childhood was filled with strawberry picking (read eating!), gardening, raising roses – all the pursuits and interests of my father. I followed him around every evening as he would work with the soil. I thought it wouldn’t be too difficult since I had a background in it.

Do you have any idea how many greenbeans result from a row 80′ long? LOL

I didn’t either but I soon learned how to preserve green beans. Most of my summer that year was spent in the hot kitchen with my Mom around to teach me her canning skills (after daily picking of that 80′ row). I wish her and my Father were around now to teach me what they knew about gardening. I can grow philodendrons, does that count?

Speaking of other abilities that might come in handy during the coming years are sewing, knitting, an interest in natural or alternative healing and building a sustainable home. I live on a very small piece of land right now and containter gardening is the only option I have. I figure if Path to Freedom can turn a city lot into Eden, I might be able to enrich this little space a little.

Pardon me while I do a little research on container gardening. I’ll be back to edit this post!

Root – Soil – Water Interaction in Container Gardens – information from a forum post.

Square Foot Gardening – from Journey to Forever.

This is beginning to sound like work! If the ground weren’t frozen, I could start now. Hmmm, I wonder. Could I start composting now? Would it break down in the winter temperatures?

How to Build a Wormbin – I guess my childhood fear of worms will have to fly out the window.

Vegetables in the Sustainable Garden – a collection of articles about growing a sustainable garden.