Tuesday, April 3, 2012

March 2012 summary


At the beginning of March I wasn't expecting the harvest tally to be as high as February's. So it was a wonderful surprise to see the ratio of grown to purchased vegetables hit 58%. 2% up from last month. This tally thing does give me a great buzz.

.            Grown  Purchased     .
Potato       2520g          -  100%
Capsicum     1360g          -  100%
Zucchini     3540g          -  100%
Beans         980g       800g   55%
Broccoli      550g       370g   60%
Cucumber     1770g       200g   90%
Tomato       1420g      1320g   52%
Corn          280g       620g   31%
Pumpkin      7110g          -  100%
Eggplant     1360g          -  100%
Squash       3160g          -  100%
Parsley       400g          -  100%
Basil         100g          -  100%
Carrot           -      1640g    0%
Onion            -      3080g    0%
Lettuce       180g       290g   38%
Coriander        -       100g    0%
Beetroot      710g          -  100%
Celery           -       500g    0%
Silver Beet   670g          -  100%
Spinach          -       270g    0%
Pea              -      1600g    0%
Cabbage          -       600g    0%

Total         26kg       11kg   70%
Average                         58%

I will be even more surprised if April's figures are as high. The garden is in a state of transition, moving from summer plants to winter ones. There are only three beds still producing, and they too will be gone in the coming weeks as the chook tractor comes around. Here is what we still got to harvest: Potato, Squash, Zucchini, Capsicum, Silver Beet, Beetroot, Beans, Eggplant, Basil, Parsley, and Tomato.

What was your March like?

8 comments:

  1. 58% is brilliant, well done.

    I'd like to join the challenge but I get my veges delivered in a box from Food Connect so not sure it would work so well for me. I try to make do with what's in the box and the garden without buying extras unless I have to but working out the cost of everything would be a nightmare.

    I'll give it a go though.

    BTW Bok Choy is doing well, broad beans are just up and the celery seeds are in. Will do post soon on their progress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We were thinking of getting a vege box but then the very local organic store opened. With the challenge you could use quantity instead of weight. Example grew 7 carrots and purchased 3 is 70% self-sufficiency (in carrots).

      That's great about the bok choy, broad beans, and celery. Ours are doing well too. Some already planted out in fact.

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  2. G'day Jason,

    Well done! Our return was only slightly different to yours. We haven't bought a cucumber, corn or lettuce in months, but we didn't plant any pumpkin in spring. Our carrots are almost ready to pick and the first beetroot was fantastic. Unfortunately "the girls" have mauled the garlic chive bed so that will have to be restarted in the greenhouse. By the way, we have just started propagating cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, peas, garlic, celery and I expect that you are doing the same. I can't remember when we last bought any herbs, including coriander which is not the easiest to grow down here. We didn't do very well with tomatoes this year. We had a heavy hail storm on Christmas Day that did significant damage and the plants never really recovered. As with "greenfumb" bok choy is a very quick growing green that is wonderful in Chinese dishes. You harvest it while it is very young or it quickly goes to seed. Give it a try, particularly if you have a greenhouse or cloche.

    Regards,
    Steve

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like your garden is really doing well too. Awesome isn't it?

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  3. I'm working on how to make the challenge fit, what would you do about counting pumpkins that have been harvested but won't be eaten for months - just count them when we eat them?

    I only get a small vege box so I think I will just weigh it as I put it away, I'll start tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am recording everything when it is harvested/purchased, I think it is easier that way. As the same goes for if you buy a pumpkin and don't use it for a month. In the end it will all come out in wash as long as you apply the same rules to both grown and purchased, and are consistent every month. Don't get caught up in being overly accurate. I am doing it as a means to simply inspire my motivation.

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  5. Congratulations on your great harvest this month. Also well done on leaving those gorgeous capsicums until they turned red, I always get impatient and pick mine too early!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. The sweetness is worth the wait. They do seem to take a long time to ripen though.

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