Well, I’m not sure  that the title of this post is an accurate one when it comes to gardening.  My belief about gardening is that it is a more free spirited act, well at least when it comes to being immersed in digging in the dirt and inhaling the fresh, clean air.  BUT, there are some aspects of gardening that I believe should be somewhat organized, and the planning stage is one of them.

To stick with the goal of providing organic, healthy food for my family to eat year round, I took some advice from the folks over at Hudson Valley Seed Library, and did an inventory of my pantry and freezer.  I assessed what was in the garden last year and how much of it I used or stored.  Then I looked at what I buy in produce every week to see what I could be growing myself and what, of those items, could be preserved for the colder, non-growing months ahead.  Armed with this new information, my 2013 garden planning is underway.

• First, will be to double the size of my garden this year.  I mentioned this in an earlier post.
• Next, I will incorporate structures that will maximize that space allowing for more crops.
• Last, within the raised beds, I will plan on growing as many items as I can, that can be eliminated from my weekly grocery list, saving me money as well, and  knowing they are free from chemicals.  Of course, I’ll supplement them with the wonderful fruits and vegetables readily available here in the Hudson Valley from our local farms and farmer’s markets.

Oh, just the thought my weekly trips to the farmer’s markets, gets me excited for the warmer days ahead.