So I have decided that I WILL retire in 4 years. Things are working out such that I actually may be able to. I'd figured I would never be able to as I have hubby to consider when it comes to health insurance. But things have worked out that I won't need to cover him on mine anymore after July, so the savings there can actually go towards getting housing, car and other debts paid off.
So the planning has begun. By the time I retire I hope to have a seriously producing square foot garden to grow as much food and produce as I can. I will be getting a pressure canner soon, so I will be putting up as much produce as I am able (just gotta find storage space, my pantry is smaller than I like) and hopefully a new deep freeze so I can buy meats in bulk and make a lot of make a head meals to have on hand (which will of course come in handy over the next few years anyway).
This year's garden is coming along, tho it looks like I will need to restart my sweet peppers. They haven't come up yet. Only one eggplant has started, so will need to get a couple more going. But all my tomatoes are coming along fine. Made self watering starter pots to split them up into:
Will be needing to make lots more. I've several I still need to fill, but have lots more seedlings to separate. Also need to pick up more potting soil. Will do that this weekend. Slowly collecting the milk crates I will be using as planters. I have 4 so far, will be needing lots more. If I can't get enough of those will hit the recycling center to find 5 gallon buckets to use. If I do will make self watering planters out of those.
My salad greens garden is showing a lot more signs of life. With luck I can start harvesting greens in a couple of weeks. Will be making my own salad dressing also with the homemade yogurt I have been doing. I am seriously enjoying making all this food stuffs from scratch.
Speaking of yogurt, picked up a couple nut milk bags for straining it, along with cheese making:
LOVE the name of the product: My Big Fat Nut (milk) Sacks. Got them on Amazon on sale thru Prime for the 2 pack for $10. Can't wait to give the a try. My next yogurt I am thinking of is skyr (an Icelandic yogurt), so these will come in handy. I picked up rennet at the Moscow Food Coop the other day, so just need to pick up starter yogurt and milk. Looking forward to making my own nut and rice milks too.
Other future plans are to see about getting my various shops to seriously take off. Any and all moneys made thru there will go a long way to get ready for retirement. Plus once I retire I am going to need all the extra income I can get. I will be too young for social security (if it is still there) and while I plan that we will be debt free as much as possible, will still have things like lot rent (thankfully garbage, water and sewage are included), costs of maintaining the house, property taxes and other costs of living to deal with. My PERSI retirement checks will only cover so much. Might be able to take full disability by then, the way my knees are going will probably be able to claim it before then :P Between the two that would keep us housed, clothed and fed pretty comfortably. While I am happy to partake in some of the finer things in life, I also love the simpler things in life, so the finer things in life can be now and again treats.
So the planning has begun. By the time I retire I hope to have a seriously producing square foot garden to grow as much food and produce as I can. I will be getting a pressure canner soon, so I will be putting up as much produce as I am able (just gotta find storage space, my pantry is smaller than I like) and hopefully a new deep freeze so I can buy meats in bulk and make a lot of make a head meals to have on hand (which will of course come in handy over the next few years anyway).
This year's garden is coming along, tho it looks like I will need to restart my sweet peppers. They haven't come up yet. Only one eggplant has started, so will need to get a couple more going. But all my tomatoes are coming along fine. Made self watering starter pots to split them up into:
Will be needing to make lots more. I've several I still need to fill, but have lots more seedlings to separate. Also need to pick up more potting soil. Will do that this weekend. Slowly collecting the milk crates I will be using as planters. I have 4 so far, will be needing lots more. If I can't get enough of those will hit the recycling center to find 5 gallon buckets to use. If I do will make self watering planters out of those.
My salad greens garden is showing a lot more signs of life. With luck I can start harvesting greens in a couple of weeks. Will be making my own salad dressing also with the homemade yogurt I have been doing. I am seriously enjoying making all this food stuffs from scratch.
Speaking of yogurt, picked up a couple nut milk bags for straining it, along with cheese making:
LOVE the name of the product: My Big Fat Nut (milk) Sacks. Got them on Amazon on sale thru Prime for the 2 pack for $10. Can't wait to give the a try. My next yogurt I am thinking of is skyr (an Icelandic yogurt), so these will come in handy. I picked up rennet at the Moscow Food Coop the other day, so just need to pick up starter yogurt and milk. Looking forward to making my own nut and rice milks too.
Other future plans are to see about getting my various shops to seriously take off. Any and all moneys made thru there will go a long way to get ready for retirement. Plus once I retire I am going to need all the extra income I can get. I will be too young for social security (if it is still there) and while I plan that we will be debt free as much as possible, will still have things like lot rent (thankfully garbage, water and sewage are included), costs of maintaining the house, property taxes and other costs of living to deal with. My PERSI retirement checks will only cover so much. Might be able to take full disability by then, the way my knees are going will probably be able to claim it before then :P Between the two that would keep us housed, clothed and fed pretty comfortably. While I am happy to partake in some of the finer things in life, I also love the simpler things in life, so the finer things in life can be now and again treats.
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