I get really excited when the seed catalogs come in the mail. I sent in a rather ambitious order today. I am really planning to garden it up and try to preserve food this year. I just read "Animal Vegetable Miracle" by Barbra Kingsolver for the third time, and that is probably dangerous when planning a garden.
I even made some unconventional choices. I have to garden in the front yard because my backyard is all shade, so I try not to raise the ire of the neighbors by blatantly converting lawn to agriculture, even though that's what I really want to do.
So, I do it secretly with plants that look decorative but produce food. The most obvious choice for that this year, is lingonberries. I ordered three. They look like a short, evergreen groundcover, but produce berries that are tart like a cranberry ( a little sweeter) and can be made into preserves that go great with Swedish pancakes.
I wanted to order some black currants as well, but apparently they aren't allowed to ship to Ohio.
Ordered seeds today . EEEEE!
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Thrift-O, You have quite a few real nurseries in Ohio, so you should be able to buy currants in-state. A related plant to try (and also banned form import into Ohio is American gooseberry. It makes a nice looking shrub. Its cousins such as dwarf European cranberry are often used in landscaping (and also verboten to bring into Ohio.) If I lived where you do I would try honeyberry, too. I really wish I could try it here, but our springs are too short and warm for it. It needs slightly more northern temps.
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btw - That is a pretty picture of you.
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Oh, and it looks like my library has Creative Vegetable Gardening. Thanks for the tip!
Also, I think I will try yard-saling canning jars. Although, I may start looking now for some bargains. can't hurt to have couple boxes on the ready.