2013 Gardening and 2014 plans

The growing season has come and gone. My container gardening has once again proved to be aggravating to say the least. I arranged everything so that I could maximize the sunlight, but still it wasn't enough to get a good crop. We did pull some things off of it, they were quite tasty. What we didn't eat was seeded and the seeds are stored away for next year's testing phase. As long as they reproduce, I'll keep pulling seeds so that we have a reliable seed cache.
The most exciting thing is our plans and projects. The first of 2 major projects is a simple 10x10 raised bed garden. Its low key, but has the ability to produce a large quantity of fruit. I would very much like to push tomatoes on our first season. I want to make all kind of things to store. After designing and deciding on a solid design I priced it and we're at a $98 dollar build. A hundred bucks is a big chunk and I understand but I think that if we produce enough fruit then we can make that back simply on saving on grocery bills later. Also, this gives us time to learn to can properly. It'll be a great learning experience and a great team work experience.
I feel like since I got married I lost a lot friends. There are a handful of friends that didn't go anywhere and I feel like the bonds between us are getting stronger and stronger. I really can't explain how good it feels to know that I have these people in my life. 
Anyway, the first project is a 10x10 garden. The second project (likely slated for spring of 2015) is a 10x20 shed/greenhouse which would attach to the 10x10 garden and a 3x10 garden for raspberries. The design I have drawn up looks really neat. The price of that project however, its not $98. That might cover the plywood and 2x4s we'll need. but there is way more than that to the whole thing. It looks so badass though. I wish there was a grant out there for folks trying to grow their own groceries. I just want 1 square acre that I could farm on.
Like I said, I would like to push for heavy tomato crops in the first season so that we can make and can our own tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, sun dried tomatoes and basil, and all kind of other things. I get giddy just thinking about it. I can't wait to get through winter so we can get dirty and learn. When the opportunity comes up, I'll post a picture of the full design of the greenhouse/shed/garden. I'll be coming up with recipes and reviewing the uses of all possible vegetables in the garden. I'm too excited.

I can't wait to get dirty, build things, and then harvest what we've worked hard to produce. 

I think that moment when stand there looking at a good harvest or maybe after we've filled our shelves with freshly canned goodness is the moment when the four of us will realize that we really are capable to doing amazing things and that the time and energy we put into this was completely worth it. I can't wait.