2010 Self Sufficiency Challenge

Have just accepted a challenge from Sara to become self sufficient in the garden for 2010 & hopefully beyond.
Now I've tried to be realistic when setting my goals as finding time will be my biggest hurdle so here goes.

From a typical suburban backyard I would like to be self sufficient with;
80% vegetables - spuds will be my downfall as we really enjoy them
15% fruit - all my trees only went in over the last 2-3 years
50% preserves/jams/sauces
50% herbs

Number one priority is to make time to garden - stop putting it off!

As for the rest

Aim 80% vegetables
Plan 1. Work out how many kg of spuds & other vegies I use a week & go from there.

2. Get a better idea of what to plant when - read Earth's Companion cover to cover as a guide/ask experienced gardeners in the area

3. Get stuck into making my 4 8x4 beds - have everything ready to go except a helping hand with the very heavy railway sleepers.
Need to recruit son.....

4. Keep a gardening diary for future reference ie what planted/when/where, frost dates, rainfall etc.


Aim 15% fruit with young (2-3 yo) Trees & first season berries.
Plan

1. Purchase more rasberries & put trellis in place before planting.

2. Plant the kiwi fruit vines (male & female) instead of just looking at them in their pots!

3. Mulch, fertilize & protect from frost

4. Learn about diseases that can affect them & prevention where possible eg curly leaf

5. Prune sultana grape in July


Aim 50% preserves/jams/sauces

Plan 1. Train my family to eat only homemade.
I am using trickery atm by decanting HM tomato sauce into existing bottles!
I will be concentrating on sauces as I am the only one who eats jam (which I've not made before but want to) & DH is the only relish eater.
I do make Worcestershire sauce but need to find recipes for thick mint sauce (have common mint growing), sweet chilli, Fountain Mustard sauce & a sweet n sour dipping sauce that they will eat. No use making heaps only to have them turn up their noses at my efforts.

I do have a headstart with 50 jars of tomato relish & 12 jars of pasta sauce that were made March 2009

50% herbs
Plan I usually use a few dried herbs & not a great variety at that.
The usual supermarket mixed herbs I get is comprised of Majoram, Sage & Thyme.
My favourite seasoning is 'Spicy BBQ' & is comprised of Salt, Garlic, Paprika, Onion, Soy Bean oil, Bell pepper, Dill Seed, Coriander, Rosemary, Chilli & Mustard seed.
So these are the herbs I will be planting.

I do use a lot of minced garlic so would like to grow enough to supply me all year round.