For me, it’s all about food production too, but with a heavy focus on *seed saving*. Knowing how to actually keep a garden going year after year, without relying on new packets, seems pretty vital for the long haul. I’ve spent a lot of time learning which seeds are easiest to save, like beans and tomatoes, and which ones are tricky. My shelves are filling up with old jars of seeds from last year’s squash, and I’m even trying my hand at heirloom varieties—some of those older strains are much hardier than the stuff you buy at the local garden center.
That said, I think water sourcing is a real close second. My current project is setting up a few barrels for rainwater catchment (trickier than it sounds, at least in my yard with all these odd gutters). Anyone here worked much with gravity-fed irrigation? Curious if it’s worth the effort for a small plot, or just stick with watering cans and hope for regular rain.
