Gardening

If you have followed me on Facebook, you would be well aware that I LOVE gardening. 

Last summer was rough for our family.  I was finishing a part time job, not eligible for Employment Insurance and had to stretch the end of the year paycheck until I could work again in September.  And even then, I wasn't guaranteed reliable income. 

So, I was motivated to grow as much food as I could to sustain our family for the summer. 

This Spring, despite having a full time job, I find myself in a similar, yet very different, situation. 

This year I know I am not alone. 

We are all in this together.  So, I am writing in hopes of helping others through this. 

I've been gardening since I was knee-high to a grasshopper...well maybe not quite that young...but I was a child.  I grew up on a fully functioning farm.  The majority of our food was grown or raised on our own property.  And my mom, to this day, still loves gardening too! 

I have many early memories of harvesting food from the gardens and also a memory of starting my own watermelon and cantaloupe plants one summer.  I tended to those plants morning and night and was so happy when I achieved a harvest. 

My love for gardening continued through many years and I've had successes and failures. 

It takes time to really establish a thriving garden plot, but you will never get there unless you try! 

What was the famous Yoda quote? Do or do not, there is no try...ok maybe not the most suitable.

Anyways, I have been seeing many posts about Victory gardens.  Even if there is not a shortage of food this year, gardening is a great idea. 

Why? 

It tastes better.  It's true.  Food grown in your own soil tastes better.  How can that be true you ask?  Well let's think about this.  It isn't mass produced.  Many produce varieties that you find in the store are produced for profit and thus grow quickly and sometimes that even means that they get harvested before their prime.  So they ripen on the truck, instead of on the vine. 

It is therapeutic.  Gardening and watching things grow helps calm people.  And we all need more of that! 

Its a great way to pass on survival skills.  Teach your kids to garden with you.

Gardening is hard work.  No doubt.  You have to make sure those green babies get the care that they need and you need to keep up on the weeds.  There are tricks to help you with that and I will help you with that along the way, if you would like to follow me. 

So if I haven't convinced you that you too should start a garden, maybe these pictures will.

Do I have your attention?  Follow along, let's go with the flow and ride the wave together.  

Feel free to post your questions in the comments.