Today I have the blessing of having one of my readers share a post with us! I pray you will be blessed by her words! 🙂
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“I can’t believe you live like this. This is not how we were raised.”, my sister said, as I came in stomping mud from my shoes. She was appalled at the way I looked. Dirty clothes. Dirt under my nails. Her disdain turned into amazement when she got her first taste of home-grown vegetables.
This isn’t at all how I grew up. But this city girl fell in love with and married a farmer.
Since farming doesn’t always make ends meet and is seasonal, my husband and I both worked other jobs. Thus gardening became more than just my passion and a way to cut back on the grocery bill. It became a family affair. A way to spend time together. A way to reconnect.
Not one to do anything small, as soon as the ground thaws enough to drive stakes into it, I am out measuring the garden area. Every year it gets bigger.
After I dumped piles of manure in different areas, the kids spread it out. My husband then discs or tills the manure into the ground. This will provide extra nutrients for the plants.
After the kids and I pick up the rocks that were turned up during the discing process, hubby and I rake the dirt around to level it as much as possible.
Next thing to do; lay out the hoses. Soaker hoses with shut off valves work best for me. This allows me to water different sections all at once or at different times. As I lay out the hoses, hubby connects them to the valves.
Time to plant. Some of the tender plants like tomatoes and peppers ,I start inside so I can slowly acclimate them. Vegetables, I’ve learned, are like people. Certain plants barely survive when planted next to each other. Tomatoes and carrots do great when planted next to each other.
As the plants grow so do the weeds. Weeding is done mostly by me, since I’m the one who really enjoys it.
We all pick vegetables when it’s time. Some need to be picked almost daily to keep producing. Others,like winter squashes, are picked just before the first hard freeze.
Though the kids are grown, gardening is still a family affair. It is still how hubby and I stay connected. It is also how I stay connected with God.
I love gardens. Thanks for sharing wisdom. I am about to start a small indoor herb garden. I want to do my out door garden boxes again this year but we are in limbo awaiting a transfer soon. So indoor garden it is for now! At least I can bring it with me 🙂
🙂 Yes waiting in limbo makes planning difficult. I have herb seeds on their way 🙂 They will most likely be indoor plants because I want to be able to use them year round 🙂 Blessings sis!
Great post. I enjoyed reading about family gardening. I miss having a garden so much. Maybe someday! I hope to at least have a patio garden this year! Thanks for sharing this and thank you for the linky party. I love visiting all the posts. I linked mine also. Come by and visit.
Have a wonderful Wednesday,
Sherry
I am excited to get my kiddos more involved this year. I am really hoping to grow a lot of what we will eat over the summer, for that is when I spend more $ at the farmer’s market getting fresh veggies. I’m also looking forward to attempting to figure out how to grow some things through the fall/winter here in Maine. Thank you for stoppin by and for linkin up! Blessings!
Now I’m inspired to put in a garden! Have a great day and thanks for the linkup!
Mrs. Sarah Coller
Isn’t it so inspiring?! I’m so excited! I ordered a ton of seeds and I can’t wait to get them going! 🙂 Blessings!
I love a garden, too! For years I’ve yearned, and some years I’ve done better than others. Last year I put veggies in prepared beds where azalea bushes were for many years till they finally petered out (hurricane took out too many trees, making it to sunny for the azaleas) and did pretty well, so this year I’m pumped! Getting ready to expand, like you.
Thanks Misty!
Oh yes I can’t wait! 🙂 I am going to either be planting in an entirely new place, or be doing a lot of container gardening. Gotta see what spring holds for me! 🙂 Thanks for stoppin by Auntie Em! 🙂
What a wonderful family experience! Who cares about dirty fingernails. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so excited to be doing more gardening this upcoming spring! 🙂 I ordered my seeds last week and I can’t wait for them to get here! 🙂 Thank you for stoppin by! Blessings!