Think Fresh

It’s that time again…Time to plant the annual vegetable garden!

The seeds are sleeping in the cool basement. A few seedling starts are crying to be outside. The compost piles are eager to get moved and spread. The barren soil is dry enough for tilling. And, the yet-to-be-installed, cedar/solar fencing is ready to fend off the eager deer.

We photograph and chronicle every summer garden. We take notes on what worked and what failed. This has proven to be the best way to map the next season’s layout, to be smart about rotation and to know what seed to buy/keep.

This year we’ll plant more corn, okra and melons. We could do with fewer tomatoes and string beans, but hey, you can always give away vine-ripened tomatoes and snap-fresh beans. As always, we’ll plant a large area of basil to freeze enough pesto to last through winter. We’ll also increase root crops since we’ve added some rock-free, raised beds.

It’s always a lot of work, but the payoff of fresh, tasty and less-costly food far outweighs the labor. Speaking of weight, one can loose a few pounds gardening too!
(Photo: A snippet of the 2008 garden)