… a few months from now! We always enjoy growing a garden in our backyard. Aside from a small investment (seeds, fertilizer, sprays) it’s a great way to get lots of free produce that is grown organically without pesticides. Plus, it’s a lot of fun for our kids to see where food comes from.
One of my favorite garden memories dates back to when my oldest son was three. He loved to run between the rows of corn and pick the ones that were ready to eat. One day he came out with an armload of corn, shouting, “I AM THE CORN HUNTER!”
This year, we’re growing corn, pole beans, soybeans, peas, green bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes! That’s a lot, and I’m grateful that we have a good-sized yard to accommodate it. (If you’re space-challenged, keep in mind that some varieties of vegetables grow well in containers too. Tomatoes are very container-friendly, as are pole beans — my mom has grown them on a tall metal flowerpot trellis on her patio. I planted a bush variety of zucchini this year, partially to keep it from running all over the place, and I noticed that the seed packet says it too grows as a container plant.)
But with a garden this size, it’s always nice to have help getting it started.
Every year, my wonderful Dad brings his roto-tiller over to ease the job of turning the soil and getting the fertilizer mixed in. This was the first year that Grandpa had our boys behind the tiller helping:
The seeds…
… and the young farmers!
We finished up before dinner and now… bring on the rain!
siden says
What precious pictures these are, Jill! My husband was walking by as I was reading your post and we both had big smiles on our faces while looking at your adorable–and industrious–little guys working so hard. Hope you have a bounteous harvest, and thanks so much for sharing! :)
MomWifeNurse says
A hundred years ago :) We lived on a military base with NO yard but we did have a sunny upstairs deck. I used a hard plastic kiddie pool and planted my own garden. It worked very well :)
Calibabydolly says
…that you have that much space and help! It is just hubby and myself and our little postage stamp sized yard here.
We used to have a bigger place and I have tried to grow just about everything in the past 24 yrs. Most people around here just buy all the plants (some for $3.50 each like the tomatoes I saw at Krogers!) I say if you do that, its cheating and you may as well go to the farmers market and buy it! So hats off to you for trying to grow it all from seed. I usually do some of both.
I have never been able to grow corn that was any good to eat. Also soybeans. Have you ever done Broccoli before? I will share some lovely stories about that when it is time to harvest some if you want. I also grow onions and some herbs if you’d like any tips.
Gardening is not only organic it is therapeutic. I am glad you are getting the kids involved! Its a good thing.
pamk says
do a garden every year, actually its my hubby. He starts EVERYTHING from seed including tomatoes, most indoors except for some type of peas or beans which he sows directly in the ground as they are a cold weather plant.
We have lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, zucchini, a TON of pickles and I’m not sure what else he’s got going this year.
What type of zucchini did you buy Jill that works in a container with a trellis? I’d love to give that a try as the zucchini took over our garden last year.
woodstock06 says
Jill,
I would love to do this but we have ground squirrels.We do not live far from you.Do you have these.That is the one thing that stops me from trying this in our yard.We have plenty of room.But lots of those squirrels making tunnel holes in our yard :-(
Momma Goddess says
Although we can get potatoes dirt cheep (thanks to Jill), they are another fun (and pretty too) plant for kids to grow. They are the last thing we harvest, waiting until the plant dies back. We have pictures of our son (no bigger than the pitch fork he was using) digging up potatoes. The “how do potatoes come from dead plants” look on his face was so funny.
Also, with things like carrots, if you plant in a zig zag (or other shapes) line instead of straight, it makes for a fun look.