Purpose

Last year's garden

Squash, zucchini, beans and peppers!

Last year we had a garden for the first time in a long time.  Living in a subdivision and having dogs are two strikes against having a summer vegetable garden so for years, we settled for the farm market.  Last year a friend offered the use of his garden spot.  His brother in law has some property a few miles from my house that he tills up for a family garden.  It's located in a low lying field right next to a pond and stream.  During the dry months, he sets up a siphon hose from the pond to water the garden.  There is a rototiller available to use.  It's a nice deal and I feel fortunate to have this kind of opportunity.  Last summer was our first year and we ate like kings all season.  We gave lots of food away to family and friends.  We also learned a lot about growing veggies, cooking veggies,  not to mention canning and storing veggies.  We wasted a lot of food last year because we weren't prepared to store it for the winter. I have a better idea what to expect this year and we should cut down on the waste as well as continue the feast in the winter.

Eggplant

It's Memorial Day Weekend, the start of the garden season in the north. The threat of late frost still lingers but this plot doesn't seem to get much frost, maybe because it's on low ground.  We are ready to go.  Tina has been doodling up garden plans, I've picked up some plants and seeds.  I also started this blog, hoping to keep a record of our botanical adventure. Maybe next April, we can come back here, review this record and have an even better summer.  As a bonus, I'm taking a plant biology class this summer so that may also flatten the learning curve a bit.