Friday, June 27, 2008

Bountiful Harvest


     I refuse to be bummed out about my pathetic garden.  I guess I should be, though.  We spent several hundred dollars to plant and feed and water it.  So far, I have only harvested a handful of beans, a few pitiful ears of corn and some already bitten or pecked tomatoes. Here is today's harvest.

MMMMM! I could eat for a week on such bounty!

Okay, sarcasm aside, I am actually pleased with my beautiful garden.
 For one thing_ I did it! I planted and tended a garden here in the desert.
 The green leaves of all the vegetables and pretty blossoms of the nasturtiums remind me of my West Virginia home. I love to look out my window and see it thriving and full of life. So really, I have been feasting for months on the eye-candy that it affords.

For another thing, I am learning a great deal. I planted my corn too close. It is a hungry plant.  I didn't assist my summer squash to bear fruit. I didn't tie up my tomatoes in time, and now it is too late. My beans aren't easy to harvest where I put them, so I am reluctant to do it. I planted peas too late and didn't protect them. I have to create better soil next time and fertilize more often. I have to protect everything from all the damn birds, especially red things like tomatoes, raspberries and strawberries. If a plant gets stressed it is more likely to attract harmful insects.If I don't listen to what experienced gardeners say, then I have to find out the hard and expensive way. And finally, there's something with little teeth out there that likes only one or two bites of everything.

"And yet, I am unmoved."  

 I LOVE gardening. I believe that soon I will be very successful with it

3 comments:

The Baby Catcher said...

I am so grateful we have those wonderful organic gardeners/farmers out where we can purchase their goods. Lots of lessons to learn in gardening, lessons that can't be learned by any other way, I am not one of those successful ones, successful in learning lessons through gardening, but not so successful at the harvest. I KNOW you will be successful in your harvest one day, but for this year Apple Annies, here we come! °Ü°

jen said...

Awesome! I think your harvest is impressive. I don't doubt for a second that you'll be a master gardener. You won't be able to help it- it's in your blood.

Seeing your hand holding the corn feels like home to me. I have a husband and three kids with hands that are almost identical. I love it!

Anna said...

Thank you, Jen. My mom's side of the family has these hands. I call them "work hands." They look silly with fingernail polish, but good with a little dirt on them.

where is everyone?