My first garden

I've begun a new adventure this year...gardening. I know, I know, we've been counseled to have a garden for years and years by our church, but I was scared. I had helped my parents with a garden as a kid, but I didn't remember how to go about doing a lot of it. I was intimidated by the unknown.

I finally have a home that has enough space to have a garden. Not only that, but there are no bunnies running around to eat it up on me. So with the encouragement of a friend I started purchasing plants. I bought tomatoes...way more than we really need...green peppers, eggplant, okra, cucumbers, squash and a few spices. I would love to have more, but didn't want to spend the money and then have the garden fail. I took it slowly. Another good friend offered her rich dark soil from her father's farm and very generously filled her truck and trailer and drove it to my house.

Todd has said from the beginning that he didn't want to have anything to do with the garden. His chore, when he was little, was to weed. No wonder he hated gardening! The joy is not found in the weeding. The joy is found when you cultivate the ground, add the plants/seeds, and watch your hard work become a beautiful garden full of delicious food. So, when I begged him to help me dig out the awful top soil, he agreed reluctantly. I tried so hard to dig it myself, but pregnancy does something to your muscles!! I get so tired out so quickly. It took a couple of evenings, but it was finally done and then we had the kids pick out all the crushed rock...for a wage. Counting the rocks was the most fun part for them. One penny per rock adds up quite quickly!

We piled the rich dark soil on top of the garden spot and then I began to plant. I have learned a lot since planting this garden. I have learned that if your garden slopes in a certain direction that you shouldn't put cucumber plants at the bottom of the slope. The water runs down hill and they get over watered. I lost all but one cucumber plant. BUT, the good news is that the one that survived is gorgeous and producing! I also decided that next year I will build up the lower end of the garden to make it level.

I never thought I could enjoy this as much as I have. Even the weeding has been enjoyable. It's quiet time to ponder and to think. It's also time that I spend talking to Father in Heaven and asking Him to bless my little garden as I am striving to do what I've been asked to do by modern day prophets.

Another good friend suggested taking old panty hose and cutting them into rings about 1/2 inch thick. Then you cut that open and use the "string" to tie up your plants. It's free and it works marvelously.

My plants are all growing huge and glorious! I thank Heavenly Father for blessing my little garden. The okra grows faster than the weeds...which is quite funny. It has huge leaves and beautiful blossoms. This past weekend I picked 5 okra! The eggplants are amazing. Their purple blossoms are pretty. I am pleasantly surprised at how quickly they grow as well. This weekend I picked 6 eggplant. We had Eggplant Parmesan for dinner on Saturday!! Delish!

Last night I was craving more eggplant but didn't want it fried, so I spent a few minutes researching how to prepare eggplant, online. This morning I baked a couple of eggplant peeled and sliced about 1/2 inch thick. I brushed them with some EVOO, sprinkled on some salt and pepper and placed a sprig of fresh thyme from my garden on each one. I baked it at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes and then broiled it for a couple minutes on each side. I then served it with eggs over medium and a couple of slices of toast. I ate both eggplants all by my self! They were so yummy!!!

I can't even believe the joy it brings to walk the short distance to my little garden and pick the fresh vegetables that are there. I never imagined I would feel this way about gardening! I'm SOLD!

The kids really enjoyed the first cucumber I picked! They were so excited and couldn't wait to taste it. Funny...it tastes like a cucumber! :) Max ate most of it, but we all got to taste its sweet crispy yumminess. I can't wait for the rest to grow!

The best part is that because I chose mostly vegetables that Todd likes too, he is able to enjoy the garden right along with us. He still won't go pull weeds, but he sees the blessings of the fruits of our labor!! And he likes how they taste too!!