Saturday, May 22, 2010

A Garden Tour

One of our favorite things about summer is gardening. Yes, I love it. Even the picking, the putting up (okay, that part is so very time consuming), the planting…it’s all so rewarding. I remember the night before I went into labor with Ella, I was putting up peas until late in the night. Now, every time I reach into my deep-freezer to get a bag of frozen peas, I wonder if it is from the batch I put up while having intense contractions. :)

My Father-in-law helps us tons in the garden. He does a lot of the planting, plowing, and even some hoeing. We are so very grateful to him. He even puts us up an electric fence to keep out the munchers!

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Sorry this picture is so fuzzy—I was standing way off so I had in extra-zoomed!

My kiddos all love the garden. They even help some with the harvesting (digging potatoes and picking peas). It is a great experience for them from teaching them to appreciate God’s bounty to teaching them their colors! Evan learned the color purple last year because of us teaching him to pick the purple peas and not the green ones!

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Evan, taking a stroll through the peas

This year we have peas, okra, potatoes, corn, watermelons, string beans, banana peppers, and tomatoes planted. I never did plant zucchini squash, but I still plan to…

Here are a few pictures…

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That’s peas on the right, potatoes in the middle, and you can barely see corn in the far left.

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Even the dogs love the garden.

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String beans—I hoed them a few days after this pic! :)

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Watermelons…

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Father-in-law’s bees are just outside the garden…hopefully will be essential in pollinating our fruit trees we have at the garden.

Our tomatoes and Bell peppers are closer to the house and I failed to photograph them. We have picked several pods of peppers so far! In addition to our garden, we have fig trees, scuppernong arbors, and pear trees.

Can you tell I love living in the Country? I’m so thankful for the Lord’s bounty and for my husband’s grandfathers who planted some of the fruits we enjoy every year!

My MIL and FIL have a mulberry tree at their house that is just loaded with fruit. My MIL or I will be trying out some Mulberry Jam or Jelly in the next couple of days. I’m sure I’ll share with you that experience.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

Proverbs 6:6-8

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. Proverbs 10:5

If you’ve never tried gardening, don’t be scared. You can even try a small container garden, such as planting a few things in Rubbermaid containers. Cut some holes in the bottom for proper drainage. Research Raised Bed Gardening. Try that. You’ll be pleasantly surprised that you can grow something. And then, you’ll be hooked!

Especially when you start harvesting….

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And can immediately turn the above into this…

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Sprinkle some flour, salt and peppa’ over the 'taters’, fry in hot oil, and you’ll be rushing on out to dig more….:)

I’ll leave you with a shot of my darling daughter, posing unawares, just outside the garden. I ‘tweaked’ it a bit….

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Isn’t it lovely?

It’s past midnight and I’m off to bed. That is, after I pick up this 60+ pound girl off of my lap and put her in her bed. :)

Good night and Happy Gardening!

2 comments:

  1. I am so jealous. You have soooo much property and what a wonderful life for your children to grow up surrounded by fields and nature. Lots of work for you but well worth the end result.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great minds think alike! While I was at my parents' last week I took garden pictures, including fresh new potatoes...freshly dug and cooked! I'll be posting those soon. Squash, too!

    I love your blog more with each post!

    ReplyDelete

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