The Gifts of the Garden

This month's blog post is written by Lois Robinson. Lois is one of the friendly faces you'll meet when you visit our farm store. 

Lois is an avid gardener. She and her husband Darrell grow a massive garden on their nearby acreage that feeds them all winter long and provides 200 pounds of the best carrots for our bone broths at Pine View Farms.

As gardening season approaches, we asked her to share her perspective on gardening this season . . .

Welcome to my happy place . . . my garden.

Spring, summer, fall, and winter, my garden provides peace.

In winter when the darkness creeps in, my garden map is my go-to spot to withstand the cold.  I rearranged and plan where veggies and fruit will be planted, and what seeds I might try the next season.

My flower pots will get a good visual renovation in this space of time as well… in my imagination, there's so much more I can do!

This winter I ordered my garden seed well before Christmas. I never ordered seed that early before…..I think it was my reaction to all the challenges of 2020!

What seed did I purchase? First… I purchased way too much seed. When it’s so early, I have enormous ambition!

When it came time to actually start my flowers, tomatoes, and peppers indoors, I wondered "why I did this to myself?"

Fancy what should happen when I meet my neighbor. She owns a thriving greenhouse and she’s waiting for her seeds on backorder.  How fortunate for me! I gleefully give her seed that are overwhelming my mind and potentially my summer.

Now,  I’m back to planting a manageable amount of tomatoes, flowers, melons, herbs ..just enough to keep me more than occupied.  

This year, as usual, I will plant the same heritage seed for carrots, beans, peas, beets. .. rich in flavor and easy to harvest.

I use hybrid seed for cucumbers, because the fruit is never bitter. A hybrid corn seed yields a sweeter corn with an earlier harvest so I can eat before the worms do.

Hybrid tomato seed provides a fleshier fruit, better for drying, sandwiches,  and nice thick sauce.

Tending my large garden is very rewarding ….planting, weeding, watering, pruning.  Being outdoors, barefoot in the garden grounds my mind and body.

Enjoying the fruits of my labour along with Garden Master Darrell (my husband), I’m confident that my garden is providing great nutrition all year round.  When we have eaten fresh, canned and frozen all we need, there is always plenty to share.

So, my large garden keeps my mind occupied for all seasons . . . and now back to my garden!

Stay tuned this fall for harvesting tips.