Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil,
getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to
soak up a little peace and serenity. ~Lindley Karstens,
noproblemgarden.com
The crisp fall air smells of harvest time and that always gets me to planning for spring's sweet gardening. I have a running handwritten list here on my desk of beautiful and delicious plants I hope to grow up in my yard and share with friends and family next year.
I am also doing a lot of research on permaculture and square foot gardening so that I can maximize the health and production of my plants. The mister has agreed to build me some square foot gardens before it gets too cold, so that they can start to get ready for planting as we compost and continue to plan.
Gardening is something truly special to me for a great number of reasons. The first reason is personal to me and something that reaches in to the depths of my heart. My grandfather was an avid gardener, and produced the most beautiful and delicious fruits and vegetables one could imagine from his little backyard garden. He shared his skills and his passions with his grandchildren, and it has stayed as fresh in my mind as the season's first ripe tomato.
In addition to my sweet memories and romantic ideas of a family garden, I also believe that growing your own food is an essential way to make a positive impact on the land God graced us with, even if only in a small way. By eating food that is grown close to home, we are reducing the amount of pollutants produced by transporting food to the stores and to our tables. We can also rest assured that there aren't any dyes or chemicals on the produce we eat since we are in control of exactly what goes into our gardens. As a bonus, the new plants produce oxygen, which not only benefits the earth, but us as well, bringing a little extra fresh air to our area.
On a more personal level, not only do we get delicious, organic fruits and vegetables a-plenty, but we also save money by not buying produce from the stores in the quantities we can get from our home-gardens. It encourages us to eat healthier when fresh produce is literally delivered right to our house by nature itself. We also feel a bit of independence and self-sufficiency by having a way to feed ourselves without dependence on outside means. And as a bonus, we get a beautiful landscape to look at.
What's not to love?
I love the square foot gardening boxes...awesome idea and they even look quaint. I've been using huuuuge pots on the back porch to grow some veggies because I just can't seem to keep up with the weeds in a full-sized garden. I loove this idea.
Posted by: Angela | October 16, 2007 at 04:11 PM
What a great idea! Especially now that it is getting so cold out.
Posted by: Sandi | October 17, 2007 at 12:06 AM