I enjoy fresh vegetables from the garden, don’t you? Bell peppers are my favorite things to grow, but I have to admit that the smell of a ripe, red tomato fresh from the vine is almost as wonderful as the smell of bacon frying in the pan.
Those washed out tomatoes you can find at Kroger just don’t blow my dress up. Besides that, my friend SusieJ did some research and discovered that 1,500 miles and 400 gallons of gas is required to bring the average tomato from the farm to your table! Ridiculous!
Yesterday, I was scratching around in the dirt in my yard, thinking about preparing the soil for a garden. I haven’t had one in ten years, or so. But, I face four problems if I plant:
- My part of Texas is experiencing a drought, so I’ll need to plant next to the house. We might let the yard die, but we have to water the foundation of our house or it will crack right in two.
- Bunny rabbits love to come eat my flowers, so I’m sure they will come after any baby carrots I plant.
- The squirrels think that any fruit that I plant belongs to them! I tried planting strawberries a few years ago, and only got half of each berry. I have a pecan tree in the yard, but it was three years before I figured out it was a pecan. I’ve never seen a nut from it.
- Worst of all: we have those humongous snails in my yard! Have y’all ever seen those? They are gigantic. They are mostly up next to the house, and it’s awful to hear the crunch when I walk on our sidewalks at night! They eat every flower I plant, so I’m betting they will enjoy vegetables.
Despite those things, I think I’m going to try my hand at vegetable gardening this year. I’m inspired by Susie; she’s trying to start a movement. You see, right now the local food pantries are having a tough time. Folks don’t have the money to donate cans in the current economic crisis, yet even more people are needing help. SusieJ wants us to grow a garden just to donate to those less fortunate! I think that’s a good idea…no a great idea!
You can help spread the word, by visiting her Give What You Grow post, and borrowing that button (she has the code for you). If nothing else you can post it for an Only The Good Friday!
In case you didn’t know it, I’m trying to spread an “optimism virus” on the internet. If you would like to join, write a post and tell about something good (then come back here and comment so people can find you — in fact, you could link to this post so your readers can find everyone who is writing about “good”). Or, just leave me a comment and tell me what is good in your world today. If you think about the good, I promise your day will be better! [I hope by next week to have this established as an "official meme."]
Now, y’all excuse me. I’m going to go putter in the garden. I’m going to grow some food to donate … even if the recipients are only the rabbits, squirrels, and snails!
Y’all have a day filled with Only The Good!
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Tiny vats of beer strategically placed take care of the snails. Broken eggshells around your plants take care of slugs Wire cages (around the veg) along with raised beds help take care of the squirrels, and for the rabbits – well, good luck with that. I would suggest a shotgun which will provide a rabbit for every pot to go along with the veg but it doesn’t seem in keeping with the Only the Good Friday theme!
anna l’americanas last blog post..Chicken Bleeding Espresso….
Excellent suggestions all, but what a waste of beer. I’m not fond of rabbit meat…and we can’t shoot a gun in the city anyway
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Shelly, Last year, I had an abundance of crops… and I fought all pests with a Vengeance.
Here are my two best, foolproof methods:
1) Use empty toilet paper/ or cut paper towel tubes to slide right over the seedings. Push it down in the ground to keep it there. The top of the tube protects your plant from slugs, rabbits, etc. They can’t get to the plan.
2) I used window screening to lay right over the plants. You could hardly see the screen, yet, no eaters could get through. Soon the plants were big enough that these deterrents were no longer needed.
Check out the no-dig method, and the black plastic mulch to hold the water in.
Thanks again for spreading the word on the stats about hunger. Such an important issue as the economy keeps it downward spiral.
susiejs last blog post..What makes a book good?
I saw your link to the no-dig book. I will have to look into it. We will have to see if I get that industrious. I’d like to, but I’m pretty lazy these days.
If all else fails, find a “Community Supported Agriculture” group in your area
http://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html
A group buys a crop ahead of time that is then distributed to members once it is harvested. This allows for greater diversity while assisting the environment.
Today is about a very “good” production that I am still proud of 46 years later.
Proud? Well you should be. Happy birthday to your son. Great story, by the way. I like the idea of Community Supported Agriculture, but I’m also thrilled by Susie’s initiative in trying to get people to grow gardens to give to others. You get the joy of giving AND you get some exercise!
Here are some Texas CSA’s
http://www.biodynamics.com/csa1.html?page=0%2C19
Jamies last blog post..Above the Dragon
The garden thing -whether to give what you grow to others or to also provide better veggies for yourself, more veggies for the family too during the months ahead via canning -it sounds like a darned good idea.
My Only the Good post has been up for a couple hours but when I did it, I couldn’t access your page so it wasn’t linked then to your posts. However, I did get in and linked it now to your page so all should be copesetic. (How do you spell that anyway?)
Jeni Hill Ertmers last blog post..When the Searching Gets Rough…
I don’t know how you spell
copasetic…coppasetick… that word. But, I know what you mean. You couldn’t access me because my blog went wonky AGAIN. I have no clue what is going on here. But, thank you for joining in and being patient.Oh you’ve made me hungry for some gardening. As soon as the snow is gone . . .
Michelle at Scribbits last blog post..Anchorage Area Blogger Meet Up
In Alaska, I think you have a few weeks to wait
. But, how about indoor gardening? If you don’t have cats, that is.
I’ll have to wait a bit before I can plant anything… there is still plenty of snow on the ground here.
We have several farmers markets in the area…where folks come and share their crops. Some are free… others you pay for the produce.
I like to support the local farmer when he brings his goods into the market to sell. There are many ways to support each other in this down turned economy.
Good Friday.
Kathy – Insightful Nanas last blog post..Unite Or Die – We Surround Them
Good Friday to you, too. Yes, a farmer’s market is a much better alternative than the grocery store … but, it those who can would grow fresh vegetables for the food banks, just think how healthy that would be for those who are down on their luck!
Have a terrific weekend honey. Big hug.
Comedy Pluss last blog post..Happy Birthday Mike
Hoping yours is good…hugs back.
yay! I’m so happy to see you up and running. You were down last night when I came by. Great good as usual, hon. I’m up with my good and included Susies good! Have a simply mahvelous weekend dahlink!
Awww… your comment linky thing didn’t grab my OtGF Gardening is Good. (I’ve gotten so spoiled.
)
Thornes last blog post..I Feel Better, Now
I hate when that happens, but it made you drop by twice—is that good?
I saw Susie’s email about it. (I’ve been away from the blogosphere for the week.) It’s definitely something I want to get into. Particularly since my compost pile is growing HUGE and I do no gardening whatsoever. (Except, apparently, grow compost.)
patoiss last blog post..The Weekly Wonderings #97
I must have wrote a comment on Friday and didn’t submit it.
Just wanted to say that I am on the bandwagon for Good Friday.
I am twittering about it. Did all day Friday.
Sheila Atwoods last blog post..Only The Good Friday
You might have submitted it after my server did a “save.” My blog disappeared, and we had to revert to an older version—it might have gotten lost. Glad you joined in!