We arrived in eastern North Carolina in late Spring of this year. I had dreams of a food garden. The problem was that it would have to be built completely from scratch. In between unpacking and the million other pressing projects around the property. We could have waited until next Spring to start our garden. Get some seeds properly started. Plant the seedlings earlier in the season giving them more time to grow and harvest before Fall. Build all the structures of the garden in much cooler weather would certainly have been swell. But instead I convinced my wonderful, patient husband to help me create my dream garden. I literally designed it on paper and he brought my vision to life. The trellis tunnel is my favorite part. Seeing watermelon, cucumbers and loofah's weave their vines up the trellis is incredibly lovely.
Skip to late July and we are just now seeing vegetation spring to life. Unfortunately, it may be too hot for most of it to survive. If we had the chance to start earlier in the season, we would have watermelon ready to pick, tomatoes a plenty, corn would have been harvested weeks ago, and I would already have a shelf full of self-grown vegetables ready to can.
Instead, we have a handful of beans that were planted too close together that desperately need a pole to climb, some tomatoes and watermelons that are experiencing some sort of rot, strawberries that need their own space to grow, and cabbages that are being gobbled up by aphids. I could look at it as a failing garden. But it's not a failing garden unless I quit trying. Instead, I see this as our practice year. This is our first "real" garden. I know a few things from growing in our suburban backyard. But this is the real thing. As far as fruits and nuts and vegetables go, this will be our main food source. This is our Freedom Garden.
So instead of letting myself feel frustrated our garden is not magically growing an abundance of food for our family this year. I see it as practice for next season's garden. Where we will continue to be patient and learn and grow and get better at this whole growing food thing.
-Casey
Owner & Shopkeeper
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