It's that time of year that I'm always ready for and yet
saddens me at the same time...the end of my garden. I've been involved in gardening
in some form or other for about as long as I can remember. My mom and dad
always had a garden when I was growing up and after I married, Mom would pass
along any excess she had. A couple of our previous homes never really had a
good place to have our own, so when I decided I wanted to do my own canning and
freezing, we increased the size of the folk's and then we'd drive out here to
help plant, till, water, and pick.
With just the hubs and I now, and our kids doing their own
gardening, there's just no need for me to mass produce anymore and the old
garden spot was way too large, so this year I downsized and decided to put a
small spot out behind the barn. Having come through last year's severe drought
in this area I wasn't sure what to expect for this growing season, but when the
days begin to warm and the peepers begin to holler I just can't help but find
myself some dirt to dig in, "weather or not" I have cooperation from
Mother Nature!
This year drought was not a problem...oh no! This year we
didn't have to worry about precipitation....we got lots of it! First was the
snow that continued right on through to the end of April. It didn't stay long,
but there is nothing more depressing than having several days of warm spring
weather, putting in your young plants and then waking up to find snow on your
garden a week and a half later! Those plants hung in there though and made it
to our Spring rains, however it rained and rained, and then rained some more.
My poor little plants not only got their feet wet, they were in it up past
their ankle bones! I just knew I'd have to replant once everything dried out,
but those little guys pulled through once again and produced better than
anything I've had in many a year.
We've not only ate fresh all through this growing season,
but had enough to can and give away as well. The heat and dry weather made a
come back a couple weeks ago, so needless to say the garden has just about give
up the ghost. Yesterday was the finale...the daughter-in-law and I canned the
last batch of salsa for the year and sometime over this Labor Day weekend I
will go out and put an end to the suffering of my trusty plants. I'll take the
largest of any green tomatoes that might still be there and ready them for the
freezer and fried green tomatoes during the winter, but I know as soon as those
plants are removed I'll be longing for a fresh sliced tomato, or a stew pan
full of fresh green beans.
Still, I always look forward to the cooler weather and the
Fall season so it will only be a passing sadness to the garden's end. Come
January I'll be looking forward to a new year and a new garden and you can bet
once those peepers start in March or April I'll be making garden plans once
again!
~Patti
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