I did not raise veggies or have gardens in most of my married life. I was working very hard and long hours to start businesses, and just gave myself to work. I raised about 30 or so tomato plants last year and was surprised at how delighted I was to give care and consideration to them, and how (I know this sounds weird) "tender" I felt towards them. Plus the maters were fabulous. I ate tomato sandwiches, and had them for breakfast and dinner every day, gave many away.... etc.
This year I decided to put in only two raised beds, and got a VERY late start, due to Carole being out of town and other factors. I just got the fill dirt in, then covered with two feet of topsoil/compost mix, and had to do seedlings rather than seed plants. I picked up some scraggly tomato plants, some squash, eggplant, onions and beets. I was planning to do all "organic" with no phosphates, but these were the runt tailings of the greenhouse and looked in BAD shape. I gave them a little miracle grow (I know, I am a bad person), watered them, and sat back to see (also staked and made small trellises for the tomatoes and squash).
WHAT A DELIGHT to go out this a.m. and see those things standing up and reaching for the sun, the bright squash flowers all yellow, and even tiny eggplants! I see that I have been unwise in not doing this over the years. There is something just wholesome, good and life giving to tending plants. I think part of it is the awareness that life itself is outside my purview, and I am just a bystander to a greater power than myself who makes these things happen. Part of it is seeing what my hands have participated in. It is a family thing and we are all excited and anticipating good things, if we can keep the deer and squirrels out.
Reading over the above, maybe I am just weird in feeling this stuff, but I don't care. It is a happy and good thing.
I think I enjoy the homesteading, beekeeping, livestock/husbandry, etc parts of this forum more than any other. I especially liked the one of the pond reclamation (I have a small pond across the road from my house that I plan to try to purchase in the upcoming year).
Thanks to all for this part of the forum and the people who contribute. It is my favorite section in here.
This year I decided to put in only two raised beds, and got a VERY late start, due to Carole being out of town and other factors. I just got the fill dirt in, then covered with two feet of topsoil/compost mix, and had to do seedlings rather than seed plants. I picked up some scraggly tomato plants, some squash, eggplant, onions and beets. I was planning to do all "organic" with no phosphates, but these were the runt tailings of the greenhouse and looked in BAD shape. I gave them a little miracle grow (I know, I am a bad person), watered them, and sat back to see (also staked and made small trellises for the tomatoes and squash).
WHAT A DELIGHT to go out this a.m. and see those things standing up and reaching for the sun, the bright squash flowers all yellow, and even tiny eggplants! I see that I have been unwise in not doing this over the years. There is something just wholesome, good and life giving to tending plants. I think part of it is the awareness that life itself is outside my purview, and I am just a bystander to a greater power than myself who makes these things happen. Part of it is seeing what my hands have participated in. It is a family thing and we are all excited and anticipating good things, if we can keep the deer and squirrels out.
Reading over the above, maybe I am just weird in feeling this stuff, but I don't care. It is a happy and good thing.
I think I enjoy the homesteading, beekeeping, livestock/husbandry, etc parts of this forum more than any other. I especially liked the one of the pond reclamation (I have a small pond across the road from my house that I plan to try to purchase in the upcoming year).
Thanks to all for this part of the forum and the people who contribute. It is my favorite section in here.