Gardening

I read a great book this past weekend entitled Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on ¼ Acre by Brett Markman.  I am dreaming of Spring already, but mainly, starting to work in the garden. 

Todd says that I’m an outdoor person, which I find funny, because the only reason I am ever outside is to soak up the sun while reading a good book (lazily on a rocking chair,) playing with piggy and/or puppy, and tending to the garden.  I don’t quite consider that being an “outdoor person.”  I’m outside because I have to be.

I’m not sure where my love of the garden came from.  We never had gardens growing up.  I love the fact that I can plant a seed, and within a few months, reap the rewards of watching over the plants.  A lot of people say that they don’t garden because it is too much work.  I don’t see it that way at all.

Yes, it may take an hour to till the garden, and then another hour to plant the seeds, but after that, I don’t see it as work at all.  Maybe this is because I have “farm” animals that I tend to twice a day.  I do the same with the garden.  I go out in the mornings before work to check on the garden.  Sometimes, I turn the sprinklers on to water the garden before the sun shines too bright.  Then, I check again in the evening when I get home from work.  I love going out in the morning and seeing a zuke flower, and then coming back in the evening and seeing it shriveled up and starting to turn into a zucchini. 

I am sure Todd gets sick of me calling him outside from the house to “look!” at what was growing.  And when it starts to grow, I get so excited that I have to show him the progress every few days.  He stops grumbling about it by the time harvest comes and he gets to eat the produce. 

I received my Gurney’s seed catalog a couple of weeks ago.  It came with a coupon to buy $25, get $25 free.  I was convinced I’d buy some of the items, but talked myself out of it.  Why spend that amount of money when I can get seeds from the store?  I still have to go through my stash to see what I have, but I know I will be planting: zukes, cukes, green beans, maters, strawberries and brussels.  I’m sure there are more, but I cant think of them right now.  I would love to try to plant cantaloupe this year if I can find some seeds at a good price.

Anyone else looking forward to their garden yet?