I think mankind was meant to garden. We were created in a garden. God gave mankind the work of keeping a garden. It's one of the most fulfilling jobs there is. To till the ground, to plant seeds, to tend to plants, to harvest what has been grown -- I love it! Now there is the matter of pulling weeds. Weeds are a direct result of the fall. When sin entered the world so did weeds. At least that's when they became obnixious.
Today I planted part of my garden. I've been planting gardens for many springs but it's only in recent years that I have really focused on my garden, tried new things, and most of all tried to 'put away' the harvest through canning and freezing. Today was the planting of cool weather crops. The tomatoes and other vegetables that love the heat will wait until the middle of May.
I plant in raised beds. I have three and wish for more. One is pretty large and then two smaller. The sides are made from 4x4 treated wood. They won't last forever, but maybe about 5 - 7 years. The sides can be taken down and then my husband rototills and puts the beds back together. It has worked nicely to get the dirt ready for planting. During the fall and winter, we dump some vegetation and compost on top and then that is tilled into the bed in the spring.
Last year was a banner year for my tomatoes. I put in 7 plants and reaped enough tomatoes to can about 60 pints of different tomato products.
I love to can. In fact, I have tried canning just about everything that comes out of the garden (except lettuce). In another blog article I will delve further into the art of canning. I hope to teach a class on canning this summer to friends and neighbors. Home canning is so superior to just about anything you buy canned in the store. Besides, there is such a feeling of accomplishment to go from seed to canned product on your pantry shelf.
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