March has arrived, much like the proverbial lion, and while there is still snow on the ground outside my window I am now officially dreaming of spring...and plans for my new and improved vegetable garden.
Yes, I garden. And I can actually be kind of decent at it, when I have the time and the motivation to work on it. In seasons past I have had such a wild abundance of tomatoes coming out of my garden that I couldn't give them away fast enough, and many ended up (alas) rotting before I had a chance to use them. Then, of course, there have been seasons when the crabgrass fared better than the beans and peppers...I'm a little ashamed to admit that in the past couple of years, this has been more the norm.
Anyway, to the point of this blog: this year, I plan to turn over a new leaf and get down and dirty in the garden. And blog about it.
I have big plans; those who know me well know I dream big. But following through on those dreams...not so much. Hey, I am an imperfect creature (as the title of this blog would suggest), and I have my faults. But I hope to learn a lot along this journey and share with you what I learn, for better or worse.
There are a number of things I hope to accomplish with this little project:
1. Expand my existing vegetable plot. Currently, my garden consists of a raised box along the side of the house. Not a small amount of space, by any means, but as I mentioned, I think big. I ultimately want to make my entire side yard into a working, fruitful garden of Eden. Now of course this would be a huge undertaking, so I will map out a plan for expanding the garden in stages. Baby steps are important here, or I will fail.
2. Learn "tricks of the trade" from my mom and others. For as long as I can remember, my mom has spent most of the warmer seasons out in the garden. She's got shortcuts, and tricks, and surefire garden remedies -- many of which she had learned from her elder female relatives. And I want to pick her brain. Of course, it's also an opportunity to bond with my mom over something other than my toddler daughter. Which brings me to my next point.
3. Have something special to share with my daughter. Gardening is a great excuse to get out of the house, get some sun and exercise, and spend quality time together. My daughter is only 19 months old, but I bet she'd have a blast digging in the garden with me. And, over time, I'll be able to teach her the things I learn from my mom, passing the knowledge from generation to generation. Plus, I want my child(ren) to appreciate the Earth and the importance of taking care of this place, and learn to live greener in big and small ways.
4. Learn to make the most of the garden harvest. There's a big part of me that is very traditional, and old fashioned. I want to create a lifestyle that is simpler, and more self-sufficient. I'd love to create and nurture a garden that will provide my family with plenty of opportunities to eat healthy, in all seasons. I want to learn to can and preserve what we cannot eat in due time, so that we minimize waste and have access to produce through the winter (that didn't have to travel here by truck or plane).
I know that I've laid out an enormous task, and I know that I'm not going to be able to do it all in one season. But over time, one step at a time, perhaps I can stick with it and truly reap what I've sown.
