BackYard Produce

?         Organic gardening- On the rise giving consumers access to inexpensive & healthy fruits/vegetables in season and fresh picked. 

?         Feel Good gardening-The calm and serenity of a garden provides a soothing experience for modern day man which is described as purely addictive.

?         Re-creating wilderness-Instead of growing flowers in neat flower beds, wild gardeners prefer to let nature run its course and declare themselves independent from traditional gardening methods.

The statistics and definitions are from the 2010 World Gardening report released in February 2011.

Out of the top ten gardening trends only three listed as popular in the USA: Organic gardening, Feel good gardening and Re-creating Wilderness respectively. I was not surprised that organic gardening was #1 however I was surprised that Urban and container gardening didn't make the list.

Surprisingly urban gardening and container gardening didn't even register as popular in the US.  Here in South Bend we have a rising number of urban gardens and it is difficult to determine the status of container gardening. In 2010 South Bend had 37 urban gardens located in neighborhoods.  Local churches have a growing number of garden spaces available and the city of South Bend has a program available for acquiring space for gardens.  

As for the availability of fresh and local produce we are blessed in Michiana with choices. Unfortunately you may not find a lot of info in the yellow pages and probably not in the newspaper unless there is an article about local produce.  None the less you can find them and the best way is to look for them.  When you are going somewhere be on the lookout for the little produce stand, wheel barrow or cart.   As summer approaches local stands start popping up and in July and August there is a bounty as gardeners harvest from their garden spaces.  As gardeners have extra produce or a bumper crop they may put it out in the front yard for folks to purchase.  The quantities are limited and they sell out quickly.  I found dozens last year and they all had fresh picked produce. Generally the variety is limited to a few types of veggies but the flavor is outstanding since they are fresh picked and most gardeners do not use a lot of applicants in order to keep the cost down.  But the best way to find out is to ask.  

In fact, this area of the country is famous for honor stands.  An honor stand is a self-serve produce stand with a lock box to put the money in.  There will be a sign showing the prices and probably a few bags to put the produce in.  Just in case be sure to have a box or some kind of container to put the veggies in. In the last few years there has been a decrease of honor stands due to customers forgetting to put money in the box for the produce they have taken.  This is unfortunate; I just adore the idea of small farm stands dotting the neighborhoods with fresh picked produce.  The cycle of life is the cycle of nature, the cycle of life is circular and what is put out does return.  Our grandparents often said what we sow, so shall we reap. 

You can also find local restaurants that use locally grown fruits and veggies in the “soup of the day”, salads, side dishes, desserts and beverages.  The best way to find out about local restaurants that use local produce is to ask the restaurant or through the Eat Drink Local monthly newsletter.  We have an exciting season of food on the horizon and I am so ready for the bounty coming our way. Will you ask two of your friends or co-workers to sign up for the monthly newsletter so they can also share in the bounty of local goodness?  May we all sow well today that we may reap well on the morrow, Lydia

BackYard Produce offers locally grown fresh picked produce that is tasty and budget friendly.  We grow about 37 types of crops including cool weather types like snow peas, English peas, radish, asparagus and tender lettuces.  We use methods to extend the season and often have fresh produce May thru mid November.  We also have seasonal berries/melons and small quantities of pears and peaches.  We partner with local farms to bring fresh picked apples, pears, peaches and garlic.  We will have farms stands this summer in Elkhart, Granger, Edwardsburg and South Bend.  Backyard's concierge service is great for groups at the workplace, church, gym, school, neighborhood, club, gym or any other organization.  No standing in line, finding a parking space, no membership or delivery charge. We offer an online pre-order portal for ala~carte produce sales and bring the freshness of the garden to you weekly, biweekly or monthly.  A limited selection of regional artisan foods also available: dried heirloom beans, hand cut pasta, Indiana syrup and msg free beef jerky.   Check out our new website  www.backyardproduce.net  I am still working on it so check back for updates on our farms stands and other services. 

This time of year I get so excited knowing I am planning my garden. Each year I try improving upon the previous year. Keeping a journal is helpful especially if the memory is not as sharp as it used to be. By keeping a journal I can eliminate what didn't work and expand what did work. Having a plan for gardening will reap many rewards. It helps you get your gardening chores in order. Here are a few questions to ask when you start to put together a plan.

1. What size is the garden space? Measure each side in feet. IE: 2x4 feet

2. Is the space in full sun, partial sun, shade or partial shade? If it is full sun you can grow veggies, herbs and edible flowers.

3. What is the height to the space? Is there room for tall plants like tomatoes and peppers?

4. How much time do you have to maintain the space? Consider this on a weekly basis.

5. Do you have the tools to garden? A hand trowel, shovel, gloves, hand tiller, rake and weeding utensil are a good start. I have found some good garden tools at yard sales so keep on the lookout.

    

Small spaces including containers can be challenging to fill with small plants. Putting an oversize plant in a small space reduces the quantity of plants you will be able to put in the ground. Here are some tips on finding those smaller plants and maximizing space.

1. Any variety with patio, pixie, tiny, baby or dwarf in their name. Many times the description will also give indications that it is good for compact areas.

2. You may have to purchase seed and start them yourself if plant selection is not great.

3. Vining crops that can be trained up on supports. Cucumbers, zucchini, beans and summer squash are all good for growing on fences, trellis or poles.

4. Inter cropping- Planting late crops along side of early crops is a good example of inter cropping.  Radishes can be planted with peppers or broccoli. By the time the peppers or broccoli are getting big the radish is already harvested. Many radish are 28-30 days to harvest

5. Companion planting- Some plants do really well with each other like carrots and tomatoes or basil and tomatoes.

6. Succession planting is a good way to get more from the space. Beans, lettuce, zucchini and summer squash are good for succession planting, every two weeks thru out the summer. Lettuce, radish, snow pea and spinach are also good candidates for succession planting. This will bring a steady supply without the huge overflow.

There is a more to know about gardening so I compiled a list of websites that are useful and provide free tools.

My square foot gardening has a great newsletter that is color coded to the climate the garden is in. Every week you will get an email with a To Do list that need to be done that week. South Bend's colors are yellow and brown. Goshen is yellow and maroon. This is a useful site, check it out.http://www.mysquarefootgarden.net/color/

Better Homes and Gardens has a good website and offers a couple of gardening layouts at no charge. A quick registration is all it takes to print out useful charts and information.  http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plans/vegetable/small-space-vegetable-garden-plan/

Garden Guides has useful videos on how to do many gardening chores. A great visual aid.  http://www.gardenguides.com/

Square foot gardening has a free Guide to successful and beautiful garden. http://www.squarefootgardeningtips.com/

Adventures in organic gardening is a blog however the pictures on the site are good for getting the ideas percolating. http://mysquarefootgarden.blogspot.com/

For beginner gardeners the most important thing is that you choose a garden you can handle. It is better to keep up each week instead of catching up once a month with gardening chores. A lot can happen even in a week and staying on a weekly schedule of maintaining the garden will yield great results.

If you like to prepare meals at home and are not planning on a garden this year you can still have fresh picked produce for meal planning. We have a large garden and our produce subscription is a great value for the family budget. 17 weeks of fresh picked vegetables and some fruit with 5 convenient pickup locations. Enjoy 6-10 items per week depending on season. We use season extension techniques which allow us to harvest produce from mid May to the end of December.

Growing Myself January 2011

This time of year I am looking at seed catalogs and dreaming of my perfect garden. I certainly do not have enough room to grow all I think I want so I end up narrowing it down. I usually do grow a few seeds I haven't before to fill the Star Trek urge in me, “to grow things I have not grown before”. Like the natural cycle of winter fulfills the soils need to rest and replenish, I also welcome winter so I may rest and renew. It is fun for me to ponder the possibilities of the things I could grow and I look forward to it every year.

About 10 years ago I did an experiment with naming plants and I am drawn to do it again this year. Life is like a garden and if I plant tomato seeds I will get tomatoes. The quality and quantity of tomatoes is dependent on the care I give it from seedling to harvest. Having said that there are times when the tomato does mutate and develops a set of characteristics different from the standard tomato characteristics such as a different shape, intense flavor or vibrant coloring. If I like the mutations I will definitely save this seed for next year. On occasion the tomato seed I plant turns out to be another type of plant or even a dud. Next.............

In a book called “The Secret Life of Plants” I was introduced to the idea that plants can respond to emotion. I had talked to my plants but I always thought I got more out of than they did. This was written by a plant biologist from his findings on studies with plants in his laboratory. There was also a study by a Japanese scientist working with water crystals. He wrote on a piece of paper and then taped the paper to the beaker holding the water. After 24 hours he photographed a water crystal and found variations depending on what was written on the beaker. For example the word fear produced a different pattern in the water crystal than the word love did. The pattern created by love was ideal and symmetrical, even lovely according to the researcher. The pattern created by fear was jagged and non symmetrical.

I wondered what would happen if I gave a name to the seed and taped it to the marker and placed it in the soil after planting the seed? I labeled 6 markers with love, peace, creativity, abundance, patience and understanding. As the plants filled out I found that they were all very healthy and produced quite well. I expected this, after all, a seed will produce well when planted in good soil with plenty sunshine and water. I didn't expect to have experiences that allowed me to show and receive more love. I also experienced a resounding sense of quite within me, less chatter and more stillness. I wasn't sure how to measure creativity so I started a list of ideas and added to it whenever I had one. No matter how silly, far fetched or mundane it seemed. I continue to add to the list and it is a great reminder for me that I am uniquely creative, I believe we all are. This was one of the greatest experiments I have ever done for it made me more aware and conscious of who I am and who I desire to be.

So as you are planting your flowers, veggies, trees or house plants choose an attribute you want for yourself such as loving, caring, patient, close with my children or what ever it is that you want to experience. Write it on a small piece of paper and tape it to the bottom of the container or on a marker and plant it close to the seed. You can also bury the paper in the soil next to the seed or seedling. Continue with caring for the plant/tree and see what happens. It is helpful to journal so you can look back on prior experiences some where down the road.

As you browse the seed catalogs looking for new things to grow, also ponder what attribute you would like to seed within yourself. Just as there is the exterior garden there is also an interior garden that needs to be seeded and cared for.

As you grow your garden may you grow yourself as well. Happy New Year, Lydia

Backyard Produce offers locally grown freshed picked produce available by subscription. We also offer items we do not grow like certified organic locally grown apples, heritage and antique apples, apple cider, beef jerky (msg free) and fresh dried beans.

Our 2011 Summer produce subscription is 17 weeks. June 6 thru October 8 with no distribution the week of July 4. Each week enjoy 6-10 items depending on season. Quantity of veggies will provide a veggie side dish for 5-6 meals with onions and herbs for seasoning the dishes. Cool weather brings the tender crops with limited harvest like asparagus, snow peas, english peas, bunching onions, lettuces, tender greens, radish and herbs. Hotter weather brings the larger harvest of a wide variety of crops like corn, cucumbers, eggplant, beans, peppers, potatoes, summer squash, tomato, root crops, cole crops and leafy greens. We also have delicious heirloom veggies like cherry tomatoes, red noodle beans, purple beans, okra and aubergine. Produce subscription form must be signed and on file for distributions to begin.

For 2 vegetarians or a large family I recommend getting two subscriptions. Highly recommended for households that cook 5 or more meals per week in the home. Also great for packing the pantry for the winter, buy 2- eat one and freeze,dry,preserve the other one! Check out our page on local harvest for more info and to read reviews from subscribors. http://www.localharvest.org/backyard-produce-M30258

I enjoy this time of year. The leaves put on show of color as we trade our summer clothes for our winter ones. The garden is mostly down to rest for the winter and it is time to gear up for the change of seasons.  We finished the first batch of apple pie apples and they are fabulous. The apples are from Spirit Springs heirloom apple orchard north of Elkhart on M60 by the ski lodge. We used a mix of Jonathon red, Rome, Peck's Pleasant, Empire and Grime's Golden apples. I am so excited about the mix and found them very delicious. Plus I like the idea of so many old tyme varieties of apples that can not be found at the grocery store.

I plan on apple pie at Thanksgiving this year but the rest is going to be simple. I enjoy the family getting together and catching up, that is always fun. Hmmm. Spend more time in the kitchen or more time laughing with the family? Here are some tips for more time with the family instead of cooking the dinner and cleaning up afterwards.

• Have a shared Thanksgiving dinner. Plan the dinner and ask each person to bring a dish on your menu. Include desserts and relish trays for the decking out of the table. Commit to cooking the turkey or other main dish. Allowing the other participants to bring a dish on the menu really saves a lot of time prepping for the meal that is shared. This can save up to 4 hours of time.

• Clean up can be quick with a group of people working together to clean up after the meal. This can save up to 2 hours of time.

• Consider having fewer selections with the meal. Plan on having 3-4 items, turkey, dessert and appetizer or relish tray. Having too many selections take a lot of time and makes for a mountain of leftovers. This can save you up to 2 hours of time.

• Minimizing leftovers can be done by freezing, sending a plate home with each person and making soup. Grandma's thanksgiving soup was always good but never the same. She would use whatever was leftover for soup. Soup can be frozen for a quick meal later. This can save up to 1 hour, two if making soup for another meal.

  Want more time?

• Have Thanksgiving dinner at a local restaurant. Last year there were about 4 restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner. This will save you up to 10 hours of time.

• Have the dinner ready made and all you need to do is heat it up. Martins and Meijer's supermarket has ready made dinners that are affordable and super easy to heat up then serve. This can save you up to 6 hours of time.

• Get the desserts or salads already made. Local markets like Bamber's Superette has pies baked to order every Thanksgiving and their pecan pie is the best. Bamber's also has a variety of desserts and salad selections for the table. This will save you up to 4 hours of time.

• Want more time in the kitchen or to make a new tradition? Suggest that Thanksgiving dinner be at a different family member's house each year and offer to make Thanksgiving dinner at your house this year. This could take up to 10 hours and can be the start of a Thanksgiving tradition that is cherised by everyone.

I love soup and eat it all year long. For most folks it paves the way for winter with it's comforting goodness. The thing about soup is you can make from nearly any ingredient and serve it hot or cold. It makes a great filler for the lunch thermos, satisfies even the burliest appetite and kids like it too! An added bonus, it is inexpensive and for the most part, health conscious. Excellent for the slow cooker, nothing like walking in the door from work and the aroma of dinner to welcome you. Wash up and place bowls on the table, it is soup time. A bit of conversation while it cools down and we are off to the bottom of the bowl. So here is to soup and it's effect on the tummy and soul.

Following the summer with seasonal eating is easy with soup. Fresh dug potatoes make a comfort soup unlike any other vegetable. Some potatoes keep extremely well for several months in the pantry making potato soup all winter long, along with other soups of course. Here is a simple soup with big flavor, read it thru a few times before you start.

Tator Soup

3 quarts of potatoes (a good pairing are red and white potatoes)

1 white onion,med

1 tablespoon each of dried oregano, basil, parsley and thyme

1 small saucepan

1 lg stock pan

blender

Wash potatoes and dice into bite size pieces. Put into large pan and cover with water.

Peel and dice onion and put into the pan with remaining potatoes. Water should be 2 inches above the potatoes and onion.

Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Cooking time will vary due to type of cooking pan, water and size of potato cubes. Watch the potatoes and when they are tender remove from heat.

Drain the potatoes and onion saving 2 cups of the water from the potatoes.

Pour two cups of the saved potato water into the blender and add all potatoes except a cup of cubes. Blend until smooth, if you want soupier soup add one more cup and blend until you get the desire consistency. Add one cup of water at a time until the way you like it. When you have the consistency you like pour soup into large saucepan.

Add in the cubed potatoes and warm. Do not boil, warming is the key.

When warm, ladel soup into bowls.

Stir in one half tablespoon (total) of crushed dried herbs per serving

Salt and pepper to taste

I like to use the crushed dried leaves as garnish and stir them into the soup just before serving. I have tiny saucers that I put the herbs in, one each per herb. People can choose what seasonings they want and stir them in right before eating. I generally use oregano, basil, parsley and thyme. Sometimes I feel like no herbs but a generous spiking of cayenne pepper powder on top and then salt to taste.

Seasonings can also be added while in the blender. Cayenne is best when put on when served.

With the help of a home made greenhouse, a few hoop tunnels and one covered raised bed we grow enough produce to have an extended season and storage vegetables for the long winter. What do we do with all those veggies? We have a winter produce subscription (CSA) and offer our tasty soup kits to make meal time quick and easy.

• The winter produce subscription (CSA) starts in November and goes thru January of 2011. Every member gets a stash of locally grown staples to fill the pantry for winter. Don't have enough room to store it? We've got you covered on that one. There are 6 distributions; 2 each month, November thru January.

• Our tasty soup kits were enjoyed by folks last year and they are back again this winter. What is a soup kit? An allotment of veggies, seasonings and easy recipe all tucked away in a brown paper bag. All the ingredients to make a pot of soup for the fam or to freeze for another day. Quick, easy, tasty and economical, that is how we do it here at BackYard Produce.

You can eat seasonally all year long with BackYard Produce as your helper.  To learn more about our winter csa  http://www.localharvest.org/winter-produce-subscription-csa-C15327

This time of year brings a few tears to my eyes once I realize that summer is on it's way out.  It has been a great summer and the garden did well considering the interesting weather we have had.  I did notice something this year with the crops that differs from other years.

At the end of summer the crops begin to slow down at a consistant pace in response to the shorter days, fewer hours of sunlight and cooler night tempratures.  The crops continue to give fresh veggies but at a slower rate which up until this year, been consistant.  Meaning I need to pick every couple of days instead of every day (lasting for 3-4 weeks).  Then the picking schedule moves to once a week and then finally it is time to put the garden to rest for winter so it may replenish and renew it's soils.  We have a soil ammendment itenary but that is a different story for another time. 

So this year the crops abruptly shifted down to a lower yield for two weeks and then shifted again to a trickle of veggies.  I do not know what to make of this?  Maybe the garden has a personlity I was unaware of? Or maybe it is something more complex and vague.........

• when slicing zucchini keep in mind the rest of the menu.  About 6-7 slices of zucchini per person for entree, 12-14 for main dish.
• small purple onions are from my garden and are about the size of a cherry or a bit larger.  If using another type of onion adjust the quantity so it does not overpower the dish.  use small onions to keep whole if possible, the dish is prettier.
• To chiffonade basil gather leaves and stack them.  Roll up tightly and slice roll into thin strips.  Toss strips so individual pieces scatter from each other.  This is the basic chiffonade.
• cooking dish with lid--No liquid is needed if the cover is tight, it will baste itself.  If cover allows any escape of steam then add a couple tablespoons of water, broth or cooking sherry.  I use my trusty clay baker with heavy lid.  It is ideal for basting food while cooking with no extra fluid added.
• Fluer de Sel- a speciality salt from France that is hand dried and a full spectrum salt containing a wide variety of minerals.  Salt is good for humans when it is minimally processed.  There are a surprising amount of varieties of salt;pink,red,white,black, grey and green.  Obviously they taste different and can be difficult to find. 
• Salt has amazing benefits and my friend sells it so I go a bit crazy.  For more information about salts and to taste some of them check out A Dedicated Life at the South Bend farmers market located on the river side next to the antique lady. Cara Mathias is the proprieter and she is lovely and quite knowlegable.  Cara also has a tasty line of gluten free treats and raw bars that rock. When you stop by please tell her I sent you. 

Black Raspberry season is quite a nice way to get a workout.  The brambles are filled with thorns and our patch is entirely wild so it is overgrown and self manicured. 

Mosquitos are out heavy this year due to all the rain we have gotten and plus the horse flies can bite hard.  Put that with the thorns and you might catch yourself questioning why I am out there picking at all! 

I pick with out using any kind of bug repellent so they are completely chem free.  Whe I am done I may look like I was in a cat fight with bleeding scratches on my exposed parts.  Wearing long pants and shirt is hot on an already hot day but must be done.  So I am out very early picking so I can get the delicate berries in before it gets real hot. 

It takes alot of berries to get a pint worth so no berry gets unpicked if it is ripe.  Which means the berry out of reach is a prize and must be picked!  Overgrown branches intertwined make a most effective blockade which is quite torture when you can see the berry but can't quite get at it. 

So I take a side step and manuver myself into the thorny thicket, then crouch down into a open area and then up again half way.  Now I can stretch my arm and reach out my forefingers to gently pluck the ripen berry from it's crown.  As I look back I see I can not go back so I venture onward to the next berry.  Much like Tai Chi berry pickin' demands slow and focused movement mindful of the thorny mess that becomes near deadly with quick movement.  Three hours of this and I got a burn going on in muscles that can compete with Tai Chi. 

Black raspberry season is over soon and next will be Blackberries!  Oh the thorny obstacle course whispers my name with the invitation of the sirens of sea lore.

Why I do it?  Because they taste so darn good and frankly,nothing is better than a fresh picked berry.  Folks don't get that in the supermarket.  People tell me often that my berries are awesome.  The secret is picked when ripe and eaten shortly afterward before the taste evaporates away!

Now that is a title line that will make you cringe.  As I look out over the gardens this week I see life....... Life that is blossoming and the elbow grease it takes to get it there.  WE have just over  2 acres in production and I think it will end up being 2.5, not bad for wanting to grow it all.  There is plenty I didn't grow and I did a great job of utilizing each and every space, nook and cranny; vertical and horizontal.

I found out this week my loyal cat Shammy will not touch me with a ten foot pole when I come in stinky from the garden.  It is funny to see the look on his face and I am a little sad too.  He has been there with me thru thick and thin and never once has he turned away from.  If was grieving he was right there with his little paw on my cheek.  If was celebrating he was right there scamping around like a crazy cat.  If I was snoozing he was right there snoozing with me.  So when I came in from the garden and he came up to greet me as usual.  I picked up my shambam to give him a quick hug and he did not want any of that.  His little nose bunched up and ears went back.  So after I was all cleaned up and aloe vera on the burn he came round to cuddle.  Pure heaven.....

It is nice if everything I plant does extremely well every year but that hasn't happened for me.  Some crop does less than expected and some crop will bumper which is always a nice surprise.  I love to eat radishes and I have not found a way reroute the pesky cabbage maggot.  Every year I get some damage on radishes from this wormy little creature.  I know it would be simple and easy to use a pesticide but I got off that road several years back.  Which means there can be crop loss.  And I did loose my radish crop.  bummer...........  I have extra seed so planted in the raised bed and so far it looks good.  Go figure......

Well, I am gearing up for June when the CSA's start and this year is a full house.  WE have many new members and are excited to see the returning members.  We will be at the farmers market in the Toscana Plaza next to Villa Macri in Granger and at the Urban Garden market in South Bend from the second week in June thru the end of October.  See you there!

Life is like a garden and people are like weeds

Some weeds are quiet and keep to themselves

Some weeds have thorns or stickers

Some weeds have beautiful flowers but when you get up close they stink

Some weeds are very territorial and just don't warm up to sharing space or interacting with other plants

Some weeds are quiet and do their own thing

Some weeds attract beneficial insects and birds

The trick with weeds is to know what kind of weed it is.  If it is quiet and otherwise does not throw my garden out of balance I leave it alone. 

If it is a weed that is territorial and completely chokes the life out of any plant near it then it something must be done.  Or else the entire garden is out of balance and it's health is compromised. 

Toxic chemicals can be used to eradicate the weed but the effects are often unknown and can last a long time

Or the weed can be plucked, pulled, dug up and stripped from the earth

Tossed in the burn pile and life goes on

When a weed pops up it must be pulled before it goes to seed

As time goes on fewer weeds popup and the garden is in balance

The big question is.........................

What kind of weed am ?

What kind of weed do I want to be?

What kind of weeds do I want around me?

What am I going to do with the weeds?

March is here and we have watched the gardens begin to transform.  First the snow melted slowly and now it is much easier to see changes from winter into spring, slowly at least.

On sunny days we shaped up the high tunnels after the long winter and put up the row covers over 3 of the raised beds.  Then sowed a variety of leaf lettuces, 1000 carrots and kale.  As of yesterday we have a nice green cover of seedlings reaching for their destiny to be delicious.

I was completly delighted to find a remerging of last years Ragged Jack,  mustard greens, mache, green crinkled lettuce, chives, tarragon and thyme. 

We over wintered a few crops and were able to harvest sweet crunchy carrots two weeks in a row.  What a wonderful treat!  Onions are also looking good and will be harvesting a few in a month or so. 

We have a handfull of produce subscriptions left and are looking forward to our own growth this season.  We will be back with the basics for meals and introducing a variety of garden berries and heritage melons.  Our meal kits will be available on a weekly basis.  We are bringing back last years best sellers and introducing new ones throughout the season so be on the lookout for that.  Our meal kits come complete with all the produce, herbs and recipe to make the meal.  Wala!  it is supper time....

I am looking forward to see what this season brings.  I am sure there will be surprises and a few let downs.  They generally balance each other out, they did last year!  Our purple beans, peas and lettuces were nearly wiped out by deer and rabbits, they can eat quick!  But the delight of a bumper crop of mushrooms, black raspberries, blackberries and red raspberries made up for the despair! 

There is something very basic and authentic about observing the cycles of life in the garden.  It brings me stability and peace as I watch in wonder the primal creativity that transforms the backyard into so many things;

• My personal fresh produce market where I do not have to stand in line or use a card to get the special price.
• A sanctuary of delight.
• A true stress reducer.
• A place where I can go to think about important things
• and to not think about anything at all.
• Chat with my herbal and plant friends about nothing and everything.
• Observe insects, birds and other critters, it can be quite profound.
• A beautiful and interesting display of visual splendor.
• And something very obscure and healing happens each and every time I am in the garden.  I can't really put my finger on it or wrap my mind around it.   Sometimes I don't notice right away and sometimes I can.  When I can if feels like order is taking place in my being, at the cellular level. A series of shifts in succession that feel like tiny electrical pulses throught out my body.  Not random parts of my body.  It starts in one place and works out from there, like a pebble in the pond and the ripples roll away from the point of impact.  Weird huh? 
• I can be myself here....................and when I return to the rest of the world I am better, a better person, better thinker, nicer, more understanding.  Yup, I am better.

Feel free to post your thoughts, I can't be the only one who experiences this?  Am I???????

This has been a fruitful year yielding a variety of produce and enough to put away some too.  Thanksgiving dinner shows the productivity of our good year.  I am very grateful for the abundance this year and feel blessed.  I also feel very thankful for the abundance of local food growers and culinarty artisans, we have quite an ecclectic group here in Michiana. 

The Thanksgiving table is dressed to the nines with every dish that is made with ingredients that were grown and produced locally.  The 20 mile supper. 

A 7lb turkey just right for dinner and not too much left over.  Mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with mushrooms, steamed broccoli, salad with grated carrots and hot crusty bread, pumpkin dot cake for dessert and cheese and crackers with carrot sticks and dip.  Yup, this is all locally grown and produced!  I grew quite a bit myself and got the rest from local food producers. 

Thank you all for supporting us this year and I wish you a wonderful 20 mile supper this Thanksgiving!  May you be surrounded by your loved ones and filled with laughter and joy. 

The first frost is always a bittersweet moment in the heart of a gardener.  While we know it is nearing time to rest, rejuvenate and hibernate the memories of the summer still flash vividly as if it was only yesterday.  We have had a great garden and harvest this year and I am very grateful.  There were surprises and dissappointments as it usually is with the garden.  With the cool weather crops in the ground it only takes a quick glance to know that summer is on it's way out and quickly vanishing.

Included in the dissappointments this year was the loss of many of our giant sunflowers, all of the purple beans and half of the English peas to the deer who evidently have exceptional taste in food plants.  The rabbits did get some of the lettuces but that was quickly remedied and we were able to save the crop. 

The surprises include the bumber crop of Blackberries, Black Raspberries and Red Raspberries this year.  This was the best year ever for these tiny treasures. 

We met so many wonderful people and made great new friends at the Purple Porch, Local Harvest and Urban Garden market. 

So now as we pamper the garden soil and let it rejuvenate this winter I am already thinking about all the things I could do next year!  Oh the liist of crops continues to grow!  Of course we will not grow everything we do not have the room but it is fun to fantasize about it.  I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 2010 seed catalog and making my list of things I want to research this winter while in hibernation. 

The wisdom of nature continues it's course leaving hints of it's bounty everywhere and inviting us to join in the path of cycles and life.  Many people are stepping in with their choice to eat seasonal and local foods.  This one choice is so profound yet nearly silent as the ripples extend onward.  An entire summer of eating seasonal and local fruits has brought an awareness that is gentle and provoking to each of us. 

The peace and calm that comes from eating slow food is priceless and shows in so many areas of our lives.  Somehow life became a bit more simpler and enjoyable. Meals became an event and an important time for family and friends.  Appreciation seeped into our consciousness with each delicious bite.  Patience became part of our understanding and we embraced it. 

Slow food is culinary salvation.