Shamrock Hill Farm

I have finally finished the tomato reorganizing in the barn garden.  I have people ask me what they have done wrong this season to get so few to no as  tomatoes.  The answer is nothing, it's just part of gardening.

As I was going through my garden I found several beautiful tomato vines with nothing on them.  Out of sixteen plants I have six that produced this season in that garden.  Poor showing even for heirlooms which can be poor producers to begin with.  

But, for a season limited for tomatoes it has been great for eggplant and pepper with the rain and super heat we have gotten in PA this season.  And my second round of beans, corn and squash have been awesome.

Isn't that what growing your own food is all about, going with the flow?  Especially in these times of economic issues, we have to be prepared for things to change in an instant.  Doesn't the season help to teach us how to deal with changes in our lives?

Happy gardening

As I was out in my garden yesterday the theme of this blog came to me.  I am not an overly attentive gardener; no prefect rows, weed free paths or tomatoes trellised perfectly.  No, no I am far from that with all the other things life calls you to do.  

So, as I was trying up my unruly tomatoes and weeding yesterday, I began to wonder if I was the only gardener/farmer who is out here on a hot August day doing this? And not only do I have to do this to one garden....I have a second larger one!  

At the end of the season when winter gives me a break and time to reflect I tell myself I will organize my time better and my garden will be picture perfect.  Five years later I am still tying up my tomatoes in August wondering where the time has gone. 

Oh well, there is always next season.

Happy gardeneing