Gardening - Week 3

The first sprouts are popping up. Vying for space in this tiny garden, plants fight for sunlight and water. In a few weeks, I'll do some thinning, but for now, I'm letting everything rejoice in newfound life. Spring manifests itself outside my home office window.

So far, no rabbits have been spotted munching the tops off bean plants that sprout stealthily in the flower beds. The layer of Fall mulch that the worms have yet to work in still provides cover.

The fig tree has leaves starting to unfold out back, and the blackberry bush (bramble?) is trying to set berries.

Today, when Helen and I walked by the garden, we could see the first kale leaf taking shape. It's going to be a great season.

Elaine

Gardening - Week 1

A couple of years ago, I spent the day double-digging my very large vegetable garden, with only the taste of all those fresh veggies as motivation. Unfortunately, critters got to the table first, and my dreamed-of bounty turned into a small pittance - some lettuce, a few green beans, and a melon or two. I spent the entire summer running out to the garden and getting annoyed that my not-quite-ripe fruits and vegetables had teeth marks in them. It was very stressful.

At the end of the summer, I begged Ed to dump grass seed on the garden so that I would not be tempted to plant it again. Because when a hobby becomes stressful, it's not a good hobby. I lived happily throughout the winter, with nary a thought about Spring vegetables. But damn if those seed catalogs didn't hit my doorstep right after reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I resisted mightily, tossing them quickly into the recycling bin as they pounded on my door daily. And then I found myself at a garden center and walked out with several seed packets. It's my weakness.

Connor planted bush beans amidst the front landscaping, and we have an odd square that's about 4 feet x 4 feet in the front of our home that we've used to grow basil in the past that I double-dug and then planted with lettuce, kale, brussels sprouts, carrots, and a few herbs. So far, no sign of life. But I've been preparing myself already for the rabbits and birds to feast, and have vowed to not get annoyed.

I also have a new fig tree and blackberry bush.

BRING ON SPRING!

Connor, doing the digging for the new fig tree, something I've dreamed about since moving into this house 2.5 years ago.

Elaine

Cleaning Out My Fridge

I am not the chief grocery shopper in my family. In fact, the grocery store stresses me out. I end up not getting everything I needed, or getting a bunch of stuff I don't need. And then I'm frustrated by the necessary return trips or having stuff I have to figure out what to do with in my house.

I am also not the primary meal planner in my house, but I'm becoming the primary  chef. That's simply because in order for Ed to shop, he needs to know what to buy, and coming up with 1 or 2 meals at the start of the week is about what I muster. So he does it himself. But then, because I'm home almost every night before he is, I get the task of cooking - which actually could be nice if it didn't have to take place in the span of about 25 minutes with hungry kids looking on.

What I am, when it comes to food, is the primary believer in conspiracy theories. I am also the primary complainer about what gets purchased at the grocery store. Helpful, I know.

Invigorated by my recent organic kick that led me to pester Ed into switching to organic dairy and then drove me to join another CSA, this time Shenandoah Farms, I was all in when it came to reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle for my online book club From Left to Write. Is it possible that she's right that the explosion of high fructose corn syrup is a product of over-subsidizing corn? I hear about irrational farm policies all the time - it certainly seems possible that this is another one.

I like the idea of eating local, but I also love all that lovely out of season fruit. And, it's one of few food groups that Connor devours. But I also remember all those strawberries my mom froze every year for us - to be served mid-winter when it is simply impossible to find anything that delicious. I also remember the canned cherries. Yum! I could've done without the day under the backyard tree shucking corn, but I have to give my mom credit that it it more delicious than anything that can be purchased in a can or frozen.

I still have dreams of growing all my food some year, but I won't be doing it here in Arlington. I value my sanity a lot more, which is what led to grassing in my garden about a year ago. I just couldn't take the stress of whatever critter it is that likes to bite into each and every piece of fruit in my garden.

Elaine

I received a free copy of the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle as a member of the online book club From Left to Write. It's been a great read so far.