ModSew Garden:: my garden 2014

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My mom has a green thumb and so did my grandma, her mother. We lived across the street from my grandparents my whole life on a big farm. My family lived around us, if not on the same property they were close. My grandma was a nurse all of her life with FIVE kids. Yea as in she went to nursing school and graduated at the top of her class with FIVE little kids. When I think I can accomplish something in life I always think of her. She always worked the night shift as a nurse so she could be on the farm during the day. She always made a HUGE lunch and supper. She inspires me in so many ways… but when I garden I feel so connected to her and my mom. My whole family would always come to grandma’s house and work in the garden or come get veggies. Some would cream corn with her, my mom made sweet pickles and canned things with her, and everyone was around when there was a fresh watermelon to cut open and eat.

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My mom and dad have been gone for several months while my dad is working on a job. My parents haven’t traveled much since I had children because they don’t want to be away from my kids too long. But this job has taken longer than expected so my mom wasn’t home to plant her garden like she has EVERY YEAR!! Yes I am that kid that doesn’t grow my own veggies because I get them from my parents. It was so easy that was… no worrying about the rain, worms, and everything when you can let them worry about it. Hey I am just being honest here! And my kids always “help” her in the garden too so it just worked out.

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Well this year I knew the garden was only going to happen if I planted it because mom wasn’t back yet. When we moved into this house there was a raised bed on the side yard kinda just stuck out there. It was grown up and not very pretty. I went and moved it one day by myself, it was plastic sides and some metal stakes that held it on the corners. Nothing fancy but I knew it would work. So I moved it behind our kitchen by the deck. I knew if it was there I could water it easily and the kids could play where I could see them while I worked. I talked my husband into getting me some organic dirt before he could say no. (he is not spontaneous like me:) And we had a raised bed. It wasn’t beautiful but I thought it would work okay.

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We also had a friend bring over a HUGE tomato plant in a bucket system someone he knew had made. It is a bucket in a bucket and some spots drilled out and the roots from the plant go down a wick and get water. There is a pipe you put water in to water the roots. I need to get a post about how to make one because it is easy to do and it is really easy to take care of and grow plants with. Anyways so things were planted and things started to grow. I am now obsessed with making sure those pesky worms don’t take over the garden (as in I sit there for hours looking for them… okay maybe not hours), I water, I fertilize, I talk to the plants, and most importantly harvest those juicy red tomatoes!!! They are my favorite thing because I love tomatoes and so do my girls.

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So as much as I haven’t had a green thumb most of my life and I have tried trust me. I think this year is a new year for me and the garden. I am planning what it can be next year. I think it is soothing for me to be one with the dirt, the plants, and getting all of those worms. I know my mom and my grandma (whom I miss so very much) would be so proud of my girls picking their own vegetables and eating them. I can’t wait to get better and hopefully have enough to make marinara, pickles, okra for the freezer, etc with some day soon AND have that fresh watermelon to pick and slice open. I have plans and dreams for gardening!

As a side note:: my grandma was such a huge part of my life growing up. I was always at her house and she always welcomed everyone into her home. She was so kind and I really admire what she did when she was my age and throughout her life. She passed away about a week after I had my first daughter. It was one of the hardest things in my life to loose someone so dear to me when I had just had the most amazing thing happen to me. She never got to meet my baby girls but I know that she smiles down at us when we garden, cook for others, aim high for things that seem so impossible, and always have a kind heart. I miss her so much.