Friday, February 15, 2013

Joe's Garden

Last summer I visited my husband's family to see my newborn niece for the very first time. She is adorable and I fell in love with her instantly. It was love at first sight!

While I was there, I got to visit my brother-in-law's garden during the height of summer when everything was in bloom and growing - It was spectacular! I intentially saved this post for the winter, knowing I would need a splash of summer to hold me over until spring. Plus, I didn't download the photos until last night.....

Joe's Garden is where it all began for me. As a girl raised in the 'burbs the closet I ever got to a garden was the flower beds in our neatly landscaped front yard. Until I moved to North Carolina in 2005. While staying with my future husband's family, I got to taste a homegrown tomato for the first time and never looked back. Soon, I spent every morning visiting Joe's Garden to see what had sprung up overnight. I found peace and joy there with just God and the plants. When I moved to Texas a few months later, I determined to grow my very own garden one day.

For his 2012 garden, Joe choose to simplify. Focusing his efforts on Tomatoes, Squash, Cucumbers and Beans, he remained disciplined in growing large quantities of the same plants instead mixing up the variety and having to maintain multiple growing environments. He used manure from a nearby barn to prepare his garden space before planting and choose not to fertilize. With the exception of a litttle Seven Dust to help with the bugs, Joe relied on water and sunshine to grow his healthy garden.

He makes it look so easy.












No comments: