The Garden: Checking In

My garden continues to grow. Yes, like the plants are growing, but the size of the garden continues to get larger and larger. It was supposed to be a humble three rows, a fraction of the overall size of the garden area, but as the season has continued on the garden keeps getting larger, and if I can figure out a way to fit pumpkins in, it’ll only continue to grow. 

I never set out to have a garden this large. I truly only wanted it because I had the space and it would make for good photos. I have since realized how much I enjoy it. How much I enjoy the daily growth, the watching it, the caring for it, and the taking pride in it. I also enjoy the ability to experiment with how it looks, and how I grow specific things. It feels like I am actually accomplishing something, and that feels good. 

Last year most of the summer was spent in an apartment buying foods at the Whole Foods. While I love the Whole Foods and do miss it now that I am full time in Kentucky I wouldn’t go back to being an apartment dweller. I enjoy my house, my garden, my yard, my barn, and my community, but that is a blog post for another day, or perhaps even days. 

This week I picked the first zucchini of the season. They will be served for lunch on Sunday. I feel like I will be picking squash tomorrow. I have found the occasional ripe blueberry, and the tomatoes are quickly setting on. My goal is to have the garden full of produce by our July 16th Southern Supper that we’re hosting at the house. 

I already see changes I will make for next year and already have plans to make the garden much larger. Going into this the idea of maintaining the garden felt incredibly daunting, but with about an hour spent each evening the garden seems to be as weed free as I’m willing to keep it, the plants keep watered, and the gardens are staked as it is needed with their new growth. I realize the key is keeping it under control, but so far so good.

These are photos taken over the past week of the continued growth and expansion.