My Garden!

This year I am growing a wonderful garden. I had always wanted to grow one, but my husband was so against it. This year it has finally happened! I'm growing corn, pumpkins, cucumbers, canteloupe, watermelons, bell peppers, tomatoes, sunflowers, zucchinni, yellow squash, spaghetti squash, basil, and peas. So far it's going great! The zuccinni and cucumbers are starting to fruit, the bell peppers, pumpkins, and canteloupes are flowering, and everything else is getting pretty big. The corn is already two feet high! Next year I plan to grow some more herbs. I didn't end up using all of the space I have available this year, so next year I plan to plant even more. I'm thinking I'll add some more herbs, some more corn, and maybe even some flowers.

Gardening is not only great fun, it can be economical too. My kids and I love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, but as we all know, fresh food is really expensive. I always feel bad when we can't eat as much as we want, or when it's the end of my grocery cycle and the only fresh food I have left is onions and a few stray apples. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good option, nutritionally, and I never let myself run out of those, but fresh usually taste so much better! I'm hoping that my garden will not only allow us to eat as much fresh produce as we want, but that I will save money while we're doing it! I think this first year will not be as big of a harvest, but as I get better at gardening, I'm hoping to have bigger and bigger returns. My goal is to someday have enough to freeze and can for later in the year.

I think the thing I love most about my garden (aside from my plants!) is the fact that it makes me feel proactive. It can be really discouraging when I think about the next few years, and how small my budget will be during that time. Growing some of my own food to save money makes me feel like I'm taking action and not just being satisfied with an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Even if I only have a very small harvest and only save a few dollars, it's a step in the right direction.

I wish I had a digital camera so I could share some pictures of my garden. Maybe if I save a lot of grocery money this Summer, I'll be able to buy one!:P