We’re in a new home with a backyard that is a blank slate. Endless opportunities to use the yard for work and play. So where do I start—a garden of course!
Growing up in the midwest, I had grandmothers who kept large gardens. They definitely maximized their garden to help feed their family. There were strawberries, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, squash, and the list goes on. I would love to say that I am going to have a garden that helps the grocery budget this year, but that is an impossible reality. Time is limited, and that is not how I want to spend my summer months, slaving away in my garden.
So why garden at all when we have such easy access to all the foods we need? For me, I want to learn, and it is also a sense of accomplishment. For my kids, I want them to stay curious and learn the science behind plant growth, but I also want them to learn patience as they watch everything grow.
So what’s in my garden this spring? Whatever we can have fun watching grow! And if my grocery budget can benefit as well, even better. So we’re starting with rainbow carrots, green beans, onions, basil, chives, and white sweet potatoes.
Yes, you heard me right. White sweet potatoes. If you haven’t tried them yet, they are simply amazing! They have become a staple ingredient for me as I follow the autoimmune protocol(AIP) diet. But I don’t like the price at the grocery stores—$3/pound! I have never grown a potato before, so I’m definitely feeling like I’m in a bit over my head, but check back here as the summer goes on to see how they’re growing.
I’ve heard it said that “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”. I could not agree more. Growing a garden isn’t instant, and our families are living in a world where almost everything is instant. For some of us, growing a garden may be the only opportunity we have to engage with something that takes time. Not just 2 minutes in the microwave or 10 minutes in the oven. I mean really taking time — weeks or even months. Do you believe in tomorrow? I encourage you to take the time to develop in your family an eagerness for tomorrow. It doesn’t have to be a whole garden, maybe just one pot of flowers. You’ll be surprised in the joy it brings.