We had a small vegetable garden a few years ago, then last year we decided to try to do it right. In the above picture, my husband had to install the irrigation first so he could water for several days to soften the hard packed dirt. We improvised with this tool to turn the dirt over. I drove the truck, while hubby hung on to the tool. It was both fun and scary as I had to drive and listen to him tell me to stop, and hopefully not have the tool run into the pipes. You get the picture, wife driving, husband yelling.....
We started late, around July 1, I believe, but hubby was not to be deterred and put most of the seeds he bought into the ground. I knew it was too late for some, but let it be. A while later, the short fence was bent and there were huge bear tracks and small bear tracks all over one end of the garden. Not much damage done anywhere else.
Hubby decided a bigger fence was needed and one fun day we drove all over the land and picked up posts and fencing material left behind by previous owners. Oh, there's so much stuff left behind here and we were so happy some of it could be of use. I think we saved an estimated $300.00 that day.
He, who does not know how to pace himself, put the new fence up in one day. And after that, and after we killed a couple of gophers, only birds and bees entered our garden. And it began to grow.
Water flowed...
The garden grew....
and grew...
and before we knew it, we had an abundance of veggies.
We picked, we chopped, we cooked, we juiced, we ate, and we froze. I dried a lot of herbs.
We worked hard, but it was all so worth it. We still have greens in the freezer, and carrots and onions are still growing in the garden, together with a new crop of parsley, mint, and rosemary. A very Good Thing....
this is fantastic, even the part about the wife driving, husband yelling... that is so familiar to me... HA HA... what a wonderful garden... i did not realize you had to wet the ground to make it soft. i thought the desert was soft sand. shows i have never seen one... loved the post
ReplyDeleteOj va fint! Har ni brunn med eget vatten så ni kan vattna så mycket?
ReplyDeleteNi har väl grönsaksland i år med? jag skall så lite till hushållet med i år. Förr hade vi jättemycket när jag var liten. Vi skördade ca 330 kg morötter då bl a
Trevlig helg!
M/
Gardens are a good thing, and this one looks fantastic! So great that you could reuse things that were left behind.
ReplyDeleteAwesome garden.
ReplyDeleteOh Inger a very good thing indeed. LOVE your veggie photos. A lot of work that gives back. Hug B
ReplyDeleteA green garden in the desert, wow, that is quite impressive.
ReplyDeleteBears in garden, that is frightening.
Well that was certainly a beautiful fresh garden of abundance :)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to see the ingenuity of you and your hubby! Your garden certainly was productive, even starting that late!
ReplyDeleteWe just prepared our garden. The first time we've had one in two years. I'm excited! I planted most of the cold weather stuff yesterday and the day before.
I can't wait to see how your garden does this year! Isn't it wonderful that you still have things that winter over?!
Wonderful garden! I wish I had the time and room for a huge garden!
ReplyDeleteWow, your garden looks fantastic. It's hard work but the satisfaction of knowing where your food comes from and the freshness is so worth it. It's also good exercise.
ReplyDeleteGood luck again this year.
Hugs,
JB
That's a lovely-looking garden. Sadly, we've got too much snow to be working on that, yet.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
I am so impressed, Inger! Goes to show that with a lot of hard work, team work and patience....look what that produces!
ReplyDeleteGood job and great photos.
You and your hubs had a great garden that time. I haven't done much gardening except for a few herbs lately. Too busy with other things, like writing. This year I do plan to grow herbs. I dry them too, sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAt our old place I had a herb garden on our patio. I grew rosemary, oregano, dill or tarragon, thyme, and sometimes basil, which I love. You just had to brush your hands against the herbs to release that aroma.
You brought back pleasant smell memories, Inger, I have always liked browsing farmer's markets.
you two did great! the bear tracks would be scary. glad you could find all that fencing to recycle! and the irrigation he set up was awesome! love homegrown carrots.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent garden! You have me wishing I had a garden again. It's just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt is and was beautiful -- but the hard work. Hubby could have had a stroke for carrots. The ghost of Mark Twain would have never let him the end of that in the Shadowlands!
ReplyDeleteYou frustrated some bears too!
Fun post -- more fun to read than to make that garden!!
Love the pictures of the garden growing. And the veggies look so yummy. :)
ReplyDeleteNo rabbits, no deer? You are lucky, I can't grow roses either, but this year I have a stand up garden bed and will be able to grow a few vegetables and herbs, but not as lush as yours.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! I grew up with a garden. Thankfully we had a 6 foot wooden fence around the yard, so we didn't have animal issues, but it was so much work. It's going to be a while before I'm brave enough to commit to something like that, but those fresh veges...it's totally worth it.
ReplyDeleteTrue Heroes from A to Z
Hi, Inger. Your garden is really impressive. That bear would have sent me packing, but you proved that perseverance (and teamwork :) pays off...and look at all those veges at the end...No turning back now!
ReplyDeleteShells–Tales–Sails
I have to catch up!
ReplyDeleteThat is A LOT of work by hand - but its bountifully Beautiful!!
What a splendid if large garden you all produced. That is a lot of eating for two people--pretty sure Samson doesn't eat a lot of greens. Nothing gives one as much pleasure as a fine looking and tasting garden.
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm impressed! I know how hard it is to garden in our arid West. What a great result.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that Soldier passed away. He was a grand dog, a true Soldier in the best way.
What a great story! Great photos to go with it. I do sympathize with you on the hard ground. I dealt with that in Wyoming. Not here : )
ReplyDeleteI can't believe your are already at V!
I'm so jealous! One day when I have my own place again I'm so growing a mounters garden! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI have garden envy -- gorgeous! The horses would like some of those carrots and Brett would be happy to help you with the beets. I'll eat all of it. :)
ReplyDeleteI, too, am so jealous! Richard and I always loved to garden together. Yours is fantastic and awesome and all those other great words. I am so very impressed!!
ReplyDeleteThat's gorgeous! And what a backdrop to your garden, too.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a green thumb :-)
I'd love to grow my own fruit and veg, I wouldn't know where to start though! My boyfriends Father grows a lot of fruit and veg and it always tastes much nicer than shop bought.
ReplyDeleteInger those veggies looked so green and fresh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Just great to have a so green garden in the desert!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you and to your husband. I can see that you both with much work and dedications did a fantastic garden, with luxuriant and beautiful greens, carrots, onions and so much vegetables. They all look appetizing! :)