Build It Up Blog
The Build It Up Blog includes entries from our gardners discussing their gardening journey and guides from our program staff regarding when to start your seeds, when to put transplants in the ground, when to fertilize, and more!
Gardener Story: Komal Khawaja
Gardening is incredibly important to me and my family. As a child, I loved having fruit trees in our house and have fond memories of picking fruits and flowers from my parents' garden. I want to create similar memories for my kids. After moving to Tennessee last year,...
Gardener Story: Lee Carden
The curiosity has extended with pest control–our oldest now prides himself on being able to identify ALL the stages of the bad bugs. He LOVED studying Adam’ Watson’s slides during a class. He’ll tell you all about the well known “garden bag guys,” but he was curious about a new caterpillar that was munching on our dill. We now have two swallowtail chrysalis that we are patiently waiting to see emerge. The dill was saved, and he has a fun science story to tell.
Gardener Story: Ashley Callahan
Like many of us, when 2020 hit, our world shifted dramatically. Being at home with our children made me realize how much I truly wanted to spend more time with them. I've always had a desire to grow our own food, nourish my family, and embrace the role of a homemaker,...
Gardener Story: Erin Egan
I had no expectations for my first garden but I am so proud and filled with gratitude at the quality and quantity that is growing. (Who knew that butternut squash was soooo adorable!) I am already planning for my summer garden next year! Now on to my next challenge, learning how to preserve all of this produce…
Gardener Story: Kellye Wood
At first, I thought it would make for a healthy hobby, but these days, I think it’s become more of an obsession. The more I learn, the more I want to learn. The cycle has snowballed and created a dirt-covered monster. Seriously, my nails are stained green. We started small, planning to slowly build each year until we have a micro-farm that will sustain us and hopefully begin providing fresh, local ingredients for our area as well.
Gardener Story: Toban Weibe
After a surprisingly successful gardening attempt last year, we've really expanded our ambitions this year. We have a small city lot without much space for a garden, but we've managed to garden on a few smaller plots. First, we converted a flower bed in the backyard...
Gardener Story: Mariah Pietrowski
My son Jaxson is 6 years old, and I can tell he is recognizing when things are ready to harvest, especially the carrots and beets which were always his favorite to pull out of the ground! He was very excited to be able to help with cutting the broccoli just this week! I love the opportunity this garden gives him in learning a valuable skill of growing food, enjoying the sunshine and dirt.
Gardener Story: Susan Rasmussen
The personal growth that arises through the cultivation of plants and the nurturing process contributes to a sense of accomplishment and self-reliance, and the opportunity to engage with this community fosters a sense of togetherness for those times in the garden when it helps to know you are not alone in the battles against the weekends and bugs.
Gardener Story: Lovelace Family
Our family favorite crop to grow is popcorn. It looked cool hanging to dry during the fall, and the kids have fun taking the kernels off the cob and popping them. It is now a regular treat on our movie nights.