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,...
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…
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
I am grateful that gardening restarts each year and the learning that comes from making mistakes and being able to build on that growth for the next year.
Having fresh, produce like kale and radishes right outside our door has changed the way we eat and feel. Knowing exactly what goes into growing these vegetables—free from unknown pesticides and mystery chemicals—gives us peace of mind.
Hi Everyone, We are the Lucas’ and this is our second year with the ARCD Build It Up gardening program. Over the course of our time in the program we have learned so much about gardening in general. However, the best part has been learning about gardening in our...