This year our garden was nearly a bust!
We started a little earlier with a backyard garden planted the end of April. We enjoyed some peas and lettuce and had hopes of carrots, onions, beets and potatoes. Only the potatoes materialized. (So far we have had 3 meals from our own potatoes and there are still lots in the ground that I haven’t dug up yet.) Sunflowers also took over the garden. (I think from the chickens’ feed as they wintered in this spot.) At least they are pretty and we can use them for feed for the chickens this winter.
In May we tilled a much bigger garden in the back pasture and had a wonderful time purchasing plants at the local nursery and planting seeds but our return was very sad. We tried to fence that garden to protect it from the cows but alas they found a weak spot and broke in. What they did not eat they trampled. All that remained were 2 patty pan squash plants, 1 green bean plant, 1 pumpkin plant, and 2 watermelon plants. Just before they closed for the summer I returned to the nursery and bought a few more tomato plants to try again. We planted them the next day. Not one but two storms raged across my garden uprooting all we had planted for the second time. But somehow a few tomato plants remained.
By August I completely gave up on working in the garden. The weeds have taken over and everything has been sadly neglected. But I just couldn’t justify pouring my time into it for so little return. We were able to harvest a few pounds of cherry tomatoes, some patty pan squash, 1 watermelon, enough peas for a couple meals, and a few salads. The potatoes are looking promising although we’ve only dug a few of them up so far.
Midway through August a cousin called me to ask if I’d like to buy some peaches they had trucked up from Colorado. Of course, I said, “Yes!” We went that evening to retrieve them and she gifted me with 28 pounds of cucumbers and 11 pounds of green beans from their garden. The next week she called again asking me to come get more cucumbers and beans. The following week another friend who had planted a one acre garden asked us to please come pick from their garden. She couldn’t deal with anymore produce and didn’t want it to go to waste. Then last week another friend called to ask us to please come pick peaches from her tree. (Who knew peach trees could produce fruit in Montana!) She just had too many and not enough time to deal with them all!
The Lord has provided above and beyond what I could have ever imagined even (and maybe because) my own efforts failed to produce fruit.
Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!
Psalm 111
(In fact I highly recommend this series for learning all types of skills.)
We still have sunflower seeds, pumpkins and beans left to plant.