Garden Highlights of 2011

 

Gardening is so hard, rewarding, incredible, exhausting, frustrating and fulfilling all in one.  This year has been the best year for me ever at growing things.  Finally, persistence has paid off!  I still had plenty of failures but the small wins out weighted the losses. 

 I even made furrows and tried my hand at corn again.  It was successful in the fact that I actually was able to harvest some corn. I bet if I watered it more next year I will get that one down.  It was not as successful as I wanted but still a good second attempt.

 Here I started some pumpkins, honeydews, watermelons, beans, winter squash and cucumbers.  They were incredible...and still are. 

 This is what things looked like at the height of the growing season. 

 Here is one picking.  Mike has been super helpful.  He had to step up because when I didn't feel well I checked out of the garden completely.  So thanks to him we still have one.  It has really been fun doing it together.  We will go out in the mornings on the weekend and just pick.  I can't explain how fun it is to reap a good harvest.  Not to mention the awe I have for Heavenly Father...He is amazing!

 This is one of our watermelons on the scale weighing in at 25 pounds!  We were really happy to find that we can grow watermelons.  Man, they sure take up a lot of room though!

 These were crimson watermelons and they were super sweet.  The kids loved them! 

 Mike and I canned some of our tomatoes together.  It was so much easier than I thought it would be!  We have probably got at least 40 quarts off our tomato plants so far.  We have an incredible neighbor who cans the tomatoes we bring her and then she halves them with us. 

On the subject of canning I finally was able to not only do some but do lots of it.  In our 4-H group we did peaches and pears.  Those were lots of work but I love seeing those beautiful jars filled downstairs instead of empty. 

Final story...that is Carson way off in the back ground riding Chance.  Just minutes after this picture was taken the poor little guy got bucked off.  He is such a little trooper. I guess he got right back on but was definitely shook up. 

This summer growing season has been great.  Lots learned and I totally look forward to next year. Now that Mike has caught the gardening bug it won't be such a hard sell to get him to make me more raised beds.