Little Known Facts

    So this will be my first go at writing a blog... Some of my closest friends have started them and I liked the idea of it, but I've really never been the journal type. I've tried to keep a few and they never went farther than page 3 or 4. So I had thought that all hope was lost on me starting and keeping up with any sort of blog. Unless it was something different... something I greatly enjoy, but something people know very little about me. Thus, my garden blog.
    Gardening hasn't always been a hobby of mine. I actually despised weeding the flower beds when I was little. However, last year, I discovered I take great joy in creating and growing my own vegetable garden. It was spurred by an online summer class I took in Environmental Biology which required readings from a book by Barbara Kingsolver titled Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. This book's purpose is to bring food focus away from shipped and processed foods and back to supporting our economy and local communities by knowing the source of the foods we eat. (Check it out! http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/) My class required I read a few sections. I read the whole thing! I found it so intriguing, I just wanted to learn more! And I wanted to try some things on my own.

    So I started my own garden. With some help from my boyfriend and his mother (who have a very large garden of their own) I dug up a patch of my backyard, prepped it for planting, planted seeds and started plants, and nurtured them into beautiful (and delicious!) full-grown veggies. It was a learning experience in many ways (I once nurtured a beautiful patch of grass thinking it was onions... I'll never live that one down) but it was very successful and I loved every moment of it!
    I love throwing on a pair of ripped jeans and boots to work in. I love the sound of shovel cutting grass and dirt. I love getting my hands right in the thick of it and getting a little dirt under my nails. I love the smell of the soil, fertilizer, and tomato plants. I love the smell of tomato plants. The whole process is very therapeutic and a good escape from my stress-filled life. Its all so satisfying too. To see all the work you put into a garden given back to you in the form of delicious home-grown vegetables is a truly gratifying experience.
    Therefore, with my blog, I'll share my garden experiences with you! I've gotten started on this summer's garden, but I'll leave that to my next post. Check back soon!