There’s nothing like picking fresh vegetables from your very own garden. I have been planting a garden with my 3 boys for the past 6 years. I love watching how excited they get as the plants grow. Our garden has always been in the front of our house-the only spot that gets a few hours of decent sunlight. Thankfully, I’m not living in Oak Park, Michigan where planting a vegetable garden in your front yard is apparently a crime.
This year my garden didn’t happen. As much as my kids and my husband begged me to get some plants in the ground, I didn’t get my act together. Even though there’s no dedicated garden space on our front lawn, I still want my children to have a sense of where their food comes from. Fortunately, there are other ways to connect with your local, seasonal food.
If you didn’t get to a garden this year here are a few alternatives that will allow you to enjoy local, summer produce.
- Plant organic potted tomatoes. This is about as easy as it gets for gardening. Tomatoes
are very hardy plants that don’t need a lot of TLC. Our potted tomato plants started from organic seedlings purchased at our local nursery.
- Join a CSA. Community-Supported or Community-Shared Agriculture (CSA) is also known as “subscription farming.” You buy a subscription from a local farmer and you receive a “share” of fresh, locally grown or raised fruit and/or vegetables. Some farmers also offer CSA subscriptions for farm-fresh eggs, and/or meats. If the farm is close by you can pick up your share at the farm. Most often the CSA sets up convenient pick-up locations in and around the area you live. Our CSA is not close – we are very fortunate to have a neighbor who organized a pick-up location at her house. Each week we receive a box filled with delicious, fresh, local produce. If you would like to find a local CSA in your neck of the woods take a look at LocalHarvest.
- Visit your local farmer’s market. If you are looking for fresh produce and other local products, your local farmer’s market is the perfect spot. If you would like to find a local farmer’s market in your area check with LocalHarvest.
- Micaela from Mindful Momma just tested out a box of organic fruit from FruitShare-seasonal fruit delivered to your doorstep. The company’s mission is to connect organic family farms to consumers who want great tasting, in season, pesticide free fruit. I haven’t tried this one yet, but there’s nothing like seasonal, organic fruit.
- Whatever form of “gardening” you choose, make sure to involve your children. Healthy Child Healthy world has a great list of tips for organic gardening with children.
Favorite recipe: Joel’s roasted tomatoes (My husband is quite the chef and makes this recipe all the time)
Ingredients
4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1 garlic peeped and in cloves
About 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
- Preheat an oven to 450 degrees.
- Place the tomatoes and garlic into a casserole dish and mix in olive oil so that tomatoes and garlic are evenly coated.
- Bake the grape tomatoes in the preheated oven until the skins pop and start to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Where do your summer vegetables come from? Do you garden?
[Top photo used under Creative Commons from net efket/Flickr]
[Tomato photo used under Creative Commons from Bri Lehman/Flickr]
I just built garden boxes and want to start planting stuff. I am a beginner. Is it too late to plant even if I am in the San Diego climate? Oh no. I hope I am not too late. 🙂
Dont feel too bad mama – my garden looks super sad right now. Wish I had a greener thumb. Ugh!
Misery loves company Lynn! Thanks for letting me know your garden is in sad shape too. My thumb is looking pretty brown these days.
I don’t think it’s too late Meg. I just found this planting guide for you for San Diego: http://www.mastergardenerssandiego.org/Vegetable%20Planting%20Guide1.pdf. Hope that helps!
Haha, if your husband and boys begged you to plant a garden and you didn’t get around to it, why didn’t they do it themselves? 🙂
The indoor garden I wanted on my enclosed balcony didn’t happen. Mea culpa. I was too busy and didn’t make a real plan in the winter. There’s always next year! Meanwhile, this is my second year as a shareholder with a CSA, and I’m loving it. This week’s cucumbers were the sweetest I’ve ever tasted.
Good point Andrea-why didn’t I think of that? There’s always next year for that too! There were about 5 cucumbers in our CSA this week. I haven’t had a chance to try them yet-now I can’t wait.
Just love to be able to walk out to the garden and pick fresh fruit and veggies, finding the time to plant is sometimes hard though.
I agree Debbie. Finding the time can be a challenge. The reward is so worth it!