How Does Our Garden Grow?

Despite our best efforts to dig up sproutlets and drive the Jeep through the beds, our garden is thriving.

Raised beds and proximity to the kitchen door are the keys here. We tried the whole tilling and weeding thing, but most of the time I couldn't tell what was a weed and what was a seedling. Plus, if we did actually have something to harvest, it was too inconvenient to go trudging out back to grab a bell pepper or a bunch of cilantro.

Last year we had a bumper crop of tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeños, and lots of different herbs, so we're sticking with the same formula this year. Our new challenge is going to be drying herbs for later use and canning fruits and veggies.

Also, we are trying to learn more about keeping rabbits, birds, and other critters from getting to our food before we do. We haven't done anything so far, so I think we'll probably just lock the kids outside and hope their wailing will scare any pests away.

The mark of a true gardener: dirt up the nose.