Garden contentment....this is one of the reasons we grow...isn't it?

[Beekissed]

Just writing to find out how many of you feel that feeling....you know the one. When the garden is full up, everything that CAN be planted IS planted and growing. When you stroll through in the morning and sucker tomatoes, pick off potatoe bug larvae and eggs, train a vine, etc. Don't you feel that warm, proprietary feeling of, "this is mine and I helped create it and nurture it....and it is GOOD!" Some of the anxiety of "will it survive?" or " is it going to come up?" is lessening because you've reached that philosophical stage of "well, if it hasn't made it by now, its too late to fix it!".

THAT'S where I am now in my gardening stage....the contentment stage. That's right before the "Oh, my goodness,how am I going to put up all these tomatoes, beans, squash, etc.?"-stage!!!

Another month and I should be able to free range the chickens again without too much major damage to garden plants. The dogs have already broken off several stalks of corn and a few pepper plants. Some losses I can expect and shrug my shoulders at....at least the groundhogs, deer and rabbits are not eating everything!

We are getting a lot of rain right now, but not too much, like some folks. Just enough sunshine to rain, just a little cool for this time of year, but I like it. The garden will pop soon when the warm weather sets in. This is good choring weather..not too hot to work out all day.

What stage are you all in with your gardens? Does anyone else even feel this way about their garden, or am I just a little nuts? :dance

I also start comparing other's gardens to my own in my area about this time of year. Is their's doing better or worse, if so, why? Feeling smug if mine is better, feeling a little embarassed if it isn't. Anyone else a little competitive when it comes to gardening?

 

[GardenGirl]

I must say that I agree with you. I love getting up early each morning and spending an hour weeding, training the pea plants and tying up the tomatoes after feeding and taking care of our chickies. Something about the early morning sun and the general quietness of the morning. My 2 year old is still asleep and I know no plants will be run over by a small wheel barrel or pulled out by his idea of weeding. It is a wonderful thing to look at what is growing, flowering, and prospering. Definitely good stuff that many people in the hustle and bustle of life miss out on if they don't garden. To be able to say that you support yourself, even just a little, in this day and age is something to take pride in.

 

[Rosalind]

I'm in the "aaaaaahh, my first (fill in the blank) of the season" stage right now.

Yesterday I got the first sugar snap pea and the first strawberry. Before that I had the first lettuce, first spinach, the first asparagus and the first dandelion. OK, the dandelion wasn't on purpose, but still.

There are teeny-tiny green tomatoes on the vines. Baby swiss chard leaves. Squash leaves that are just starting to show flower buds. Corn sprouts are knee-high.

I kinda hate the weeding side of it, actually.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I often wonder if I'm the only one feeling that sense of well-being while strolling in the garden. Of driving up to my house and admiring the neat rows and greenery just beginning to show the promise of fruit. I think its true that one is closest to God when one is in a garden.

 

[simple life]

I LOVE the feeling of accomplishment and contenment I get when I stroll around the yard and through the garden.
I head out to the garden every morning with my cup of tea to do my walk through. I admire what is growing, maybe pull out a couple of weeds and make mental notes on what I want to do for next year.
My 5 year old son has taken to doing the stroll through as well and check up on the progress of the fruits of our labor. He loves to garden and is surprisingly knowledgeable for his age about all things gardening.
He asks alot of questions and throws out his ideas.
He actually plants everything along side me and does his fair share of weeding and actually knows the difference between a weed, blade of grass or a carrot sprout in the garden so I don't have to hover over him while he weeds.(I can't say the same for my husband though).Sometimes I look out of the window and see him checking things out and pulling up some weeds.So he is helpful and its nice to share it with one of my kids.
It is a great feeling though to know that you are able to do something so productive and to feed your family with food so pure.
I get alot of satisfaction out of the flower gardens and landscaping as well, but you can't feed your family an arborvite. so its a little different.

 

[adeledamate]

I never felt so good as I did when I brought in my first harvest. How wonderful to feel that I did this all by myself, with help from my 5 year old, and it's all completely organic. I just love being in my garden. I'm happy to have found a website with others that share the same sentiments.

 

[theOEGBman]

I've gotten to that stage as well. I was training a few bean plants today, tied up tomatoes and got 5 squash today off of my plants. Its going great, Im loving it.

 

[Tutter]

I actually am not done completely, but close.

For me, there are only a few things which cause that feeling (Aside from animals/people or one's home.) They are:

Gardens.
Sunrises and Sunsets.
And Water. (Lake, waterfall, etc.)

(I'm sure I'm forgetting something.)

But one's garden has something extra special, which has already been expressed here. And that is the fruit of one's labor....whether it's fruiting yet, or not, and knowing that you are providing for yourself and family.

I find sitting in the garden as relaxing as watching the chickens, fish, or looking over the water. I can listen to the lazy noise of summer insects, and inhale the warm plant smells all day long. Very heady, very relaxing.

Yep, I'm pretty darn content!

 

[Beekissed]

Simple Life, so funny that your 5 yr. old does the "garden walk" on his own! My youngest did that too....loved to find suckers on tomatoes!

My tomatoes need tying up badly, they are thigh high and above, with small tomatoes growing. It was shakey there for awhile, as the weather was cool and damp. Still is, for that matter, but a few warm days helped everything grow. I can feel the garden waiting....holding its breath. When the temps go above 80 consistently, the garden will explode into a jungle and I'll be wondering what I was worried about! Have several small str. neck squash growing right now....it won't be long.

That period when the garden seems to be holding its breath...that it my contentment time. Right after "is it going to make it" and right before " AAAAHHHHH, when am I going to find time to get in there and pick those beans!"

BTW, the neighbors potatoes were planted before mine but mine are the same size and blooming as much as their's are.....having that smug feeling.....just a little.

 

[smom1976]

yes I love that garden feeling.. my mornings are my chickens.. I go out there and they come running to the door of the pen ... of course they want out but not yet.. I put their food in their dish and sit with them.. they come and jump up on me and just give me the ol' good morning..

Then I have a cup of coffee and blog away...

now night.. or just before dusk.. I let the chickens out to roam around 4 and then I go and look at every garden bed pluck out some weeds give some water.. just enjoy the heat has backed down some so it isnt as hot the chickens run around eating and chasing each other.. the kids are in the pool splashing around.. It is just a wonderfull time..

I am a morning person too...

I just love my yard!

although I want a farm.. but my yard will do for now.