Kitchen garden tour. TOUR DAY!! 9-3. Bring it!! I am ready.

[digitS']

So I said yes.

Every year the library has a "theme" tour. This year it is Kitchen Gardens. They want recipes to put in a book, educational fliers on how I do things and most of all they want people to learn something new at each garden site. There is a whole committee to help with every aspect of making the tour a success. So I have to figure out what I want people to learn from me and what recipes I want to share.

HELP!!!

See it is you all that have inspired me every year, and Mother Earth News. I might need you all to hold my hand when I get flustered.

Well, Mother Earth News may help hold your hand also, Damummis. I wonder if a primer for kitchen gardening would be of help. Not for you but maybe as a handout for your guests . . . or something.

This is was what I was reading just yesterday: Easy Kitchen Garden, Step by Step. I read thru it all and realized that there wasn't one thing that I felt was "unhelpful" and that wouldn't make kitchen gardening easier.

I did get to the end of the article and wondered what "Key Dates in American Kitchen Garden History" was doing in the article. Still, those may be helpful too. In fact, the resources that are behind those "milestones," and accessible thru the internet and the library, might be the additional takeaway from a local tour of kitchen gardens.

Steve

 

[damummis]

I like that idea.

I am here thinking about the history of my gardens. Where do I start.
My Bio??? This is not easy.

It all started when I was very young. It was something I could do and spend time with my Nana. Being in the garden makes me feel close to my ancestors. Not to mention I like bugs. Weird kid.............

 

[vfem]

I would really stick with a bunch on the chickens...and definitely share some yummy egg recipes that include garden veggies! Like quiche!

I think you will do well.... you still have plenty of time.

 

[rebbetzin]

That is a great idea!! And you have a very lovely garden!!

 

[damummis]

How is this for a garden bio?

After moving in, in 2001, before we could make any gardens we had to remove 10, 14 yard dumpsters of trash and debris. The garden project started in 2002 with a small 8x8 plot. As soon as we broke ground we knew there were going to be challenges. Ledge, clay, water, rope, lobster pot pieces and the old asphalt pieces from the Southport bridge walkway. Growing up in Connecticut, I knew of the New England soil, but this was a whole new ball game. We started with double digging. The garden did OK. The following year we dug a lot of the soil out and used it for fill in other areas. To the garden we added compost, manure and loam. It did better. The year after that the garden doubled in size. Again amending as we went. It stayed that size for a couple years while we worked on the house and rest of the yard. In 2007 we made the front garden to what it is now. With drainage incorporated into the walks and permanent beds. In 2009 we added the back gardens and 2010 the side gardens. 2010 also brought expansion when we acquired the lot next to us for future gardens and/or pasture. We are bordered in the back by Pine Tree Conservation land, peat bogs and tons of wild blueberries.

Our goal it to provide our own food. With the addition of chickens we can have 100% home grown, organic meals. We know where our food is coming from, our own hard work. Ultimately we would like to be self sustaining.

 

[thistlebloom]

I think that sounds great damummis, what a lot of hard labor you have put into your garden! Our food tastes so much better when it's seasoned by the loving sweat of our own brow, don't you think?

 

[vfem]

I think that is WONDERFUL! Perfect! I like the fact you made people understand it didn't happen overnight.

I also didn't realize you were in Connecticut... I grew up there and that is where I learned to garden from my grandmother. That soil was a lot of work, and my mother never had it in her to do all that and keep up with it. So we enjoyed my grandparents garden that sat on 1/2 an acre in East Hartford. My mother tried an 8x8 plot when we were in Manchester, but it was over run with weeds in a few short weeks, and we never spoke of it again!

 

[damummis]

I think that is WONDERFUL! Perfect! I like the fact you made people understand it didn't happen overnight.

I also didn't realize you were in Connecticut... I grew up there and that is where I learned to garden from my grandmother. That soil was a lot of work, and my mother never had it in her to do all that and keep up with it. So we enjoyed my grandparents garden that sat on 1/2 an acre in East Hartford. My mother tried an 8x8 plot when we were in Manchester, but it was over run with weeds in a few short weeks, and we never spoke of it again!

I learned most of my gardening tricks from Nana in Mystic.

 

[vfem]

There is a whole new set of rules to gardening in the southern clay... so started fresh here.

I think your garden tour will go perfectly! Don't forget your chickens.

 

[lesa]

Sounds great! I love thistles statement about seasoning our food with sweat from our brows...maybe you can borrow it!! People are going to be thrilled to see your piece of paradise!