You can take the girl out of the farm...

...but you can't take the farm out of the girl. That's what my dad told me when I told him about my new plan. I think he's right.

One thing I miss most about living 'on the farm' (even though I never actually lived on a farm), is the fresh, home-grown, readily-available food. Namely, the vegetables. In my grandma's garden there was a summer's worth of sweet corn and watermelon, and in the fall you had your pick of Grandpa's pumpkins. In my mom's garden was a plethora of strawberries, tomatoes, and green peppers... and nothing was better than fresh green beans. When I was little, the strawberries and green beans made it into our bellies before they even made it in the house.  Now I pay $3 for a quart of strawberries, $1 for a single green pepper, and $2 a pound for tomatoes. They might be bigger and prettier, but they don't taste as nearly good. Especially the sweet corn.

Last summer I attempted to grow a few things in pots on my apartment balcony, but it was a complete flop. A balcony just isn't conducive to growing anything substantial. So this year I asked around, and I have found a home for my garden! The house Mike lives in has a great backyard that little old Bea used to care for diligently, but the currently 27-year-old male landlord couldn't care less about Bea's garden. So I asked him if I could 'borrow' his backyard for the summer. Graciously, he offered it up. Thanks Matt!

Here's what I'm working with:

 I don't know how big the area is -- maybe 10'x20'. Full sunlight over most of it.

Oh, and found a football and a golf ball in there. That's what the boys grow in the garden.









Little Old Bea had lined the east and west sides of the yard, along the fence, with 3-foot-wide gardens the length of the fences. Now it's dirt, leaves, and an occasional surviving perennial popping up. Might look great with hostas??








She lined the south tree-line with another 3-foot-wide garden. Not much there now.









I've spent a few hours raking leaves in the garden area and digging up random stumps and roots that have consumed the garden over five years of neglect. Saturday is tilling day... then the planting will begin! Tomatoes, green peppers, onions, carrots.... I don't know how successful my first garden will be, but I'm excited to give it a try.

Fresh veggies, here I come!!