We picked and ate green bean and tomatoes all through the beginning of October. They were so good. Made better by knowing that they wouldn’t be there much longer. This past Saturday the killing frost came. Now all the tender plants are black skeletons for Halloween. Marcelle has started building a half tunnel up against the south side of her house. I think that I might like to try that for next year. Hers looked pretty elegant, made out of sections of plastic pipe.
There is still some lettuce and greens out there, and a handful of sugar snaps. I will get the sugar snaps this weekend. I wonder how long the lettuce and unprotected greens will last.
My real questions started coming to mind. Will people really be able to change their mindsets? The food we produced was wonderful, but it was work. Can’t watch DVD movies and work the garden at the same time. Some people would rather pay money for the picture perfect produce at the grocery than work in the garden. I wonder what will it take to change that mindset. Do they know that the chemicals that were used to make that produce picture perfect with no blemishes are still there. Sure, they can wash the outside, but inside each plant cell is a huge vacuole. As the plant grows it picks up those chemicals and packs them away in the vacuole. That is the plant equivalent of an excretory system. So no matter how much you wash that apple, the plant still will have pesticides and other junk inside it. (Of course, that doesn’t come close to the amount that is in the air we breathe and the water supply).
Here in Big Ugly we are 12 miles from the nearest small grocery/convenience store and 17 miles from a medium grocery. Gas is expensive and many people in the community don’t have reliable transportation. Most people think that I am joking when I say it is quicker to bake a loaf of bread than to get in the car and go buy some. I can throw the ingredients in the bread maker in less time than it takes to find the truck key and purse and get the vehicle started. The bread machine doesn’t take much more time to finish the bread than I take driving to the store, parking, walking around the store, checking out, loading up and driving home. Lot less hassle, too.
Last weekend, I had to go to the grocery. What a drag. The food was expensive and not all that great. Wish I could have just walked out the door and picked some. Not everyone feels this way, but I do. Anyway, that is my mindset.
by
daphne gooding
I enjoyed this post. My constant struggle each year is how to recruit families that have never had a garden before. How do I convince people that the work is worth it? It is completely worth it to me and I find it more convenient than driving all the way to town, but it is hard to explain that to those who are unconvinced.
I really enjoyed your musings! Thanks and happy Fall and winter.
I too wonder what it will take to change people’s minds but then remember it is not up to me. My job is to make the resources available and as attractive as possible. Maybe 2014 will be the perfect weather year and everyone will absolutely love being in the garden. I am afraid we as a culture have become willing to settle for less-less flavor, less nutrition, less work. Thanks for sharing.