Well it’s officially COLD here in Wheeling. I’ve had to dig out my winter hat and gloves to be outside, my tomato plants have been transferred to the compost pile, and rumor has it that snow was spotted this week. I suspect that our gardeners, like me, will be pulling out their warm weather crops and prepping the beds for winter in the coming days, if they haven’t already.

As I think back on the season, I’m amazed by how much food our group produced– several thousand pounds so far! It’s almost hard to believe that for many of our gardeners, just a few months ago they were looking at a bare patch of lawn or an empty porch. Together we planned and planted, cooked and canned, built fences and relationships. 

For some, this was a completely new experience, and for others they were carrying on the tradition of their family for generations. Everyone faced some adversity, whether it was insects, varmints, disease, or their own busy lives that kept them from spending time in the garden. A few people didn’t think they’d even be able to get anything planted, let alone growing, but they did. Our gardeners told a story of resilience this season and their efforts paid off. As winter seems to roll in early this year, I think we’ve all earned a few months to rest and replenish before doing it all again next year.