As the first few mornings of a little nip in the air arrive, our growers are already looking ahead to the next season of planting.

After the past couple of difficult growing years, this season has brought a renewed sense of hope. With better harvests and a little more confidence in the garden, many of our growers are carrying that momentum into the fall and planning to try something new: fall planting.

 

 

 

 

Through our Garden Program, we provided October Bean seeds, giving our growers one more crop to add to their gardens. But the excitement didn’t stop there. During our recent “Extending the Growing Season” class, we talked about crops that can thrive in our growing zone well into the cooler months. Several growers are now starting seeds and making plans to experiment with crops such as lettuce, onions, broccoli, beets, and carrots.

Many of our growers now have small greenhouses of their own, and some have already started seeds in preparation for fall planting. These little greenhouses are opening up new possibilities—allowing families to get a head start on seedlings, protect plants from the changing weather, and hopefully enjoy fresh produce for a little longer.

It will be exciting to watch and see how these fall crops do. More than anything, though, it is hard not to be encouraged by the enthusiasm of our growers. There is something beautiful about watching people who have experienced disappointment in the garden choose to plant again—with hope for what is to come.

And honestly, when I first became the coordinator of the Garden Program here at St. Vincent Mission, I never imagined that I would find myself brainstorming ways to keep crows out of someone’s corn or discussing how far apart onion bulbs should be planted to produce the best onions!

But that is one of the unexpected joys of this program. We are learning together, trying new things, sharing ideas, and celebrating both the big harvests and the small victories.

There is something special about planting a seed and believing it will grow.