Throwing a handful of seeds into a patch of dirt and seeing what grows in my garden over the summer is just some of the adventures in letting the kids plant along side me. The other adventure is not letting the foods that grow from theses plants go to waste.
No one likes to pick a rotten tomato off the vine, better yet no one likes to pick up vegetables that have dropped to the ground where bugs have begun to devour the deteriorated meat, but my kids have had many experiences where they have had to do just that "pick up the garden" instead of picking fresh vegetables off the vine for our lack of use, it's tragic, and no fun, so last year we set new rules. We only plant what we really like, no more surprise foods, and what we don't have time to consume we share with neighbors or we prepare them in such a way that we can enjoy them in the winter months.
When was the last time you planted something and watched it grow, better yet, when is the last time you bit into a fresh garden grown vegetable? If your answer is, "What's the big deal, store bought, garden they all taste the same", then you have not had the pleasure of eating fresh from the garden in a long time because there is a huge difference not only in taste but in nutritional value.
You don't have to carve a lot of time to make something grow; take a couple of hours to get the pots, soil, and plants you want to grow, put them together, and with a little watering each day and some sunshine you should have produce within 30 to 60 days depending on what you planted, (herbs will produce much faster than that). If you have a partner, or children, recruit them, get them excited about the process and together enjoy the benefits.
Pumpkin is one of our family's favorite summer plants, not just because they are fun to watch grow but also for the yummy deserts and soups you can make with them. There are many varieties out there, and really you can cook any pumpkin to eat but the smaller the pumpkins are the sweeter, so we typically plant a large variety to make jack-o-lanterns and collect the seeds, and a smaller variety for pies, puddings, and cookies. The seeds as I mentioned we collect to make snacks with, the seeds are full of nutrients and taste great when toasted with butter and or cinnamon.
Another summer favorite is making smoothies; you could put vegetables in a juicer and make some of the most healthy, delicious, refreshing smoothies in your very own kitchen. Here are some ideas: For cool and refreshing smoothies add cucumbers, kale, or spinach, celery and green apples. To make a fruit smoothie just add watermelon, and or honey doo (no rind) into a juicer. For a perfect afternoon energizer take carrots, beets with leaves and stem, celery, cucumber, and lemon, blend and ahhh.
These are just a few of the many things you can do with your garden vegetables, and as I continue to add more plants year after year not only am I making more salsas and dehydrating but I'm creating more healthy options by making my own spices from ground plants and adding seeds to our granola mix. I hope you will take the time relax, dive into your garden, and throw adventure into the winds of summer.
No one likes to pick a rotten tomato off the vine, better yet no one likes to pick up vegetables that have dropped to the ground where bugs have begun to devour the deteriorated meat, but my kids have had many experiences where they have had to do just that "pick up the garden" instead of picking fresh vegetables off the vine for our lack of use, it's tragic, and no fun, so last year we set new rules. We only plant what we really like, no more surprise foods, and what we don't have time to consume we share with neighbors or we prepare them in such a way that we can enjoy them in the winter months.
When was the last time you planted something and watched it grow, better yet, when is the last time you bit into a fresh garden grown vegetable? If your answer is, "What's the big deal, store bought, garden they all taste the same", then you have not had the pleasure of eating fresh from the garden in a long time because there is a huge difference not only in taste but in nutritional value.
You don't have to carve a lot of time to make something grow; take a couple of hours to get the pots, soil, and plants you want to grow, put them together, and with a little watering each day and some sunshine you should have produce within 30 to 60 days depending on what you planted, (herbs will produce much faster than that). If you have a partner, or children, recruit them, get them excited about the process and together enjoy the benefits.
Pumpkin is one of our family's favorite summer plants, not just because they are fun to watch grow but also for the yummy deserts and soups you can make with them. There are many varieties out there, and really you can cook any pumpkin to eat but the smaller the pumpkins are the sweeter, so we typically plant a large variety to make jack-o-lanterns and collect the seeds, and a smaller variety for pies, puddings, and cookies. The seeds as I mentioned we collect to make snacks with, the seeds are full of nutrients and taste great when toasted with butter and or cinnamon.
Another summer favorite is making smoothies; you could put vegetables in a juicer and make some of the most healthy, delicious, refreshing smoothies in your very own kitchen. Here are some ideas: For cool and refreshing smoothies add cucumbers, kale, or spinach, celery and green apples. To make a fruit smoothie just add watermelon, and or honey doo (no rind) into a juicer. For a perfect afternoon energizer take carrots, beets with leaves and stem, celery, cucumber, and lemon, blend and ahhh.
These are just a few of the many things you can do with your garden vegetables, and as I continue to add more plants year after year not only am I making more salsas and dehydrating but I'm creating more healthy options by making my own spices from ground plants and adding seeds to our granola mix. I hope you will take the time relax, dive into your garden, and throw adventure into the winds of summer.
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