In Our Garden

The last time we started a garden was in California almost exactly a year ago. As soon as Luke built trellises for the pole beans and sugar snap peas, and seeds were planted in the ground, the Lord decided it was time to sell our house and move to North Carolina. North Carolina! How did we end up in Tennessee? It's a long story that deserves an explanation on another day.

To make a long story short, our Real Estate agent took one look at our house and said "The garden needs to go!" So, out came the garden and in came the sod. We had planted many pumpkin plants from seeds in the front yard and left those in to maintain a little ambiance to the front of our country cottage. The day our house went on the market, buyers and looky-lous were greeted by beautiful flowers and large pumpkin plants adorned with green-orange pumpkins. Our house sold immediately. As soon as escrow closed, the pumpkin patch died back leaving a crop of bright orange pumpkins for the new owners to harvest. Cassaundra picked one for us to take on our lengthy trip across the country. That pumkin was a reminder to us for months ahead of how the Lord provided during a time that seemed so uncertain for our family.

Fast forward to a year later and here we are in Tennessee starting another garden, hoping the Lord will bless the fruits of our labor. The girls and I are determined to learn how to can fruits and vegetables this summer so we have started 45 tomato plants indoors for this task. From the looks of it, I don't think all 45 will make it. We will see. Planting seeds is our job but causing them to grow will be the Lord's. Our hearts will be thankful for whatever He gives us, even if it's one sugar snap pea! Let's wait and see what the Lord has in store for the harvest.

Okay ladies, pick up your tools and start working!

Cassaundra, me and Brittany ready for action.

Because our soil contains lots of clay and rock, we brought in clean topsoil to put in the 4' by 8' boxes Luke built for most of our vegetables.

I know my Tennessee friends are just rolling their eyes by now thinking "what will a little clay and a few rocks hurt?!"

My answer? "I don't know, I just don't like them". (smiling)

Brittany planting onions, lettuce, garlic and spinach.

Our Popeye crop!

Brittany spreading aged horse manure on the area Steve and Luke tilled for our corn crop.

Planting pumpkins, watermelon, zucchini... around the perimeter of the corn will hopefully keep unwanted ring-tailed critters out. We'll let you know how that works out in the end.

By the way, do we have raccoons here in Middle Tennessee? I haven't seen any yet.

Steve (my hubby) tilling an area for the potato crop.

By the way, because I'm inexperienced with growing potatoes, I ordered too many potato seeds so we will have potatoes coming out of our ears. Thankfully, I ordered ones that store really well.

Steve giving Luke quick tilling lessons on our corn field. Well, it's more like a corn patch than a corn field.

We are planting organic heirloom "Country Gentleman" corn seeds.

I hope they grow!

Luke trying to finish tilling before the rain starts.

Stay tuned for progress on the Smith garden!

~ Christa ~