Ripe for the picking

I HAVE faithfully planted a garden for years and waited to enjoy the fruits of my labor only to watch the rows being slimed by armies of slugs, invaded by rabbits and stomped on and chewed up by the deer. Yes, wildlife is beautiful but not so endearing when it is destroying your garden. But things are different this year. This year our garden has had a bumper crop. We’ve been amazed as we have watched the soil turn from dirt to green rows to massive foliage. The secret to this year’s bounty was new garden boxes filled with nutrient rich soil, great weather, along with a dog that chased away the deer and rabbits that consumed our harvest in years gone by.

Usually getting my kids to eat veggies can be a bit of a challenge. That is unless we grow those veggies in our garden. Because this year’s garden is brimming with goodness, my kids seem more excited about picking and pulling up treats from our garden than they are about selecting sweets in a candy shop. I couldn’t be happier. There is something about pulling up your own carrot, dusting off the soil and chomping it down like a rabbit. There is nothing like the crunch of a bright radish, picking your green beans and eating them raw, tossing a salad with freshly picked lettuce or biting into cherry tomatoes and experiencing that flavor explosion in your mouth. Ohhh just talking about it is making my mouth water.

I had visions of canning and preserving the garden harvest but my kids are eating it up before I even have the chance. And I’m not complaining…I mean, who doesn’t want their kids to eat more veggies!  Chomp away children!!!!