New England Gardener

My absence from the blog for the last month pretty much reflects my life as a gardener. I’m wildly enthusiastic in May and June, celebrating every shoot and pod. By July and August, my enthusiasm gives way to methodical labor; weed-water-harvest-replant. By September and October, I’m down to a few quick harvesting missions.
So when my son asked if I was sad to say goodbye to the garden today, I said no without a second thought. I’m a four season girl and it’s time to put the garden to bed.
Sure, I’m jealous of the warm weather folk when I visit my Florida in-laws in March. (I swear I can smell the soil over the jet fuel when I get off the plane in West Palm Beach.) But year round gardening would become a chore for me.
And so on this chilly October Sunday, we ripped out the brown shriveled basil, lamented, briefly, the third crop of beans that never produced, untangled the squash vines, and left the last two brussel sprouts that should produce a few more few side dishes.

And Just as we did back in early May, my husband, son and I shoveled manure from a nearby horse farm onto the raised bed. The difference now is that my almost 4 year old has become a farmer. Without questions or whining, Zach went to the shed, grabbed his wheelbarrow and shovel, attacked the compost pile, only asking for direction once with a jaunty “where do you want it, Mommy?”
Now I can’t say for sure that it’s a summer’s worth of fresh organic vegetables that made the difference, more likely the passage of time, but it was a pleasure watching him grow along with the Just Add Water garden over the last six months.
I look forward to gardening with all of you again next spring!