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This past spring, on such a sojourn, I picked up a copy of The Kansas City Gardener, a locally published monthly garden guide, and was inspired by an article about donating homegrown produce to local food pantries. The article's content merely suggested planting an extra row, let's say green beans for example, and donating that row's harvest. Before I could finish the article, my green thumb started estimating the greatest amount of yield from the least number of plants. It's not that I don't have a nice sized garden, I do. However, I choose to garden in raised beds which comes with some limitations.
Money saving tip: If your green thumb overrules your conscious ability to reason---buy bulk seed. The three extra rows of green beans I planted from bulk seed cost me the same as one regularly priced seed package from a seed kiosk at the big chain stores.
Green tip: Plant a producer. I have a penchant for Roma Italian green beans because I can grow double the yield of regular green beans, they grow twice as large without becoming tough, and if properly refrigerated after picking, Romas have a longer lasting shelf life.
Before I planted the first seed, I asked for God's blessing. If I were to reap the amount of food on the scale I was imagining, I was going to need some extra help! After an extremely cold start (we were still in the 40's at night well into May) the vegetable garden began to flourish.
By season's end, even I was amazed at what one gardener could accomplish. I was able to make weekly donations for eleven consecutive weeks.
I thought it would be interesting to track the number of vegetables donated to the food pantry. Here are the totals:
4 gallons bags of carrots
10 zucchini (the squash bugs wreaked their usual havoc on my plants)
13 1/2 gallon bags of basil
15 gallon bags of Roma Italian green beans
18 green peppers
19 kohlrabi
19 cabbages
20 gallons bags of spinach
21 yellow crook neck squash
44 eggplants
86 cucumbers
and last but not least . . .
1,372 beautiful pink girl tomatoes!!!
Due to the economic crisis, food pantries and food banks are being stretched to their limits. Many have been forced to close from a severe decrease in donations and an overwhelming increase in recipients. I found, in speaking to food pantry managers, its a rarity when they receive fresh produce donations. From one gardener to another, I think we can change that.
I haven't pulled out my graph paper to start plotting my 2009 garden---yet! But, I'll readily admit I've bought most of the seed.
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteDid you get the Estimator to count the tomatoes??? :-) And, How can you tell they are Girl tomatoes?
Your Garden is amazing, That is quite a bountiful harvest. I heard a preacher say one time, "if you pray for a good harvest you better say Amen with a Hoe in your hand!!"
Looks great!
Mike
Hey, Dave's-good-looking-friend-from-work,
ReplyDeleteI counted the tomatoes all myself because everyone knows estimators don't have to be exact---they just have to be close!:-} As for your gender question, it's really quite simple. You keep the girls and pitch the boys because those are the ones that are rotten.
Loved your preacher quote!!! Here's another one you've probably heard, "Be careful what you pray for, you might just get it!"
Thanks for your humor and your nice comments!!!
Jenn
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteLOL I love it! I'll tell my Father In Law that one.
Do you have any knowlege of "square foot gardning"? http://www.squarefootgardening.com/
We were thinking of trying to put something up this next year. However we are on a standard size lot... not alot of room.
Mike
Mike,
ReplyDeleteLots of people garden in that fashion. I'd like to give you a fuller explanation of my thoughts if you'd care to hear them. Have Dave give you my email address.
Jenn