By: Joseph Jorgenson
Throughout my life my family has always grown and tended to our family garden. Everyone in the family has always helped out and it is a activity we all enjoy doing. We grow tomatoes, basil, cilantro, red/green peppers, and many different kinds of flowers. My mom would always go pick vegetables from the garden and make a fresh salad or other delicious dishes with the freshest ingredients.
Our family’s garden means so much to our us and is so special to the family. Weather its enjoying a meal directly from Garden or spending Sunday’s planting or picking in the garden. Some of my best memories include picking fresh vegetables, after weeding and tending to the plants , and making a lunch made right from the garden.
Recipes from the garden:
https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/recipes/caprese-salad-on-a-stick-recipe
- Caprese sticks
- Fresh tomato sauce
- Roasted butternut squash
- Egg plant-parm
- Fresh salsa
- zucchini bread
- Lavender tea
Family Garden effect on the community and neighborhood:
As we’ve ready many books in class we see a general theme in gardening. That is the sense of community and friendships it brings to everyone around out. My neighbors would come over and help plant vegetables and even take some flowers home. We would share everything we reaped from the garden and the neighbors would do the same. This sense of community built by the garden really strengthened and built a positive relationship Throughout the neighborhood. I believe every community should have a public garden where everyone can enjoy the beauty of it.
Effective planting strategies we use in the garden:
Some planting strategies we use in the garden is planting bright pollinating flowers right next to the vegetables. Another effective strategy we use is using fertilizer rich mulch on the flower beds to help them grow and retain as much water as they can. Having these certain flowers next to the vegetables for many reasons. Primarily it increases pollination from one bed to another, but also deters unwanted insects from the vegetables as well. In the future we are going to look to build raised beds to better protect the flowers and hold more water for them.
Wrap up:
My family’s garden provides much for than just a place to get vegetables or a pretty sight to look at as you walk by. Although it does provide those things, it also provides a sense of community and a sense of friendship that is carried on with every weed pulled and every delicious vegetable plucked. I believe everyone should start a garden to enjoy the multiple benefits and different ways it helps you and your community!