Exploring Summer Gardens: From Farms to Markets and Your Own Backyard

• Passion of Farm Exploration

Yay, summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the beautiful flowers and vegetables in the garden! Just what do you like to explore? Do you like to visit farmer’s markets, roadside vendors, neighborhood produce markets, or friends and family with gardens? More importantly, to seek and explore goods raised from your own garden. Wherever you go it is amazing when you get to taste the bounty that you know was produced from the earth on local soil. Have you noticed that tomatoes don’t taste the same in the stores!

• Memorable Moments on the Farm

I grew up on a farm and have grown to appreciate that most of our food was raised there. As a farmer’s daughter I wondered why we had to do all that work when what we needed or wanted, had just been bought from the store. Being an adult with children of my own, I cherish every moment of that preparation. How many of you grew up on a farm or spent time with your grandparents or other family members that introduced the opportunity to get your hands dirty in the soil cultivating it to develop the plants and or seed for your harvest? How did it feel to grow your first plant, even weeding or picking the unwanted worms or bugs from them; memorable moments, right?

• Pickle Making

When I think about all that was learned, I actually received my first work ethic opportunities with delivery of hard work paying off with strong dividends. Today for pleasure I truly enjoy canning and freezing fruits and vegetables. I had a hand injury about seven weeks ago this summer and wasn’t physically up to prepare the foods as necessary. When my brace was removed, on the next day I began prepping the overgrown cucumbers; washing, peeling and slicing them to make Christmas pickles. Now the Christmas pickling is finished and I am using smaller green cucumbers from my garden to make crispy sweet pickles. Thanks to my friend Betty for the Christmas Pickles recipe, for a novelist it has been so much fun!

As gardeners, let us briefly look at a new way of planting tomatoes. I hope others will explore the tips provided below to avoid having to buy the plants or plant from seed themselves. First, choose the type of tomato you would like to use for planting: Better Boy, Beefsteak, Cherokee Purple etc., and check these 10 tips out below:

10-Tips for planting Tomato Plants from a Tomato

1. Choose a 5- gallon pot or bucket with at least 18-inch in diameter
2. Fill and pack tight with Moisture Control Potting Soil (choice brand)
3. Using a water hose, gently spray the soil, pack down, add more soil until the pot is full
4. Continue the process alternating with water and soil until no more soil can be added to the pot
5. Use your hand to make a well indention in the center, place your tomato inside the hole
6. Crumble it with your hands until many small pieces/seeds are visible
7. Add more soil to lightly cover the top of the crushed tomato substance, lightly water again.
8. Water fervently each week (It is water control, so you don’t need to overwater)
9. Watch for tomato plants to grow
10. When they are strengthened and look like a forest of trees (4-6 inches) plant in other pots, your garden or give them away to others.

Remember, tomatoes like to be planted deep in the soil. Have fun gardening!

• Call to Action with DrWanda

Seek to choose your goals, and as your life Coach DrWanda, I will work to help you develop and acquire the plans you have set. As a gardener, we will work together, contact me for your free consultation and Individual Coaching Inititiatives (wandaphd.com) or (919) 605-1257, please leave a message and I will return your call. Thank you.

DrWanda