You Reap What You Sow

About February of this year, someone asked me if I could take a whole year and learn anything I wanted, what would I learn. I answered that I would learn how to garden and how to can so I could preserve what I was able to grow. 

And that's exactly what I did this summer. 

I have always wanted to learn how to garden, and now I have 40 acres, so I could have as big of a garden as I wanted.  I checked out a few books at the library and read all about how to start seeds, when to start them, which plants should be next to other plants and far away from others, etc.

We started our seeds in mid February for a Family Home Evening activity. We put them in little egg cartons, and made a mini indoor greenhouse to protect them from the cold and the cats.  We watered them and put them in the sun, and watched the magic happen!

Aaron kept saying, "I think you don't realize how big this garden is going to be with how many seeds you are planting. " Or, "I really don't think we need 70 tomato plants." And I would respond with, "I want a year supply of Spaghetti and Pizza sauce." I wanted a TON...

And, you reap what you sow!  I got a ton. At least it was more than enough for our little family.  I had never used a pressure canner before, so I had to keep calling my friend and Relief Society President from church asking her silly questions.  

I take Peter out to the garden with me to pick vegetables. He stands by the 5 gallon bucket, and would grab a bell pepper, take a bite, put it back, and grab another. He did that with at least 7-8 peppers, and he would do this EVERY time we went out to the garden. Once he even did it with a jalapeno. No worries though, this kid is used to spice from inside the womb. He was a champ.

But could I get mad at this face?!?! No...

Blackberry jam from our wild blackberries.

I caught Peter in a box of peaches doing the exact same thing that he does with bell peppers and tomatoes. Grab one, take a bite, put it back, grab another....

Caught red-handed!

Here Aaron is cutting our first watermelon of the season. We ate TONS of watermelon all summer, which is one of my favorite fruits.  Gardening saved us a ton of money this summer. We will surely be doing it again next summer because there is nothing quite so wonderful as planting a seed, helping it to grow, and then getting to eat the "fruits of your labors".  I really learned this summer that you reap what you sow!