The Family Vegetable Garden

 

 

 

 

It’s early summer morning at our little homestead on Prince Edward Island … where will you find us?
While many children may dream of summers that involve sleeping in, lazy mornings, routines that have been pushed aside for a few months of that out of school feeling … our household carries on with a new routine. Instead of working over school books and reading indoors, we are outdoors, working our our little homestead and our gardens.

And what a beautiful routine it has become … we have learned how to grow enough food for the winter months, how many chickens to raise to fill our freezer, how to milk a cow and use the milk to make dairy products … and yes, it is hard work, but isn’t there joy in healthy labour? Perhaps what society needs more of is training our younger generation to work … and to work together as families …

 

“The noblest thing in the world is honest labour. It is the very preservative of the universe.
Wise labour brings order out of chaos; work therefore, with pride and gladness.”
-The Royal Path of Life 

 

This year, we entered our family vegetable garden into a rural garden competition. I was rather nervous to sign  up for the competition – but in a moment of weakness, I signed our names and before we knew it, the judges were at the garden gate. It will be some time before we find out the results of the judging, but in the meantime, we have the feeling of accomplishment and joy in our hard work. The girls have worked so diligently and faithfully – together – in our vegetable garden.  I am very proud of them, as they have all learned so much over the years of tending to the garden. Coming together and working hard is something I feel rather passionate about … I feel it is necessary for a family success and for training of our younger generation. Both Abby and I come from a long line of hard workers and for that, we are grateful.

 

We still plan our garden around the inspirational and amazing garden of George Washington. I have mentioned his garden in previous posts – he always had flower borders and interesting beds throughout his massive gardens. Washington loved his gardens and found joy in planning them, planting them and tending to them.  We always plant flowers in our vegetable gardens and find joy in creating new beds every year, along with some different designs. Our sunflower tunnel is one consistent work, however, along with our arched rows of potatoes. The flowers are just now coming out, which always brings joy and such lovely colour to the garden.

“Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man.”
-George Washington

 

 

 

 

 

 

One new aspect to our garden was the water reservoir we put in the centre of the garden. We use the pond water, which is situated at the end of the garden, to fill it up and then hand water the garden with watering cans. This idea came from George Washington’s garden, as well, as he had a beautiful cistern in his garden. For years, I have wondered how I could have the same idea. This year, my husband fashioned ours together and I must say, I just love it. It adds a sweet quaintness to the chore of watering. 

 

 

 

Soon, we will be busy canning and preserving all the lovely food that will come from this garden. I’m so grateful for another summer of gardening together and teaching the blessing of work ethics to our children.