For me as a parent, there are few things sweeter or more heart warming than to see my children connecting with nature - plants, specifically. I love to spend time in our garden with our children, planting vegetables, herbs, removing our lawn in favor of California friendly plants that use much less water and have loads more character! I especially love to walk out to the garden when it is dinner time and bring in a basket brimming with goodies that makes its way onto our dinner table that night. Take last night for example.
Like many other parents of high school kids, you just never know who your kids will bring home or when. If we are lucky, we get a heads up. Most of the time, we don't. When dinner time rolls around, here you are with a few extra guests. It also never fails that your cupboards are a little low, not to mention the state of your crisper drawer is sorely lacking.
So last night, after having planned my weekly menu through that nights dinner [and for our family of five], our oldest brought home two friends for a study group. About four o'clock, I started to get dinner started . Pasta with red sauce, that was on the menu. Plenty of pasta, check. I'll make a large salad, that will stretch things, I thought. Wishful thinking. Everything in the crisper drawer combined couldn't even feed a rabbit, let alone five teenagers and two adults.
So, with hope in my heart and a basket in hand, I headed out to our small winter garden in search of enough greens for a very large salad and the herbs that make my red sauce as fab as it is. How wonderful it was to harvest enough red oak leaf lettuce, mizuna and mesclun greens to make one of the most flavorful salads we have had in a very long time - with just enough left over for my lunch today!
It was also pretty cool to see why African blue basil got its name. On the new growth closest to the stems, the color has turned a brilliant smoky indigo/denim blue. Who knew?
I know, having a small vegetable garden may not seem like that big of a deal to many. For for countless others, the sense of pride we get when we serve our family [and their friends] fresh nutritious vegetables [fruits and berries] from our own yard is more rewarding that I can tell you. In a day and age when "taco Tuesday" is the norm, knowing that you have managed to get actual food into a teenagers body is, well an act worthy of mention if not parent of the year!
On this cloudy rainy morning, I am thinking ahead to our spring [and summer ] garden, not to mention all of the unannounced dinner guests that we will most surely be seeing. I am also thinking not only about our home garden, but yours as well. As natural growers of culinary and fragrant herbs along with heirloom vegetable starters for the Inland Empire, we are passionate about providing you everything you need to grow your best edible [and fragrant] gardens ever!
So, fellow parents and garden enthusiasts, start planning your gardens now by taking a look at our newly added web pages dedicated to spring and summer gardens. While you are there, take note of the things you commonly find on your dinner table and make your lists! While you are thinking of all the yummy foods you would love to grow, give very serious thought to planting some bare-root fruit trees, NOW! Nothing compares to home grown fruit and berries where taste, nutrition and value are concerned!
Take care,
Carrie-Anne
Mother, Gardner, Grower and Owner of Rolling Hills Herbs & Annuals
No comments:
Post a Comment