Plant Vegetables!

I’m trying to put things in perspective this morning. I have a lot of anxiety about family members in denial and my own fears about the response to COVID-19 in this failed state we live in. That said, what we’re going through is nothing compared to what other people in this world have to deal with now in Palestine, Afghanistan, Somalia or Syria to name just a few troubled regions. We have the luxury of sheltering in place rather than the horrors of life as a refugee.

But a run on our supermarkets has me thinking that I need to walk back on one of my worst blog posts, “Homesteading Heresy: On Giving Up Vegetable Gardening,” in which I announced that I was no longer planting vegetables. While we have plenty of avocados and eggs it would be nice to have some greens other than volunteer nasturtium and nettles. I had two seasons of failed vegetable gardening but that should have prompted a redoubled effort rather than the defeatism that I offered. I’ve taken the step of deleting that post. And Kelly planted some vegetables yesterday.

Stay safe and check in on your neighbors. Share your harvest.

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16 Comments

  1. Leave the post up.
    There’s nothing to be ashamed about when you admit that your view has changed.
    Chin up!

  2. Good for you! Get started again doing whatever seems reasonable, and just keep posting your results. You can always edit your original post to reflect that, due to unforeseen circumstances, you decided to start back up with your vegetable garden in 2020. Heaven knows no one would blame you for changing your mind at this point in time.

  3. I agree with everyone’s comments. We are allowed to feel defeated and eventually bounce back. Thanks for sharing your evolving thoughts, I appreciate witnessing the process. This reminds me of how you changed your mind about your flipper fence. Did you remove that post?

    Here in Montreal, we won’t be planting for a couple of months. Can’t wait!

  4. I was pretty discouraged last year with my vegetable garden – fungus got the summer squash, nasty little bugs got the beans, rotten weather, etc. I was going to give it all up this coming summer when everything changed. Please don’t be discouraged! I am researching better methods online, asking neighbors who are more experienced than I am, and just generally gearing up for some serious digging. Honestly, COVID-19 has re-energized my desire to garden – take that, virus. We’re going to whip this thing together, people, one garden at a time.

  5. I too was going to give up veggie gardening and just plant flowers this year. But I went out and bought some veggie seeds which I will be planting soon. I woke up the other morning and realized that this is what we have been planning on being…self sufficient..for years. Gradually we have become more so thanks to your blog. When times are good for long lengths of time we begin to think that what we are doing is a waste. At least that is how I began to feel. I just never expected the trial run to be a pandemic! I hope it is just a trial run but with the way things are going I suspect we will be in this for the long haul. Anyway I want to tell you not to get discouraged because history will show how we evolved into who we are when we get to our older age. So don’t delete any of your posts. They show who you were at the moment.
    I have been reading (you are bookmarked) your blog before it became ‘rootsimple’ and I want to thank you and Kelly for all that you have taught me and encouraged me to try.
    Blessings to you both.

  6. Because I am over 60 (73) and have recovered from cancer, I was chosen for a study from Auburn University. The premise is that growing vegetables will relieve stress and cause all body systems and measures to improve, eg, blood pressure will fall. Auburn University has provided me with four City Pickers Garden Patio Garden Kits, seeds for three growing seasons, fertilizer, gloves, tools, hose, and some plants I got to choose. Since neighbors climbed over a back fence, stole two lawnmowers, 9 huge pots, soil, shovels, fire pit, all my expensive lawn chairs, three tables, two benches, two lawn mowers, and other things, I was discouraged and could not replace any of it. Now, I can start over and plant vegetables. I curb-shopped a table, so I am on my way. I think vegetables are what we all need for our well-being.

  7. Leave the post up! It was a GOOD post!

    Now…let me offer this as someone who is also planting a small veggie garden for the first time in a couple of years. This year I am doing it straight. My best garden was my first one, before I went down the rabbit hole of the internet. Dirt, seeds, water, maybe a scattering of vermicompost. No mixed plantings (never got it to work, not once). No extra mulch (banana slugs, disaster). No permaculture (great for perennials but really made a mess of everything else). Old school food production still works. Now, my garden is more to blow mental steam off than anything, but we’ll have some fresh veg this spring. And I was able to teach my six year old quasi-stepson about seed starting today.

    • I’m with you, Kyle! I’ve gone back to my late father’s way of gardening – the school of “just do it.” This involves lots of digging, weeding, hoeing, toting water, more weeding – we all know the drill. And I love it. Some of my recent gardens have been more successful than others, but even the less successful ones have given me far more than just vegetables – I love just standing by them looking at what’s growing and enjoying summer. I think we all need those feelings now more than ever – and besides, there’s no social distancing with your garden! Cheers and kind regards to all.

  8. Apparently everybody in Northern California had the same idea. I want to get my usual vegetable starts (yes, I’m cheating), and all of the nurseries are sold out.

  9. I came to here to speak my mind and found that other people beat me to it.

    If y’all can read my mind so perfectly, can you tell me where are the woolen socks I can’t find anywhere?

    Jokes aside, please don’t see failure as a mistake. I came to see this blog as my friend and it pains me to see it in such low spirits… please take care of yourself and Kelly. (100% digital) hugs from this reader

  10. Happy Spring Equinox, everybody (Autumnal Equinox for the Southern Hemisphere)! Now let’s get outside and get our hands dirty.

  11. I always plant a garden even though creatures usually get whatever grows. Those #%^@ buggers don’t care what’s ripe so they always beat me to the punch.

    So I’ll do it again this year. Maybe not going to the store will help me focus on watching it more diligently. I can hope anyway.

    In any case, I went to the nursery this morning and got seedlings and carrot seeds. If it doesn’t rain tomorrow I’ll clean out the debris of last year’s garden and get them in raised planters. I may even find voluteers when I get out there!

    Fingers crossed!

  12. I’ve got mine growing! To save water, I neglected to water a bare soil “lawn” square next to my tiny bungalow in Pasadena. I set up an old bronze plaque I had made to designate the lazy lack of landscaping as a sculpture: “Above Ground Hole.” With my gratitude, An awesome friend of mine, Jody Serkes, couldn’t stand seeing that land go to waste. She dug it all up, planted lettuce, Kale, & other edibles flourishing in our last week of rain. Now we’re in Quarantine, and the grocery stores are scarce with produce, I am more than happy to homestead my own little plot!

  13. With the current onslaught of weather manipulation, aka, geoengineering, it makes it especially tough to grow a decent garden, anymore. Weather control equals food control equals people control, bottom line. We are being attacked from many angles, today, including our food supply and our ability to grow it and be somewhat self sufficient.

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