71 Days
Two February's ago, I was well into my first winter in Montana and desperate for any signs of spring, and as usual my thoughts brought me to food and I pined for the lovely edible things warm weather brings. In a move of instant gratification, I went online to subscribe for a CSA share (a weekly ration of locally farmed seasonal fruits and veggies) only to discover that all were taken. Curses!
Since I was apparently not the only Missoulian jonesing for freshly grown eats I thought there must at least as many doing the next best thing, and growing it themselves. A little research told of 5 community gardens scattered across town and plots could be claimed in April. Like an expectant mother I spent those weeks reading books, learning about cold-climate gardening, companion planting, garden design, and organic pest control. I even paid a visit to our recycling center and picked up used fluorescent shop lights and made a grow spot next to furnace in the basement. I needed to watch something grow.
Fast forward to this spring, and the novelty of shop lights has waned but growing food has not and after two summers our plot continues to thrive. Here's a few scenes from this year's baby book.
May 9: Sowed Swiss chard, bok choy, kale, and spinach. Garlic and shallots planted a couple weeks prior are beginning to shoot skyward.
June 9: In went summer starts, squash, cukes, tomatoes (seems late I know, but last summer we had our last snow on June 11th!) Somewhere in late May sowed mesculin salad mix, carrots and popped in a few yellow finn potatoes.
July 12: Harvested garlic, the bulbs are a little small next time I'll plant them in the fall.
July 20: The garden's filled out. The potatoes are getting over a malady of flea beetles, harvesting carrots, tons of lettuce, and shallots.
Happy 71 days!
Two February's ago, I was well into my first winter in Montana and desperate for any signs of spring, and as usual my thoughts brought me to food and I pined for the lovely edible things warm weather brings. In a move of instant gratification, I went online to subscribe for a CSA share (a weekly ration of locally farmed seasonal fruits and veggies) only to discover that all were taken. Curses!
Since I was apparently not the only Missoulian jonesing for freshly grown eats I thought there must at least as many doing the next best thing, and growing it themselves. A little research told of 5 community gardens scattered across town and plots could be claimed in April. Like an expectant mother I spent those weeks reading books, learning about cold-climate gardening, companion planting, garden design, and organic pest control. I even paid a visit to our recycling center and picked up used fluorescent shop lights and made a grow spot next to furnace in the basement. I needed to watch something grow.
Fast forward to this spring, and the novelty of shop lights has waned but growing food has not and after two summers our plot continues to thrive. Here's a few scenes from this year's baby book.
May 9: Sowed Swiss chard, bok choy, kale, and spinach. Garlic and shallots planted a couple weeks prior are beginning to shoot skyward.
June 9: In went summer starts, squash, cukes, tomatoes (seems late I know, but last summer we had our last snow on June 11th!) Somewhere in late May sowed mesculin salad mix, carrots and popped in a few yellow finn potatoes.
July 12: Harvested garlic, the bulbs are a little small next time I'll plant them in the fall.
July 20: The garden's filled out. The potatoes are getting over a malady of flea beetles, harvesting carrots, tons of lettuce, and shallots.
Happy 71 days!
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