Our Food Forest Garden | January 2023
I’ve always been fascinated by Geoff Lawton’s quote, “All the world’s problems can be solved in a garden” because well, it’s so true.
Greening the Desert
Geoff Lawton, a renowned permaculture expert, uses his gardening skills to tackle big problems.
He travels all over the world, creating incredible food forest gardens in places plagued by malnourishment and conflict. then teaches the locals how to tend to them and become self-reliant.
These amazing gardens not only provide food but also improve health, create jobs, offer education, and give hope to communities that have faced hardships. It’s incredible to see how a garden can make such a difference in the lives of so many people.
Amidst all the chaos in the world, there’s something truly uplifting about turning it all off, going outside and being active, and exploring the wonders of the garden. It has been a great escape, and shifts your focus towards more positive things.
I’m incredibly grateful that I stuck with gardening, through all the challenges, because not only have I undergone a remarkable transformation, but my kids have too. Together, we’ve witnessed our garden evolve from seeds and little plants into towering trees that we climb and explore.
Gardening is a gift
Gardening is truly a gift that keeps on giving. This year, our garden brought joy to others as well. My youngest enjoys picking flowers and herbs, as gifts to his teachers, and our chickens are laying eggs like crazy so they became thoughtful presents for teachers, neighbors, friends, and family. We included a variety of goodies like cut flowers, ginger, turmeric, herbs, and veggies. The response was heartwarming, sparking conversations and gardening inquiries. It motivated me to dedicate December to developing an online Grow Your Own Food course, a project I’ve been brewing for years. Finally, it’s time to bring it to life.
Spring Garden Planning
Another exciting moment this month – Baker’s Creek Magazine came in the mail!! This means it’s time to start planning for spring!! Jax and I picked out a few varieties (maybe more) of seeds that we want to plant this year. I feel like we’re at that halfway point where we can plant another round of cool-weather vegetable seeds in the yard and start warm-weather seeds in pots.
I’ll leave the pots of warm-weather seeds in the shop to germinate. It’s going back up into the 80s here, so I’m not going to use heat mats for now. They would probably encourage them to sprout faster but I’m in no hurry.
You can research your “last average frost date”. Mine is mid-February, meaning historically, that is the safest time for my area to start planting warm-weather crops outside, but you still need to watch the weather and use your best judgment.
I’ve been observing the yard to get an idea of where to plant everything. My garden is more productive and abundant each year, but this year – we’re going gangbusters. I have 2 new rows (over 250 sq feet) to plant in and 2023 is going to be our best gardening year yet!!
I hope your gardens and lives are full of abundance this year as well. Thanks for reading. Until next month, I wish you lots of success and growth for 2023.