Monday, August 10, 2009

A Harvest Lost

It only just occurred to me today that I have not shared any love for our garden yet this season. That is truly a shame! It could be because I knew, as soon as we tilled the soil back in the early Spring, that we would be moving during harvest time and I would not be able to reap all that I sowed. That didn't bother me when we planted the seeds, I actually thought it would be nice for the next people who rent this house to have a little organic harvest waiting for them. Now it feels a little bitter sweet. I am happy to be leaving behind such a bountiful harvest for the next family but sad for my own family not enjoying it.


Half way there

I was hoping my roma paste tomatoes would be ripe enough for me to can before we moved but there's not quite enough of them, and really what was I thinking? How would I find the time to can while packing?! I think my eyes are bigger than my ability to function sometimes. I may need to cut back on all my other projects I thought I could finish before the move, too and relax and just be.


The girls love our tomatoes. You may remember K's daily lunches last summer, proof that they live off of them. I think tomatoes may come in a close second to apples. It's so nice to look out my kitchen window and see the girls helping themselves to a little healthy snack from the garden. I am going to miss that.


C prefers semi-ripe roma paste...


while K (and her gardening hands) prefers our heirloom variety grape tomatoes.


Every garden needs a gnome or two


Happy helper


A visitor to our garden, resting on K's pj's.

I look forward to our new garden in Oregon, our garden visitors, and all of my garden helpers to continue on with our yearly gardening rhythms.

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nicole,

Don't beat yourself up so much. I've done stuff like that too. You are giving a wonderful gift to the next family and maybe you'll get to enjoy someone else's harvest one day. :)

Joyce

waldorfmama said...

what a lovely garden, nicole! and a lovely gift to leave behind. :)

mamaraby said...

I did the same thing before we sold our house a couple of years ago and moved here. I don't really know what I was thinking - it was so sad to leave all those gorgeous paste tomatoes behind!

Joy said...

That's great that your girls love tomatoes so much! None of my kids will eat them raw...at all! I slice them and salt them and put them on the table at least twice and week and then eat them alone. :D I'm sure the next owner will be grateful for your gift. Good luck finishing what needs to be done before your move.

leaningapplemama said...

just like little house on the prairie except they left it to the critters!

i have been thinking about adding a garden gnome to our family...i love them!!

won't it be interesting to grow in a completely different climate when you move!!??

gardenmama said...

I can understand your feelings of 'bittersweet' you have made many sweet memories with your family in this place you have called *home* I understand while you feel excited to move to Oregon, it is really strange to be living out of boxes all of the beauty that makes your home warm and sweet is waiting, waiting, waiting to re-emerge in your next home. I know how it feels to leave a garden behind... when we moved I started digging up plants thinking well, I will just take this garden with me and then just took a deep breath and stopped and said 'this is crazy' I have all this packing to do and littles to care for and I knew that I couldn't really take all of it along it was almost more the memories I wanted to take along... your right the next family will be hugely blessed by the love you poured forth into your gardens. And in turn Nicole you will be blessed in ways that may be unseen to you right now but they will be huge! I can't wait to hear of your adventures in Oregon, all of the goodbyes are very hard I know but it is only a piece to the bigger picture you will flourish and make a beautiful home for your family it won't be long now! You are a very sweet person Nicole!

renee ~ heirloom seasons said...

I too was reminded of the end of Little House on the Prairie. We just recently finished reading it and I had a really hard time with how they just picked up and left. Aren't you going to have a longer growing season once you move though? Something to look forward to!

Kyrie said...

You'll love gardening here, it's a nice long season. Just think of the ecstatic family moving in behind you!

xo, K

taisa said...

I can imagine it will be hard to say goodbye to such a beautiful garden, but canning while packing does sound a little crazy! I find canning difficult without boxes and packing crazines around! It will be nice to have these photos to look back on of your girls in the garden you left behind.

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