If You Give A Girl Some Dirt-Unpaved Roads Blog-Grit Magazine

If you give a girl some dirt...
new garden bed
...chances are, she'll get her hands dirty planting seeds.
gardening hand
When she plants the seeds, they'll probably grow into something like this.
tomato blossom
When she sees how beautiful they are, she'll tend them until they turn into something like this.
green tomatoes
And with a little care and a lot of patience, they'll eventually grow into something like this.
ripe tomatoes on the vine
When she finds out how delicious they are, more flavorful than any she bought at the grocer's, she'll want to grow more of her own food. So, she'll start more seeds...
seedlings
...and they'll grow...
cabbage
...and grow...
yellow squash plant
...and grow.
Kentucky wonder pole beans
And chances are, when she finds out how much she enjoys growing her own food and how good it is for her...
future corn field
...she'll want a lot more dirt.

Wendy Slatt

5/30/2013 8:32:28 PM

This silly little tale of mine was inspired by a children's story I am requested to read frequently at bedtime, of how one simple action leads to bigger and bigger things. I couldn't resist putting a gardening twist on it. The more we grow for ourselves, the more we want to grow. You are correct, Dave, most of these pictures are from gardens past. Even in South Carolina, the weather was uncooperative, to put it politely, for much longer than we're used to. Discussing the weather has typically become one of the first and last things my husband and I discuss every day. We just noted today that several days of rain is forecast for us soon. I hope that means it's moving out of your area and giving you some sunshine at last. The last picture is from earlier this year and is indeed the area rooted out by our pigs. They did an amazing job clearing out the weeds there. Judging by the way the corn we planted in that spot is doing, they did an equally great job fertilizing the soil for us. Pigs are amazing creatures. Hoping the best for your efforts this year; every day in the garden is a great day.

NEBRASKA DAVE

5/30/2013 2:15:21 PM

Wendy, it is true the more gardening we do the more we want to do. Your pictures I expect are from years past and not the present. I am struggling just to get everything planted. We have had 15 days of rain in May. The month start with a snow and continued with cold freezing temperatures all during the first week of May. It has mellowed some but the rain continues. If it wasn't for the heavy mulch I laid down last fall, I would not have been able to keep up with the weeds in the garden this year. The weather is the first topic of discussion when getting together with friends. Your garden really looks nice. Is this the area that was rooted out by the pigs? It's truly amazing the work that pigs can do to clean up an area. Have a great day in the garden.