Just another sunny day

I just came back inside from sharing a few minutes by the garden with my daughter. As first time gardeners,  We're starting small with easy plants to grown, and are learning with each step. Last year we planted peas on one side of the yard, they were very successful on their own. On the other side of the yard we planted a few different plants, which were all left to fight for their lives among the weeds that weren't picked. I was pregnant and it seems everyone else I asked ( Elijah ♥ ) were to busy to weed the garden. Needless to say, it didn't thrive on it's own like the peas did. This year, we let the peas garden grow over with weeds and we focused on our small garden on the other side. In it I intended on planting peas, tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce and carrots. Of these, i managed to plant all but the lettuce. Apparently I lack the talent needed to grow lettuce. They didn't even live to be planted. My yard is on a slope, and my crops seem to be thriving on a decline as well. The ones at the top are larger and the ones at the bottom...not so much. I think next year we'll be making  flat, even garden bed for them, and see if that makes a difference. My peas are delicious, with new ones ready to pick daily. My tomato plants have numerous little yellow flowers just waiting to turn into tomatoes. ( I must have planted late, I don't think they will be ready before the frost hits) my broccoli.. oh my poor broccoli. It's being eaten alive by little green caterpillars, which turn into beautiful little white butterflies. I'm really not looking forward to removing them, because I'm not one for bugs, but it seems that my little broccoli plants have more holes in the leaves that actual leaf left. There is no sign of the flower yet, so I'm beginning to wonder how long those will take as well. the plants are quite larger, and next year I'll be planting one row only, so that they aren't so crowded. My carrots didn't get planted until we left for vacation, but they seem to be doing well now that the front part has been weeded and they're not being starved of sunlight or fighting for nutrients in the soil. (I really need to re learn my English, I'm sure this should have been about eight different paragraphs by now)

After showing Katie the garden, and inspecting the beating my broccoli plants have taken, we picked a few peas and sat on the hammock to share them. To my delight, Katie loved them. Homegrown, freshly picked ... REAL FOOD.

It got me thinking about one of the reasons why I want a piece of land. I want my children to know where their food comes from and what it takes to produce what they consume. I want them to know the difference between  what store bought and homegrown food tastes like. Most of all, I want them to truly appreciate everything we take for granted in our modern world.