A New Leaf

Square Foot Garden:  May 30, 2014

Juicing has literally turned over a new leaf in my journey to wellness.  Up until a few weeks ago, I had never had an outside garden.  Yes, I am a successful indoor gardener.  My house has always had at least one houseplant.  My first has survived multiple moves and has been with us since our first apartment, a gift from Mrs. Held, our neighbor across the hall, in 1972.  

When my juicer joined the array of appliances that make preparing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains easier, I knew that gardening was no longer an option for me.  It would become a necessity.  With all the pulp, we immediately started composting and then I caught my neighbor's enthusiasm for Square Foot Gardens.  

With book in hand, my dear husband built me my first raised bed and mixed the soil for me.  Due to some major distractions which included having a new sewer line installed under our basement, I didn't start but a few plants from seeds and those went in with the purchased plants on the Friday before Mother's Day.

My bed is small but it is a start and now we're talking about another bed next to the first, near the house for more plants that will thrive in just the warmth of the early sun and converting the area down by the raspberries to additional bed for plants needing full sun. 

Juicing requires so much produce, I have even considered joining an organic CSA (Community Sustained Agriculture) farm.  But until my motivation for learning to prepare a greater variety of vegetables expands, our gardening efforts and the local markets are sufficient.