“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”

-Audrey Hepburn

Genesis 1:29 

And look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth...

Many people I know have wonderful gardens. A lot of people in my immediate family have been passionate gardeners. My siblings and I grew up helping my mom in a very large garden. 

Gardens provide very healthy food. I have heard that the fresher the produce, the more nutrients are available. 

Canning fresh garden produce is such a blessing to have during the long, cold Minnesota winter. 

Master Gardener Andrea Rollings (Becker), has this to say about her love of gardening: “I owe much of my inspiration with gardening to my parents. My mother had beautiful perennial and vegetable gardens growing up. Being the daughter of a farmer, you actually live and breathe the wonder of seeing a seed go in the ground and become a finished corn, soybean or wheat plant.  I use gardening as a time to pray. 

In my own family, my grandma on my mother’s side (Doris Larson) loved to garden. I remember seeing her pantry bursting at the seams with fresh produce she had canned. She was well known for her scrumptious dill pickles. Just the thought of them makes my mouth water. 

My co-worker, Penny Leuthard’s pickles are right up with my grandmas! Penny is a very successful gardener and I enjoy her fresh produce. 

My dad’s brother, Herbie, loved to grow watermelons, rutabagas, tomatoes and other vegetables. He was especially proud of the many apple trees he planted. I was always fascinated by his love of planting and nurturing his trees. 

Growing up we had several neighbors that were gardeners. Ed and Josie Kobs come to mind. They always had a wonderful garden. They collected rain water and used it to water their plants, which included many traditional vegetables, as well as some more uncommon items, such as ground cherries. My sister Ruth would tend to Ed and Josie’s garden when they were away. Ed and Josie were very forward thinking in their gardening and conservation practices long before going green was widespread. They would make a trip to a local river and and dig up turtle eggs and bring them to their garden and bury them down in the ground. Once the turtles hatched, they would take the baby turtles back to the river off County Road 16. They let my sister take the turtle eggs to share with her elementary students. 

My husband and I had a small garden the first few years we were married. Sandy Erickson, my brother Roger’s wife, is very  successful with a raised bed. She raises lettuce and other vegetables in a re-purposed farm elevator.   

People with gardens often share their produce which blesses others. Community gardens help people in cities raise their own fresh vegetables. 

There are often workshops in the spring which help people learn about the possibilities to improve their gardens and facilitate container gardening and ideas to keep pests away from their produce naturally. 

A family friend, Jessica Sigler, Becker, loves to garden. She asked my brother Russell if she could get some fresh manure from the farm  for her garden. She told me: “I have been gardening in Becker going on 7 years - just a small plot in my yard. Gardening is like therapy for me. I crave working with the soil and gardening all winter long!” She may have just a small plot, but Sigler is growing cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, dill, carrots, radishes, ground cherries, bell peppers, jalapeños and ghost peppers this year! If she had room, Jessica says she would plant a great deal more and have a greenhouse full of organic plants. Jessica says her grandfather (who grew up in Canada), passed the love of gardening down to her. 

Check out our wonderful Farmers Market every Friday from 3 to 6pm in Becker featuring fresh produce in Becker Furniture World parking lot now through early October. 

Gardening is good for the soul, and cheaper than therapy. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to invest in a garden at this point in my life. I frequent locals vegetable stands. We have several wonderful options in the area, including Norm’s Farm Market on Hwy 25, Svihel Vegetable Farm stand near Duelm and Bob and Judy’s Farm Market on Co. Rd .14 (Big Lake area). Fresh sweet corn is ready. Life is good.