Monday, April 15, 2013

GROW Vegetables in Your Front Yard!

I know all my posts are outdoors these days but that is where my energy is spent most days this time of year.
Yesterday Q and I headed to the garden to harvest some veggies for dinner. You can see her there pulling carrots.



We pulled lovely beets.


And multi colored carrots.

Oh they are so beautiful. All washed up.


Their lovely greens are edible and so good for you. I cut those and gave some to the chickens along with the carrot tops and saved the rest for tonight's dinner. Sauted in olive oil, they are so delicious.


Beets, potatoes, and carrots tossed in olive oil ready for roasting. A family fave. Roast until tender at about 375 degrees.


Okay,  here is the mom in me. I am telling you to, "grow vegetables!!". There really is nothing like the therapy of working in your yard. You are working the soil in the outdoors, getting exercise. Watching it grow brings happy thoughts, pleasant things to look at and then the harvesting is a gift you give yourself and family. I will forever have short nails, battered hands and beautiful things growing around me. It is something I have to have for myself, for my own mental happiness. It literally keeps me grounded.

32 comments:

  1. Hello Elaine,

    I am enjoying your outdoor posts. It's still cold here in Toronto and no signs of gardening outside yet. :o)

    This reminds me how much joy I had planting veggies in my garden...
    Do you exchange produce with your neighbors? We also exchanged plant cuttings. I did and it was fun!

    Gabriela

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  2. Absolutely! I get such joy going out to the garden every morning to see if anything new is going on. It changes daily. Tomatoes are popping up like crazy where there were none 3 days ago. Small price to pay for dirty fingernails. :)

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  3. You have such a sweet garden! We planted this year, for the first time in years, after major trimming to our huge pecan tree. I shoot out the back door first thing each morning to check on our little garden and it is pure joy! It's such fun that we tore out more overgrown shrubs this weekend to make another vegetable bed! I would encourage everyone to try to grow a little something, even if it's just potatoes in laundry baskets.

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  4. Oh I so agree, I have a veggie bin in the fridge full right now of great lettuces, carrots, radishes and beans. I love to make a huge salad for dinner fresh right out of the garden. They taste amazing. I also have some tomatoes that are just about ready and so are the onions and garlic. Yum, I really enjoy it all.

    You need to link this post up with my Inspire Me party this afternoon. It will be live about 2:30.

    Hugs, Marty

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  5. I agree gardening (flower OR veggie) is so good for the mind: sunshine, fresh air and rich soil :)

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  6. Your garden just looks fantastic! It must be so nice to go out in the yard and pick your supper!

    Judy

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  7. So agree ! Just wish it was that time to plant here ! Your beets look amazing !

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  8. Good for you that you have such pretty veggies to bring to the table. Do you use anything special in the dirt or food for them, they look wonderful?
    I know exactly what you mean by short nails and I don't think my hands will ever be smooth, I love the dirt to much.
    Happy Monday
    betst

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  9. have always had a garden of some sort aside from a 3 year period when I could not

    ever since I was a little girl involved with my grandparents next door garden I always think that summer and gardening go together :)

    NOW though I just have a few raised beds for tomatoes, strawberries and a few pepper plants ( or I WILL later, as summer has not arrived here yet ) but you are so right !!!:)

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  10. Well, I bought some seeds at TSco. this weekend while there getting chick starter and chicken Feed!
    I picked up more carrots, more BIGGER tomatoes...(all I've planted so far are cherry tomatoes)
    ...and...Oh yes, Cukes!
    I got them planted in my upside down bed...can't wait to see how that turns out. :)
    Also, got my little DG gates up.
    I was just telling TH how so many people have restrictions in their neighborhoods and can't garden out front. But if they get creative like you do, they can skirt around it and it will still be pretty.

    I have almost all my beds up front now...a work in progress.

    Pat

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  11. Elaine,

    You are inspiring me to grow more things. :) Never thought of growing some things in the front yard.

    Your vegetables look great and so does that supper!

    Enjoy it!

    Tammy

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  12. Excellent advice, and with inflation rising it only makes economic sense too! Plus they're so beautiful and tasty and healthful!

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  13. Looks like a great and successful garden! So many great veggies to enjoy!

    Jemma

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  14. We have edibles in our front yard too, including 3 fruit tree we've planted in 4 years. I have culinary herbs, chives, etc., scattered around the place....

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  15. I truly need and want to grow my own vegetables.

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  16. I give you credit for growing your veggies...and those beets look fantastic!

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  17. Amen! Your veggies look so good. I can't wait to plant ours. It's a little too early for them, but I am playing in the dirt with my perennials. I love everything about gardening!

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  18. Totally agree and very well said...beets looks really great. I love to grow things too..wish I had a more space.

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  19. Wonderful post! One day I hope to have a vegetable garden.

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  20. I have two gardens going. One is raised beds. The other is started in the ground. I have several things planted,but the only thing ready right now is my lettuce. Its still to cool here.

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  21. I am so hoping that I can get into a place again where I can once again grow veggies.
    Laura

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  22. I'm planning my first kitchen garden this year, so I enjoy your posts very much.

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  23. Wow, gorgeous veggies! We are getting out beds ready and I just can't wait to start planting:>)

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  24. Arbor Day is coming up, a good excuse to plant a fruit tree! The nice thing is that you can keep them pruned to whatever size you want...

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  25. I can not wait to get my hands in the soil.
    Cathy

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  26. I've always wanted to grow veggies in my flower beds. Thanks for linking the idea up at Monday Funday!

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  27. WOW! I am jealous. We are still getting snow here. Yesterday was another snow day for us. I can't wait to get a garden in, but we need to wait for it to warm up and stop freezing!

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  28. I have never thought about growing veggies in the front yard. I love fresh veggies from the garden. When I was little we always had fresh veggies. I should definitely consider doing that.

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  29. You have the sweetest little garden helper pulling those carrots.

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  30. I love it! I wish our garden were that far along. Thanks for linking up at Motivation Monday. I'm definitely motivated to plant more seeds and plants. :)

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