Our Own Food

(Photo Caption: greens I picked on Christmas Eve)

On Christmas Eve, I went out to the garden and picked some greens. Some were out in the beds, the overwintering arugula, kales, chard, and mustards and others were in my new cold frame, mostly lovely green and rose-colored lettuces. Italian flat leaf parsley and sage are also overwintering and I picked some for a vegetarian “stuffing” for Christmas dinner. The thought struck me, as it often does, that I find nothing more satisfying than feeding my family on food I grew myself. For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner we had home grown braised greens, fresh salad greens, apple sauce made from apples from our tree, and pickled beets and onions. All were organic, from the garden, and grown with love. I have the same feeling of satisfaction often, when I serve a dish or dessert made from home canned tomatoes, pickles, peaches, dried fruit, jams and preserves, even frozen berries…this is why I garden.

Happy New Year, happy gardening….if you garden now, do more next year. If you don’t garden now, start and nurture a pot of herbs and see where it leads. I'll be back after the 1st.