Horseradish & Honey

It’s that time of year. We’ve had a few hard frosts. Most of my raised beds are covered in a thick layer of leaves and barley straw. Some hardier vegetables are sticking up here and there – scallions, Brussels sprouts, a few radishes.

It wasn’t the best growing season. Lots and lots and lots of rain helped some plants, hurt others. Tomatoes took their time ripening this year but, man, they were SO good. I had a bumper crop of cucumbers, which is rare due to cucumber beetles. And the peppers – they grew and grew and grew until the first hard frost hit. My favorite ‘Trombetta di Albenga’ squash grew like a champ as usual.

On the other hand, beans broke my heart this year; harvests were paltry and none of the plants produced like last year.Greens, in general, were not happy with all the rain. Flea beetles got to the bok choy seedlings. I had a great spring beet harvest but some animal – rabbit? – came through and ate the fall beet seedlings.

Each year, I try to convince myself I need a break from the garden in late fall and through the winter. In reality, I would be happy if I lived somewhere that allowed me to garden outside throughout the year. The garden is my place of solace, it’s my therapy, it’s where I learn about – and even challenge – myself, it’s my stress reliever, it’s my happy place, it’s so many things to me. You’ll still find me wandering about in the yard and garden this time of year, even with snow on the ground. But my heart and thoughts are already longing for spring 2019.

I always plant “sacrificial” tomatoes in our backyard for deer. This year, I decided to plant them in the rental house backyard (which is next door to ours). Deer and other critters have nibbled on the plants off and on, but the plants have grown and grown and grown. In fact, they’re taller than the lovely barbed wire fence that separates the yard from the park.

Tomato plants are taller than the fence!

A month or so ago, I was back there harvesting the tomatoes I could reach. A woman walking by with her dog stopped to ask if I wanted her to hand me the ones I couldn’t reach through the fence. I laughed and told her to take them if she likes tomatoes. “Really?,” she asked. “Yes, please please please help yourself!,” I begged.

We realized we were talking through the really tall tomato plants, so we took a few steps to the side so we could see each other and introduced ourselves. Monica used to live on a farm with her husband and kids. After he died a few years back, she sold the farm and moved into the city to be closer to her children and grandchildren. She told me how much she loves her daily walks in the park and, in particular, how much she admires the flowers, plants, and trees in both our yard and the rental yard. Monica also told me how much she misses eating her own homegrown tomatoes. We both agreed that there’s almost nothing better to eat.

It took a bit of persuading, but she eventually filled her pockets with tomatoes. A few days later, I was out back again at the same time as Monica and her dog. She waved and told me how happy the tomatoes made her and how delicious they were.

I don’t see her every day. But, on the days I do see her, her pockets are full of tomatoes. And she makes sure to tell me how happy she is to have access to them.

Gardening, and specifically vegetable gardening, takes a certain amount of work (understatement of the year!) and passion. I put a lot of both—and a HUGE amount of love—into everything I grow. I love sharing with family and friends. But sharing with a stranger, who is now no longer a stranger…that’s the power of gardening!