Feb 22, 2017

Cool or uncool? — Kandy Shepherd


Is it dreadfully uncool of me to admit to how much pleasure my vegetable garden gives me?

Not so much the back-breaking work of weeding, digging, and—decidedly uncool—fertilising. Although fresh air, exercise and communing with nature do play their part in those past-times. (And, if I’m being honest, much of the hard work is done by my darling hubby.)


 I’m thinking more of the ongoing pleasure in seeing things grow. Then there’s the harvest—the joy of organic produce eaten just minutes from being picked from the garden. It surely must be good for us! Then it all seems worthwhile. Even the less-than-supermarket-perfect produce seems to taste so much better.


Right now in the heat of summer Down Under, my garden is overflowing with abundance. (A bit too overflowing—I never seem to allow enough distance between plants). We’ve been eating lettuce, green beans, cucumbers, and zucchini (courgette) for months, with the tomatoes, eggplant (aubergine), capsicums (peppers) and chili now coming into full force. Herbs too are flourishing.


 Some years are more successful at our little farm than others. We’re at the mercy of nature as to how well our tomatoes grow, some years we have none. And I’m a gardening incompetent when it comes to small seeds like lettuce, spinach and carrots. I have friends who are very good at saving seed from crop to crop, whereas I’m of the buying seedlings wherever possible persuasion.


For this reason I sometimes wonder whether growing our own is actually cost effective, though the water (we collect our own) and fertiliser (thank you chickens and horses) is “free”. But the taste and satisfaction it gives us is priceless. For the rest of the time we’re lucky to have a good fruit and vegetable market not too far away.


 I’ve been interested in vegetable gardening since I was eleven years old when I first grew a crop of green beans and radishes (which I didn’t even like!) Over the years I’ve grown them when possible.  However for many years even a pot of herbs on the windowsill was impossible because of where we lived and other demands on time.


 In my upcoming May release for Harlequin Romance Conveniently Wed to the Greek I have the opportunity of planting a fictional veggie garden in an upmarket spa resort on a gorgeous Greek island. Now that was fun!


Do you have “green thumbs” when it comes to vegetable gardening? Any disasters? Or do you find it so much easier to shop at the market! I’d love to see your comments.

21 comments:

  1. We have lots of squirrels, rabbits, etc. that dig under/climb over fences, etc. that none of our above-ground veggies ever made it long enough to ripen. Underground vegs like potatoes and carrots thrived, but didn't seem worth the effort.
    I share my baking with neighbours and receive their fresh produce on occasion, so we're pretty lucky in that regard! If I can make it to a farmers' market on their open days, then we enjoy their vegs. Otherwise, it's the grocery store for us.

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    1. Hi Laney, I'm with you on the underground veggies, I think we'd have to devote an acre to grow as many carrots as we eat! We have marauding critters too - kangaroos, possums and rabbits not to mention flocks of hungry beautiful birds.We have rabbit proof fencing, electric fencing and nets over the tomatoes. We're happy to share but the critters don't play fair!

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  2. I'm soooooo jealous of your lovely veggie garden! It's the one thing I'm pining for when we eventually go back to living in a house instead of an apartment. Nothing fancy, just fresh herbs and some basics to start :D

    I have to admit I have killed quite a few plants in my time though...but my dad's a very good gardener. So I'll be calling for his help for sure!

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    1. Stef, I reckon a dad with green thumbs is absolutely the best helper!

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  3. Hi Kandy

    I am not a green thumb we did try a vegie garden years ago when the kids were young we had lettuce carrots but it was never a big success but we did have fun sadly I don't have a big yard but am thinking of getting some of those big planters and putting in to give it a go again nothings tastes as good as vegies hand picked by yourself. My grandparents had a hobby farm when I was growing up and they grew lots of vegies that we picked and we sold the extra to the local fruit shop but I often ate more of the beans than put in the basket LOL

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Hi Helen, I think those big planters are a great idea - better for the back too. I love your story of helping on the hobby farm!

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  4. Hi Kandy,

    Wow! Your garden is amazing! It looks so abundant and all those lovely vegetables and herbs make me jealous.
    I'm green thumbed with flowers but not so good with vegetables. I always have fresh herbs, though. Last year I had success with some pink eye potatoes ( they are a Tasmanian variety) so I'll definitely do that again.

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    1. Thank you Melanie, we're lucky we have the room for an abundant garden. I reckon herbs are the best things of all to grow!

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  5. Kandy, I love your garden! Ours produces some great things but is so much smaller. Usually my green thumb is saved for ornamental plants rather than veges but our first harvest of broad beans was a major event and we're still picking tomatoes and cucumbers.

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    1. Hi Annie, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers are so good aren't they? And broad beans too. We're lucky to have the room at our little farm for a decent sized veggie plot, I got hubby to extend it further during the winter. Of course now I'll feel guilty if I don't plant efficiently and fill it!

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  6. Very cool, Kandy! I love growing veggies, although we only have a small space. We've just revamped the herb garden so I'm looking forward to harvesting them when they're big enough. Nothing tastes as good as home grown food!

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    1. Thank you for the "cool" vote Louisa! Herbs are such attractive plants to grow as well as tasting good aren't they.

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  7. I love the idea of a vege garden, Kandy, but am essentially lazy and I know I'd never keep up with it.
    I do like the idea of growing basil and tomatoes in window sill pots though and one of these days I may actually get around to doing it!

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    1. Amy it is a lot of work, some years I'm more enthusiastic than others!

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  8. You can't beat a home grown vegetable garden, Kandy. I agree, I doubt we save money, but boy do we get flavour and freshness that others miss out on. Though admit to be over some things by the time summer is done, but am always eagerly waiting for them come next summer. And when I've finally made every sauce imaginable I use the tail end of the vegetables to make stock for the winter casseroles.

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    1. Sue, try as I do to stagger plantings, I always end up with an over supply of zucchini! Am working through the zucchini recipes right now...

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    2. Oh yeah, those zucchinis. Eating them daily in every way imaginable at the moment.

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  9. I'm a little in awe of your veggie garden, Kandy. Like Amy, I'm too innately lazy to even pretend that I'd manage to create and tend one. But I do have great plans to grow a pot of herbs this year...along with my pineapples. :-)

    Oh, but the thought of all those lovely, super-fresh veggies...

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  10. Definitely cool Kandy. I'm certain even with buying seedlings, that if you monitored the amount of produce that you are likely still saving money given supermarket pricing.
    I'd love to have a vege garden but have two obstacles - so far in my life the only plants I haven't killed are succulents, and living in an apartment block style flat, I don't exactly have the space.

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  11. Gosh, your garden and produce looks wonderful, Kandy. Totally cool, I say, because what isn't cool about organic, healthy eating?

    I do love to eat straight from the garden but I don't have much of a green thumb...or perhaps it's fairer to say that I'm a bit forgetful and in summer that tends to be disastrous. That said, we have enjoyed zucchini, cucumbers and chillies this summer with the tomatoes only just starting to earn their keep. I also have butternut pumpkin plants running rampant. I hope they will eventually provide us with bounty.

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  12. Oh Kandy I ENVY you your garden! I have friends with the most AMAZING vege garden, and now a fruit tree grove. I WISH I had the knack, impetus, passion to create such a haven. Instead I have to visit my friend and bat my lashes so I can go home with a stash :).

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