Gardening Season

The last frost day usually passes through North Central Texas around March 15th. That means it is safe to plant the warm season vegetables. We did that a couple weeks ago.

Mom encouraged us to grow a garden when we were young, so when spring comes, it doesn't seem right not to at least attempt to grow some vegetables to eat. When we were kids we thought zucchini was the answer to world hunger. Dad tilled the garden and Mom showed us how to plant the seeds. Before you knew it there were zucchinis bigger that your arm, and if you didn't watch carefully another one would seemingly grow overnight. We couldn't keep up with them.

The young and tender ones were the best, but Mom made use of the big ones too. She sliced them, dipped them in batter and fried them. Then of course there was zucchini bread, which looked pretty good at first, until you saw the little bits of green distributed throughout the bread. It really did taste good though.

We grew everything we could: potatoes, corn, radishes, carrots, peas and beans and I can’t remember what else. Mom had a strawberry and raspberry patch that she bottled jam from, but it had a rough time once Dad paved part of the yard and put a basketball hoop. We had wild Pottawatomie plums, chokecherries, and an old apple tree and Mom made use of it all. One of my fond memories is of Mom planting flowers around the yard each spring. She loved bringing beauty into our acre of paradise in Cottonwood after Dad reclaimed it from the wilderness.

In my teen years the garden was moved to the horse corral after we sadly departed with our horses. Mom and Dad still grow a large garden in that same spot to this day. I guess the ground is pretty fertile there. There is a row of perennial flowers in front of the old coral that Mom planted. There is an old cherry tree that Dad planted –all within the backdrop of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. 

Matt, Joann, Darell & Charles displaying their harvest

I learned to love nature, plants and gardening from Mom. I also gained a sense gratitude for the abundance of the harvest, which God provides. Most of all, I appreciate Mom for just being there and enjoying the moment, no matter the task at hand.

-Darell