This weekend was wonderful because I could almost smell the fresh veggies that I will soon be harvested in my front yard this year.   The sun was shining, the dirt could easily be mixed into mud (via two messy kids and a hooked up garden hose) and I officially dusted off my gardening sandals.  Whoohoo!!

You might note that I only mentioned harvesting in my front yard.  This is because the back yard—although someday will make a plentiful garden spot—has been in possession of my children and my almost 2 year-old Golden Retriever.  So, in plain English. . . we are harvesting doggie doo and just praying for the survival of the few morsels of foliage that does remain back there.    I asked my hubbie if he would install electric fence around a small area that would make a nice garden spot, which turned into a great discussion about the “humanness” of installing electric fence inside our home.  And, although it was a lively discussion—we decided the whole thing might prompt a visit from child protective services if one of the kids mentioned to their teachers at school that mommy and daddy shocked them if they tried to leave their bedrooms.  Oh, well—we can dream.  Plus, the backyard really should be a place where kids can run and destroy (I suppose).

So. . .back to the front yard.  Last year I was able to convert my large and previously perennial flower filled planting beds into a veggie garden.  I love my flowers, but looks aren’t everything.  I ordered a copy of a book from Barnes & Nobel that was re-released in February—Small-Plot, High-Yield Gardening: How to Grow Like a Pro, Save Money, and Eat Well by Turning Your Back (or Front or Side) Yard Into An Organic Produce Garden by Sal Gilbertie, Larry Sheehan.  Talk about dreaming.  We are going to really pump out the produce this summer in ways I never imagined.    In addition to the book, I’ve also been perusing all of the great websites on small space gardening.  Between the two, I can almost smell my tomato breath right this second.

The garden space option I’d never considered before is containers.   That is my project for the next couple of weeks.  I will be researching how to grow things in big pots.  Our front yard should be interesting to say the least.  I wonder how the home owners association will react to our new front yard landscaping, especially since they spell out exactly how many trees and bushes you must have, not to mention the species of grass you have to plant.  Hopefully, we won’t get fined for pot gardening this year.  Hmmm.

I hope to max out the yard this summer with healthy things to eat and of course. . .what I can’t squeeze into the front yard, I can luckily buy.   Between our neighborhood Albertsons store and the nearby farmer’s market, I should be able to get about anything that can be grown on local soil.

Well, that’s about all that is on mind tonight.  I suppose I took the long way around to say, “I’m just thrilled about the coming of spring!”  How about you?  Are you ready to get your hands dirty in the name of fresh and healthy eating?  Just say, “O yes, PLEASE!”