Symmetry within the circle of our season — that’s the overarching lesson from the garden. But just one of the ways gardening teaches me year after year.

It is perfectly absurd to search for a beginning or an end to this cycle; is it when the seeds start forming, when I harvest my saved seed out of the garden, as I store it over winter, or when I plant it next spring that is “the beginning”? Is it when the food emerges, when its ripe, when I harvest, when I eat it, or when I compost the excess that is “the ending”? 

Taking into consideration the piles of compost, continuously added to by our hens, and all the other intertwined inputs and harvests from our little backyard homestead garden- I’m proud to announce that I can I find neither beginning nor end… instead I find a naturally flowing cycle that swallows its own tail year after year. A process without any one formula, rather a myriad of methods and infinite accomplishments along its way.

That being said; we all like to “take stock” every so often. The end of the calendar year, as the garden lays sleeping and frozen under the snow here in Minnesota seems a fitting time as ever. So, I’m taking a look back on this year of growing with you to share what I gleaned from my gardens. Or rather, what lessons my garden unearthed for me. I’ve added links to previous posts at the end of most topics, as it seems the lessons I learned this year are also perennial. But as with gardening- the roots grow deeper and the harvests increase with each passing year. I hope you can take a few of these ideas and let them inspire you to grow and harvest more (veggies, sustainability, peace) from your gardens this upcoming season. Let’s Dig In!

Grow Lights are Worth It

Without grow lights my northern garden simply would not produce the food (looking at you tomatoes + peppers) I look forward to starting from seed every year. If I purchased all the crops I grow as plants rather than seed my garden would not be profitable. Grow lights are an investment, but being able to start plants indoors is a game changer that any gardener who has taken the leap will attest to. If you want to start a garden from seeds, and you live in a cold growing zone like I do- these help produce happy healthy plants!
Seed Starting 101
Seed Catalog and Company Overview

Extend Your Growing Season

Growing under any kind of cover can bring both earlier and later harvesting. Extending your growing season by a few weeks on each end may not seem like a lot, but in my zone 4 garden in Minnesota every week counts. Some guides give us as little as 115 growing days. If you’re planting with the seasons, I’d say more like 140, and adding a low tunnel or cold frame can easily take you to 200 growing days- if you plant cold tolerant veggies.

Just Keep Planting

Being able to start the majority of your garden from seeds allows you to try so many new varieties. And you can stagger those plantings (called succession planting) to keep eating fresh from the garden all season long. Being able to replant a garden bed two to three times makes your gardens so much more productive!
Succession Planting to Extend Your Harvests

Good Garden Layout

Being able to get your garden out of your head and down on paper is a game changer. Taking the time to do this step, and redo it a few times- saves time and frustration later in the season. Being able to dream in plants and meals in the depths of winter makes the frozen months easier too. It will 100% add to your harvests and overall joy in the garden come summer and who isn’t looking for that!
Garden Design Class


Know Your Farmer

I can’t come close to growing it all, nor do I want to try on this city lot. So, I heartily rely on my local farmers. Building relationships with the people who grow my food is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my garden. It allows me to not worry about trying to grow enough sweet corn to feed my family- a truly daunting undertaking to being with. Instead, I know a few farmers who grow amazing sweet corn, that I purchase to can and freeze. This frees up my garden space for things that I can grow well.
Winter Farmers Market
Farmers Market Shopping Tips + Tricks

Compost

The simple, completely natural act of composting is an impactful way to up your garden game. There are so many ways to compost, and not many ways for it to go wrong. Nature knows what to do when you put a bunch of organic matter together, I promise. Keeping veggie and yard waste out of landfills is so simple and you get garden gold out of the deal. This was the first blog I ever wrote, so be gentle if you read this one, but the information is still sound!
Composting Basics

No Dig Works Wonders

I grew my first real front yard garden this year and it pushed me out of my comfort zone in a few ways. And I was greatly rewarded in new friendships, more food, and a new understanding of the power of sheet composting. In the last few years I have added many new garden beds and edible landscape space with both sheet composting, hugelkultur and lasagna gardening techniques. It is the way I plan on continuing because it is easier and grows amazing food!
Building a No Till (Lasagna) Garden

Add More Flowers

Adding flowers and more bio diversity in general is also called Companion Planting. Planning for more diversity, with veggies, flowers, annuals and perennials will bring in the pollinators and give your garden the natural defenses to fend off attacks from many common garden problems- from insects to diseases.
Companion Planting Flowers for Veggie Gardens

Add More Fruit

I will always add more fruit! From ground covers, bushes, canes, trees and vines the diversity of fruit is every bit as exciting as the varieties of vegetables.

This was my first season getting a grape harvest and being able to snack on sun ripened grapes while in the garden was a new high for my whole family. I’m focusing more and more on perennials in my garden and loving the returns!

Keep Saving Seed

Saving seeds, and adding plants that are open pollinated, is a key to keeping me engaged on my garden journey. Knowing I am growing food AND seed still gives me those garden superpower vibes. Knowing what, how and when to save seed is a gift that I love to share. If you are new to the seed saving game, it starts with buying seeds that can be saved in the future…
Seed Saving Starts Now

Suburban Homesteading

In roughly 450 square feet of garden space in the 2021 gardens we grew a total of 543 pounds of homegrown goodness! *I forgot to weigh some of my potatoes* – but, this gives you a pretty darn good idea of what can be grown in roughly 550 square feet of garden space. On a larger scale farmers often anticipate about 0.5 pounds of produce per square foot.

We also tapped and processed over 6 quarts of maple syrup and brought in over 600 eggs from our little city lot. Not to mention the foraged foods we enjoyed.

I’m glad there will never be a way to quantify the bird songs heard, the butterflies watched or the underground microorganisms multiplied. But I do know it was a very good year in the garden and I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.

Now is a great time to dream and plan, I hope this helps you find some direction for your dreams. Cheers to each of you- and all my best wishes for a joyful and meaningful 2022!

Keep Digging in!
Michelle