I have grown lots of things in my life.  Several hundred pounds of corn and squash.  Close to 1,000 chickens. Maybe more.  And a little human.  This took the longest.  I even managed to grow and keep a houseplant alive for almost 2 years.  A feat in and of itself for me.

Some years are better than others for growing things.  And some years contain more hours of freedom. I begin each vegetable growing season with high and mighty plans.  I can just see the bushels of tomatoes lined up on my porch, the bags full of freshly shelled peas waiting to be processed.  The happy look on the faces of family and friends when I share my bounty with them freely and joyfully……well.  The whole time element thing seems to snatch away my nearly realized dream season after season.  Last year I didn’t grow anything but some over-fertilized tomatoes that grew to the size of Lithuania and produced nothing but leaves.  This past spring was fairly successful but I still found myself falling short of the harvest I had planned.

Enter friends and farmers markets.

I also needed peaches.  I had some friends earlier in the year let me pick some from their overloaded tree but I needed more.  Enter, Adam.  Adam has a peach orchard down the road from my parents.  For 30.00 I got enough peaches to put up 11 pounds of preserves.  Until my trees start producing I will be Adam’s best friend……

 Then there were peppers.  I actually had a really good pepper crop if you considered my sweet banana, tabasco and cayenne.  I gave up on bell peppers years ago.  Enter Jani and Kyle.  These are some food growing folks, now let me just tell ya’.

I have pepper envy.

But isn’t my yellow colander great?

They grew these as well.

I suppose my point is this.  It is okay to buy other peoples vegetables.  It is okay to accept gifts or make trades.  You may have something they need one day.  You don’t have to do it all yourself.

Please remind me to read this post in January.  Thank you in advance for you cooperation.