Garden Battles to Homemade Goodness
The joys of growing our own food and bringing it to the family table.
We live in a world where fast food has become all the rage. If we can't have our food in 30 seconds or less, frustration builds, and folks are ready to move on to wherever the line is shorter and the food is cheaper.
But our lifestyle here in Idaho has taken a different direction from the mainstream.
I began gardening over 20 years ago, and I continue to work the soil each year, hoping to bring forth a bountiful harvest for our family table.
Over the years, my gardening methods have changed, and so have the harvests! Some years, the garden has been so bountiful that I've given produce away as fast as I could pick it. Other years, I've faithfully tended the little I had, hoping and praying for a better garden the following season.
This year, however, gardening looked a little different.
After years of struggling with our rock-filled, sandy soil, battling an abundant weed population, and fighting off gophers, voles, and moles determined to destroy anything green, I was ready for a change.
And let's not forget the insects! Flies, moths, aphids, and all sorts of little creatures seemed to think my garden was their personal buffet.
Some years, gardening felt more like a battle with nature than an enjoyable way to grow food!
So this year, I decided to try raised-bed gardening.
Surely, this would solve some of my problems! At least the moles and voles couldn't get into the beds.
And they couldn't.
But alas, the ground squirrels sure could!
Those persistent little rascals were determined to enjoy the fruits of my labor before I ever had the chance!
I covered every hole they dug into my garden, but they simply found another way in.
They chewed down my marigolds, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and cilantro, leaving nothing behind but pitiful little sticks.
I tried everything I could think of, including bubble gum in their holes, baking soda mixed with cornmeal, and even trapping them.
I was beginning to wonder who would win this battle—the gardener or the squirrels!
But finally, I won!
And once the plants had a chance to grow without becoming someone's breakfast, lunch, or dinner, they began to thrive.
Out of the battlefield—err, I mean garden—came produce!
Lots of it!
Beautiful, bountiful produce that has filled our pantry and brought such satisfaction to my heart.
From the Garden to the Kitchen
One of the treasures of this year's garden was a beautiful pumpkin that grew happily throughout the summer. I picked it just before our first hard frost, and it was ready to move on to its next adventure.
Pumpkin pie!
Not just any pumpkin pie, mind you.
HOMEGROWN, HOMEMADE pumpkin pie!
Oh my, what a treat!
There is simply nothing quite like the flavor of a pie made from a pumpkin you've grown yourself. The rich, fresh pumpkin filling, combined with my homemade buttery pie crust, was absolutely delicious.
Now, I must confess that my crust got a little crispier than I intended!
I have a new propane oven, and apparently, it was feeling a little overachieving that day. Once I realized how enthusiastically it was baking my pie, I quickly turned down the heat and covered the edges of the crust with aluminum foil.
Thankfully, all was not lost!
The pie was delicious, with a crispy crust and all!
The Joy of Homemade Cooking
Growing your own food, harvesting it with your own hands, and turning it into real food for your family to enjoy brings a special delight.
In our fast-paced world, I think we've lost a little of the joy that comes from slowing down and preparing food from scratch.
Not every meal needs to be fancy or complicated. Some of the very best meals are made with simple ingredients, a little time, and a whole lot of love.
That's one of the reasons I wrote my MountainTopSpice Cookbook.
Over the years, I've collected and perfected many of our family's favorite recipes. Some are old-fashioned comfort foods, others are simple everyday meals, and many feature the wonderful ingredients we grow right here in our Idaho garden.
My cookbook is filled with easy-to-follow recipes, color photographs, and little personal touches from my own kitchen. You'll find everything from homemade breads and sourdough favorites to delicious family meals, desserts, and recipes for different dietary preferences such as keto and gluten-free.
My hope is that it will inspire you to spend a little more time in your kitchen, enjoy the goodness of homemade food, and create special memories around your own family table.
You don't have to grow a garden to enjoy homemade goodness!
Whether you're harvesting vegetables from your backyard, shopping at your local farmers market, or picking up ingredients at the grocery store, there is joy to be found in preparing something delicious from scratch.
If you're looking for some fresh inspiration for your family meals, I'd love for you to take a look at my MountainTopSpice Family Cookbook, available on Amazon.
And perhaps the next time you're tempted to grab something quick through a drive-through, you'll remember that some of life's sweetest pleasures take a little more time.
After all, good food is worth waiting for!
From my Idaho garden and kitchen to yours—happy cooking!
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