Gardening in Utah

Greg and I moved to Utah in the fall of 2004. In the spring, we rota tilled a large area, and dug furrows to plant our first garden. Furrow gardening is how I learned growing up in Idaho. Because it was spring and we were in a high elevation of 7064 ft., the frost wasn't over. The nights that is was forecast to freeze, we covered our plants with whatever we could find and because the wind blows where we were living, we put the log on it to keep the boxes from blowing away. Not very attractive, but it worked.

Furrow gardening is where you garden with furrows. Easy enough? right? A furrow is actually a narrow canal or groove in the soil. First you get your soil ready and then you make the furrows with a hoe or spade.

Here are step by step directions for furrow planting.

www.ehow.com/how_6762427_do-furrow-planting.html

Furrow gardening really is Easy. Greg and I don't measure and all that; we just eyeball it. And we've had success.

(don't look at the date on the picture. It's wrong.)

I'm not sure why we picked it when it was so small. We were just so excited, I guess!
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In July, we had a small harvest. Our plants were looking so good and growing strong. Greg accepted a new job in Arizona, so we had to harvest some of our veggies to enjoy before we moved away.

Afton doesn't look like it, but she really did like the peas.

These were our squash and zucchini plants.
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This was all that we were able to harvest because it was in the early stages of the growing season in Utah. Looks good though!

Greg and I found that gardening in Utah was easy. We planted the crops, gave them some water and they just grew.

(I had to go out and weed a few times, but it's not as bad as it seems.)
We can say that "gardening in Utah is easy" with confidence after living in Arizona for the last six years and trying to garden here.

The first thing we ever planted

...because of my childhood growing up in the country and participating in 4-H, I like to say that I taught Greg how to garden.
I have to take my hat off to my dad, though...he taught me.

In 2003, we bought our first house and planted our first garden.
Well, sort of.
We had some potatoes in our pantry growing eyes. So we chopped the potatoes in half and threw them in the dirt. Watered and shaded them and wala..our first harvest.

Not bad for our first time, huh!?!

This next picture is what Greg looks like mowing the lawn. He has allergies, so he has to wear a mask of he'll be sick for a week.

Let's just say it's a good excuse to not have to mow the lawn.

Therefore, that job has become my job...

I don't mind though, I love to look at it when it's done.

It's one of those instant rewards for doing the work.

Greg and I inspire to be self sufficient.
We enjoy the work....somedays
But, we always love the end product!

It's funny, really because growing up, my family had a garden and I hated it. By the end of the summer it was overgrown with weeds the size of small bushes because none of us (my 2 brothers or 4 sisters) wanted to take care of it.
My little brother, Thayne told me that he and Stephen (my other brother) used to make me mad so that I'd go weed, then they wouldn't have to.
I guess I weeded when I was mad.

Now, as an adult, I find it theraputic. Planting a small seed and giving it extra care with a yummy treat throughout the growing season or the look of beautiful flowers overflowing an old antique chest gives me a sense of fulfillment and happiness.

I am starting this blog to record the ups and downs of trying to be self sufficient.
You learn as you go, so you have to keep going!