The Garden

By popular demand… MY STRAW BALE GARDEN

(update: this should've been posted fall 2018 - this year I had to skip a garden!)

A few years ago I purchased my first house (insert party, joy and fear lol). Its a diamond in the rough (literally rough) as it had great bones, but needed LOTS of love (still working on it). 

I really wanted to have my own garden, but not knowing how many pesticides and other crap were in the yard I really didn’t want to be feasting on fruits of my hard earned labor knowing the bad chemicals were leached into my goods (and my body). So, I researched. I could do a raised garden bed...but those require building (which I shouldn’t have power tools 😜), the other ideas just piled dirt on top of the bad dirt and everything I found still meant dealing with weeds (and the fact that I’d most likely probs kill it all off). I was looking for unconventional (per usual). I was looking for easy-er. I’m a K.I.S.S. kinda girl. THEN I found a book….  

Picked the best spot in the back to get the most out of the sun and wind!

(breezes help keep pests off and strengthen roots)

Starting the non-GMO seeds inside while conditioning the bales.
I still kill most of them 😩

                       

This is how I remembered where I put all my seeds
yea... so also don't seed shop when you're hungry 😂 

Three years and 3 successful organic, non-GMO Straw Bale gardens later…. 

It took me a long while, but straw bale gardening has taught this city child a LOT. It has been so very beneficial, filling (like seriously eat from it all the time), and rewarding. It may sound silly, but the whole process of planting a little tiny seed…watching and waiting for the first proof of life to appear… see it turn from a couple leaves into a giant plant… which then produces the most amazing food brings a much deeper fulfillment  (talk about garden-to-table! Doesn’t get more flavorful than this!). 

Till next time!!

Janelle