A look back in time to the start
Of a season so close to my heart
We gardened and grew
We lost quite a few
Made memories that never will part
2015 Garden Stats
Major Losses
All squash, except pumpkins
All peppers, except jalapenos
Two autumn olives
Two chickens
Prevalent Pests
Squash bugs
Deer
Japanese beetles
Did I mention squash bugs?
Big Wins
Tomatoes
Blackberries
Aronia
Strawberries
Rose bush growth
Swale growth
Vineyard growth
Fedge growth
Pleasant surprises
Volunteer tomatoes
Volunteer aronia
Volunteer dill
Volunteer lovage
Possible re-growth of goji berries
Berries on one autumn olive
It’s hard to believe that the picture below was once our kitchen garden. So much of what we planted, and what volunteered, grew in this space. We had squash take over and tomatoes pop up everywhere. But, we also had some major losses to pests and mammals.
Beginning
Middle
End
In the beginning, the chickens were so small, so adorable. Then the wars started. We lost two to unknown predators and they’ve been turning on each other ever since.
Yes, they are still excellent layers, but now we know their hearts and we are cautious and planning to send some to the freezer this fall.
Beginning
Middle
End(s)
Watermelon seed pack: 10 cents
Squash seed pack: 15 cents
Finding out your son planted squash next to the tomatoes: Priceless
Mystery squash pre-take over.
Invasion!
When Ray started digging, it was an experiment to see if we could put a pond in the back pasture. Then the rain came.
Before the rain
After the monsoon
It’s fun to look back on the progress and growth of our 2015 garden and a little sad to see it coming to an end for the year. We’ll have cabbage and broccoli yet this fall, but not near the lush beauty of the summer garden.
Quickly the season
Passes with the heat and rain
Let’s plan for next year
a pinch of homestead 
Love looking at before and after photos! Well done! 🙂 How is your holding pond doing? we plan to create several on our land.
I do too. It makes me feel like we’ve actually accomplished something. It’s so hard to see progress day to day. The pond is still holding water, but small. The funky algae cleared up and our two goldfish are still swimming. If it drys up a little more, my husband is going to dig it out more and we’ll try lining it with rock or something.