This episode of Grow Your Own Food features tips for knowing when to harvest various homegrown foods.

After several years of tending to a food garden, I am deeply grateful that I have the desire and ability to grow some of my own food, and so grateful that I have made this one of my life priorities since 2011. With each year, the journey and experience of growing my own food increasingly enrich my heart and soul, strengthen my connection to nature, and enhance my whole life experience.

Interacting with the Earth, learning nature’s ways, and respecting life’s natural balance have bestowed me with so many amazing benefits that go above and beyond just nourishing myself with the highest quality of food possible. It brings out and nurtures humility, curiosity, awe, wonder, and joy, and for all that I am so utterly grateful!

As every year thus far, this year’s garden season was fruitful and delightful, though not without its challenges. Whereas last year was very hot and dry, this year right from the spring and throughout the entire summer was very cool and wet. Our local climate changes have also brought about the earliest frost in the area, perhaps as far as records go, on both August 31 and September 1! Luckily my garden did not endure any frost, but two very unseasonably, near-freezing cold nights. Fortunately, everything survived and most things did well all season, providing an abundance of homegrown goodies that are as local, fresh, and organic as they can possibly get.

Previous Grow Your Own Food Episodes: