How does my garden grow?

This is my third garden (Summer, Fall and now winter). In the first two gardens I grew a lot of tomatoes, but as far as everything else I grew allot of big green plants that hardly produced any vegetables! Very frustrating for someone as frugal as me. This winter has already been more successful. We've been eating Spinach out of the garden. Now we have lettuce that is ready to start eating it, here is the salad we had with dinner. I've done lots of reading about plants in Storey's Basic Country Skills, Year Round Vegetable Gardener and the Tiny Farm Blog is a great inspiration...so this summer is looking promising. We've decided organic gardening is the way to go. Also, I have obeyed Farmer Jason and started my seedlings I hope to be eating well out of my garden by this time next year. I will be getting a soil test and well get some mushroom compost for the little garden before April. So Julie...wanna go to Madisionville?

You know even though I have not been the best gardener. Gardening has taught me a lot about

God, when I thin out crops I don't snatch up the big healthy plants you choose those that are not flourishing. I prune the branches that are bearing no fruit, in poor soil or somehow in the wrong row.

John 15:2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

I imagine to God it is as obvious if we are flourshing or not if our branches are empty, if there isn't a single tomato on our bush. If I see a naked tomato bush I know there is something wrong with that tomato. Its the soil, water the fertilizer or something. But if after I've addressed the issue it's still fruit less it has to go to make room for a plant that will fruit. Our lives are that obvious to God. He can see if our branches are empty or full. We can fool ourselves but not Him. Just like I try to nurse a plant on to vigor, I imagine God does the same thing. But just as I prune & cull the plants that are failing I also imagine God is doing that too. So how's your fruit?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

RH