Garden Thoughts

 As I'm making tomato sauce I'm thinking about next years garden. It may seem silly but if I plan things now, while the mistakes I made this year are still visible, I may be able to do a better job next year. I know for sure that I will need more room. I really over-crowded this years space. I also have to do a better job of protecting my plants from bugs and disease. In the past, I always relied on chemicals, especially when I was farming. Now I know that these chemicals are killing us and polluting the earth. It's time to learn a newer and safer method for growing food. Others have done this so I'm sure that I can also learn. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Well, I'm no puppy but I'll never be an "OLD" dog. This winter I will spend some time online doing research about new, safe ways to control issues in the garden. I used a baking soda and dish soap mixture this year for spotted leaf mildew. I was pleased with the results although things would have been better and the results better if I had started using it sooner. Everyday is a learning experience. We just have to be open minded and accept this new knowledge when it's presented. Then we need to learn how to use this new knowledge apply it to our own needs. Growing our own food is fun and we can control what goes into it. So the "no-brainer" for me is, grow it safer using more natural preventative methods to produce safer, healthier food. No chemical sprays. No chemical additives. I may not be 100% green but every bit helps.