So, the leaves don't really change in Arizona, and the temperature does not drop into the low 50's, but we do have a few markers for the arrival of Fall. Some might claim the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks means that autumn is here; others might say the first batch of soup on the stove; for me, fall is here the day I walk into Trader Joe's and there are pumpkin products at every turn. Pumpkin bread, organic canned pumpkin, pumpkin butter, pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin...okay, you get the point. Well guess what people, today was the day. I walked into there this morning around 8 am to pick up a dozen or so of eggs, and it happened. Pumpkins galore. And I loved it. This year, for me, fall means more than delicious desserts and Thanksgiving around the corner. For me, it means time to get that raised garden bed, pick out some plants, and get gardening.
I'll admit, I was a little intimidated despite having done a good amount of research. It is different to talk about gardening than actually to start gardening. Also, the gardening process has become more personal for me now that I am feeding Danny and myself three meals a day, seven days a week. I really have a deep desire to feed our family well and to eat whole foods. Danny's mom has recently introduced us to the Paleo diet, a way of eating which emphasizes returning to the foods of our ancestors. No, that does not mean we eat like we are cavemen and cavewomen, but we eat as nature intended us to eat, without all the additional things added by manufacturer's. Similar to gardening, it is really intimidating to start a new way of diet that requires me to read all the labels and get rid of things I love to eat, but I am hoping that gardening will help me feel more confident.
Fast-forward a few hours later, Danny and I walked into Home Depot empty-handed and walked out with...a lot. We decided to buy a raised garden bed kit, because it was a good amount cheaper and more time-efficient that buying pieces of redwood and making it ourselves. It saved us about $20 to buy the kit. Originally, I wanted this to be a really personal process, but it can get expensive to make a garden bed, so I was happy to save $20. We also walked out with some soil which I plan to use to fill the garden bed. We opted to use MiracleGro garden soil. Since we want to have an organic garden, we chose organic soil. As soon as we got home, I started the process of putting the bed together and getting the ground prepared for the bed. I am excited for the next steps and to keep you updated. Let's see how it goes! Try our best and forget the rest. (Anyone get the P90X reference?).
