Thinking about doing a Garden?

[Richard Myers]

Amen, Sister Marelis! What a blessing it is to see the seeds germinate and the trees grow and produce an abundant harvest! Or even just one or two plants of kale in a pot!  I still remember the day when a young boy I learned that the peach that I picked off of our tree could produce another tree that would produce hundreds of peaches. All from the one little seed within my peach!! And, how much would it cost? Nothing, but some effort on my part to plant the seed.

Many will say, but you need to prepare the ground, fertilize, and water the seed. Yes, that is the better way, but you know what? There are seeds that produce plants and trees that I have never planted, watered, fertilized, or weeded. I have quite a few pecan trees that the squirrels planted, God watered, and I only have to fight off the squirrels to get a few! What an amazing thought!!!

Today, we have seed companies that produce seeds that produce plants that have no seeds.      That is not the ways of God. He gave us plants that produce seeds after their kind. God's ways are not the ways of the world. I think that God put it into all little children to be impressed with the germination of seeds and the growth of plants and trees. But, we need to take advantage of that by taking the little ones into the garden and help them care for the plants. There are many spiritual lessons for them to learn as the garden grows.

[Richard Myers]

If you are thinking about doing a garden, think about protecting your plants from critters. Not just bugs, but deer, turkeys, racoons, rabbits, etc. Last week a friend who I had given a peach tree to, told me the one peach that she was looking forward to eating in a day or two, was seen being eaten by a squirrel!   Imagine a squirrel eating a peach!  I watched one eating a mandarine he stole from my neighbors tree.  I have contended with gray squirrels for my pecans for years, but a mandarine?

And last night I caught a racoon in my garden. They usually just go after the  cat's food, but they like something in the garden. I have not yet discovered why he was there. I imagine he is waiting for something to ripen, like I am. It will be a race to see who gets the reward of my labor!!

Netting and fencing are an expense that can save our food from the critters who seem to be guided by an unkind angel. But, God is more powerful and He is active in providing for all of our needs!

[Richard Myers]

Maybe you don't have room for a garden?  Then pray about moving to the country where you can have a garden, especially if you have children. It will be a blessing as God opens the door for you to do so.

 The time is fast coming when the controlling power of the labor unions will be very oppressive. Again and again the Lord has instructed that our people are to take their families away from the cities, into the country, where they can raise their own provisions; for in the future the problem of buying and selling will be a very serious one. We should now begin to heed the instruction given us over and over again: Get out of the cities into rural districts, where the houses are not crowded closely together, and where you will be free from the interference of enemies.--Letter 5, 1904.   

    These cities are filled with wickedness of every kind,--with strikes and murders and suicides. Satan is in them, controlling men in their work of destruction. Under his influence they kill for the sake of killing, and this they will do more and more. . . . 
 
     If we place ourselves under objectionable influences, can we expect God to work a miracle to undo the results of our wrong course? --No, indeed. Get out of the cities as soon as possible, and purchase a little piece of land, where you can have a garden, where your children can watch the flowers growing, and learn from them lessons of simplicity and purity.--General Conference Bulletin, March 30, 1903.

[Richard Myers]

If you have not thought about a garden, read a little on the light given to us regarding a garden.

When the power invested in kings is allied to goodness, it is because the one in responsibility is under the divine dictation. When power is allied with wickedness, it is allied to Satanic agencies, and it will work to destroy those who are the Lord's property. The Protestant world have set up an idol sabbath in the place where God's Sabbath should be, and they are treading in the footsteps of the Papacy. For this reason I see the necessity of the people of God moving out of the cities into retired country [places,] where they may cultivate the land and raise their own produce. Thus they may bring their children up with simple, healthful habits. I see the necessity of making haste to get all things ready for the crisis.--Letter 90, 1897. 

Can't do a garden? Pray for God help you do a garden. You will in His time be blessed.

[Richard Myers]

Have a favorite tree? Want to copy it. Try air propagating it.

[Richard Myers]

Thinking about doing a garden? Why should we take time to do it? One good reason is that the end is rushing upon us. The time will soon come when we cannot buy or sell. Then, how shall we eat if we cannot buy food? Will God rain it down from heaven? Maybe for some, but for others who neglect to walk in the light God has given, I doubt it. Today is the time to prepare for what is soon to come. It will be too late to learn how to grow food. There have been times when because I did not understand the needs of a particular plant that my efforts failed. I was not then dependent upon my efforts that I might eat. Soon we shall have to be successful at growing our own food if we want to eat.

There are other good reasons to have a garden also. Share with our readers some of those reasons.

If you have not thought about a garden, read a little on the light given to us regarding a garden.

For this reason I see the necessity of the people of God moving out of the cities into retired country [places,] where they may cultivate the land and raise their own produce. Thus they may bring their children up with simple, healthful habits. I see the necessity of making haste to get all things ready for the crisis.--Letter 90, 1897. 

[Dorine]

I can't resist an opportunity to talk about gardening.
I can't imagine life without a garden. It is in my DNA. Yet I feel I have so much more to learn. Just when I think I have figured out what is best for certain plants the weather plays a trick and destroys my confidence in what I thought I had learned. This then leaves me very thankful that I am not yet dependent totally upon my garden. My daughter's and I seem to say each year..."well there's always next year"

The benefits I experience:

• Exercise,
• fresh air,
• sunshine,
• communion with God as we work together,
• sharing produce with neighbour's opens a door to new friendships for God.
• Full of minerals and vitamins that most soil is depleted in today.
• With healthy soil comes amazing flavour.
• Total family involvement, teaching them of God's love and care.
• It teaches us to trust in God to do His part when we have done our part in preparation of soil.

I know there are many more benefits but these are some that come to mind.

[Lena]

My mother always had a garden so it just seems natural to garden.  Unfortunately wasn't considering gardening when buying my place in the 70's.  It is on a rock ridge with some clay over the rock.  Have been trying raised beds for a few years but was given incorrect advice about what to fill them with.  Some years things seem better but don't really do better.  I keep trying.  When the time comes that I have to feed myself God will have to work a miracle.  And I will definitely know that it is a miracle from God.  The whole adventure of growing a garden is worth it.

There is no food better than that fresh out of the garden. 

[rahab]

As soon as spring arrives all thinking revolves around gardening. Even if one lives in the city they can always have a herb garden.

[Marelis]

When the time comes that I have to feed myself God will have to work a miracle.  And I will definitely know that it is a miracle from God.  The whole adventure of growing a garden is worth it.

There is no food better than that fresh out of the garden.

Your post made me smile, Lena. Gardening is a continual learning experience. Every garden is unique in terms of all the factors that come into play...the soil, light/shade/dark, climate, insects. I love gardening and experimenting....which means plenty of failures.

[Marelis]

There are other good reasons to have a garden also. Share with our readers some of those reasons.

If you have not thought about a garden, read a little on the light given to us regarding a garden.

For this reason I see the necessity of the people of God moving out of the cities into retired country [places,] where they may cultivate the land and raise their own produce. Thus they may bring their children up with simple, healthful habits. I see the necessity of making haste to get all things ready for the crisis.--Letter 90, 1897. 

Yes, we do well to grow as much of our own food as possible, Br Myers, and to rather urgently acquire some gardening skills if need be. One of my little pleasures in life is to become more creative as a gardener with what I have on hand, including cardboard boxes, used plastic milk bottles from work etc with the aim to be able to grow food pretty much anywhere and hardly spend a penny.

Reasons for having a garden? Apart it providing food to eat, having a garden is great for learning to be creative and resourceful, to problem-solve as well as to develop patience and observational skills. Gardening provides me with daily opportunities to have a deeper appreciation for our Creator and a sense of wonder as I discover new things. And how everything works together in a garden at both a macro and a micro level.

[Dorine]

My daughters and I went to the seashore last week to gather seaweed. It was the perfect mix of every type of seaweed and we are excited thinking about how happy our garden soil will be and how much more nourishing our veggies will be.  It was quite the exercise for me at my age, walking on rocky stones and carrying heavy buckets. Then after filling the van we were invaded with flea beetles that were jumping all over. Nothing comes easy but the rewards are priceless. Does anyone here live near the sea where you can pick up seaweed that has washed ashore after a storm? The benefits are numberless.

[Marelis]

My daughters and I went to the seashore last week to gather seaweed. It was the perfect mix of every type of seaweed and we are excited thinking about how happy our garden soil will be and how much more nourishing our veggies will be.  It was quite the exercise for me at my age, walking on rocky stones and carrying heavy buckets. Then after filling the van we were invaded with flea beetles that were jumping all over. Nothing comes easy but the rewards are priceless. Does anyone here live near the sea where you can pick up seaweed that has washed ashore after a storm? The benefits are numberless.

I was very excited for you with a load of seaweed until you mentioned the jumping flea beetles! If I lived near the sea I'd be gathering seaweed. I use lots of seaweed concentrate. Your garden will thank you for all that seaweed.

[Dorine]

   Marelis we are still shooing them out of the van but the worst of them are gone now that the seaweed is removed. Actually I don't know the correct name for them. They really are not a beetle. They look something like a flying ant but also jump. Whatever they are they are not welcome. At least they don't bite.

Years that we don't have seaweed from the shore we use kelp meal which is good and also the seaweed concentrate as you mentioned. One year the only seaweed that came ashore looked like cassette tape. We were delighted to get it. After all it was seaweed but it took 3 years for it to break down. A couple of years ago we found some seaweed that had already started to break down. When we started picking it up to put in our buckets it smelled like a decomposing corps. It was horrible. My son-in-law had to throw out a good pair of shoes. The rest of us had rubber boots on. We won't do that again. My grandson kept gagging. What a gardener won't go through for their garden.

[JimB]

So in the past few years I had a life change that put my gardening on hiatus. However, the last 2 years I've been blessed with a friend who is letting me use of his property for a garden. Last year I did green beans and purple potatoes.  This year is sweet corn, green beans, one row of potatoes and some sunflowers. Its so incredibly nice to be able to garden once again. Thankfully, my friends neighbor is doing soybeans this year so I don't have to worry about cross pollination with my corn. I'm hoping here in a few weeks I'll have some corn & green beans to process. The Lord is good!!!

[Dorine]

That's a nice strip of garden Jim. Maybe next year you can add to it. Do you have hay down as mulch? I would like to post some pictures but need some instruction on how to do that. God gave us an early spring (for our area) this year and our garden is flourishing with the help of lot's of seaweed and leaves for mulch. Post more pictures as your garden grows.

[JimB]

I will Dorine. Yes, that is straw I put down for mulch. And all 10 rows of plants are on timed drip tape. What you can't see is my beans at the far end that go perpendicular to my corn. Its hard to see but next to my corn is my friends Blueberry bushes. I didn't even plant my potatoes this year. Apparently I was not very thorough last fall when harvesting so these are freebies this year. That is why the potato plants are much taller than the corn.

[JimB]

I thought we had instructions posted somewhere on how to post pictures but I'm not locating them at the moment. If I don't  find them I'll try to write something up soon.

[Dorine]

Thank you Jim, I would appreciate that. I relate to the potato volunteers. We planted our garlic last fall where our potatoes had grown but this year we have a bed full of potatoes growing up among the garlic from the ones we missed when we harvested last years crop. I keep saying I should plant potatoes in the fall instead of the spring because they are just as advanced as this years crop.