The gardener, a veteran with over 30 years of experience, has found immense joy and success in their latest gardening venture. Using a unique method of layering hugelkulture with soil and compost in their garden beds, they have managed to significantly boost their vegetable yields. This abundance has not only filled their freezer with a variety of vegetables like collards, mustards, beets, turnips, and arugula pesto but also allowed them to continue harvesting tomatoes, beans, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, green beans, eggplants, and peppers throughout the growing season.
Despite a setback with summer squash due to borers, the gardener remains undeterred, experimenting with new plants and innovative methods like wrapping stems in tin foil to protect them. The garden's productivity even extended to growing corn and spreading sweet potatoes everywhere.
This bounty has enabled the gardener to make significant contributions to their community. In February, they managed to deliver two giant car trunks full of collards, mustards, and broccoli greens to a local homeless shelter. The task required wrapping the greens in king-sized bed sheets and the assistance of another person due to the sheer volume and weight.
Driven by a vision to make fresh vegetables even more accessible, the gardener is planning to organize a free table outside their fence, strategically placed a few blocks from public housing. This initiative, along with continuing to donate a third of their harvest to the shelter, showcases their commitment to sharing the wealth of their garden. Despite some crops underperforming, their enthusiasm for gardening and the effectiveness of their garden beds keep them motivated and spreading the word about their gardening successes.