So around February, I coerced mom into doing a garden with me. We built a 2 foot raised garden which I amended with humus, manure, compost, and some mushroom compost. I decided to do it intensive style so we could get more product and utilize space more effectively. I planted 2 asparagus plants which can't be actually harvested for 2 more seasons so their root system can become strong enough to support enough foliage. We've harvested all of our spring crops, kale, chard, broccoli, radishes, onions and lettuce. We've managed to feed 5 people 3 different meals from just the lettuce, and we've still got a whole mess of it out there still growing. Our summer crops are doing well, also. Mom's got several tomatoes in her little mini-garden, but she cheated and used already grown plants. I'm just now getting flowers, but I started smaller than she did. My cucumbers are small, but about to bloom. The eggplant has had a few blooms, but I didn't notice any fruit yet. We have several banana peppers and jalapenos, and my okra is flowering. I already have a baby okra on one plant. Mom is doing potatoes in her little plot. She was building them up with compost as they grew, but she is almost out of compost now, and said she is tired of messing with them. We will get enough as it is. I have pumpkins throughout the garden, unfortunately. I planted them later in the season and it rained in torrents that night and spread them around. I love pumpkin, though, so as long as they don't shade out something else it's fine.

She didn' really want to do this project with me because it's "not fun", it's work. But it has been fun. It's rewarding to be able to see your efforts turn into something good, and it's good to know that everything was grown organically, and I'm not getting pesticides. I asked her today as we were picking the lettuce, "see, aren't you glad we did this? We got all this stuff." She said no, it wasn't fun at all. By the tone of her voice I think she was joking, however.
Come fall, Instead of doing a proper fall vegetable, I think I am going to, if I can find it, load the top with fresh manure and plant either rye or wheat grass to help replenish the nutrients in the soil. I can do this without the poo, but it's better to do it with. Then I'll have super good soil come spring.