Pinch My Salt

Food, Recipes, and Photography

My Dad’s Garden

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Herbs and Flowers

One of the many things I love about being back in central California is that I’m near my family again.  My grandparents are only 30 minutes away and it’s just an hour’s drive to see my Dad, who lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near a tiny little mountain town called North Fork.  I’m currently in an apartment without much outdoor space to call my own, so this year I’m trying to get up to my Dad’s house as much as possible to help out in his huge, beautiful garden. 

Artichokes in the Garden

He’s expanded the garden this year and has just about finished setting up drip irrigation in all the beds.  The garden is organic and my Dad uses biodynamic practices as much as possible.

Drip Irrigation in Garden Beds

So far we’ve planted potatoes, tomatoes, summer squash, eggplant, lots of sweet and hot peppers, broccoli, onions, and more. Soon he’ll be putting in corn, beans, and winter squash. My project this summer, in addition to helping out with the garden (and creating recipes with the produce), will be to document the process through photographs and share what I learn along the way.  Will you be gardening this summer?

 

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Comments

  1. Joanna says

    Beautiful garden, how does your father deal with gophers, rabbits, mice orsquirrels? I have a small garden which has wire under the soil & thought I finally beat them but they figured a way in last summer, so I plan to remedy the situation. I noticed his garden doesn't have raised beds or fences. I live in North County San Diego below Palomar mountain on 16 acres + cattle pasture in front & open land behind so we are exposed to every kind of critter. We have a dog so poison is not an option as she catches them. I have fence around area & place more wire around each plant but its always a battle + I use mouse traps.
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  2. Nicole says

    Joanna - They had a lot of trouble with gophers last year! He has been using steel gopher traps stuck in tunnels along the perimeter of the garden. He's caught quite a few already this year.
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  7. Leucadia Chiropractic says

    I adore your Father for having such a neat garden, it's very rewarding and fulfilling! Great feeling too especially during the harvest, you can have organic veggies from your own backyard. I always wanted to have a garden like this but don't have time to do it ugh
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  9. kellypea says

    So happy that you are enjoying being close to your family again -- mine seems all over the place now, and I miss them. Swooning over your dad's garden and love that you get to work with him in it. Such rewarding work from so many perspectives -- I've never had a relationship with my real father. I've got an herb box this year with a few strawberries and eight tomato plants in two big pots. I need more space!
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  10. Darcy says

    I just started using biodynamic practices in my garden too - in my area, there is an awesome guy who has been teaching monthly gardening classes and it's been awesome! I even wrote a few posts on what I've been learning. Love the garden! Can't wait to start seeing that first harvest...
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  11. candice says

    Great pics, California is the perfect place to grow most stuff, so I'm a little jealous. I have my little back yard garden with a white picket fence...used to have a gate to protect from unwanted intruders. ( my little kids and the black and white furry beast that steals sugar snap peas..) trying to grow peppers again this year because i have become addicted to pickled jalapenos. So far my efforts have been thwarted by cool weather and slugs. (urg..the slugs) got lots more stuff too ~ and so does your dad, so my hat it off to you guys, keep it up:)
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