Digging In: How Gardening Became My Passion and What’s Next
- inthebloomsfarm
- Feb 6
- 5 min read
I'm not quite sure what led me to pick up a shovel, dig in some dirt, and declare gardening my new hobby a couple of years ago. But I am so grateful I was pulled in this direction. I am the type of person who has sifted through various arts and crafts hobbies over the years, so the way gardening landed and stuck with me still surprises me. I've always had a love for nature and have felt connected to the outdoors since my youth. As a kid, I'd climb the pine trees in our yard, catch and release tadpoles in the pond, ride my go-cart through the mud, and stand on the back hill singing to the birds. As I got older and earned my driver's license, hiking and exploring trails became my new favorite pastime to disconnect and find peace. Yet, whenever I was gifted a succulent, I was never great at keeping it alive. I definitely lacked a green thumb at first.
After graduating from college and moving into my first apartment, I became determined to succeed in keeping a plant alive, so I purchased a money tree. During the beginning of the pandemic, I was in my final semester of senior year at Penn State Abington. I stayed for the following year to work. I enjoyed my five years there, but it wasn't like the rural area I grew up in, and I knew it was time to leave. I headed back home to live with my parents and regain my footing in the post-pandemic world. I went back to working full-time in an office instead of remotely, which was positive for my mental health. Steady pay and a comfortable environment gave me the time I needed to figure out what's next. Over the past few years, I believe I've gained more clarity on what that looks like.
My father started a garden with my mother several years ago, so maybe their green thumbs began to rub off on me when I returned home. To be completely honest, at first, I had zero interest in my father’s garden. I was just a cheerleader on the sidelines. The money tree I had purchased for my apartment, which I had managed to keep alive there, died when I got home. With my mother’s care, it regained its leaves and began to flourish. Now, more than three years later, it stands about six feet high in the office where we work together, still thriving. The office we work in specializes in equipment for poultry farmers, and as I connected with more farmers and learned about the industry, I became incredibly inspired and passionate about agriculture and its importance in our communities. Maybe it was that connection that inspired me to start growing some of my own food.
In 2023, I planted my first garden in our family's yard, which included three small plots cascading down the hill. I also created two additional gardens of my own, and my dad passed the torch, allowing me to take the reins of his cherished garden. Of course, we still worked together. Although my harvest wasn't the most abundant, I gained a wealth of knowledge through hands-on experience and research, which fueled my determination to achieve even more in the garden the following year. I also learned the art of making blackberry jelly, which quickly became a staple on our PB&J sandwiches. From setting up the gardens to experimenting, succeeding, and failing along the way, it was an incredibly rewarding experience. It was so enjoyable, in fact, that by the time fall arrived, I was already daydreaming about the next season, even though it was months away.
This brings me to my second year of gardening in 2024, when I decided to expand my garden even further and had the opportunity to see things truly flourish. In my second year of gardening, I was able to harvest and share more vegetables from the garden, discover a love for cut flowers, and experience the joy of sharing them with others. I also embraced more regenerative practices and learned even more along the way. It wasn’t a walk in the park, though. I built up my garden by starting seedlings in April to plant in May, watching it take off and truly flourish by June. During the first two weeks of July, we got to experience the peak of its abundance. But that quickly shifted when we were hit with hot, humid weather, which sent the bugs into overdrive. I practiced companion planting and did my best to avoid using sprays, opting instead to pick bugs off my plants by hand. However, when the pests started taking a real toll, I had to resort to using BT spray. It helped extend the life of my vegetables for a few more weeks, but soon, all that was left were flowers. I didn’t mind, though, and continued to arrange beautiful bouquets for the rest of the season, working with whatever the garden had left to offer.
Each season brings its own valuable lessons, and as fall approached, I found myself daydreaming about the next one. So, what’s in store for 2025? While it’s hard to predict exactly what will unfold, we can certainly plan the dream. This year, I’m expanding the garden to use more of my family’s yard. I’ve convinced them that, “You’ll have less grass to cut if I fill it with produce and plants!” But more than that, they’ve been truly supportive of the vision. I’ve also expanded my seed inventory, adding heirloom vegetable varieties and a wider range of flowers beyond my usual staple of zinnias. I’m excited to offer fresh cut flowers again, and this time, I’m hoping to create beautiful dried flower bouquets for the fall season. I’ve selected vegetables from Hudson Valley Heirloom Seed Company and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and I can’t wait to see what springs up from this mix.
We’re also building our very first mobile chicken coop for our laying hens, so we can offer pasture-raised eggs to our community. After experiencing the difference in taste myself with pastured products, and becoming a member of the American Pastured Poultry Association, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with so many inspiring individuals who encouraged me to take this step this year. I can’t wait to share some of those delicious eggs with you.
To learn more about the benefits of pasture-raised eggs, check out this informative handout from FACT:
If you've been considering starting your own garden or having a backyard flock of chickens, I encourage you to take the leap! Even if it’s just a small tomato plant on your back porch, or a few herbs on your windowsill, you have options to grow something yourself. It's such a rewarding journey, and there’s something truly special about having a closer connection to the food you eat. Whether it’s growing a little bit of your own produce or supporting local farmers and businesses, every step counts.
A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me so far — your encouragement means the world! I’m incredibly grateful and excited for another season, ready to see what it will bring. And who knows… maybe soon I’ll be launching my own farm! 🌱🐓 I can't wait to share the journey with you!
