If you’re a regular reader, you know that we do a big family garden every year. And it’s not always been my favorite part of the homestead. Probably because it’s a lot more work than folks like to make it sound and we’re already really, really busy! Don’t get me wrong–it’s totally worth it! (Hello, we do it every year!) But it definitely takes time and sweat.

Mr. Fix-It and the crew have just kept plugging away year after year and each year it gets better and better and this year they really won me over and I’ve been just as excited as they are–maybe more! This year I’m totally embracing it!

Our kiddos already enjoy it. They enjoy planting. They enjoy harvesting. And they enjoy telling everyone that comes to dinner how they grew the food on our table. (Which is saying a lot about their attitudes since by mid-summer we’re gardening in 100-degree heat around here!)

Want your family to enjoy gardening together? Here are a few pointers from our last 7 years, if you’re just starting out.

DON’T Do These Things…

• DON’T plant stuff you don’t eat. Seriously. You will not eat it just because you planted it. Neither will your picky eater. This is advice we’ve tried over and over again with no success! And cultivating what you will eat will take more than enough time and energy! (Ask me about the eggplants!)
• DON’T plant everything. Especially the first couple years! Pick a few favorites and then add something new each year as you get more experience.
• DON’T forget the fence! Please, please, do yourself a favor and think about garden fencing. The last thing anyone needs after working so hard is for the dog to run in there and dig up all your work in one afternoon {ahem…grapevines three times!}.
• DON’T forget your plan to harvest when planting. Sound crazy? When you plan your garden, know what you’re going to do with the produce! Are you ready to freeze? Try canning or pickling? Sell at the Farmer’s Market? Or just eat fresh over the summer?
• DON’T over plant! Nothing hurts your motivation more than watching all your sweat and tears rot on the vine or be eaten by bugs because you can’t keep up with it. (For tips on how to use extra fresh produce to help families in your community, visit our post on using extra eggs to help needy families.)

DO These Things…

• DO grow at least one thing for each person. It encourages everyone to “own” the gardening effort for themselves.
• DO let them help! Get kid-sized tools and let them do everything you do. If you want them to be willing workers then teach them, and give them grace. (DON’T worry about minor collateral damage! {smile})
• DO work together. Make it a family affair–not just a chore they are sent out to do.
• DO cook fresh. Nothing brings the value home for your children like picking dinner from the garden straight to the stove top or table! Enjoy all that hard work!
• DO teach as you go. Not just about gardening, but about math, about science, about history, about faith–those teachable moments are right there if you’re looking for them!
• DO plan, use companions, and rotate. We have a very conceptual plan, but it’s enough to lay out companion plantings and rotate crops. These all help with soil health and insect control–especially important if you don’t want to have to use a bunch of chemicals. (I’ve got some great companion planting diagrams on my Gardening Pinterest board!)
• DO gather new recipes! If all goes well, you’re going to have lots of food–gather up some new summer recipes, some canning recipes, directions for blanching and freezing, and a list of needy families from church–DON’T let it go to waste!  (Pinterest is perfect for this too!)

And be sure to take a few minutes and take pictures as you work. These snaps of my kiddos all sweaty and dirty and smiling are a blessing over and over again when I look at them! They’ll love them when they’re older too. It will be wonderful memories.

Do you have a garden every year? Do you work it as a family? It’s a lot of hard work, but our family is always blessed by it.