Evins Mill Garden Review 2010

Burr! It is that time of year again. Why does Winter seem to wrap us so snugly into a time of reflection? The combination of another year coming to a close, the shortage of daylight, the cold temperatures and the absence of color (100% chance of gray, as my wife likes to refer to TN winter) seem to work together and naturally put us in the frame of mind to look back. The gardener in me uses this time to start making a plan for the next growing season, which is really not as far away as it may seem watching the snow fall. A big part of making that plan is looking back at the past year and determining what worked and what definitely did not.

As part of my planning, I thought it might be fun to share a few numbers with you to show what we grew, how much, and what it ended up getting used for. Makes me feel warmer just writing it all down!

• cucumbers...165lb, lots of pickles, salads, gazpacho
• tomatoes, ripe...182lb, green salads, salsa, sauces, gazpacho
• tomatoes, green...89lb, fried green tomatoes
• tomatoes, grape...65 pints, green salads, pasta salads
• mixed greens...53lb, green salads, soups (arugula, mustard)
• green onion...11 bunches, garnish
• blackberries...7lb, cobblers
• apples...107lb, baked apples, chutney, salads
• peppers...15lb, salads, omelets, baked beans
• watermelons...20 each, breakfast fruit, green salads
• butternut squash...36lb, soups
• pears...18lb, green salads

After writing it down, it is easy to see that tomatoes, cucumbers and salad greens were our big crops. It seems that we can utilize those no matter the quanity coming in. The homemade pickles ended up being the crowd favorite this year thanks to a bumper crop of cucumbers. The apples were a nice surprise since we do not get a reliable crop of those every year. As for next year, I will plan on sticking with our big producers, but try a few new veggies and fruit on a smaller scale like heirloom melons, green beans, and a surprise or two. Once I get into the seed ordering there is no telling what I will end up with.

In the four years we have grown the Evins Mill garden, it has been more successful every year, and we are planning on that to continue. It is very satisfying for me to be able to grow some of the food that ends up on your plate, on our table! I look forward to seeing you at the Inn this year.