The joys of gardening are bountiful

The Simpson family enjoys their daily visits to their garden boxes.

The Simpson family enjoys their daily visits to their garden boxes.

Judy Ondina

Don’t we all enjoy fresh fruits and veggies, especially if you are fortunate enough to be the gardener of these delectable crops? If you have driven near the doggy parks surely you have noticed the box gardens next to the park. These 4 foot by 8 foot plots of dirt are rented by Robson Ranch residents on a yearly basis. The planting that took place earlier in the year is now reaping plentiful fruits and vegetables. Near to the garden boxes that Alice Uyeda cultivated, Catherine and Steve Simpson, along with their trusted canine advisors Miss Priss and My Buddy, have enjoyed the fruits of their labor for many seasons. Tom Beaury built the boxes and double screened them to keep out the “garden pests.” Catherine is cultivating asparagus, lettuces, cabbage, onions, rhubarb, okra and kohlrabi, all organically grown. I had never heard of kohlrabi. Catherine explained that it is carb free and she uses it to make mashed potatoes. Sounds like a tasty idea to me! Nor did I realize that asparagus takes three years to produce any edibles of which I got to snap one off and enjoy, fresh and delicious!

In addition to enjoying the daily nourishment of fresh fruits and veggies, tending one’s garden offers an additional benefit of exercise. Gardens don’t stay weed free on their own; planting, weeding, watering and harvesting are all part of the process.

The Living Well Committee promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle, and what better way to enjoy than growing your own fruits and veggies. Here’s to Living Well!