In my third year of gardening, I’m finally starting to figure it out.

So much of gardening is specific to your space and your values. In the first few years, you’re reading everything you can, trying to understand zones, soil types, raised beds vs in-ground, how to water, fertilize, stay on top of the weeds, what to grow where, and how to do it without breaking the bank (if you’re like me).

Every year brings new problems, and it’s easy to wonder if it’s all worth it. But gardening has stuck with me, and I think that’s for a few reasons.

Why I Keep Gardening

It can help with the food budget, especially if you're growing what you actually eat. When I slow down and approach the garden with intention, it helps clear my head. It’s a form of meditation for me.

It also feels like a real way to care for the earth. Watching documentaries like Carbon Cowboys reminds me that healthy soil isn’t guaranteed. Shipping food from halfway across the world burns a lot of energy and feels like a short-sighted way to meet our needs.

Building a Garden That Matches My Values

Over time, I’ve been refining the garden to reflect my values. It’s not a polished or pretty space. I used old lumber to define the beds and wood chips to keep the weeds down. I could have used new materials, spent a lot more money, and made it look more put together, but that didn’t line up with what I care about.

I grow food that we eat. Early on, I wanted to grow things that looked interesting, but my wife and kids mostly wanted familiar foods. I still grow heirlooms when it makes sense, but I’ll also use hybrids or common varieties if that’s what gets eaten.

I also keep it small. I work full time and have two kids, and if the garden gets too big, it stops being a place to slow down. It becomes another thing I’m behind on. Small is manageable, and manageable means I can keep going.

Trying Regenerative Ideas Without Overcomplicating It

I’m also experimenting with regenerative and permaculture ideas. Just a little here and there, not in a rigid or “all-or-nothing” way. I’m trying to make sure the garden gives back at least as much as it takes, and that it stays realistic for my life.

What You’ll Find Here

My goal is to offer useful tips, strategies, and reflections on how to garden in a way that’s sustainable, values-driven, and possible with a full-time job and family. There are a lot of books out there (I’ve read quite a few), but they can be technical and overwhelming. I want to break some of that down into bite-sized, usable pieces.

Three years in, I’m not an expert, and I think that’s a good thing. I hope it helps me speak to beginners and people figuring it out as they go. If that’s you, I hope this blog feels like a place you can land and learn.

Thanks for being here.