With the current state of the world and the country, which has only worsened as the year has progressed, I found myself finding joy in my ability to provide and “prepare” for my family in the form of sustaining nutrients.

That is, until crops started to fail and my garden began to look vastly different from our bountiful harvest this time last year.

Per Shaye Elliot and Angela Reed of Homemaker Chic Podcast, “Gardening is always about next year.”

And for this I am thankful.

As it were, my tomatoes are producing as incredibly slow rates as leaves and stems turn brown and die off from who even knows what.

My squash produced 3 fruits. Literally. Even with hand pollination.

My green bell peppers have yet to show up despite the flowering blooms on the plant (and I’m an idiot because I only planted 1 plant)

My chickens DESIMATED my ever so beautiful bush bean plants for which I was just starting to harvest from.

I might as well not have even planted sweet potatoes.

I couldn’t even find seed potatoes to plant for a spring or fall crop.

And yet, I still plan and hope for tomorrow’s harvest.

I’ve begun ordering seeds and planning layouts for the fall garden which i’m eager to see what cabbages, squash, brocolli, herbs, and other fall goods I can store to hopefully reduce the need for grocery store runs this winter.

If it weren’t for what feels like major failure, maybe I wouldn’t appreciate the success.

I’m up to my ears in cherry tomatoes yet again.

I have so many cucumbers that if I continue to eat them at the rate they produce, I’ll turn into a cucumber.

I successfully grew and am currently harvest my first okra after 2 years of attempt and failure.

Though I only planted one jalepeno plant, we will have cowboy cornbread all winter as we please.

I’ve dried and stored parsley, rosemary, and dill.

I’ve processed and frozen basil in olive oil for the winter.

And i’ve canned more chicken broth than my heart can handle.

There seems to be great good in the midst of all the chaos and yet I yearn for more. More produce to can and store for the winter. More memories of travel with friends and family. More love to be spread between our neighbors.