Gardening in Oklahoma

This was going to be our year. We expanded our garden. I spent the past year picking up canning jars at garage sales. The kids were old enough to entertain themselves. Our deep freeze had plenty of room. We were all set to garden like crazy and preserve as much as possible...but...we live in Oklahoma. Like much of the heartland, not much has been growing here this summer. I hate to complain really. I know people whose livelihood depends upon the weather. The farm I buy chickens from is dealing with much worse...their chickens are dying, their cattle have nothing to eat so they are having to buy hay...and the price of hay is going up. The u-pick farm we are members of has basically nothing to sell to their members. The kind old gentleman I buy eggs from has hardly any eggs to sell because his chickens can't lay in this heat. So really, my plight is not that bad. For me it is a momentary disappointment. I go to the grocery store instead and come home with food for the family. We still eat, even if the food does come from California.

Here is what happens to pole beans when the temps reaches into the 110's degrees...day after day after day. And no rain...

And here is what happened to our poor kiwi plant. We'll try again next summer.


There have been bright spots...back in May we had our first strawberry crop along with lettuce, spinach, and radishes. Later we harvested 22 heads of garlic, about 15 red onions, a handful of tomatoes, a bowlful of carrots, and lots and lots of basil. They have been little reminders that springtime and harvest will return again.













And finally, our prayers for rain were answered. The rain came. In torrents, with wind and hail. A large limb from our pecan tree fell on top of the playset. But our neighbors came (with power tools!) and by Sunday evening most of the limbs were cleared away.



We were without power for almost 24 hours. When the power came back on Sunday evening we were all glad to have lights and appliances and (most of all) air conditioning again. This morning we woke to sunshine and pleasant temperatures. A friend called and we went to the park. There was shade and a cool breeze. More reminders that God is good. Yes, yes He is.