In late April, Brian, Kate, Danielle and I started our garden.

We began with zero experience but were eager to learn.

Our goal was to grow edible plants, meet interesting people, and learn as much as possible.

There have been ups and downs, plants have yielded meals and other plants have died. Along the way, we’ve learned a lot and felt a different sort of calmness and presence in the garden that can’t be matched elsewhere.

Our garden is located in Westport, Connecticut. Check it out @ www.westportgardens.org/wordpress

The town set aside a few acres for the organization and the garden is surrounded by a heavy duty 8 foot fence so deer cannot invade. Each gardening group pays a small fee ($50 USD) in exchange for their plot (10 feet by 20 feet).

Within this space the gardeners are free to grow whatever they want. The only requirements are that everything is organic and that gardeners maintain the weeding of their plots in a timely fashion. Most gardeners opt for “raised plots,” a method where wooden frames are placed into the ground to creating a structure that helps the plants grow.

Before this experience, Brian and I had no idea that the Community Garden organization existed. Most of our friends in Westport hadn’t heard of it either. Maybe there’s a Community Garden organization in your area!

You can see our kale and spinach seedlings in one of our raised beds in the above photo.

Every week, we’ll share our progress in the hopes of connecting with aspiring gardeners, veteran gardeners, and those who have always wanted to try gardening but haven’t done so. Maybe we can inspire you to take the leap!

What have you grown this year? What have you learned about gardening and yourself in the process?

~TR