Project: Grow Food

I look forward for a good harvest. In the month, already have harvested 4 bitter gourds and that made me happy!

How do I say all these! I grow food with the intent of savings. And true to it, I invested on 20-peso bitter gourd and now harvesting some, almost sustained me whole week but I chose to give the 2 bitter gourds to a neighbor, hopefully to share the blessings I have received. However, I asked back the seeds so I can plant some more! Anyway, I am still expecting some bitter gourds on the way this week so there is plenty to feast on succeeding days, all I have to do is wait.

Had anyone wonder why God specifically intended that one fruit contains a lot of seeds? Well, its simple. If it was easy to plant and harvest, then all of the plants we saw have grown and bear fruits. But no! A lot of people think that planting is easy. It’s actually very frustrating at times especially when they’re half way growing and all of the sudden, dies?! Oh! Disappointing isn’t it? Oh yes! It happened to me with my sayote or any plants, several times and just died. Now I’m growing it again, hopefully. Still crossing my fingers.

One fruit bears a lot of seeds because we sow all of them and only ¼ of what we was sown lives and bears fruits, more than half of them dies! Then along the way, water/nutrition, heat, and attention could be factors of their surviving or not. Everything is actually intricate and depressing if you only think about it. But the gratification your likely to get out of all this is, exceptional. Imagine all of the hard work, persistence despite the stormy weather and heat, all at the same time and endure ridicule from other people who says otherwise. And successfully made it through the harvest. Sit and enjoy the harvest that finally came, is quite unimaginable. That starting again from scratch, is nothing from this point on. And will no longer buy food again, that supply will not run out just in case food will go scarce, especially with spices.

In addition, I don’t have to go out just to buy food when supplies ran out from the pantry or simply look for alternatives that is readily available at the little garden. And I truly find it amazing. While still looking forward for cucumbers to finally bear fruit as they are flowering. I bought 5 strawberries and currently, runners are about 8, so from 5 I will be having 13 if all grows successfully. And in time, they bear fruit. Hopefully the runners will grow some more in time for their new home to arrive and settle in a spot allocated for them.

The succulents on the other hand are bearing flowers. Slowly trying hard to get my attention by flowering each day as successfully as portulaca. Coming in the malunggay, as one stem is now flourishing with leaves. Spinach too started to compete with them as I am slowly harvesting some for a time now, part of my stew recipe. While mongo were sown purely intended to help with their nutrition since legumes produces nitrites, good as natural fertilizers for the surrounding plants. That’s the idea and its perfectly beneficial to all surrounding plants and I’m glad to sow them all in one place, they’re a bit crowded though! Now it got me thinking that I need some sprouts for a salad, so it best to keep the mongo available for the sprouts.

Other beans are available too but still on their way, I’ve sown then late – they’re still to be awaken. While lemongrass has several on different location and the scallions and onions too, -can’t wait to see their flowers again. Ah! I planned to parade them on top of the wall but I still have to figure it out how. While the mint, oh, they easily sprouted this time and a lot of them already. Will be transplanting some for a refreshing air, they truly have good aroma! I’d like to put them on my veranda to scare away the mosquitos.

Well, this is about today. Hopefully I can share more the next time for an update. Hopefully I can share some new add on to the collection. Hopefully you’ll share yours!  Thank u.

July 26, 2022
Image: my own