Garden harvest season is nearly over here in NEPA. Can I tell you something? It drove me absolutely batty not to have a big productive garden this summer. And thank you, Facebook memories, for reminding me of all the yummy, colorful eggplants, beans, peaches, cucumbers, peppers, apples and more that I didn’t harvest this year. No, this year my garden was mainly a plot of huge overgrown weeds and grasses. It hadn’t been touched in four years, and boy, did that show! I even found several old metal tomato stakes, all crooked with limp pantyhose ties sadly clinging. And a tangled tomato cage surprised me not too far into the raspberry patch. Well, no surprise really since my garden used to be there. No one pruned or caressed the raspberries either for the last four years. And they though it best to encroach boldly into the vegetable garden. What a mess.

I did manage to hand dig a small humble area where I lovingly planted six tomato plants, two peppers, and a container of cukes which needed to be relocated from the back patio. Around this meek plot, Rhianna and I rigged up all the fencing we could find in the garage (also known as “the barn”). This sad array included pieces of hardware cloth, actual metal garden fencing, and some ridiculous plastic “fencing” that I must have purchased on a whim years back. The cukes didn’t really make it; the peppers got eaten early on — they are growing now, but the party’s over, ya know? And I did get some tomatoes. Also, a few kale plants sprouted out of dormancy and so far gave me enough leaves to add to a soup.

Hey, I’m not complaining. I have big plans for next year.

Woodchucks were a massive problem for me this summer. I personally saw a furry family of at least four or five enjoying all things green and newly planted in my garden and on my patio early in the growing season. They won, for the most part, regarding my veggies. I have to say, most of my herbs did survive. Either those voracious creatures didn’t much care for certain herbs (i.e., sage, mint, catnip) or the plants have made a valiant comeback (oregano, celery, parsley). The basil must be a favorite. No basil for me.

I am loaded with sage, and I’m bringing some in to work tomorrow to share with my co-workers. I think I will preserve some using the olive oil and ice cube tray technique. I may dry some, too. Sage makes a mildly pungent tea. It’s delicious with added lemon and sweetened with honey. It’s supposed to be good for many things that might ail you. So I like to enjoy a cup every now and again.

Actually, I’m quite happy with my little harvest this year. I know things take time, and restoring my garden will not happen in one growing season.

I’m looking forward to perusing those seed catalogs come January!