The first of our harvest is starting to trickle in. Red and golden beets were on the menu tonight! This year has been a rough one for me in the garden world. My motivation to garden just hasn’t been there this year. I didn’t start my seeds exactly on time, I didn’t fertilize the raised garden beds at all, and I haven’t watered very consistently. I haven’t even replanted out the beds and areas that finished after the spring. You can definitely tell there was a lack of care by looking at the state of the plants.

HOWEVER, that being said, even when you don’t do much, some things will grow well. These are the first beets of the year. They came from my personal garden bed at the church, which received roughly the same treatment as the garden beds at home. Looking at the glossy red and golden beets, I am so glad I threw a few seeds in the ground in spite of my lack of enthusiasm way back in the spring.

Cooking Garden Beets

You want to boil your beets and greens in plenty of salted water. Then drain them of most of the cooking water, peel, and add them back in the pot with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Squeeze some lemon juice on them and eat them with a crust loaf of french bread spread with plenty of butter and a piece of raw onion on the side. So good!

Some garden years are going to be great. Others, meh. It’s ok. Don’t worry. That is part of the beauty of this hobby. Every year is different and it is part of a cycle. You get a fresh start next year. It is perfectly okay to rest the ground, as I did this year by not planting all the beds out fully.  Soon fall will be here and I have a plan to improve the garden beds with a secret special something.  Here is a photographic hint for you:

Either way, I always find that Gardening = Magic! Happy harvesting!