9/9/09

My Own Grower's Market!



I've been limited to time and space, in using all the veggies from our garden this year.

I'm still roasting my tomatoes and freezing, and I actually came up with a new idea for using our plentiful crop of tomatoes, but I just can't let anything go to waste!

So last month I started doing this: Instead of letting any of these beauties go to waste, I decided to put them out on my front porch, fill the basket daily, put a bucket of plastic sacks out too - and tell my friends and neighbors to help themselves!

It's what my Grandma used to do on her farm, except on a much smaller scale.



I guess you'd say it's my own little Grower's Market, right outside my front door!

Do you buy summer produce from a Grower's Market or the grocery store? Do you grow them yourselves, or do your friends share them with you?

20 comments:

Dee Light said...

There really is nothing quite like home grown produce. Summer means my Mom and Dad will have a garden overflowing. They share with all of us kids and folks from Church.
My Aunt and Uncle always have a garden as do their neighbors, but this year the husband and wife that live next door had health problems, so my uncle tended to their garden for them. What a great way to grow a realtionship and a garden!
There is just something about a garden that brings people together.

singerinkitchen said...

WoW how wonderful! I would be there grabbing some fresh ingredients!

Kirstin said...

I too have been giving away produce. I just have so much and not enough jars to can in and not enough time to do what I'd like to do. So I've given it away. Next year I'd like to set something up where people can just come and get what they want. Maybe even let the girls sell some stuff if they want.

Anonymous said...

I've bought some corn at the road side stand close to our house. We used to grow tomatoes, but we ended up trying to give the abundance away to friends who were also trying to give their abundance to us, so we decided to stop since we're not really gardeners anyways! :-)
pk @ room remix

Tiffany @ Mine Are Spectacular! said...

SO thoughtful!!

I really wish that I could grow my own garden. But like fish and plants, I can't seem to get anything to grow. In fact, now that I think about it, the only thing I've been able to grow is children!! ;-)

Tiffany @ Mine Are Spectacular

Staci @ Designing and Motherhood said...

Hi! We have taken porch selling/neighborhood selling up a few notches this year. We have turned our gardening hobby/lifestyle into some CASH at our local farmer's market. Check it out on my blog. It's been a positive experience. I am saving for a vacation with the $$.

http://designingandmotherhood.blogspot.com/2009/09/our-farmers-market-adventure-week-2-we.html

Have fun.
Take care,
Staci

Annie @ astonesthrowfrominsanity said...

I love fresh produce, but alas, have no room for a garden and no buddies that garden either. I am going to attempt some tomato plants in pots on my deck next summer, so I will keep my fingers crossed!
Annie @ astonesthrowfrominsanity.blogspot.com

Dawn said...

We house sat for our neighbors during June and benefited in their instructions to keep everything harvested and eaten. So nice and so good!

We've had such heat and drought this summer that local produce has been quite scarce. I've missed it!

Gina said...

That's a great idea! We usually load up a bagfuls of our extras and take a walk around the neighborhood-we get to visit with neighbors and get to purge the excess. I think that's a win-win!

Kathy C. said...

Oh Sandy, is it awful to say I'm coveting? I'll repent of it, I promise. My garden didn't produce much this year, I wish I had your problem,...or at least I wish I was your neighbor! :)
Have a beautiful day!
P.S. I'm having a giveaway on my blog, please drop by!

Suzann said...

This is absolutely wonderful! I love to buy fresh fruit and veggies at the farmer's market as opposed to the grocery store. I am most excited that we will be getting our very own Whole Foods in the spring, so I hope to be able to purchase yummy organic stuff year round.

Linda C said...

I wish I lived in YOUR neighborhood! Wow- everything looks great- what a bounty!

And what a great idea to share it with others:)

Linda C

Silvia said...

I would love to be your neighbor Sandy.

Hugs!!

Moore Minutes said...

Oh what a treat to be your neighbor! They look so FULL OF COLOR! Delicious.

Darla said...

Great idea. We have a smallish garden and manage to use most of what we grow. Zucchini is another matter tho, LOL!

Darla

Laryssa Herbert said...

Very generous!

No Longer 25 said...

That is so kind and thoughful. It's so great to share what you have produced especially instead of it getting wasted. I wish I was your neighbour!

I love that stone sign you have, I wonder where I can get one of them over here...I think I'll go have a look on google!

Kathryn said...

Such a great idea! And so sweet. Next year I'll do the same.

Kelly said...

This is such a clever and thoughtful idea to share your harvest with your neighbors!
I soooooo want to start a garden and when I do, I will plant with this idea in mind.....to share with our neighbors.
Thanks for sharing your idea with all us fellow bloggers!

Col said...

I wishe that we lived closer! Your produce looks glorious! I am so inpired by this blog, you don't know. Am in the process of getting ready to move in with SO of 2.5 years and have put off entertaining as a couple because we don't have a place together. You really need to write a book, because I'm just ending up writing down ideas in a small notebook to take with me to the new place.. its filled with so much inspiration from you! Thank you for a wonderfully insightful informative and FUN blog. By the way.. the Balcony Girls thing... you are doing so much for them and they don't even know right now... later they will look back and see what an impact you made in their lives!