Gardening At Irish Blessing

     We decided with the growing interest in our other homestead adventures and the rise of backyard gardening in 2020, we would add a dedicated gardening page with a few pictures and some information on how we do what we do and the amazing heirlooms we use. We hope you find this page helpful and inspiring. We are not master gardeners, only family farmers, but we do wish to encourage anyone who wants to try their hand at producing their own food or just want a little greenery around to give it a go! Gardening is a fun and healthful hobby. 

     We primarily use no-dig/no-till methods in our gardens. Early research is showing this method to be a better option for the environment as the soil remains undisturbed and it gives us a place to recycle (after composting) and utilize plant and animal waste from around the farm instead of it ending up in landfills. No-dig gardens tend to have lower fertilizer needs and less water runoff, lowering water waste in the garden. We have also found that once the beds are established, weed growth is low. That seems like a win-win to us!

Heirloom and open pollinated tomatoes!

Rare and heirloom legumes!

Other wonderful veggies!

     No garden would be complete without some flowers. Flowers add beauty, attract pollinators, deter pests, and many are edible themselves. We've also included some pictures of the helpers in our gardens. Since we use pollinator friendly methods of pest control, our gardens tend to be covered with helpful insects and other resident pest hunters. It's so amazing to watch this ecosystem work!