A Brief Tour of the Van Damme Garden

Here are the things you're apt to see (2022 edition)

Asparagus

We've been growing this perennial for many years, and it occupies a quarter of the garden. It's the first crop, coming up in late spring if things dry out.

Beans

We have a freezer full of 3 kinds of pole beans

Beets

We like the yellow beets because they don't have all that red stain.

Blueberries

Our blueberry bush has finally started to yield well after many years. We cover it with a net so the birds don't get to them. There's a second one coming.

Carrots

Mona approved.

Corn

Garlic

We harvested 29 pounds of garlic in 2022. It seems to like wet soil.

Groundhogs

Great for clearing those excess vegetables, or target practice.

Hazelnuts

We have nine hazelnut bushes, and they really taste good roasted.As long as the squirrels don't get them.

Herbs

Cilantro, dill, sage, oregano, parsley, chives, basil, etc. We keep these in our herb garden right outside the house where we can run out and snip off some.

Hops

Well, they grew well and took over that side of the house. But were rejected by Van Hassler Brewing as being the wrong variety. Maybe we'll try again.

Kale

Kohlrabi

These grow above ground so we don't have to scrub so much dirt off. And they look cool.

Norway Spruce

We planted a hundred 40 years ago, and now they're shading the garden. Some we sold as Christmas trees. And every year we kill a younger one and bring it in the house, for some reason.

Onions

We get maybe 60 pounds a year, which lasts almost to the new crop.They also predict our weather, although they're better at predicting last year's.

Oregano

A perennial, invasive species. But we eat it as fast as it grows.