Disclaimer: it has nothing to do with the amount of food I have harvested. In fact, it is the end of June and we do not have a whole lot to show for this garden so far, despite the plans and many plantings at the beginning of the season.

Of course I enjoy gardening as a hobby in general and enjoyed it even before I had a child. But now that I have a daughter who is old enough to help me in the garden, it has a whole new, much sweeter, meaning to me.

Yesterday I went out and found our potatoes poking through the surface, the tops all dried out and dead. I decided to go ahead and pull up what we had. Once I realized there were actual, edible potatoes in the garden, I knew my daughter would love to help me dig them up.

She loves to be a helper. It doesn’t take much, just ask her if she wants to help mommy with something and she is right on it. I know this is not always going to be the case, so I soak up every minute of her company I can get!

As we were digging the potatoes, I couldn’t help but think of Easter eggs. She has always loved hunting for Easter eggs, like most children, so digging for potatoes is really no different. They are all the same color pretty much, but they are a variety of different sizes and it is a challenge to find them in the dirt.

As we pulled potatoes, we discussed their size and if they would be edible or not. I explained that the ones with holes or major defects may not be salvageable, but we can cut them open and see. She was thrilled to come inside with two pots full of red potatoes to show her daddy!

And that, my friends, is why this year is so special to me. To share the joy of gardening with my daughter (and very soon another daughter, too!) is priceless. To prepare, plant, teach, and help her grow in her knowledge about gardening and where her food ultimately comes from is something that will help her for the rest of her life.

In the early spring, she helped me plant peas. After a couple of months, she was able to harvest and eat those peas. In the trenches of the first trimester with my current pregnancy, I unfortunately let most of the peas go bad. Nevertheless, she was able to see the process from start to finish!

These are special moments not found anywhere but home. As parents, it is our job to be sure we instill this knowledge and experience in our children. Because let’s face it, you aren’t only growing a garden, the garden is growing you.