It is now the middle of July and we are approaching the hottest days of the year. I am hearing 100 with heat index of 110 degrees. There will be no gardening during the heat wave. I am hoping for gentle rains tonight so there is also no need to water during this crazy weather but we will see what the evening brings.

This summer in Minnesota has been great for gardens. It rains every few days, sunny with occasional cloudy days for weeding and gentle breezes. ( I know there has been some bad weather but over all this is a fair report of weather in Minneapolis.)

This sunny weather has brought forth tall growing tomato plants,
lots of flowers, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach and more kale than I can stand to eat. The beans are flowering and cucumber plants are thinking about it. The basil has been harvested twice for pesto and the garlic will be harvested by the end of July I am sure.

I know this sounds a bit like a farm but here I am in the middle of a large urban city with flowers and food right in the front yard. I have noticed more of my neighbors are spending time in their yards as well. A few have gone as far as raising chickens. It looks like great fun but I have not ventured that way.

What I miss in all this gardening excitement is I don’t see the children engaged. Maybe it is just where I live – there are old folks like myself with children grown and growing food on their own. Still I wonder are our children out in the soil, planting, weeding and harvesting food or flowers?

I know they are out following their smart phones around town I can see that and I appreciate the thoughts of using a game to push people out into the great outdoors but …

The learning, enjoyment and valve is in the doing of a task not in the looking at it through a screen. So next step is to find a way to put down the screen and plant a few seeds. Just think they could be eating beans and tomatoes from their yard as they read this.