Stimulus Gardening

"Uncle Sam says -- GARDEN To Cut Food Costs," sound advice from a WWII-era poster. Would that our dear Uncle offered us this sage advice in 2008.

Instead the "advice" we've received from the Big Cheese, is to spend our Stimulus checks on cheap Chinese crap. (Did I say that?) We, the American Consumers, ARE the U.S. Economy. Without us spend, spend, spending, our economy begins to fall off the map. So, go on. Rush out and spend your 'free' check buying More Stuff you don't need and don't have room to store. That's it. Fill your big 'ole SUV with $4.09/gallon gas. Drive to Wal-Mart, the ethical big box store, and shop, shop, shop until you drop--or your check is gone. But hey, it's okay if you overspent. That's what the credit card is for!

Back to my reality. I'm growing potatoes for the first time. I have helpers who pick off the fat, rust-colored potato bugs with black stripes that would eat every potato leaf if I let them. Why it took me so long to plant potatoes, I don't know. We also have Roma tomatoes, zucchini (Eight-ball and Costata Romanesco), celery, onions, and green peppers. We enjoyed spinach and sugar snap peas that are finis. I planted lettuce seed twice but the seed was either too old or not stored properly. Emerson and I replanted green beans and cucumbers that deer ate when they discovered they could jump our 6' garden fence. They also got our cantaloupe and watermelon which are regrowing but it may be too late--or they may be munched again. Hope not. Before next spring arrives, we'll have a new 8' or 10' fence around our garden. This one is on its last legs and the deer know it.

Before this year we never had a deer problem. Now, we do. Our supreme Border Collies are now forced to stay outside at night to bark and hopefully Chase the Deer. They have the barking part down. This is reverse training going on because the last two years we worked on training the dogs to come in at night so we could sleep. They are confused. So am I.

But this much I know. Gardening is a healthier and more productive thing to learn and do with your time and your family, particularly in these strangely uncertain times, than going to Wal-Mart to spend your darn Stimulus check. If you must spend it, pay down debt. If you've already done that you have my congratulations. Buy more seeds (and store them properly), support local food producers (more than likely you don't grow it all yourself), buy used books, and while you're at it, support local musicians.