Finally Free to Garden

Don and Barbara recently found themselves with more free time on their hands. A lot more free time actually. Their youngest was  settling into his new dorm room, and Don had just  retired from a  demanding  and decorated law career.  Even when things were busy, the couple had still made time for healthy eating, including lots of green vegetables with most meals. And while the pace at house is more relaxed now, the focus on fresh organic produce hasn’t diminished one bit.

In fact, the couple decided that an organic garden would give them the steady supply of produce for the kitchen, and a hobby that they can enjoy together.

Don Caldwell's Organic Garden from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

After researching raised bed designs they decided what they needed was a taller style that would give them a place to sit and garden comfortably, and they insisted on untreated red cedar for durability and beauty. The couple was excited about gardening, but not at the prospect of bending over all the way to the ground, and certainly didn’t want to begin their new adventure by using treated wood. Our  Kitchen Garden design fit the bill perfectly, and we placed it just outside the couple’s kitchen window.  We created an L shaped design measuring 3’ wide and 8’ on the long sides, with a 3’x3’ square bed. The garden sits about 19” high - about the same height as the typical chair or bench – and is tall enough for some really comfortable gardening, as well as keeping out rabbits and pets.

Don and Barbara have a few trips on the calendar this summer, and so we installed a drip irrigation system and connected it to a battery operated timer at the hose bibb on the back of the house.  Those tomato, squash and pepper plants will never even know they left.

All those sunny mornings glimpsed through the window of the law office are a thing of the past. There’s no more rushing around. Don and Barbara can take as long as they want together, working in their new organic garden.