I have always wanted to grown my own vegetable garden, herb garden, and have some fruit bushes and trees.

After several years of apartment living, it looks like I might be getting my wish for a house with enough land for a garden!

My husband is currently in the call process, and is talking to a church in South-eastern Indiana, and things are looking good so we could potentially be moving up there as early as the end of next month!

They have a parsonage, and it sits on several acres of land, so I'm hoping they'll let me till up a patch to grow some of my own produce. It's in the middle of farm country, so I'm sure folks there will know their stuff.

But, I was hoping y'all might be able to recommend some books, blogs, websites, etc, so I can read up and prepare to get started on this once we move up there so I can plant something next spring.

There is lots of full sun on much of the yard, and a spot in the back that gets a good amount of shade from the house.

Any hints, tips, suggestions, etc... please feel free to share!

"Country Wisdom and Know How". http://www.amazon.com/Country-Wisdom.../dp/1579123686

It's a practical guide to small scale farm ownership 101, covers everything from animal husbandry, home maintenance, gardening, landscaping preserving foods, crafts, etc., basically you name it. A vast amount of information in one single, straightforward resource.

I love to garden. You should find out what other gardeners in the area grow, and that will help you to know what to grow. I just google the plants I want to add to find out whether they need sun or shade. Another good resource is the nursery/greenhouse in the town where you are moving. Veggies will need full sun for the most part; if there is extreme heat where you are moving, your growing season will be early in the calendar year. Our DS and DIL in Alabama have 2 growing seasons; here in Idaho, we only have one.

Chrys Dayley

Oh how exciting!!!!

I garden in containers and don't really have any resources for you (I just kind of Google as I go, and my boyfriend's father is a horticulturalist), but I would suggest starting small your first year and expand when you're ready. It can be kind of overwhelming if you don't know what you're doing, especially if you're a perfectionist like me lol

Research companion plants to reduce the need for pesticides. Marigolds and mint (mint should only ever be in a container) are especially useful for this.

Oh, if you know what Zone you live in that will be helpful for figuring out plants and growing seasons. You can find that out here: http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

I will be following this thread for suggestions myself

I have always dreamed to have my own garden with some veggies, fruit trees, berries. envy you;-))

Thanks for the links!

The house is in south eastern Indiana, and faces west, so the sides of the house get full sun all day. the back porch area is shaded in the late afternoon/evening, and the front porch area is shaded in the morning.



This is the "front" lawn, the back is even bigger... the church owns the land all the way back beyond the tree line in the distance!

I'm really wanting to grow tomatoes, peppers (bell and jalapeno), squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and some type of leafy green (lettuce or cabbage maybe), (onions, carrots, and potatoes if I can figure them out) along with a couple raised beds (one for herbs, and another for strawberries) and maybe along the side of the house put in some stakes and chicken wire and have blackberry and raspberry bushes. I also want a couple of fruit trees.

I'm a little ambitious, but it's been a dream of mine for YEARS to have a yard where I could do this.

I'm very happy for you! When I had a garden, I loved tending to it, planting things and watching things grow. It's very exciting!!!

What a beautiful home! You'll have lots of room for trees, shrubbery, flowers, bushes, etc.! Have fun with it and let your imagination lead the way!!!

Have fun!

Thank you!!! We are hoping and praying and crossing everything we can that this works out.

The church will be discussing the compensation package with my husband sometime in the next few days (hashing out details such as which insurance plan, continuing education funds, vacation time, days off, parental leave policy, moving expenses, whether they will contribute to a housing equity fund since we aren't buying the house, and thus aren't earning any equity on a mortgage, etc)... once that happens, we'll schedule a weekend to go back up there and my husband will preach for the congregation, then we'll do a little meet and greet social thing after... then they'll kick us outside so they can vote whether or not they want to call my husband to be their permanent pastor. He needs 2/3 majority to get it.

He's gotten unanimous yes votes from both call committee, and church council so far, and they've mentioned the congregation is excited to have a young pastor come in... and at 31, my husband is considered a young pastor.