Siouxland Magazine - Volume 2 Issue 5

explore
Get dirty.
New bud and fruit setting on the Delicata Squash.
From Tiny Seeds
By Pamela Luebke Mickelson
How many of you grew up on a farm or
remember your mom and dad’s garden? As this
summer’s heat is bearing down, I think about them
often. The seeds, the weeds, the bugs, the heat, the
rain, the memories and sharing the bounty. I’m sure our
10 under 40 have memories about someone special.
My Dad had a way of always being positive. He believed
in a tiny seed laying in the dirt. He always said to just
plant them and tell them to grow. That’s what I do. I put
the seed in the ground and say, “Now grow!”
This spring my husband prepared the garden for
planting by putting up a fence to protect the young
plants. However, over half were bitten by the late
snow. Forgiving myself for being too anxious to get
everything planted, I planted seeds a second time.
Sprouts appeared, so I was happy.
New to our garden this year are Brussels sprouts, garlic,
and delicata squash. How do you know when they are
ready to harvest, how big do they get, what plants will
they grow best near? All questions I wished I could
ask Dad. Now I know the Brussels sprouts are way
too crowded with the butternut squash. So fun to see
the little sprouts appear and the long trails of squash
shoots reach out around the tomatoes and corn. Our
daughter Martha dried Delicata Squash seeds and
saved them for us to try. The little babies are so cute.
All of our garden spaces – vegetables and flowers –
fight the elements. Because of COVID19, we haven’t
taken any trips, so we get to watch every phase of the
garden. Usually we have been on a spring driving trip
to a National Park, but by being home we are on top of
any bugs, weeds, and water. Thankfully, my husband
hates weeds, and keeps them at bay.
Rain and wind are very unpredictable during the
summer. I wonder about Dad’s thoughts on this subject
more than any. He had acres of row crops in Arkansas –
mostly rice and soybeans. If it rained, praising the Lord
for blessings on Sundays at First Lutheran Church in
Little Rock was in order. But the wind was dangerous
and could knock down Dad’s rice. Our little garden has
a few corn stalks blown down, but hardly anything to
fret over.
We’ve had a small bounty so far and we look forward
to more. Lettuce, onions, garlic, radishes, spinach, and
kale have been wonderful. The zucchini, cucumbers,
tomatoes, and eggplant are starting to produce. I know
everything will be delicious. It is definitely worth the
time and energy to have fresh vegetables on the table,