I am so glad you joined us here at the Best Harvest Handbook! My name is Lynn and I have been gardening since I was a teenager (for at least 25 years!) and I have been teaching people how to start and care for a garden on our family farm for the last 13 years. We used to run an internship program on our farm where we taught people how to garden and care for animals, but we wanted to be able to help more people learn how to grow food for their family. We have had many interns come not knowing anything about gardening, and leave with a solid plan for what they hope to accomplish in the future for their own garden. While I can’t invite the whole internet over to my farm to learn how to grow food for their family, I can teach you through this master class! These are the same discussions I would have with the farm interns over a farm to table dinner, or while weeding the strawberry patch. I wish I could have you all over for dinner, but at least you won’t need to do weeding with me in order to learn. 😉 Here at the Best Harvest Handbook, our goal for you is to become knowledgeable and skilled at gardening. We are here to help!

As you delve into the pages of this handbook, we encourage you to take a moment and contemplate your aspirations for your vegetable garden. What are your goals? Where have you started and where do you want to go? Are you eager to learn the fundamentals, soaking in knowledge like sunlight to nurture your newfound green thumb? Perhaps you’re hoping to break ground on a fresh plot, envisioning rows of vibrant produce swaying in the breeze this season. Or maybe your dream is to cultivate a garden abundant enough to grace your table with fresh flavors, supplementing your grocery haul with homegrown food. Whether your goal is to enjoy fresh produce all season long, stock your pantry shelves with preserved goodness, or venture into the realm of self-sufficiency, let us embark together on this journey of growth and abundance.

Here is a list of possible goals to get you started. Take note if any of these goals speak to you, and write them down.

• Learn the basics of backyard vegetable gardening, including seed starting, soil preparation, planting techniques, and watering schedules.
• Cultivate a small vegetable patch to start with, to learn about garden care and enjoy the harvest of your own organic produce.
• Grow enough food for your family to eat fresh produce for the whole growing season.
• Replace as many store bought fruits and vegetables as you can with produce from your own garden.
• Grow enough food for your family to not only eat fresh all season long, but preserve enough to last until next garden season.
• Grow a variety of your own fresh herbs for home cooking and reduce reliance on store-bought herbs.
• Establish raised beds or traditional rows to cultivate a diverse range of vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and carrots.
• Experiment with different gardening techniques, such as companion planting, vertical gardening, or Hügelkultur beds.
• Incorporate companion planting strategies to maximize space and naturally repel pests in your vegetable garden.
• Implement sustainable practices, such as composting kitchen scraps & garden waste, and using organic fertilizers to nurture healthy soil and plants.
• Attract beneficial insects & pollinators like bees and butterflies by planting pollinator-friendly flowers alongside vegetable crops to support a healthy ecosystem in your garden.
• Experiment with season extension methods, such as cold frames, row covers, or even a small greenhouse, to prolong the growing season and harvest fresh produce for longer.
• Share the joys of gardening with friends and family by giving away surplus produce or hosting garden gatherings.
• Create a visually appealing garden space with flowers, shrubs, and other ornamental plants alongside your main vegetable growing patch.

In the third lesson, we will include the Best Harvest Handbook journal as a supplement. If you would like to print it, there is a section at the very beginning where you can journal about your gardening goals for the year. It will give you a place to refer back to, keeping you motivated when things get tough. And at the end of the year you can reflect on how you did, what you learned, and what areas you want to focus on next year. I can tell you as a veteran gardener, I still learn something new every year!

At the very end of this handbook we will include a post that has all of the printables, making it easy for you to go back and find all of them in one place.