A kitchen garden is a garden placed very close to the house for quick and easy access to your herbs and veggies that you use the most such as lettuce, basil, thyme, carrots, and peas (your choices may vary.)

Over the last 20 years that I’ve lived in Maine, I’ve tried to start gardens many times, and failed many times. There are two main reasons I failed:

1. I planted the garden too far away from the house and I didn’t want to go out there to work or gather food.
2. Chickens. Yes, chickens. I love my girls but allowing them to free range was a problem. 96 acres and they just haddddd to dig in my nice soft beds, thus digging up and killing my seedlings. I tried fencing the garden in but those big fat girls can fly, they can work their way under, over and around just  about any fence.

So finally I solved a couple of issues with one fell swoop. I put the ladies and my garden right by my kitchen door.  Placing the coop by the kitchen and garden allows me to throw them anything I pull out of the garden, and to throw scraps to them from the kitchen. I also  have what we call a breezeway, an enclosed hallway from the house to the barn which makes traveling between easier in 4′ of snow. I  placed the coop right up against the breezeway and put the door to the coop & nesting boxes right inside the breezeway.  I never have to go out in the cold to get the eggs, unless of course the little brats lay the eggs by the far (and outside) door just to spite me.  I can also feed & water them inside the coop on really bad days.

Having the garden by  the kitchen door is the best thing. Not only does it mean I will cook with more greens from the garden, but I can also enjoy the garden every day, and I take care of it everyday.

2018 will be my 4th year with my kitchen garden and it’s growing and changing every year. I’ve got big plans this year too. I’ve taken a permaculture gardening class online so will be implementing some changes I learned about, as well as planting more fruit trees and perennial veggies. I started with just a few 2′ x 2′ wooden raised beds I bought by the roadside. You can start with a few containers by the front or back door.

No matter where you live you can grow a few things in pots. Live in an apartment? Get a few nice pots and a grow light. There is nothing like clipping a few fresh herbs to add to your dinner or a little lettuce for your salad.

Come on back and see how it progresses.

~Nan