I wasn’t always a gardener.
Truth is, by the time I found my way to the soil, one of my kids had already left the nest, and another was well on their way. It wasn’t some long-held family tradition or early childhood memory that drew me in (except memories of getting my hands dirty in the garden, planting marigolds with my dad) it was a quiet pull, a whisper that said, “You could grow this.”
And so I did.
Not just plants, but peace. Purpose. And a new way of parenting.
When I started gardening, my daughter Evalynn was around 15. Old enough to roll her eyes but still young enough to be curious. She’d follow me barefoot through the yard, popping cherry tomatoes into her mouth like candy, staining her fingers with berry juice. She learned quickly where food really comes from, not a box, not a drive-thru, but from dirt, sun, and time.
What I didn’t expect was how much I would grow, too.
Gardening gave me a second chance, not just to connect with nature, but to reconnect with my kids in a different way. I couldn’t go back and put seedlings in their toddler hands, but I could share what I was learning now. I could invite them into this grounded, healing rhythm and let them see their mom bloom a little later in life.
And they noticed.
Tristan (22) asks for fresh herbs and eggs when he comes home to visit. And Evalynn? She’s a sun-warmed cherry tomato thief and proud of it! 🍅
So if you’re feeling like you missed the boat on homesteading or garden-grown dinners, let me be the first to say:
It’s never too late to plant something new!
You don’t have to start with a full-blown homestead. Start with a pot of basil on the windowsill. Let your kids see you try, fail, laugh, and learn. Let them witness your joy when a seed you almost gave up on finally sprouts.
Whether your babies are in highchairs or their own apartments, there’s still time to grow something beautiful, together!
Yard 2 Yield! 