There are many differences between Michigan and Utah that I’ve noticed going back and forth in preparation for the move. One of the biggest is Utah’s apparent State hobby of gardening. In Michigan it’s normal to throw up a few tomato plants, and maybe even add some beans and carrots. Usually, Michiganders do this on Memorial Day and are able to get it all done then. I’ve always questioned just how much people in Michigan actually eat out of their gardens given the rampant obesity – but that’s a whole other entry.
Here in Utah, gardening is different. Almost every house has its own mini-farm in the backyard. I’m talking plowed plots of land and box gardens with all different types of plants. Even the most well-landscaped McMansion contains a huge garden somewhere in the back. Each Saturday is some kind of unofficial, community workday, and everyone is out gardening all day long. (Mormons don’t seem to work on Sundays from what I’ve seen, so they have a lot to accomplish on that one day a week).
To give a taste of what I’m talking about, here’s a picture of the garden from our neighbors behind us. Notice the well; there’s also a watering system. If society as we know it comes to an end, these people will survive.
Our yard is a bit wild because the owners didn’t finish their landscaping and we’re not about to pony up the money to mulch huge, empty flowerbeds. I figured it would be much easier to grow a few essential (tomatoes, peppers, herbs) in pots rather than weed all the beds to avoid having the weeds spread back into my garden patch. This weekend, I put together my lame container garden (see below).
Interesting, my garden did give me some kind of credibility with the neighbors. After not meeting them at all, several different families introduced themselves and noted that I was growing a garden. Of course, mine is completely lame compared to all the other ones, but just the fact that I was growing some food seemed to give me a little credibility.
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