110 days. It was 110 days since we sat at the kitchen table and fumbled through planting Parisian carrots and cherry tomatoes. 110 days since we had ice on the ground. 110 days since we began this crazy journey. On May 23, 2023, we harvested our first harvest.

The feeling when she picked that cucumber was wild. After so much time, to pick fruit from our lovely once-seedling was exhilarating and emotional.

But cucumbers weren’t the only things ready for harvest.

Beans were ready to be picked as well! Charlie picked about 15 beans from the three sisters too. Sophie went around and found three patty pan squash that were ready, too.

In addition to harvesting, Jeromey ran 200 feet of drip irrigation emitter tubing which drips water onto our whole garden. Now, we can water while we work. How today’s garden adventure started:

and how it ended:

What a beautiful night.

BUT…even though we were covered in permethrin, DEET, long sleeves and pants, tilled all of our plots, changed clothes as soon as we got home, and scrubbed ourselves in hot water immediately we still got covered in chigger bites. Jeromey has at least fifty right now on his body (two days later). He went and watered last night and STILL got new bites. What are we going to do? Like…if all of that doesn’t work, what will?