Broadening My Harvest Horizons

It’s only January, but I’m dreaming of pruning around my yard. I don’t know what it is about pruning, but I love it as much as weeding (which is a lot, let me tell you)!

There’s so much opportunity to put the shears and loppers to work–forsythia, tons of lilacs, and wild grapevines.

My Exciting Discovery

We moved into our house after a snowfall at the end of March, and settling in took most of our energy for the first few months. We’ve got a row of forsythia along the road in front of the house, and it grew like mad as it’s prone to do! What got me out there chopping branches was the speed limit sign getting covered up by forsythia branches. I had to create a clear line of sight for drivers (not that anyone pays attention to those signs, mind you!).

I was so excited when I discovered a grapevine using the forsythia as a trellis! How cool would it be to have grapes?? That was just a passing thought, because there weren’t any growing the first time I was pruning. In fact, the grapevine was one of the sign-covering culprits, so it got hacked way back.

The forsythia grew even more, and by the end of June I was back out to prune again. I got so excited when I found clusters of wild green grapes growing where I’d pruned the grapevine!

I was sure the birds would eat all the grapes, but I am happy to report that they didn’t even seem to know they were there. I harvested in the middle of October, and here’s what I got!

I ended up with eight cups of grapes ready to make grape jam. How fun is that??

My wild grape jam was delicious, but sadly it’s all gone.

Making Plans

This year I’m going to be ready. I’ll be out there pruning that grapevine in about a month. I’ve been trying to discover when and how to do it best to get the most fruit, which means more jam for my toast.

One important thing to keep in mind when pruning the grapevine is making sure the fruiting parts will get enough sunlight. That works well with the drastic pruning the forsythia will be getting as well!

Did you know that you should be able to throw a softball through a forsythia bush after cutting the oldest canes back to the ground? I’d been doing it wrong at our old house for several years! (I said I liked pruning, not that I was an expert at it.) Anyway, cutting it way back like that will not only make it look nicer, but will also allow more sunlight to reach the grapevine climbing through it this year.

But wait, there’s more! Besides pruning grapevines to increase the harvest and cleaning up the forsythia better, I’m going to try my hand at making maple syrup from a few of our maple trees! I love learning how to do new things, especially when the end result is delicious.

I’m getting antsy during the cold of winter, but in the waiting I’m starting to plan how and when I’ll attack my new projects.

Back to the Beginning

When God created the first people, he gave them a job. Their work was to tend the garden where they lived. When I shape what’s growing in my yard to achieve a desired result, I feel like I’m returning to my roots (pardon the pun)!

Pruning, weeding, harvesting, and enjoying the fruits and flowers growing around our home brings me peace and joy.

You may not feel the same when gardening or doing yard work. But what do you enjoy doing outdoors, surrounded by God’s creation?

• Sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, listening to the morning birds sing?
• Hiking through the forest?
• Fishing?
• Hunting?
• Sketching or painting?
• Enjoying a picnic beside a bubbling stream?
• Hunting mushrooms or fiddleheads?
• Capturing stunning photographs?
• Snorkeling or scuba diving?
• Paddleboarding?
• Swimming?

That list only scratches the surface of the possibilities open to you. Did I leave your favorite out? Let me know in the comments!

I hope this year you intentionally make time to pursue those activities that bring you peace and joy in the world God created around you! His goodness is written in every part of creation. Get out there and take it in!