Last years failure = new opportunity

Sometimes failures can bring new opportunities.

 

Last year we were ready. We had all the planning in place. We had hired an amazing lady to help us stay on top of our vegetable garden. This was going to be the year to take it to the next level! I was going to grow enough to feed my family for most of the year AND support the Homegrown Hideaway glamping breakfast baskets. My optimism even thought that with any leftover produce I could talk to the local food banks or shelters to donate! 

The season started off great. It was a little hectic, but everything was planted and growing nicely. Then.. I broke my ankle. My happy place was just far enough away that I could not venture there alone. The lovely lady helping out did a fantastic job keeping up… until she got sick. Thankfully we are both recovered and well again, but that was the end of my amazing leveled up vegetable garden last year. By the time September rolled around we were able to save a little of the produce for our family, and save some seeds to grow this year, but it was a far cry from feeding our family from our garden.

 

I was able to save some of the calendula.

I started thinking about why the vegetable garden just wasn’t working and came around to the thought of community. When I was laid up and unable to walk for a few weeks, my community rallied. Could this concept work around vegetable gardening too? We have been blessed with the land. Do I need to do it all myself? What about people who find it overwhelming but are interested? What about people who just don’t have the space? What about people who are also looking for community?

Enter this years grand plan – Community Vegetable Garden! We have found a few other families who are looking for the same kind of community. An opportunity to get outside, to get their hands dirty and grow the food they are eating. Its a work in progress (everything around here is) but it will be an adventure that I am not alone on this year. We will share in our successes and failures, and hopefully feed some bellies along the way. 

 

After convincing Jon that this was a good idea, and that no, I won’t be doing it all on my own, my dad was kind enough to plough up part of the front field. Our new community garden now sits waiting for this summer to grow.

 

Next thought, what to do with the old garden?

It was Jon’s grandparents’ garden when they lived here. There are parts of it that grow great and other parts that are clay ridden and difficult. What could be a better addition to Homegrown Hideaway than an herb and cut flower garden!! 

More about that as it unfolds. For now, if you had a setback recently just remember there is an opportunity around the corner.


Talk soon!

Caroline

Embrace the beauty in every tiny moment.
Caroline Jager

Homegrown Hideaway

Caroline and Jonathon invite you to take a step back, relax, and find your getaway at their oasis home, Homegrown Hideway. Come for an overnight stay, or take in one of the weekly concerts in the barn. 

How ever you join us, remember to savour the simple things in life.

© Homegrown Hideaway 2025