My grandparents were farmers and most of my memories of them concerned food--either growing it, cooking it or eating it. My grandpa had the best garden; my grandma was the best cook and I did a lot of the work in between--shelling peas, picking berries, hulling limas and stringing beans that Grandpa grew and Grandma made into meals. For me, Grandparents Day is not only remembering what I learned from them--but passing it on. So whenever I teach about herbs or food, it is to honor them. And......I will serve a meal that I have grown, preserved and made. Make a special meal that reminds you of your family--use old recipes--and maybe wear an apron.

By now, you know what the garden produced this year, what was worth the trouble, what did not work... Be brutal in your evaluation. You can not make a plant grow where it does not want to be--nor should you try. It may eventually survive, but will never be a vibrant specimen or worth making into medicines or foods. Decide what will be done away with, moved, planted more in the future--and make plans NOW for next year's garden--while you are realistic about the work ivolved and your love a plant versus it real worth in YOUR garden. Waiting until winter, when all the plant catalogs come out, when we are eager to get outside--leaves us vulnerable to the warm fuzzies--doomed to repeat the same mistakes and spending too much $ on a fruitless plant adventure. Make mistakes--for sure--but not the SAME ones year after year.