Friday Faves #59-Garden Favorites

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     April 22nd is Earth Day.  Since this time of year is when gardens are being planted around the country, depending on your weather, and we are all looking forward to those fresh tasting fruits and veggies, we thought that in honor of Earth Day, we would talk about our garden faves! Because, a great was to help the earth is to plant some plants that produce food and cultivate and use them. So here is today's Friday Fave question: 

What is your favorite garden produce that you can hardly wait to taste this year?

     One of my goals this year is to put in a garden.  Here in Phoenix, that should have happened already, and it hasn't.  Luckily, except for the couple of extremely hot months in the middle of the summer, we can grow all year here.  So, it looks like it will be a Fall garden for me this year! 
      When I do have a Spring/Summer garden in, I love so much of the produce, that it is hard for me to choose my favorite, but Maddy and I chose the same thing this time.  Tomatoes!  Nothing tastes better than fresh tomatoes picked ripe from the vine.  The flavor is just overwhelming every year when I bite into that first tomato. 

     The tomato in that picture came from my garden a couple of years ago and got turned into some delicious salsa! Fresh salsa is best with homegrown tomatoes! Click that link for the best recipe! 

      Lindsey says that she loves homegrown corn on the cob! Just like tomatoes, fresh corn on the cob is so sweet, tender and delicious.  And, if you missed my recipe for grilled corn with cilantro lime butter, you have to try it.  It is full of flavor and the taste just bursts in your mouth. 

     Alicia really enjoys gardening.  Even when she was a college student, she would plant tomatoes in her rented house's flowerbeds and in her apartments she had success with Topsy Turvy Tomatoes hanging from her porch.  When I asked her what her garden fave is she answered that she loves her herb garden.  It is so great to be cooking and to be able to go out and snip some fresh basil or rosemary when you need it and to get that wonderful fresh herb taste.  Now that she lives in the Bay area, the weather is much different from Phoenix, but she is figuring it out.  She has just planted a couple of grow boxes behind her house with a nice variety of herbs and vegetables. 

It is much greener there than in Phoenix!

       One last favorite is strawberries! I love picking bright red berries that are fully ripe.  They are so sweet and delicious.  Eating strawberries from the grocery store just doesn't cut it after eating the vine ripened ones.  And then, using them for Strawberry Shortcake or for making Strawberry Jam is just the icing on the cake.

     If you are ready to get planting this year, we have found a few helps for you! Take a look! 

​     If you have limited space, these Topsy Turvy tomatoes are a great idea! 

     If you want to put in your own herb garden, here is a great assortment of non-GMO seeds! Non-GMO is great because after you start growing, you can begin to collect your own seeds to plant in following years. 

     Do you need a place to plant?  There are some attractive grow boxes available at a great price. 

    What are your favorite things to harvest from your garden?  Do you plant one? Is there something that you have had great success with? Let us know in the comments. 
​    Have a great weekend! Have a Happy Earth Day!