Deck the counter with peppers and potatoes, fa la la la la, la la la la.
Beans, and corn and ripe tomatoes. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for gardeners. The time is finally ripe to reap the literal fruits of our labor. We’ve been waiting all year, combing over seed catalogs, shoveling piles of compost, tilling, planting, cultivating, praying for rain, hoping for sun. Every gardener I know is singing the same refrain, “‘Tis the season!” Indeed it is!

‘Tis the season for canning green beans, freezing broccoli, searching for cucumbers in the thickets.

‘Tis the season for eating — everything fresh from the garden picked just moments before it goes onto the plate.

‘Tis the season for counters stacked with produce waiting to be used: tomatoes, peppers, peaches, bowls of perfectly ripe blackberries.

‘Tis the season where cabbage gets shredded into sauerkraut and shoved into a corner to rot.

‘Tis the season for hot, humid days spent canning tomatoes.

‘Tis the season when the farmer’s market is overwhelmed with fresh produce and customers bags are filled to the brim with inspiration.

‘Tis the season for bushels of peaches from the Amish farm.

‘Tis the season for bouquets of fresh flowers, including stunners like gladiolas, dahlias, begonias, and zinnias.

‘Tis the countdown to corn season. The stalks are tall, way tall, way way tall. There are ears on the stalks and silk on the ears. It’s just a matter of days until those sweet kernels will be exploding between our teeth.

It is all very exciting and very busy. So much to preserve, process and prepare. It’s a season to celebrate and be grateful for all the abundance in our lives. It’s the most joyous time of the year for sure!