By LINDA McGURK
Indiana Correspondent

WILLIAMSPORT, Ind. — When Tami Wilson of rural Williamsport, Ind., planted her first big vegetable garden last year, everything seemed to be going well. But the plants that initially grew so vigorously produced very little fruit and Wilson was left wondering what went wrong.

During a workshop at the Williamsport Christian Church April 25, Wilson received some tips on how she can improve the soil and maximize her chances for a bountiful harvest. “I’m doing it (gardening) to save money, but I also just want to know how to do it,” she said. “It’s something I do with my four-year-old daughter and I want to teach her how to do it.”

With the economy still in a deep recession, Wilson is one of many Americans who try to save money by going back to the basics and learning to be more self-reliant. The “Saving Money” workshop, sponsored by the Warren County Farm Bureau Young Farmer program, tapped into this new frugality with topics such as raising a small garden, canning, cooking on a budget and making soap.
“Not only are you providing wonderful food for your family, but the whole family can participate. Kids, grandparents – anybody can get out and help,” said Becky Ehler, a Warren County master gardener, who shared her best tips for growing vegetables.

“Another reason is savings. Price fresh vegetables at the store and see what you can grow them for.”

The first step for aspiring vegetable growers is finding a suitable location for a garden, Ehler advised, preferably a spot that’s well-drained and gets 8-12 hours of sunlight. If possible, choose a spot away from trees and shrubs, since those may steal water and nutrients from the vegetables, and then decide on a shape for the garden that fits the site.

Ehler said gardeners should follow two rules of thumb when messing with the characteristic clay soils of Indiana and Illinois; don’t work it when wet, and don’t add sand, which could give it a cement-like structure.

“If you want to improve the soil, add organic matter – leaves, compost, grass clippings. This is best done in the fall,” Ehler advised.

Shirley Markley, also a Warren County master gardener, said adding mulch will help control weeds, once the vegetable seeds are in the ground.

“Another way to (control weeds) is using a hoe or pulling them by hand,” she said and. “Mulch also helps conserve moisture. For a cheap mulch, use grass clippings or newspaper, because newspaper breaks down.”

Harvesting the crop is most people’s favorite part of gardening, but for Joe and Sharon Price of rural West Lebanon, Ind., preserving the taste of summer by canning the vegetables probably comes in a close second.

“No matter how much you like tomatoes or sweet corn, you can only eat so much (fresh),” Joe told the group while showcasing some of the couple’s canning equipment. “Just about any food can be canned, even meats.”

He recommended using a pressure canner for best results, even though the cookers get a bad rap for being a safety hazard. “Pressure canners are safe if you use them right. I suggest that if you’ve never had one, cook with it,” he said.

Sharon added, “We’ve bought pressure canners for all our kids; it’s a quick way to make a meal. People have just gotten away from them because of all the horror stories.”

They also said freezing is a good alternative to canning. “Freezing is the fastest way of getting something preserved,” Sharon said, adding that most vegetables do best if blanched first.

Dana Allison, a young farmer who helped organize the event, hopes the interest in gardening and canning is here to stay.
“I hope it’s a lasting trend. I know it will be for my family,” she said. “It’s about more than saving money; it’s like therapy for some people. It brings the whole family together.”