Sharing the bounty of your garden is a great way to meet new friends and create a community.
If you’re a gardener, you know that summer is the time of surplus. From countless cucumbers and buckets of tomatoes to extra herbs and more, there’s plenty of harvest to go around for everyone. What can you do if it’s too much for you to eat? Here are a few ideas on how to share your summer garden harvest in fun and meaningful ways.
Make Flower Bouquets
If you have many flowers or grasses, consider making flower bouquets and giving them to friends or neighbors as a fun surprise. You can arrange them in brown paper and tie with pretty ribbon for a rustic, summery surprise. Flower arranging can be a fun way to select blooms from your garden and display them in a beautiful way; plus, you’ll be able to share the beauty with others around you. Another way to share your flowers from your garden is to cut them and display them in Mason jars or other upcycled glass containers.
Create a Co-Op with Others
If you have gardening friends or neighbors, consider starting a small group co-op to share in the bounty or harvest. Creating a network of other friends or gardeners can be an excellent way to diversify the types of fruits and veggies you can eat this summer. In the spring, consider talking with others about what they’re choosing to grow so that you can diversify the types of produce your group grows. Another great benefit to a co-op is that your bounty may ripen at different times, allowing for a more manageable amount of freshly grown food at a time.
Create a Basket for the Community
If you’d like people in your community to take what they need, consider using a basket to house your extra fresh produce from your garden. A senior center, community center, your living facility, or even your gym or library is a great way to give back and help others enjoy fresh summer produce. Some food pantries also have produce donation bins for local growers. Be sure to ask organizers if this is okay, and consider writing a note or including a picture of your garden.
Host a Summer Garden Party
What’s better than having some close friends or family over to enjoy your hard work? Consider hosting a summer garden party (you may even have people dress up or theme it like a summer tea party!) where you share food cooked with your fresh produce. The options and varieties are endless and tailored to your bounty. Get creative or try a new recipe to incorporate all of your ingredients and herbs.
Canning, Preserving, or Jams
If your garden is producing a seemingly endless supply of fruits or veggies, consider canning or preserving them for later use. Fruits are an excellent candidate for jellies or jams, and this can be a great way to create gifts for others. Grandkids can help pick strawberries or raspberries and help make preserves for later in the year. Tomatoes are an excellent candidate for canning, or pre-make pasta sauces and freeze them for later use. Having these extra stores on hand is a great way to share summer flavors later in the year with others, or tie a ribbon around the jam jar for a thoughtful summer surprise gift.
Your summer garden can be a way to make new friends, or it can help you give surprise gifts to close family and friends. Having a surplus harvest is a fantastic way to help those around you taste the homegrown bounty of your hard work. Get creative when sharing your garden, and have fun giving back to others! For more gardening and lifestyle tips, visit the CapTel blog.
