Plugging the Local Gardener

I want to put things into perspective here. There is famine, there is war, there is disease. My problems? They are not real problems.

Yesterday, I was lamenting the fact that my dog won't stay out of the garden. Yes, I've found that chili pepper keeps him out, but I have to constantly keep a fresh coat down and you know what? Sometimes I'm going to run out of chili pepper. That happened this week, and I lost two more tomato plants and more than half of my sunflowers. He dug up a spaghetti squash, all of the cucumbers, and some watermelon, though I may have been able to save those - only time will tell. I am unhappy, to say the least. It looks like I'm going to end up putting some kind of fencing up after all, which I hate, hate, hate. Again, this is not a real problem. People have cancer. I have a dog. Not the same thing.

Still, I was whining and moping around and decided to focus my efforts on transforming the landscaping in the front lawn. This is a staggering undertaking and one I will be no doubt blogging about in full sometime soon. In my efforts to landscape, I paid a visit to Ron Anderson, a neighbor who sells plants and vegetables in front of his home. I would link to his web site, but he doesn't have one. His business, Ron's Fresh Vegetables, is one of the hidden gems in Columbia, Missouri. His plants are beautiful and very well priced, as is his fresh produce. I have purchased almost all of my garden plants from Ron and I will continue to do so. I stopped by yesterday to see what kind of perennials I could purchase for the front landscaping and I found some beautiful options. I purchased two pampas grasses, two wormwoods, and two sedum, and I will be going back tomorrow for more.

While I was shopping, I related the story of my dog and asked if there was any way they had a tomato plant left this late in the season. Not only did they have a beautiful four pack of Mr. Stripey tomotoes, they gave it to me for free. And then gave me another four or five pepper plants. And then gave me two more flats of them. In total, I walked away with more than 80 plants. Ron also grabbed a bag of zucchini for me, which cost me the low price of the promise of a loaf of zucchini bread. I expected a couple - he gave me nine. We're going to be eating zucchini for every meal for a while. He said that he had more than he could sell and he'd rather give it away than throw it away. I saw a very kind man before me; one that understands that business is about more than the bottom line. He knows that repeat customers are what he needs as well, and I tell all of my friends to patronize Ron's Fresh Vegetables. Whether they do or not, I'm not sure, but they should. He's a good man, his employee Dee Dee is a nice woman, and they always have popsicles waiting for my kids when we arrive.

You can call Ron at 445-5260 to inquire about what produce he currently has, but I encourage you to stop by his house at 1009 Plymouth. They are open every afternoon and most mornings. If you do go, tell them that I sent you and that I thank them for their kindness.