Hannover woman’s grows vegetables, happiness in her garden

Whether your vegetable garden is in-ground or a container, the soil you use is key to its success. You will want to test the soil for its type, pH and nutrient make-up.

Seeds should be stored in a cool, dark place to extend their life and ensure a good start to the growing season. Close planting and mulching help reduce weeds, which compete with your vegetables for nutrients.

HANNOVER, N.D. (KFYR) – If you planted a garden this year, you’re probably enjoying the fruits of your labor right now.

Tomatoes are ripe, sweet corn is ready to pick, maybe you’ve even dug some potatoes already. But no matter how much produce you’re getting from your garden, there’s a woman just outside Hannover who probably has even more.

The good news: Darby Henke is happy to share.

Henke is happiest when she’s in the garden.

“This is like therapy for me. It’s so quiet. I’m out here. You can hear the crickets and the frogs. The dogs sit out here. And it’s just it’s healthy for me,” she said. “You see God’s hand in it.”

On this acre of land, she and her husband have planted the garden of their dreams.

“This is what a farmer does. He doesn’t know how to zone it in on into a smaller area,” laughed Henke.

They’ve got pumpkins, tomatoes, green beans, carrots, sunflowers and more.

Gourds are Henke’s favorite thing to grow.

“With gourds, you never know what you’re going to get,” she explained.

But in this garden, Henke also plants a lot of vegetables she’ll never eat.

“I’d have to be really hungry to eat cabbage!” laughed Henke.

But she’s got a whole row of cabbage to harvest. She planted it with the intention of giving it away.

“You know, it’s funny because I grow a lot of things I don’t like. And my friends say, ‘Why do you grow that? Because somebody else might like it,’” Henke said.

In fact, Henke will donate much of what she harvests here.

“I like to share,” she said. “I have more than enough.”

Because much like working in the garden, sharing makes Henke happy.

Henke will freeze and can much of her produce, but she also has donated to food pantries in Hazen and Mandan numerous times. She says there’s something special about sharing her fresh produce with people in need. Local food pantries say they welcome fresh garden produce; it is a treat for their clients.

Source: kfyrtv.com