The spaghetti squash & green beans are sprouting! We are so excited & can’t wait to start planting our seedlings in the outside garden. Spaghetti squash is sometimes $2+/lb, so it would be awesome if we could grow our own! We tried planting some seeds directly in the garden last year, and they didn’t take, but the seedlings are off to a terrific start!

Most of the seeds that we are nurturing under lights indoors are ones that we’ve gathered from fruits & veggies that we’ve eaten, like bell pepper, eggplant, strawberries and spaghetti squash. Some are attempts at starting new plants from cuttings, like potato eyes and onion tops. Some are from seed packets, like basil, green beans, lettuce, tomatoes and pumpkin. We have quite a variety – even some apple seeds, though I have no idea where we’d actually plant an apple tree!! Perhaps we could get it started in a pot and then sell it.

Speaking of selling our produce, we have a plan for the spring/summer. My eldest and I are planning to go to Brazil with our church for a construction/Vacation Bible School project, and we need to save up to pay our way. We have been thinking of some ways to set aside money, and then the other day, No. 2 shared a great idea. I was watering the seedlings and made an off-hand comment that we might actually have enough produce from our garden this year that we could take some to the Farmers Market to sell.

In one of those why-didn’t-I-think-of-that moments, No. 2 said, “Mom, why don’t we just give our extra stuff away, instead?” So, we talked about it and decided that if we grow enough fruits & veggies to sell the extras at market, then we’ll use those proceeds for missions — either our Brazil trip fundraising or just our regular missions offering. With that kindhearted idea of his in mind, I’m praying for an abundant harvest! What a wonderful hands-on way to get the kids involved in ministry!

Speaking of the Brazil trip, I’ll share more as we get closer to the time, but we got our passport pictures yesterday, and we have an appointment later this week to turn in our paperwork. We are so excited!