We live close to an Amish community, where we can learn from those who live off the land successfully. As I drive by Amish homes, their front yard gardens are always well kept with immaculate rows of fruits and vegetables. They do use hoops and netting to protect from pests and, sometimes, they will used plastic covering for early seedlings. However, you won’t see many raised beds, hoop houses, or square foot gardening. One will see well tilled soil, compost, and planting straight as an arrow.

I have learned to wait as long as the Amish to plant, not rushing the plantings to end up losing them to frost. Weeds are non-existent and the crops grow quickly, once seeds are put into the garden rows.

Today, I watched as an Amish husband and wife were out picking strawberries, just as I had done earlier in the day. Their plants are huge, running down one row, about 50 feet in length. No netting is needed, as the birds don’t seem to be interested in their strawberry plants. Almost every Amish home has a number of birdhouses around the property, so, perhaps, the birds are content.