Just hold off a while, make him serve in the garden a while. You may not want him after you see him weed.

Just kidding, I wish you the best of luck.

Larry

Thank you. My little helper is amazing. He remembers everything I have showed him and he spends a lot of time gardening with the ag teacher so he is bombarded with info.
His favorite thing to do is hoe and rake the rows smooth. then he waters. I am so fortunate to have him for a neighbor, now if I can convince his parents to stay home more often....
Kim

I was going to say..... I left a kid in charge when I went on a trip, He pulled the plants not the weeds. Didn't water either, and I showed him before I left for several days.
TREE

Kim,

Whose idea was this? Apparently it was your idea. (giggling)

I am sure everything will be fine. Just look at how wonderful the weather has been....no, scratch that, don't look at the weather.

You know, if you're worried the 8 year old will forget to water, you can put soaker hoses, sprinklers or drip irrigation on a timer for the period of time you are away. The weeds can sit there and wait for you to get back.

I hope the wedding goes perfectly smoothly and the camping trip has gorgeous weather and, most of all, that y'all live happily ever after. The garden will be fine. What can happen to it in the Texas panhandle in June? Drought? Floods? Wind? Pestilence? Those would happen even if you were home.

Forget about the garden during the wedding and honeymoon. It will be there waiting for you when you get back.

Dawn

Sounds like your neighbor is a true gem. When we moved here we befriended a 10 year old neighbor boy. He has enjoyed learning stuff from us. One year, in exchange for quite a bit of help, we gave him a starter flock of dairy goats. He did great! Now he's turning 18, and if we ever need him, he's not only available, he knows how to do most everything on the homestead.

George

Dawn thank you. we are ready for a little vacation. School seems like it has been exceptionally long this year. I am ready for a gardening summer.
Planning and planting our new place is exciting too. I have never had this opportunity and I want it to be a productive relaxing acre.
George, my neighbor IS a gem. At his early age he has learned all about composting, organic gardening, the difference between plants we plant on purpose and those that just show up, and he can recognize every seedling we seed. Every time he sees a worm or lady bug he reports it to me. He also keeps me motivated, no slacking. Last year was our first year gardening together and honestly I give him all the credit for a successful garden. When I was ready to give up physically I did not because of him. I wanted him to feel successful. He took great pride in delivering squash, peppers and onions to the school staff. I am looking forward more this year.
kim

Kim, What a darling little 8 year-old gardener you have! He sounds like a real gem. Kids are wonderful gardeners. They just soak up the knowledge like a sponge and, as you noted, they don't often let the heat and other adverse weather drive them indoors as easily as we older folks do.

George, That sounds like a fine young man y'all have there too. He sounds almost as handy as one of your own kids. (Why do kids have to grow up, move out on their own, etc. and deprive their parents of free garden help???? I am grinning as I type that of course.)

Teaching young folks about gardening, raising livestock and other homesteading type skills is a wonderful gift to those young people though. What an opportunity it is for them to get to learn all these things while still so young.

Dawn

I am teaching my new little grandboy too. I am spoiling/babysitting this week and at 9 1/2 months he loves to go out to the garden. Mostly the puppy and birds get his attention but he gets the grand tour after breakfast. By his first birthday he will know what a careless weed is! and of course tomatoes...
What a wonderful life it is.
Kim

Kim didn't mean to sound harsh just a bitter moment.
Have fun on your travels I love going thru Ok lots of great places no one talks about.
TREE