I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions.

They feel a little like setting yourself up for disappointment… and frankly, I don’t need that kind of negativity in January.

But.

This year, I’m making one.

And I’m saying it out loud, which means you now have full permission to call me out if I don’t follow through.

If you see me slacking? You’re welcome to come get at me.

Every planting season, I tell myself this is the year I’m finally going to have a thriving, productive vegetable garden.

I already have a beautiful planting spot all set up, honestly, it’s a shame not to use it.

So I go big.

Fifty tomato plants.
A half-dozen summer squash.
Eggplant.
Peppers.
The whole ambitious, Pinterest-worthy vision.

And then… reality.

Running a seasonal Cape May flower farm has taught me that January isn’t about doing more, it’s about planning better.

And yet, when it comes to vegetables, I’ve ignored every single lesson I’ve learned from the flower field.

The flowers always take priority (as they should).

And the vegetable garden? It slowly slides down the list until it’s basically fending for itself.

What I also conveniently forgot?

Processing vegetables is work.

The washing.
The chopping.
The blanching.
The freezing.

And the big question: did Steve and I really need 100 jars of tomato sauce?

(Spoiler: no. My eyes were absolutely bigger than my stomach.)

Applying the Flower-Farm Mindset to Vegetables

So this year, I’m taking the same approach to vegetables that I take with flowers.

Thoughtful.
Intentional.
Seasonal.

No heroics.

I’m planning a garden that gives us plenty to eat fresh, plus just enough to tuck away for the off-season, without turning August into a second full-time job.

January on the farm may look quiet on the surface, but this is where everything begins.

Seeds are chosen.

Limits are set.

Systems are trusted.

Nothing is blooming yet, but everything is already in motion.

No martyrdom.
No vegetable guilt.

This philosophy is the same one that guides how we grow local flowers and how we work as a Cape May florist – respecting the season, the workload, and the joy of the process.

You’re Invited to Follow Along

I’m inviting you to follow along this year.

In my daily reports, I’ll share what (if anything) I’m doing in the vegetable garden:

  • What I’m planting

  • What’s working

  • What I mess up (because that will absolutely happen)

And if you’re a top-chef-level cook or a preservation wizard with genius tips for using or storing vegetables, please jump in.

Let’s crowdsource some wisdom.

I can feel it… this is the year.

And I’m starting now.

What I’ve Already Purchased

Here’s what I’ve already purchased (all from Baker Creek, free shipping and they had exactly what I wanted):

  • Corn: Art Verrel’s White & Buhl Sweet (150 seeds total, yes, all getting planted because Steve loves the look of a corn field, so this is where I’ll go big)

  • Cucumber: Boston Pickling (5 plants only – growth, people, growth)

  • Leek: Carentan (50 now, some later)

  • Lettuce: Landis Winter (free seeds!) — 10 plants

  • Onion: Ishikura Bunching, yellow and red — 50 plants

  • Pepper: Mini bell mix — 10 plants

  • Spinach: Bloomsdale Long Standing — 20 now, more later

  • Squash: Inizia — 2 now, a few later

  • Tomatoes: Isis Candy Cherry & Gold Medal — 6 of each

I also have leftover Chinese cabbage, daikon radish, and Korean spicy pepper seeds for kimchi making, and I’m planning to add sugar snap peas and green beans.

Already planted out in the fall: about 100 garlic cloves.

Honestly?

That’s all the vegetables I need. Or want.

How about you, are you planting with intention this year… or still feeding a small village?

(And yes, you’re officially allowed to hold me accountable.)