Living in a town, borough, or even the city does not mean you cannot have a garden. You do not need acres of land, big tractors, and a barn. All it takes is a little time, garden soil, and yard space, or even garden pots.

I have lived in Pennsylvania my whole life. I come from four generations of farming. Yes, I have downsized from the size of farming my great grandfather did on the farm that is still in the family today.

I remember watching my grandfather and father work small gardens they had in the backyards of their homes. I would think to myself, why not just go to the store and buy the fruits and vegetables? Over time, I’ve come to find out why they did this for our families.

My wife and I had a cute little home in Williamsport. One day our neighbor asked if we would like to use some of his garden beds to plant some vegetables. Well, that is all it took. The next thing I knew, we had ourselves a garden! After a few seasons, it was time I put my own garden in our own yard.

Well, if you know me, I had to think this out. Decide on the layout, make blueprints, find the perfect lumber and the best location in our yard. I loved that little garden.

Then, my wife and I decided it was time to move. My first request to the real estate agent was that I needed room to build my dream garden. We found the perfect home for our family, we moved in, and then you guessed it — it was time to build the garden.

After the garden shed and boxes were complete, it was time to start growing fruits and vegetables. I knew I wanted to include the family on this adventure, so I let the kids pick what they wanted to grow and guided them along the way. My wife suggested that I start an Instagram account to show that gardening doesn’t have to be difficult and to give tips and tricks that I have learned over the years. The Instagram name is @gizenskigarden. Please feel free to follow along and ask any questions you may have.

I was excited and nervous when Jimmy and Steph asked that I write an article on garden tips. After talking with family and friends, the decision was made — time to put pen to paper. Each week I will go over tips and tricks for you to have a garden or even just some plants on your porch. I hope you follow each week to see what is new in the Backyard Gardner.