Hardwork pays off in the gardening world, sometimes. A garden is an exacting mistress that wants things right now. Later will not do. If you can do that and the weather cooperates and you guess the correct amount of fertilizer and are willing to water when you are sooo tired it is torture to stand out there, you might have a good garden.
There are no guarentees. You can work just as hard and get very little. Deer, rabbits or your everyday garden variety of insects can reap most of benefits of your work.
Everyone wants a beautiful garden, organic of course. Magically balancing soil nutrients with naturally occurring things. You are willing to share with a few insects and reap a beautiful harvest. Evidently the naturally occurring insects have not gotten the memo on leaving some behind for the organic gardener so he will plant next year. As you watch a gorgeous crop under attack and on the brink of annilation, this organic gardener searches his soul and finds a pesticide advocate underneath. Nuclear waste may be a little to weak-- something stronger perhaps. Yes, vengance and retribution becomes the order of the day. I want revenge for the damage to the crops. Some how gardening brings out my worst character traits. The romantic crap served up by gardening organizations about a tranquil hobby that will heal your psyche is just that, crap. Unless you are willing to garden with a vengance, you are probably not going to get much.
Kris has put hundreds of hours bent over, flogging the garden into existence. Restful hobby, I don't think so. Still there is a primordial satisfaction from gazing out at the garden and knowing it is the result of your hard work. We have nearly a hundred pints of food canned this year and we are just starting to harvest.
