I don't think many people have that kind of space, anymore. We do, but it's the horses' pasture...and if I do put in another 'old style' garden, I would have deer fencing around it. This means I would probably also have lots of roses, since the deer wouldn't be eating them, in the fence! LOL

While the old style row garden does seem very traditional (and I have several friends who have smaller versions) they end up with lots of weeds in the rows and tend to lose interest in the garden around mid-July...when the temps hit 95 and up. I guess it's too much work doing all the weeding. That's one reason I use beds with grass paths...less weeding!

That being said, it would be fun to see some 'old school' garden pictures :)

I'll have to ask my neighbor if I can take pics of his garden, I'm sure it would fit the bill. Whenever discussions about gardening in the ground vs. raised beds come up I think of the juxtaposition of my garden and my neighbors'.

I have my food garden at my mother's house and she requested I keep as much of her yard open as possible, so I've restricted my planting to the edges and corners and I've chosen to use raised beds protected by gopher wire because it does well and I get more produce with less work. My neighbor plants in rows directly in the ground, his garden is much larger than mine and he has a tractor and a large tiller to work the soil. He plants enough so that even if the gophers kill half his crop he still gets plenty of produce. Both of us are happy with our gardens and our methods, he does more work and gets more produce and I am perfectly content with growing just enough for my family.

Hopefully I will get permission and be able to post some pics to show what I'm talking about.

If you are "too lazy to build raised beds" NOW...what did all that hard work when you were eight teach you???

Here's some pix from a guy who is older than you, started working (delivering newspapers) when I was eight and is not too lazy or afraid to move with the times

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I live on 30 acres and have raised beds - I tried the old school garden my first year out here, but it was way more work than fun - after several weeks, I gave in and let the weeds win. Last year we fenced off a nice big area and have 6 raised beds that are 4X12 - No weeds, no bending (made them double in height), and have drip water system. I guess this is the 'wimps' way, but it works for me and so much more enjoyable. I do see a lot of huge gardens like you are talking about around here, and they are beautiful. I have learned that most people are very proud of their gardens and never mind someone stopping by to admire their work - I have learned a lot from these 'old timers' and have never met one that would not take the time to talk to me and answer my questions. So, you still have some fellow gardners here in Texas that's carrying on your tradition - if I can get some pictures, I'll post them.

I've got some rows for you. :) This is a mishmash of photos from 2008, 2009 and this spring (flooded out in 2010). Please don't ask why a planted a 43 foot row of parsley because I have no idea. Moment of insanity?

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Macky, love the old barn. That is some good old far-north whopping rhubarb, too, isn't it, in the back of one of those photos? Grows like that in northern new england, too.

I love it, macky. You must have eaten well from that garden.

Trill and Macky: Beautiful!!

Wow, Macky! Just...wow. Looks like something I'd see on Victory Garden.

Great Garden Macky!

I'm not knocking raised beds, I have had them before and liked them. I moved and left them behind at 3 different houses! The first ones I built was in 1971!

I grow so much stuff, have all the equipment and have plenty of land, so I prefer to do rows.

Very nice Macky!!

You are correct, pnbrown. I'll post a proper pic of just the rhubarb for you. I have no idea what variety it is because these six plants were already here when we bought the place in 2001. The previous owners where here for a decade or so and they didn't plant it either (I got to ask about all sorts because it was a private sale). No idea how old they are, but they're going strong with no care at all except a little water when it's dry. Every stalk is bright red, too, almost right to the leaf. This photo was from a couple of weeks ago, I think.
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What I've gathered from the neighbours is that the larger barn on the left was used for pigs. The smaller barn in the middle was converted (from what, I'm not sure) to a custom lambing barn by the people we bought the place from. We use both barns for hay and straw as we don't have lambs or pigs, just a horse and mini donkey. The shed on the right is their old chicken coup. I would LOVE to have laying hens, but there's just not enough time in the day right now with two little kids. It's my tack and grain room for now. Perhaps when the girls are older it could fulfill it's original purpose again.

That's all farmland around our yard. I don't know anyone around here who DOESN'T plant in rows. :) I'm actually the oddball because I work the whole garden with manual tools, except for the initial rototilling in the spring. Most of the farm wives here, including my mother-in-law, plant in looong rows with enough spacing in between so that the rototiller can pass between when needed. I'm not fond of that option because I figure when the plants are established, the tiller will chop up their roots that have spread out. Obviously there's some fault in my theory because my mother-in-law always gets fine production. Ah, well... to each their own!

So my question is this. I give my rows a lot of space. Maybe not always as much as recommended on the seed packets, but a good deal more than intensive gardeners tend to give them. When my plants are approaching maturity, you don't see a whole lot of soil. I find it hard to understand why it would be beneficial to cram them any closer together? My tomatoes probably don't need as much room as I give them, I'll admit that. When you get results like this, though, in zone 2... I'm not keen on changing my methods any time soon.
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I just wanted to add a plug for today's youth. Yes, there are many that live the stereotype of junk food and laziness. However, there are also some amazing kids out there.

I too grew up on a tractor. When I was 3 my dad put me in the driver's seat, put it in first gear, and said "drive straight for that fence post that looks like a tiny spec way out there." My parents and brothers followed behind pick'n rocks and chuck'n them into the wagon. When my legs were long enough to keep up, I became a pick'r and chuck'r too. :)

I'm a mother of 3 boys - oldest is 13. I've always said I'm not raising children, I'm raising men. Dinner and the table are set and ready by the time my husband and I get home from work. The garden is usually picked too. I raise my boys how I was raised. I expect them to be a part of the family team. So far, so good.

Sorry no pics of my garden. I too have a smaller version of a traditional row-garden. I mulch heavily to prevent weeds. I also am fortunate to have some great "helpers" who love to eat their vegetables!

Sorry to be a bit off topic... I couldn't resist.

Erin

Thanks for the pic, Macky. I love rhubarb. I don't get enough of it because I don't want to use as much space as would be required of my best soil. I have found rhubarb doesn't appreciate infertile soil; combined with the onset of late spring heat the result is skinny stems and loads of bolting. The climate here is kind of borderline for rhubarb.

Looks like you are in good prarie-gumbo soil up there. When it dries out, right?

Wert, do you grow sweet potatoes and butter-beans? Those are my all-time favorite foods. In florida I have got 5 or 6 white varieties going. Doing ok even though it is still very dry there.

I gave up on sweet potatoes a few years ago, the deer eat them as soon as they come up. I grow butter beans and peas, the deer nibble at them but they grow back.