As a new planting season approaches, to-be gardeners and gardeners at all levels of expertise leaf through seed catalogs and review their plans for the next crop and harvest. All climates offer different challenges. Evey year brings new successes and errors that become the building blocks to the plans for the following growing season.

There is much to consider. Perhaps a plant that did not do well in one area of the yard might fare better in another, or should we try another variety of the same plant? There is much to consider beyond the garden itself. You tried canning tomatoes last year and it was so easy, and the outcome so delicious, that you want to plant more and increase your collection of bright, red, mouth-watering, homemade tomato sauce this year.

Space, both in the yard and in the house for storage, especially if you are preserving, is an important factor. So is time. Some plants require more attention, as do some food processing methods. Maybe your business keeps you out of the kitchen a bit more this year, or a newborn.

Then there are personal preferences. As suggested above, perhaps you tried canning and now you want to experiment with this method, canning everything in sight and growing more and more varieties of fresh produce for this purpose. Maybe you will be canning for the first time this year, or trying your hand at dehydrating, or juicing. Yes, that’s it. You want to try every smoothie combination on the planet.

It is easy to feel isolated or even at a loss when deciding what works for us and what does not. Sometimes, it is not even time or space that is an issue, but reduced mobility, for whatever reason. Life is a constant adaptation to new circumstances. It can be difficult to give up on something we love doing, like gardening, due to health or career or any number of reasons. Sometimes, it is not about giving up at all. Folks who dream of gardening may feel overwhelmed by the possibilities.

I may have mentioned in a previous post (memory is the first thing to go!) that my father and a neighbor used to share certain pieces lawn and garden equipment. For instance, they pooled their money to purchase and maintain a lawn mower and snow blower and just “borrowed” these from each other when needed, and even mowed each other’s lawn at times. They had one simple rule, which both men honored flawlessly: If I am using it and it needs maintenance, I am responsible for this, and promptly oblige.

I thought about this today and decided why not? Neighbors could share more than the lawn mower. If a neighbor loves canning, she and others could get together and can huge batches of their respective harvests using her equipment. A neighbor who is less mobile could still enjoy this process, with assistance. Another neighbor might own a food dehydrator, which gets borrowed by the canning neighbor.

The neighbor who owns the juicer may lend it to the neighbor who just started their first garden. This neighbor may own a meat grinder that the canning neighbor will use when preparing a large meal for a family gathering. All the while each neighbor also shares tips and knowledge.

Take this to the next step – and I am certain someone already does this somewhere – and neighbors could get together and make a list of the kitchen appliances they would love to use. Everyone would chip in an equal amount toward the purchase of any appliance that is missing to complete the overall list. Thus the person who is new to cider making could try it out first, with the shared fruit press, before deciding if this is a process he will adopt long-term. And the entire group might decide to upgrade to additional equipment to serve the needs of many.

Sometimes, maybe, we focus a lot of attention on time, money and space at the expense of dreams and goals. Often, dreams and goals take shape with greater ease when shared.

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