An Amish Garden: A Year in the Life of an Amish Garden
Readers will find themselves in a different world as Lapp shares her yearlong diary of planting and tending a vegetable garden amid the rhythms of Amish life in central Pennsylvania. Lapp and her family and neighbors live a pastoral existence in harmony with the seasons, and she writes about gardening as the act of turning something plain into something beautiful. The month-by-month structure takes readers from January’s planning—a grateful rest period for the gardener—through February, March, April, and May’s cleanup, seeding, and sprouting sunflowers, as a tiny foal enjoys her first run in the pasture. July and August bring a harvest of cucumbers, tomatoes, and corn, followed by clearing out the garden, canning, and freezing throughout the fall for the coming winter season. Jeremy Hess’ lustrous color photographs depict the garden throughout the year and document the creation of mouthwatering dishes made with Lapp’s homegrown produce and recipes, which she shares. This lovely and unusual blend of personal reflections, gardening insights, and cooking suggestions will delight readers interested in nature, gardening, food, and Amish life. --Whitney Scott