You're listening to the Beginners Garden podcast. I'm Jill McShehehehe with Journey Withjil.net,

and my goal is to give beginning gardeners the tools they need to grow a rewarding, productive garden. Hello and welcome to the Beginners Garden podcast.

I'm super excited that you have joined me on this very special episode.

I can vividly remember my very first year as a gardener

desperately searching for gardening resources and podcasts.

Sadly, I didn't find many that helped me at a most basic level,

but there was one I listened to faithfully,

and that was a pioneering today podcast by Melissa K. Norris.

Melissa and I actually connected through a faith-based

site, Faith Happenings, where we both contributed devotionals. I quickly learned that we had more

in common than just our faith. She was an experienced gardener, homesteader, and expert canner,

and I learned so much from her through her podcast and

her blog at Melissa K. Norris.com. Four years later, and I can't even believe it's been that long,

I not only consider her a valuable resource, but also a friend. I keep hinting to her that she

needs to take a trip from her home in Washington State and visit the South.

But until I get to meet her in person, I'm so grateful that she's joining me today on the podcast.

I can't wait to hear the gardening knowledge and tips she's going to share, and I know you're

going to thoroughly enjoy this episode as well.

Welcome to the Beginners Garden podcast, Melissa.

I'm so grateful to have you on today.

Oh, I am super excited to be here.

And as you were bringing the intro, I was trying to remember.

...