For Father’s Day, provisions gathered from your very own “grilling garden” can be a meaningful gift, particularly if the man in your family enjoys cooking outdoors. This year, instead of the traditional tie, t-shirt or coffee mug, consider gifting the fixings for a family meal that’s primarily based on what you harvest. Summer crops might include produce as varied as herbs, tomatoes, onions or zucchini. Grill fresh veggies alone or combine them with poultry, beef or fish to complete your feast!
One gift idea could be a collection of grilling herbs, such as rosemary, mint, thyme, sage and Mexican oregano. You’ll get bonus points for adding a basket filled with homegrown fruit, greens and seasonings, such as fresh peppers, garlic, lemongrass or whatever is in season that would add flavor to a favorite grilled dish. Throw in an assortment of beloved family grilling recipes to ensure the gift brings joy year after year.
Your grilling garden might also include ingredients for homemade sauces and salsas. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, and oregano combine to create fresh salsa. Hot peppers can be dried and ground into seasonings. Fresh herbs can be infused into oils, vinegars, and compound butters to enhance grilled foods.
For the father who enjoys getting his hands in the dirt and growing a garden himself, why not gift the items he’ll need to create a raised garden bed focused on outdoor cooking? He’ll want tools if he doesn’t already own them, such as a spade, hand pruners, shovel and rake. Knee pads and kneeling benches are great for protecting dad’s legs. And yes, even the manliest of men need gardening gloves and a sun-protective hat!
Gardening basics also make great gifts. Pick up gift cards for buying raised bed kits, lumber, fertilizer, mulch, soil amendments, seeds and transplants if you aren’t comfortable selecting these items yourself. Other smart choices include seed starting kits, grow lights, grilling tools, aprons with pockets for small tools and “how-to” books.
The whole family can plan, plant, harvest and prepare meals. For example, it’s fun for kids to select fresh rosemary stems for use as skewers. They’ll also enjoy picking edible flowers including nasturtiums and calendulas, which can be used as garnish or added to grilled dishes for flavor. Other tasty additions to the summer family cookout are fruit, such as fresh figs, and assorted herbs. Classic examples are oregano, basil, thyme, mint and Mexican mint marigold.
Another fun idea is to create a grilling garden based on a dinner theme, such as Italian, Mexican or Pizza. Grow the plants appropriate for these themed meals. Over time, these family activities, such as making pizza from garden ingredients, will become more about creating memories and traditions than simply eating delicious meals.
Most grill-friendly plants thrive in full sun, but require consistent moisture and a well-drained site. Mulching will help to conserve water. Regular harvesting will encourage some plants to continue production. Many food plants are cultivated as seasonal annuals. However, herbs such as rosemary are perennials that produce year-after-year given the proper care.
Celebrate Father’s Day by moving your fresh garden ingredients directly to the grill!
Written and Photographed by LGMG Phyllis Webster
