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To those of you who follow us on Instagram @burpeehg, you know that we have selected 12 gardener Instagram profiles to showcase during each month of 2019. From a new gardener to a garden coach, from an apartment gardener to gardening on an acre of land — all of these gardeners have something incredible to share!

Without further ado, we're very excited (pun intended) to introduce you to our January gardener: @veryexcitedgardener

If you were to give yourself a gardener name, what would it be?

The Very Excited Gardener. The name sprouted when my husband pointed out that if you didn’t have anything to talk to me about, just ask about gardening. I get so excited about it I can’t shut up. (Also I wanted the acronym VEG.)

Describe your garden.

Small but mighty. My garden is mainly a 4' x 8' raised bed with a few containers. 30 different crops were harvested this year from my little garden. Being in Zone 9 really helps me utilize my space because we get two gardening seasons and the mild winters allow growth year out.

What inspired you to start gardening?

When we first moved into our first home, it was the middle of the drought in California, and I read an article from our local paper about fresh produce tripling in price. That’s when I decided it was time to grow my own food. I had a garden when I was a child and knew that my husband had a green thumb and could help me. My first year I planted 11 different crops and only harvested 2 tomatoes.

Favorite veggie?

Zucchini. One of my favorites to grow and as soon as I pluck one squash off I bring it inside and use it. I can’t get enough.

What’s your favorite dish to make with your harvest?

I love making salads. Usually I can make a salad any time of year with what is growing in my garden.

Any pets?

I have a black lab named Dovahkiin. He loves to go outside with me to check on my garden and protects it from all the stray cats around our apartment.

Do you have any other hobbies?

I have my camera and a photo studio that I use for portrait photography. I enjoy fishing with my husband during spring/summer. Canning food has become a recent hobby of mine and my mother’s.

If you could describe yourself as a color, what color would you be and why?

Yellow. I love the energy that yellow brings. It’s a bright, exciting color. Even soft yellows have a brightness to them. I think I could be described as bright and excited.

The Very Excited Gardener places great importance on building a gardening community to talk about successes/failures and to encourage one another. If you’d like to follow her journey, she started a blog four months ago: www.veryexcitedgardener.com! You can also follow her on Instagram: @veryexcitedgardener.