Impressed by friends who cooked frequently with produce from their kitchen garden, Jill and Todd were prompted to have one of their own. “We even set aside a space for each of our daughters to enjoy,” says Jill. “Can I really eat this--right now?” questions their youngest, popping a leaf of ‘Yugoslavian Red’ lettuce into her mouth. “Sure,” pipes her mom. Going organic was a given from the start, and drip irrigation provides water only where it is needed.

photo: Several caterpillars are found munching on bronze fennel and Italian flat-leaf parsley. They will soon turn into swallowtail butterflies.