Kitchen Garden Academy Success Stories

"My archway is complete! The cukes have met the tomatoes I had to share... everything is growing in leaps and bounds. My fall plants are waiting on the side lines ... just enjoying the learning curve my first year."

"This weekend, my husband and I used the KGA method to build two new planters for my in-laws. They are replacing their old, 6-inch beds, and should be much easier for them to tend. We live about 3 hours away from them, so our next visit will involve us finishing out the walkway and installing the border.

Now, I'm dreaming of ripping out my giant, 4 x 20 foot planter and rebuilding it in the spring. Can't wait!"

“The Beloved Garden” KG update,

KG Best thing that happens to me this year until now that I new Hey! IM GOING TO BE A GRANDMA for first time and IS A BOY YEY!!!! I want it to share this news with all my gardeners friends, I’m so so happy, I imagine myself teaching my grandson all about gardening. I new gardener will be born

"After months of planning, HOA approval, finding a fence contractor (they are all busy), we are almost there. Cedar was delivered yesterday and we start on the boxes today. Three boxes installed and leveled and soil delivered by FarmDirt. One step closer!"

"The Fall Garden 2020. After a summer of hardscaping (still under construction), heat waves, local fires and smoke, the garden is finally in!!! My first! The big experiment includes a variety of veggies, some starters and lots of direct seeding. Already the radishes and lettuces have poked through. I am in awe and for the past 6 days since planting, it gives me joy to jump out of bed to watch the wonder take place, not unlike a child getting a new puppy for the first time. Thank you Nicole Burke and participating coaches who offer their expertise and encouragement. "

"Hi Nicole,

I wanted to share with you how your inspiration has given me the vision to change my way of gardening.

I have been gardening the traditional way for many years and had success, however it was very labor intensive took a lot of space, lots of tilling/weeding, and when it rained it was a muddy mess! It always seem to bring more worry and anxiety than joy and therapy. The constant weeding and tilling would cause me to want to give up when the Oklahoma humid summer heat came!

I was looking for a better, more efficient, organic way to garden when I stumbled across your Instagram page in 2019 while being featured on Linda Vater’s Instagram. @potegarblog

From the very beginning I was hooked. I stalked your page every day - learning and taking notes - this was before all your amazing classes and book HA! I began to make my plans, my husband made me a couple of beds and I got a greenhouse (life long dream) I was able to do okay last year but I knew I wanted a bigger space and I had a lot to learn about raised beds and organic gardening. Due to sickness in our family I took some time off social media to help care for our loved one. You always remind us it’s in our own timing and we are never late, thank you for this reminder!

This spring I found out you had a Kitchen Garden Academy course and I knew I had to take it! It was everything I needed to finally make a beautiful extension of my back yard, I love this philosophy.

So I joined and the work began, my husband was all in and worked to complete what is now a space that I go to first in the morning that brings joy each time I enter, I’ve been able to overcome so many issues without chemicals and synthetic fertilizers which gives me peace and so much satisfaction! My husband and I spend many evening admiring this beautiful space and never regret our investment! This is now a space that is admired by all our friends and family and we will enjoy for many years to come! You helped us make this dream come true, I trust all the insight you have given me and all your other students! Your classes and Q&A’s are packed full of sound advise, every thing you have directed me on has worked and all the local “old school farmers” told me I would spend way too much trying to do it the organic way and that just is not true! So thank you for all you do to help the little rural people like me provide healthy organic produce for our families!

Your gardening friend,

Teresa Allen

Central Oklahoma

"Back-breaking work, but we finally got my entire 12’x9’ keyhole garden refilled with the perfect soil blend. My husband built it for me back in April before I joined KGA & GCS. We filled the bed with straight topsoil . My garden did well this summer, but I knew the soil was too dense and not draining well. After my summer garden was done, we dug the whole thing out (2’deep) drilled a few drainage holes through the wood, filled the base with 5” gravel for drainage and then refilled it with Nicole Johnsey Burke’s perfect soil blend. Oh ya, and put in the arch trellis.

I just put in a few Fall veggies.

It truly was a labor of love!

Next up, put in the border and gravel.

Here are a few pics showing this journey!

Thank you Nicole for all your teachings. This raised bed truly has been a learning experience, but now I know the value of doing it right the first time!!!"

"My first harvest! One perfect zucchini

Finally.... started the build out on these kitchen gardens in late March. By the time boxes were built, land was prepped, irrigation set, and then the big task of filling with soil was completed, I finally put plants and seeds in by June. Maybe late for the season, BUT it’s never too late to start."

"I couldn’t be happier with the way my kitchen garden turned out! I’m ready for Fall!"

"Hello! I realized I haven't shared garden progress pictures in awhile We started planning our garden and clearing the space in late April/early May. We are working on a hill (most of our yard is sloped unfortunately) so my husband built the beds to fit the slope so the beds would be level. He also installed irrigation by trenching from the house - so much work to get all of this setup! My garden growth has been slow so far -I suspect that my soil mix wasn't as compost rich as it was supposed to be - but I have been adding tons of compost to the top of the bed and I think growth is picking up a bit. I'm learning so much and going out to visit our kitchen garden has brought me so much joy already. I love seeing everyone's photos, questions and tips and feel so blessed that I found Nicole, Gardenary and this group when I did "

"May 2020 to December 2020

Loving the joy this garden brings me and so excited for 2021!

Grateful to have met so many at the KGA summit!"

"Been dreaming of this for over a year. Here it is!!"

"I was going to wait to post the before and after photos of our raised bed transformation but I’m just too excited to not share now. I really wanted to have an arch, and I could have forced one, but I’m glad I had some reference points to show me the possibilities of planting along the fence line and conserving my yard space. I’m so thankful this project has kept me busy and positive while everything else feels so uncertain. I’m physically and mentally stronger than I was before. I still have a weekend of shoveling and hauling soil ahead of me, as well as sourcing and planning for my plants. I cant wait!!"

"Who's says you can't downsize AND garden!!! If there's a will, there's a way! <plus, just about every walker in the neighborhood has commented on this!>"

"While I had to work until just a few days ago, my husband was home with the kiddos. He worked hard and in the rain on some days to finish my raised beds in time for my birthday. A big shout out to the most dedicated, hardworking husband and father. ( excuse the falling fence, it will be fixed in a couple of weeks ). Thank you Nicole and everyone for your guidance and support! Let the growing begin.

Update: Before and after. Not included: flowerbeds for bees and butterflies, corns and pumpkins.

6 weeks in and the beds are beginning to fill up a little bit. It could be more robust if my soil contained more compost than sand, and if the little critters aren’t eating away at my new foliage. I’ve added compost and started using the garlic spray as recommended by Crystal. Hopefully It will keep the bugs away. Can’t wait to see it completely full!"

"I took your KGA course and planted my first garden a few weeks ago...in a very desolated backyard of our rental home. I didn’t have the funds nor the desire to create a luscious kitchen garden in our rental backyard, but I still planted a garden because of you! Yay!

I bought non-treated boxes, covered the interior with burlap and then filled with soil and veggies. I had some failures but far more successes... and yesterday I just planted my first seeds in an open box (so... fingers crossed that they’ll sprout).

Someday I will have a bigger garden and my goal is to take your Garden Coach Society course. But, for now, I’m simply happy with getting my hands dirty and growing my own food. All of this new passion is because of you and your KGA... I’m also excited to get your book.

I hope you know that most, if not all, of your followers understand your genuine heart for teaching us how to grow food... no matter the vessel that we use in our garden".

"Here’s a photo of the bed I’ve built during the stay at home time here in Houston. This has been a great project for our family. Looking forward to the book"

"My family and I have had so much fun in our garden this summer. Thank you so much for getting us started. I am planning for September and I actually built a second bed this weekend."

 I just want to thank you for putting all your garden knowledge out there. You’ve broken every step down and made it so simple for a beginner. I love a beautiful presentation as well, which you’ve incorporated into your book and course. I’ve attempted many times before to plant veggies in raised garden beds and quickly gave up when it didn’t work. I like how you’ve taught us to think of gardening as an ongoing experiment where there is no failure, only learning.

That really helps me put things in perspective when I inevitably kill a plant (or five). I initially didn’t take the time to make my garden beautiful before KGA, but learned the value of investing in it. The result was a complete makeover of our space and I love going out there, or just viewing the garden from a window.