People in Iowa who are dealing with the aftermath of flooding most likely have far greater issues than their gardens to worry about.

However, I know how my garden provides a kind of refuge for me, a place where things make sense, I'm safe, and no one is yelling at me. So I was very sad to learn that people who's gardens were flooded have probably also lost that refuge.

According to several local county extensions in Iowa, any vegetables growing in a garden that was covered by flood water should not be eaten, due to likely contamination from sewage and other sources. The contamination can last for some time, so the soil should be regarded as contaminated for at least 90 days, if not longer.

As I said, I know many people are dealing with far larger problems -- but the loss of all these gardens and the comfort they may have provided breaks my heart a little bit.