At the place I’m living, I am very blessed to have two raised garden beds to grow whatever I want. The first year I was here, the neighbors did most of the garden tending. However, when they decided to move out, the garden got a bit overgrown with weeds, and when I moved back in after my summer motorcycle tour, I had a new project.
The owner of the home has been upstate for the last few months measuring tree growth for the forest division. However, he has popped into town from time to time and dropped off some sprouts for rainbow chard, collard greens, and Romaine lettuce. He’s also got me stocked up on cow manure to best fertilize whatever I grow.
Along with a bunch of weeds, I also removed an eggplant bush to make room for more leafy greens, squash and zucchini. I also planted cauliflower and broccoli, but some critters really likes to eat them, and I’m not sure if any of them are going to make it.
This garden came with some flourishing rosemary, basil, fennel, arugula, and oregano, and also has a massive habanero pepper bush from which I’ve already made a few batches of hot sauce. I’ve added cucumbers, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and a bunch of leafy greens.
To be honest, I’ve never had the greenest of thumbs. However, I really love the time I spend on this garden. I’ve heard people talk about the therapeutic benefits of working in a garden, but until you feel it, it’s not something you can really wrap your head around.
Although our work ethic in this culture no longer glorifies gardening, I find it to be so rewarding, and I wish more people would realize the joy in it. I know many people are afraid of dirt, but there is something about having it under my fingernails that just makes me feel more connected to the world. And seeing even small amounts of growth in these plants that mostly started as seeds is exciting in a way that I just can’t describe.
Even if you don’t have the luxury of having your own raised garden beds, you can still grow all sorts of herbs and vegetables in pots on your patio or windowsill. If you want to enhance your relationship with the natural world, I encourage you to grow your own food. You don’t have to grow all of it yourself, but a few plants can bring an enormous amount of joy.
