My adventures in gardening started with a flower bed in my front yard which was inspired by my former neighbor, Mr. Dean. Four years ago, I ventured into the backyard where my husband and I dug out a small plot for a vegetable garden.
The first year we planted tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and watermelon with great success. More importantly, my inner self started to speak in a voice that I could really hear. It came to me as a question “What More Can I Give?” Already considering myself a giving person, I didn’t understand what this meant. Over and over and over again that question came to my mind. I could not figure out what this meant, nor could I understand why it wouldn’t leave me alone.
The second year we expanded the size of the garden just a bit in order to plant a few additional things – peas, squash, cantaloupe, and collard greens. To my dismay insects of all kinds, squirrels, birds and rabbits moved in, got very comfortable, and ate me out of house and home. While I’m normally a gracious host, I did not react fondly to these uninvited guests. Since this gardening thing was supposed to be relaxing, I would’ve normally deemed it the wrong way to spend my free time and set my focus on a new hobby but this was different. In the spring of that year, my mother gifted me with a book – Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening and as the trials came, I started to lean heavily on that book, a variety of web based resources and fellow gardeners. My passion for learning was reignited; the more answers I found, the more I sought.
2011 was the third year and included another expansion (the last for that area) along with more fruits & veggies – cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, peppers, peas, grapes and strawberries. My husband added a cute little picket fence to keep out Queen (our dog) and also started work on a new storage house which I’ve deemed my garden workshop and the official home of TELMORE Gardens. For the first time, I planted both a spring and fall garden and I equipped myself with a nice spicy, homemade batch of red pepper spray. As luck would have it, my common sense was on vacation the first day I tried my spray. After a frantic dash in the house to rinse my eyes and retrieve the tissue box, I realized that it’s not a good idea to spray anything on a breezy day. In case of any future lapses in judgment, I’ve since invested in a few dust masks and safety glasses. I also started to understand the question that continued to play in my head – “What More Can I Give?” It had become routine for me to rise early to check on my garden. I quietly walked the garden rows, pulling weeds and watering along the way. On warm mornings, I would take a seat either on the back patio or the front steps and simply be with my thoughts. It was during those quiet moments that I realized what I had to give. My garden was now yielding more than two people could eat so I started delivering freshly picked collards, yellow squash, zucchini and green peppers to unsuspecting friends & family. I proudly gave tours of my little garden plot to every house guest and shared my bounty with them. I started volunteering my time to various events in and out of town. I stepped out of my normally closed box and started this blog, joined Twitter and set up a Facebook page. Most importantly, I honored a calling that I believe has been over my life for many years and became a missionary at my church. For many these things would not be a big deal but for someone who is both painfully shy and an introvert, this was a major step.
My 2012 gardening season is off to a great start! I was fortunate enough to meet Nina Zinn of Urban Backyard Edibles last year and she recently installed one of her custom compost bins in my backyard. She’s also working on a plan that will allow me to use my garden space to maximum capacity. I signed up for a one day garden course at University of Richmond and recently attended the first of six garden classes being offered by Richmond Grows Gardens. I’ve also mapped out a few additional areas for future raised beds and started gathering pots for an herb garden. I’ll be adding blueberries, okra and a variety of lettuces to the garden this year. I’m also considering throwing a few pumpkin seeds in the mix and maybe some sunflowers for the side yard.
My body is thankful for fresh food, picked at the peak of perfection and prepared for consumption with the love and compassion that only a true foodie can understand.
My mind is thankful for the knowledge that I’m gathering and delights in the return of the inquisitive nature that was alive in my youth… way back when I was an elementary student who mixed shampoo & conditioner together trying to create a new product or when I took apart everything I could find and tried to put it back together again (usually unsuccessfully); back in those middle school days when I wanted to understand the lifecycle of the frog so I got a tadpole, captured lightning bugs in jars so I could have a night light and snuck caterpillars into my room hoping I could see them turn into butterflies; in high school when I was fascinated with osmosis and obsessed with cooking shows.
My spirit is thankful for the peace that was found in the garden. That peace has given me a place to restore before stepping into the hustle and grind of my daily life. That peace has given me the courage to share myself in a way that I never thought I would. That peace has brought beautiful new people into my life who freely share their experiences, expertise, dreams and aspirations with me.
What have you found in your garden?
To find out more about Urban Backyard Edibles, please visit:
www.urbanbackyardedibles.com
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