Sowing the Seeds of Happiness (Or the View From My Patch of Peace)
“The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.”
~ Hanna Rion
This is the first of several new posts over the coming weeks where I will share a bit more of the ‘doing’ side of how I am trying to live deeply each day.
Before I begin, some full disclosure: I am a wanna-be farmer. I also have delusions of homesteading grandeur from time to time.
Maybe that’s why I love trying to grow more things better.
Talk about a journey! Gardening is a life-long pursuit. One of never-ending learning and refinement; a ripening of know-how and determination to grow the most beautiful things that the Earth allows to spring forth. There is such a connection to Nature when you try your hand at growing things. And so many lessons to be learned, especially for kids.
Growing Memories
We have always had something growing. When I was a kid, I remember my mom growing a hodge-podge of tomatoes, squashes, cukes and herbs in pots out on the deck. When my wife and I first married, we turned the astro-turf backyard at our apartment into a tiny growing oasis complete with veggies, flowers and a little outdoor cooking area.
Fast forward to today and we have a decent showing around our suburban home. A place where our kids can learn where their food comes from and how to nurture a bit of sustenance. The pictures below provide a bit of a tour, but here is the breakdown:
Our main growing area is out in the back yard where the sun is best. Nine raised beds filled with a homegrown mix of soil, compost, peat moss and leaf mold provide a good foundation. We NEVER use any chemicals. Rather, we help reduce our waste stream by composting darn near anything that we can and have two bins in rotation all the time.
I’m still trying to find the best layout and rotation of crops, but we tend to focus on growing things that we can get the most value out of (and that the kids can easily pick): greens (spinach and lettuces), beans, eggplant, squashes, tomatoes, cukes, asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, peppers. We leave the corn, broccoli, potatoes and the like to the local farmers
Sprinkled here and there are some herbs, flowers and the annual lineup of mystery plants that sprout from seeds not fully composted from last season. For instance, this year we had a healthy showing of gourds and pumpkins that just came up. Much to the kids’ delight, we just let them grow and let them do their thing.
On the other side of the yard, closer to the house, we have a few other traditional beds. One for herbs, one for blueberries and raspberries and one a mix of annuals and perennials. Because we have so many trees in and around our yard, sunny spots are at a premium, so we do what we can, relying of shade plantings to balance things out.
Beyond the Garden
For me, these delusions of homesteading grandeur are part of this vision I have of living in harmony with the land; working it for the benefit of all; bringing self-sufficiency to a new level.
To that end, we’ve dabbled with things like canning and freezing over the years. Nothing beats breaking the seal on a jar of strawberry-rhubarb jam or homemade pickles in the dead of winter. Or pulling an acorn squash you picked a few months back out of a storage bin for a bit of slow roasting on a snowy evening.
All this helps me — and all the others who dabble in such fare — the opportunity to slow down, to savor the sights, smells and satisfaction of as Alice Waters puts it slow food. As vegetarians, being able to grow a bunch of things steps from your door helps us keep variety in the mix.
The Bigger Picture
Looking at the bigger picture, having more people grow more things where they are at — instead of shipping it the average 1,200 miles or so that most food travels — makes sense on so many fronts. It increases access to fresh and nutritious food, helping to beat back the blight of ‘food deserts’; it empowers communities to come together to fight a variety of social and economic ills; it does wonders in lessening our use of energy.
The fact is: More food is being grown in more places by a wider variety of people. Victory gardens of yesteryear are making a comeback. School gardens are taking off. Farmers markets are at an all-time high.
Still, even in 2010, some countries still feel compelled to declare food a basic human right. I don’t know whether to consider that progress or not.
Are You Trying to Grow More Things Better?
I know that a few readers of The New Pursuit are out there getting their hands dirty. By volunteering at a local community garden, Lynn is learning incredible life lessons. Kathy is working to create a four-season garden by building cold frames (something I hope to do one day).
What are you growing?
If you’re not, don’t worry. You can get started at any time. There are a TON of great resources out there. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Kitchen Gardeners International
- Organic Gardening Magazine
- Path to Freedom
- Backyard Farmers: 25 Website You Should Be Reading
Be well and happy growing,
Bill
If you enjoyed this post, please consider helping my writing by sharing it with a few friends via Twitter or another social media tool. Subscribing to The New Pursuit via RSS or email is also welcome! You might also enjoy these posts:
- Nature as Mentor: 6 Life Lessons That Gardens Can Teach Our Children
- 12 Favorite Books for Connecting Kids with Nature and Life
- 33 Simple Things to Get You Reconnected With Nature
Oooh, looks lovely. My feelings about home gardening are tricky, because I am also very devoted to new urbanism…we live in a condo and walk to work, the park, the library, etc. I am fortunate to live in an area that values keeping its trees and grass even in the urban areas, but we don’t have a garden. I have planters on a balcony, and my son and I are struggling to keep anything living out there. The area only gets indirect sunlight, because the balcony one story above us shields much of the sun. What are some good candidates for us to try and nurture out there?
Hi Daisy // Kudos for trying in the first place. There are a few options you could try:
1) Try growing things that thrive in partial sun/shade. They may not be of the edible variety, but anything green — especially if it’s an evergreen (not sure if you have a cold winter) — is sure to brighten up your day. This site has some good suggestions and tips. I also found this other blog dedicated to all things balcony gardening. Granted it’s in Italy, but hey, a balcony is a balcony…
2) Try window growing in a sunnier spot. There are lots of great resources on vertical or window ‘farming’ that caters well to urban areas. Check out this NPR story to start.
3) Connect with a community garden. More and more community gardens are popping up all the time, especially in urban areas. If by chance there isn’t one in your neck of the woods, you could always try to start one. The American Community Gardening Association is a great resource for that.
4) Work with your son’s school to create a school garden. This could be big (outside) or small (inside). Size isn’t important, rather the learning that comes from it. You might be able to find some other parents interested in the same thing — which always helps. Here is a good how-to from the California School Garden Network.
Good luck and be well!
Loved the tour, Bill! I wish there was some way that I could nurture a garden (or any plant life for that matter) as a traveling nomad (maybe I can carry around a little pot with me wherever I go? haha).
I’m also really interested in learning about (or inventing!) something for people that live in small spaces (i.e., cities) so that they have options for growing plants and possibly even food. I’m thinking some type of vertical collection of pots that stands up like a big lamp. I’m sure this must have already been tried, but I’m curious what the challenges are.
I grew up in a yard that looks a lot like yours, abundant with greenery and life. Gardening and planting are something I’ve taken for granted, but it’s humbling to realize how little I actually know. Farming and growing food is something I plan to start learning more about (and doing more of) when I get back to the States — perhaps starting and maintaining the first vegetable garden at my parents house.
My grandma keeps tomatos, green beans, and some other vegetables in a small garden behind her house and my only memories of my Great Grandfather are of him hunched over in a white hat and overalls working on his small vegetable garden.
Raam // I love those images of our grandparents! A lot of stuff for simple vertical, window growing exists. Check out the NPR story I linked for Daisy. For (much) bigger ambitions, check out The Vertical Farming initiative. Amazing. And something that I would love to get involved with professionally.
But the humble community garden is still a win-win all around. One of THE MOST amazing documentaries I have ever seen is The Garden and chronicles one Los Angeles community’s fight to keep a 14-acre community garden alive against the agenda of a private landholder/businessman and his political connections. A MUST see.
Oooo, I want to check out The Garden! Thanks for the link love, and the awesome motivation and resources to starting your own garden.
I love ‘volunteer’ seedlings – it’s like a surprise gift from the earth.
I have this too: “I am a wanna-be farmer. I also have delusions of homesteading grandeur from time to time.”
On occasion, I have a delusion that I can operate my own organic farm to sell at a local market. Perhaps one day!
=P
Looking good Bill! It’s so important for balance to get down and dirty (in the garden – what were you thinking?).
Looks like your plants get pretty good sun where they are. Have you thought about some fruit trees?
Ali
Lynn, anything is possible! Keep at it!
Thanks, Ali. I think you got access to my secret plans!
Long-term, we do want to plant a small “grove” of dwarf apple trees in the back on the north side of the raised beds. Our kids eat SO MANY apples that I’m sure the trees would pay for themselves in no time! We’ve also talked about replacing some of the old and weathered trees in our front yard with nut bearing varieties. All in due time!
Bill, Your garden is fabulous! Thanks for the tour.
I am very slowly learning about organic gardening in Hawai’i – which is quite different than the mainland. I happily inherited 4 long raised beds and a greenhouse when we moved into our current home. I’ve been able to grow bok choy (filagree style due to the snails), arugula, Osaka purple mustard, parsley (just popping up) and a few inherited plants like pineapple and ginger. I’m just starting to consider what to grow in the greenhouse, probably cucumber and possibly zucchini and tomatoes (they don’t grown well outdoors here). I’ve got one zucchini started in the greenhouse to see how it goes. We also have citrus trees and a lilikoi vine.
Sometimes, it’s hard to get things started from seed, but I figure it’s all a big experiment and over time I will get the hang of it.
I agree that growing your own vegetables is a great way to support the planet!
That is a beautiful garden and it was a lovely tour, thank you. You are a fortunate family
Your children must love it.
I came across a site the other day called path to freedom at urbanhomestead.com. You probably know of it already, but I’d never seen it before. It was really inspiring.
I’m actually a plant killer – so I will have a long way to go with my plans to start growing in the courtyard. Fortunately my Mum lives nearby, at least for time being and she loves gardening so she can help me.
PS though I’m not a gardener I”m pretty sure that pumpkins just tend to come up by themselves
Thanks, Majeeda // I LOVE Path to Freedom. I’ve been following them for a few years. Just absolutely amazing. Sure, not for every suburbanite, but it just goes to show what is possible — even on postage stamp size yard!
You’ll be coming out of your winter soon. Give it a try again — with the kids. Start small. Even a few containers of something easy like tomatoes or beans. You have nothing to lose when you take that route.
Thanks, Sandra // That’s a nice inheritance! I love bok choy. When I was in China last year, steamed bok choy for breakfast was my favorite!
You know, I try to do most things from seed because I’m stubborn like that. But you know what? Sometimes you just need a little helping hand — and seedlings work well in that category. No shame in that — especially when you’re eating something fresh from your own garden.
You’ll have to share some pictures at some point.
Hey Bill, thanks for the mention!
One question: how wide are your growing beds? Mine are 4′ but I’m starting to think that’s too wide, as I seems to encourage me to cram too much in. I’m starting to think 30 – 32 inches would be better – just enough for one row of tomatoes, say – down the middle. Right now the tomatoes have flopped over on the broccoli, and everything is spilling out onto the paths. It feels like the garden has really gotten away from me this year. I’m also pretty sure a young rabbit has gotten in there, but it’s such a jungle I can’t find him!
If your beds are 4′ wide, then that means you probably have more self-control at planting time than I do!
You’re welcome, Kathy!
Eight of our nine raised beds are 4 x 8 (10 inches high) — it just made it easy when it came time to assemble them. About half of the garden is laid out in a “square foot” method to maximize space; the rest I play by ear. This year, I did three tomatoe plants in each row for 12 per bed. Too many. Next year, I will only do two per row (8 per bed). Better air flow and I won’t have to worry about anything going to waste. I also need to do a much better job staking everything!
I love trying to grow things up trellises, making them out of bamboo and twine. I tried a new quad-pod trellis for the cukes this year and I didn’t like the results. I’ll go back to my A-frame design next year.
Live and learn! Good luck with the cold frames. Definitely something on my to-do list. I am inspired by Elliot Coleman’s “Four Season Gardening” book. A great read.