Connecting with the Earth with a Garden

Our north garden site, showcasing 3-dimensional structures

"There's too much confusion. I can't get no relief." Bob Dylan

Try spending some time in the garden. You might get some frustration along with the relief, but it's a straightforward kind of work--one with a solution. After last year's drought, this year we're hoping for timely rains.

One gardening goal this year is to regress and do more gardening barefoot--that's right, no shoes. Not much with shovel work, but picking and weeding I can do without shoes. I can cut asparagus barefoot and steam it for dinner, 8 minutes from the garden.

Turnip greens to the fore; Asian greens to the left.

I want to feel the grass and earth beneath my feet; I want to forget the emotions and issues of work and function within the greater boundaries of nature.

Potatoes in the raised beds.

The peas are looking good in the north garden, and the broccoli and brussel sprouts are coming along. Some climbing Japanese cucumbers have been transplanted to one of the A-frames. The bush green beans are up, as are the pole beans on the trellises. Soon we'll plant climbing pole limas--the purple and white speckled "Christmas" variety.

I haven't mentioned the strawberries, but that doesn't mean we haven't been eating them. What a wonderful way to begin the day--pick strawberries and have them with breakfast! The raspberries aren't ripe yet, but we expect them about the time the strawberries give out.

The big, unplanted raised bed to the right of the potatoes? That's for cantalopes and watermelons. Yum!

Maybe you should try connecting with the earth. It's a friendly place to be. And because last year we finished our raised beds, this year there's less intensive labor--more time for bicycling Fairfield's trail system!

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved