Once a Farmer, Always a Farmer

In a way, there is nothing too terribly exciting to post about the garden.......or is there?

For one - I have started planting in the food bank/kindergarten plot.  On Thursday a group of four children, the teacher and I planted two rows of potatoes, about 25 lettuce plants and a row of beets on one half of the plot; half is designated for the food bank, the other for the kindergarten class.  When the school year ends in another month, the food bank will be using the entire space.  It kind of works out great, in that child labor kind of way.  The children come and play in the dirt, plant a bit, maybe weed some here or there and the food bank gets the bounty of veggies - no cost for the labor.

For two - there is some more germinating and growing happening.  The peas are a few inches tall now, which means I need to get my butt in gear and get a trellis up for them to climb on.  Carrots have finally sprouted across the street.  Arugula and tatsoi are getting a bit bigger all the time.  The leeks have finally started to pop through the ground.  Tonight after work, I hit the plot by my home with shot of fish fertilizer, so hopefully between that and the sun that is expected to come in the next two days, we will see some serious growth.

For three - my seedlings inside suck.  My apartment just stays too cold and there is not enough sun coming in. I went to three different stores tonight trying to find just the right light fixture to hang over them and struck out, so I am giving up and carrying two trays into work tomorrow to leave in the greenhouse.  I have NO idea why I am so stubborn and didn't just take them there in the first place.  I guess I kind of just wanted my babies close to me at all times.   Moving on...

For four - I spent Wednesday morning at Drumlin Farm doing a bit of planting with the team - or I should the remaining members of last years team; Greg, Abbey and Matt.  It was amazing to be in the fields with these amazing people again.  Drumlin is gorgeous; the baby lambs are out grazing, the seedlings are growing in the green house, the garlic is almost knee high.  That farm is like a dream and I think visiting there just reminded me how much I love and respect that land and those people.  After lunch, it was so hard and awkward to walk away.  I guess I left questioning or doubting my decisions.

Little by little - Great Barrington and Project Native show me that I am here and here is where I am supposed to be.  I guess there is more to be revealed, but for today I am working on being present, willing and open minded to loving this experience.