We've been composting our veggie scraps, egg shells, and coffee grinds for many years. Long ago, before we started the compost heap, we had a good veggie garden and now many years later, I'm going to use all that rich soil we've been making with the compost to start a new vegetable garden. I am surprised at just how much physical labor this requires--it's a real workout moving that heavy rich soil from one end of the yard to the other. It's also hard work tilling the garden plot to remove all the varied rocks I'm finding. The land where our house sits was definitely not farmland in the past, but instead a rocky, wooded hillside that abuts wetlands and the historic Sudbury River.
The last time we had a good garden was when our children were little. Gardening was the perfect complement to watching children play in the yard. It was a positive creative endeavor during an intense child care period in my life. At that time we grew all kinds of flowers and veggies. In fact, one year, we had enough beautiful flowers to fill vases for my brother's wedding rehearsal dinner. The colors were wonderful.
This time, however, what's motivating me is the thought of not having to go to the grocery store as well as the thought of fresh, green salads, wonderful herbs, and delicious veggie snacks. I've read that I'm not alone in this endeavor since people all over the globe are responding to the coronavirus pandemic with gardening.
The challenge of gardening is not unlike the challenge of parenting or teaching since it's limitless. As I worked the land yesterday, I looked around at all the plants I could split and replant to make my yard more beautiful. I also noticed wonderful rocks at the bottom of the hill that could be moved to make our boulder border better as well as lots of broken sticks from a recent windstorm that could be used in the garden for bean trellises.
Gardening is a positive workout for me--it's aerobics and strength training at once with a purpose. So during these coronavirus days, I'll commit to gardening as one positive and healthy pastime. Onward
The last time we had a good garden was when our children were little. Gardening was the perfect complement to watching children play in the yard. It was a positive creative endeavor during an intense child care period in my life. At that time we grew all kinds of flowers and veggies. In fact, one year, we had enough beautiful flowers to fill vases for my brother's wedding rehearsal dinner. The colors were wonderful.
This time, however, what's motivating me is the thought of not having to go to the grocery store as well as the thought of fresh, green salads, wonderful herbs, and delicious veggie snacks. I've read that I'm not alone in this endeavor since people all over the globe are responding to the coronavirus pandemic with gardening.
The challenge of gardening is not unlike the challenge of parenting or teaching since it's limitless. As I worked the land yesterday, I looked around at all the plants I could split and replant to make my yard more beautiful. I also noticed wonderful rocks at the bottom of the hill that could be moved to make our boulder border better as well as lots of broken sticks from a recent windstorm that could be used in the garden for bean trellises.
Gardening is a positive workout for me--it's aerobics and strength training at once with a purpose. So during these coronavirus days, I'll commit to gardening as one positive and healthy pastime. Onward