Garden Toddler

This morning I harvested pac choi, pulled up red lettuce plants, tilled and fertilized a 3x8 foot box plot, planted collard and mustard greens, seeded a half-dozen varieties of squash, and braided garlic.

Let me explain.

I've been volunteering at a local garden for the past few months that donates the harvest to not-so-well off members of the community. I love it for many reasons - I get to sit on the ground and get my hands dirty (reminds me of archeology), I'm learning a lot about plants and growing food, and I've met some great people outside of my usual circle of friends. I usually go during the week, which is nice because it's a small group of people and we kind of take a look around and do what needs doing. Which for me, usually means weeding (I love it, it indulges my perfectionist side) or thinning (mmm, I don't do so well with this kind of tough love) or desuckering (which we've decided is the greatest gardening term ever).

I also try to go on Saturday mornings if I get up early enough and I don't have other plans. I made it over today and it's a totally different atmosphere on the weekend - many more people, and tasks are written on a whiteboard so it's much more planned and a lot gets done. It also means that I end up doing a wider variety of things, like trying to figure out, with an elderly African-American woman who has lived in the neighborhood since 1952, how one braids garlic plants to hang and dry. Um, until very recently I didn't even know that garlic came in any other form than the flaky bulbs that you buy at the supermarket. I'm really enjoying learning in this community environment, and can't wait for the day when I can have my own garden that consists of more than herbs on my windowsill.