I have been writing for months now about my decades-long disconnect from Earth which has lately been evolving to a greater interest in caring for Earth in a holistic fashion. One area, which generates considerable embarrassment on my part, is my inability to grow even the most hearty of plants. While I don’t generally kill cacti, for example, they also don’t tend to thrive under my brown thumb.
Plants that require more frequent watering and care enter the premises at their own risk.
It’s not that I’m uninterested in the pretty little creatures. I just don’t understand them. Even going online and reading about how to make an orchid bloom and flourish just resulted in a gradual withering of the poor plants, despite my best efforts and intentions.
My frustration over my inability to grow plants is heightened right now during these times of climate change crisis and COVID-19. While I’m grateful our grocery stores are, for the most part, well stocked and there’s no concern about scarcity around anything but toilet paper, I realize that this may not always be the case.
Thus, I’ve decided to learn to garden.
My mother used to call me stubborn, but I call it perseverance. It has been the magic ingredient for all of my successes to date. I’m determined to learn to be a successful gardener, and to do so in a way that cares for Earth too.
I’ve been taking classes at our local botanical garden since February, I got a book, and I have a few mentors. I even have a gal pal, Director of Earth Programs Kimberly Andrews, who will participate in this effort with me through a little friendly competition called the Dirt to Table Competition.
Here’s the plan. We will be capturing our progress, challenges, and successes in a new Youtube series called Brown Thumbs Turn Green. We’re going to learn to garden by whatever means we can (classes, books, internet, friends, and mentors), starting with dirt and ending with a meal made from our harvest. We will do it using no harmful chemicals, and our intention will be to care for Earth while feeding ourselves.
We’re inviting all of you to vote for the best effort, and also to join our Dirt to Table community with your tips, pointers, inspirations, suggestions, and progress. We want to know what you’re doing, but just as importantly, what intentions for Earth you are bringing forth in your efforts. We hope you’ll also share with us your Feed Yourself, Feed Earth story at the end, so we can all feel inspired along with you.
The Feed Yourself, Feed Earth folder will also contain companion videos where our friends and mentors will share more detailed ideas and practices regarding how we can care for Earth while caring for ourselves. These experts will bring a rich resource of knowledge, ideas, and practices for you to bring to your own garden, or that will inspire you to find new ways to add to your existing practices caring for Earth.
Get your gardening gloves and spade, and come join us in this new community! We can learn so much more, together.
