Yesterday was my real inaugural gardening day this year. I tilled, I harvested some winter crops, I weeded, I raked, I planted a little. In a few weeks, hopefully we’ll have the first little bits of carrots, chard and lettuce. I love the first little poppings-up of seeds. I like to kneel down really close and see if there are seeds opening up, pushing through. Just amazing. My friend Gail offered this when I mentioned my seedlings:
“Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed — a, to me, equally mysterious origin for it. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.” ~Henry D. Thoreau
Indeed.
Also from Gail, the wonderful venture River Cottage, with encouragement and interesting bits on all things local, including Food Heroes- people growing their own food against all odds in fascinating places. They’re UK folks, but so much of the info is pertinent and useful in the States- they’ve got amazing gardening and food traditions, they do.
Carrots, by the way, are my favorite party trick on our street. Little urban kids come over to see what I’m doing, digging in the dirt, and I say “watch this!” and pull a carrot out of the ground. Their eyes get really big and they grin in disbelief. ”How did that get in there?” Who knew- carrots don’t come from Kroger.
A few early shots of my little plots:
Carrots, garlic and newly rested soil, ready for growing
Tiny baby tomato seedlings.
