Every gardener has a moment in time when they try out their “green thumb”, I call this the humble beginning. Not many of us wake up and decide we are going to be market gardeners. We toss some seeds in the ground. We whisper a blessing on them. We hope to harvest a meal or two. Here’s some photographic evidence of my humble beginnings to encourage any new gardeners. May I also share that gardening is always a challenge, whether you’ve been at it for years or months! Challenges include: soil quality, planting schedules, types of seeds, weather, pests, deficiencies et cetera. I encourage you to take pride and comfort in producing a few meals; and, taking small steps toward self-sufficiency. Please consider bringing an item or two to the Horticultural Exhibition 2024. If everyone brings one or two things, we will be encouraged and pleasantly surprised by the local abundance.

Growing a garden, forty years later, transforming the willow patch