"You're living the good life, Megan," one of my barter
workers said repeatedly this week as we mulched, prepped beds, and seeded
popcorn, okra, sweet corn, winter squash and melons. The lawn mowers
in my neighborhood had ceased, the wind was calm, the sun was not too hot, the valerian and the chamomile flowers filled the air with a sweet aroma, and
the birds were out in full force tweeting away. The pasture surrounding my property,
with grass growing nearly to the height of our heads, provided a nice green backdrop
to our day. As he sowed popcorn seed for the first time, he told me his
favorite saying, "We come from the Earth, we return to the Earth, and in
between we garden."
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| Photo taken at M R Gardens, by Vickie Burick |
In mid-May, when plant sales, planting, and garden coaching
all hit their peak at the same time, I appreciated the reminder of how lucky I
am. Too much of a good thing can be, well, a bit much, and my body was starting
to feel the effects of three months of labor. My worker showed up at just the right time
to give me the relief I desperately needed.
In exchange for his good work, I offered him a homegrown lunch, several bags of produce, and raspberry crowns
for his own garden. He insisted that the fun work and educational
experience was enough of a trade. At the same time, the opportunity to spread a
little knowledge about growing food and about the natural world felt even more
valuable to me than the help.
Our interaction inspired two more entries to Why
I garden: My growing list:
To share with others my
love of growing my own food and my fascination with the natural world.
