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Working with the Earth

By October 22, 2024Uncategorized

Working with the Earth
By Rev. Amy Johnson

 

In April of 2023, my son started his journey as a market garden apprentice at Hungry World Farm, a not-for-profit regenerative farm in Tiskilwa, IL. So, when HWF offered a gardening class in mid-April, I took the opportunity to go see my son. I did get to see him, but that class (and the experience on the farm) completely changed my gardening practices. I began working with the Earth, instead of treating it like a commodity.

By 2023, my garden’s nutrients had been depleted, weeds were winning and my produce had gotten smaller and less flavorful each year. I had planted almost exclusively flowering vegetables on my 24’x26’ garden since 2007. Yes, I added fertilizer, tried to keep up with the weeds by tilling and pulling them, and even was good about rotating my tomatoes, but it just wasn’t the garden it once was. When I saw the lush, vibrant gardens at HWF, I saw a vision for what I wanted my garden to be. So, I asked questions … a lot of questions.

Many summers, I also spent time working at various camps, where all I had with me was what I was able to bring in a duffel bag. Again, just like when I was backpacking, I was happy, and my anxiety levels were as low as they’d ever be. That alone should have been enough to get me to live a life free of unnecessary stuff.

That day in April, I learned more about the value of bringing in compost, which meant more than just dumping my fruit and vegetable scraps on the garden. I was introduced to no-till practices in order to foster heathy communities of microorganism in the soil which also meant I would not be unearthing weed seed. I saw the effects of planting in long, narrow beds with distinct rows where the vegetables filled the space reducing weed pressure. I was introduced to the bounty of overwintering crops and the value of garden planning and succession planting. I learned how to use row cover to help warm early seedlings and protect plants from insets, as well as ways of using black plastic to suppress weeds overwinter and warm the ground in the spring. I also made connections with others who are passionate about gardening.

I have tried a lot of new practices since April 2023. I have made mistakes. I have been frustrated. And I’ve invested a good amount of time and money. But most of all, I have been exhilarated. My garden is lush, mostly weed free, filled with a wide variety of plants that are working with the earth to either deposit or withdraw the nutrients it needs in order for me to grow the next set of crops. I have been able to share from the bounty, as well as cook nutrient dense foods for my family. My first harvest in 2024 was on March 13, and I’ve had something to harvest nearly every week since then.

Beyond producing great food, the value of connecting with the earth feeds my soul. There is no doubt that gardening is hard work, and gardeners are at the mercy of the elements and face the challenges of pests & critters, But having the black Midwest soil under my nails, watching seeds push through the earth and bees move from bloom to bloom, feeling the warmth of the sun and the cool of the rain on my skin, tending and harvesting food I have grown myself – it is a holy, spirit-filled experience. Thanks be to God.