From my garden to yours

The iconic image of the solitary farmer on his tractor criss-crossing the back 40 acres brings to mind a stalwart character able to single-handedly withstand the forces of nature. Even if the farmer owns his land, raised his seed and fertilized the land with his herd’s manure, he still depends on the top of the food chain to purchase and consume his crop. He relies on the tractor manufacturer for parts and service for his equipment. His family is at the house, providing love and sustenance. All these associated people confirm the fact that growing a crop in the field is merely a single step in the long process of raising a crop of humans.

Growing a garden in the backyard confronts many of these same principles even if we just want to flavor up the tomato sauce with a little homegrown basil. My children have grown strong and healthy eating an incredibly diverse diet supplemented from the land and labor of our homestead garden (even though the dark forces of fast food frequently appeared to have the upper hand). I deluded myself while bringing home the beans that my objectives were accomplished. But until those beans were consumed by my family, let alone relished, were my unintended goals finally achieved. Trust me, there were plenty of times that wonderful garden-fresh produce was left to languish in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.

Try counting the number of people you are growing, not just the ones actually eating your produce. If everyone economically associated is included, your crop of people may be a bit bigger than imagined. From the person filling seed packets, the cashier at the garden center ringing up the supplies, the writer providing suggestions, to the property owner’s association president allowing a zoning variance to remove a percentage of lawn for a square foot garden — all are ultimate beneficiaries of a food production enterprise.

Where the plethora of people really comes to mind are the positive associations made in the actual efforts of growing the plants. In my garden, the customers of my pick-your-own business help in reaping the harvest. The friends at the garden club meetings impart ideas, seeds and moral support. Guests attending tours of my garden spew plenty of feedback (good and bad) all over the plants, sort of like cerebral fertilizer. At public speaking events, information flow is always a two-way street (the best way to learn a subject is to teach it). Tally up all these humans, and you’ve grown a significant crop!